We have had such a mix of weather on this journey, from heat as high as 96 degrees in the Badlands to cold mornings below 49 degrees, rain, cross-winds, tail winds and the ever-dreaded headwinds (too many of these I might add). Couple this with my first flat tire (at mile 1,152), second flat tire (at mile 1,335) and the absolute nightmare of road construction that seems endless no matter which state we enter (Billings, MT had a sign stating "road construction next 34 miles"), drovews of grasshoppers which fly up from the pavement or the grass at the side of the road in waves, stinging our legs and arms and crashing against our faces, glasses and helmets-- and, I know you might find this hard to believe but, yes, we are still having fun.
Mom and Dad, our incredible support crew, have also endured the breakdown of their Dodge truck which is hauling the camper (never buy a Dodge) for the THIRD time on this trip... transmission, A/C and we believe today's latest mechanical fiasco which has sidelined them until Monday when it can be looked at is related to the fuel line/fuel pump/fuel filter. Stay tuned and please keep praying that they can keep up with us as Pete and I continue on our mission with backpacks full of gear on.
Not to be deterred, Mom and Dad rented a minivan to help keep Pete and I on track with our 103.7 mile ride today from Kadoka, SD to Reliance, SD-- this way, in the 93 degree heat we were still hydrated and fed, happy and in overall good spirits. Thanks Mom and Dad. We love you!!!
Most amazingly to me, now that we have reached over 1,594 miles, when asked if they would do this all over again, without hesitation, Pete, Mom and Dad agreed that they would. And, I thought that I was the only one crazy enough to want to do this sort of thing for AJS and ASJ again.
But the truth is, we believe in what this great organization is doing and we know that it is changing Honduras for the better and making better lives for Hondurans by helping them have hope on their personal issues involving labor rights, land rights and cases where they or their loved ones have been victims of crimes.
Blessings to all of you and thanks so much for your support.
You are all such troopers! The head of AJS called to thank us - what a nice touch! The phone call made the organization seem more real and less impersonal. I like that.
ReplyDeleteStay safe and God Bless.
Pam & Mark