Why Can't I Grow A Beard?

Kenton on top of a huge hill we were
pushing up

This has been grand so far. Loads of fun. Sometimes though, it is miserable. There are moments that are so miserable I want to throw my stick down and say “No.”. Where you are just so tired and angry! But those are only moments, and it’s usually because one of us is getting hungry. The accumulation of the entire trip is grand, wonderful, and fun.

Kenton and I were talking today, about what we imagined this trip would be like, and how different it is from the reality. My imagination was flat roads, nice ocean breeze, setting up a tent on the beach in the evening, Kenton doing his homework on a tablet, me sitting by a fire playing a ukulele. And a beard. Definitely a beard. Somehow the backpack’s weight was never something that occurred to us. It is missing from the imaginings of both our minds.

Scruff! Scruff that you
cannot even
see in this picture!

Reality is much different. Days full of rushed and hurried pushing for 7-8 hours. Heavy backpacks. No beachside camping but instead furtively sneaking in the woods. And scruff. Only facial scruff. Through these moments there are miracles and thoughts that get us through and help us see and appreciate the grand nature of the adventure.

Thursday was a really hard day. We made it to San Francisco and passed the bridge. Glorious and exciting. Once we were inside the city I felt pressed upon, crowded. The roads had too many uphills and the downhills. I was tired. My feet were blistering. Pushing up a hill I tripped on my board and fell. I got frustrated, I threw my stick down, and then I sat down. We took a quick break and beginning again we pushed up the hill. A man pulled over and asked what we were doing. We explained the trip to him and he thought it was pretty cool. He handed us a few bucks and then gave us some coconut waters he had. Along with the waters was his card. Thanks Clay Schmitz. Those waters made us feel good enough to make it to the end of the day.

Kenton taking a snack break on the road

Then in the evening there was a place for us to stay. An angel we know only as "Roz", just an heaven sent voice on the phone, found us a place to stay. We got to sleep in a bed. We got to shower, and wash our really stinky clothes. It was heaven. When we left in the morning the owners were nice to us and exited about our trip. It made us feel happy to be doing what we are doing.

So…it is miserable. But there are blessings and happy things that get us through. The biggest one for Kenton and me is thinking of the children in Romania. My education means a lot to me and is opening up many doors for me. It means a lot for Kenton too (he is taking online courses even while out here). The fact that through all of this, the orphaned kids can get an education too means a lot, and helps us go a bit further. Thinking that this effort and adventure is designed so that a teacher can help the children learn helps us not complain but keep going. We even made a song about helping the children of Romania. It was very impromptu and we don't have any song writing talent so I won't share it.

The fact that one human being can help another human being is a very beautiful thing indeed.

Having fun pushing by the beach. This part...was just like we imagined it. (notice our backpacks are on the ground)