Blessings Follow Us Like Twitter

The Burgons, Me, and Kenton

This evening we find ourselves enjoying the more than generous hospitality of the Burgons. They are in charge of the Santa Cruz young single adult branch of the Church to which I belong. Kenton and I made it only to Half Moon Bay and the Burgons drove all the way up to get us and bring us down for church. We went to a wonderful dinner, with fun entertainment, and then they opened their home to us. I'm washing my clothes in their laundry room right now. They don't even know me except for a phone call, and here they are doing this. What wonderful people.

We do have a connection though. One of my mission presidents in Romania, President Ned C. Hill is brother to Andrea Burgon. I spent my last three weeks of my mission in Romania with the Hills. They are wonderful people who are continuing the wonderful work. Talking with the Burgons I can see that it isn't just President Hill, but the whole clan who are sharp and intelligent people (Also I'm kind of nosy and I looked around at their books and things. Lots of art books, also Amazing Grace my favorite movie. I approve).

To the events of today. We woke up from a shivering cold night and exited our tent. A slightly foggy, but happy, morning sunrise greeted us. We got going and hit the highway. Everyone kept telling us about some new tunnel that let us bypass the "Devil's Slide" (by the name of it we knew we didn't want to go there) as we headed south. We found the tunnel and thankfully there was a bike path. It was nice to ride on a level smooth road without so many twists and turns, ups and downs. In fact, most of the day was nice, smooth, and level. It was a perfect day of riding. Wonderful views, great roads. Awesome. Conditions were perfect.

We met other people along the way besides the Burgons. When we hit Montara we stopped for a break.   A lady pulled off the highway and we started talking to her. She told us God had led her to stop there and meet two Christian brothers. She gave us pictures of Jesus, had us pray with her on the side of the road, and left. But not without wishing many a "God Bless!". A nice lady. After she drove off two young men came up to us. We explained our trip to them too and they loved it. They offered us some...substances and also a beer. We explained we don't use either of those but thanked them for the offer. It was interesting the dichotomy of people, the spectrum I guess, that we meet along the way. Yesterday we met a very friendly homeless man. We talked for a while and also took the chance to ask his advice and get tips from him on how to live the vagabond lifestyle. It was very helpful.

Thinking back to this week Kenton and I are astounded at the ways we have been blessed. I personally don't feel worthy of it all and am very grateful for the opportunities and help we have received. Thank you to everyone.

Pictures For YOU!!!

Starting out early in the morning

Stinson Beach. The first time we really saw the beach. 

Going along the Golden Gate Bridge

Part of our ride today. Soooo pretty

Washing our clothes in a bathtub.
Another innovative use for the Big Stick. Sad thing
is that our clothes still have not dried out. They have been in our packs
for a day or so and each time we hang them out the dew makes them worse. 

My first pair of shoes after the third day

Our little campsite 

Hiking out of our campsite

A little vampire house we randomly found

The view from the Vampire house

Music for the Soul

I learned something today. Music makes me happy, like REALLY happy. I love to listen to it, and, although I’m have little talent, I love to dance to it. We rode on a bike trail for a long time today and I figured I was safe to break out the headphones and listen to some tunes. My mood, which was already good, got four times better. The pain melts away, the fatigue is forgotten, and sweet music fills me up and I ride along singing, dancing, and feeling happy.

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)

The Road Goes Ever Ever On

Kenton's Tree Puddle
Picture

Update for the trip. We are in Sausalito headed towards the Golden Gate Bridge and beyond. Along the road we saw a library and decided to a stop so Kenton could get some homework done. I am amazed by him. Taking classes and coming out here. He is a joy to have and always finding beauty around us. He took a picture today and I was wondering what he was doing, he showed me how beautiful the reflection of a tree was in this puddle that just looked like a muddy birdbath to me. It is good to have him.

We aren't going nearly as fast as we expected. There are a few reasons. Our backpacks are heavier than we thought they would be, and most of our training was done with no backpack. Without a pack you can get a really good workout if you board 10 miles in an hour. With a fifty pound backpack you move a bit slower and mile 30 really starts to get you. Another thing is one mile on the map means something totally different than another mile on the map. What I mean is that there are a lot of hills...scary ones...on narrow roads...windy narrow roads. Therefore we are doing a lot more walking than we expected and this slows us down. Blessedly, we seem to hit a five mile stretch each day where it is open and flat and we can really fly down the hill! It is glorious to see the terrain and travel. Breaks are nice, but it feels so good to get moving and traveling. That is the best part. So it is slow going, but it's wonderful.

Approaching the Golden Gate

Injuries! Nothing severe so far. Kenton had a fall the first day. He was going down a hill, got some speed wobbles and was thrown from his board. I wish I caught it on video. He's doing fine, just a rip in his shirt and some dings on his leg. I fell the second day. We were going along and a very large truck ran me off the side of the road. I tried to move but there was a barrier, I crashed into it and, thankfully, fell underneath it and stopped. Kenton said the truck went about five miles an hour and gave him 10 feet of space when it passed him up the road. I think the driver felt bad. As he should.

So we are safe and doing well. Thank you all for your prayers which protect us. We can feel them. We've run into a lot of fun people. Bikers going for rides. We ran into a road worker twice already. Once while he was out working and this morning when we were sitting on the road eating breakfast. Talking to others is the best thing about the trip, right up there with being on the road.

One last story. We were riding along and it was getting dark so we needed a place to stay. We pulled off and tried to look into the woods and found ourselves in people's backyards. There was no place to be found. We asked a few people if we could stay in their front yard, just lay down and sleep (we were getting desperate), and they said no, which was okay with us because we felt really bad asking. Riding further we found a 7-11 and bought a map (our previous map idea didn't work, so yes it is our first real map of the trip) and tried to figure something out. We saw a fire station and I remember Caleb Childs told me that they got lots of help from the firemen along the way. I ran over and asked advice. They were very helpful and printed off a map leading to a campground about a mile or so away. Kenton and I raced against the sunlight to make it. It got too dark to stay on the road and so we just ran into the woods, threw down a tarp and our bags and went to sleep. After a less than comfortable night we awoke to find ourselves laying in a poison ivy patch, which we miraculously were safe from due to the tarp. We woke up, brushed our teeth at the 7-11 and went on the road.

What....an adventure.

I Need a Hero - by Curtis Bennett

This post is from my Father, Curtis Bennett, and his thoughts on heroes.

This morning I hit the treadmill because I was too wimpy for the Utah cold.  I plugged myself into my iPod and tuned into my "Exercise" playlist.  The first song included the sage words of the modern day philosopher and songwriter Michael Jackson (said with a smile, almost a laugh)...words that made me think of my son Mason, and nephew Kenton.
 

I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror

I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways

And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer

If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place

Take A Look At Yourself, And Then Make A Change

 

Then the next song..."Holding out for a Hero" by Bonnie Tyler (don't watch the video it will ruin it).   

Where have all the good men gone

And where are all the gods?

Where's the street-wise Hercules

To fight the rising odds?

Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?

Late at night I toss and turn and dream of what I need

I need a hero!

 

Aside from letting you in to my "music listening psyche," I was thinking of two young men, making a change in their lives and the lives of others.  Heroes out there striving to make "real" differences in the world today and willing to work for it, not just talk about it.  I thought about the Mormon missions they served and the real life experiences they witnessed.  Knowing both from birth, I've seen how they have evolved into men, the type of men sorely needed today.   

To some it seems crazy, ill advised, dangerous, perhaps even dumb to ride a skateboard 600 miles, on a busy highway, on your own with little support.  Aren't there easier ways?  Couldn't they sell cookies?  Have a lemonade stand?  Perhaps...but I see heroes, real life heroes and I'm proud.  Unashamedly, completely and happily proud.

 I have had the privilege of meeting, even spending time with purported heroes like Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Steve Young and others.  In some ways they are truly heroes.  I've even had the privilege of hosting men who have walked on the moon or dived to the bottom of the deepest oceans.  Real American heroes.  But today I give thanks for two obscure young men, alone on skateboards along a busy highway, who are working to raise money for children in a far off country who are much less fortunate than they, true heroes half a world away!

 I know these young men and love them,and the "real" motivation for what they do comes from the lyrics of the last song of my 4 mile treadmill ordeal, sung by the BYU Men's Choir...

The song is titled "I Love The Lord". The arrangement is by Ronald Staheli. The lyrics are a paraphrase of 2 Nephi 4 from the Book of Mormon.

 

I love the Lord, in Him my soul delights.

Upon His word, I ponder day and night.

He's heard my cry, brought visions to my sleep,

And kept me safe o'er deserts and the deep.

He's filled my heart with His consuming love,

And borne me high on wings of His great dove.

 

Yet oft I groan, "O wretched man am I"

My flesh is weak and I'm encompassed by

A world of sin, which holds me in its thrall,

If I give in and to temptations fall.

Then strength grows slack, I waste in sorrows vale;

My peace destroyed, my enemies prevail.

 

Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin.

Rejoice, my heart! And let me praise again,

The Lord my God, who is my rock and stay

To keep me strict upon His straight, plain way.

Oh let me shake at the first sight of sin

And thus escape my foes without and in.

 

I love the Lord, In him my soul delights. 

 

Watch this video...worth it!

 We have our heroes!  Mason...Kenton, you are my heroes!

(Best song for the last 9 minutes of any run, "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd...I know...TMI)

Life Lessons I Have Lately Learned

Because of the many posts we have had recently. I have decided to hold off on this one. This is my first impression of the first day boarding. I'm writing it and then having Jamie post in a few days.

What a wonderful and adventurous day! We went from nine in the morning until six thirty this evening...and we went for thirty miles, from Santa Rosa to Marshall. We learned a lot of things. Life lessons that I share with you now.

Going through our backpacks again. I will admit
that I did this with a less than cheerful attitude. 

First life lesson: By small and simple things are great things brought to pass. We learned this yesterday with the donation of four dollars. Kenton and I learned this today with our backpacks as well. We had been riding for about a half an hour with our surprisingly heavy backpacks when we saw mom on the road taking a picture. We pulled over and threw our packs on the ground. We began digging through them, trying to find out what was so heavy but to no avail. Everything was lightweight and compact. We soon realized our packs were just heavy because of the accumulated effort of each item. By small and simple things, are great things, or heavy weights brought to pass. And it is hard to decide which small and simple thing you must part with. I decided to name my backpack Pacatele Mele, Romanian for "My Sins" because it feels like carrying the burden of sin. And taking the backpack off is like the sweet gift of repentance.

What goes up....doesn't always come down. But what goes down must come up. This applied to the hills we went on today. We would go up and up and up, but rarely seem to go back down. However, whenever we went down, we always went back up again. This is a wonderful optimistic outlook on life, but when applied to longboarding it can be quite sad.

Two really is better than one. I can't imagine what this trip would be like without a buddy along. When Kenton fell off his board or when I was ready to give up as we pushed up a hill, we were there to support each other.

Kenton racing down the street and looking
good while doing it. 

People are good and willing to help you. Like when you drink all your water but you're still thirsty. Or your phone has no service and you're lost. Yes...we got lost. We probably went about a mile before we realized our mistake. A mile might not seem like much, but when it is your 15th mile, and your backpack weighs greater than the burden of Atlas himself, it is a tragedy to waste a mile going the wrong way.

The Earth is beautiful. We rode through some beautiful countryside today. With a strong headwind and really rough roads, it seemed God and Nature wanted us to take a little extra time to enjoy the scenery. The rolling hills and gorgeous farmland. It made me think of what I always imagined Scotland to be like, and once we hit Highway One I was reminded of one of my favorite drives in Romania. The gorgeous drive from Pitesti to Sibiu. Gorgeous.

Mom came and got us at the end of the day. This
is how she found us. We were really worn out

Well it was an amazing day. We were actually able to do it and now we are safe and sound. We will miss Mother tomorrow. For many reasons, but a hot dinner, hotel stay, and soak in a hot tub after a long day are among them. The future holds tents and the hard ground.

Thanks everyone for the attention the past few days. We've had over 300 people on the blog in the past day or so and over 1,300 hits this month. We appreciate the support. Planning and talking about doing this trip is one thing, but actually getting out there has been another. Thank you for your attention and what help you can give towards the Romanian orphans.

Well...I'm going to sleep. And soundly will I sleep tonight.

Mom took us out to dinner and let us
stay one more night at a hotel. That
is why I am able to blog this.
Unfortunately there is no internet connection
in the wild so....catch up with you later!