At 1:05 PM PDT I received a call from a recruiter I had sent an application to.  He asked about my availability and some other questions.  I have another interview set up with him on Monday at 1:00 PM PDT to prepare for the interview with the client, UniData in Waldorf, MD.  Please pray for God's favor and will to be done.

9/26 3,200 miles done 2,200 to go! (60%)

While traveling in MT on Rt. 12, I was traveling on the Lewis & Clark highway.  I'm not sure if I really followed in their footsteps but it sure sounded good.  ID was only 70 miles wide where I crossed and Couer d'Alene is near the WA border.  WA was surprisingly flat in the western part, again slowly rising to the Cascade mountains and Mt. Rainier.  I crossed a low range of hills/mountains and there it was, in snow covered glory, Mt. Rainier.  I pulled out my camera and again the battery was dead.  Rats!  I then made several calls to Fuji and to a Seattle repair facility hoping to get a new battery quickly.  This is not going to happen and I will have to send the camera in to be checked and repaired or replaced.  I did get a suggestion from the camera shop guy to keep the battery out after charging to enable picture taking.  I hope this works.

 

I passed through Spokane, WA about rush hour, the first of the trip.  This was not too bad.  Seattle, however, had traffic that would make NJ or NY proud.  The I-405 beltway around the city had heavy traffic but was in pretty good condition.  I-5 was another story.  There was construction and new lane patterns.  The lane dividers were not painted, but groups of three reflective bumps.  In some places they seemed to just wander back and forth across the road and the condition of the concrete was not great.  I was so glad to get out of there and head North to Bellingham, WA.  I decided to rest up a day with David and Kim before tackling Canada, but fter a great dinner at Anthony's on the waterfront, lunch at a great Thai restaurant and then take out from Olive Garden, it was getting hard to leave.  This morning I went on a 5:30 AM walk with David and his friend Mark and had a great time of fellowship and made a new friend.  After a thorough arm twisting, I decided to stay until Sunday morning.  David and Kim's church has a Saturday evening service and it is very busy crossing the border on Saturday mornings.  Bellingham is another really nice place I wouldn’t mind living.

OVER HALF WAY!!!!

MT is a really long state!  I checked the map and State Rt. 12 seemed to be a bit more direct than I-94/90 and the VC lady said it was a 70 MPH road.  I decided to take it beacuse it was 20 miles shorter and she said the grade was not as steep as on I-94.  The Cadi has been running great, but I didn't want to tax it more than needed since it is 14 years old.  MT just went on and on and on.  Saw lots of horses, mountains, and crossed the Clark Fork (River) at LEAST 8 times.  The town of Coeur d'Alene (Cur de Lane) is on the lake and it too is beautiful. Another place I wouldn't mind living.  Spent the night at a nice, mid-priced motel called the Budget Saver Motel.  Tomorrow on to Bellingham, WA!

Roger suggested I take a county road, Rt. 4, through Lake George, MN on my way back to I-94.  It is a beautiful little lake and I wouldn't mind living there if I were to move to MN, assumng I wanter to stay out of the BIG city (Bemidji).  Found I-94 with little trouble and headed west again.  SD is about 350 miles wide, and I-94 is almost exactly straight East to West.  It seems flat, but it is constantly rising up towards the Rockys.  The car had no problems on the roads, but every 100 miles or so the average MPG dropped .1 MPG. For 320 miles it was the same, fields of hay with big, round harvested bales, cows, rolling hills, and straight roads.

 

The last 30 miles before MT, however, things changed drastically.  The hills lost their covering of grass and exposed the layers of colored, sedimentary rock they were made up of.  There were reds, blacks, grays, whites, yellows, etc.  The first time I saw it I came around a curve and there was this small valley off to my right with all
these colored layers of rock.  I quickly stopped the car to take a picture, but of course my camera battery was dead.  I tried to use my phone camera, but am not expecting great results.  This geographic feature lasted about 20 miles and then changed back to the rolling grasslands. 

 

I was hoping to stay in Bozeman, MT but when I stopped at the Visitor Center, at 3:00 (plus 1 hour for time zone change) the lady said Bozeman was still 400 miles away.  Needless to say I didn't go that far.  I stopped at Miles City at a nice motel with a Jaccuzzi to sooth my weary body, and then never managed to get into it.  Oh well.
 

The drive through WI and MN was beautiful.  Saw lots of signs for CHEESE but  the one time I stopped it was just as expensive as the stores, so I didn't get any.  There must be somewhere in WI that you can get good cheese at a good price.  I crossed the Mississippi River at 11:58 AM as I drove from St. Paul to Minneapolis, MN.  I was oficially west.  I took about a 250 mile side trip to  Bemidji, MN to visit Roger and Denise, some good friends.  Bemidji is a beautiful town of about 12,000 people right on Lake Bemidji.  We had a great time at the laundromat, then to DQ for a snack and back to the Laundromat to fold cloths.  Then we did some shopping at Ace Hdwe and on to Appleby's for a great dinnner.  After dinner Roger and I got to go to Wally World.  This evening just kept getting better and better (I'm serious!)  We got to there new home on a lake (can't remember the name, but it is MN Lake #9,027 of the 10,000 lakes.)  It was dark when we got there, the moon was out over the lake just bigger than half, and a warm wind was blowing.  It was a fantastic evening.  I helped Roger get the guest bed set up so I would have a place to sleep.  The mattress was awesome!  The next morning I had cerial and a Swanns #942 for breakfast before hitting the road.
 

 Today I left Dry Ridge excited to get back on the road.  The visits with friends, time with the Lord, and just chillin' out were great.  I got on the road about 10:30 and made good time around Cincinnati, through Indianapolis, and on to Chicago.  Had some confusion with the trip map and took a wrong turn.  I pulled off the highway to find out exactly where I was and ended up at the exit for Northwestern Univ. where Blake is studying.  I called Brad about this wierd coincidence since we had been talking about him just a few hours before.  Not the time to visit however.  I figured out how to get out of Chi-town and hit the 4:30 PM Saturday rush hour.  BIG City traffic is awesome, NOT!  I arrived in Madison about 7:00 but could not find the hostel.  I called once for directions, but it didn't help much and then my phone died.  I stopped at a hotel across from the Capital to ask directions.  That did not help either.  I finally stopped in the middle of a street to ask a Motor Cop.  He gave directions but I kept saying, "I just did that, but the street is One Way, the wrong way."  He finally said "Follow me."  He took off fast and I followed fast.  He turned on a street he had not mentioned and we found the place.  I wonder how many people show up here with a Police mototcycle escort???  Didn't want to deal with eating out or cooking so I had PB&J, got my PC hooked up and updated my blog.  While typing I noticed a map on the computer table for Hostels in Canada.  Great! except there are none in Northern BC or Southern Yukon.  Bummer.  I'm going to bed now so I can get up early and on to Bemidji, MN!!!

Although I am a Pepsi fan and not a Coke fan, this old advertising slogan fits.  I had planned on stopping my first night in Dry Ridge, KY and visiting some friends at in the area.  It seems the Lord had other plans in mind and I believe He wanted me to stay two days extra.  It has been a great blessing; time to spend in the Word, prayer, fellowship, and resting.  It truley has been a pause that refreshed spiritually.

 

Wednesday, 9/19   I left Charlotte at 6:30 AM to make sure I missed rush hour traffic.  It was great.  I made it to Asheville and only missed one turn getting to Laura's school.  We had a great visit for a little over an hour.  She introduced me to her roommate, showed me her room, and around the campus.  It is a beautiful school and seems to be just right for her.  She has worked very hard and made some great decisions.  I am so proud of her.  From Asheville, I continued west to Knoxville, TN and had lunch with my friend Judge.  It was good to see him again.  From Knoxville I headed north to Dry Ridge, KY.  I arrived about 7:30 PM and got to visit some and to bed early.  Several people suggested I stay for a while and the next morning was when I got the impression I needed to stay two more days, not one and not three, but two.  This area of KY is so beautiful, quiet, and restful.  I really love it here.

 

Thursday, 9/20

After meeting with the staff at the ministry for morning prayer I went out to The Ridge to spend some time with the Lord, reading the Word, and praying.  It was refreshing but hot in the direct sun.  After a few hours, I took a walk over The Ridge and down into the small valley.  A small, black dog named Suzy was with me as I read and followed me on my walk.  Down in the valley it was very cool because of the large trees and the small, clear stream flowing there.  Soon after we got down there, Suzy decided to take a swim to cool off.  She jumped into the water and churned up a cloud of black, stinking mud behind her.  She didn't even notice.  She just kept swimming and lapping at the water.  When she got out of the water, I didn't even want to touch her.  She startes rolling in the grass, seemingly trying to get the smell off her.

 

While I was at the ministry, I had asked the Lord to show me what my sin looked like.  I realized this was a picture for me.  Sin is like a beautiful body of water with a stinking, muddy bottom.  It looks refreshing and fulfilling, but when we are in it, it is black, foul smelling, and clings to us.  The only thing that will wash us clean is the blood of Jesus.  "What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus."  At the Thursday evening Worship Service I felt the Lord's propmting to share this with the students at the ministry.  Along with the picture/parable I shared the Good News from I Cor :9-11 "...Such were some of you: but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God."  After a long evening talking to friends, I fell into bed just before 1:00 AM.

 

Friday, 9/21

I awoke at 8:30, and just had enough time to shower, inhale a banana, and drive to the ministry for the staff prayer time.  We heard a good sermon on tape by A.W. Tozer on Worship.  The Ridge was calling again and I spent a while enjoying the Lord's presence, reading and praying some.  I also started getting ready to leave, repacking, reservation for Saturday, and some calls.  Lunch with more friends and to the ministry office for computer time.  This evening I get a haircut from Brad and will be ready for anything!  Tomorrow on to Madison, Wi.

 

Loose ends are being tied up. Real estate is being spun off and closed out.  Notice on hovel has been given and belongings are being sorted, trashed, and packed.  Good byes are being made.  It looks like Tuesday, September 18, 2007 is the day the great trek to Alaska begins!