Today was a long ride. I’m glad it’s over. The more I think about it the more I’m
convincing myself that the major difference between my daily progress on the
Camino de Santiago and Camino de Texas is the trailer I’m pulling with all of
my camping gear and extra food supplies.
I think it has a cumulative affect on distances.
I’m gratified by the times that I can stop to pray. They give me an opportunity to not only focus
on God but also to let go of the need to be going. When I get lost in the liturgy I actually
forget about how slow I’m going.
A couple of things helped me see the presence of God. On the several times when I just felt I had
no energy to climb a hill I would stop and walk. Then you can really slow down. I watched this butterfly dance all around
me. At times he was twenty yards ahead
and then so close I thought he would alight on me. I secretly hoped he would.
Another mercy that frequented me today were the clouds. We’ve had clear blue skies the last two
days. Today there were thick billowy
clouds. The kind that look like a sheet
of cotton balls. With them came a gentle
breeze and when the burning sun would hide behind them it was grace filled. You had to stop soak it in.
I’ve seen a variety of wild life. Not all alive. (Deer, cats, dogs, lots of armadillos. Lots of armadillos.) Yesterday I saw a beautiful hawk lying on the
side of the road. He must have just been
clipped by a car or truck. I’ve watch
deer jump away from me. I’ve unintentionally spooked two herds of cattle into a
stampede. I feel bad about that.
This is something that brings to my mind the sacredness of
life. Anyone who knows me know I’m not a
vegetarian. But that doesn’t mean I
don’t think all animal life is valuable.
I’ve even tried to steer clear of harming spiders on this trip because
they’re part of the circle.
Killing indiscriminately is a crime against God’s
creation. Again as I think about the technological
advances that we’ve made as a society it doesn’t seem that many of our
inventions honor life. Nor do they
connect us to the Creation around us.
Being on the bike I can feel the wind, smell the smells, and see the
shade from trees as I approach. On the
bicycle you can even feel the change in terrain beneath you rolling up or
down. You feel the heat in the
asphalt. You can’t do that in a
car. We have learned to completely
control our environment. In a car you
hardly notice the slight changes in grade and temperature.
Who knows if this is important? But I know I haven’t hit an animal with my
bicycle. Although a few dogs have come
close.
Last thoughts for today.
If I lived in Gonzalez County I would be wondering how road repair
budgets are being spent. From Fayette to
Gonzalez to Caldwell Counties the road qualities and bridge upkeep had (in my estimation)
a large disparity. Horrible.
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