One Step at a Time

by   October 2, 2021 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

One Step at a Time

            I had the privilege of having lunch with my niece and her husband last week. They have been married for a couple of years and are forging a new life together. They met and married out west. They moved east to be closer to her parents and to work for my nephew in High Point. They are in the process of buying a new home together and are expecting their first baby before Christmas. What an exciting time in their lives.

            Most people don’t like change and I can’t imagine all the change the two of them are experiencing. Moving anywhere is challenging; I can’t imagine moving across the country. The challenge of settling in, starting a new job and looking for a new church can easily become overwhelming.

            I have seen pictures of the house they are buying. It reminds me of our first home. They are excited to get moved in. He is already planning his garden, which I hope to give him a hand in starting. He wants to build a shop out back down the road. They are at the end of a quiet street like we are now…they are going to love it.

            He is working for my nephew, who has developed a gourmet freeze dried food company called Pinnacle Foods. They ship food around the globe. When you read the description of the meal in the pouch it sounds like you should be in a fine dining restaurant with cloth napkins, not out in the wilderness. It is a growing company and I wish them much success.

            On top of all these changes in their lives, they are expecting their first child. They are both so excited to bring the bundle of joy into this world. My niece has a beautiful glow on her face as she considers the treasure God is sending her way. They are going to make great parents.

            As I look at the two of them, I reflected back on our beginnings. I remember our moves, our homes along the way, the job changes, and now my wife is retired and I am semi-retired. There were many steps along the way. We often found ourselves crying out to God for His wisdom as we made major life changes.

            I continue to seek God’s direction as opportunities present themselves. Some opportunities seem perfect for me and yet the Lord closes the doors. While I don’t understand, later I can look back and see His hand guiding us. Each step requires faith.

            Each day requires that I seek His face to determine if I am where He needs me to be. It’s not easy because I want to honor and please my Father in Heaven. He has given me peace that I will not miss His plans for my life. I just have to knock at every door that comes my way and trust Him to open the right one for me.

            There have been times in my life where I had a sense of God’s two, five, and even ten year plan for my life. I liked the sense of knowing, but struggled when those times were coming to an end. In recent years, God has not revealed long-term plans. It has been more week-to-week or even day-to-day plans. I want to see the bigger picture, but I have to trust Him with those plans.

            When I wake up most days I have a plan, a list of things I need to accomplish before bed. It’s good to guide me, but I can’t allow my plans to trump God’s. Sometimes God needs me to set aside my plans in order to fulfill His purposes. Laundry can be pushed off to another day if a friend needs to talk. Gardening may need to wait if difficulties strike and my help is needed to let another know that God loves and cares for them.

            I want to encourage you to allow God to order your steps whether we are talking long-term or what you think you need to do today. God sees a bigger picture and He may need to send you to someone who is going through a difficult time. Can He depend on you? The truth is each of us will find ourselves in need one day, so let’s make ourselves available to Him each day. Today it might be your physical strength, tomorrow it might be your ears. Whatever He needs, let’s be ready and willing to serve. If we allow Him to order our steps we will walk in His peace and be a blessing.

Doug Creamer has a new book at Amazon: EncouragingU: Summer Stories. Contact him at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

Day 43 Splash Down!

by   October 1, 2021 with No Comments

By David Freeze

   We’ve done it again! Another adventure of a lifetime!


    Another big notch gets carved in my gunbelt! Ranking as one of the two hardest solo cycling adventures yet, right there with Alaska. 

     I left the Sleep Inn at first light and rode 31 miles through Palatka, East Palatka, Hastings and then on into Crescent Beach, arriving just before 10am. Roads used were SR 20, 13 over the Johns River Bridge, then 207 and 206 on into the beach. Photographer Karen Leonard had me practice the arrival photos once before she shot them. I told her I had already practiced this part plenty. Then, we got official trip ending wheel dipping photos, assisted by an enthusiastic group from Salt Life Church in Gainesville. Another thing to like about that city!


   There are some things to do! I have got to start cutting down on the massive amounts of food. Actually, I think that started yesterday. My hydration just needs to be better always! There are some things that must be done to catch up my duties in other places, but I’m looking forward to seeing people around the county again. 


     I’ve started to reminisce about all that happened over the last 43 days. It’s amazing how many things I can forget quickly from one, two or especially five or six weeks ago. I will pull all the notes together and add plenty more from memory to make another book.


    Here are a few things that jump out quickly. None of my other trips have had the endless climbing of the first four weeks, most of it in extreme heat. The long periods between supplies kept the bike load heavy and often the water hot. I was so happy to dump the hot and replace it with ice-filled super cold liquid. I now appreciate ice more than ever. Shade too! What I will remember from the trip across the desert in 114 degree heat won’t be as a bad as it was.


     There were lots of encounters with law enforcement along the way. I will skip mentioning the over zealous state troopers, and remember with happinesses and professionalism the deputies and other officers, including the border patrol agents. I’ve saved their contact info and will remember each of them with a book once it’s done.


    I was excited from the start about seeing the border and learned a lot from the area residents. The border is in a terrible mess. That was the paper’s goal when we first talked about this trip.


    Speaking of residents, meeting them along the way was the top reward of the whole adventure, just ahead of the interaction with readers. I picked up some new followers from other areas and valued everyone who provided input.


     As always, people are always asking what is next, what is on my bucket list? One thing that I want to do is actually spend some time on the Mississippi or Ohio Rivers, possibly on one of those riverboats. Big rivers amaze me! The next bike ride, that is another story. I have taken trips now that have framed the country, more or less, with several more through the middle in various directions. I’ll be working on it.


     The Salisbury Post and a host of sponsors made this trip possible. Frank and Janis Ramsay, Father and Son Produce, Dick and Jean Richards, Gear for Races, Vac and Dash, Mindi Fires, The Trophy House, David Post, Wayne Cobb, Leonard Wood, Accelerate Therapy and Performance and Skinny Wheels. Thank them when you can and hopefully it won’t be long till we get together again. Rayna Gardner, longtime planner and business manager of my trips, gets a lot of credit too. Andy Mooney and Paris Goodnight from the Post put the updates together in the Post and are always a pleasure to work with.


     Biggest of all, thank you all for the prayers and support, but the best boost to me is to feel that Rowan and an even bigger surrounding area are riding along as I go. One thing that starts now, we can talk about this adventure for a long time. I hope we do as I see you around! We didn’t meet a Grizzly this time, but we met a hurricane and barely staggered out of the desert on another day.


      This adventure is dedicated to Ollie McKnight and Patsy McBride, both big supporters previously but who watched this one from heaven. 


    And last but not least, as requested, the Good Lord did ride with me, every single day! I wouldn’t be here if He didn’t and I am especially humbled by the whole experience. 

Day 42

by   September 30, 2021 with No Comments

By David Freeze

  I can smell the ocean!


    Today has been fun, fitting for the last almost full day of riding. Things came together after some worry late last night that rooms would be very tight for tonight. I went to sleep in the High Springs Country Inn with a route plan but no idea where I would sleep. A couple of no vacancies and couple more nearly full had me worried. I had plenty of time to analyze the situation while riding today.


    I wanted to leave just before first light, and opened the door to find a foggy mist shrouding a dark everything. I could sit down and wait or ride by flashlight. That, of course, was what I did.


    I rode south on US 441, passing through an interstate exit town, mostly motels and convenience stores, in Alachua while still fogged in. I could only feel the hills ahead because I still couldn’t see them.


    Then headed to Gainesville on a light traffic morning, I wondered how things would go in a city of 130,000 plus. I wanted to split from US 441 and take SR 20 for the trip through town and farther. Not much smaller than Tallahassee, Gainesville sure got it right. Bike lanes, and plenty of signs to keep me from wondering kept me from stopping to only ask directions once. I didn’t have to, but this walker was so cute, so I stopped after she waved at me  to confirm where SR 20 was going. Not a big, traffic crowded intersection, seemingly always on an uphill in sight, like those that happened time and again in Tallahassee!


    Staying on SR 20, I passed through Hawthorne as the sun came out. SR 20 had the same four lane layout and big bike lanes, just like US 441 and 90. I must admit that Florida’s roads are even better than the last time I rode through headed toward Key West.


    Next was Interlachen, just a smattering of stores, and then into Palatka, where I am tonight after 66 miles. How I ended up in the Sleep Inn makes for a good story that developed as did my bike ride today. Noting that most lodging places seemed more full than usual, I did get two more nearly full that mentioned what they thought of my request for a non-smoking room. One had none, the other had one. Two more already confirmed to be full, so I looked at the list available and remembered that Sleep Inns sometimes gave good deals. I called the number and got a price only $20 higher than the smoker/non smoker places. I took it, rode a short mile out of the way but with a Publix grocery nearby, and have been happily excited about the little planning required tonight. That is one celebration moment of these trips, the next to the last day when the planning is virtually done. Most people probably don’t realize that I plan ahead for 60-90 minutes each night. I learned long ago to keep my eyes open and not miss an opportunity to see something special.


    On tap for this evening is a trip to Publix where I bet they have cut up watermelon and just taking some easy time. My sleep has been sorely lacking lately.


    Then tomorrow, I will ride to Crescent Beach, just south of St. Augustine Beach, a distance of about 20 miles from here. We’ll make the final photos somewhere near the intersection of US 90 and AIA,  possibly eat breakfast and head for home hauling a tired bike. Interesting is that I passed this exact location on the Maine to Key West ride in 2014.


    Places to revisit include Gainesville, named the healthiest city in America in 2003.


    I will have the tire dipping photos and final thoughts on this challenging west to east ride across the southernmost United States available tomorrow. We’ll celebrate together then!

His Time

by   September 29, 2021 with No Comments

By Ed Traut

Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

  • So often life seems to be difficult and have unpleasantness, but God has made everything beautiful.
  • All of us have the understanding or the sense of eternity that awaits after this natural life.
  • Our capacity to grasp God and all that He has done and all He is going to do is extremely limited, but we trust in Him and we know that He is able to make all things beautiful.

Prayer: How I praise Your name today Lord for how You have made all things beautiful, even through the trials and difficulties You always come through and do things beautifully.  You are a wonderful God and a wonderful Savior and I am so grateful to be Your child. Amen.

Ed Traut
Prophetic Life

Day 41

by   September 28, 2021 with No Comments

By David Freeze

  Another strong day leaves just two remaining!


  For the first time, I slept from the time I lay down last night until the 5:15 alarm this morning. And my eyes didn’t want to pop open like they usually do. Yesterday just didn’t want to end but it finally did just before midnight. It was still a nice night at the Deerwood Inn, especially after meeting Celina and Josh.


    I considered jumping on the interstate at daybreak, figuring there wouldn’t be much traffic. I rode up the ramp and saw the sign that ended the internal debate. Essentially the same as what we have in NC. No bikes or pedestrians!


      I rode back to Madison on SR 53, then rejoined US 90 East and struggled with road choice early. US Bicycle Routes stayed with 90 and I did too as long as possible. It was the coolest morning probably since San Diego. I rode through Lee, a town that bills itself as “Little, but Proud”. Two stores made up the town, a convenience store and a Family Dollar.


Next came Live Oak, and Welborn, just before I left US 90 behind for now.


    I turned onto County Road 137 for 20 of the best miles since that first day in San Diego. All of it was lightly traveled,  nearly flat and just plain beautiful through mostly farming country. Next came SR 71 for the final ride of the day through Fort White and into High Springs, where I am tonight at the High Springs Country Inn.


    One highlight of today’s travel involved me pedaling along that good 20 mile road. Not another vehicle in sight, but the one behind me blows his horn. I motion in an agitated way to go on around, and am surprised to find that it was a Florida Highway Patrolman.


    I finally found the perfect overnight lodging. Here’s why. The room is great, spacious, priced right, comes with WiFi and plenty of ice, and is within about a tenth of a mile of a grocery, Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Subway and a big enough convenience store. For the first time, I am not particularly hungry, even after 85 miles. I will still finish a quart and a half of strawberry though since the Y Service Club is paying for it.


    As an added benefit, there is an outdoor concert across the road. I am going to miss this life on the road!


    Here is the plan. I will have another usual day on Sunday as I head toward the St. Augustine Beach. Part of the day’s ride will include passing through Gainesville, a large Florida city. Then, if all goes well, I will actually dip the back tire Monday late morning in the Atlantic Ocean to officially end the adventure. I will get all the required photos, and head toward home. Good weather is still on tap through the period.


    There is still fun remaining! See you back here tomorrow, when I hope to be sleeping 20 miles out of the oldest city in the United States.

Ready to Rest?

by   September 27, 2021 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

I couldn’t help but smile when I saw the young mother whose T-shirt was imprinted with the words, “I’M SO TIRED.” Her six month old son had the words, “I’M NOT TIRED” on his T-shirt.

No matter the stage of life we are in, there is always a need for rest – even if we think we are okay without it.

Here are some examples about rest in the Bible:

*Exodus 3:17 – In six days God made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

*Mark 6:31-32 – Jesus took his disciples in a boat to get away from the crowds and to go into a time of rest.

*Matthew 8:24 – A great storm arose in the sea. The ship was covered with waves. Jesus was asleep. Yes, Jesus was resting in the middle of the storm!

Jesus demonstrated the importance of rest by resting, showing us that rest was refreshing and … restful.

So, what is rest? Definitions include:

  1. A bodily state characterized by minimal functional activity. (Sitting or reclining?)
  2. Freedom from labor. (Doing nothing?)
  3. A state of being motionless. (Perhaps a nap?)

Charles Spurgeon stated, “In the long run, we shall do more by sometimes doing less.”

Convinced? Ready to rest? It will take dedication and commitment, but there are quite a few RE-wards when we  RE-st.

We can:

*RE-fresh

*RE-member

*RE-store

*RE-direct

*Re-lax

*RE-juvenate

*RE-cover

*RE-group

*RE-vitalize

*RE-connect

Ready to rest?

Let’s intentionally make time for rest and see how we like it!

As a teacher, I daily worked at home on lesson plans and grading assignments. I felt God leading me to commit to setting aside Sunday as a day of rest – and I did. Yes, I am talking about working six days a week and resting on the seventh day. (Not only did I stop doing schoolwork on Sunday, but housework, as well!) It allows more time with family, more time in worship, and I am rested and ready for the week ahead. It may very well have been one of the most helpful steps I have taken in my Christian life.

If you do not feel you can ‘jump’ into that commitment, how about a daily time of rest?

Take 10, 20, or 30 minutes daily where you do whatever you feel is restful.

Create your plan and schedule it into your day.

You deserve it.

God set the example.

Jesus set the example.

That’s enough for me.

Ready…Set…REST!

Day 40

by   September 26, 2021 with No Comments

By David Freeze

An even better day gets us closer to St. Augustine!


Late last night, I was still trying to figure out a good place for tonight’s lodging. There was a list of towns ahead with nothing, and one well ahead that might work. I was doing all of this when I should have been getting closer to bed, but I called the Deerwood Inn and Campground. I spoke to the owner, Celina Adam who gave me some good insight. But I had several challenges, but should never let that be a reason not to take on a good adventure.


    My room last night at the Seminole Inn was so nice that I wanted to get to bed early, but that didn’t happen. I figured it would take 103 miles to get to Deerwood, just over six miles south of Madison, Florida, making the total 109. Also, today was the first day on Eastern Daylight Time, so I lost a riding hour. And I had to ride right through Tallahassee.


    My only other option was a Bed and Breakfast in Monticello. Only problem was the owner didn’t really want me. I would have to get up too early and might bother others, she wouldn’t let the bike inside plus she made the price too high, especially since I would not get the breakfast. I probably made her happy by not calling back.


    I was determined to make Celina’s Deerwood and the big miles before dark. It’s been said a few times that I got a double bag of determination early on. Leaving Sneads, my first town was Chattahoochee where I hoped to see Lake Seminole, but couldn’t. Then on to Gretna where I got two egg and cheese sandwiches that were terrible. I threw away the second. Next came Quincy with not much traffic for a town of 8,000.


    The state capital, Tallahassee was next. With about 200,000 residents and part of my ride past Florida A and M, it took a little more than a very hard hour with constant hills and heavy traffic. Tallahassee rivals El Paso for hilliness, but what saved me was the nearly constant bike lanes or the symbol that cyclists could take the whole lane. I never got a horn or a bad comment.


      Then was the challenging ride to Monticello, my favorite town of the day. I met Tina Dollar at the Shell Convenience Store. She at least made me think of chunking the very challenging day by telling me about their motel. But you knew I wouldn’t and did not. Monticello was the prettiest small town of the whole trip so far, with lots of beautiful older homes and a stately courthouse that sits in the middle of a traffic circle. I got several friendly waves before leaving. At least 10 miles of sparkling new asphalt made that segment very enjoyable and fast.


      Next two towns were Greenville, where I fueled up and then Madison, a beautiful town where I turned off US 90 East for the first time in several days and took SR 53 to I-10 where Deerwood Motel and Campground are located. I got a great room in a busy place and pasta meal from Celina when she said she made too much!
  The day was perfect, with only a slight headwind, helping me to make 109 miles by dusk. Darn near the way I planned it and a lot of prayers went into it.


    For tomorrow, I will join up again with US 90 and figure it out from there. Sometime during the day tomorrow, I will put together a plan to likely finish on Monday in St. Augustine.


    Thanks again for following along! One question today, how many rides over 100 miles have I had? I will look it up for sure, but I think around 20 after today, spread over all the rides since 2013. Every one is special!


      See you back tomorrow for the next update!

Day 39

by   September 25, 2021 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Most productive day so far!


    At least it felt that way. I wanted a bigger mileage day to offset some of the hurricane delays. It is quite enjoyable for me to follow one road for several days and we’ll continue on US 90 East for at least most of tomorrow.


    I left the Crestview Inn after an especially good sleep while a big series of thunderstorms rolled through. The room was perfect and I got the right price. Best WiFi yet!


    Rolling early, I got a quick start because there was no reason to stop in the first 30 miles and the terrain wasn’t bad. I did stop at Defuniak Springs and get some fresh cookies and a couple of small tacos, nothing like the ones in New Mexico.


  The early towns were Argyle, Ponce De Leon, Westville and Caryville, which just happens to be the Worm Fiddling Capital of the World. Who knew?


    The next set were Benifay , Chipley and Cottondale. All of these early towns were easy but then I had to roll through Mariana with about 10,000 people. All of them seemed to be out driving at the same time on US 90, which didn’t have a bike lane through town. That was tough.


    Then the final set of towns included just a small stop in Grand Ridge, where 3 friends had hassles with their lottery tickets in the store. It took forever to get them out of the way, before I could roll into Sneads. This is a great little town, on Lake Seminole which I will see in the morning. It is apparently is huge and the funny thing is that Georgia is just right over the trees from my motel window. I am still in the northern part of the panhandle.


    I am in the Seminole Inn, one of the few motels I have used from the Adventure Cycling suggestions. The Seminole Inn is perfect, very roomy, clean and has a Piggly Wiggly close by. Since I am almost sure that the ice cream sponsorship with the Y Service Club is good as long as the ride goes on, I let them pay tonight for Blue Bunny Premium Double Strawberry Whirl, a quart and a half size. Great stuff and already eaten. I also got four of the remaining 10 bananas. Still can’t find cut up watermelon in stores.


  Worth visiting again will be Defuniak Springs where the whole town is historic and many of the buildings are placed right along Lake Defuniak which is the center of town. Marianna might be fun to see what everyone was rushing too.


    Today was my first century ride on this trip at 107.6 miles and easier than some big mountains and super hot areas out west. Tomorrow, I am headed for Tallahassee, the State Capital of Florida. Afterwards, only Gainesville remains as a large city. I certainly like the small towns best.


    Earlier I mentioned USBR, the United States Bicycle Routes. Both those of Adventure Cycling and the USBR are posted through this area and I am staying on US 90 E as long as I can, which the USBR likes best coming up.


    I met James Dempsey tonight here at the motel. His wife is a traveling nurse, so they are staying here while she works. James loved the idea of my trip cross country and says he will follow it the rest of the way. The bike draws attention!


    Time for a shower after a hard day. Let’s keep going and finish this thing our strong! See you back here tomorrow!

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