Epilogue: The Cross Country Bike Trip
So you're still checking for updates? You know there haven't been any since September... what are you waiting for?
Hate to disappoint!
This is the part of the blog that looks a lot like those reminiscing freeze frames at the end of the movie when they tell you about each character and where their lives went. I know I foreshadowed some of this in the last entry, but 1) I was wrong and 2) it's a good refresher.
Jonathan is the simplest to report on. He went back to AOL just as planned, and is doing really well in Virginia. I've talked to him, and he says that although things seem the same as they were before he left... they're not. He's learned to hold onto things less tightly and of all of us, I think he misses being on the road the most. An interesting thought from the one who probably suffered the most out of all of us. What does that tell us? I have no idea.
Daveyray settled on a career (no pun intended, as you'll see) as a settlement lawyer. Sellout! Not a chance - though he may have to wear a tie to work, he's learning something new and enjoying what he's doing. He still gets that faraway look in his eye when we talk about the bike trip, so I know you don't have to dig deep beneath the tie to find the beating heart of an adventurer. Something like that. He's dating Jess, one of the fans from the Wyoming pictures. That could have been you, ladies out there, if you'd MADE THE EFFORT TO COME VISIT US!
Johnny K would seem like he's all over the map, but he just happened to have ended up back where he started. He's hopping on staff with Young Life in Alexandria, something his heart has always been passionate about. So he'll be back with the boys, doing what he loves, following his heart. I'm so stinking proud of him, almost as much as I am jealous.
I, of course, took the road less traveled by. And yes, it has made all the difference. I'm taking the blog in a new direction and taking a few die hard fans (you) with me. You are the proud and the few and the most certainly odd who checked this website (or found it by accident, God bless you) and kept on reading. Thanks for sticking around - I'm not going to promise the action packed excitement of a cross country bike trip, nor the hijinx of a small band of brothers... just the fear and trembling of a young man in the midst of an adventure known as his own life and the chronicles of the people that sweep in and out of it. The only thing I promise is that it will be genuine. Probably.
I'm in Portland, OR, just back from Thanksgiving in New Jersey with my family. That's right - I never went home. After the bike trip, my dad really DID come out here to meet me. We really DID drive down the California coast (really worthy of it's own blog) and we never got past San Francisco. Instead, I chose to move to Portland and we made a large loop out to Yosemite Park and then back through Oregon.
Why?
There are a lot of reasons, the deepest of which I'm not sure I've figured out myself. The summary is that the Lord made it very clear that there was a choice before me - to go home to what I knew or to press on into something new. He paved both paths, prepared my heart and gave me a choice. So I chose.
It wasn't easy, there have been many questions and repercussions... but it's obvious that the Lord is at work here in Portland. What happened was that my Dad took an extra 10 days to get out here, and I had nowhere to go. So I called my friend Mindy in Portland and asked if I could stay with her for an indeterminate period of time. Pressed for an answer, she agreed and picked me up at the train station the next morning. I'm glad she agreed before she saw me - four months growth of beard and hair does nothing to help your cause. I crashed on a day bed while she left to spend some time with her friend. When I awoke I met the owners of the house - Mike and Beka. I now work with them, just to give the ending away. I certainly had no inkling at the time.
The rest of the 10 days were a whirlwind - a place to stay, a church to attend, friends to hang out with and a clear sense that SOMETHING was up all smashed into my world one after another. I wasn't looking to move to Portland, I wasn't even particularly excited about it at first... but all many of my questions have been answered over time, enough to convince me that I'm in exactly the right place for right now.
There's a lot more to the story than that, but it's a beginning. The bike trip is over, but real life forges ahead - if you're up for reading along, fantastic! If not, I won't be offended.
Talk to you soon -
Ryan
Hate to disappoint!
This is the part of the blog that looks a lot like those reminiscing freeze frames at the end of the movie when they tell you about each character and where their lives went. I know I foreshadowed some of this in the last entry, but 1) I was wrong and 2) it's a good refresher.
Jonathan is the simplest to report on. He went back to AOL just as planned, and is doing really well in Virginia. I've talked to him, and he says that although things seem the same as they were before he left... they're not. He's learned to hold onto things less tightly and of all of us, I think he misses being on the road the most. An interesting thought from the one who probably suffered the most out of all of us. What does that tell us? I have no idea.
Daveyray settled on a career (no pun intended, as you'll see) as a settlement lawyer. Sellout! Not a chance - though he may have to wear a tie to work, he's learning something new and enjoying what he's doing. He still gets that faraway look in his eye when we talk about the bike trip, so I know you don't have to dig deep beneath the tie to find the beating heart of an adventurer. Something like that. He's dating Jess, one of the fans from the Wyoming pictures. That could have been you, ladies out there, if you'd MADE THE EFFORT TO COME VISIT US!
Johnny K would seem like he's all over the map, but he just happened to have ended up back where he started. He's hopping on staff with Young Life in Alexandria, something his heart has always been passionate about. So he'll be back with the boys, doing what he loves, following his heart. I'm so stinking proud of him, almost as much as I am jealous.
I, of course, took the road less traveled by. And yes, it has made all the difference. I'm taking the blog in a new direction and taking a few die hard fans (you) with me. You are the proud and the few and the most certainly odd who checked this website (or found it by accident, God bless you) and kept on reading. Thanks for sticking around - I'm not going to promise the action packed excitement of a cross country bike trip, nor the hijinx of a small band of brothers... just the fear and trembling of a young man in the midst of an adventure known as his own life and the chronicles of the people that sweep in and out of it. The only thing I promise is that it will be genuine. Probably.
I'm in Portland, OR, just back from Thanksgiving in New Jersey with my family. That's right - I never went home. After the bike trip, my dad really DID come out here to meet me. We really DID drive down the California coast (really worthy of it's own blog) and we never got past San Francisco. Instead, I chose to move to Portland and we made a large loop out to Yosemite Park and then back through Oregon.
Why?
There are a lot of reasons, the deepest of which I'm not sure I've figured out myself. The summary is that the Lord made it very clear that there was a choice before me - to go home to what I knew or to press on into something new. He paved both paths, prepared my heart and gave me a choice. So I chose.
It wasn't easy, there have been many questions and repercussions... but it's obvious that the Lord is at work here in Portland. What happened was that my Dad took an extra 10 days to get out here, and I had nowhere to go. So I called my friend Mindy in Portland and asked if I could stay with her for an indeterminate period of time. Pressed for an answer, she agreed and picked me up at the train station the next morning. I'm glad she agreed before she saw me - four months growth of beard and hair does nothing to help your cause. I crashed on a day bed while she left to spend some time with her friend. When I awoke I met the owners of the house - Mike and Beka. I now work with them, just to give the ending away. I certainly had no inkling at the time.
The rest of the 10 days were a whirlwind - a place to stay, a church to attend, friends to hang out with and a clear sense that SOMETHING was up all smashed into my world one after another. I wasn't looking to move to Portland, I wasn't even particularly excited about it at first... but all many of my questions have been answered over time, enough to convince me that I'm in exactly the right place for right now.
There's a lot more to the story than that, but it's a beginning. The bike trip is over, but real life forges ahead - if you're up for reading along, fantastic! If not, I won't be offended.
Talk to you soon -
Ryan
2 Comments:
Dear Ryan,
OK, So I'm one of the wierd ones who occasionally looks back at this sight just to reminisce about my own road trip experience in my own little way. Did you know that I had stayed with Davey Ray and Jonathan on my way into DC? I really appreciated the free room for the night, and though a short amount of time, it was nice to see them again. I know I'm just one more person who came into your guys' lives and then back out, but something about my short time with you all really left a mark on me. I'm well settled into Americorps right now, and will be till July, and then, well, the possibilities are endless. Anyway, I'm really in awe of the way you have put your faith in the lord and taken the steps you have to get where you are today, as someone younger, and still searching for a number of things, I appreciate someone like you, and if you ever have a free moment, I would love to hear from you and have questions I would like to ask you, so, as this sentence runs away from me, I'll leave you my email, and if you get a chance, I'd love to be able to chat(the electronic way) Hope all is well in your life, in your heart...Peace, Taylor Z(the one from the Tetons, Oh the Tetons...how I miss em)--or, if you want to respond, Daydreemr83@yahoo.com Thanks Bud.
By
Anonymous, at 11:23 PM
Are you still blogging and still in Portland? Through a "Dayville' link you have me curious. Blessings to you!
By
deefish, at 12:46 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home