Destination or journey?
Whenever my brother and I started planning for our summer motorcycle trips I usually did most of the planning. We would usually choose a destination between Seattle, Washington where he lived and St. Charles, Missouri where I live and I would work on the details of the route, places to ride, places to stay, other ares to visit, etc. Most of the time the trip worked out according to our plans. But not always, sometimes things changed. One year when we were going to stay in Yellowstone National Park it began to snow so we moved to another location. On our last trip together to Colorado in 2020 the terrain was very difficult for me riding the mountain passes. One afternoon I needed a break from the riding so we let the others continue on while he and I went into the city of Ouray. We took a break on a bench. And while sitting there I heard him say, “This is where I want to be.” All we were doing was sitting on the bench eating a snow cone. It was not always about the destination, but about the journey. It was about us being together.
While I did not get to my original destination I was able to honor my brother in a very personal way. While I was in Anchorage my dad had a great idea. He suggested I go to Lake Hood and charter a small float plane to the Kenai River, a spot where we owned property when we lived there in the early 70’s and then scatter his ashes. And that is what I did.
Tia the pilot, flew us over cook inlet to the Kenai River where we followed the Kenai and passed over our property where we did a lot of fishing. (We have a lot of memories from our time on the river. My dad even took Verl and I upriver where we floated back in my 4 man rubber raft to our property.) Tia landed the float plane at Skilac Lake where I scattered his ashes. It was incredibly beautiful, peaceful and an appropriate place for this to be done. I even brought back a few items for my family. And then we returned back to Anchorage. Though this was not my original destination to honor my brother the journey was accomplished.
Thank you to my faith family at Hope, the faith family at Covington Community and everyone else who has been praying. I am grateful for your support. Please continue to get this message out so others will be inspired to support this cause.
Grace and peace,
Clint