Travel and Work Days

In keeping with our stated goal to travel as smart as we can the next several weeks (in light of my fantastic scheduling) we built some rest into our 530 mile trip between Wichita and Castle Rock, Colorado. PLUS we had a newsletter to write and get uploaded to the printer and a bunch of book work to do too.

We tried to get a good night's sleep Sunday and we did not rush off bright and early as we often do on travel days. Bro. John and Sis. Judy DiZazzo were knee deep in remodeling the last time we were here and we wanted to see the finished product. The house looks tremendous and we enjoyed our visit with them very much.

By the time we arrived at the church, cranked up the BoggsMobile, unhooked the utilities and attached the Green Machine, it was 11:00 AM. Perfect!

What was not perfect was the terribly high winds that beat us up all day long. It whipped around in different directions a few times but it was mostly coming out of the northwest. It was horrible.

We were going north the first two hours and then pretty much due west the rest of the day. That means it was hitting us on the left side of the bus toward the front for two hours and then the right side the rest of the day.

The wind was blowing sustained speeds of 20-27 MPH and gusting to 40 MPH according to our weather apps! I believe they may have clocked it a little too slow! I had to keep a firm grip on the wheel every moment. My knuckles were white and my whole body was tense from the wind hitting us broadside.

I am super glad that not all travel days are like Monday.

We have been west nearly every year since 2010 but we have not traveled west on I-70 through Kansas since then. We love this drive across the flat lands of Kansas. But those flat lands are deceptive.

Wichita, Kansas is about 1300' above sea level. We dropped about 75' going north to Salina where we turned west on I-70. I-70 looks like it is almost completely flat but it is steady climbing at about a 1% grade. I do not believe my GPS ever showed a 2% grade, always 1%.

This perfectly flat landscape picture was taken through my bug soaked windshield in western Kansas. The elevation is about 3900' above sea level! That was a big gain for the day. Especially when it never seemed like we were going uphill at all!

This picture out my side window is in eastern Colorado. It looks flatter than Kansas and that is saying something.

My GPS said were 5400' above sea level in that picture above. Amazing!

By the time we stopped I felt like I had been beat up all day long! I was very glad to pry my fingers off the steering wheel and get out of the driver's seat and away from the heavy wind.

The sun went down very shortly after we arrived and we went to work on the newsletter and settled in for a very cold night. It was the coldest night for us this fall and way colder than we are used to in October. We had a good frost. IF there is any ragweed out here, it should be dead and that is good! It will get colder later in the week.

We did not travel Tuesday. We rested, tended to a couple BoggsMobile issues (I will detail in a later post), and Kelly Jo and I spent the biggest part of the day catching up on book work. It was a tedious day but necessary and enjoyable overall.

Who says we park at Flying J for free? We paid the rent before we departed Flying J on Wednesday morning.

The drive on to Castle Rock was beautiful on an awesome clear, warm day.

We arrived just before 11:00 Wednesday. We were here two years ago but we flew in so the BoggsMobile had never been to the McCoy's house. We parked in the road, figured the best way in and parked. We are in a gorgeous location.

We expected to have access to 20 amp electric and run the generator a lot during the very cold weather that will visit this week. But the electric panel was in the garage with easy access, so we wired into 50 amps. That is a plus.

Pastor James McCoy, Sis. Tara and their daughter Sara welcomed us with open arms and we are very glad to be back with them. 

We had a wonderful time with them in July 2015 and if last night's service is any indication, this is going to be a great week. I love ministering in pioneer churches. It is a great place and time to exercise the calling of an evangelist. May God give us grace to do it well in Castle Rock, Colorado.

Kelly Jo and Odie were smiling big after church!

We had a very special visitor the first night of revival. Do you recognize our dear friend from Richton, Mississippi?

Bro. J. W. Cooper is working this week on a oil rig about an hour from here and he popped into church Wednesday. That was a very special treat for us and for the church and we appreciate his time and effort! May God bless you, little buddy, for being a blessing to us!

Thank you all for stopping in to visit us today.

Davy