Jerry Sanders, a man from our church, had asked me about riding with him to Starved Rock State Park. Starved Rock is 100 miles north of Gibson City. Apparently, it is one of the state parks our governor has chosen to spare. Connie and I had been there once before, but it was at night because we had driven to the lodge with some friends after eating at the Cajun Connection (great place!) in Utica. The park does look different during the day. It is a spectacular place to go and see, especially with the leaves having turned. It was also fun to watch a push-boat and barges run through the lock.
Jerry and I climbed up to the peak of "Starved Rock". Afterwards, we ate a delicious lunch in the beautiful lodge. The only bummer about the lunch was the group of high school students eating near us that had two boys threatening to beat each other into oblivion. The group leader seemed oblivious until the boys stood up and started really getting into each others face. Nothing like a good rumble to spoil a lunch! They were separated and calmed down. All this happened behind Jerry and he was as oblivious as I was nervous.
The trip was all the more adventurous because we road motorcycles to get there. It was sunny and 74 degrees. We had attempted to ride up twice before, but weather and schedules got in the way. Jerry is a great guy to be around. His enthusiasm for life and the Lord is contagious. But, I was a bit nervous following him on a bike for 200 miles. For one thing, I have some fairly vivid memories of experiences in a vehicle with Jerry. We were in Canada on a short-term missions trip and I was in a van Jerry was driving. He almost got in a fight with a home-less guy and he drove a bit close to the folks in front of us. Jerry use to drive race cars and it shows. None of that was evidenced yesterday, other than riding through a school zone at 55 and passing a policeman at 65.
The glory of the Lord is all around us, if we but look. The changing of the seasons recall His faithfulness. Spring time and harvest declare something about Him if we but listen. You don't have to go to Starved Rock to see that majesty.
Jerry and I climbed up to the peak of "Starved Rock". Afterwards, we ate a delicious lunch in the beautiful lodge. The only bummer about the lunch was the group of high school students eating near us that had two boys threatening to beat each other into oblivion. The group leader seemed oblivious until the boys stood up and started really getting into each others face. Nothing like a good rumble to spoil a lunch! They were separated and calmed down. All this happened behind Jerry and he was as oblivious as I was nervous.
The trip was all the more adventurous because we road motorcycles to get there. It was sunny and 74 degrees. We had attempted to ride up twice before, but weather and schedules got in the way. Jerry is a great guy to be around. His enthusiasm for life and the Lord is contagious. But, I was a bit nervous following him on a bike for 200 miles. For one thing, I have some fairly vivid memories of experiences in a vehicle with Jerry. We were in Canada on a short-term missions trip and I was in a van Jerry was driving. He almost got in a fight with a home-less guy and he drove a bit close to the folks in front of us. Jerry use to drive race cars and it shows. None of that was evidenced yesterday, other than riding through a school zone at 55 and passing a policeman at 65.
The glory of the Lord is all around us, if we but look. The changing of the seasons recall His faithfulness. Spring time and harvest declare something about Him if we but listen. You don't have to go to Starved Rock to see that majesty.
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