Scott

As November began, I was in northwest Nebraska. It was my sister-in-law's birthday and Daylight Savings Time was ending. I intended to make full use of my extra hour exploring the western part of the state before turning towards Wyoming for a couple days of mountains. The sun was shining and the air was brisk. It was a good day.

Stopping in at the local Wal-Mart to take advantage of their free WiFi, I was pleased to see I had several messages. I was doubly pleased to see that some were from friends I hadn't heard from in a long time.

Then I read them.

Scott, an old friend, a friend from college, had died. Funeral in St. Louis. Details pending.

Initially I was numb. Other than the odd Facebook message, I hadn't spoken with Scott in at least 15 years. At the same time, he and his wife Megan are among the most important people in my life. They are timeless friends, the kind you know are there regardless of distance.

I left Wal-Mart in a fog, wanting to hike in the nearby national forest & prairie. In my distraction, I got my car hung up on a rut in the dirt road and couldn't drive out on my own. As luck would have it, some locals were nearby shooting old jack-o-lanterns with shot guns. One man had his large, fire department issued pickup truck and was able to get me out with ease. From beginning to end, the whole thing took maybe 20 minutes. However, seeking help and solving a tangible problem was what I needed to wake me up before I got too lost in my head.

Nebraska National Forest(?!?)
The frequent pop-pop-pop of locals shooting pumpkins kept me alert.

I met Scott and Megan early in my freshman year of college. They were the leaders of Campus Crusade for Christ at Wash U. These days I don't talk a whole lot about my involvement with Crusade or church in general for that matter. My feelings about these various institutions are...complicated. A lot positive experiences and relationships are tangled up with a lot of negative.

Scott and Megan most definitely rank among the positive. Encouraging and honest, they welcomed this messy student and many others into their lives and into their homes. Their interest and hospitality laid the foundation for one of the best communities I've had in my life.

The next morning revealed that Scott had "lost his battle with mental health". I'd suspected this might be the case because the earlier messages had an all too familiar vagueness about them. Still, my stomach sank at the confirmation, and my first thought was "Damn. I was really hoping for an aneurysm..."

That day I had the distinct privilege of being in some unique and beautiful places. The strong winds and wildness of the high prairie were the perfect setting to grapple with the gamut of thoughts and emotions. I was sad and angry. I regretted not talking to him more recently. I was excited at the prospect of seeing old friends. I felt guilty for being excited.

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument
Strong gusts of wind blowing little wooly caterpillars off the path caused
hearty laughter and gave comic relief.

Scott's Bull National Monument
A good place for hollering.

In all this, I kept thinking about how Scott really loved brownies. He would get so excited when someone would bring a tray to a gathering. I distinctly remember one time when his face lit up as he declared, "Brownies are my love language!" He and I both agreed that corner pieces are the best pieces. I recall a couple of occasions when he graciously offered me first pick, however there would be a bit of competitive gleam in his eye as if daring me to pick the one he wanted. Brownies were serious business.

Part of me wishes I though of something more profound about the impact Scott had on my life. Chocolate baked goods were really a very small part of our interactions. However, as I think about it, silly stories like this speak volumes. He was someone I enjoyed and whose friendship meant a lot. The small stories show the substance of things.

There is a lot I could say about the visitation, funeral, and seeing everyone, but I will just summarize by saying it was all very good. And we all absolutely hated the reason.

October Odds and Ends

I like Octobers. It might be my favorite month. While teaching, I found it perpetually frustrating that Octobers were almost too busy to enjoy. When people would comment on how it "must be nice" to have summers off, I would cynically reply, "yeah, but I can't go anywhere in October..." In fact, when imagining my ideal life, being able to travel in October often topped the list.

So, this week I was surprised to discover that October was almost over and I'd traveled for almost its entirety. I was realizing a long-time dream and barely even noticed!

My obliviousness is a testimony to how relaxed October was. I'm getting a hang of being on the road and no longer chased by the same anxieties that followed me as I started out. Also, I had the good fortune spend time with a lot of friends and family. This gave my travels a homey, familiar feel, even as I went new places. Yes, October 2018 was a good month.

I've already told about the month's rousing start in Nashville with the Old Dogs. I've also mentioned visiting Mammoth Caves and a bit about Dauphin Island. As you might imagine, there are many more stories to tell. Since November is officially underway, I've decided to give a brief rundown of the October highlights. I might fill in with some separate blogs later, but I'm afraid of suddenly finding myself in December without having written a thing!

* * * * * * * * * *

My first stop after Nashville and Mammoth Caves was Lexington, KY to see my sister, Marianne, and her family. The big event of the visit came on Sunday, when we all participated in the Raven Run 5k/10k trail run. My brother-in-law, Travis, and I ran the 10k, while Marianne and a friend walked the 5k with their kids in tow. I think they chose the harder option.

Travis killed his first trail run! He was awesome!!
Me? Well, I was inspired to get back in the habit of running more regularly.
However, I can honestly say I ran down the muddy hills with more confidence than most!

Though they walked the whole way together, Marianne's friend ultimately
won at the wire because her baby's bitty booty stuck out further than Marianne's big ol' boobies.

Hanging out at Marianne's also gave time to cook some real food. Monday was dedicated to creating a pumpkin feast. No pumpkin spice, though!

Roasted home-grown pumpkin, a key ingredient for pumpkin, fruit & nut bread
 and jerked pumpkin soup.

Leaving Marianne, Travis, and the Wee Seamus, I had a few days to kill before meeting my friend's family in Dauphin Island. Following the recommendation of a fellow transient, I backpacked for three days in the Sipsey Wilderness. Northwest of Birmingham, it's part of the Bankhead National Forest, and it is gorgeous.

At wetter times of the year, it is full of waterfalls and cascades. Even with it being drier, the Sipsey River was lovely. The rock formations were a lot of fun to explore, and I rather enjoyed the steep and difficult creek crossings. There's something trilling about needed to use tree roots as a ladder.

Sipsey River near campsite #1

Day 2 took me through a 7 mile section that's traveled much less than the other trails.
Being a beautiful weekend, it was the longest I went without seeing other campers.
I was grateful I had a good map.

The end of the rarely-traveled section.
Yes, there is a trail back in there.

I love what rocks and trees can do when they work together!

Day 3: That trickle in the center is the only waterfall I saw.
This place must be spectacular in spring!

Earlier in the day, I encountered a group of well-meaning but clueless men who were
overly courteous in their warnings that there was a snake up ahead.
Clearly, they misread my interests...

Rock rises like this were throughout Sipsey.
It would be nice to go in winter when you can see them without the leaves in the way.

Leaving the wilderness, it was time for the BEACH! I really think Dauphin Island should have its own entry. So with apologies to Michelle and her family for the continued delay, here's a few pretty pictures to tide everyone over:

Live Oak

After the beach, I spent and few days relaxing with my lovely aunt and uncle in Poplar Bluff, MO. I didn't realize how tired I was until they put me in a cool and very dark room for the night. It was way too easy to sleep the day away!

Off the back porch

Next stop was Saint Louis because I actually had to work. For two days, no less! That's as many days as I worked in August and September combined. Don't worry, I won't over do it.

I stayed at my friend Olga's. Her family's house is one of my many homes-away-from-home. Her two daughters are a blast. It tickled me when they introduced to their friends as their roommate. I like hanging out with them and dominating them with my superior hide-and-seek and Just Dance skills.

Elena (left) is the owner of Pikachu.
Zecora (the My Little Pony) belongs to no one, but Sonia commissioned her to join me.

My two days of work for October complete, I headed north towards Iowa. For reasons that are hard to articulate, I think I'll be spending the winter in Des Moines. I wanted to check things out before I decide.

Iowa has been unexpectedly delightful so far. I'll have to tell about that later, however. The pictures on my phone have yet to sync with the cloud, and pictures are important for this tale...