My ride around the USA 2015: Day 27

Today was the last day of unfamiliar territory. Now all that's left is Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway, both of which I have traveled before. When I exit Skyline Drive (which connects directly across the street to the BRP) and then the BRP, I will exit in Cherokee NC which I have visited so many times its like home. Entering Skyline is the last run before I'm home. But I should start at the beginning.

Entering Shenandoah and the Skyline Drive

It was another beautiful day today and I continued to be impressed with just how beautiful is the West Virginia countryside. Don't get me wrong - it's beauty is the nature part. I took some back county roads to see the lands more clearly and what I also saw was abject appalachian poverty. I won't post pictures it was so sad. How this rich country can let our fellow brothers and sisters exist like that disturbs me greatly. WTF.

When I came out of the mountain roads I found myself surprising close to Skyline Drive, so close that I thought I might as well drive some of it today. I felt great so after filling up with gas I entered the park and began my final trek home. And then something amazing happened.

I hadn't taken many photos so I pulled over at the first scenic turnout. There were a few other people there but it's a Wednesday at 2 pm, not too many tourists. There was a small group of three taking pictures next to me looking at a river when the guy saw my motorcycle and asked me about my trip. As we were talking his wife Mary came up to me, looked into my eyes and asked me why my heart was so heavy. I mumbled something about being on the road for a month gives you a lot of time to think about things when she said from out of the blue "God wants you to know that He is right here with you, right here right now". She went on to say how He has heard my prayers and that everything is going to be ok.

Mike, Mary and Mary

Something about the certainty in her voice, the timeliness of her message (I was planning to use this time on Skyline and BRP to put all the pieces of the things I've been thinking about back together), her kind smile and her sincerity overwhelmed me. And when I looked at her husband Mike and her mother they were both looking at me and both of them had this knowing smile on their face - this smile that said "this is the man God wanted Mary to talk to today", a look that knew how fortunate I was to be getting this message from Mary.

To hear this message at the beginning of the final 600 miles trek home - the timing was uncanny. I had just finished an 8,000 miles journey around the United States of American and was going to use this Last leg home to pull it all back together. Mary's message gave me perfect perspective - my struggles are in my head. I need to let it all go and just live a good and honest life; God will take care of the rest. Sorry, there is just no way the timing of that message was coincidence. Thank you God, thank you for Mike, Mary, Mary and for Your grace and generosity. You astound me at how obvious You are sometimes.

OK, back to earth.

After exchanging information I rode down the rest of drive thinking about what just happened and before you knew it I had gone the 109 mile length of Skyline. I saw the BRP across the street but decided to save that for tomorrow and so I headed east to find a hotel room. Then I remembered my friend and ex-coworker Sandy Medlin lives around here so I called her up and the next thing you knew we were having dinner together.

After dinner she asked me if I wanted to meet her parents and I of course said "Yes I do" and so we went over to her house and I did just that. Here is me with her mother (her father is ill so no photo):