As Lancaster County got drenched in the remains of Hurricane Ida last week, three of my colleagues and I were out west where the land is dry and the air smells faintly of smoke from the wildfires. I first noticed the smell when we got out of the airport in Reno, Nevada and stood on the sidewalk waiting for our hotel shuttle on Saturday evening. We were feeling thankful to be in Reno on schedule. The trip from Philadelphia had taken a literally heart-racing turn at our layover in Phoenix— our … [Read more...] about The Smoky Sierra Nevada Mountains
Travel
Camping in Pennsyltucky
Public campsites are to camping what decaf is to coffee. They might be safer, cleaner, and more conducive to sleeping, but they're favorless and boring. So when my church small group went camping last month, I was glad we were doing primitive, private-land-next-to-state-game-land type of camping, not pitching our tents at a KOA and trying to avoid eye contact with the neighbors at the next campfire. Marlin and Amy, one of the small group couples, did most of the planning. Marlin has … [Read more...] about Camping in Pennsyltucky
A Day in Queens
"It's not a good idea to go up to people and ask, 'Are you homeless?'" It's mid-Saturday morning at the Ministry Training Center (MTC) in Elmhurst, a neighborhood in Queens, NYC. About two dozen Lancastrians have just gotten off the bus in the Big Apple and are getting a crash course in local demographics and street ministry. "There's about ninety thousand people per square mile here in Elmhurst. Most of them are immigrants or the children of immigrants. Many of them don't speak English." … [Read more...] about A Day in Queens
A Flying Trip to the Empire State
"Do you want to go on an airplane ride?", my coworker, Jen asked me a few months ago. "Clinton," she said, referring to another colleague, "needs to get his flying hours in. We could go together sometime." Although I have been on plenty of commercial flights, the last time I had been a passenger on a small plane was years and years ago. "Sure. When?" I replied. The Saturday after Thanksgiving was clear and calm. I met Jen and her friend Sharon at the Lancaster Airport at eight in the … [Read more...] about A Flying Trip to the Empire State
Sandy Shores: History at the OBX
History isn't something I associate with going to the beach, but last month I discovered the Outer Banks are more than just sand and surf. There's a ton of interesting historical events that have happened at the Outer Banks, which are long, skinny islands along the coast of North Carolina. "Let's go to the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum," suggested Melissa as we huddled over Google Maps, plotting our course several weeks before the trip. Zoomed out on my computer screen, the maritime and … [Read more...] about Sandy Shores: History at the OBX