New Developments and Old Recollections

I haven't posted here in a long time and I honestly can't give a reason why. I had many more adventures after my time at the Wolf Ski Resort yet I have not put the proverbial pen to paper.
Just to get myself going, I'll recount all the events since my triumphant return to Seattle.

1. I resumed serving at Mars Hill Church both on Sunday and during the week. As of right now I am responsible for leading a 16 member team that serves communion to about 900 people every Sunday during the 7:15pm service in Ballard. I am also responsible for running the Thursday night Campus Cleanup where I lead a variable size team (as few as 8 and occasionally as many as 20) in the task of cleaning a 50,000 sqft building, so that it is all ready for weekly events. These two tasks are immensely stretching for me. I am a quiet and self-absorbed anti-social guy who is totally at home in the corner of a coffee shop. Instead God has called me to lead people in a way that glorifies Christ. I feel like I don't do this very well (or as well as I should), but for whatever reason both those teams are doing rather well. I also serve on Security at the West Seattle Campus of Mars (I dig a church that has bouncers...so that all the little kids are safe and the body is protected).

2. I built a deck and now am finishing up by laying the decking material and railings. The project passed inspection so an underpaid overworked city of Seattle building inspector thinks I did a decent job (for whatever that's worth).

3. I house sat for my grand parents and enjoyed the resumption of my road trip's near constant isolation for a mere 7 days.

4. I have been training in earnest for an upcoming Mt. Rainier Hike and a Mt. Adams Summit. 20 mile sprints in the saddle out to Alki and back (420ft to 0ft and back up). Man I remember Dave's sweet bike and am filled with an envy as I chugg along with my 21 speed mountain bike. Calisthenics have help too and I'm in great shape as I look forward to summer.

5. I have geared up by buying an ice axe, new mountaineering boots, and gaiters.

6. I have played tour guide to some Mars Hillians from Albuquerque and my Buddy Andy from Portland.

7. I have read by the pound: Anathem by Neal Stephenson, Adventures with Charley by Steinbeck, Thinking Beyond Stage One by Thomas Sowell, Doctrine by Mark Driscoll, Luke (4 times) by Luke, On the Road by Kerouac, and the 9-part series by Orson Scott Card (Ender's Game, Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets, Shadow of the Giant, Ender in Exile, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind)

So I have been busy, but I feel idle. That makes me feel uneasy. I can't rest. Sabbath is not my normal state.

Ok now I've shaken off the hesitation in writing so now I'll write about what happened after the Wolf. Excuse me let me turn on Mogwai, so my mind is clear...

Drawn and French Quartered

Miles: 5774.1
Gallons Burned: 198.2
Caffeinated Drinks: ??

I'm in Pensacola Florida sitting in the parking lot of the Naval Air Museum on naval Air Station Pensacola. I can hear Gulfstream jets and the occasional Trainer jet pass over head as I think back on my time in New Orleans...

On my way to that Restaurant with the Mango Margarita, I walked the perimeter of 34 city blocks in the French quarter, the full length of Bourbon Street 4 times, and Canal Street twice. Of course that was all done on my leg featuring the injured right calf. As mentioned before, Asprin = Win.
During this jaunt, I turned north from Jefferson Square to the rear of a Catholic Church. As I approached I saw the church's fenced-off garden and this statue.

I stopped to admire a statue of Jesus in the churchyard. The statue was lighted from beneath throwing its shadow onto a bare white wall. As I stood hands clasped about the cold wrought-iron bars, I heard familiar cords. "Eli, the Barrow boy", a song from the Decemberists, was being played by a man on the corner with his guitar. He sings the song of deep crushing sadness, brutal loss, and self destruction beautifully and brings tears to my eyes with his rendition.

Eli, the barrow boy, when they found him
Dressed all in corduroy, he had drowned in
The river down the way
They laid his body down in a church yard

This song is the song of the French Quarter for me:

These are some other sight of note (okay not the first one):
Aston Martin DB-9 ($180k) actually parked on the street!

BMW M6. I didn't even know they made one! ($102k) You may sense a pattern: cars.

These posts are scattered all over the French Quarter.

Sunday night in the Quarter: lights on, no one home.

Bourbon Street at 1am on a Saturday Night.

Each block in the French Quarter has a central courtyard. I took this in the courtyard of the Chartres House Cafe.

How many guys who are doing what I am doing actually pack an outfit like this with a long coat? (Yes I'm odd we've been over this)
Next time the run for Florida.