Jeremiah Watt

-MY LITTLE CHURCH IN A GROVE, AND THANKS TO THE FOLKS WHO MAKE IT SO FRIENDLY

Not all days are created equal, and the Lord set that in motion some 2500 hundred years ago. Its a SUnday, October the 1st, and I have been oin the cranks since August the 14th. Yes, there are many folks who could ahve ridden the same ride twice over , of that I am sure. But goal, thanks to my brothers advice was never to ride iot as fast as I could................but to ride and see what I could and savor the memory of it.

It was avery foggy morn, and I was maybe ten miles out from Paris Tenn. I knew that I would have to ride past Paris and onto a smaller town to attend Chruch this day. ANd I had In my mind one of those picturesque little Chirches in the woods to do it. I rode thru Paris, to the east side and had to pull off the road to allow a pending Police Chase go by. I pulled over into a gas station, and had a cup of coffee and a few cookies.

I had a chance to Visit with a great fellow Len, if I remenber correctly. Len and I visitied about the trip, and I mentioned looking for that country Church down the road................he assured me he didn't really know of any headed east and that I should attend Church with him. Well, it all sounded fine, but it was only 8:45 and even Pastor Mike knows that Jeremiah seldom arrives early. SO I was bound and determined to get in a few more miles and also look for a Church that matched my vision.

I thanked Len, and headed further east. The time for Church had come, I was 12 mile sfurther east, and I told the Lord he had better throw a Church down in front of me soon or I would miss it. The sign, no more than 2 foot square looked neon for some reason..............New Hope Baptist Church...............1/4 mile. Now I had worked upo afair sweat in gettin g there, it was a warm morning here in Tennesee, and a bath would be in order but out of the question. I rode down the hill to the Church, to find just the prettiesdt little steepled Church set in amongst a grove of gorgeous trees................halle-lu-yah Lord, and Prasie ya.

Without undressing, and as best I could I washed of out in the parking lot and wiped of with my jersey........entered into the Church just as they finished the first song and a orning Prayer to then break into a short Bible Study. I was of course greeted and then invired to join............I apologised for the dress and maybe the sweaty smell, but nobody seemd to really mind................but then again no buddy hugged me as a greeting iether?

The service was a good one Pastor Larry Paschall gave a good service and closing Prayer. I asked that he Pray for my trip directly, and safety for the remainder of it. I aksed that he Pray that all dogs have false teeth that would fall out when they barked.................he suggested that may be a little over board. I had a great visit with the folks whommake up this tiny congragation, and each wished me well, and each was interested in knowing my age and if I was retired tobe able to do this sort of thing. I assured them, I was 28 , fully retired, and that i had the worlds best wife..........and I mean it Colleen. At the end of it all, one of the ladies of the group asked if I would wait at the Church for a maoment so she could make me a sack lunch. She made it, I waited and Mame, it was the finest meal I have had to date..............many thanks as I sat eating it as I sat in Camden a little further on down the road. Thanks to all, but especially Larry and Horace of the New HOpe greeting commitee.

I rode on to Camden, and this is a town that really shows the short sightedness of a few "decision makers" in years past when you arrive in the downtown square. Camden like many of these towns is build around the town square, and atop a hill. Camden has all of that, with a bevy of buildings that date back into the later 1900's to add charm to a town square. But some place along the line, Camden lost the imposing edifice of every town square and that si the Courthouse of City Offices. I guess due to fire or something there's was gone, and what was put into its place was a low squat 2 story edition of palinold ugly and bad architecture...........clearly the fellow who done this building design had no more imagination than a pre schooler.

The buiding, even though it sat on the highest point, was lower than all the older surrounding buildings...............it really looked odd. ANd then to top of the squatter look, they hard a garden plan from "hobbit-ville" using only small shrubs and low trees.....................the gun slit style windows of this NEW EDIFICE over looking the lower roof lines of surrounding buildings just made the whole town sqaure look ridiculous. Sorry folks, but who ever got paid off to accept a bid like that on a buidling that ugly......must have moved to the Bahama's.

I pulled a part my trailer, and unloaded my clothes so I could do some wash as I sat and ate my bag lunch. I was interrupted by first one, then three total young fellas that just loved my bike. Ford, the youngest and boldest amongst the group, wanted to kow everything about me, my age, my trip, my home, my kids, how old are they, what was my boys name, was he strong, and was my daughter pretty etc. I told him all he wanted to know. Where does they go to school, he asked me.............just like that. Well I said, they are home schooled.............and up unitl now the only boy whom had not said a word was the buggest kid with the red hair known as Shawn Murphy. Woooow Dude, I would love to be home schooled dude, said Shawn.

BIKERS RULE AND BOARDERS DROOL

Well why is that I ask, somewhat surprised by his vocal out burst after nearly 20 minutes of silence. Ah Dude, says Shawn, I have good friend thats home schooled and he only has school on Wednesday Mornings.............thats it. Well, I did get a good chuckle out of this little news flash, and we talked about it for a bit. I assured him that my kids often had a little homework to finsih up on Thursady morning before they were done for the week. This seemd to Satisfy Shawn Murphy, that maybe there was a little equity in the homeschool regime and he didn't have it so bad afer all.

Laundry is done, and I mount up and head east to Waverly. The bike hit 96 today, and a little Gator Aid is in order........and maybe a little Ice-Cream also. The hills are getting MUCH bigger, and I can no longer struggle over the top in my lowest gear on the big ring up front. I am making use of my middle chain ring on every hill I hit. I set up a camp just few mile s past McEwen, and dine on very simple noodles. It was a65.7 mile day and the sky is very clear, and the evening warm............I am a little more tired than usual. At first I think,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,pregnant.................then decide that NO its probably the hills .........that seems to make more sense to me.

Good Night and God Bless