201st Entry: A reflection on the journey

Most useful thing in my road trip arsenal: spare old towel. Original purpose was to insulate my bike from the terrors of the stuff that was packed all around it in the car. Since serving that initial purpose, it has found many uses, from lawn blanket to bicycle shade. Definitely a good thing to toss in when all is said and done.

Item I've missed the most: definitely my trash can. That Wishbone trash receptacle has been with me for years! In Arizona I made do by putting a plastic bag inside a paper one and changing out the plastic one when it got full. Unfortunately that bag ripped in the move to California (and got soaked with maple syrup, but that's a whole nother story!), and here I've just forced myself to walk my garbage to the kitchen or bathroom receptacles, though I do have plenty of paper bags that I could probably put to work if I really wanted to - perhaps I'll do that today...

It's been over 200 entries and almost half a decade since I started this blog. My first entry is from 15 December 2007, thanking God for the snow that I had been praying to see that day. I was still working at the bike shop, I was still in high school. I'd had little knowledge back then of where I would be four and a half years later. I had no idea that I would go to Africa, not only once, but twice! I didn't quite see then that my days at the bike shop were numbered, but that God had a much more fulfilling line of work for me in a remote ghost town on the other side of the country. Since I started this blog I have: gone through college; had my first official "boyfriend" and first kiss (it was gross) as well as my first experience dumping a guy; ridden two 100-mile bike rides; lived with 17 different people (at least) at different times in different places apart from my family; learned my third language; had to disappoint at least a few guys who were set on chasing me; fallen deeper in love with God; felt a deeper connection with nature; hitch-hiked; driven across the country; driven across the state; started paying my student loans; made some real friends; learned more about myself, who I am, and how to give voice to my thoughts and feelings; watched the entire Avatar: The Last Airbender series; and so much more!

It's been 200 entries, and a lot has happened. A lot has changed. But I can't complain: I love my life, and I'm grateful to God for bringing me safely through this far. I look forward to what He's got planned for me next. What an adventure!

~Jay