July 6, 2019 – Lancaster, PA – A horse and buggy pulled out in front of me as I pedaled west on Hwy 23 toward Lancaster, PA on Friday.
Aside from the clip clop of the hooves on the pavement and the traditional straw hats and suspenders, it’s the anomaly of the simple life that reels me in.
Then, while buying post cards at an old country-school-turned-Amish-information-center, the bearded clerk’s cell phone rang.
“I’m Mennonite,” he said.
One of the reasons I enjoy traveling by bicycle. I’m able to stop and take photos of the things that normally I’d drive right by.
Ran into these fellas on the trail this morning. They were all headed to work in a pseudo car-pool fashion.
One of the other roadside shows was coming out of New Jersey. These guys said they were training to stay in shape.
Knocked down about 50 miles on Friday from Valley Forge to Lancaster, PA. I should pull into Gettysburg later this afternoon.
The heat and humidity have been pretty intense. My glasses steam up consistently; I try to clean them off but spandex doesn’t really absorb well when it’s already soaking and my camera phone doesn’t respond to moist contact.
The terrain is beautiful and there are lots of rolling hills which also means some speedy descents along with rigorous climbs.
My biggest mistake was picking up a 2-pound bag of cherries at a fruit market. They looked so good and then I slogged those things 60 miles up the road. By the end of the day it was all a hot mess. Add it to the 80 pounds of gear and I’ll have to better reassess my choices moving forward.
Found a cozy motel below just outside of Lancaster.
All my church connections are enjoying the long July 4 weekend. The flowery bed spread and decorative pillow made it feel like grandma’s house.
Thanks to Tom at Steffy’s Garage for the Pennsylvania plate.
July 5, 2019 – Philadelphia, PA – A whirlwind of a July 4th in Philadelphia that was loaded with red, white and blue history and an Amazing-Race effort to complete as many of the Philly attractions in six hours as possible.
First order of business: bike 25 miles from Bristol, PA to Philly. The key was to start at first light, about 6 a.m.; that way you avoid the heat, and all the pimps, drug dealers, Bloods and Crips who were still asleep and off the street.
There was a miscalculation, however, as the pimps and drug dealers apparently are early risers on July 4.
Playing tourist in Philly:
The Liberty Bell, also known as the “Statehouse Bell.” This is a free indoor exhibit by the National Parks Service. The bell bears the inscription “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof,” which is a verse from the Bible (King James Version).
An interesting history nugget about the bell is when it went on tour in 1915 people lined up to kiss the bell and have their babies photographed with it. Posted near the bell “The Liberty Bell’s famous gap-often called a “crack” and running from tip to crown-makes it instantly recognizable.
That gap is really the result of an attempt to fix a thin crack that destroyed the Bell’s tone at some moment after the American Revolution. Exactly when that crack developed is lost to history.
The repair work dates to 1846. It failed when as the bell rang for George Washington’s birthday anniversary, the original crack reappeared and lengthened. It zig-zagged up toward the top of the bell, silencing it-at least physically-forever.”
Philadelphia’s Museum of Art: Famous for its front steps. The visit to the museum steps is dedicated to wonderful WashingtonCountyInsider.com supporters and the Museum of Wisconsin Art.
Across from the Cathedral is the town square and the required visit to the “I Love Philly” photo.
Funny, the 20-something kid in front of me had to ask directions on how to make a heart symbol with his hands. Someone in the crowd yelled, “Two c’s.” Sadly he was still confused.
Jim’s on Fifth Avenue and South; it was packed. I paid a kid $5 to watch my bike. The foot-long sandwich was $8. Loaded with green peppers and onions, I’d have to agree with the locals. The cheese was a spatula slide of cheese whiz from a tub and the meat was chopped to mush.
Architecture in Downtown Philly: Was briefly adopted by a cyclist in Philly who took me on a spontaneous bike tour of the architecture in the downtown area. “It makes you look up when you bike,” said Curtis.
It was fascinating to view the detail and how ornate the construction was. The artwork of a simple fire escape was most impressive.
Chinese Lantern Festival : While vehicle traffic was extremely limited because of the July 4 parade, you could really get anywhere on a bike. I beat the morning rush and quickly took a spin through a Chinese Lantern Festival. While impressive, I’m sure it would have looked magical at night.
Schuylkill River Trail: Wrapped up my visit to Philly by taking advantage of the Schuylkill River Trail. I had my doubts about Siri and her Google biking suggestions after my dicey morning commute, however, the locals said I was through the worst and this trail would get me 32 miles to Valley Forge. It did not disappoint.
The trail was paved in the city and wound it’s way along the Schuykill River. Further out it morphed into a hard-packed gravel and even a wooden plank path. Always safe and well marked.
Fast fact: Schuylkill is pronounced SKOO-kill. It comes from Netherland Dutch and means Hidden River.
Ended the 4th with 62 miles on the day. Today it’s off to Gettysburg.
July 4, 2019 – Philadelphia, PA – Live from Philadelphia on July 4. I’m at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, where voices are being geared up for the free grand finale concert starring Jennifer Hudson and Meghan Trainor tonight. Side note: As this is her hometown, the city of Philadelphia named a street after Patti LaBelle on Wednesday, July 3. A stretch of Broad Street, between Locust and Spruce Streets, has been renamed “Patti LaBelle Way” for the legendary soul singer.
July 3, 2019 – Madison, NJ – Pushing along on the 2019 bike tour from Newark, NJ to Wisconsin.
My new best friend Scott from Gulf Service in Madison, NJ had a pile of plates and he was happy to shed one from his collection. It made my day.
Madison was full of niche shops such as an elaborate pedestal Main Street clock and an old library converted into a Museum of Early Trades and Crafts.
The staff was welcoming and the architecture with ornate walls and arched ceilings was magical.
The displays on life, farming and early industry were fun; a very hands-on museum that welcomed children and families.
The clay marble collection was one of my favorites and the outline of a butcher’s life is dedicated to WashingtonCountyInsider.com sponsors Tommy and Kathey Schwai.
Completed 44 miles on the day from Caldwell to Somerville. Stuck mostly to Hwy 202 except when I found a well-paved path that ran through a swampy area of Bridgewater.
A shout out to my hosts at Immaculate Conception Parish in Somerville. Janet, Beverly and Diane made me feel more than welcome.
The trio were an example of women in action as they opened The Nazareth home (normally a home for unwed mothers). The facility has since closed but is owned by the church they offered me the second floor as a safe haven for the night. They also cobbled together a bag lunch with plenty of water to prep for the next day.
Another tour filled with the kindness of strangers.
Off to drop a thank you note and make my way to explore history in Philadelphia.
July 2, 2019 – Caldwell, NJ – A holiday tradition is alive and well in New Jersey, and I expect Washington County as well, as folks hang their red, white, and blue bunting to celebrate the Fourth of July.
The President Grover Cleveland boyhood home in Caldwell, NJ has its bunting hung for the holiday.
Sharon is the executive director of the home and her husband Bob is her right-hand helper. The couple live up the hill and around the corner from the home.
“When I took this job they asked me how long I thought I’d stay,” said Sharon. “I gave it three… maybe five years.”
It’s going on 39 years Sharon that has held down the fort at the Grover Cleveland boyhood home.
A fantastic historian. Sharon has met the son of President Cleveland and she’s helped grow the collection of artifacts with clothing, photos, pipes and even some items from Cleveland’s medicinal collection.
Bob provided a personal tour of the home and was kind enough to open the doors to me on a day that it was closed.
Then, in neighborly fashion, he offered me a place to stay. I suppose I could have slept upstairs at the Cleveland Museum; Bob and Sharon lived upstairs for years when they first got married.
“It was so hot up there during the summer we’d come downstairs and lie on the wood floor in front of the screen doors,” said Sharon. “The year we moved out they added air conditioning.”
Bob and Sharon were gracious hosts. Breakfast on Tuesday morning was out on the back porch. Through the thick stand of trees you could see the Cleveland home.
“You know you’re sitting in the neighborhood where the home is from the HBO series The Sopranos,” said Sharon.
A quick Google search and, sure enough, Tony Soprano and his wife Carmella lived in Caldwell, New Jersey.
A hat tip to my generous hosts who made me feel extremely welcome.
On a side note, Sharon actually used the slang “they rubbed her out” while talking historically about the death of a pastor’s wife during the Revolutionary War. It felt very “New Jersey gangster.”
July 1, 2019 – Newark, NJ – Another year, another pedaling adventure; this tour is Newark, NJ to West Bend. Hoping to make a lot of history stops.
-Adventure began Sunday when my flight was cancelled. The Newark Airport had completely shut down because of a plane that blew a tire on the runway. Ended up spending the day with a familiar face as I went to see the Dairyland Bike Races with my biking sidekick, Audrey, who went on last year’s tour.
Met a new friend on Monday’s do-over flight out of Milwaukee. Jamie (not her real name), 11, was from northern Wisconsin and flying as an unaccompanied minor.
“I just don’t like awkward silence,” said Jamie. “Sometimes during quiet time at school I just go crazy.”
And with that the two-hour flight zipped by as Jamie shared her life story with me even though the flight attendant stopped once and said, “Don’t wear out your seat mate.” She was absolutely sweet and I loved it.
Topics included Jamie’s Snoopy backpack, her love of the color blue, her vast scrunchy collection, and the stress she was experiencing as her dog died right before she left.
“Normally my mom is stressed,” said Jamie. “I told my mom if I had asthma I’d be having an asthma attack.”
Jamie had been going every summer to visit family in New Jersey. A bright girl, with a couple freckles on her nose, a big tub of gum balls in her backpack, sparkly blue dolphin earrings and an insatiable love of math.
“I go to a charter school,” she said. “We have one class where we have to think of something and I thought ‘where does grape flavor come from for drinks because that’s not really how a grape tastes.’”
A brief check of her phone, because she wanted to see the time zone change, and we were off and running again.
Hot topics: losing her last baby tooth, never meeting a pizza she didn’t like, her wonderful cousins, and passion for swimming.
“I hope you didn’t think this would be a relaxing flight,” said Jamie. “I like to chat.”
”My dad died when I was in 4K,” she said. “It’s just me and mom now. And when Luigi, my dog, died, I just figured it’s my dad’s turn to have him now.”
That hazel-eyed little girl turned me into a puddle and, aside from a quick time zone check, she didn’t miss a beat.
”I almost missed this flight because I got hung up with the TSA agent who had to check my bag because of a rubber chicken,” said Jamie.
Later in the flight she again referenced the scenario and called it the “rubber chicken catastrophe.”
“My family can’t wait for me to visit,” she said confidently. “My grandma I call Yaya because she’s Greek and my cousins…”
Jamie starts listing them off and then stops mid-sentence to start over and list them by age.
Yaya was waiting at the gate for her little charge. A very lucky grandma who couldn’t wait to wrap her arms around her unaccompanied minor.
That visit with my new friend made up for all those years of quiet, dull flights where my adult seat mate never said anything.
Jamie was a joy and a great start to another adventure.
It is the day Jesus rode a donkey into the town of Jerusalem and a large crowd gathered. They laid palm branches across the road, giving Jesus royal treatment. The hundreds of people shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
On this Palm Sunday a special segment involving a tour inside Iglesia El Rosario; described as “one of the finest churches in Central America.”
In January the story of Nancy and David Slindes trip to El Salvador was published on WashingtonCountyInsider.com
The couple have been doing mission work in El Salvador for 30 years. During one of the cultural days the Slindes visited the church. The artwork inside is incredible including an abstract version of the stations of the cross.
The main street entrance of the church, across from Libertad Plaza, is locked.
You have to turn the corner to find a narrow brick walkway located past a black metal gate and that leads to a side door to get into the church.
The concrete facade of the church is unassuming compared to what you encounter as you cross the threshold.
The arched interior features tiers of stained glass that cast a brilliant rainbow of light throughout the building.
The church, completed in 1971, was designed by sculptor Ruben Martinez.
There are quite a few well-thought-out intricacies regarding the interior design; one in particular has a very Indiana-Jones flare.
Across from the altar the wall is sectioned off in small blocks of stained glass. When the sun hits it just right the beam of light comes through the center “eye of God” and shines perfectly on the crucifix of Christ on the opposite wall.
There are a couple of other nuggets of history at Iglesia El Rosario including bullet holes in the concrete facade of the building; remnants from the civil war of the 1980s.
To the right of the altar on the floor is a stone marker; this is where 24 people are buried. They were killed by police May 9, 1979 during an anti-government protest that happened in the town square across the street. According to an article by the BBC,
“Witnesses said the steps of the cathedral were littered with bodies. Freelance photographer Ken Hawkins told the Los Angeles Times there had been no warning from government forces before the shooting started. “There was a continual burst of very heavy fire for about two and a half minutes,” he said. “People started screaming and running to the church but many were hit before they could get there.”
At the other end of the church is an abstract version of the Stations of the Cross. Only the hands and arms are used to represent Christ. The metal used for the sculptures was material that remained following construction of the church.
Christ has risen sculpture
Click HERE to read more about the Adventure in El Salvador.
Jan. 26, 2019 – El Salvador – David and Nancy Slinde of West Bend are in the midst of their 30th trip to El Salvador. Since 2004 the couple have been working with various organizations in West Bend including the Noon Rotary, Sunrise Rotary and Our Saviors Lutheran Church to help support their goodwill.
Nancy has written several successful grants and together the couple have completed 13 projects in El Salvador ranging from improvements in education, chicken farming, sewer construction and the development of a hardware store.
Below is a photo gallery of their accomplishments.
Of the 13 projects the Slindes have accomplished they are most proud of their work in education.However education covers a broad scope from teaching families how to raise chickens and build coops to growing a successful chili crop in homemade greenhouses.
The chicken project has grown tremendously over the years for women and families in El Salvador. The chickens and coops have provided food and a source of revenue.
The video shows a meeting with a majority of women in the community who spoke to David and Nancy about how they have benefited from the program and others who want to get involved…. and then a couple of cows walked in.
There were four greenhouses that held a bumper crop of green chilis. The greenhouses helped the community capture the heat, limit the bugs and focus watering efforts on growing the vegetables they could sell at market.
One of the business-development projects David is most proud of is the startup hardware store. Two of the men in Concepcion Batres, Usulutan had $3,000 and an idea. David helped them with a business plan and fundraising. After a year David returned with $8,000 cash and the men went to work and today they have a successful hardware, feed and construction store.
During a recent trip to El Salvador the couple visited a grade school in Tecualuya, located about 12.5 miles south of San Salvador. The stop was highlighted by a generous gift of textbooks and backpacks.
“These are textbooks for every student, in every grade 1st – 6th grade,” said Nancy. “This will be an incredible start for the little ones.”
More than 70 students, dressed in white shirts and blue skirts or pants, greeted the Slindes by holding up individual letters in a homemade sign that read, “Welcome. God bless you.”
Students lined up by grade level as teachers distributed colorful soft-cover books on history, science, and math.
Next it was on to San Luis Talpa. “This is one of the premier schools we’ve been working with since 2017,” said David.
Donations totaling $34,000 have helped fund a new 7th, 8th, and 9th grade and 13 students were assisted independently with scholarships so they could go onto high school. “Our motto has always been education overcomes poverty,” said David.
Of the students the Slindes support in Usulután, they’ve received feedback on three. “One has started his own business and the other two are employed,” said David. “If that’s a representation of what our money did for those three students it is well worth it.”
Click HERE to read more stories about the Slindes latest Advenuture in El Salvador.
Jan. 23, 2019 – El Salvador – It’s difficult to wrap your head around the impact one person has made, especially if the significance occurred in another country. One person in El Salvador who impacted the entire culture through multiple generations is Rev. Oscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdamez.
For the next seven days WashingtonCountyInsider.com will post details on the missionary trip of David and Nancy Slinde of West Bend.
This is the couple’s 30 journey to the small Central American country. Over the years, the Slindes have helped improve education, plumbing, and business development.
In May 2015 Pope Francis celebrated the beatification of Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero and in October 2018 Pope Francis declared him a Saint.
Romero was recognized for his dedication working with the poor and speaking out against social injustice. He was assassinated while celebrating Mass on March 24, 1980 at the age of 62.
Our tour guide Arnoldo Carcamo took us to Romero’s crypt located in the lower level of the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador.
The authentic walking staff for Saint Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez sits on top of the crypt. There is a round red object in the middle of the crypt symbolizing the bullet that struck Romero in the heart. David Slinde from West Bend pointed to the senior citizens praying at the kneelers on either side of the crypt. “The person who came in with the cane is likely a follower from when Romero hosted a popular radio broadcast,” he said. “The others here are just young whippersnappers.”
In these sermons, he listed disappearances, tortures, murders, and much more each Sunday. This was followed by an hour-long speech on radio the following day. On the importance of these broadcasts, one writer noted that “the archbishop’s Sunday sermon was the main source in El Salvador about what was happening. It was estimated to have the largest listenership of any programme in the country.
Below is a photo gallery of the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador. The interior has many similarities to St. Mary’s Immaculate Conception in Barton, especially the artwork.
Note on this exterior photo the decorations in the trees. It was Jan. 21 and Christmas decorations were still on display. Our tour guide Arnoldo said it was the mayor of the community. “She doesn’t care the holiday is over. She doesn’t put the money forward to staff taking down the display.”
Jan. 22, 2019 – San Salvador – We spent three hours Monday touring San Salvador and learning its history. The most beautiful place was inside Iglesia El Rosario; described as “one of the finest churches in Central America.”
The main street entrance of the church, across from Libertad Plaza, is locked. The exterior of the church reminds me of the old Bradley Center.
You have to turn the corner to find a narrow brick walkway located past a black metal gate and that leads to a side door to get into the church.
The concrete facade of the church is unassuming compared to what you encounter as you cross the threshold.
The arched interior features tiers of stained glass that cast a brilliant rainbow of light throughout the building.
The church, completed in 1971, was designed by sculptor Ruben Martinez.
There are quite a few well-thought-out intricacies regarding the interior design; one in particular has a very Indiana-Jones flare.
Across from the altar the wall is sectioned off in small blocks of stained glass. When the sun hits it just right the beam of light comes through the center “eye of God” and shines perfectly on the crucifix of Christ on the opposite wall.
There are a couple of other nuggets of history at Iglesia El Rosario including bullet holes in the concrete facade of the building; remnants from the civil war of the 1980s.
To the right of the altar on the floor is a stone marker; this is where 24 people are buried. They were killed by police October 29, 1979 during an anti-government protest that happened in the town square across the street. According to an article by the BBC,
“Witnesses said the steps of the cathedral were littered with bodies. Freelance photographer Ken Hawkins told the Los Angeles Times there had been no warning from government forces before the shooting started. “There was a continual burst of very heavy fire for about two and a half minutes,” he said. “People started screaming and running to the church but many were hit before they could get there.”
At the other end of the church is an abstract version of the Stations of the Cross. Only the hands and arms are used to represent Christ. The metal used for the sculptures was material that remained following construction of the church.
Christ has risen sculpture
Updates & tidbits
-I have gotten David and Nancy Slinde from West Bend to do quite a few things on this tour. Photos are always better when we know someone in them. There are a LOT of armed guards in El Salvador/San Salvador. This fella was in the street market outside the church. A majority of the officers/security I have seen do have large shotguns. I’m told “if” they do shoot… the security guards are the ones that go to jail. Confused? Me, too….
-On Tuesday we meet up with folks from Habitat for Humanity and later in the week we attend the school the Slinde’s have helped grow education with books, roofs, and more. Nancy has such a pile of crayons to donate they broke the handle of the bag. (Of course, this happened at the airport…. but we make due. No crayons have been harmed during transport.)
-Our tour guide today was Arnoldo Carcamo from Trip Time El Salvador Tours. He was FABULOUS! Very knowledgeable, respectful and he picked up on our groove right away taking us to the city centre, churches and a bank museum.
-This is Leonor. She is the grand dame of Hotel Mariscalwhere we are staying. Her name carries such integrity and trust that there are four generations of Lenore’s at the hotel. That bombshell painting in the background is Lenore in her youth. We’ll post more in the coming days.
-Day 3 and our luggage finally arrived in the late afternoon. “I love my wife but I sure do love my lost luggage,” said David.
Click HERE to read more about the Adventure in El Salvador.
