Starting Week 7 in the Nation's Capitol

Had a great day today, the start of Week 7.

Had lunch in the offices of United Charitable Programs, the 501C3 organization that sponsors the Tour and allows me to operate as a non-profit. I had been talking to them for the best part of 4 years or so, but always with the same one or two people. I was surprised to learn they have a staff of about a dozen dedicated people who manage the status of about 400 programs of which I am only one. It was a good lunch and I was able to pick up a check for reimbursements of some of my traveling expenses to date.

I've also had time to reflect, over the last couple days, on my good fortune to date:

 I have received support from organizations like the American Legion and VFW in more than half my nights on the road. Friends have filled some of the rest and different CSL congregations have provided much of the rest. While I have had to pay for a handful of hotel rooms i am still way under spending projections to date...a very good thing.

I have not been in a single traffic jam or even a rush hour in six full weeks. (The only gridlock near me appears to be Congress...lol) My schedule allows for late morning starts to my travel most days and early finishes, leaving early mornings for writing and updating photos and posts, and evenings for resting and recharging for the next day.

Most days I don't get to play tourist as I am pretty single minded in pursuit of my goals here but multiple day stays allow some sightseeing with the hosts allowing me a deeper look into corners of the country.

There is some genius in my itinerary and I don't claim to be that genius...I believe I was divinely led to this schedule. Evidence is that I have been one step ahead of bad hail and flooding in some cities, and one step behind other natural forces such as tornadoes and thunderstorms of biblical proportion. Rain is inevitable in the parts of the country I have been traveling through, but serious weather patterns have been dancing around me daily without even causing me to slow down. I have been blessed.

I have now been through all or part of 12 states on this swing east...13 if you include the District of Columbia, and will be in three more next week.

I recently got a little down on myself and the tour during a day that didn't go quite according to plan but was able to turn my thoughts around to all the good things I can expect to enjoy in the next couple of weeks including visits to friends I haven't seen in a decade.

Life is good.

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