A few outtakes or bloopers! Oops, “we have been lost here before!” This was a phrase we coined for our many unintentional detours and or directional changes. Most memorable was in the VW Tiguan we rented in Quebec City that had a sudden drop in tire pressure on September 29, 2026. I could barely get the car out of traffic. Canada has very little to no shoulders on their roads and I had to drive on the flat tire which ruined it. Most of their highways between towns and cities are just two lanes. Picture logging trucks and all kinds of oversized vehicles, RVs, traveling down the roads. We were stuck on the highway for over an hour waiting on a wrecker to change our flat, when a young man in his pickup who was sent by roadside service pulled up to change our tire. We were so lucky not to be struck while waiting. It was a long day before finally getting a replacement vehicle after the shop we stopped at didn’t have a replacement tire that fit the car. When we finally got a replacement rental car it was many hours later due to many missteps at the tire shop. Then it started smelling of oil after we were well down the road. We named this car Long Red.

Now picture Long Red doing some off the beaten path mountain climbing. She did about 40 miles worth. We got there by making another wrong turn in Albuquerque ( mentioned several times throughout our blog) and the Navigation 🧭 took us up a dirt path going up a mountain as if it were a climbing contest.

It was hairy and scary but Long Red made it up and over the mountain. Me with-all of my white knuckles and sore buttocks and back from the rough trip. We definitely had a “Closer to God Moments.” Just don’t look over the edge! It gave Heather and me a good hour for many deep prayers 🙏 and intense conversations. We learned to check my atlas before following the GPS! Amen!

Before this I believe we were lost a couple of times in Kentucky. It was hard to tell where we were when the GPS wasn’t getting a signal and we were surrounded by trees and more trees and a in a state that saved money on not posting enough road signs. We were on our way to meet Heather’s cousin Rev. Michael and friend Rev. Rob at Camp Wakon Da Ho. Sometimes even a blind squirrel 🐿️ finds a nut and we ended up in the right place. Now when we left the camp after the tour our navigation wasn’t working again and we went the wrong way. With another maneuver (in Albuquerque) we turned around and found the right roads leading to Christmount Christian Assembly. Another wonderful and spiritual place!

While driving around Christmount some of the roads were sketchy. One road in particular was narrow and descending. We rounded a corner and the road was blocked. The bridge had been washed out and a barricade stood before us. With inches and none to spare we did a twenty-point turn around (in Albuquerque) and got off that road ASAP! Some of those roads were designed only for mountain goats and residents and definitely not a couple of lost Texans. Just sayin’… The gracious hospitality and wonderful staff were much appreciated. It is truly a remarkable place with great history, spirituality, and community.

We went off-roading in search of bison 🦬 as we arrived at Waterton National Park in Canada. It has posted warnings to stay in your vehicle at all times. That day was extremely windy and we drove slowly and carefully down the one way path. The bison 🦬 were hard to spot. They were lying in the tall grass hiding from the windstorm. We thought we were lost again when the path just kept going and again no navigation. This time we were blaming “the Albuquerque phenomenon” when we reached the top of a steep hill and then the road curved heading back towards the other direction.

It was an amazing experience to take a tour of the Parliament Building in Quebec. Upon entry we went through some heavy screening with some intense security measures. We had our passports in hand and had to present them upon request. I made it through first and was getting my stuff put away and my jacket on along with Heather right behind me. We got to the permit window and Heather was searching frantically for her passport. We were only 10 feet away from the screening area and I asked twice if they had forgotten to return her passport. They were becoming agitated when I asked a third time and described how we didn’t have it and what her passport cover looked like. As we came to the realization it was gone they suddenly found it. Wow that was scary and from then on we checked each other every time we used them. We made it and what an amazing experience. We ate lunch in the dining hall! The library 📚 was equally astounding.

My wife as she will admit is completely directionally challenged and every time I asked which way we needed to go we seemed to be heading the wrong way. With few exceptions we were! It was becoming more evident not to ask and take the chance but we were in this journey together right or wrong, because “We have been lost here before!” and being able to find our way forward together brought us humorously (after arguing who did what) closer.

When we were in San Francisco and just finished our tour of Alcatraz . As we stepped off the ferry ⛴️ it was dark out. Ms. Heather decided we should just walk to the cable car station 🚉 and ride back to our hotel. Of course, we went the wrong way! After many blocks through what was becoming a pretty sketchy area, I spotted a landmark and we corrected course. Another mile away and a few hairs standing up on our necks, we made it to the cable car. We rode it for a few blocks and exited to pick up dinner. We got our food and took another cable car towards our hotel. Our food was the topic of conversation with the brakeman who was looking for some of our fries. 🍟 The people of San Francisco are some impatient aggressive drivers. Every block someone was honking, yelling, and flying the bird! 🦅 The brakemen on these cable cars were so funny and politically correct when addressing the drivers encroaching on their paths. Ring, ring, ring! Hey buddy move it! Yeah that’s not what your momma taught you? Your pastor sees you from the second row!

Also in San Francisco the Waymo autonomous vehicles were a blast! Our car when blocked would make several right-hand turns to get back on course. The local drivers take advantage of the security features of these cars by cutting them off knowing they have to stop. It is amazing how these vehicles work. The sensors are visible screens that show everything including pedestrians around the vehicle. We thought we had a defective car when a long city bus blocked our thru lane and it forced us to make several right-hand turns to get back on track.

Then the next block another bus blocked our way again. Repeat the same cycle to get back on track. One trip we had just been picked up at the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center and we were blocked by heavy traffic. We had a chance to get out and a big red pickup cut us off and we were stuck. A voice came on inside and said that their programmers were working on a solution to get us moving. It took just a few seconds and we were backing up and around the red truck we went. Pretty cool!

Lastly, we were in Waterton National Park in Canada trying to find a good spot to view the second night of the Harvest Moon. We found this beautiful coyote stalking around where we wanted to view. We decided he might come back around so we moved on to a couple of miles away around the lake. We got out of the car and Heather was busy taking pictures when we got a call from our son Scotty. While we were talking with him we had just finished talking about bears and not having seen any in the Waterton Park. Although there were sightings everywhere. I was leaning back in an Adirondack chair when Heather leaned forward and whispered, “He’s right behind you!” I almost soiled myself thinking a bear was behind me! I asked “A bear?” “No the coyote!” I turned just in time to see it prancing around the corner. Heather grabbed a big stick and we quickly headed for the car!

“To walk in the wilderness is to risk meeting a grizzly, but the risk is small compared to the certainty of meeting yourself.” —Edward Abbey

Getting Lost

In the labyrinth of life, we often get lost, 
Getting lost in the moments along the way.
But in those wanderings, we often find, 
A world of wonder, one of a kind.

To get lost in a forest, under the greenery, 
Discovering secrets rarely seen before.
The rustle of the leaves, the songs of the birds, 
In the embrace of nature, our souls are stirred.

To lose yourself in the charming prose of a book, 
Where imagination and reality collide.
Characters and worlds, an untold journey, 
In pages of stories, we find pure gold.

You lose yourself in the rhythm of a song, 
Where emotions and songs belong.
Lyrics that touch the deepest part, 
Music that heals the broken heart.

Losing yourself in the tender gaze of your lover, 
In the heat of their affection, we are on fire.
Two souls intertwined, an intimate cost, 
In the sweet surrender of love, we are lost.

Get lost in a starry, moonlit night
Under the cloth of heavenly light.
Dreams take flight in the endless sky, 
As we find solace in the why questions.

Losing yourself in the passage of time, 
In cherished memories, both yours and mine.
The tapestry of life woven, a story well cast, 
In the moments when we lose ourselves, we are the most.

So embrace the journey, don’t be afraid, 
Because in losses, discoveries are made.
In twists and turns, the winding road, 
We are in stories yet untold. 

Denisa Andreea

Final note; In hindsight we were never really lost, we just needed to change our direction. Although we admit to having made wrong turns in “Albuquerque”and many others in between, our journey started and ended full of adventures and challenges that made it memorable. We will forget some details and embellish others and hopefully this blog will last as a reminder of the importance of our relationships, keeping the faith, and having a purpose. Sometimes a change in direction is necessary to accomplish something lasting and worthwhile. We made it!!! Thank you all for taking part in our process of personal growth, learning, and progression over the last three months..please leave us a like or a comment if you have enjoyed this blog. We have one last post tomorrow.