June 20th to 24th, 2016
When you get up in the morning, put your pants on, brush your hair and tie your shoes and head out the door you would not expect to walk into Heaven. But, then again why not.
On June 21, 2016 I was fortunate enough to walk into Heaven. Not only on that day but on each of two days following. I will just say at this time that Heaven is beautiful. The rest of the story will follow.
The story really began in May of 2014 when I was given the freedom of the open road and a long list of adventures that would shape my life and prepare me for what happened between June 20th and 24th 2016. Who would think that buying a bicycle would put you on the road to be able to Walk Into Heaven? Through fate and the blessing of a loving Heavenly Father I was given a fresh start in life along with a bit of freedom to pursue a dream of going road cycling. The day I picked up my new bike I met a friend Brian Wilson for my first ride. After a brief consultation it was decided to ride to the top of Geiger Grade, a challenge and a climb of over 2000 feet with an exhilarating downhill.
Well I loved it and that opened the door to many other mountain passes and longer rides. By Labor Day I was doing multiple passes and 100-mile rides all in a day. On my ride of Labor Day, doing Geiger Grade, Spooner Summit, and Mt. Rose Summit and home, I found myself on the top of Spooner Summit looking south over mountains and horizons with a yearning to ride even further. I resolved at that time to set my sites on a longer ride from Reno south to Yosemite Valley and back in a week.
Through much planning and preparation this goal was accomplished on June 15-22, 2015. For one week, 24-7, I was in the presence of God and his creation. Miracles were about me every day. The experiences of that week prepared me for the next mountain and experience.
Click here to read the story of the Reno to Yosemite trip.
On August 7, 2015 I was in Lassen Volcanic National Park at their Annual Dark Sky Festival. We were there in 2014 as well and during that time I biked over the summit and to the north end of the park and back. It was a trip of a little over 60 miles and an elevation gain of 6000 ft. An awesome ride. I was all excited to do it again and prepared everything for that day and off I went. Little did I know I was in for an experience of a lifetime. A real-life changing experience. A couple miles before I reached the north entrance and a break for lunch, I was taking a short stop to get a drink of water and rest a little. As I was standing on the side of the road and straddling my bike, I heard a loud noise. I turned to see what had happened and as I turned back around, I felt a pain course my body on a scale of 1-10, a perfect 100 and started to pass out. I also saw a car pull over and realized I had been hit by a car. With every bit of adversity there are seeds of equivalent benefits. The adversity and ordeal that had happened would prove to be miraculous and open the Windows of Heaven for more of Heavenly Father’s blessing.
After the trauma of being hit by a car while cycling can be life changing. I wondered if I would ever get on a bike again and ride for any distance. On October 17 2015 just two months and a week after the accident I went with our boy scouts out near Pyramid Lake and climbed back on my bike for a 50-mile bike ride. We camped overnight in the desert, and then hit the road the next morning. I was a little reluctant with the distance and just being given the OK to walk on my leg without crutches. I gave it a try. Well at the end of 50 miles I was wiped out but ready for more.
Yes, I was ready for more. More of what was to come. In the spring of 2016, I was asked by the local Stakes Young Men’s Leadership to lead the 14-18-year-old boys during the LDS scout camp week on a high adventure experience in Lassen Volcanic National Park. I was to take a different group of boys each day. On the first day I was to teach them that God is Real. The second day that Jesus Christ Lives and of the atonement. The third day that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and the Book of Mormon is true.
I wanted to give them a high adventure they would always remember. I only had about 7 hours each day for each group to accomplish that. After much prayer and thought it came to me that I was to take the boys to the top of Brokeoff Mountain each day and experience what was put there for us. I planned on this and set a date to go to Lassen Park and check out the hike and the snow conditions on the trail and mountain the week before the event. When I did, I found that the trail and the summit was doable. However, there were many challenges and there would be snow. The realization of the physical ordeal it would put me through each day gave me to worry. Could I do it. I anguished for five days prior to the first day. How could I do this each day for three days? What was I doing? It has only been 10 months since my cycling accident and broken leg and ankle. What if I cannot do the three days? I could not disappoint the boys. I cried and cried out to Heavenly Father for help and understanding. If I was to do this, I needed his help. The answers and help did not come right away. I was left to myself to work this out and do all that I could on my own. As each day passed, the reality of what I was to accomplished weighed heavy on my mind.
Monday June 20, 2016 was finally here. I had planned well and now needed to get my things in the truck and get myself to Lassen Park. Never in my life had I felt so much doubt and anguish over something I needed to do. The process of getting all loaded up and ready seemed to be never ending. Finally, I found myself in the truck heading out when I suddenly stopped and cried out and commanded the adversary to depart and leave me alone and that I was going to do all that I had been asked. A sweet calm came over me and I was off for what was to be “A Walk Into Heaven” and one of the most memorable and life changing experiences of my life.
As I got closer to my destination, I felt a surge of energy come over me along with a strong determination to do what I had to do and be ready in the morning for the first group and give them everything they were expecting and then some. Camp was set up and I had all the comforts of home. A good bed, good food, and hot water. I put my 8×8 easy up over a picnic table. I then put my airbed on the picnic table off the ground and slept well. I then set up my camp stove and boiled water for my mountain house dinners and sponge baths. What more could you want?
As I settled in the night came. With the darkness also came doubt, a little anguish, and the sick feeling that accompanies such feelings. I again questioned what I was about to do. What had I gotten myself into? Was I equal to the challenge? Again, I got on my knees and cried out to Heavenly Father and ask him to remove these thoughts and give me the assurance and strength to do what I had come to do. Tomorrow was the day. I felt his presence and the negative feelings were gone and I slept well.
With eager anticipation I was up early and prepared a hearty breakfast and put my things together for the day. The appointed time had finally come for me to meet the group at the trailhead.
More surprises. In my preparations I had given specific instruction for the type of foot ware to have, along with a hiking pole, and a backpack with adequate food and water for the day. I first noticed that many did not have what I thought was adequate foot ware, few had a hiking pole, and some without what I thought was adequate food and water. How could I get all these boys and leaders to the top of this mountain and back down safely in 7 hours. Some of these boys and leaders are not going to make it. Oh, Ye Of Little Faith! I did not have the faith.
One of my favorite books I had been reading every day is “A Future as Bright as Your Faith” by President Thomas S. Monson. Each day he gives a special thought for the day. On this day, June 21, 2017, he wrote something that was so applicable for the day and for what we were about to do. I took a moment to welcome everyone and share with them the following thought from President Monson.
“As we pursue our quest for eternal life, we will come to many forks and turnings in the road. We cannot venture into the uncertainties of the future without reference to the certainties of the past. Your challenge is to join the forces of the old and the new—experience and experiment, history and destiny, the world of man and the world of science—but always in accordance with the never-changing word of God. In Short, He becomes your pilot on this eternal journey. He knows the way. His counsel can keep us from the pitfalls threatening to engulf us and lead us rather to the way of life eternal.” In others words, “Today we have a mountain to climb, experiences to experience, and goals to reach so let’s use all that we have been given and make it happen.
Hi Ho! Hi Ho! And up the trail we go. What stories would we tell at the end of the day?
More to come!!!!!!!!!
View photos from this adventure in my Gallery – Yosemite Trip page.
View photos from this adventure in my Gallery – Lassen Trip – Broken Leg page.