Sabbatical Day 9

If you've missed a few posts, Jason and I drug a camper trailer to the San Juan mountains. We're camping in the Rio Grande National Forest in Colorado. Our church has so graciously provided us with some sabbath time. This post shares a day in our journey. 

I don't think scripture is referring to Road 502 when it encourages the narrow road. It should have been a clue not to take it when two cars in front of us turned on to it, only to quickly turn around and go the other way. 

We had a map where a ranger had circled roads (with an orange highlighter) that would provide a free scenic adventure. Road 502 was one of them. He told us that we'd see elk if we stopped the car every few minutes and sat still.

Disclaimer: Jason's version of the story might be the tiniest bit different. I'm glad he was driving. 

 All I saw were steepening cliffs, and then the console and floorboard as I'd become determined that was a much safer view. 

Near the top of the mountain our map showed another orange circle designating we stop, unless we had 4W drive. We were left with two equally frightening choices (in my opinion). 

We could turn around, where there was no room to turn around...on a mountaintop...and go back down possibly meeting up with someone following up behind us. Terrible idea. This was not a two-lane rocky dirt road. 

Or...we could bypass the orange circle,  going down the 4W drive part of the road bring that we did have 4W drive.  I tried to warn Jason that the orange stop circle on the map and those symbols 4W (whether we had it or not) translated DANGER, but he didn't listen. 

Past the orange "stop sign" he began carefully maneuvering a series of switchbacks. I'd only heard the word switchback in one other situation; in putt-putt. Switchback Mountain was the hardest hole in the game when we'd play putt-putt at Fun Valley growing up. It had to have been named after road 502. 

I wanted so badly to take pictures of the road so you'd know, that this time I'm not exaggerating. But all I could do, for each fifty yards that we were still alive, was clutch the handle on my door (as if that helped) and cling to my faith that God would hear my prayers to get us off that mountain in one piece. 

...Now I know how Jonah must have felt when he was spit out on the ground. 

Regretful for the path he'd taken.

Relieved...Grateful. 

We were almost to the bottom of the mountain when we came upon a ghost/mining town. It was one of the most mesmerizing things I'd ever seen. I won't try to describe it. Here you go. 

We drove away with souvenirs that we didn't have to buy; ones that we gained from the experience...Lessons.

• Believe the map. 
• In troubled times pay attention to what you're holding on to.
• The "good stuff" isn't always at the mountain top. The "good place" in this case was at rock  bottom. 
• God is with you in both places. 
• The worst occasions are the best times to praise him. 

Psalm 29 Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings,

    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

    worship the Lord in the splendor of his[a] holiness.

3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;

    the God of glory thunders,

    the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.

4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;

    the voice of the Lord is majestic... The Lord gives strength to his people.