Retro Vol. 1: Road Trip from Vermont to California, detour Virginia

It's raining in Maine, so I thought I'd catch you all up to what happened after the Maple Syrup ran and my finding new homes for my gear in Augusta. The most significant part was a detour from my California drive from Vermont, to stop by and see Hartland Institute, where Matt is attending the modern day Schools of the Prophets.


The 100 plus acre compound boasts several lakes, one of which is this picture, close to the sun going down. I arrived at the main building [first photo] where services are held, the library is housed, and the students are fed. While waiting for Matt to be retrieved by the helpful attendants, I found him playing the lumber jack below and doing his share of manual labor, making sure the students have enough cords of wood to last the upcoming winter.


We spent that afternoon chopping wood, and adjusting my body to the motion and balance required to wield an axe, and split felled logs. Matt was gracious enough to not poke too much fun, but he did have a good laugh at my inability to lay the axe head straight down the center. It's a good thing wood burns no matter what its shape.


The grounds are lush and since it was Spring Time when I came to visit, everything was green. Despite the photographs, I didn't carry my camera everywhere we went. I left it in the room when we went to knock on doors, and when we went to church. Pastor Restrepo, the new President Elect, was on campus for the Week of Prayer that he was giving. I had a chance to see Matt's every day routine, even sitting in on an A&P class he had to take on Friday morning. It was enjoyable, but Matt would not take the answers I was trying to feed him underneath my breath as we reviewed Cardiac Output, and rudimentary heart physiology.

Sabbath morning we took a short walk around the front lakes, and captured the morning light on the foliage. Matt was ever exuberant, and brought a fresh joy to Sabbath, despite the early morning fog and chill. The diffuse light made some of the angles look quite beautiful.


My initial plan was to stop by for lunch and a quick refreshment, and see and chat with Matthew. One thing led to another, and I ended up staying four days, hearing 3 sermons, helping out in Sabbath School, and giving a late night Bible Study in one of the dorm rooms they put me up in, and some camera time to boot. I also saw some friends I knew from the speaking circuit when I was in London back in 2007. Amazing how everything seems to be connected. But before I knew it, the short-lunch-turned-long-weekend was already up and it was time to repack my gear and make the 2400 mile trek to California.

Thanks, Matt. The time spent was profitable. I'll come by to see you again, you're only 10 hrs from Maine. A relatively short jaunt.