When inquiring about a place to pitch my tent while in Cascade, Iowa, the town I hit before Dyersville, I was directed to the American Legion Park. That evening a police officer came by to check on me to be certain that I had everything that I needed. The next morning, Officer Fred Heim came by to see how my night had gone. I was well cared for. Thanks to Fred I was able to avoid a closed road that he brought to my attention. I altered my path and was able to get to Dyersville without having to retrace my steps. During the ride the wind was terrible, the traffic pretty heavy but considerate in sharing the road, and the scenery beautiful.
Toyoko and Mary were two incredibly interesting ladies that I met at a Dyersville, Iowa, restaurant. They were sisters-in-law. Toyoko, nearly 90, was dying to meet somebody who had lived in Japan...and there I was through circumstance. Mary, on the other hand, had a look of hurt in her eyes upon seeing me. First Toyoko: she had married an American that she met while still living in Japan. They had a wonderful marriage, had traveled all around the world and now reside in Iowa, albeit, her husband lives in a rest home as he struggles with the terminal stages of a brain tumor. When she found that I had lived in Japan she wanted to talk all about her childhood home. For me that was a real treat because living in Japan was one of my greatest childhood memories. We spoke of her country, Mount Fuji, the quality of rice and how it can't be matched by any other rice in the world, and the beauty of the country, as well as the customs. For me it was a joy to speak about Japan, a country that possesses, for me, some of my fondest memories.
Mary, who had first caught my attention with that look of sadness, softened as our conversation progressed. That look I had seen years ago when visiting a friend's mother... a friend who had lost his life at far too young an age. While pleased with my visit, it brought up a mixture of emotions as a result of her son's death. That same look was on Mary's face. As it turns out, she had a wonderful son in whom she had great pride and he, Daniel, had been an Olympic caliber bicyclist. In the early 1990s he was killed by a careless motorist, one with a terrible driving record, and Mary has never fully recovered from his loss. Seeing me, a bicyclist, brought back those painful memories. Through the mysteries of circumstance we were thrown together. I believe that our discussions were good for all of us. Toyoko was able to revisit her beloved Japan, Mary was able to talk about her son whom she loved so much, and I in turn became ever more committed to the idea of a safe system of trails that would cross our country for all to enjoy and where bicyclists, hikers, and motorists can be free of the impediment of one another's activities. This, I believe, would be a worthy cause of one's endeavors and one to which I will commit. I find it strange, one of God's mysteries, how people can be thrown together and through their communion can deal with issues in their life. God works in mysterious ways.
The discussions with Toyoko and Mary considerably delayed my departure and as a result I decided, in spite of limited miles today, to check into a hotel. When explaining the nature of my trip, the Comfort Inn offered me such an incredibly and ridiculously low price, that I just couldn't resist. While it had been overcast and horribly windy, it did not look like rain was imminent. One hour after checking into the Comfort Inn, the skies opened up and poured forth. It was a RAIN of biblical proportions! Thank heavens I wasn't out in it. Lucky break?
Xavier Basilica is a beautiful example of true medieval Gothic architecture in the Midwest. It's graceful lines are reminiscent of some of the most outstanding Gothic cathedrals in Europe. Located in Dyersville, Iowa, it is a beautiful, breathtaking landmark.
As a kid I used to love to go to confession...so liberating being free of sin! Unfortunately the effects rarely lasted more than 5 to 10 minutes...I was as prone to sin as I was addicted to mischievousness. Perhaps if my confessionals had been as beautiful as these, sinlessness might've had a better hold on me.
