Day TWO, Tuesday September 6th! Trey's Trek continues...

Luke and I getting started... Day Two

I have to tell you that last night I did not sleep very well!  You would think that after walking almost 24 miles that a person would be tired as 'rip'; but I just laid there... staring at the ceiling and watched the clock roll around to 2:00 AM.  That was the last I remember.


Then the alarm on my phone went off at 6:00 AM which is very irritating!  It does it's job!  I awoke knowing that I would start out on the second leg of my trek to Mackinaw!  My good friend Matt took us to Einstein's Bagels and we got some breakfast and then took me back to the drop off point so we could continue on.  My son in law Luke, who was to meet us there just before 9:00 AM, was true to his word and we did leave at 9 AM sharp!   We set out for the next destination which was just North of Milford, MI. 

I had calculated the total distance (considerably shorter than yesterday's leg) to be 14.5 miles!  In my mind it would help with the mental sting of miscalculating the distance we were supposed to have walked yesterday!

We stretched a bit and asked Jesus for help then looked North!  

 

Starting out on Beck Road near 7 Mile



The weather was a carbon copy of yesterday but just a bit warmer.  It was magnificent weather to walk in...cool, overcast and with low humidity!  

Usually when I walk  I look for interesting things along the route.  I try to keep my heart and mind open to anything that might help me in general, understand life during the day while I trek.  I have seen too many times before that the Lord would speak something to my heart as I would walk along.  I look forward to these simple realizations!  There are all kinds of interesting things that are 'just there' that get my attention!  This morning would be no different! 

The first thing that we came to that was kind of interesting was the first bridge that the side walk connected to.  It was well constructed.  It seemed to have good quality workmanship.  Someone had really thought this one out because it was beautiful!  But... the other end was blocked off!  It went no where! 



Beautiful bridge to...?

In fact, on Beck Road going North, there are a couple of these bridges that actually go no where!  You can start out on them and in the beginning everything looks OK but when you get close to the end you begin to recognize that the bridge has taken you to absolutely 'no where!'  At that point the path is blocked!  DEAD END! 

I just wonder how many of us start off on a path in life like this and find out that this bridge will not get you to where you think you want to go!  Interesting thought! 

There is a concept that I think about here that would help a person get out of that particular situation.  The idea is to... "Put it in Reverse!"  Go back the other direction!  Get off that bridge!  It's only redeeming value, in reality, is that for a bit... you can stroll at your leisure then when you get to the end-- your way is blocked!  Party over baby!  Now for those who like to think in "religious terms" I am pretty sure that this is what the idea of 'repentence' is all about!  For those of us who have traveled on some sort of bridge and finds out that the path we were on leads to no where... don't just stand there feeling hopeless and tired and deceived!  You can actually do something about this!  Turn your self around and go back to where you got on that thing and get on the path that takes you somewhere!  Don't just stand there like 'a calf looking longingly at the feeder' waiting for the door to open and just moooooing to be fed!  Get off that bridge 'to no where!'  ...You stand there long enough and the place will be full of cow manure!  Then it starts affecting your feet and your standing and specifically your aroma!  Then if you stay there long enough you don't really notice it any more!  It is sad... but you get used to the surroundings and the smell and in reality you are in a mess!

Anyway... this was the first thing that got my attention starting out this morning!  Come to think about it, there seemed to be a theme that would re-appear during our Trek to Mackinaw this day!

With my feet on the Ground!

Simply Trey





Day One (again) Monday September 5th! Trey's Trek begins...

The Launch Crew for Trey's Trek!

What a day!  In my life I have never walked... for all practical purposes in any given day, 24 miles!  I did not even walk this far when I was practicing this Summer!  To be exact, the distance was 23.75.  We didn't walk 1/4 mile more because we saw our destination and when we reached it, we just fell down on the ground and groaned and laughed!  For us... we "made it!"  "We did it!"  "We went the distance!"  We were tired! We were worn out!  We were elated because we walked the whole stinkin' way!  But...I mis-calculated the distance to be walked and we ended up finding out that information at the end of the walk!  Oh, was that hard to deal with!  I felt like a real heel!  But we couldn't just stand there and look all mad and disappointed we had to finish the walk...


OK... Let's don't get the cart before the horse!  I need to tell this story in a time progression so that you will be able to follow our day!  


So we gathered at the office around 9:00 AM.  I wanted to leave after communicating some needed details about the route, the weather, the breaks, etc...  So about 9:45AM we finally got going after asking the Lord to help us and we started out!   We walked West on Michigan Avenue over to U of M Dearborn and back through the woods to Edward Hines Drive.  

Pastor Bret Abdullah leading the way...

So after trekking for about 5 miles and going up Hines Drive we came to Helms Haven and  saw some of our good friends who were getting ready for a Labor Day Pick Nic and we took a break and chatted with them for a bit before continuing on!  

Bekkah, Ashley and Sarah getting ready to cross the Rouge River

It was 5 miles more before we stopped again as were walked up Hines Drive.  This time we found a Pic Nic Table on the North side of the road just about a mile just short of Nankin Mills and communicated with some of the ladies of the church who were kind enough to bring us all some lunch!  That was nice!  


Our Lunch break was for about 45 minutes.  It was enough time for all of us to fuel up and rest and talk and get ready for the last half of the trip today!

The Lady Trekkers, Sarah, Grace and Ashley

 



Walking is way too much fun!

 

Oh, I don't want to leave you hangin'!  This is what it looked like at the end of the day!  I told you that we just fell down on the ground and laughed!  Well!  This is what folks had to endure who drove by!   Lord Help us! 

I want to express a heart felt thanks to all of you who have come and walked these last 4 days with me!  It has been such a real encouragement!  I have not been alone!     

Oh... I am so fired up!  I heard that a whole car load of Brothers from North Carolina are coming up to walk with me the beginning of next week!  That is awesome!  I hope that they can run faster than me when the bears show up!  LOL!

With my "sore" feet on the Ground!

Simply Trey

p.s.  there is so much more to write about that happened today... but it is almost mid night here in Grand Blanc and I need to get some rest for tomorrow's 17 miles leg of Trey's Trek!  I am hoping that some of you who walked with me on this day will write your own stories about walking this day!  Sound off ya'll!

We had an awesome time of prayer tonight with some folks who came up from Fenton and Dearborn.  We prayed for our City, our people and the church in our town!



As we lay on the grass, this was what was over our heads to the West!  An awesome view at the end of the day!





Day One! Trey's Trek begins in Dearborn.

It is now late in the evening!  To date... in my entire life, I have never walked so far in a single day!  I mis-calculated the distance of our first leg by 2 full miles.  So we ended up walking a tatal distance today of 23.75 miles.  Britt, my brother thinks that Google Maps was figuring the 'straight route' while 'winding' around Hines Drive foot track added the distance that we trekked today!  Either way it was a mental struggle at the end to find out that we had 2 more miles that what was originally stated!  I really felt bad but we could not just stop! 

But I want to thank all of those who started out with me this morning.  It was a real encouragment to be walking with your friends, real friends!  But I have to tell you... right now I am so tired!  I need to get some rest!  So I will work on this later!  I am counting on 17 miles tomorrow.  It will be considerably shorter than today!  We will talk later!  But I am really on my way to Mackinaw City, MI!  What a thought!  JESUS!

With my feet on the Ground!

Simply Trey

The clock is ticking! 10 more hours before we start....

Who, what, when, where, how & why!


These are some question that need addressing since we are starting out on a journey of 300 miles North!


WHO?... Trey Hancock and anyone who is interested in walking with him toward Mackinaw City, MI


WHAT?... "Trey's Trek" is an event that is designed to help raise resources for the Dearborn Assembly Revitalization Project in Dearborn, MI to be able to complete the building project that is presently in progress. 


WHEN?... September 5th - September 25th, 2011


WHERE?... Dearborn, Michigan to Mackinaw City, Michigan  (Start location... is 15000 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, MI to the finish line... at the bridge in Mackinaw City, MI under 'Big Mac at the water!')


HOW?... "Walking!"


WHY?...To raise awareness, support and resources to continue the Dearborn Assembly Revitalization Project. 

One more Day to wait!! Then we START!

Tomorrow is the day we begin Trey's Trek!  It is like some sort of dream!  

I am not sure who is going to begin this journey with me but there is a good anticipation building!  Folks have told me that they will come!  We'll see...

Roughly the last two months of this Summer 2011, have been used to prepare myself for the 300 mile trek to Mackinaw.  Now...I know that I can actually walk 300 miles because I walked 311 miles in preparation to be able to walk the 300, when the time comes!   

This 300 mile journey that will take me to the northern most city in the Lower Peninuslar of Michigan is the fartherest point North in the Lower Peninsular that you can walk to.  I did originally want to walk across the bridge ("Big Mac" - a 5 mile suspension bridge connecting the Lower Peninsular with the Upper Peninsular) and had scheduled my Trek to end up in Mackinaw City on the 5th of September, 2011... to be able to walk across that bridge with thousands of others who do that every year!  But... Becky said because I was so old and rickity and that I would just croak if I started out in August in the heat, walking... So I changed it to begin on September 5th!  Just kidding!  She didn't say "croaked!"  But if I tell you what she did say, you would think that she really did love her ole' husband!  She loves me so much that she is even going to do some of the route with me but not the whole thing, somebody has to work!!!  

Becky, (flower) and Trey

So...32 'walking' days, since June the 30th, have been partially used for training, sweatting, working through pain, enduring the heat, walking through the blisters and handling tired muscles and joints along with enduring sore feet and watching what I eat... just to be able to know that when the start date arrives, that I still have the ability and the confidence to actually 'git from here to thare' without 'fallin' out!'  Ain't nuttin' uglier than an old athlete who thinks he can still run faster and jump higher and leap farther than the stories that people embelished about him when he looked like Hercules, in his "Hey Day!"  LOL!

Scripture does talk about a crown that we get for running a race!  And that physical exercise does have some merit!  But in the long run the fame and seeming glory of such events and athletic events are like melting ice under the hot sun!  It don't take long and it's all gone!  In reality, the only thing that lasts is what all the training and the endurance pointed to.  And if those who submitted themselves to such riggers, do not pay attention to what is being communicated, verbally and by example, they will totally miss the boat in regards to why they are paying such a price for only a leafy crown, a shiney metal and one year of fame!  

With my feet on the Ground!

Simply Trey

p.s. War Eagle!  & Go Army!

'Now'...Staying in Shape... Day 32!!!!

Becky and Trey Hancock

Today is Saturday!  It is the first day of College Football Season.  Yes, I did watch the last 3 minutes of Auburn University getting beat by some team out West... Then they remembered who they were supposed to be and picked up the pace and pulled the cat out of the bag!  It was good to see the field that I used to play on over 30 years ago.  The same grass, the same uniforms but the stadium was a bit bigger!  Brings back a bunch of memories!

Luke my Son in Law decided to walk with me this morning as we made our way over to the office where we will be starting out toward Mackinaw City just two days from now on Monday the 5th of September, Labor Day, 2011!  We rested for a bit and then headed back home.  It was hot!  Over 90*F today!  The sweat shirt that I was wearing was soaked!  It was good to get the exercise as we walked 7 plus miles today.  This will be the last day of walking before we start on Monday.  I have trekked a total of 311 miles in practice, getting ready to make this walk to Mackinaw!  Sometimes I can't believe it but I was there for every step and I attest to the fact that it actually happened!  So no matter what my feelings say about this being impossible... I know better!  I am going to walk to Mackinaw City, MI... Lord willing!  But I am ready!

Trash? 

Almost every day that I walk, I see something or someone that is unusual or catches my attention.  As I walk I usually pray and as I talk to Jesus, I listen and anticipate... either answers or responses to my prayer!  Sometimes while I am in that mode, I see, I notice what is around me.   Some things are unusual and some things are just ordinary or common but nothing is just 'there' by accident or hap-instance!  Even what seems like trash on the ground has significance.  At least today it did for me!

I walked passed this piece of paper on the ground on Michigan Avenue just up from the Pantheon ("all gods" club!)  and noticed the titles printed there!  "Limited Warranties", "Disclaimer" and "Remedy and Claim Procedure."

Wow!  I thought..."Warranties!"  "Disclaimer!"  "Remedy and Claim Procedure!"  OK!  my mind starts reeling about what I could say about these words in a message if I were preaching.  But this is not in a church out here!  It is out on the street!  So technically, this is not preaching but just plain good old street language that can communicate truth in a way that takes it's categories from the world we live in!  It just so happens that down by the 'all gods' club where the content shows up, Jesus can speak!  In reality He can show up anywhere, anytime, anyplace without notice and needs no permit, license or permission from any of us here in this town to do or say anything He pretty well pleases!  No place is off limits to Him!

You know?  I want to finish this but I gotta go!  If you are interested just write me... I will get back to this later!

With my feet on the Ground!

Simply Trey

'Now'...Staying in Shape... Day 31!!!!

This is my friend "Jerome!"

Today, as I got back out and 'stretched my legs' again, I saw my friend "Jerome".  

Today he was on Michigan Avenue just across from Starbucks near Miller Road.  Like always he had all of his belongings with him.  We had met before over on Ford Road near McDonalds about a month ago, early one morning.  I stopped and greeted him again and he remembered me! He remembered the place where we first met.  He remembered the time when we met.  He even remembered that I was going on a walk to Mackinaw.  He remembered that I was the guy with the "walking sticks!"  Jerome has a great memory!  He talked to me about where his home church was and how someone not long ago had given him a Bible and that he has it with his belongings.  In the conversation he even told me how old he was, which he is a bit over 10 years younger than I am and he almost guessed my age to the year!  Jerome is sharp!  There is nothing wrong with his mental capacities!

But there is a problem with Jerome!  He has physical issues.  He did give me permission to ask anyone who reads this blog to consider praying for him.  

Jerome has some form of diabetes that plague his feet and he has a real hard time walking.  He told me that he has lost a considerable amount of weight in the last months, which helps... but he still needs healing for his feet, for his whole being!

So I am writing about my friend Jerome so those of you who read this will pray for him with me.  You know, in my mind, I ask myself sometimes, 'where is Jerome's  family?'  Why is he out here on the street like this?  I can't really answer these questions and they do bug me!  But I know that Jesus said..."the poor, you will have with you always..."  But I can say with confidence that... Jesus knows Jerome and I am sure that Jesus is willing to heal him!  If that is the case, then we should be willing to pray... for him!  

I am sure that there is more to Jerome than meets the eye but he has gotten my attention and I know... like Jesus who notices situation like this; it catches His attention too!  So I want to pray that Jesus heals Jerome!  Please take a minute and pray for him!  I am pretty sure he would appreciate it!

While I am writing this, I remembered the story of the starfish that have been washed up on the shore and the sun had started drying them out.  So this one guy starts throwing them back into the ocean.  Another person noticed that there were tens of thousands of star fish that were on the beach and was amazed that the other person was throwing them back into the ocean.  In his mind it was a useless task because there was so many of them.  So the one man says to the other, 'why are you doing that?  What good will it do to save so few?  It is overwhelming... the amount of star fish that have been washed up on the shore and you cannot, in a lifetime save all of these star fish!!!'

The other person just looked up and said, 'it matters to this one'...as he threw it back into the sea!

"Jesus came to seek and to save those who are lost!"  If He is doing that, I think that I want to do that too!  Jesus said that the Father is working!  WOW!  He should know!  So if the Father is working and Jesus is working then I think that I would like to work...like Him!  What an example!  He has the right idea about this kind of thing!  If I take the chance and imitate Him... then I'll bet you, that I will be doing the right thing too!   "What cha thank?"

With my feet on the Ground....

Simply Trey

p.s. I am really looking forward to this walk to Mackinaw!  I got a feeling that there will be some folks just like Jerome along the way!   We will see...