‘Brian, it sounds like you are approaching this with a “ready, fire, aim” strategy.’ I wasn’t sure what he meant. “Think about it, Brian,” he said. Finally, I stated the obvious. “Oh, you mean I am firing at my target before I really know what my target is.” He smiled and said, “Bingo.”

Two little fish are swimming and an older fish swims up and says, “Morning kids. How’s the water?” The two fish look at each other and one says to the other, “What the hell is water?” What world are we swimming in that we are blind to?

We are tourists on vacations. We are de-tourists on pilgrimages. First major detour just around the corner on this Pilgrim Hostel pilgrimage project.

Guns may provide the fatal bullet, but a lack of trust is actually what is killing us. Pilgrim Hostels are one small attempt to create a culture and a community of trust.

My soul seems called to something I might name as “nurturing a pilgrimage culture.” There is a lot I don’t know about what that means yet, but two pieces are quite clear to me.

Pilgrimages don’t actually start the day you take Step One on some specific route. Pilgrimages start the day that you DECIDE when you are going to take Step One.

I started writing under the Pedal Pilgrim name in 2013 as I followed this nagging sense of call to nurture and discover a new form of spiritual practice and belief in America.

Those were the words that originated in my blog the night after I conquered Trail Ridge Road, the highest paved highway in the world at 12,173 feet, on a bicycle loaded with fifty pounds of gear. I had ridden that same route twice when I was thirty years younger and absent the gear.

I have heard the comment more than once. “You are searching and I hope you find some answers.” This last one came in response to my blog about being “Camino-bound.”

I think I was made for this moment. On May 15 I will fly to Paris, take the train to St. Jean Pied de Port and then take my first steps on the Camino Francais, the 500-mile pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela.

It has been over five years since I have had any meaningful connection with you. I write this post to let you know that the long interruption is over.