There was a movie “Finding Forrester” in which a famous author was instructing his protégé that the way to begin writing is just to sit down and write anything that comes to mind.  Don’t think, just write.  Using this technique seems to work for me and that is how I am writing this blog, with the added advantage that when Sima sits down to add her thoughts, she edits mine.

Today has been a day filled with good fortune.  Everything seemed to work out for the best.  In the morning, while waiting at the RV dealership to ask a few questions about the operation of the stereo system, our license plates were delivered.  We quickly prepared the RV for travel, bought a few extra food supplies, and hit the road.

We headed for Minneapolis-St. Paul, as we needed a keilim mikvah for a few items that we bought after arriving in Iowa.  As long as we were in the area, we decided to experience Mall of America.  Whoa, four floors of 570 stores and restaurants and an indoor amusement park that is the dream of every little kid, and some big kids too.  This was the definition of sensory overload, too much to see, too noisy, and too big.  After about two hours we had had enough and left; it must be for the younger generation.

Next, we looked up the address of a mikvah, put it into our GPS, and headed for St.Paul.  When we got there, no one was home.  When I say home, I mean home – it was in a house in a residential neighborhood.  We weren’t sure we were in the right place until I found a sign behind a bush saying mikvah.  Sima found the phone number of a Chabad rabbi listed for the area.  The first time she called, no one answered, and she left a message.  The second time, she got through to Rabbi Mendel Feller who was waiting at the airport for a delayed plane and just happened to check his cell phone.  He arranged for us to be able to get in.

About 45 years ago, while working at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin, I was asked to drive a Rabbi Moshe Feller to the Rhinelander Airport and wait with him until he got on the plane.  While waiting we began to talk and he asked if I knew how to put on tefillin. I replied that I was absent that day in Hebrew school.  You guessed it, he taught me how to put on tefillin at the airport and I have never forgotten that day.  I always connect that experience with being the first spark that started me on the road to being a baal teshuva. Because of that day, I have a wonderful wife, two daughters, two sons-in-law, and five grandchildren – we all live in Israel, and are shomrai mitzvot.  Rabbi Mendel Feller is, I believe, his son (did not have a chance to ask).

When Sima wrote Rabbi Feller the next day to thank him for his help, she related this story, and his response was “Wow!!!”

After St. Paul and a harrowing experience with rush hour traffic (actually I’ve been in worse, but not driving an RV), we found this amazingly beautiful RV campground on the side of a lake – Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Park Reserve. After a walk, dinner, and a good night’s sleep, we decided to stay an extra day.  Again, we are retired and have no schedule to keep, so when we find a place we like, we will enjoy it to its fullest.

Day 2 at Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Park Reserve – a beautiful, well kept, clean, wildlife preserve, with forests, seven lakes with swimming, boating, and fishing, a golf course somewhere, and a campground where the sites are not crowded.  This is why we stayed the extra day.

Though it rained last night, the day was sunny and comfortable for hiking. With two extended walks and exploring two different trails, we didn’t find a single piece of trash.  I think the only frustrating part is that we still don’t have great cell phone and Wi-Fi connection.  We were able to get two posts out to the blog in the afternoon but have no reception in the evening.  Either the cell towers get off of work at 6, or there are too many people streaming Netflix.

On a personal note: Traveling in the RV is something I have wanted to do for a long time and feel blessed that I am able to do it now.  In the short time that we have been traveling, we’ve met couples that are 10+ years older than we are doing the same.  For the most part, this has been a very relaxing time for us.  Point being, the term “do it while you can” seems to have greater meaning for me now.  One good thing about modern technology, we are able to stay in touch with the kids while we travel.

Bill and Sima