Meeting TJ on the road to Fort Custer

Two weeks ago my nephew TJ and I discussed him meeting me on the hike outside of Battle Creek. I called him back a few days ago and he was still in for some adventure. His mother planned on dropping him off to join me for three days.

I woke up at the less than lovely Hometown Inn anticipating TJ's arrival. I called TJ and his mother Sarah answered his phone. I think TJ was driving and mom was the navigator. Sarah told me they were caught in a terrible traffic jam and were preparing to get off of the highway and take a secondary route.

I told her that I would be in a park across the street from the Hometown Inn and got off the phone. I figured it would take about an hour for them to arrive. It was a very pleasant morning and the park is well maintained and interesting. It was Friday morning April 16th and just a perfect day for this time of year.

I called my Diane and we chatted family for a few minutes. My wife and I love our family. I told her about Sarah's and TJ's troubles on the road and she laughingly told me that Sarah is infamous for getting lost on the road and I was in for a long wait. No problem.

I put my backpack on a bench and strolled the park. The park is home to a very interesting memorial statue about the underground railroad. I am a bit of a history buff and contemplated on this time in our country's history. Slavery was and is a horrible institution that tainted mankind throughout history. It seems particularly rancid when it was aimed largely at single cultures like the Jews or the Africans.

On a lighter note the well maintained park is very beautiful and filled with Spring flowers this time of year. The park is adjacent to the trail and the Battle Creek portion of the Kalamazoo river. A perfect starting point for the day.

I called Sarah again and she told me they were about 15 minutes away. They were now right on schedule. I dallied in the park reveling about the beauty of the day and my surroundings. I must have been daydreaming for when I checked my watch twenty minutes had gone by. I hope that they didn't miss me.

I went to a visible spot and called them again. Apparently they had misread the map the first time and they were still 15 minutes out. They seemed to know exactly where they were coming so I resolved to not call them until they arrived or until they called me if they got lost.

I was starting to get a little antsy and then I saw hands waving as a car was passing me. TJ, Sarah and Amanda(TJ's sister)had arrived. Any dismay I might have had vanished as soon as I saw their faces. The McDonald's breakfast didn't hurt either.

Packs on and we were ready to go. Fort Custer or bust.