The AHQ Tour Update #3
6-18-01
Written by Byran Smucker
After a 6-hour drive, we finally stopped for some well-needed rest. Konrad decided that we needed to conquer Denver that night, and not risk fighting traffic the next morning, so we didn't stop until after midnight. By the way, of all the times we had to cross the Rockies and the resort community of Vale, it had to be at night. So all we could see were the lights, none of the magnificent scenery and luxurious homes.
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So far on this trip we've seemed sort of rushed. There hasn't been a whole lot of time to relax (golf is not relaxing, especially when you play like me). So Konrad, our slave driver of a tour coordinator, graciously allowed us to "sleep in" until 9:00 a.m. That was nice, I guess. (Editor's note: It certainly was better than 7.)
Konrad figured it was about an 8-hour drive to our next stop, Elvin Eberly's in Billings, Montana. So we struck out across the barrenness of Wyoming (which actually is sort of green this time of year). Since we weren't up quite early enough for the continental breakfast, we were getting pretty hungry. Things were looking up, though, when we saw a Denny's sign close to the freeway. So we pull in and walk up to the door to find that it's closed. Not "closed" like they didn't open until noon, but "closed" as in folded, shut down, never opening again. To tell you the truth, I was sort of glad--I wanted Cracker Barrel. So we kept on, never finding a Cracker Barrel, but finally, after noon, we found a Pizza Hut.
I think the highlight of this day of traveling had to be when we stopped alongside the road and smelled the dead antelope. It was pretty gross. (Editor's note: Evidently the long hours in the car have started to affect our tenor's brain. Maybe they've started to affect mine too, I should've edited this drivel out.)
We arrived at the Eberly's at about 7:45. We know the eldest 4 children from previous experiences, but we hadn't met the rest of their family. During the 1 day plus that we spent with them, we enjoyed catching up with the older ones and learning to know the rest.
I think Dora liked us.
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Wednesday, some of the Eberly boys took us up to the beautiful Beartooth mountains. Wow, they were magnificent. Astounding views, balmy weather, just a beautiful day in a beautiful part of God's creation.
All the mountain pictures scattered throughout this update were taken our our drive through the....Beartooths? Bearteeth?
We saw a whole gob of marmots.
A bunch of Eberly brothers and us.
Jed has an excellent view of David's hat.
The service that evening was great. Jed and Jane, the two eldest in the Eberly family, got the word out about the service we were going to have.
Jed.
Jane.
They rented a very nice Salvation Army building in Billings for it, and the SA even provided cookies too. They publicized it by sending posters to the local newspaper and a radio station, and we had a very good turnout.
AHQ in action.
There is a Hutterite Colony about 80 miles from Billings, and more than 10 years ago there was somewhat of a division among them. Hutterites live communally, but sometimes their 400-year old traditions take precendent over a personal relationship with Christ. In this particular case, the young people had been rebelling against the old ways of their ancestors, doing things that they had been taught were wrong. Then they heard about some tent-meetings in town, so they decided to go, and a lot of them were truly saved. But not all of them. Since then, the two factions have continued to live together in a colony, some of them born-again and some of them continuing in the traditions of the Hutterites.
We learned after the service that there were a few of the born-again Christians from the colony at the service.
(Editor's note: Have you seen the documentary "How to get to Heaven in Montana"? It was a documentary on the Flat Willow Hutterite colony in Montana, BBC filmed it maybe ten years ago or so. I believe it was televised worldwide. The born-again preacher in it was one of the people at our program.)
Notice the Grizzly bear bait in the lower left corner.
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So we had a wonderful time at the Eberly's. We left their house at about 8:00 a.m., continuing our slow trek back home. We plan three more major stops, and hopefully one more bout with a golf course.
T.R.T.H. (Tenors Rock The House),
Byran
(Editor's note: T.R.T.H.? Sorry about that, he's completely delusional by now.)
Your loyal, caring Editor.