A Rehoboth ride, reflecting on the Bidens

The Biden family was very much with Delaware on Saturday as friends, family, sympaticos, dignitaries and others gathered in Wilmington for the funeral of Beau Biden. President Obama and many others spoke eloquently about Beau as a man, a public servant and a father.  The president's eulogy can be found at cape gazette.com in our coverage of the funeral.  Also there is Cold Play's Chris Martin playing an acoustical commemoration for Beau.  Martin's distinctive voice, his effortless guitar work and the church organ in the background all combined for a moving addition to the service.

While the service was about to get under way, I was bicycling from Lewes to Rehoboth.  I passed great clusters of blooming prickly pear cactuses near the entrance to Cape Henlopen State Park.  I think the word that came up most often in the comments of those at the funeral was love - as it should be - because at the end of the day it's love that binds us all and exemplifies God.

Nature celebrates love with its beauty which we can't help but appreciate.  The blossoms of the prickly pear are so intense and pure and fresh and reassuring - like Pete Seeger's song, Where have all the Flowers Gone.  After bemoaning war and its suffering, the song ends: "Where have all the graveyards gone?Gone to flowers every one.  When will we ever learn?"

In the midst of the futility, the suffering, and the frustration are the fresh, renewing and attractive blossoms of the prickly pears and all of the rest of nature's beautiful proclamations of love.

I rode past the Biden Center and thought of all that Joe has worked to preserve and provide to all Delawareans for their recreation and enjoyment.

As always the ride was filled with surprises.  On this occasion they were all pleasurable. Near Gordons Pond a brilliant flash of iridescent blue crossed my path.  An indigo bunting.  Wow.  And it's not unusual to see indigos around Gordons Pond.  They like it there.

Along the North Shores road another pleasant surprise.  My friends of many years from Chestertown, Mike and Holly, were riding out toward Gordons Pond.  We stopped and talked in the rain and laughed because that's what we do.  Long-time friends are such a blessing.

At Café A Go Go on Rehoboth Avenue I enjoyed hugs and smiles with Ester Maria and Jesus Ramirez who this year are celebrating 10 years of serving excellent coffee, breakfast burritos, pastries and other groovaciousness.  I ordered my usual: a Cortadito and a burrito.  Always the same, always great. Cortadito loaded with Cuban coffee, cinnamon and evaporated milk.  Such balance.  A young woman eyed my burrito and as she and her boyfriend were leaving she asked me about it.

"Always good," I said.

"Looks good," she said.  "Next time."

She and her boyfriend, wearing sweatshirts from Kutztown and Millersville, both as fresh as the prickly pear blossoms.

"The burrito has great egg protein and salsa and sour cream on the side.  It all works," I said.  "Between the burrito and the Cortadito I'm set for the day. Not sure whether it's the protein or the two shots of espresso."

The boy laughed.  "Yeah, I wonder."

Then I bought a prepared container of organic oatmeal for my friend Jay.  He's still recovering after being hit by a truck a couple of weeks ago. Bruises the color of the juicy meat of plums and the size of watermelons.  I stopped at Jay and Betsy's house as I headed for the Junction and Breakwater Trail-section of The Loop and visited for about an hour.  Jay brings good humor. The talk was good.  That's what we humans do.  Tell stories and listen to stories. Communication connects us. Intercourse.

Then last night my nephew Casey, a farmer, said he's thinking about growing some organic corn.  "Perdue's getting into organic chicken and at this point they're importing almost all of their organic corn for feed from farmers in Brazil. Organic corn is bringing $14 a bushel compared to $4.50 for a  bushel of regular corn."

Organic oatmeal, conversation, organic corn.  That's how I got there.

So the last surprise of the journey was finding the Junction and Breakwater Trail connection between Gills Neck Road and Freeman Highway fully paved and open for riding.  It's not done but there were no barricades so I rode it. Sweet.  Really sweet.

Finally, this note.  Christian Hudson told me Friday he was in the midst of organizing a Spread The Love, Not Hate singathon outside the Biden funeral to drown out an expected demonstration by Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church.  Church members often use funerals involving dead members of the service to attract attention to their views against gays and Jews.

Reports indicate the church protesters were indeed drowned out by about 100 people singing Amazing Grace.

So this blog, and the demonstration and Beau's funeral end with love.