So I am back out on the road. Three days in. This is actually day number 12 of the entire adventure, so Ill call it that.
Sitting in a McDonalds in Bremen, Georgia, not too far from the Alabama line. There are severe thunderstorms on call for tonight. I tried to get them to order something else but they insist….and they threw in a tornado watch/warning to spice it up as well. I’ve decided to hang around near civilization tonight, just in case. While I don’t shy away from the weather, a tiny tent vs. tornado scenario isn’t likely to end well, so Ill suffter by walking around Walmart if need be. Ive only logged in about 11 miles today, way off the 23 or 24 Ive been doing each day.
Last night, April 14, was the first night that I had to ask someone if I could set up my tent in their yard. I was in Carrollton, GA, and it is a very very nice looking small city, home to West Georgia Technical College. My route took me through the town square, which was very bohemian and gentrified at the same time. Classy looking couples were dining al fresco while skateboard punk rockers were rolling around yelling to each other, and I plopped down on a bench for a few minutes as the smell of steaks filled the air. It was as idyllic as I’ve had it since starting this journey.
Leaving the square, I immediately noticed that the area turned more…urban..and more eyes began eyeing me suspiciously, and for the second time on my trip I felt some real fear as a few comments from passing cars sounded by their tone to be not with my best interests in mind. I decided to speed up my pace and head away from Carrollton as fast as I could. Darkness fell and the road, GA 27, a very busy road, became too full of 18 wheelers for my safety, and I really felt like I might have dawdled in the comfort of the aquare for too long. Several people told me that a small park behind the Presbyterian church near the square would be a safe spot but when I went by there were locked gates and fences and no access. So I headed up 27.
Not too far along, after a near miss with a truck, I noticed a place that had a big yard and seemed to be well cared for. A light was on, a pickup truck in the driveway. I approached the front door and rang the bell. An older gentleman, looking like an actor whose name I cant recall, came to the door, and without opening it heard my plea for the use of his yard for my tent. He directed me to the spot across his driveway, under a tree. It was a great spot, and I thought that his lawn had been newly mown---the smell of the grass was lovely.
It was a beautiful night. I slept long and well, not cold, not wet, and as good an end to a long day, about 24 miles walked, as I have had.
In the morning, the man came out as I was starting to take my tent down, and we talked a bit. I had made the assumption that he was a farmer, for some reason. I was half right---he, his name is Herbert Hatton, is a retired Pharm-acist, and while he lives there on the very busy and noisy highway, he owns another place with 35 acres north of town, but can’t seem to get there. We talked a bit more and he took my card for WhyHunger. I noticed in his back yard was an RV, with covers on the tires, and looking a bit unused. If Mr Hatton is reading this, I want to say “Thank you for allowing a stranger to rest on your property. I am eternally grateful” I also want to say to him that I hope you take that camper and take a special trip somewhere you love, even if its just to your place with 35 acres a few miles north of town. I wish I had though to ask for your picture for this blog…
Now I sit here in Bremen. Im heading to Tallapoosa, near the Alabama border, but the impending storms are making this a necessary stopover. Two nice ladies, Vicky and Tina, at a gas station in Bowdon Junction, 3 miles from here, warned me off of the route I was taking, which would have led me down some dirt roads and into a mess. While I have been diligent about sticking to my route as much as is possible, occasionally there are more desirable options and this is one of them. I am currently at the intersection of I 20 and GA 27. Say what you will about McDonalds, they all now have free wifi for customers and don’t seem to care how long you sit and type away. For this I am grateful. For the indigestion…not so much.
More Stuff: My new shoes and socks seem to be doing the trick quite nicely. I still have blisters, and the pain from the pounding is quite a bit more than Id like but when you weigh around 260 lbs each step is a chore anyway. My two years of training definitely have made the difference, though, and endurance is not even an issue. Just the limitations of my skin and bones have kept me from doing more. This isn’t necessarily an activity for a 51 year old to do all the time but I highly recommend you try it.
I had one of those “moments” yesterday. One of the things that walking along and being alone and with your thoughts can bring on. Keeping it real….I sat down in a field yesterday afternoon, tired and sore. I looked at the valley before me, looking like a perfect place for the Woodstock Festival to have taken place. And burst into tears. Sobbed like a baby for about 10 seconds and then it was over. I don’t know what that was but I did feel better afterward. This has turned into quite an adventure already. I look forward to tomorrow. I can’t turn back now.
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