900 Miles.....

This week I got in my 900th mile, somewhere around Cape Fair, Missouri. That number means that my walk is roughly one third complete. And this may have been the easiest third. I wish that was not the case, but it seems that the road ahead is going to be more difficult, for various reasons.
Thus far, the weather has been my biggest nemesis, after my own feet, which have caused me a great deal of pain and down time to let them heal and callus over. Tornadoes, floods and very cold nights have really taxed this old body and have caused me to have a lot of doubts about my ability to complete the journey. Ive been ready to quit several times and actually have mentally checked out once or twice.
And then a funny thing happened. My friends and loved ones, Facebook friends, strangers and familiars, and others that I have met along the road have all been following my trip, all began responding and liking the things I have been writing and the photos I have been taking, and their constant concern, support and encouragement have been like an adrenalin shot to the heart, and I now know that there is no way that Im quitting this thing. When I dip my toe in the Pacific Ocean, its over. Not until then, no matter what.
Here is what makes this tough---the down time. The weather has necessitated a lot of hours and days just sitting around being unproductive. For instance, I write this in Cassville, Missouri. The motel here has no wifi—in fact almost nowhere has internet due to the tornado in Joplin the other day, which took out the comm tower that provided service to the entire area. I lucked into a signal from St John’s Mercy Hospital here in town, a DSL connection, I assume. If I had not found wifi, I’d be pulling my hair out with boredom. Small towns in the Midwest do not have a lot of things to do, and being on foot makes it a task to find even good restaurants for real food.
What lies ahead: Joplin, Missouri….what I will see there will be awful, I have no doubt. Then into Kansas, where I face 300 miles or so of flat, windy, hot straight roads. I should be able to make good time as long as the weather is good, but its tornado season…..so who knows? It’s a small dream of mine to see a tornado, but only from a distance and only one that only hits empty land, but if I don’t it is okay.
Colorado will be maybe the hardest physically, with the mountain roads being a challenge for these 51 year old legs. By that time I will have jettisoned some of the stuff I have with me. My cart is an albatross at times. Too much stuff, but I am not ready to dump it just yet. I know that if I had to carry a backpack my knees wouldn’t be able to take it. The sheer climbing in Colorado will be a test. The uphill aspect I can handle, but as yesterday proved to me here in Missouri, the downhill is harder on the knees, and mine are not stellar, having cartilage surgery in one many years ago.
Once I get through Colorado, I face desert heat and more in Utah and Nevada, and the lack of phone service for a long stretch. I do spend a fair amount of time on the phone especially in the evenings, and I do like to know that I am connected in that minor way to my life, so to speak. I used to worry about wifi, but have discovered that it isn’t as important in my priorities list at this point. I can always stockpile photos and blog stuff on my little computer for when I do hit a wifi area.
So either today or tomorrow Ill set out for Joplin, and westward. Its been an incredible experience thus far and will only continue to get better and more challenging and rewarding. I want to thank all of you who have been behind me, emotionally, financially and in spirit. Without your good thoughts and wishes….I’d be sitting back in my life with a boatload of regrets.
And I hate having regrets.