Aimless: 05/02/08

Friday, May 02, 2008

30 miles Part 4

I've also sent this post to Ron from Part 3, first to thank him again, but also so he can find out something about the stranger he helped yesterday. (Ron, since you don't know what I'm talking about: http://www.aimlessmovie.com. Follow blog link.) Thanks, Ron. --> I walked across the Mississippi state line at 6:01. That's the first time I've crossed a state line on foot. I've also crossed one state line (Washington) on an Amtrak train and two state lines (Kentucky & Tennessee) on a freight train. All other state lines have been via car or truck. --> There was a very strong wind in my face all day yesterday. Not just a breeze; I'm talking about wind that pushes you around. That makes me feel even better about the 30-mile feat. --> Once in Mississippi, my road turned into a freeway (US 78). With a wide shoulder, I stayed on the freeway for a few miles, getting off at the second exit,
hoping to find a surface road that would take me to the Flying J I knew was up ahead a few more miles...

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30 miles Part 3

At 3:00 yesterday, after 16.5 miles, I walked into a Wendy's, hoping their value menu had something worth buying. It did, so I ate. I also tried to rest as much as I could before 4:00 because I was already past the point where the serious pain begins. --> At about 3:15 a man and his two kids walked in. As the man approached the counter, following his daughter, he said hi to me. I wondered if he thought I was eyeing his daughter; his acknowledgment of my presence kind of seemed to say, "Keep your eyes off my little girl, son." They ordered their food and sat somewhere behind me. --> When they finished eating, I was still trying to rest. They passed in front of me again on their way out. This time, reaching out to shake my hand, the man said to me, "Be safe out there." Feeling paper in his handshake, I thanked him. A few seconds later they were out the door. --> The handshake contained
some cash and the man's business card. He is the owner of Ron's Recovery & Towing in Memphis...

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30 miles Part 2

The old lady snapped out of it and stopped her car a few inches from me. Although she may have been moving pretty slowly out of the parking lot, she was going fast enough to break my leg in a gruesome manner had she stopped only a split second later. I gave her an involuntary WTF look and just kept walking. --> During my midday break, I took off my glasses and set them beside me while attending to my shoes and socks. When I'd finished messing with the shoes and socks, I leaned back to lay down on the concrete. However, I never quite made it because on my way down I heard a crunch. Upon getting back up to see what I'd crunched, I saw my glasses all bent up, with the right lens detached from the frame. Just what I needed. I've never done anything like that before; this is not exactly the best time for a first time. So now my glasses are all screwed up. I was able to put the lens back
into the frame, but I definitely need to get some new glasses. More about that later...

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30 miles Part 1

I spent Wednesday night in a large park on what I guess was the north side of Memphis. Had to get up early Thursday morning (6:30) because that's just how it works at big parks. (Park workers and early-bird park visitors just don't seem to like temporary residents.) After quickly packing up my stuff, I wandered around the park for about 20 minutes, looking for my tent pole sack, which blew away the previous night as I staked down the canopy. While wandering the park, I realized it was a good day to try for 30 again. So at about 7:40, with half a mile already showing on my pedometer, I walked away from the park, heading south. (I never did find the sack.) --> After 3.5 miles I took a break. Another 3.5 miles, another break. Then 4.5 miles and a break, which put me at 11.5 miles by noon. Good start. --> As I walked through Midtown before my second break, I was almost hit by a car driven
by a clueless old lady. She was leaving a gated parking lot, paying no attention to her driving...

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I did it. 30 miles!

I did it. 30 miles! Too tired and sore to elaborate right now. Plenty to say tomorrow.