Thursday, September 27, 2012
I'm alive lol
Sorry there have not been any posts in a while, but it was difficult to get online in AR and MO. I am in Missouri and doing well. I will tell some stories and post some videos in a few days (if my camcorder still works--it got wet). Arkansas Ozarks were wonderful, but some crazy animal stories. So check back in a few days.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
The past month
Sooo...people thought I was injured or just stopped walking. Sorry it has been so long since an update. I have tried. The last month has been very interesting! Some things have become clearer. Animal encounters have been more intense. Meeting more people (mostly good). So, some random stories...
Stores and towns have been more spread out...up to 30 miles without seeing a store. Or talking to people. Weather has been bad, with plenty of storms and high heat. At one point I was under a bridge for 2 days waiting out storms. Then I walked about 5 miles and stayed under another bridge for 2 days. I've been running out of food and water because I cannot carry enough. I can deal with not eating (I always have a bag of dum dums, which helps), but the water situation got crazy at times. In the heat I was going through 1.5-2 gallons a day. I drank a lot of creek water. Twice I was out of water and about 5 miles from a major town and someone rode by and gave me water. Prayers answered.
I was studying my map one day and heard a car stop in front of me. Heard a lady yell "You hungry?". Looked up just in time to see a lady throw a bag at me and speed off. It was a Sonic hamburger. The next day a lady and her daughter pulled up and gave me a chicken wrap, fries, and tea from McDonalds. They talked to me for a bit...very sweet. A high school couple saw me on my phone and pulled over. The guy asked me if I was selling stocks on my hobo blackberry lol. They got out of the car and talked to me (actually it was more like us joking on each other). Got some much needed laughs. His girlfriend gave me half a can of coke and some doritos. The next day she found me and gave me 2 cans of coke.
I was out of water and walking a very dangerous road south of Liberty. Drinking some nasty creek water. At one point I went down to the creek (it ran along the road for miles) to refill a bottle and came across a snake, so no water that time. Nasty stuff in the creek later, so no more water. So a good half day without water, and about 4 miles to town the next morning. I was hurting pretty bad, came around a corner, and right there was a beautiful site lol: http://youtu.be/0CNDrJuGlTg
I kept seeing a weird tree. Anybody know what this is? http://youtu.be/LbgaDJWPo_I
I was taken in by a pastor and his family for a while in Pulaski. Went to Revival. The walk really affected a lot of people...made them rethink their faith and how much they trust God. I was told by a few pastors that my walk was a ministry and a calling from God. That's a lot to take in and process.
These are my friends in Pulaski. We were in Davey Crockett State Park, and 4 of them had just gotten baptized. http://youtu.be/Vueg_0McxYA
I was walking along and a lady pulled over and said she liked my hat, and asked if I was going to Hippie Hill. I was out of water (of course lol), so she offered to take me to a natural spring and to hippie hill, where I could spend the night for free. So I got in the truck. I keep forgetting her name, so I just call her "hills". So, "hills" takes me to an awesome natural spring http://youtu.be/QzqB9eVyoT8
She said there is a big cave where the 2 holes are in the video. Then she takes me to hippie hill. http://www.hippiehilltn.com/ We walk around a bit. Meet some young people that have a band called the humps and the blackouts. hills bought a cd for her, and one for me. she later stole a bandana from me in exchange. there are more dogs on that hill than you can count!! people are very nice, but to me, it was sad seeing people living with no electricity or running water. that's all I'm going to say about it here.....
so, hills and I went to the store to get some supplies for some of the people. this is a video of riding with hills, in the hills, listening to the cd: http://youtu.be/lrBwvTjvk-E
I stayed there for the night, and hills got me the next morning and took me back to the natural spring and then back to my path. This is a weird tree-growing-on-another-tree at the spring: http://youtu.be/gUZhEfqRWzw She was crazy, but she was cool. During my night on the hill, storms were moving past us, and you could see the lightning slowly moving around us. Cool light show all night.
If you want to know more about this adventure, email me.
After that, the hills were more spread out, and I entered the land of Tennessee Walker stables. One after another. For days. And days lol.
http://youtu.be/OPpGikoBKkk
http://youtu.be/Crxn1U9oCOY
I saw the birthplace of Davey Crockett, the home and museum of Sheriff Buford Pusser (remember the old Walking Tall movies?), and Shiloh battlefield.
I had a very creepy man keeping tabs on me for over 50 miles. Very creepy!
I had a pack of coyotes surround my tent one night, including at least one of them sniffing my tent. They were mad about something. I have seen a few copperheads. Had an angry fox one night (I'll try to get more vids like this one so you can know what it is like to be woken up by an angry animal lol). http://youtu.be/LOCUy0yVGak
It's been a hard month but a fun month. I'm excited that I will soon have a major state behind me as soon as the hurricane passes (TN is the 3rd widest state, I believe), but also sad that I am leaving TN. It is a beautiful state, with plenty of natural attractions and history, and my family has roots in TN going back to the 1800s. So it will be a bittersweet departure. Arkansas is next, which will be the first state that I have never stepped foot into.
We are about 1/3 across. Still can't believe it.
Stores and towns have been more spread out...up to 30 miles without seeing a store. Or talking to people. Weather has been bad, with plenty of storms and high heat. At one point I was under a bridge for 2 days waiting out storms. Then I walked about 5 miles and stayed under another bridge for 2 days. I've been running out of food and water because I cannot carry enough. I can deal with not eating (I always have a bag of dum dums, which helps), but the water situation got crazy at times. In the heat I was going through 1.5-2 gallons a day. I drank a lot of creek water. Twice I was out of water and about 5 miles from a major town and someone rode by and gave me water. Prayers answered.
I was studying my map one day and heard a car stop in front of me. Heard a lady yell "You hungry?". Looked up just in time to see a lady throw a bag at me and speed off. It was a Sonic hamburger. The next day a lady and her daughter pulled up and gave me a chicken wrap, fries, and tea from McDonalds. They talked to me for a bit...very sweet. A high school couple saw me on my phone and pulled over. The guy asked me if I was selling stocks on my hobo blackberry lol. They got out of the car and talked to me (actually it was more like us joking on each other). Got some much needed laughs. His girlfriend gave me half a can of coke and some doritos. The next day she found me and gave me 2 cans of coke.
I was out of water and walking a very dangerous road south of Liberty. Drinking some nasty creek water. At one point I went down to the creek (it ran along the road for miles) to refill a bottle and came across a snake, so no water that time. Nasty stuff in the creek later, so no more water. So a good half day without water, and about 4 miles to town the next morning. I was hurting pretty bad, came around a corner, and right there was a beautiful site lol: http://youtu.be/0CNDrJuGlTg
I kept seeing a weird tree. Anybody know what this is? http://youtu.be/LbgaDJWPo_I
I was taken in by a pastor and his family for a while in Pulaski. Went to Revival. The walk really affected a lot of people...made them rethink their faith and how much they trust God. I was told by a few pastors that my walk was a ministry and a calling from God. That's a lot to take in and process.
These are my friends in Pulaski. We were in Davey Crockett State Park, and 4 of them had just gotten baptized. http://youtu.be/Vueg_0McxYA
I was walking along and a lady pulled over and said she liked my hat, and asked if I was going to Hippie Hill. I was out of water (of course lol), so she offered to take me to a natural spring and to hippie hill, where I could spend the night for free. So I got in the truck. I keep forgetting her name, so I just call her "hills". So, "hills" takes me to an awesome natural spring http://youtu.be/QzqB9eVyoT8
She said there is a big cave where the 2 holes are in the video. Then she takes me to hippie hill. http://www.hippiehilltn.com/ We walk around a bit. Meet some young people that have a band called the humps and the blackouts. hills bought a cd for her, and one for me. she later stole a bandana from me in exchange. there are more dogs on that hill than you can count!! people are very nice, but to me, it was sad seeing people living with no electricity or running water. that's all I'm going to say about it here.....
so, hills and I went to the store to get some supplies for some of the people. this is a video of riding with hills, in the hills, listening to the cd: http://youtu.be/lrBwvTjvk-E
I stayed there for the night, and hills got me the next morning and took me back to the natural spring and then back to my path. This is a weird tree-growing-on-another-tree at the spring: http://youtu.be/gUZhEfqRWzw She was crazy, but she was cool. During my night on the hill, storms were moving past us, and you could see the lightning slowly moving around us. Cool light show all night.
If you want to know more about this adventure, email me.
After that, the hills were more spread out, and I entered the land of Tennessee Walker stables. One after another. For days. And days lol.
http://youtu.be/OPpGikoBKkk
http://youtu.be/Crxn1U9oCOY
I saw the birthplace of Davey Crockett, the home and museum of Sheriff Buford Pusser (remember the old Walking Tall movies?), and Shiloh battlefield.
I had a very creepy man keeping tabs on me for over 50 miles. Very creepy!
I had a pack of coyotes surround my tent one night, including at least one of them sniffing my tent. They were mad about something. I have seen a few copperheads. Had an angry fox one night (I'll try to get more vids like this one so you can know what it is like to be woken up by an angry animal lol). http://youtu.be/LOCUy0yVGak
It's been a hard month but a fun month. I'm excited that I will soon have a major state behind me as soon as the hurricane passes (TN is the 3rd widest state, I believe), but also sad that I am leaving TN. It is a beautiful state, with plenty of natural attractions and history, and my family has roots in TN going back to the 1800s. So it will be a bittersweet departure. Arkansas is next, which will be the first state that I have never stepped foot into.
We are about 1/3 across. Still can't believe it.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Memphis! (it's about time, slowpoke!)
I have finally arrived safely in Memphis!
It has been very difficult to update because: the last 2 libraries I was at, I tried and the blog crashed the computers when I tried to post...and, finding a library has been difficult. Either they were closed, or so far off the main road that I just kept going. Storms have been a problem. Same for the heat. But I am alive and well, and 1/3 across the country. I'll try to update with some stories very soon. Arkansas next week..yee-hah!!
It has been very difficult to update because: the last 2 libraries I was at, I tried and the blog crashed the computers when I tried to post...and, finding a library has been difficult. Either they were closed, or so far off the main road that I just kept going. Storms have been a problem. Same for the heat. But I am alive and well, and 1/3 across the country. I'll try to update with some stories very soon. Arkansas next week..yee-hah!!
Friday, July 27, 2012
more vids
Trying to show how I see the world every day...
Just walking along in TN, through my eyes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08iifpmddB8&feature=youtu.be
A short 3 part series, showing where I camped, what it looked like from the road, and a bridge over a lake I walked over first thing in the morning:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maKiAAFLUtw&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANoCifE8zuM&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhq94OmR-kE&feature=plcp
Just walking along in TN, through my eyes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08iifpmddB8&feature=youtu.be
A short 3 part series, showing where I camped, what it looked like from the road, and a bridge over a lake I walked over first thing in the morning:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maKiAAFLUtw&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANoCifE8zuM&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhq94OmR-kE&feature=plcp
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
video test
Shot a few videos, testing the camera to see if it will be worthwhile...
NC, on my own highway: http://youtu.be/p0Kb3B2uZ8w
Orbit Falls in TN: http://youtu.be/WIhSHlAMXKg
more to come
NC, on my own highway: http://youtu.be/p0Kb3B2uZ8w
Orbit Falls in TN: http://youtu.be/WIhSHlAMXKg
more to come
Monday, July 23, 2012
Crossville, TN
Crossville might be the best stop yet! I made it to the library early in the morning, and walked out to a storm rolling in quickly. I met a hitchhiker who had just rolled into town, hoping to meet his dad (for the first time I believe). Met another guy who lived in the woods here in town. And then I met Shannon. Shannon approached me and asked if the giant pack was mine. She wanted to know what I was doing, and we struck up a conversation. She was an awesome person to meet. Very good, positive energy, intelligent. She's from VT, just passing through. We chatted a bit, and then the storm hit. We enjoyed what I felt was a comfortable silence as the rain came pouring down. It was a nice peaceful span of time, just sitting next to her while a downpour came roaring down around us. At least we were dry. She handed me a note and went inside to use the library's facilities. When I looked at it later, it was a passage by John Updike that was very fitting. Before she went inside I gave her the blog address, so hopefully she will drop by and say hi when she returns to VT. Wonderful person!!
Someone told me about a mission in town, so I went to check it out. Got to stay the night after eating a great meal (eat until you're full!) and attending a nice church service. Everyone was friendly and made me feel at home. They had a lot of questions about my journey, gave me some good advice, and some of them envied me. As they said, it's a calling. Just do it. I slept on a cot in the back of the chapel.
The next morning, there was a big breakfast followed by 2 church services and a giant lunch. Since I was stuffed and it was the afternoon, I decided to stay another night. Glad I did. Saw a 2 year old girl celebrate her birthday, and 3 people got baptized, including my new friend Matt. In the afternoon, we all hung out on the back porch talking. Then the Mennonites came over to lead the evening service, followed by a wonderful dinner they had prepared. It seemed like half the Mennonites went onstage to sing, and it was amazing to listen to. No instruments, good harmonies. Very peaceful. They were very wonderful, friendly people. Wish I had more time to talk to them. Then back to the back porch. We had some good conversations going on, and the subjects were varied...the Bible, aliens, trees, angels, traveling. Very thought-provoking. Stayed a second night and left the next morning.
To my new friends Sarge, Matt, Steve, Nick, Thomas and the rest of the gang at the Miracle on 4th Street, I thank you for your friendship and hospitality, and your generosity. We will all meet again someday in another world. Take care my brothers.
Someone told me about a mission in town, so I went to check it out. Got to stay the night after eating a great meal (eat until you're full!) and attending a nice church service. Everyone was friendly and made me feel at home. They had a lot of questions about my journey, gave me some good advice, and some of them envied me. As they said, it's a calling. Just do it. I slept on a cot in the back of the chapel.
The next morning, there was a big breakfast followed by 2 church services and a giant lunch. Since I was stuffed and it was the afternoon, I decided to stay another night. Glad I did. Saw a 2 year old girl celebrate her birthday, and 3 people got baptized, including my new friend Matt. In the afternoon, we all hung out on the back porch talking. Then the Mennonites came over to lead the evening service, followed by a wonderful dinner they had prepared. It seemed like half the Mennonites went onstage to sing, and it was amazing to listen to. No instruments, good harmonies. Very peaceful. They were very wonderful, friendly people. Wish I had more time to talk to them. Then back to the back porch. We had some good conversations going on, and the subjects were varied...the Bible, aliens, trees, angels, traveling. Very thought-provoking. Stayed a second night and left the next morning.
To my new friends Sarge, Matt, Steve, Nick, Thomas and the rest of the gang at the Miracle on 4th Street, I thank you for your friendship and hospitality, and your generosity. We will all meet again someday in another world. Take care my brothers.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
somewhere in TN I go
Just went through a few towns in Roane County that are pretty nice. There is a big lake and a river curving everywhere. People are friendly, area is beautiful. There are a few nice parks on the water. Usual weather...very hot and then a nasty storm.
I was interviewed at a local newspaper, so we'll see if they run a story on me or not. Kind of cool.
I went into a store for a cup of coffee, and when I came out, there was $2 on my pack. I have no idea who left it. Just a random act of kindness. Strangers have donated more than friends so far, which is kind of funny to me. TN is far behind NC so far. I should start a post about roadside donations.
I'm trying to finalize my route to Memphis. Might go through Murfreesboro on the way. I should be in small towns for a while, so no idea when I will come across a library and be able to update things on here. So bear with me. I am behind schedule, wet, and tired.
I was interviewed at a local newspaper, so we'll see if they run a story on me or not. Kind of cool.
I went into a store for a cup of coffee, and when I came out, there was $2 on my pack. I have no idea who left it. Just a random act of kindness. Strangers have donated more than friends so far, which is kind of funny to me. TN is far behind NC so far. I should start a post about roadside donations.
I'm trying to finalize my route to Memphis. Might go through Murfreesboro on the way. I should be in small towns for a while, so no idea when I will come across a library and be able to update things on here. So bear with me. I am behind schedule, wet, and tired.
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