Saturday/Sunday/Monday/Tuesday

Saturday morning I woke up and Jojo, the campground owner told me to head over to the trailer café, breakfast was on her! I got a breakfast sandwich and the cook asked me is that all? I said maybe some hash browns too. That came out sharing a plate with eggs, toast and sausage in addition to my breakfast sandwich.

After I ate I headed over to the office where a few people were hanging out. I enjoyed a cup of coffee and shared the story of my walk. A woman, Judy asked if I had hiked Rim Rock on the way through here. I told her I had just rested there but not hiked the trail through.  She told me that I had missed a beautiful area and she would drive me back there and pick me up if I wanted. I took her up on the offer.

Rim Rock was definitely beautiful. Reminded me a lot of Hocking Hills minus the waterfalls. After an hour she came back and scooped me up. I then packed up my things and headed out of camp.

I was headed to the Garden of the Gods. I reached the campground just as it began to rain but got my tent up before it got heavy. The rain shower didn't last too long and soon I was out of my tent and headed for the trail up the to the cliffs. It was just as the sun was beginning to set; the Garden of the Gods offered sweeping views of the forest. Standing up there watching the sunset, with the wind beating my  shirt against my chest, my legs so weak on the edge, I didn't know if I could trust them. In that moment looking out onto the endless horizon, everything felt infinite. It was beautiful and breath taking. The view made the long walks along the farm roads worth it.

I hiked down from there and went back to the campground. I cooked up some dinner, made difficult by the heavy winds. I read my book in the little daylight remaining, then turned in for the night.

Sunday morning I began to pack up and as I was doing so a park ranger was driving through the campground. He saw that I did not have a proof of payment slip on my campsite. He asked if I had payed? I told him I had not, but was heading out and would do so on my way out. He said that I better do so now or he would write me a $130 ticket. I took the envelope filled it out put the receipt in the envelope and slipped it into the self pay bin without any money in it. Sorry not sorry.

I finished packing, then left and got on the trail. I passed through the town of Herod where I stopped to charge my phone. The trail in some places is very muddy. Torn up by horses, covered in horse poop. Without my trekking poles and with my shoes falling apart my march has slowed and is very difficult. It feels like every mile is two. I am trailed by aggressive gnats, fortunately however, no mosquitos. Brown and I are covered in ticks though.

The day was long and it got dark before I knew it. I found a small primitive campsite off the trail and decided to just stay there the night.

Monday morning I woke up and got moving. Not too far up the trail I came across an old church. The latest mailing was from 1982. I would like to have grabbed a picture but my phone died the night before. A little ways up the trail I came across a horse camp ground. It was unoccupied. I needed water and to charge my phone so I did. About forty five minutes later two people came through on horses and said "just helping yourself are you? ". I wanted to reply "it's the least you can do since I'm covered in mud and horse crap from you tearing up the trail". However, I responded with "I'm sorry, my phone died and I was weary about continuing on through the woods without it, in case of an emergency". They then asked where I was coming from and I told them about my walk. I said I was sorry for trespassing and began to grab my things. The man then said, "you might as well stay and get a full charge". Then they were off.

Further on the trail I slipped on a rock crossing Lusk Creek and fell hard on my wrist. My knee took a scraping, my face went in the water along with my cell phone. When it wouldn't turn back on, I was devastated. When it finally did but wouldn't recognize my memory card, I was even more so. All my pictures, lost. I was so upset. Eventually everything dried out and began working again, such a relief.

I pushed on and made it to Eddyville. Just before I got to town it began raining. I found a church and was going to set up outside but the doors were unlocked. I went in and and dried off a bit. I ate all their cookies and drank a Capri sun. Made dinner and hot cocoa. There was a couch there and so I crashed on the couch with Brown between my feet.

Tuesday morning I woke up and the forecast called for 80% chance of thunderstorms. So I decided to take the day off and hang out in the church. It ended up barely raining.

Thank you readers, sorry for the delays.

Sunday/Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday

Sunday morning I woke up and went into the Holiday Inn for breakfast. Free breakfast is going to be my new thing. Afterwards we drove over to Sunset Park. A park along the Ohio River. We walked the trail and read for a bit. Then drove to a wilderness area in the center of Evansville. Again sat and read for a bit. I don't really know how to pass the time otherwise.

Around one I went to the Econolodge. I had enough points for a free night stay. I was desperate for a shower and to do some laundry. I checked in and dropped off Brown and my things when I realized I didn't have my trekking poles. I left them in Chicago. The world still turns, I told myself.

I then drove to a car wash and vacuumed out the car. You're not supposed to have dogs in the rental car. The black interior was covered in white hairs. Five dollars in quarters later I had it looking pretty good. I headed to the Evansville Regional Airport and dropped off the car. As I was leaving lightening and rain clouds were closing in. So I decided to take a taxi the six miles (two hour walk) back to the hotel. Maybe I'm used to DC where taxis are a plenty but this ride cost me $15 for six miles. I could go from my apartment in NW DC to the airport across the Potomac for that much.

Anyway back at the hotel I showered and did my laundry. Cooked dinner and ate half a watermelon while watching Game of Thrones. I fell asleep after Last Week Tonight.

Monday morning I woke up around seven and hit up the lobby for free breakfast. I binged obviously. The coffee was horrible though. Thick, muddy dark coffee. It was undrinkable. So I went back to my room for a nap instead. I put the do not disturb sign on the door. However, that didn't stop housekeeping from knocking on the door at nine. Sometimes you can't win, and the world still turns.

So I turned on Morning Joe and ate the other half of my watermelon while listening to everyone fuss over pfc. Bergdahl. I checked out at eleven. I walked across town to the post office and picked up my resupply boxes. Sent home Brown's backpack and my old hip belt. I recently replaced it with a smaller size. From there I headed down to the river to join the Pigeon Creek Greenway Trail. I headed out of town passing a rail yard. Just as I past it the rain started. Suddenly I was pelted by heavy rain. I had no time to get my phone into its waterproof case. I feared the worse for it. After I passed a few houses a man yelled from his porch that I could rest in his barn until the rain stops. I headed into the barn soaked. I tried drying my phone on an old t-shirt I saw sitting on the ground. It still works! The man brought me some gatorade, pigs in a blanket and water for Brown. He asked if I was headed to the Rainbow gathering. I told him about my walk and he shared his experience traveling/working across the country when he was younger.

Finally the rain stopped and he gave me $10 as I was leaving. I didn't get a mile before the rain started again. I ducked under a church awning. It's awful being so wet and having no way to dry off. When the rain let up, I continued walking. I made it to Burdett Park where I had planned on making camp. I found a nice little spot nestled in the woods and set up. I began to read while waiting for the rain to stop to make dinner. I ended up falling asleep with my book.

Tuesday morning I woke up and made mac and cheese for breakfast. I charged up my phone and headed out of the park on their trail. I was heading to Mt. Vernon. The day was pretty humid, cloudy but no rain. Mostly following farm roads.

Just outside of town the clouds got darker. The clouds were dark and low and you could see them swirling. I thought I was walking towards a tornado. Fortunately a nice man gave me a lift the last two miles into town. He dropped me off a Dairy Queen. I sat outside under the umbrella of a picnic table, enjoying my lemon lime arctic freeze when the rain started. Light at first then heavy with intense winds. The umbrella at the table next to me lifted up and the shaft came flying at me. It missed my chest by only a few inches. I needed to find shelter quick. I ran over to the CVS next door and sat on the side of the building opposite the wind. It blocked me from most of the rain.

I don't think it was a tornado. However, in my experience as a Floridian it was definitely comparable to a hurricane with a shorter duration. After the storm passed I headed down to Riverbend Park. I was trying to wait until the park cleared out to set up but apparently this where everyone hangs out. Around 10:30 I headed behind a hill, close to the river and out of site and set up.

Wednesday morning I woke up and headed out of town. Today I was headed to New Haven. The way out of town takes you on farm roads until you must hop onto the highway, as it is the only way across the Wabash River. I walked the shoulder of the highway for awhile. I passed so many dead turtles.

Right before the bridge over the river a man pulled up along side me. He said "do you know there is no shoulder on the bridge ahead?" I didn't know, my guidebook didn't mention it. He offered me a ride across. As we approached the bridge I saw what he meant.  I would be walking across a long bridge in the road with huge trucks and fast moving cars. There's only one lane in each direction. Not safe.

He told me he lives in New Haven. I told him that's where I was headed and he offered me a lift all the way into town. The town has a church, a post office and an American Legion, population under 500. He dropped me off at the boat ramp. There was plenty of room there to set up. I put my tent up and headed to the American Legion. I got some fried mushrooms and jalapeño poppers to go. As I walked back to the boat ramp it began to rain. I made it to the tent just as it began to pour. Lightening struck all around me. Loud cracks of lightening followed by heavy roars of thunder. At one point the rain was so heavy the ground wasn't absorbing it fast enough and it began to pool around my tent. Usually ideal in a lightening storm to be under a tree in a pool of water. It didn't stop raining all night.

Thursday morning I woke up and began to head out of town. As I passed the post office I met Mr Edmunds. I nice old man. He invited me up to his house for some coffee. We headed up the hill and invited me into his home. He and his wife are only a few boxes away from being on Hoarders. Mostly new items in packages still. Many items from HSN. Mostly things you don't need. Mostly just things. I wanted to ask but didn't want to be rude. We talked about his days in the Navy on a submarine instead.

I finally said goodbye and headed out of town. On my way out of town a dog began following me. It kept trying to hump Brown. I tried telling it to go home and get. I pushed him off Brown but he was relentless. He needed to be nudered for sure. He would not listen to me at all but also wouldn't get aggressive when I slapped him or pushed him off Brown. He kept following us and a few miles later he bit an electric fence and yelped pretty fierce. It was only then that he fell in line and behaved himself. So after that I didn't mind him following us. Six miles out of town, I figured there was no way for this dog to find his way home and I might be stuck with him. Then a car drove by and the man called the dog to him by name. I said he had been following me and he apologized. I was glad because it was right before I got to a main road and I had no way to control this dog.

I followed the New Haven Shawneetown Road into Shawneetown. The coal miner fair is in town. I headed to the only store in town, the gas station. I bought a gallon of water and sat outside charging my phone. Since it's the only store and the fair was across the street, people watching was rather entertaining. As it started to get dark, I headed to the other side of town to the park and made camp.

Friday morning I woke up and packed my things. I charged my phone while writing a weeks worth of blog posts. Sorry not sorry. I stopped at the post office to grab my resupply package. Thanks Judy for the Off Clip On! I then stopped at the gas station for some stove fuel and headed out of town. About two or three miles out a man stopped and asked if I needed a lift. He said he could take me as far as route one. This would put me four miles from where I intended to camp. Obviously I took the ride.

Walking into Shawnee National Forest was great. The scenery was instantly different from the flat farm lands I've been on. Large trees and rolling hills, I was happy to for it.  I reached Rim Rock where I intended to camp. However, I soon found out that there is no camping at this site, just picnicking and hiking. My options were to walk back a mile to Pounds Hollow where there's a lake and campground or walk forward four miles to High Knob. I sat and read for a bit while thinking about it. While sitting there a woman came off the trail and began grilling. She came over to me and offered me some food. She was headed home the next day and had to cook everything she had so she had plenty extra. I told her about my walk and thanked her for the burger and hot dogs. After Brown and I scarfed them down we decided to hike four miles forward. After we got down the road a bit the woman caught up to us and said she had something else for me. She gave me $40! It was very kind, she filled my belly and my wallet. This plus my ride earlier, plus being off the farm roads. I was happy and all smiles while I hiked forward.

I reached the trail head for the River to River trail. A 130 mile trail that I'll take to St. Louis. No mosquitoes on the trail but man were the gnats aggressive. Considering all the rain recently the trail wasn't too muddy, until I got about two miles in. The last mile was torn up from horses. I lost my shoe several times and sunk into mud beyond my ankle. It's pretty gross because there's horse poop every where. I reached the top of High Knob and enjoyed the view for a bit. Then hiked a little further to the horse campground. The owner loves ADT hikers and let me camp and shower for free and gave me a soda. She wants to ride her horse across the country on the ADT one day.

I cooked up some mac and cheese with broccoli, leeks, tomatoes and fake chicken. Then went to take a shower. I'm glad I got to wash the mud off of me but Brown still smells. Hoping it doesn't rain tomorrow, it's National Trails Day.

Thank you readers and those who I've met this week.

Saturday/Sunday/Monday

Saturday morning I woke up and made some coffee. I packed up and left the trailer around ten. I headed out of town and it became clear I was in for another day of road walking. All I see are massive fields. Farm after farm. We take short breaks under the few trees that line the road. Brown jumps in the ditches and cools off where he can.

I was headed to Tippecanoe State Park. When I finally got there I was happy to be on a trail, in a forest for the first time since I crossed into Indiana. Bittersweet though. This SP is teeming with mosquitoes. Not just a few, but swarms. I reached the park office and explain my walk. I know it's Memorial Day Weekend but ask if there are any campsites available. The ranger told me that by law they're required to keep a few unmarked sites available in case of thru hikers or bikers.

I get to my campsite and set up and end up jumping in the tent. The mosquitoes are too much to contend with. I nap for an hour or two. I woke up to cook dinner but wished I had gone hungry. I was slapping myself like crazy trying to fight them off. After I was done cooking, I sat in my tent eating, trying to count the mosquitoes hanging out on the outside of my tent. I stopped counting at sixty.

I felt trapped in my tent. Eventually the park rangers drove by spraying something from their truck. Probably deet, probably dangerous to breathe. It did nothing to stop the swarm.

Sunday morning I woke up and dreaded having to leave the tent. While packing up I was barraged. I packed up as fast as possible and headed out of there. I was followed for two miles through the park to the main road. Getting bit up the entire way.

A couple miles up the road I stopped at a gas station/deli and got a sandwich. Just up the road I hopped on the Erie-Monterrey rail trail to the town of North Judson. Pretty much similar to the rail trails I've been on through Indiana. Farms on either side of the trail. Not enough trees or shade to break the baking sun.

When I reached North Judson, I was hot and out of water. I hit up the grocery store and purchased a gallon of water, a watermelon and lemon sherbet. I devoured the sherbet immediately. Then walked to the park. I figured I would camp in the park and sat on the bench reading my book until dark. I pitched my tent, crawled inside and went to bed.

Monday morning I woke up to police outside my tent. I told them about my walk and fortunately they were understanding. They told me there was going to be a Memorial Day Parade here in a few hours and I needed to be gone soon. I packed up then sliced open my watermelon and ate the whole thing for breakfast. It was amazing.

As people began to gather for the parade, I picked up my bag and headed out of town. If you guessed that I would be walking on farm roads past huge sprawling corn fields, then you guessed right. I'm desperate for a change in scenery. I passed a house with a family outside unhitching their camper from their truck. The dad asked me where I was headed and I began the story of my travels. He offered me a soda and pointed me in the direction of Kouts. I was headed there to camp. I told him I was probably going to camp at the library since there would be shelter from the evenings thunderstorms.

When I reached Koutz, I sat down at the bench outside the library, pulled out my book and read. Twenty minutes later the man I had met a few miles back pulled up and gave me another soda and a gatorade. I thanked him for his kindness. The lightening, thunder and rain came around eight thirty. It continues as I write this.

Oddly enough people have come up to the library to return things. The most recent at ten. I feel awkward, I look pretty dirty from sweating the past few days. Haven't showered since Wednesday.  Huddled under an awning, I probably look homeless. I began to wonder if people in these small towns have seen homeless people before? If there are even homeless people around here? Towns with no more than two thousand residents.

I just realized I'm in a new time zone. Thank you readers. Thank you Mr. Miller for the sodas.

Wednesday/Thursday/Friday

Wednesday morning I woke up and began packing up eyeing the dark clouds overhead. I walked over to the pizza place and used the restroom. When I came out it began to pour. I sat around for a bit and chatted with the owner. An hour later the rain stopped and I headed back to the trail. At this point Brown was not feeling it and lied down. His paws are worn so thin. I let him rest for a little longer, then we continued on.

The temperature rose and the humidity was thick. The sun beat down on us on the walk today. Nineteen miles on the bike trail. No shade. The trail is surrounded by farms. Farmers apparently don't like trees. They block the sun from their crops. So each time we rested it was in the sun. I had only two liters of water on me and no store on this stretch of trail. I have been reluctant to filter the creek water I've seen because I'm sure it's full of fertilizer and pesticide run off.

Each break I examine Brown's paws. They have begun bleeding. I feel so bad but he doesn't seem to notice. He keeps on trekking. We eventually make it to Rochester, IN.

There's a Walmart and I head in for some ice cream. I checked into the Super 8 and rubbed lotion on Brown's paws. Which he licks right off. Tomorrow is our weekly zero day. Hopefully the rest will help his little pads heal.

Thursday we spent the day hanging out. I did my laundry in the sink. Then I walked to the post office to pick up my resupply package. Also I ordered a new hip belt for my backpack. I've lost enough weight for the old one to be obsolete. It was at the post office waiting for me. The rest of the day I spent catching up on shows I used to watch.

Friday morning I wake up and binge on the free breakfast. I headed back to the room and packed up. We headed out of town and onto a long stretch of farm road. At this point I feel I will be able to see these crops through. From seedlings to new growth; eventually I'll be able to see full grown corn stalks. All I see is field after field of corn at different stages of growth. Over it. All I can say is: at least it's flat.

Fifteen miles later I made it to Bruce Lake. There's a camper/trailer park called Hoosier Hideaway. I walked up to the office and asked if I could camp here. The owner said they don't really do tent camping but I could set up in his yard if I wanted. As soon as I got my tent up he came over to me and said: "if you're only staying one night, I have an extra trailer that no one is using. You're welcome to it." So I packed my tent up and am in a double wide, three bedroom trailer! After we settled in Brown and I went down to the shore and played tether ball.

Tried to watch the meteor shower around 10:30 but didn't see anything. I didn't want to stay up too late for it so I went to bed.

Thank you readers. Happy Memorial Day weekend. Five more days to Chicago! I'm pretty excited.