Sunday, December 12, 2010
Last evening was a bummer after a good day. When I left you, it was raining, but not hard. That lasted a while, then the sky opened, and poured buckets......along with a strong wind, thunder, and lighting. It lasted several hours, during which time the bottom of my tent became wet (again)! One side stayed relatively dry, but not the other. What about a tarp inside the tent as well as outside......is that a good idea? Before long, most everything that was critical was either inside the sleeping bag or on top of me. Maybe I picked a bad spot or something because the outside ground covers were inside the perimeter of the tent. Despite all that, I slept very well, and was up and ready to go by 645. During the night, the warm temperatures of yesterday had changed to colder weather. My goal today is reach Demopolis as soon as possible, check into a motel, and watch some football and do some fixing and organizing.
As I started out, I saw that the shallow ditch I crossed getting to the camp site, was now a creek.....so the walk started with wet feet. I walked less than a mile and came to Rt 28 that was the destination for yesterday......so it was close. Hwy 80 was still 4 lane with a wide shoulder, and still relatively flat. I estimated about 15 miles to Demopolis, so I should be there by noon or so. I passed several beautiful creeks, one with wood ducks (that's what I call them), and another beaver dam. Traffic was light this morning, so the walking was good.
After several hours I came to a large 'bowed" bridge over a good sized river. In the distance, appearing to be located near the river, was a large plant. A little further up the road was a sign advertising the Rock Tenn company. The river is the Tombigbee, an important commercial route. There is a lock and dam in Demopolis. I walked a while longer and spotted a sign for the "Fosque House Restaurant". It's a very historic place, so I decided to stop for lunch. The house was built around 1840, and an addition later that decade. The house is on the National Register of Historic places. Anyhow, I had: beef stew, mac and cheese, salad, and banana pudding.......southern comfort food at its finest. I also talked a while with the owner of the restaurant (but not the house). Very good food, and a beautiful house.
It was only a short walk after lunch and I was checking into the Best Western Motel on the west side of Demopolis. Beside watching football, I've done some patching, organizing, drying out, computer stuff, etc. A busy, but warm and restful, day. I also opened up a new pair of shoes for tomorrow.......it's the fourth pair. I've traveled over 1900 miles so far, so averaged about 650 miles on the first 3 pairs. This last pair had needed changing for a while now, but I just never took the time. Tomorrow I'll start out early for Selma......about 50 or so miles away. It's supposed to be cold the next couple of days/nights, getting warmer starting Wednesday. We'll see how that goes, but I think I have enough warm clothes, and a good sleeping bag.
About the pictures:
Is that " buffalo" a bison or fish?
Sign for the Fosque House restaurant;
Entering Demopolis
Last evening was a bummer after a good day. When I left you, it was raining, but not hard. That lasted a while, then the sky opened, and poured buckets......along with a strong wind, thunder, and lighting. It lasted several hours, during which time the bottom of my tent became wet (again)! One side stayed relatively dry, but not the other. What about a tarp inside the tent as well as outside......is that a good idea? Before long, most everything that was critical was either inside the sleeping bag or on top of me. Maybe I picked a bad spot or something because the outside ground covers were inside the perimeter of the tent. Despite all that, I slept very well, and was up and ready to go by 645. During the night, the warm temperatures of yesterday had changed to colder weather. My goal today is reach Demopolis as soon as possible, check into a motel, and watch some football and do some fixing and organizing.
As I started out, I saw that the shallow ditch I crossed getting to the camp site, was now a creek.....so the walk started with wet feet. I walked less than a mile and came to Rt 28 that was the destination for yesterday......so it was close. Hwy 80 was still 4 lane with a wide shoulder, and still relatively flat. I estimated about 15 miles to Demopolis, so I should be there by noon or so. I passed several beautiful creeks, one with wood ducks (that's what I call them), and another beaver dam. Traffic was light this morning, so the walking was good.
After several hours I came to a large 'bowed" bridge over a good sized river. In the distance, appearing to be located near the river, was a large plant. A little further up the road was a sign advertising the Rock Tenn company. The river is the Tombigbee, an important commercial route. There is a lock and dam in Demopolis. I walked a while longer and spotted a sign for the "Fosque House Restaurant". It's a very historic place, so I decided to stop for lunch. The house was built around 1840, and an addition later that decade. The house is on the National Register of Historic places. Anyhow, I had: beef stew, mac and cheese, salad, and banana pudding.......southern comfort food at its finest. I also talked a while with the owner of the restaurant (but not the house). Very good food, and a beautiful house.
It was only a short walk after lunch and I was checking into the Best Western Motel on the west side of Demopolis. Beside watching football, I've done some patching, organizing, drying out, computer stuff, etc. A busy, but warm and restful, day. I also opened up a new pair of shoes for tomorrow.......it's the fourth pair. I've traveled over 1900 miles so far, so averaged about 650 miles on the first 3 pairs. This last pair had needed changing for a while now, but I just never took the time. Tomorrow I'll start out early for Selma......about 50 or so miles away. It's supposed to be cold the next couple of days/nights, getting warmer starting Wednesday. We'll see how that goes, but I think I have enough warm clothes, and a good sleeping bag.
About the pictures:
Is that " buffalo" a bison or fish?
Sign for the Fosque House restaurant;
Entering Demopolis
It's getting close to 10 pm here in the East and I figure you are asleep. Then I see that the Cowboys are playing the Eagles and it is seconds to halftime. The Eagles are ahead 14-10 so I bet you are still awake!
ReplyDeleteHere in Gaston county we've seen a bit of sleet tonight and it is cold! Thanks again for taking me along on your walk, Jeff. I look forward each day to reading your blog. Stay safe and where do you think you will be on Christmas Day?
Eileen Jordan
Ha, I know why you took that picture Jeff ! That's gonna be a fish. Years ago, I had found reference to the fish spelled with a "U". Wikipedia has BOTH spelled the same. Well, live and learn, grin.
ReplyDeleteHope the weather gets better for you !
Got your back,
Mick
Really enjoy your blog. Jump on board after article in Ft. Worth paper. Have a great Monday.
ReplyDeleteHey Jeff, I've been wondering, how come a tennis shoe outfit hasn't sponsored your trip by supplying the shoes ? Are you getting better mileage on yours than say, Michael Jordan ? Have you had any blowouts on them yet ? Did the highways in Texas wear them worse than Louisiana and Mississippi?
ReplyDeleteTry putting your tent on a knoll so the water will run off all around it . Well, at least this sounds easy.
19 degrees here tonight !
Careful, Mick
Mick
Bro. Jeff, I have been searching your walk to Selma on Google Earth and it is a wide open 4 lane hwy with few and far between stores for your convenience. Whew, '" Don't worry bout the Mule, Just load the wagon". Looks like extra supplies are needed unless they have built new stores along the path.
ReplyDeleteI don't even see a plug in for your charger. Sure Enuff, no microwave.
Just a heads up.
Later, Mk
Hi Jeff.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you are still having water in the tent issue. Which tent do you have?
Are you seeing any rain splattering inside your tent just above the bathtub floor during heavy rains or winds? Minimal splattering in should not be an issue. If it's more than minimal, that is an issue.
Do you see any rain running down the inside walls of the tent - if so that would mean perhaps you have a small hole or need to re-seam seal the seams. You should not see ANY rain running down inside your tent walls.
Yes, you can also do a tarp on the inside of the tent, though that is really addressing the symptoms rather than than the root cause. If you buy a tarp for inside, make it about 8 inches wider and longer than your tent footprint, so you can push it up the walls a bit to act as a second bathtub floor to your tent.
Did you perhaps pitch in a depression in the ground? Sil-nylon, which I assume your tent floor is, is not 100% water proof.
Was there water on the top of your ground cloth? If so, that would mean that rain water did get onto your ground cloth somehow and then eventually soaked through your tent floor.
At one of your next stops can you spray a water repellent on the ouside tent floor?
I'm out of ideas other than those. Careful selection of tenting sites and spraying with water repellenty and checking for the water source is probably your best course of action.
Keep us posted.
Thanks,
Marcy