Wednesday, December 15, 2010
now I can start work on the hundreds. According to the early route planning, Selma, AL, puts the walk over the 2,000 mile mark, with approx. 800 miles remaining. That's still quite a walk, but I think there's a dim light at the end of a long tunnel. How many days have there been when someone didn't bestow an act of kindness to make the trip more pleasant or comfortable? If you've followed the blog, you know not many......if any. Well, it happened again last evening.
I was sitting in the Hampton Inn, using their wi-fi (they are always agreeable to that), and there was a guy at a table nearby having problems with his computer. We struck up a conversation about the computer, then about my walk, and he asked where I stay at night. I said usually in a tent, and he responded. "why don't you stay with us tonight?" He introduced himself as Rufus Ford, General Manager of the Hampton Inn, Selma. Let's see.....outside in a tent with temp in the teens, or in a Hampton Inn? I'll take the Hampton, thank you Mr. Ford. Before long I was unpacking my stuff in a nice, warm, room........and a complimentary breakfast awaiting me tomorrow morning.
Being inside was nice, because it rained last night sometime......but about stopped this morning. I bathed, had breakfast, and was on the road by 7. I thought I was in Selma, but still a couple of miles to go. It's still sprinkling a little, but nothing that would interfere with the walking. Downtown Selma is nice, lots of restoration going on, and lots of history. I passed Concordia College along the way, and crossed over the bridge where (I believe) the MLK Freedom walks to Montgomery started. The bridge spans the Alabama river. There's not much in the way of stores between here and Montgomery, so I stopped at a convenience store for a few supplies. When I was walking across the parking lot a woman stopped me, and handed me some money for a cup of coffee. Just one of several acts of kindness that will happen today.
Hwy 80 is 4 lane to Montgomery, unfortunately for me, no shoulder to walk on......so it's push a while, then off the road waiting for traffic to get by. It's a pretty busy road this morning, but manageable. Jerome called this morning to check on me......said if I needed anything to give him a call. He's headed to LA today to check about some FEMA trailers. A friend from SC, Everette Auten, called to see how I was doing.....we talked while I rested from the early walking. Today is overcast and cold.....not extreme cold, but enough to keep the coat and gloves on. Jack Bradshaw from Gastonia called to check the weather down here. Gastonia is having extreme cold for this time of the year.
Around lunch time, the people who I worked with at Wachovia called to wish me a Merry Christmas, and to talk about the walk. I talked to all of them, and that brightened a gloomy day. While talking to them I had another call, so checked the voicemail and it was the folks at Hampton Inn, Selma. Did I break something? Or leave something in the room? So, I called them, and Rufus came to the phone. "Where are you?", he asked. I told him east of Selma. "We've been looking for you. It's too cold for you to be out today, so you need to come back here and stay another day. We're coming to pick you up." Well, I first thought I was going to have to hide in the woods to keep from being abducted and taken back to that warm room. But I finally convinced Rufus I was ok, and needed to keep moving east toward Montgomery. He told me if I had any problems during the walk to call him, and he'd find someone to come pick me up. How's that for Hampton Hospitality?
I walked a little further, and a guy pulled his car off the road, and introduced himself as Ken Schroeder. His wife Betty had seen me walking down the road, and told Ken to come get me and I could stay with them for the night. They have an empty house, and I could stay there. Well, it was just early afternoon, and I needed to keep moving, so thanked him, but refused his offer. We talked a while longer, and he told me some history of the area, and then I moved on. Along the way I passed a marker for Talasi.....it's either a town or a place visited by De Soto in 1540. Rain appears to be in the area, but none where I am. It's still cool, but seems to be warming a little. A passed a sign for Benton, a small community along the way. There are lots of nice farms in this area, and I even passed a large cotton field......the first I've seen for a while.
I walked some more, and a pickup truck pulled up and stopped, and the guy inside introduced himself as Willie Brewer. He offered me a ride, I gave him a card and told him if I rode I would have to start all over again. Willie was going hunting.....he works for the highway department, and they don't work on cold days. He's only 37, but has been married 20 years, and 2 teenage children. Willie gave me an orange baseball cap to wear on the road so I would be more visible to traffic. I started back walking, and Willie headed out to look for a deer. After several more miles, it was getting late and I started looking for a camping spot. Found a nice one near the highway, that gave me a little privacy from passersby. Soon I had the tent set up, gear and myself inside.
The weather is changing, and it is getting warmer. Not cold at all inside the tent, plus the clouds are breaking up. Think tomorrow will be a nice day. Although today had been cold and damp, all the calls and offers to help has made it a great day. Maybe it's because Christmas is near, and Santa is watching? My phone rang, and it's Jim Peters from W. Monroe, LA......checking up to see how I'm doing. He's sending me a "care package", if we can pin down a place to send it. We talked a while, and then time to turn in for the night. A great day to be a walkingman!
About the pictures:
now I can start work on the hundreds. According to the early route planning, Selma, AL, puts the walk over the 2,000 mile mark, with approx. 800 miles remaining. That's still quite a walk, but I think there's a dim light at the end of a long tunnel. How many days have there been when someone didn't bestow an act of kindness to make the trip more pleasant or comfortable? If you've followed the blog, you know not many......if any. Well, it happened again last evening.
I was sitting in the Hampton Inn, using their wi-fi (they are always agreeable to that), and there was a guy at a table nearby having problems with his computer. We struck up a conversation about the computer, then about my walk, and he asked where I stay at night. I said usually in a tent, and he responded. "why don't you stay with us tonight?" He introduced himself as Rufus Ford, General Manager of the Hampton Inn, Selma. Let's see.....outside in a tent with temp in the teens, or in a Hampton Inn? I'll take the Hampton, thank you Mr. Ford. Before long I was unpacking my stuff in a nice, warm, room........and a complimentary breakfast awaiting me tomorrow morning.
Being inside was nice, because it rained last night sometime......but about stopped this morning. I bathed, had breakfast, and was on the road by 7. I thought I was in Selma, but still a couple of miles to go. It's still sprinkling a little, but nothing that would interfere with the walking. Downtown Selma is nice, lots of restoration going on, and lots of history. I passed Concordia College along the way, and crossed over the bridge where (I believe) the MLK Freedom walks to Montgomery started. The bridge spans the Alabama river. There's not much in the way of stores between here and Montgomery, so I stopped at a convenience store for a few supplies. When I was walking across the parking lot a woman stopped me, and handed me some money for a cup of coffee. Just one of several acts of kindness that will happen today.
Hwy 80 is 4 lane to Montgomery, unfortunately for me, no shoulder to walk on......so it's push a while, then off the road waiting for traffic to get by. It's a pretty busy road this morning, but manageable. Jerome called this morning to check on me......said if I needed anything to give him a call. He's headed to LA today to check about some FEMA trailers. A friend from SC, Everette Auten, called to see how I was doing.....we talked while I rested from the early walking. Today is overcast and cold.....not extreme cold, but enough to keep the coat and gloves on. Jack Bradshaw from Gastonia called to check the weather down here. Gastonia is having extreme cold for this time of the year.
Around lunch time, the people who I worked with at Wachovia called to wish me a Merry Christmas, and to talk about the walk. I talked to all of them, and that brightened a gloomy day. While talking to them I had another call, so checked the voicemail and it was the folks at Hampton Inn, Selma. Did I break something? Or leave something in the room? So, I called them, and Rufus came to the phone. "Where are you?", he asked. I told him east of Selma. "We've been looking for you. It's too cold for you to be out today, so you need to come back here and stay another day. We're coming to pick you up." Well, I first thought I was going to have to hide in the woods to keep from being abducted and taken back to that warm room. But I finally convinced Rufus I was ok, and needed to keep moving east toward Montgomery. He told me if I had any problems during the walk to call him, and he'd find someone to come pick me up. How's that for Hampton Hospitality?
I walked a little further, and a guy pulled his car off the road, and introduced himself as Ken Schroeder. His wife Betty had seen me walking down the road, and told Ken to come get me and I could stay with them for the night. They have an empty house, and I could stay there. Well, it was just early afternoon, and I needed to keep moving, so thanked him, but refused his offer. We talked a while longer, and he told me some history of the area, and then I moved on. Along the way I passed a marker for Talasi.....it's either a town or a place visited by De Soto in 1540. Rain appears to be in the area, but none where I am. It's still cool, but seems to be warming a little. A passed a sign for Benton, a small community along the way. There are lots of nice farms in this area, and I even passed a large cotton field......the first I've seen for a while.
I walked some more, and a pickup truck pulled up and stopped, and the guy inside introduced himself as Willie Brewer. He offered me a ride, I gave him a card and told him if I rode I would have to start all over again. Willie was going hunting.....he works for the highway department, and they don't work on cold days. He's only 37, but has been married 20 years, and 2 teenage children. Willie gave me an orange baseball cap to wear on the road so I would be more visible to traffic. I started back walking, and Willie headed out to look for a deer. After several more miles, it was getting late and I started looking for a camping spot. Found a nice one near the highway, that gave me a little privacy from passersby. Soon I had the tent set up, gear and myself inside.
The weather is changing, and it is getting warmer. Not cold at all inside the tent, plus the clouds are breaking up. Think tomorrow will be a nice day. Although today had been cold and damp, all the calls and offers to help has made it a great day. Maybe it's because Christmas is near, and Santa is watching? My phone rang, and it's Jim Peters from W. Monroe, LA......checking up to see how I'm doing. He's sending me a "care package", if we can pin down a place to send it. We talked a while, and then time to turn in for the night. A great day to be a walkingman!
About the pictures:
That's Rufus Ford, Hampton Inn GM and Good Samaritan;
Willie Brewer, highway worker, hunter, and willing to help a stranger;
Jeff, You are blessed with Good Friends in Alabama ! What a nice post ! Getting a little worried that your posting was late but We see you are in GREAT HANDS.
ReplyDeleteHang In Bro. ,what's a few hundred miles ?
Later, Mick
Wikipedia url--Edmund Pettus Bridge, March 7, 1965. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selma_to_Montgomery_marches
ReplyDeleteHi, Jeff! Love reading your blog every day. Isn't it great that so many people offer a simple random act of kindness! You've come a long way...keep it up. Happy to know you are safe and praying for you to be warm.
ReplyDeleteLinda (Houston)
What a wonderful day you have had......thanks for the Christmas Tune. I am sharing it with all my family and friends. May you be surrounded this Christmas with all the wonders of God's Love.
ReplyDelete