Visit To Gastonia, My Other Hometown

Friday, January 28, 2011

Our visit to Gastonia has been short, but very busy. We arrived from the beach late afternoon Wednesday, and stopped at the Hampton Inn for a room. It was full, as often happens during week days. The Marriott Courtyard across the street had rooms, so we decided to stay there. After checking in, I decided to do a little visiting, so stopped by the Gaston Gazette to see Kevin Ellis. Kevin is the feature writer who did several stories about the walk.....all on the front page of the paper. We had a nice visit, and then next to Lawing Auto Repair, a local garage where I used to hang out while living here. They were good supporters during the walk, calling me several times while I made my way across country.

I left there and stopped in at Minges Printing to see Gene (the owner) and Anita, his right hand (wo)man. Gene and Anita printed the business cards and the posters displayed on the cart. Gene and I have known each other for many years, and always have lots to talk about.....this time was no exception. From there, back to the motel for an evening of TV and computer. Thursday morning I had breakfast in the motel, and headed out for more visiting. Rita needed the car to visit her Mother, so this was the first day I've had a good walk since last week. I walked downtown to the bank and to get a haircut (still get haircut in Gastonia), and then back to Minges Printing to order more business cards and posters for the grandchildren. I hung out there for a while, and then walked back to Lawing Auto for more visiting.

Visited there for a while until lunch time, then Rita and I went to Tony's Ice Cream for lunch. Tony's has been in business in Gastonia since 1915, and it feels like the 1950's when you walk in the place. After lunch, drove her back to her Mother's, and back to visiting. Stopped by to see my buddy, Mike Friday, for a while. Then back to Minges printing to pick up the order (they did a rush job for me since I'm leaving for VA tomorrow.) Then went to pick up Rita, and visit my mother-in-law for a while. She is in her 90's, living in an assisted living home, and struggles to understand exactly why I was walking across the USA.....I can only imagine. Then back to the motel to rest a while before dinner.

Jack Bradshaw had invited us to dinner with him, his wife Patsy, and Jon and Laura Childs. We met them at 6, had a nice meal and lots of talking about the walk, and happenings in and around Gastonia. Jack and Jon were two supporters of the walk......both came out on the road to visit and walk with me, and Jack and Patsy had me stay in their condo at N. Myrtle Beach. Both are "walkers" themselves. It was great to see them. After dinner, we stopped by the grocery store to get a supply of my soda of choice, Sun-Drop......can't get them in VA. Then back to the motel and start getting ready to head out tomorrow. It's always busy when we come down here.

We were up early this morning, ate breakfast, and headed out to run a few more errands. Then drove to Charlotte for the interview with Keith Larson.....which was a little disappointing. It almost appeared he wasn't expecting me or something, the interview was over before it really got started. Oh well, guess the walk is old news now! Then drove back to VA......it's the first time I've been home since late August. Some snow on the ground, but not much.....but it's cold. It'll take weeks to get all my stuff straightened out, so there'll be no time for "walk" lag for a while. It'll be nice to get back into some type of routine. Over the next few weeks I'll be visiting the students who have been following the blog, plus have been asked to speak to a men's class at a church in Cherryville, NC. So, still a few things going on that allows me to ease out of the walking mode, rather than stop immediately.

About the pictures:
Jon and Laura Childs, Jack and Patsy Bradshaw;
Gene and Anita, Minges Printing;
Charles Faulkner, Spindle Center Barber Shop;
Tony's Ice Cream.

Leaving The Beach

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

The couple of days at N. Topsail Beach was nice and relaxing. Thanks to one of the blog followers, John Woods, for allowing us to use his place. The weather was less than ideal, but that's what you get on the East Coast during the winter months. We visited my cousin, Nancy Dudley in St. James Plantation, and my brother Robert, in Carolina Beach. Robert drove us out on the beach in his Jeep, and that was fun. Because of the weather I haven't walked for a couple of days (already getting soft!), but hope to be able to when I get to Gastonia. We'll pack up this morning and head west to Gastonia for a couple of days, then on to VA on Friday.

I will be doing an "in studio" interview on the Keith Larson Show on Friday morning, January 28, at 11am. Keith is on WBT 1110 in Charlotte, NC. I hope you will be able to listen in, if not, we'll try to put a link on the blog. The pictures are: The walkingman in front of John Woods' house in N. Topsail Beach; Mayor Art Schools of Emerald Isle presenting the key to the city. (do I look pleased or not?)

Winding Down

Monday, January 24, 2011

The celebration at Emerald Isle was quite an occasion. Mayor Schools and others did a great job making the family and me feel welcome. And the snow was a bonus....I think the unofficial tally was 7 inches. The beach was beautiful, and the sunset Saturday evening was brilliant. The children and their families left on Sunday, and Rita and I just hung out. We walked for a while on the beach (I found a sand dollar!), and of course I watched the football games.

This morning we'll pack up and move to another beach house in N. Topsail Beach for a couple more days, before driving to Gastonia to visit friends and family. Then, back to Daleville on the weekend. On Monday, January, 31, 815am, I will be doing a radio interview with Ben Ball on the morning show "Coastal Daybreak", out of Morehead City, NC. The station is "The Talk Station, WTKF-FM, WJNC-AM". Here are a couple of new links:

A video that granddaughter Abby did at her school in Apex, NC. We could never get the video to load on Youtube, so just filmed it off the screen and loaded that way. The quality suffered some, but still you can see it.

An article by Kevin Ellis in the Gaston Gazette.

Day 146 - Emerald Isle, NC

Saturday, January 22, 2011

As you might could imagine, sleeping didn't come easy last night. The closer I moved to the final destination, the more thinking I was doing in the evenings. That, plus fewer miles during the day makes me less tired in the evening. But I was asleep when the wake up call came at 6, and soon was up and getting things in order for the final few miles to the Bogue Inlet Pier. It was cold last evening, really cold, and there are predictions of several inches of snow today. There was a Hardee's across the road, so I walked over there for breakfast, and soon was back at the visitor's center getting everything ready. A guy who lives nearby, Bill Ennett, stopped by and brought me a cup of coffee. The mayor of Emerald Isle, Art Schools, arrived, took a few pictures, and I started the final 3+ miles at 830.

Traffic was light on Hwy 58, and there is a good shoulder for walking. There's been a good bit of publicity in the area about the walk, so lots of people were driving by waving, honking their horns, and stopping to take pictures. As I topped the bridge leading onto the island, I saw several cars parked on the other side of the bridge, waiting to talk and take pictures. This is the last "hill" of the walk. As I reached the other side, the mayor and others were there to take more pictures. Jon Childs and his wife Laura from Gastonia had come down for the final day.....and they were there. A woman and her daughter came up, introduced themselves, and asked if the daughter could ask me some questions about the trip. She was doing a classroom project about the walk.

All along the walk people were stopping to say hello, standing along the road waving, and taking pictures. A guy named Steven approached and asked to walk along for a while. A woman on a bike approached and walked a while. By this time I was very surprised and excited by the number of people who were out for the walk. As I neared the final turn to Bogue Inlet Pier, the mayor alerted 2 police cars who would escort me the final 1/4 mile or so. I soon saw the sign for the pier and the crowd waiting to greet the walkingman. I spotted the family, and it was a happy reunion. Everyone talked for a while, the mayor gave me a key to the city and said I was only the third person to ever receive one.......what an honor and thrill. We walked out on the pier, and the grandchildren poured the Pacific Ocean water that I carried across country, into the Atlantic.

It was snowing harder, and the crowd was leaving, so we packed up the cart and other stuff and headed to the house. Emerald Isle Realty provided a house for the family for 3 nights......a beautiful place on the ocean and lots of room. Lots to talk about, and everyone was happy about the day's events. Kevin Ellis from the Gaston Gazette called to interview me for another article in the paper. Mayor Schools and others in the area really made us all feel welcome......a perfect ending to an perfect adventure.

Over the next several weeks I'll be posting new entries to the blog about different stuff. Just things I want to share that I didn't have time to do. Plus, will be adding more pictures along with descriptions, and "cleaning" up the blog where needed. Some of the people who are following it are new to the blog, so they are still catching up on the story. I hope you will continue to read it and offer comments, questions, etc.

About the pictures:
Finally, Emerald Isle;
Pacific Ocean into the Atlantic;
A sign the family made;
Some of the crowd waiting for the walkingman;
A video of the final few steps.

Day 145 - The Day Before The Last Day.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Last night was restful, being inside in the utility building. The woman who runs the business, Cathy, came by Burger King while I was still there, and said I could stay in any of the buildings.....so I got an "upgrade" for no extra charge. I walked over and was looking through each one when Jack Bradshaw called, and we had a good laugh about the buildings. Turned out they were not cold like the bus, so that was good. I read the paper for a while, but soon was asleep due to lack of sleep the previous night. The family is coming down today, and I will spend one more night in the tent before seeing them tomorrow. My goal today is just walk a few miles, find a camping spot, and get ready for tomorrow.

The first stop was at Burger King for breakfast and the USA Today paper. Hung out there for a while and started walking toward Swansboro. News about the walk has been in the local papers, so lots of people waving and tooting their horns. A guy came out of his house and crossed the street to talk. Introduced himself as James Baggs, a resident of Swansboro since 1946 (or of this area). He was quite an interesting guy and we must have talked 30 minutes or more......what's the hurry? The mayor of Emerald Isle, Art Schools, stopped by to check how things were going, and he stayed and talked a while. I eventually headed out, with much more knowledge of the area than I had before meeting James. I passed by the historic district of Swansboro, and snapped a few pictures. then crossed over the White Oak River into a small community named Cedar Point.

I saw some young people working on a project near the waterfront, and walked down to check things out. Turns out they are students from UNC-W, working on a project to determine the right size to build artificial reefs for oyster beds. The students introduced themselves as Mark (it was his project), Katherine, Anne, and Luke. They were shoveling shells into baskets, and going to take the baskets out in the water and create an oyster reef. Nice students, and an interesting project. While I was there, a reporter for WITN, Channel 7 out of Jacksonville, Amanda Paul, came and did a story about the walk. Amanda was a pleasure to talk with, and did a great job with the interview. It was supposed to be on TV this afternoon around 5-6, but I didn't get to watch it. Maybe it's on their website. If someone finds it, pls comment with the link.

You know, I've driven these roads for years, but it's amazing the things I'm seeing today that I've never noticed before. I have about decided to not go on the island until tomorrow morning, so started looking for a place to camp near the bridge. Frank Rush, Emerald Isle Town Manager, called and I told him I might camp over here. He suggested somewhere near the Visitor's Center near the bridge. I went in there and introduced myself to Mary Licko, and her husband Bill. If you're ever a walkingman, Mary is the kind of person you look for along the roads. She was ok with me putting up the tent there, and even suggested I could use the facilities at the center. I set the tent up in the back of the building, and about that time things started getting crazy......in a nice way.

People starting coming in to visit me, phone calls from both friends and reporters, and about everything else. Two women from the Swansboro Area Chamber of Commerce came in, introduced themselves as Donna Hammond and Sherri Hitchcock-Hutson. We talked a while and before long they were inviting me to lunch at a great little place in Swansboro, Church Street Deli. I had soup, a ham sandwich with cheddar and horseradish, and bread pudding for dessert. A great meal and good company. While there, a woman came in with 2 children who wanted to see this man who just walked across the USA. They had lots of questions, and we had fun talking. Mary from the visitor's center called and told us there was a photographer waiting there to take some pictures. He was from a sister paper to the Gaston Gazette, and both papers will run the article. (I said it was crazy today.)

Frank Rush stopped by to say hello, and he had lots of questions. Frank is an outdoors person, so was interested in the walk. Denise Ziegler of Emerald Isle stopped by and brought her two daughters, Abby and Addison, to visit the walkingman. We had fun talking and Denise took a couple of pictures. They left and soon it was time for Mary to leave, but she left me with one piece of advice: "there's a dark side to being a celebrity, so don't fall into that trap!" I knew when I first saw her, Mary was going to keep me out of trouble. The family has arrived now, and I've been hiding from them until tomorrow.....plus, those Cooley girls could be most anywhere. My daughter Julie spotted my hidden tent almost immediately, and sent me a text message, "i c u"......so much for hiding. So instead of being in a nice house on the beach with them, it's the tent for me tonight.

So many people have called over the past few days, some I had to cut short the conversation, others I couldn't even answer. But, I'll call you back soon and we'll talk. Also, Kevin Ellis of the Gaston Gazette called to give me some info about an article. He's done several great articles about the walk in the Gazette. Kevin just recently lost his wife after a battle with cancer, so I'm certainly been thinking of him the past week or so.

About the pictures:
Abby and Addison Ziegler, and the Walkingman, in front of the last camp site....taken by Denise, their mother;
Anne, Luke, Mark, and Katherine (l-r), shoveling shells;
Swansboro historic marker

Day 144 - Swansboro, NC

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Last night was interesting....I had a great place to camp, and electricity inside the tent, but at times thought I was being invaded. Helicopters seemed close enough that they were right over the tent, and more than once I jumped off the sleeping bag pad when a loud "boom" sounded from one of the big artillery pieces across the river. It was not real cold when I got into the tent, but during the night seemed to get more so. I woke up before 5......wasn't going to be late for my 7am appointment at the south back gate on Camp Lejeune. My goal today is get through the camp (15 miles) without any incidents, and then go as far as I can after that. It now appears I will beat the Saturday stagecoach to Emerald Isle, so maybe I'll just chill for a day.

The amount of traffic going into the base between 6-8 is amazing......it's backed up at least a half mile, and maybe farther. But I'm walking in the "out" lane, so not much stopping me. Frank passed me on the bridge and said he'd meet me at the main gate. The security people were expecting me, and directed me to a place where I would be safe from the traffic. Frank had the guest pass ready, but we had to wait a few minutes for the waiver form to come that releases the armed forces from any responsibility in case of an accident. With all forms signed and in place, the security officer asked me to wait a few more minutes until the sun rose a little more. I finally headed out around 730.

For the first mile or so the traffic was pretty heavy, but soon it had thinned out and only a few vehicles were passing me. It's a nice road, tree lined, clean, and little traffic. I could hear and see the helicopters overhead, and the loud sounds of both small arm and artillery fire. Occasionally there would be a wide strip of concrete across the blacktop......this is where the tanks cross the road, and the concrete keeps them from tearing up the pavement. I was a little apprehensive about getting on the wrong road, but the roads are well marked......almost no risk of getting lost. Frank came out to check on my progress, and we talked a while, and he went back to work. I passed a sign for Onslow Beach along the way.....don't think I've ever been there. I only stopped to rest once, and then for a short time, and was at the other gate at 12 noon......at least 1 - 1.5 hrs sooner than I expected.

I talked a while with the security people, then called Frank to let him know I was off base. Many thanks to Frank Accevedo, Head of Base Operations, for handling the logistics of the walk, and to Commanding Officer Col. Lecci for approving the request. It was just a walk down Hwy 172, but being in Camp Lejeune made it a special part of the trip. I turned onto Bear Creek Rd, a 3 mile walk to Queen Creek Rd. I saw 4 horses in a field and they came to the fence. I happened to have some mints, and offered one to the biggest horse. He knew how to eat it, and was soon crunching away. When I tried to give one to the other horses, the big one would push them away. So, he was the only one to get mints today.

I called Ken Schroder, who lives with wife Betty east of Selma. Ken had given me his number and asked that I call sometime to update him on the walk. He said they were just talking about me today, and Ken told me Betty had asked, "do you think we will hear from him again?" Well, Betty has her answer now. Betty had seen me in Subway, started to ask what I was doing, but didn't. Then she went home and told Ken to find me and see what was going on. A very nice couple. I've also passed some cotton fields today......now have seen cotton being grown in every state from AZ to NC. And I thought cotton was no longer grown in the USA. I haven't seen armadillo in NC, nor coyote....and that's a good thing. In the past couple of days I've lost my coyote stick, so have no defense against them except bare hands! Not sure where I left it, but it's not the first thing left behind on the trip.

I turned on Queen's Creek Rd for the final 4 miles to Swansboro. Saw a group of guys doing utility work, and one of them stopped me and said he'd seen an article in the paper about the walk, and they were just talking about it......and I walk up. We talked a while, and I moved on. Queen's Creek Rd is busier than Bear Creek, and the school buses were running. The walk into Swansboro was not as pleasant as the rest of the day. I soon came to Hwy 24, and stopped at Burger King to have lunch. Noticed a booth with an outlet, asked if I could use it, and settled in to work on the computer. I met a nice young man working there named Sebastian, and he came over to talk for a while. Sebastian graduated from high school at age 15 (!), and has lived in Hawaii previously. His shift had just ended and he was waiting for a ride home.....which never seemed to come. He had a car, but his mother wrecked it (his story!)......that's a switch.

It was getting late and I needed to find a camp site, so started looking around in the immediate area. There was a business nearby that sells carports and storage buildings.......Carolina Carports. It has some nice grassy areas in among the buildings, so I asked the owner if I could put a tent in there. "That's fine, but I have an empty building in back, and you can use that if you want," was her response. Is this going to be another Greyhound bus deal?) I checked out the building and decided to take her up on that.) So, will be inside tonight, right beside Burger King. I'll let you know tomorrow how that works out.

I probably have less than 15 miles left to walk. Will do a very short day tomorrow, and finish on Saturday. Can you believe it?

About the pictures:
My guest house for tonight;
A scene on Queen's Creek;
The evening crew at BK, Swansboro.

Day 143 - Snead's Ferry, NC

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

I finally left the convenience store sometime after 9 last evening and walked the couple of blocks to the local park where I had decided to camp. I chose a spot that was dry (some of the ground was soggy from recent rains), and not so obvious to passersby. I soon had the tent up, and gear and myself inside. The camp site is right beside the Intercoastal Waterway, and I think that's Susan and Tyler's sailboat anchored just out from the park. I woke this morning to the sound of rain on the tent. Not hard, but enough to make packing the tent and gear a little messier. Plus, I don't like packing the tent when wet, but not much to do about that now. It was still a little dark when I headed out, first stop Hardees for breakfast. I sat there for a while waiting for the rain to stop, and finally crossed the street to a convenience store to find a paper. Still raining, so I sat there for a while, and the sky began to get lighter......so maybe today won't be to bad. The destination for today is somewhere near Camp Lejeune.

The walk on Hwy 210 along the ocean is much nicer than dealing with the traffic on Hwy 17. I hear the roar of the ocean rather than 18 wheelers. It soon stopped raining, but still cloudy and cold. But there are bicycle lanes on both sides of the road and little traffic, so nice walking. After Surf City Beach comes North Topsail Beach, and then a bridge leaving Topsail Island. After a couple more miles I came to Snead's Ferry, and stopped at a Holiday Inn Express to ask about using their wi-fi. They charge for that, and I was glad to pay the nominal fee. In fact, prefer to pay a little something to use their facilities. I sat there a couple of hours doing computer stuff, and then headed out....still a couple of miles before I get to Hwy 172. The motel is located a little out of the way from businesses, and I thought that a little strange. But, there's a golf course nearby, and lots of people out playing......so, think that's where they get lots of customers.

I received a call from TV station WNCT in Morehead City, and the reporter, Smitha Rao, wanted to come out to do an interview for the local news. I told her where I was heading, so she said she would meet me somewhere near the intersection of Hwys 210 and 172. I got there first, and hung around until she arrived. While waiting I hung the tent out to dry for a while. Smitha arrived, we did the interview. I'll put a link on the blog. I started down 172 toward Camp Lejeune. Along the way I passed an interesting looking place named Yopp's Meeting House, est. in 1813. After a couple more miles I saw the bridge that spans the New River, and across the river, the Back Gate Guard Station. I didn't see any places to camp on the base side of the river, but did see an RV Park and Marina on the west side. I stopped and inquired about a camp site for the night. I was told by a permanent resident that the owner goes out of town during the winter, so if I wanted to stay the night, that was fine.

The resident's wife helped me find a spot (with electricity), and soon I had the tent up, with gear inside. The woman let me use an extension cord to run to the tent so I could charge the computer and phone. The site is just across the river from the Marine base, maybe 1/2 mile or so. They are training this evening, so lots of weapons firing, helicopters flying around, and artillery booming. I feel really safe in the tent this evening. Tomorrow morning at 7 I will be at the back gate, meet Frank with the pass, and head out for the 15 mile trek across the base. I'm really looking forward to that.

About the pictures:
Mick from Monroe, LA;
Drying the tent;
Yopps Meeting House.

Miscellaneous Ramblings

Many times there is more to tell you than I either have time for, or I just forget.
I wanted to tell you more about the young couple who is sailing down the Intercoastal Waterway. Susan Lee is from the mid-west (maybe Wisconsin), 26, with a degree in biology. She's seen more of the USA in her 26 years than I have in my 69......the East Coast being her latest adventure. She has a job waiting when she returns home in the Spring, but for now it's sailing south along the Atlantic, and possibly a trip to the Bahamas. She connected with her friend Tyler Martin somewhere (I miss some of the story), and they have sailed down from up North, Tyler is from California originally, and has lived around different places. His boat is a 32 footer. Susan told me he's a good captain.

The other thing I wanted to share is about the "Mick". Anyone who has kept up with this blog knows about Mick from his humor and comments. Mick has been a follower for a while, and sends emails occasionally with info about route, eating places, weather, etc. He recently sent some stuff about walking that I'll share here. I would have never thought to say these things, but certainly agree with them. If Mick will ever send me a picture I'll post on the blog, but I'm not even sure Mick is real, it might just be those Cooley girls trying to confuse me.

Some wisdom from the Mick:

Above all do not lose your desire to walk. Everyday I walk myself into
a state of well being and walk away from every illness. I have walked
myself into my best thoughts and I know of no thought so burdensome
that one cannot walk away from it. But by sitting still, and the more
one sits still, the closer one comes to feeling ill...if one keeps on
walking everything will be alright.
- Soren Kierkegaard.

If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking.
Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk.
- Raymond Inmon

The longest journey begins with a single step.
- Lao Tsu, Tao Te Ching

If you want to know if your brain is flabby, feel your legs.
- Bruce Barton

In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.
- John Muir

Walking would teach people the quality that youngsters
find so hard to learn - patience.
- Edward P. Weston

Happy is the man who has acquired
the love of walking for its own sake!
- W.J. Holland

It is not talking but walking that will bring us to heaven.
- Matthew Henry

Day 142 - Surf City, NC

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Last evening was somewhat of a challenge. I left McDonald's when the rain slowed, and walked a block or so to the camp site. It was near some trailers, so I walked to the closest one to let them know what I was doing. A woman came to the door (which surprised me because I thought she might be afraid to open the door), and I explained to her I was going to put up a tent nearby and just wanted her to know. She was fine with that, so back to putting up the tent. I was under a couple of those live oak trees, which sheltered the site from some of the rain. Soon I had the gear and me inside, spent a little time reading the paper before lights out. I woke up once during the night and noticed the rain had stopped, so was glad of that. I was up at 6, packed quickly because of the radio interview, and was ready at 640. The interview was short and seemed to go ok.

It was time to head out......no particular goals today, I still don't know about walking through Camp Lejeune, so need to resolve that before making some decisions about route. My first stop was at McDonald's for breakfast and read the USA Today. After that I headed north down Bus. Hwy 17. It was cool and cloudy today, but no rain, so I can handle that. The traffic coming into town was heavy, and no shoulder to walk on, so not a pleasant first few miles. I soon was on Hwy 17 (not business), and had a better shoulder and the traffic started to thin out. I decided to call Camp Lejeune to inquire about the request, and after talking to several people, was told I could not walk through the base. So, that's that......a bummer, but I can stay on 17.

I walked another hour or so and the phone rang. The man introduced himself as Frank (that's all), and said he was the Head of Base Operations at Camp Lejeune. The walk through the base has been approved and he wanted to get some details about when I would be there, how long on base, etc. That was really good news......long ago, before so many rules and restrictions, my daughters and I rode our bicycles from VA to Myrtle Beach, and we rode through the base. Since 9/11 (or before), travel is restricted to only those with a pass. Frank and I talked several more times during the day, and decided the best schedule would be to be at the base first thing Thursday morning. The walk is approx. 15 miles, so should take about 5 hours or thereabouts. This is really a highlight of the walk, and thanks to Frank and the CO of Camp Lejeune for making it possible.

I stopped at a Hardee's in a town named Hampstead. Several guys were sitting in a booth in the corner, eyeing this stranger pushing a cart. Finally one of them came over, introduced himself as Jim, and said: "my friends said you were homeless, but I told them you had money!" That started a conversation that lasted a while. Jim (nickname Jabbo) is an adventurer himself. His was mostly on a motorcycle, but he understands why a man would be out walking across the country. A really interesting guy, and we could have talked longer, but the walkingman needs to be walking. My brother Robert is looking over the route to get me to the base on time. He created a scenario of 2 short days, so I headed to the first stopping place.....the intersection of Hwy 210 and 17.

The more I thought about the route and the short days, I decided to take 210 into Surf City, then walk 210 north to the base. That allows me to be closer to the ocean and pass through some small beach towns. It added about 5 miles to the trip, but there's time for that. I walked into Surf City and found a couple of good camping spots. Then set out to find a place to do some computer stuff. Stopped first at Hardee's, but they had neither wi-fi or an electrical outlet. But I did meet an interesting guy, Lee Autry. He's from Ontario, Canada, and spend half of the year down here, and half up there. He's a retired IT guy also, so we had that in common. Lee comes to Hardee's most every day, and sit and watches the sun set. But no sun today, still cloudy and cold. I decided to look around more and found a local restaurant, Watts Diner. Met Lynn there, and she said I could use the electric outlet, although they didn't have wi-fi.....but I have the air card so can connect through that. I ordered dinner, ate, and worked a while there.

I finally left Watts, looking for another place to hang out. Walked around town for a while, and finally ended up at a local convenience store with an electrical outlet and a table beside it. The woman said it was ok to use it for a while, so I did. Met more people coming into that place, some who had seen me walking into town. Two interesting people who came in to talk, Susan Lee and Tyler Martin. Susan is from the mid-west, and came east to do some sailing. She hooked up with Tyler who has a sail boat, and they are going down the Intercoastal Waterway. Very interesting to talk to them.

My camping spot is only a couple of blocks from here, so when I wrap this up will head there and spend the night. I'll tell you more about that tomorrow, gotta get out of here.

About the pictures:
Try again, next time a little less throttle;
Lynn from Watts Diner with the walkingman;
Intercoastal waterway in Surf City.

Day 141 - To Wilmington

Monday, January 17, 2011

Last evening was a good one. Robert and I watched the NFL games, he fixed dinner, and I packed the gear for the final leg starting tomorrow morning. I slept well, was up at 6, fixed breakfast, and heading out by around 7. Robert is going to keep the cart with him today, and deliver it to me this afternoon. Much of today will be going through Wilmington using busy roads, so we thought it would be safer to not have the cart. It's about 90 miles to Emerald Isle, and I have 5 days, so should be there in plenty of time to catch a ride. I still haven't heard about going through Camp Lejeune....the woman who was going to call me either Saturday or Monday (today) is off until Wednesday, so I had to start the process over with another person. We'll see how that goes. Weather forecast for today is rain starting late this afternoon, and completed during the night.

The first several miles of the walk was fine due to either good shoulders / sidewalks, or little traffic. Jack Bradshaw called to check on my progress....I think he's really worried that I'll get turned around again and head back to his condo in N. Myrtle Beach. I assured him I was going north today. Around 930 it started sprinkling rain, but nothing to worry about. I crossed over the Snow's Cut Bridge, which spans the Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway.......and which makes Carolina Beach part of an island, Pleasure island. I've passed under the bridge many times boating down the waterway, but never been over it. As I continued to walk, the rain got harder and the traffic heavier.

Around noon or so, I stopped for lunch at the "Original Salt Works" diner. Loads of atmosphere and good food. While there I received a call from NPR Radio.......they interviewed me about the walk, and said it would be broadcast sometime soon....and they will let me know. After lunch I headed out again, and by now it was pouring rain......didn't wait until late evening to start. The rain suit I bought just before the trip has turned out to not be such a good bargain after all. It hardly slows down the rain, much less keep it out. I passed a shopping center with an Eddie Bauer store, and now have a new rain jacket......this one does keep out the rain. I also had a call from radio station WNCT in Greenville, NC. They are going to do an interview tomorrow morning at 640am (I'm up). They don't "stream" live, but the woman said it would be available on their web site soon after the show ends. If interested, check WNCT.COM sometime after 7am or so.

The rain continued and I decided to cut the day short and get inside. I didn't do lots of miles today, maybe 16-18.....but I'll make it up when the weather improves. There was a McDonald's nearby, so I went there and called Robert to bring the cart and gear. He offered to take me back to his place for the night, but I think it will quit raining soon, and there are several good camp sites near the McDonald's. I sat inside until he came, we unloaded the cart and gear, and he went on his way. he also brought me ice for the cooler, snacks, and sandwich.......good brother. I went back to McDonald's to use their wi-fi (does anyone know why wireless Internet is called wi-fi?....check here) for a while, and will go to one of the camp sites when I leave later this evening. Hopefully the rain will have stopped or at least slowed some.

About the pictures:
Another look at City Marina in Carolina Beach,
Intercoastal Waterway under Snow's Cut bridge;
When's the last time you saw one of these?

Day 140 - Another Rest Day

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Yesterday was a good day and I slept well last night. For some reason I feel really tired, and not sure why because not doing much. After breakfast, Robert and I drove down to (and on) the beach. He has a Jeep which is perfect for that, and he wanted to show me the northern part of Carolina Beach. We hung out there for a while, and back to his place to meet Mary. Mary has a weekly video call with her sister, Ann, who is teaching in South Korea. We called her and talked for a while, and that was interesting. It's very cold over there now, and Ann said while many things over there are inexpensive, heating her apartment is not.

After the call, Mary headed back to Cary, NC, and Robert and I settled down to lunch and some football. The game wasn't very interesting, so we decided to walk downtown to the City Marina. The weather was nice today, clear and maybe around 50. The walk was about 1.5 miles each way. We hung out at the marina for a while and then walked back to Robert's place along the beach. When we got back my legs were tired! I guess it's best to not interrupt the walk for too long. We watched more football, and Robert cooked dinner. After the game, I started organizing and packing the gear for the final 5-6 days. Tomorrow morning Robert will drive me back to where I left off on Friday, and I'll start north toward Emerald Isle.

I broke out a new pair of New Balance 1226 shoes for the final 90 or so miles......the 5th and final pair. I also did a little review of the walk, and it appears I've slept in the tent 64% of the time; in a motel 22% of the time, and in a private home 15% of the time. These numbers are not 100% accurate, but close. The number of nights in a private home is higher than I expected, so thanks to all the people who invited me in. I've also added a new link to the blog......Kevin Ellis of the Gastonia Gazette wrote another article about the walk......check it out.

About the pictures:
Robert on the beach;
Along the waterfront;
Map showing route of walk....Mick provided this, so thanks to him.

Day 139 - Resting in Carolina Beach

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Today was about resting and just looking around Carolina Beach. I was up early, fixed my breakfast, bathed, and got ready to scout out the final 90 or so miles of the walk. Robert volunteered to drive the route so we can see the better way to walk. The bottom line is: there doesn't appear to be a really good option, as both options are going to have traffic on Monday morning around Wilmington, plus have little, if any, shoulders or sidewalks on which to walk. But I'm going with the one that seems to have less traffic.

The route I want to take uses Hwy 172 which goes through the Camp Lejeune Marine Base. At one time (before 9/11) this road was open to the public. Now a pass is required. We drove to the base visitor's center to inquire about a pass, but the person we needed to talk to was gone for the weekend, so I will have to check back on Monday. If I can't get the pass, it'll add about 5-6 miles to the walk, but that's not such a big deal. So we headed back to Robert's place to wait for his daughter Mary's arrival. While waiting we had lunch, and soon after Mary arrived. Robert wanted to show me around the Carolina Beach area, so we drove down to the south end of the island to look around.

Fort Fisher was having a ceremony recognizing the 146th anniversary of the Civil War battle at the fort. We stopped there and watched the events for a while....very interesting. After that drove back to Robert's place to watch some NFL football while Robert cooked dinner.....shrimp creole and Nancy's chocolate pie. I washed some clothes and worked on the computer for a while. Robert and Mary decided to go out for a while, but I stayed home to rest and watch TV and get things organized to start out on Monday.

About the pictures:
Robert and Mary;
Confederate campsite;
Soldiers of the North;
Mary and the walkingman.

Videos
Fort Fisher ferry
Walkingman getting off ferry. The woman with me is Sherry who I told you about previously;
Myrtle Beach TV interview.

Happy Birthday, Carly

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Carly is one of four granddaughters, and the daughter of Susan (my oldest daughter) and Russ Mitchell. Carly is 8 today, and was born in China where she spent her first two years. She has lived in London, England, for the past 3 years while her family is there on a work assignment. Over the Christmas Holiday, Carly and her family went to South Africa on a safari.

Carly loves to sing, and play her violin, and go to school, and act in plays at school, and ride her new bike. She also loves to talk and has lots to talk about for such a young person. If there is any one who can "talk to the animals", that would be Carly.

Happy Birthday Carly ......from your Papaw, the "walkingman".

Day 138 - St James To Carolina Beach

Friday, January 14, 2011

Last evening with Nancy and Larry was really nice, catching up on family news and learning more about the St. James Plantation and surrounding areas. Nancy calls St. James a gated community, but it's more like a gated town. Driving through the community is like driving through the countryside because it's so big. I was up at 6, packed the gear, and soon was smelling bacon cooking. Nancy fixed a nice breakfast, fixed a lunch for me to take today, and sent along one of the chocolate pies for my brother and me to eat this weekend. We loaded the cart and gear in her car, and headed back to where I left off yesterday. We drove through some of the community to let me see more of the area. Soon I was taking the cart out of the car, saying goodbye, and starting down Hwy 211 toward Southport.

The walk into Southport was nice due to a good road and not much traffic. Along the way I spotted Morgan Harper from the local newspaper. She stopped by to take a few more pictures and ask more questions. Morgan is originally from Southport, left for a while, came back, and now lives in one of the older homes along the waterfront. She describes herself as a very lucky girl to live in such a nice home in a great community.......I have to agree with her on that. I also had a call from Gary Gauthier, a Michigan guy whom I met in Globe, AZ. He and his brothers have been followers of this blog for quite some time now. We talked about the walk, airplanes, and boats. Before long I was in Southport, and stopped by the newspaper office to thank them for their coverage of the walk. I decided to call Nancy and invite her to lunch, so did and she agreed and said she would be in town shortly. She had suggested a place called "Trolley Stop" (great hot dogs and ice cream), so I told her I'd meet her there.

The sign on the window of Trolley Stop said it all: "Closed until March". That's not so unusual for certain business along the NC coast during the winter months, we'll just find another place. And we did, a small sandwich shop around the corner. Had a nice lunch, talked a while, and it was time to leave to catch the 1:45 ferry to Fort Fisher. We walked down by the waterfront, took a few pictures, and I headed to the ferry landing.....about 2 miles away. I arrived in plenty of time and met a woman named Sherry who was also walking on the ferry (as opposed to driving). Sherry is originally from Wilksboro, NC, and now lives and works in Southport. She was riding the ferry to meet a friend on the Carolina Beach side of the river. I had the cart with all the gear, Sherry had a couple of travel bags, so everyone thought we were together. She was an interesting person.....a former bodybuilder, and she brews her own beer.

The ride across the river takes about 20-25 minutes and it was nice......a clear day and smooth waters. When I reached the Fort Fisher side, my brother Robert was waiting. We loaded the cart on his Jeep, and he took it back to his house while I walked the 5+ miles. Along the way I passed the Fort Fisher Historical Site, a really nice place that I want to visit before I leave the area. The 5 mile walk was almost perfect. Bike lanes on both sides of the road, great scenery, and beautiful homes. Only at the beach do you see houses painted most any color......purple, red, orange, blue, gold, pink, etc., and it looks great. The beach in the winter is completely different than the crowds as the weather warms.......actually quite nice. The ocean was calm and blue, but I can't go there quite yet. Robert met me downtown, and I rode to his place. We soon had everything unpacked, and shortly after that were having dinner....Robert, some of Patsy Bradshaw's bar-b-que and homemade soup; me, the lunch Nancy fixed, and some of Patsy's soup.

I received a call from Annie at New Balance Corporate Headquarters.....they heard about the walk (from my daughter-in-law Michelle), and are going to send me a free pair of NB 1226 shoes. Annie asked if I wanted red or blue? I couldn't decide, so just told her to surprise me! Annie also told me she was passing the info to other departments in the company, so I might hear from them also. That's pretty nice of them. I've been very pleased with this shoe, and will bring out a new pair (the 5th), for the final 90 or so miles. I'm taking Saturday and Sunday as rest days, and will start out Monday morning for the final leg. I plan to arrive at Bogue Inlet Fishing Pier, Emerald Isle, NC, around 10am on Saturday, January 22......if all goes according to plan. If you live in the area, would love to have you stop by.

About the pictures:
Bro Robert and the cart about to take a ride;
Anything goes at the beach;
This way to the ferry;
A pier at Southport.

Day 137 - The Queen Called Me today......

Thursday, January 13, 2011

No, no, no, not that queen......THE Queen Tate, of Selma, AL. Queen Tate was just checking how I was doing, plus wanted to talk about what was going on with her. Queen always has lots to talk about. She told me that the mention of her on this blog a while back caught some attention in and around Selma, so she appreciated that. Plus, she's doing some organizing around the upcoming Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration. Finally, she wanted me to remind you to check out her films on Youtube......Selma's Best Videos.

Last night in the Shallotte Econolodge was warm and relaxing. I had the bar-b-que that Patsy Bradshaw sent, and a microwave in the room, so soon had 2 sandwiches made and working on the computer. I watched a little of a movie (can't remember the name now), but I had seen it already. I was awake a little before 6, went to the lobby for breakfast, bathed, and ready to start walking by around 8. My destination today is to reach my cousin Nancy Dudley's home in St James Plantation, just outside of Southport. I wasn't sure of the distance, as Nancy described it........just a "hop, skip, and jump" from Shallotte. I'll walk Business 17 through Shallotte, Hwy 17 to a small place called Supply, then Hwy 211 to St James.

The walk through Shallotte was nice due to little traffic and a good road on which to walk. Once I turned onto Hwy 17, all that changed. I couldn't believe the amount of traffic on this road, plus there was very little shoulder for walking. It was like being on an interstate highway. I never take my eyes off approaching traffic in a situation like this, because too often cars will drift over the white line. The walk today is a little "laid back", no real hurry because I should be there by 3-4pm. After 7-8 miles I came to the intersection of Hwys 17 /211, and stopped at a convenience store for lunch. Still had some of that bar-b-que, so asked if I could use their microwave. No problem, so I soon had 2 more sandwiches, and sitting outside enjoying the warm sun. For desert I had one of those giant Butterfinger bars.....the ones with 2 bars inside. I started enjoying one of the bars, looked to my right, and there was a man sitting there watching. I asked if he liked candy, he said yes, so we both had Butterfinger for desert. (Maybe I've learned something from this trip about sharing?)

While I was sitting there resting, Nancy called and told me a reporter from the State Port Pilot newspaper, Morgan Harper, was coming out to do an interview. So I started back walking down hwy 211. I almost immediately saw a sign indicating 13 miles to St. James.....am I in the hop, or skip, or jump part of the walk now? This was a good walk, not much traffic and a pretty good shoulder. One thing I've noticed this entire walk.....it seems the wind the whole way has come from the southwest. In VA, it always seems to come from the northwest. Is that the way it works......southern states get wind and weather from a different direction than more northern states? I saw a bluebird today, I think the first of the walk. I also passed a large field of blueberry bushes. Blueberries like sandy and acid soil.......plenty of sand and pines down this way. I received a call from Bobby Taylor, Minden, LA. Bobby calls occasionally and we talk about lots of things. Today it was Elvis and football.....Bobby is an Alabama fan, and likes Green Bay in the NFL.

"Who are you?" were the first words out of the mouth of a woman who pulled alongside me. She and her daughter introduced themselves as Diane and Dawn Macquarrie. They had driven past me, and Dawn told her mother to turn around because this man might need help. Dawn asked if I needed anything, and I said no, but she already had some money out and wanted me to have it. She said she would feed my body, her Mother would feed my soul! We talked about the walk. and these two women had lots of questions and comments. They were a pleasure to talk to, and more than a match for a walkingman.

I walked several more miles and saw the reporter ahead of me taking pictures. She did the interview, and while we were talking, Nancy's husband, Larry, drove up. I still had 2 miles to go, and he was going to ride me there if I wanted. We talked a while with the reporter, and I told Larry I would walk the 2 miles and meet him there. When I arrived, Nancy had come to meet me. We loaded the cart on the truck and drove to their house. I unloaded the gear, took a bath, and soon was sitting down to eat a steak hot off Larry's grill. Nancy has been a follower of the walk since the beginning, so we had lots to talk and laugh about. After dinner a piece of chocolate pie (a southern thing to have something sweet after the meal). Kevin Ellis of the Gastonia Gazette called for an interview. The Gazette has a "sister" paper in Jacksonville, NC, and they are going to cover my arrival in Emerald isle next Saturday. I also had a call from Mayor Art Schools, Emerald Isle, offering any help I might need next week.

Larry gets up for work around 3am, so he was off t0 bed, and me to work on the computer for a while. It's been a great evening. Tomorrow I'll head to Carolina Beach, where I'll stay a day or so with my brother Robert, then start the final leg of the trip. It's been a good day to be a walkingman. BTW: Greg Hansen of Calabash Creamery sent an email and they have put a picture of the walkingman on their website, and a link to this blog.....check it out.

About the pictures:
"Cousin" Nancy and Larry Dudley, great hosts from St James, NC;
Shallotte historical marker;
Some of Shallotte downtown.

Day 136 - A New State, North Carolina

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Last evening with the Bradshaws in N. Myrtle Beach was fun and relaxing, but all too soon the alarm call came and it was up and get ready for another day. Jack wanted to walk a little more today (I think he's practicing to be a walkingman), so the cart would stay with Patsy for a few more miles. Jack and I got ready and headed out. It's really cold this morning, but clear. Our first stop was at a restaurant for breakfast, and then back to walking. Jack knows some back streets through the area, so he was able to keep us off the main roads for part of the trip. Soon we came to Hwy 17, and turned North toward Little River. I didn't have any specific destination for today, but do want to be in Southport by tomorrow afternoon.

We walked until around 10, and Patsy arrived with the cart and gear. Along with that she brought drinks, crackers, homemade soup, and the fixings for bar-b-ques. Plus, all the utensils I needed. That woman is now an official member of the walkingman support team! Where has she been the past 4 months? We said our goodbyes, they left to go back to the condo, and I walked across the street to find a place to use the computer for a few minutes. There was a Day's Inn nearby, so I asked to use their facilities for a while, and they agreed to that. I did some Google map stuff, shut the computer down, packed everything up, and headed out. About that time I received a call from Jason Voelpol, Director of Marketing for Emerald Isle Realty. Jason had heard about the walk ending there, and offered some assistance if we needed.

I was excited about that offer, so doing double time toward the NC line. After a couple of miles, I noticed something didn't look exactly right......what's the sun doing already in the western sky this early in the day? Unfortunately, I had just walked about 2 miles in the wrong direction! So, headed back the other way hoping I didn't pass Jack and Patsy along the way. The day was warming and I soon recovered the lost miles and before long saw a sign for Calabash, NC. I turned off of Hwy 17 onto Hwy 179 which goes through the town of Calabash. Soon after turning onto 179, I saw the sign for North Carolina, the 10th and last state of the walk. Calabash is famous for its seafood, and has a style of cooking it (fried of course, this is the South) that is famous throughout the Carolina's.

I was ready for something to eat, but not in the mood for seafood. Spotted the Calabash Creamery, an ice cream place, so decided to stop there. Had a 2 scoop cup......white cherry, and "Better than Almond Joy". Told the women behind the counter to surprise me as to which she put on top. I told the woman about the walk, and she told another worker in the store, and before long the 3 of us were talking about walking and ice cream, and all sorts of stuff. They introduced themselves as Sheila Barringer and Lib Wicker. Sheila and I had something in common.....she has lived and worked in Gastonia. It was soon time to go, so I started back down Hwy 179. This is a good walking road, much less traffic than Hwy 17, plus a nice shoulder for walking. There are golf courses along almost the entire 6 or so miles I walked.......all of them lined with tall pines.

A car passed me, and turned around and pulled alongside. The woman inside rolled down her window, handed me a sandwich, bottle of water, and a little money. I thanked her, and her only comment was: "I would never have peace in my heart if I didn't help you", and then she drove away. I stopped at a convenience store to ask directions. Today has felt a little dysfunctional for some reason, guess because I walked 4 miles more than I should have. The town of Shallotte is about half way to Southport, so I'd like to get there today. It's getting late and I still have about 6 more miles to go.......some of it on hwy 17. By the time I got to Shallotte, it was almost dark. I spotted an Econolodge motel nearby, and stopped there for the evening. Tomorrow I walk to Southport and will spend the night with my cousin and her family. On Friday I'll walk to Carolina Beach and spend a day or 2 with my brother. Then next week walk the final 90 or so miles to Emerald Isle.

About the pictures:
Sheila and Lib, Calabash Creamery;
"In my mind I'm going to Carolina"......;
George Washington slept here.....a historical marker south of Shalotte.

Day 135 - With The Bradshaws in N. Myrtle Beach, SC

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Am I the only one who watched all of the college football championship game until the last 10 minutes, and then fell asleep? I slept well last evening, and was up ready to go when the wake up call came at 6. Went downstairs for breakfast, read the paper, bathed, packed, and ready to leave around 8. Every thing is dry, and I wrapped the gear with a tarp to try to keep it that way. The morning was cold, around 30-32, but no precipitation. My goal today is to get to Jack and Patsy Bradshaw's condo in N. Myrtle Beach.......about 26-28 miles north.

The Grand Strand, as this area is called, consists of several small towns, Myrtle Beach being the largest. I walked through Garden City, then Surfside, and soon was in Myrtle Beach. I'm seeing lots of small boats with camouflage netting.....I assume these are duck hunters heading to one of the marshy areas around here. I also see lots of the Live Oak trees in this area. As I get to Myrtle beach I change roads from Hwy 17 Business to Ocean Blvd which runs through downtown Myrtle Beach. Almost all of the traffic stays on 17, so I have a nice several mile walk, with bike lane, and no traffic. 100 yds or so to my right is the Atlantic Ocean, but I didn't go there......saving that for next week. The surf is rough, and the only people I see are a few scattered walkers on the beach. Very much unlike several months ago when I was standing on the beach at Dana Point, CA.

Ocean Blvd is mostly deserted, and many of the businesses along the strip are still closed for winter. I passed the large, wooden, roller coaster that has been here for as long as I can remember. Jack calls and said they are on the way to find me and discuss plans for today. They soon pulled up, and it was nice seeing them again. Jack and I grew up together, and haven't seen each other for many years. We decided they would go back home, and meet me when I got closer to N. Myrtle Beach. Jack wants to walk a while, and wants the weather to warm up a little first. They left and I continued downtown. I saw the Bowery, a famous landmark which is where the C&W group Alabama launched their career. I also passed a vacant lot where the famous Pavilion and also the small amusement area, once stood.

As oft happens, some bright, well intending soul, got an idea to do away with both landmarks for bigger and grander things. But what they did was take away the heart and soul of Myrtle Beach. I remember riding down the Pacific Coast Highway in CA several months ago and seeing those small towns that still look the way I remembered them on TV many years ago. Myrtle Beach could have done the same thing. As the day warmed, ice was melting and falling off the ledges of the tall hotels in downtown. I had a phone call from Ed Bixler, a friend from Wachovia who helped plan the trip across CA, and also a call from Bobby Taylor.......I met him and his wife at the Visitor's Center in Vicksburg, MS. Just checking to make sure I was ok in this cold weather. I also had a call from a reporter at TV station WMBF in Myrtle Beach. They wanted to come out and interview me about the walk. And they did, and it was on the local news here today, and I think there is a link to the interview and I'll put it on the blog soon.

About 315, I met Jack along Hwy 17. There were still about 8 miles to go, and he would walk that with me. Because of the heavy traffic, and lack of shoulders on the road, we decided to load the cart in their car, and walk without it......good decision. The final 8 miles turned out to be more like 10, but we finally reached their house around 630. (I think Jack has potential to be a walkingman!) Patsy had hot, homemade, vegetable soup ready, and bar-b-ques made with R.O's sauce (you have to be from Gastonia to understand that.) We ate, talked, watched a little TV, and I washed a few clothes. Soon it was time to work on the blog, and soon after that, lights out. It's been a long day, about 28 or so miles, but a good day to be a walkingman. Tomorrow I'll cross into the last state on the journey, North Carolina.

FYI: Several times a year, N. Myrtle Beach (formerly Ocean Drive), hosts an event called S.O.S. It's a gathering devoted to a dance called the shag. A unique event, and happening here this weekend. But the walkingman has to keep moving in order to catch that stagecoach in Emerald Isle next weekend. But you can read about S.O.S here.

About the pictures:
Jack and Patsy Bradshaw, and Ginger........good friends and hosts;
The Bowery, launching pad for C&W group, Alabama;
I know that's salt water I'm smelling.

Day 134 - Garden City, SC

Monday, January 10, 2011

After the ballgame last evening I walked to the lobby to try the wi-fi from there. It was better, but still not as good as most I've used. But, I was able to post on the blog, although loading pictures took forever. Back to the room for a little more TV, and then lights out. I slept well, and was ready to get out of bed when the wake up call came this morning. Peeked outside, and a light dusting of snow/sleet was on the hoods of the cars. I haven't paid much attention to the weather because I have to walk whatever it is. I want to get to Emerald Isle by Jan 22, and would rather get the miles early on, and not get in a crunch near the end. So the goal today is just put some miles behind me on the way to Myrtle Beach......35 miles North. I can't get there today, but should easily by tomorrow.

I headed out and almost immediately passed the Antipedo Baptist Cemetery, circa 1729. There are two bridges to cross going north out of Georgetown on Hwy 17. A combination of snow/sleet was falling, and the wind picked up as I crossed the bridges. Very cold, but became more tolerable once I was off the bridges and protected by the rows of tall pines. Hwy 17 is 4 lane, with a reasonable shoulder for walking, and traffic was light because of the weather. Cars were keeping the lanes pretty clean, but the slush they spray was building up on the shoulder making pushing the cart more difficult. As the snow continued, I started hearing emergency vehicles coming up behind me. Cars were sliding on the slick surface and I saw a couple of them in a ditch. Glad I wasn't there when they started sliding.

Most of the morning was the same.......cold, and a mixture of snow and sleet. Around lunch time I reached Pawley's Island, and stopped in McDonald's for lunch and to get warm. My gloves were soaked, as well as the shoes and socks. I just sent home a nice pair of waterproof gloves when the family visited......not sure why. After lunch I stopped at a store to ask what was ahead. Not much for the next 8-10 miles. I could stay here, or if I continued, would need to go as far as Garden City to find a place to stay for the evening. I left Pawley's Island around 130 going to Garden City. The winter mix was now almost all rain.....and it poured all afternoon. Traffic on Hwy 17 was increasing, making the walk dangerous and uncomfortable. I eventually reached Murrell's Inlet, and was able to switch to Business 17, with little traffic. Plus, it has a 4 mile bicycle lane which allowed me to keep off the road.

During the afternoon I received a call from Mike Killebrew, Dana Point, CA. He was just checking to see how I was doing. I think the weather out there was clear and about 70! Good to hear from Mike. I also had a call from Mac McConnell, a former co-worker from many years back. There were many places to eat in Murrell's Inlet, but not many places to stay. After a long, cold, and wet day of walking, I spotted a Holiday Inn Express on the outskirts of Garden City. I've never been so happy to get in a room and out of the wet clothes. There was a K&W Cafeteria about a block away, and I walked there for dinner. Then back to the room to watch a little football. Jack Bradshaw, from Gastonia, called late afternoon....he and his wife Patsy are in North Myrtle Beach, and invited me to stay with them tomorrow night. Also, weather permitting, Jack wants to walk some tomorrow, so is going to meet me on the road.

About the pictures:
Mother Nature is making these last days a challenge;
Georgetown Harbor;
I've picked enough blackberries to not want to hunt in Chiggergrove.