Day 20 - Meridian To Montgomery

 

 

Today was another short day mileage wise, but I was able to find many of the people I met along the walk. I didn't leave the motel until after 9, so only covered around 155 miles total. My first stop was at a convenience store to see Susan Williams and her daughter Shannon whom I met on day 103 of the walk. Unfortunately they weren't working, so not a good start for the day.

I soon was in Alabama, and the next stop was in Demopolis at the Foscue House Restaurant where I ate lunch on day 105 of the walk. I arrived a little before opening time, but was still able to talk a few minutes with the owners, Rick and Tracy Adams. They seemed to be doing well 2 years later, I left some Virginia apple butter behind, and headed east.

Finding Betty and William Eatmon was not as easy. I met on them on hwy80, east of Demopolis, on day 106 of the walk. Betty had passed by me, turned around and came back, and gave me all the money she had at the time.....$2. She then called William and told him to bring me some coffee.....and he did. Not knowing where they lived, I checked a local phone directory and found only 1 Eatmon......Lucy. Luckily it was their daughter and she gave me their number.

I called, talked to Betty and she sent her son to meet me. But, I had already passed their house, so it took a while for us to find one another. We finally did, and I followed to their house. We had a nice visit, I took a few pictures, and left behind apple butter. I headed east and passed through a small community named Uniontown.

I called Jerome Williams, and luckily he was at home. (He travels much of the time.) I soon found his place, and we had a good time talking about the walk and stuff going on in his life. Jerome (pronounced Jeremy) is a jack-of-all-trade....he's a crop dusting pilot, has catfish ponds, mechanic, refurbishes those FEMA trailers and transports all over the US, etc. Since I was last there, he's earned his helicopter certification, and dug 4 new catfish ponds. I asked about piloting a crop dusting plane, and he said "you need to have a little crazy inside to do that".....I can understand. I could talk to Jerome for days, but no time for that.....have to keep moving.

My next stop was the Hampton Inn in Selma, where I spent the night on day 107 of the walk. On that cold, rainy night, Rufus Ford, General Manager, had invited me to stay at the motel instead of sleeping in the tent.  He wasn't working today, but the woman who was working called him, he was nearby, and soon was at the motel with his wife and daughter.  We had a nice visit, and he was even wearing a walkingman t-shirt.

Rufus told me this story: inspired by my walk, he decided to walk every street in Selma while carrying a large American flag. Although some who knew him thought he was losing it, the walk was well received by people of all ages. He told how it helped him and others view each other in a more positive way, and said the young people were especially receptive to his walk....some even joined him. He's a nice guy who's trying to have a positive influence on his community.

My final visit for the day was with Betty and Ken Schroeder. Betty had passed me on the road during the walk, and being a little bit curious, sent Ken out to find me and see what I was doing. We've talked occasionally since then, and I told them I was going to be in the area and wanted to visit. I tried calling them several times earlier today, but no answer. I found their house, and was sitting in their driveway writing a note when they drove up. They'd been in town running a few errands.

We had a nice visit. Both are from this area, and Betty was born not 2 miles from their current home. They own a farm which is leased out, this year for growing cotton. Ken drove me out to the farm to look around. There's a small house used by friends and family when they're hunting or just want to get together. Deer were constantly running across the road in front of us. We drove back to the house, visited a while longer, took a few pictures, and I had to get on the road. I know this won't be the last time I see Betty and Ken.

It was dark when I finally reached Montgomery, and I somehow became disoriented and lost Hwy80. Finally stopped at a Verizon place, asked directions, and found a motel nearby. I stopped for something to eat, and was settled in and comfortable by the time the Cowboys / Redskins game started. My supply of both sodas and apple butter is getting low, so this trip has to end sometime soon. Today was a good day, and the weather was much improved. Most likely I'll be somewhere in Georgia this time tomorrow.

Pictures:
- The wooded area on the left is where I camped on day 103 of the walk. A small truck stop is in the background, and the interstate is directly behind where I was standing to take the picture;
- Rick & Tracy Adams, owners of the Foscue House restaurant in Demopolis;
- William Eatmon & Lovell Zanders....wife Betty was attending to a grandchild at the time;
- Jerome Williams, crop duster, etc. Notice parts of 4 catfish ponds in the background;
- Rufus Ford. wife Latanga, and daughter Fatima;
- Downtown Selma, with the Edmund Pettus bridge in the background;
- Ken Schroeder at the farm;
- Ken and Betty Schroeder.

Note: click on the pictures and they'll get larger.

Day 19 - Delhi To Meridian

 

I did lots of visiting yesterday, but not much traveling. If I'm ever going to get back to VA, gonna have to work in a little more traveling. But, I'm not sure it really matters. This morning was a better day than yesterday.....sunny, but still cold. It didn't take long to drive the remaining miles in Louisiana, passing through places with names such as Talluah, Thomastown, and Mound. This stretch of road passes by farm land so flat that water just stands until it either soaks in the ground or evaporates.....no where for it to drain. And, no where to put a tent should there be a need. I stopped in Delta to take a few pictures, and then crossed the I-20 bridge into Vicksburg, MS. On the way to I-20 I passed a roadside marker for "Grant's Canal", an important landmark in the Civil War.

 

(Two of the most dangerous roads (for walking) I encountered crossing the country are in and around Vicksburg......crossing the bridge over the Mississippi, and the road between Vicksburg and Edwards. Neither has little if any shoulder, so I just had to hope traffic was light. The road to Edwards is very rolling, so cars are coming over hills and don't see a pedestrian until sometimes very close.)

 



I'm sure there are lots of nice visitor centers around the country, but this has to be one of the best. And much of the reason I think is because of the location of the city and the history of the area. It was windy and cold there, and I took a few pictures and drove on through the downtown area. Lots of history there, as well as much restoration. This is the second time I've been through this area (the first was on the walk), and I still want to come back and spend more time. I looked around a while, took some pictures, and finally found my way out of town.

 

My next stop was at a convenience store in Brandon, MS. On day 99 of the walk, I stopped here for a bite to eat, and at the same time decided to shed some clothes because it was a warm day. I put them on the seat beside me, finished eating, and walked out leaving them behind. After walking a mile or so, a car pulls up, the driver hands me a bag, and inside were the clothes. She could just as easily thrown them in the trash. The kind woman, Dedri Brown, still works at the store, but was not on duty at the time. The woman who was working called Dedri, and I talked to her. She was surprised to hear from me, remembered the incident, and we had a nice conversation. I left a t-shirt and some apple butter to thank her, and then headed east.

 

My next stop was in Pelahatchie. Also on day 99 of the walk, I arrived in town late in the afternoon with no prospects of a good camp site.....and, it was cold that evening. A local man, Joe Wilkerson, offered to let me stay in an old bus on his property. I was relived to find a place and accepted the offer. Although sleeping in the bus seemed much colder than in a tent, I still appreciated his offer and wanted to thank him today. I found his place, but the bus was missing. He told me he'd with no luck trying to sell it, finally sold it to a junk dealer for more than he'd asked as non-junk. Joe's had some health problems since I last saw him, but said it was improving. I left him some apple butter, and moved on eastward.

 

I next stopped in Newton to visit Andy and Dottie Armstrong. On day 101 of the walk I spent the night in their guest house. They weren't home today, so I tried calling his cell, but no answer. A neighbor told me he thought they were traveling out west, so I left apple butter and a t-shirt with the neighbor and headed to Hickory to find Bobby and Edna Warren, and their daughter Shirley. On day 102 of the walk they helped me in several ways. I drove to Bobby and Edna's house, and Shirley came over. We had a nice visit, they are all doing well, and I left behind apple butter as thanks from Virginia.

 

While at the Warren's, Andy Armstrong returned my call. They were in Meridian for a movie and since I was headed that way, we decided to meet for dinner. We met downtown, and went to Weidmann's Restaurant, a local place which has been in business since 1870. If you ever eat there you;ll understand why they've lasted so long.....great food, great atmosphere, great service. Plus, being with Andy and Dottie added great company. We had a nice visit, and they offered their guest house for the night. I appreciated the offer, but decided to stay in Meridian. They helped me find a nearby Hampton Inn, and headed back to Newton. I settled in for the evening.

 

Today was a better travel day than yesterday, and tomorrow I'll be in Alabama for more sightseeing and visiting.

 

Pictures:

Delta, MS;

Marker near the Vicksburg Visitor Center;

Bridges over the Mississippi.....the one on the left is for cars and trucks, the one on the right for trains;

Downtown Vicksburg;

The corner of Washington and Veto....makes sense;

Front of Andy and Dottie Armstrong's house. I can assure you the rest is just as colorful.....Dottie is an artist;

Andy and Dottie in front of Weidmann's.

Day 18 - A cold, rainy, day in LA

 

My expectations for today weren't very high. It was rainy and cold, I still was a little under the weather, and thought some people might be away for the holiday weekend. But with all that, I still have to be moving east or I'll never get home. If it doesn't stop raining there's going to be a lot of disappointed football fans around here. Leaving Bossier City I stopped and took a few pictures of the Harrah's casino and race track.....it's a big facility on the outskirts of town. Then headed east on Hwy80. Along the way I called Jim Peters from W. Monroe, and invited him to lunch. He was free, so we agreed to meet at a place on Hwy80.

 

My first stop was in Minden and I wanted to find Bobby Taylor. I met him and his wife Johnette at the Vicksburg Visitor Center during my walk. We've kept in touch since then, and I knew they lived near hwy80. I stopped for gas, and borrowed a local phone directory to look for a number and address. Found it, called and Johnette answered. Bobby was working, but she invited me to stop by. On the way to the house I passed the Minden Culture Farm, and took a few pictures. I found the house, we visited for a while, I took a few pictures, and left a jar of apple butter. She called Bobby who was in Vicksburg, and he decided to meet Jim and me for lunch in W. Monroe.

 

After leaving Minden, I passed through Arcadia, took a wrong turn, and spent about 10 minutes finding the right route. Then on to Gibsland. I remembered walking through this place.....it was Thanksgiving Day, 2010, cold and rainy, and I was sick. I stopped at a laundromat to wash clothes, get a bite to eat before walking on.....a really miserable day 2 years ago. Today's weather is much the same, except I'm in a car and warm. Gibsland has a lot of Bonnie and Clyde history, and has 2 museums devoted to them. The sign on one of them says it's the "official" museum.

 

I next stopped in Simsboro at the home of Angela and Charlie Meeds. On November 26 during the walk, I stopped at their house and asked permission to put up the tent in their yard. It was getting dark, and I had about run out of options. They agreed, so I spent the night there.  Angela was a little skeptical of having an old man in a tent sleeping in her yard, but Charlie convinced her it was ok. Of course they were surprised to see me back, and we had a good laugh about when I walked through Simsboro. Their daughter was home from school (I didn't meet her because she was sick) but I found out she has a beautiful paint horse and competes in barrel races locally. I took some pictures, left behind some apple butter, and started to leave. Angela asked about the reason for this trip and I replied: "I wanted to show people I was just a normal guy". Charlie's response to that, "well, in some ways". Guess he has a point there.

 

I was running late for lunch, so no more stops until W. Monroe. We were meeting at a place named Cheniere Shack, right on hwy80. Bobby and Jim were already there, and we had a great lunch and did lots of talking. Jim is an adventurer himself, with many trips to Alaska. This place has so much atmosphere, and I don't remember seeing it during the walk......must not have been open at the time I passed. Catfish is the meal here in LA, and it didn't disappoint. After the meal we talked to the owner about some pictures on the wall. He has a picture of Muhammad Ali (autographed) with the Beatles. We stayed there several hours, and I left them with apple butter and a promise to keep in touch. A nice visit.

 

My final stop was in Rayville to visit some people at the "Center for Children and Families". Unfortunately, they are away for the holiday, so didn't get to see them. I did meet two people at the Richland Parish Sheriff's Department.....Owen Rockett and Lucille Walker, investigators. We talked for a while, and Lucille invited me to dinner with them, but I'd just finished lunch, and had to move on. It was nice meeting them.

 

I finally found a Best Western in Delhi, and decided to stop for the evening. I only covered 135 or so miles today, not a lot. The odometer in the car rolled over 5,000 for the trip....with probably 1,000 or more to go. It was a really nice day seeing these people, and I'll get home sometime. Many of the places I've driven through I recognize immediately......one doesn't miss much walking at 3mph. Tomorrow I continue east into Mississippi.

 

Pictures:

Harrah's racetrack and casino;

One of the animals residing on the culture farm in Minden;

Johnette Taylor and grandchildren Tyler and Cameron. I did my best to get a good picture of them, but kids this age.....well at least you can see their faces if not their eyes;

Bonnie and Clyde Museum in Gibsland;

Angela and Charlie Meeds, Simsboro, LA;

Bobby Taylor and Jim Peters at Cheniere Shack.

 

Day 17 - On The Road Again

 

 

I'm a day late leaving Fairview, having planned to be on the road yesterday. But, seems I came down with a cold and didn't feel very well, so decided to rest 1 more day before starting east for the final leg of the trip. About once a year, usually around this time, I seem to get sick for a few days. Anyhow, not feeling the best, and thinking many people would be off work this week and I wouldn't find them, my attitude wasn't the best when I left Julie's.

 

It took about 30 minutes to get out of the Dallas area and on Hwy80 heading east. I'll follow it to Macon, GA, and then start working northeast. I was still west of Elmo when I found a place I camped during the walk. It was on day 79 of the walk, and I stayed near the trailer of a guy named Eric. He happened to be having "woman" problems that particular night, and we talked a lot about that. I found him today working on a truck in a garage nearby, and we talked a while about the walk. The woman still hasn't come back, but Eric seemed ok with that. I took a few pictures, left him with some apple butter from VA, and headed out.

 

I stopped in Wills Point to find Aerial Roark. On day 80 of the walk she brought me a great chicken salad sandwich. I found her today at Charley's Burgers, which she manages. Since it was near lunchtime, I ordered a chicken salad sandwich to take with me. I paid this time, and left behind some apple butter to thank her for her kindness during the walk.

 

My next stop was in Fruitvale at Means Feed & Grocery. I had stopped there during the walk and met some people, so wanted to look them up. I only found 1, Louise Means, co-owner of the store. We talked a while, took a few pictures, and I left behind apple butter as I headed east. Along the way I had a call from a woman where I camped on day 53 of the walk. It was the place where the horses wouldn't leave me alone, and I finally had to pack up the tent and move on. When I came by her house this time she and her husband weren't home, so I left a jar of apple butter hanging on the fence gate, and she called to thank me.

 

My next stop was Grand Saline looking for Veta Weaver, editor of the Grand Saline Sun newspaper. Veta has retired, but I met several other people at the paper.....Rusty, Wendi, and Ann. Wendy gave me a copy of the original article, and decided to do a follow-up article about my trip retracing the route of the walk. We talked a while, they told me some about Grand Saline, and I left them with some apple butter from VA.

 

I stopped in Big Sandy long enough to take a couple of pictures, and then headed for the final stop of the day......Texas Awning in Longview. The owner, Guy Gaither, was on vacation, but Joe and Lynn Paddie were there. I spent the night on day 83 at Texas Awning, sleeping on a cot in one of the offices. They brought me food and made it very comfortable for a walkingman. I left behind some apple butter as thanks, took a few pictures, and headed east.

 

It wasn't long until I was leaving Texas and entering Louisiana. And not long after that trying to find my way through downtown Shreveport. Somehow I took a wrong turn, and drove around a while until I could find Hwy80 (Texas Ave) and get out of town. Finally crossed the Red River into Bossier City, found a motel room (which wasn't easy because of football game in town this weekend), and settled down for the night. I've decided driving is about as tiring as walking, and much more stressful.

 

Pictures:

Eric from Elmo;

Aerial Roark, manager of Charley's Cafe, Wills Point, TX;

Louise Means, Fruitvale, TX;

Ann and Wendi, Grand Saline Sun newspaper;

Camp site, day 82, Big Sandy, TX;

Lynn and Joe Paddie, Longview, TX;

Texas Ave, Shreveport, LA

Day 16 - Back In Fairview for a few days of rest

 

 

Today was about visiting people I met along the walk, and just getting back to Julie's house for Christmas. One thing I've noticed is, just as my life has changed since the walk, so has some of the people I met  along the way. There's not a lot to see, at least in a car, along 180 between Anson and Albany. But Albany is one of the nicer towns I passed through during the walk. It has a nice downtown, and many of the buildings look original and still neat and well maintained. The courthouse square is one of the nicest, and the whole area is clean and well maintained. There's a "Flying A Car Museum on Main Street, and although it was closed I could see through the window it had lots of nice displays.

 

I stopped at an auto supply store and bought some tire foam.....I washed the car yesterday, and the tires look bad and I wanted them to shine. I applied it in the store parking lot and waited a few minutes for it to dry. Next I drove to the Dairy Queen to try to find Joe Dillingham, a interesting guy I talked to on the walk. Finding it closed, I stopped at another place and inquired where I might find him. Most everyone in town knows Joe.....it's a small town and Joe is unique. I was told where he lived, but the woman didn't think he was there any longer. I drove over there, talked to a neighbor, and learned Joe was now living in an assisted living home in Clovis, NM. I hated that. was really looking forward to visiting with him.

 

I had talked to both Kim Lawler and Wes Adams about stopping to visit with them, and both were going to be home. Kim and her family are now living in Weatherford, TX, having moved recently from Milsap. We met at a local restaurant, talked for a while, and then drove to her house. Kim's daughter Olivia has 12 or 13 chickens that lay eggs most every day, and Olivia sells them to neighbors and friends. We talked for a while, I had to get on my way, so headed out to find Wes Adams in Arlington.

 

Finally found Wes and we arranged to have dinner at a place in Ft Worth named "Dixie House Diner". Wes has a talent at finding these great, local places to eat, and this was another one. Wes is a motorcycle rider, and is thinking about coming east to ride the Blue Ridge Parkway and several other scenic roads. I invited him to come by the house if he needs a place to stay when in the area. The diner was getting ready to close, so with directions from Wes, I drove the 50 or so miles to Julie's house in Fairview. My other daughter Susan and her family had arrived, so everyone is getting ready for Christmas.

 

It seems this driving is almost as tiring as walking. I'll be off-line for a few days to rest and enjoy the family. On Wednesday after Christmas I'll head out through the states east of Texas where I walked. Hopefully I'll be able to visit others I met. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas, and a happy, healthy, and prosperous, 2013.

 

Pictures:

A restored Sinclair service station in Albany. My Dad ran one that looked a lot like this one, and that was one of my first jobs;

The Albany courthouse square;

A unique house in Albany;

Kim Lawler and daughter Olivia;

Wes Adams, Arlington, Tx.

Day 15 - Back in Texas

 

It was almost 11 before I checked out of the motel this morning. I washed clothes, and worked on trying to make sense of the mess in the car. After 2 weeks on the road, there's not much order in the luggage area. I finally made it better, and headed east into Texas. West Texas along the Hwy180 route is pretty empty........several small towns spaced 20-30 or so miles apart, and not much in between. It's primarily farm country, including lots of cotton, peanuts, and cattle. There are a few oil wells here and there, but not like eastern New Mexico. I passed through Seminole without stopping, and spotted a car wash in Lamesa (that's LaMEsa, not LaMAsa, I was told several times), so stopped there and got the $5 "basic" job. Considering the price, it turned out pretty well.

 

 

Between Lamesa and Snyder, I passed through a small community named Gail. During the walk I stopped and rested here, and met an interesting guy named Ross Sharpe. He's lived here most of his life, and is the county judge. I asked a local if he knew Ross and where I might find him. "Try the courthouse", was the reply, so I walked across the street and went inside. Ross was out of the office on some errands, but I met his wife who also works there. Told her who I was, we talked a while, and I headed out for more driving.

 

Time changed when I got into Texas, so I stopped in Snyder for lunch. I remembered a place named Skeets that someone recommended, so I asked directions and headed there. The last time I was in Snyder I met a couple of nice people in Skeets, so after eating, showed some of the staff a picture of John and Shirley Fuller (day 64 of the walk). One woman recognized them, and told me about where they lived.....just down the street. I drove down there, and the first house I stopped at was theirs. They were certainly surprised to see me back, and we talked an hour or so about various things. It was getting late, so I left some Virginia apple butter with them, and started east looking for a place to stay for the night.

 

By the time I reached Anson it had been dark for a while. I stopped at the motel where I stayed during the walk. Before long was checked in and relaxing. I didn't cover a lot of miles today, but still had a pretty good day. There's not a lot to see in west Texas, but it's a nice place to walk. I've covered 4,000+ miles so far, and expect about 1500 or so more to go. There's still several hundred miles to Julie's, and I want to visit several people before I get there. Depending on how that goes I should be there either late tomorrow or early Sunday. I'll stay there until Wednesday, then start the trip east along the walking route.

 

 

Pictures:

Leaving Hobbs, NM

Typical west Texas countryside;

Modern windmills....they emit an eerie sound as they slowly turn in the wind;

Sign from the motel.....says it all. 

Day 14 - One real cowboy, one wannabe

 

It was cold this morning in Artesia when I loaded the car to head east. But, no wind, so that made it tolerable. I tried to straighten up the inside of the car a little.....it's a mess after almost 2 weeks on the road. It's also pretty nasty on the outside, so I decided to clean it up a little, and found a car wash right off the main street. The place was closed.....too cold to wash cars this morning, but the owner said it would be opening soon. I drove around town a while, looking around, and found the high school football stadium. The "Bulldog Bowl" was featured in an early 90's issue of National Geographic. It was one of the first really modern high school stadiums, containing many of the features only found in college or professional stadiums. At the time there was lots of controversy around spending so much for HS football, but Artesia is proud of its team. And based on all the oil wells surrounding the town, the town probably has lots of money.

 

I took a few pictures, and drove back to the car wash.....still closed. Finally decided the car could wait until later and headed out of town. There are hundreds, maybe even thousands, of oil wells east of Artesia. I asked a guy how far apart they have to be and he said 10 acres. My first stop today will be in Loco Hills, at Kelly's Cafe. During the walk I stopped in there for lunch and met Kressy Carlile, and her husband Jodie. Kressy works there and picked up the tab for my lunch, and Jodie and I sat around and talked for a while. The last thing he told me was, "I have 2 good horses, and if you'll come back out this way we'll go for a ride". You can imagine his surprise when I walked in and asked for him. But, he quickly recovered and said sure, after he finished breakfast.

 

We talked for a while catching up on the past 2 or so years, he finished breakfast, and we headed out to his place in Maljamar. One of the horses was not currently in riding condition, so we had to share "Snickers" a 20+ year old quarter horse that seemed to know what to do before the rider gave instructions. Jodie has used him for years herding cattle, and Snickers responds to the gentlest touch from the reins or pressure from the riders leg. He hadn't been ridden for a while, so Jodie warmed him up, then I got on and headed out to the field behind the house. Although I grew up on a small farm in NC, and was always around horses, ponies, and mules, my skills were rusty, and I'm sure Snickers was pretty frustrated with my confusing signals.....but he was patient with me. I rode a while, didn't fall off or hurt either one of us, and came back to the stable.

 

Jodie took off the saddle, turned him loose, and we spent some time looking over his house. He started with a small one, and is slowly turning it into a bigger, more modern one.....doing most all of the work himself. We headed back to the cafe, ate lunch, and sat around and talked a while. The next time I'll call ahead so both horses will be available. Then, we're going for a long ride......he mentioned from NM to Idaho. (Sounds easier than walking.) We said our goodbyes, and I headed out, leaving behind some apple butter and t-shirts. Next stop is Hobbs, about 40 or so miles away. I'll stay there tonight and work on a plan for the next few days.

 

On the ride to Hobbs I thought about Jodie and Kressy and lots of others who live out here. Many farm, or have cattle ranches, or work in the oil fields. All physically demanding, but honest and rewarding ways to earn a living. They have to battle nature, ever changing government regulations, and fluctuating prices for the crops or cattle they raise. Sometimes, during a bad crop year or low beef prices, they work additional jobs in order to keep their farm going. For many of them the only wealth they'll have is the rocky, sandy soil, which to an easterner, appears to not have much value. But they seem to love the life and the independence and freedom it gives them. In many ways I admire and am a little envious of what they have.

 

Before finding a place to stay, I stopped in at a local State Farm agency to visit a couple of people who helped me during the walk. Neither still worked there, both having left on maternity leaves. But, a couple of the people still there had knowledge of the walk, so we sat around and talked a while. It was dark, so I found a motel close by, and checked in. Tomorrow I'll be in Texas, inching closer to Christmas with the family. But, there's still some places and people to visit along the way.

 

Pictures:

Bulldog Stadium, Artesia, NM;

Jodie and Kressy Carlile;

Jodie and the walkingman;

Jodie warming up Snickers;

A real cowboy where he's most comfortable;

A cowboy wannabe.

 

 

Day 13 -Wind Storm in New Mexico

 

When I went out to load the car this morning, I was in for a shock. The wind was howling and blowing sand everywhere. besides that it was cold. I'd decided to search a while longer for Ivan Thompson, so headed out west of Deming to where I met him on the walk. He'd told me that he worked on a horse ranch "over yonder", and out here that could be 30 miles away. I asked around to everyone I could find, and no one had heard of him. They told me most of the large horse ranches were closer to the Mexican border, and I wasn't going back down there. So I headed for Las Cruces on I-10.

 

 

During my walk, a man told me when the wind is blowing hard in the morning out here it's probably going to be a bad day....and it was. There's nothing to break the wind, so the sand blows into huge clouds, at times almost obstructing the view. The horizon and mountains were completely hidden because of the dust and sand. I reached Las Cruces, and changed from I-10 to Hwy 70E to Organ and that area. I crossed the Rio Grande and noticed it was completely dry here. I passed through Las Cruces and made the short drive to Organ. I spent one night here during the walk, and wanted to visit the owner of the RV park, Weston Lee. Weston let me use an empty trailer on a cold night during the walk.

 

We had a nice visit and I left behind a t-shirt and a jar of apple butter. I then headed to White Sands to tour the park. The wind was blowing even harder when I turned into the park. It's about an 8 mile drive in the park, and by the time I was ready to come out the roads were almost completely covered with sand, and finding the road was not easy. It was impossible to get out and walk any of the trails. I only took one picture while protected from the wind by the car, and then got out of there. Lesson learned: never visit sand dunes during a wind storm. I headed to Alamogordo, 13 or so miles away. I remember making this walk and arriving after dark, in a car it's 15 to 20 minutes at most.

 

 

Sonya Stovall works at a State Farm agency in Alamogordo on Hwy 70. When I walked across the country, she and her husband Mickey volunteered to carry my cart and supplies the 16 miles from Alamogordo to Cloudcroft. It's all uphill, with a winding and narrow road and a tunnel. They met me at the top later in the day, saving me the effort and reducing the risk. I wanted to say hello and thank them again for their help. We had a nice visit, I took a few pictures, and left here with apple butter from Virginia. The wind was blowing harder than ever when I headed out toward Cloudcroft. I heard on the radio it might reach 60mph today. As I neared Cloudcroft the temperature had dropped from the mid 50's to 29, and there was snow on the ground. The roads were clear, but the ski slopes appeared to have plenty of snow.

 

I didn't bring lots of cold weather clothes, so didn't linger outside too long before driving on east. Between Cloudcroft and Artesia, I visited (or tried to locate) several people I met on the walk. Couldn't find Joe Ben Sanders, he's moved away; Tom Runyon's roadside store must be closed during the winter; Ralph Baker the highway patrolman, and his wife Faye, weren't at home; found the Kia family and visited with them.....so some luck. I ended the day in Artesia, and decided to spend the night here. It's a nice, small, town, and even has a movie theatre downtown. Tomorrow, depending on how much success I have in finding people, I'll either still be in NM, or moved on to Texas. Hopefully the wind will ease up tonight.

 

Pictures:

Weston Lee, owner of the Patti Ann RV Park in Organ, NM;

Sand dunes in White Sands national park;

Sonya Stovall, State Farm good neighbor;

A canyon on the road to Cloudcroft;

Oil refining plant in Artesia;

"Land of the Sun" movie theatre in downtown Artesia.

Day 12 - Searching for Ivan Thompson

I was late getting started this morning because of updating the blog, but finally rolled out of the motel parking lot around 930. My expectations aren't high concerning seeing people I met on the walk. For whatever reason, it seems I met fewer in AZ than any other state. I took I-10 to east of Phoenix, then switched to Hwy60, which is part of the walk. Superstition Mountain rises east of Mesa, and has lots of history, plus is a popular recreation area. The Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine is supposed to be located in these mountains.

One person I did want to visit was Dianna, manager of the Arizonian RV park in Apache Junction. During the walk(day 29), Dianna allowed me to camp in the park, and use the laundry and other facilities. Her trailer was no longer where I remembered, so I asked around and finally found her in the park office. Introduced myself, she remembered me, so we had a nice talk about the walk and what's been happening in our lives since we first met. I asked her to sign the blog book, left behind a jar of Ann's Apple Butter as a token of my appreciation for her kindness. Dianna had to get back to work, and I had to get started east, so we said our goodbyes, and I headed out.

About 10 miles west of Superior, AZ, I spotted two bikers resting alongside the road. I stopped and walked back to learn more about them. They introduced themselves as Hans & Francine van Schyndel, from the Netherlands. They are cycling across the US, west to east, from Oregon to Miami. They both retired at age 50, and have been cycling all over the world since then.....11 years. Hans told me they had cycled the equivalent of 2 times around the globe. Of course I told them about my walk, and we compared the differences between cycling and walking. They average around 40-50 miles a day, although they could do more if needed. They normally sleep in tents, but occasionally will sleep in a motel or private home. They were very complimentary of Americans, and said most were kind and generous.

They don't blog, but keep lots of notes about their journey. Hans said S. Africa was one of their favorite places to cycle. I warned them about the steep climb and narrow tunnel beyond Superior, wished them well, and headed out. Before long I was in Superior, and drove through the tunnel. It is really scary, narrow lanes and no shoulders. I hope they're careful. After Superior is a series of small communities: Top of the World, Show Low, Miami, and Globe. Then through the San Carlos Apache Reservation, with communities of Peridot, Bylas, and Geronimo. I stopped and took a few pictures, but mostly kept going.

The last town in Arizona on the walking route is Duncan, then into New Mexico and on to Lordsburg. I decide to eat (a late) lunch at Kranberry's Family restaurant which is close to I-10. It's a great place, and I ate there during the walk. It was getting late and not too long before dark, so I decided to drive as far as Deming and stop there for the night. Along the way I crossed the Continental Divide at an altitude of 4500+'. The landscape through this part of NM is very flat with no trees, and mountains rising up in the distance. The sun was setting low in the western sky, casting an orange glow over the landscape......it was so beautiful. I saw a sign advertising 700 acres for sale, maybe I'll open an RV park.

One person I am going to try to find is Ivan Thompson. I met Ivan during the walk, and would like to visit with him again. At the time of my walk, Ivan had given up on his matchmaking (too dangerous in Mexico), and was working on a horse ranch east of Deming. I remember about where we met, so am going out tomorrow and ask around and see if he's still in the area. After that will head to Las Cruces, then on toward Alamogordo and points east. The next several days should be fun and interesting.

Pictures:
Dianna, manager of the Arizonian RV Park;
Hans and Francine vol Schyndel, from Zaltbommel, The Netherlands;
Entering Superior, AZ.....notice the town in the background, backed up right against the mountains;
One of the canyons above Superior, with a creek running through it;
A small gravesite in the Apache reservation.

Note: the pictures are larger than before, and if you click on them, will get even larger. Just learned this......