Today should have been an easier day than it was.
As I was packing up at 6:30 am this morning in Larry’s backyard, he came out to say goodbye and offered me coffee. I declined the coffee, thanked him profusely for his hospitality, and got on the road.
My tent, wet from dew and condensation, was piled on my kart, slowly drying. The road was mostly downhill, and there wasn’t much traffic.
At 9:30 am I arrived at Brownstown. I walked into the Dairy Queen, planning to have an egg sandwich and maybe a shake. But the line was too long; I changed my mind and walked out. I got back on the highway in the same direction I’d been going, passed the county jail and the Fairgrounds, and walked another few miles on a narrow shoulder before realizing I was on the wrong road.
I doubled back, wasting a lot of time and energy, not understanding how I’d messed up. When I got back near the Dairy Queen I saw the problem—the Hwy 50 East sign was blocked by the restaurant signage. I’d gone straight instead of making a left turn. So this time I made the turn and resumed walking on the wide shoulder.
After the Brownstown mishap, I stopped at a Subway and had a 6” tuna sub and Dr Pepper. It was warm going for a long while. I listened to a couple of podcasts (Fresh Air interview with the late Tom Wolfe; The Pulse about struggling family farmers in the US).
I also listened to music by the Artist-of-the-Day: trombonist Bill Watrous, a phenomenal musician.
I’m splurging on a Holiday Inn in Seymour tonight, and also enjoying a “real meal” at Applebee’s courtesy of Lu, a lovely woman from North Vernon, Indiana, who stopped on Hwy 50, asked about my walk, and handed me a generous gift.
Finally, I just weighed myself in the fitness room. If you’re interested in losing weight, walk 2,000 miles.
21 miles today.
@ Seymour, Indiana