| All journal entries are in reverse order, with the latest entry at the top. Clicking the "Location" link will take you to a map where you can see details of the area from which Wesley posted the entry. Thanks for all of your support! | ||
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Week 1: March 24th through March 30th |
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| 4/6/03 Sun |
Journal
Entry from Wesley Well, time for another amazing story. This morning when I got into Juliette, I looked around for a church. I found two. I had missed one service and the other one said that there was a service going on but the parking lot was empty (I didn't remember about the time change). I was kind of disappointed, but I also felt God saying that I would go to church tonight. So, tonight, I stopped at the gas station in Flovilla. I only got snacks, no dinner, because I had a can of soup in my pack. However, I couldn't find the soup (yes, this is leading somewhere) so I didn't eat dinner there. It got really windy like it was about to start pouring rain, so I got back on the road to look for a place to stay. I didn't even make it 100 yards before I came upon a church with cars in the lot and music playing. I walked on in during the worship service and was warmly greeted. That was some powerful worship. Afterwards, we had a big dinner at the church (beat the heck outta my cold can of soup) and ! now I'm staying in the guest house of the church next door to the pastor and his wife, Don and Connie. I have my own stocked kitchen. Oh, and it did pour rain for quite a while but I didn't feel a drop of it. I also now have a place to stay ahead in Locust Grove. I was trying to figure out miles. I kept ending up between the bigger towns unless I took a really short day. Now, I don't have to think about it. I'm set. I know I always say that every
day is different but, now they're starting to look similar in that they're
all amazing! |
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| 4/5/03 Sat |
Journal
Entry from Wesley Location: Leaving Macon, GA Well, time sure goes slowly when you're waiting for other people to wake up. Once in a while, I wish that I didn't wake up so early; but, more commonly, I wish that other people got up earlier. We finally figured out how to get to my route out of town. I'm planning on getting a ride to the edge of town because I'm getting such a late start and I don't want to still be within residential Macon tonight. I have no information on what to expect on this route. We'll see. I wonder if I'll hit much more real "country" between here and Atlanta. I'm getting a little butterflyish in my stomach today. I'm not sure why. Time to stop and pray for a while. Second Journal Entry from Wesley I just got done with a few miles of rain. That gets old fast. Thankfully, it didn't keep up too long. As long as I get breaks from the rain, I'm fine. I'm letting my shoes dry out a bit while I enjoy the post-rain breeze. I'm on a new road today and I don't really have any idea where I'm going. There might be a town up ahead but I'm not sure. It had two different names on two different maps and even people I've found that know of the place can't tell me anything about it. So, I packed a little extra food and now my pack is heavier. I just want to eat all of the food right now so I don't have to carry as much. One thought of the day is about how cities are self-important. Nobody outside of a city usually thinks nearly as much of a city as those who live in it. Also, city people have no idea about their surrounings. If it isn't their city, it doesn't matter. Chances are I'll talk about this more later. I'm glad to be back in the country after Macon. It's really different walking when you don't know where you're going. It's a weird mix of feeling no need to rush and feeling a lot of need to rush and see what's ahead. I need to figure out how to deal with it because it kind of wears me out thinkin' about it. Oh yeah, I'm sitting across the street from a stone quarry so it looks like there are mountains in the distance but really they're just piles of rocks across the street. Kind of cool. The weather couldn't quite make up its mind today. Hot sun, then rain, repeat. I made it farther than I expected. I'm about 5 miles from Juliette at the campground by Lake Juliette. It's a very large, beautiful lake; and, apparently it has, get this, fish...in it. Yeah, people come from all around to try and get the fish out of it. Yeah, beats the heck outta me too. I'm enjoying the end of the day at my own picnic table. oooh. I might even have a fire tonight just for the heck of it. I wish I had some marshmallows. Well, that's not quite right. I actually wish that I had a genie but marshmallows would do for now. A little later, I'm gonna head over to the bath house and dry my shoes and socks out with the hand dryer. Oh, the adventures. The whole place will smell like my shoes cooking and let me tell you, they've been marinating for two weeks now. hehee. I'm gonna try to make it to
church tomorrow morning in Juliette. I don't know when the services start.
By the way, I just found out this morning that Juliette is the town where
Fried Green Tomatoes was filmed. I've never seen the movie but I do remember
a cartoon about tomatoes from space. So, I'll just pretend it was that
and I'm sure it will be interesting. Hey, I just remembered that I walked
through the town that Grumpy Old Men was filmed in last summer in Minnesota.
And what does all this mean? Not much. By the way, I know that you're
not supposed to start a sentence with and. I don't care. It's conversational
and makes me sound more rambly (like real life).
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| 4/4/03 Fri |
Journal
Entry from Wesley Location: Macon, GA Watching the forest turn dark through the screen of my tent is a great way to fall asleep. Watching it become light again and listening to all of the birds(and roosters) is a great way to wake up. I'm getting packed up and then I'll head to the general store in town for some food. It was a good night. The lady at the general store made me a fried egg sandwich for breakfast. People are so nice. I had a nice walk through Macon. This is a pretty town. Lots of historic buildings and nice green areas. I can't tell how big it actually is. Now, I'm at Mercer University. It's really strange being on a college campus. They play a lot of Tony Hawk's Pro Skate and I even heard a kid playing bongo drums. I met up with Brian Davis at the ATO fraternity house. Yeah, a Christian frat house. I was hoping maybe for a Christian panty raid since it's Friday night and all but I guess we're going bowling. See? Every day is totally different. Just got back from bowling. I won both games! We had a great dinner at a Mexican restaurant and later I ate a pint of ice cream. These kids don't know about appropriate bed times. I'm gonna be sleepy in the morning. I wonder how far I'll make it. It looks like quite a ways to the next town. Guess that's all for now. Ooh, ooh wait, I almost forgot to tell you about the awesome character I saw at the bowling alley. Camoflouge hat, white A-shirt, and what I thought was a silly flash tattoo of Mickey Mouse that he would have gotten when he was out drinking with his friends. Then, I saw another one on the other arm and he had a Mickey Mouse necklace. He was inspiring. Probably not nearly as cool as it was at the time. Just reminding you that I'm a dork. Ok, later.
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| 4/3/03 Thur |
Journal
Entry from Wesley 3 nights in a row with a bed and bathroom. I wonder what it's gonna be like tonight. I'm happy to be back on the road with miles ahead of me before any town or store. I think the people driving cars get a little startled sometimes when they see someone miles from anything. Ha, they thought they were the only ones out here. I'll show them. Having been inactive lately, it feels great to be totally alone with my thoughts again. Now, I'm gonna get back to it. I'm in Dry Branch, chillin' in the woods. The terrain changed today. I was actually in some big hills. Also, all of the forests turned to thorns and ticks. I wonder if that's gonna last. I'm set up near an overpass and fortunately, after hiking through lots of thorns, I got to some pine trees. I'm just gonna stay in my tent because the mosquitos and ticks are a little too obvious in their conspiring for my flesh. I'm definitely in the country. Today, I even saw a kid running around in a mesh shirt and no shoes. It was so cool. I got here a couple hours before sunset so I can take it easy and enjoy the end of the day. Life is good. Speaking of life, I was thinking about how people always feel like they need to tell me that Savannah to Minnesota is a long ways. I sometimes think I should act all surprised and be like, "Wait, it's how far? Dang! Forget this!" and start walking back the other way. Anyways, about life. Yeah, it is a really long walk if you look at it as me trying to get somewhere. But, that's not it. This is my life right now. I'm not just taking a break from my normal routine to make a trip. This is how I live. Everyday, wherever I am is home. Minnesota's just where I'm going to stop and change how it is I'm living again. So, tomorrow I'll be in Macon. I wonder what's going to happen there. But first, what's going to happen tonight? I love my new life. |
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| 4/2/03 Wed |
Journal
Entry from Wesley I'm gonna make it to Jeffersonville early. I got started this morning around 6:30. I'll be in Macon by Friday. Thanks again to the Olive Tree folks. You guys are a blessing. That's all for now. Peace out. Second Journal Entry from Wesley Dynamic is a word that I've always wanted to be able to use to describe my life. Honestly, there have only been a few times where I felt that. Everything has always been a little too "comfortable" and expected. Right now, I feel it. I find myself smiling, laughing even singing because everything is new. A life in Christ is dynamic. We have one life to live and even though I know that this world is just the beginning, I also know that my God loves me and wants the best for me. He wants me to live a real life. On this trip, everything feels more real. I really can't take anything for granted. Each morning that I wake up, I can enjoy my first sunrise on a new spot of the world. Even meeting new people is more real. Because I'm doing something so vulnerable and simple, I've already opened up past being just a stranger and people recognize that. Conversations are more real. I mean, I'm hugging gas station attendants! That's not typical. That's what I was thinking about the last couple miles. Yes, I'm chillin in another pine forest. Oh, while I'm thinking about it, I forgot to mention the names of the people I spent yesterday with. Ken, Trevor and Ken's wife Debbie. We had a great dinner at the Chinese buffet also. My fortune cookie said that I enjoy all things artistic. Ok, yeah, whatever. Hey, I'm in Jeffersonville. How bout that? Yeah, I dunno either. I'm hanging out at the Twiggs County Board of Education with my new friend, Mindy. I'm gonna be sleeping in the yard of the local probate judge and from what I hear, he's a real character. I had a great day walking today. Kinda short again but I was really getting into it. I think things are going to time out right for me coming into Macon. I had a root beer today, my first soft drink (pop or soda depending on where you are) and these are comfy chairs in the waiting room. They have all my favorite mgazines: McCall's, Good Housekeeping, Pregnancy and Weight Watchers just to name a few. Woohoo, here I go! Third
Journal Entry from Wesley I've had a great time in Jeffersonville. I ended up staying in the house of Bob Powell, the county probate judge and youth pastor for the Church of God. We went out to eat with his mom and his girlfriend (Gail and Elizabeth). We had some good conversation and plenty of laughs. Ms. Gail bought me a bunch of candy bars and a jug of milk. If the rest of the country is anything like Georgia, I'll never be in need of anything! I went to Youth Group with Bob and talked a little bit to the kids about what I'm doing. It was a fun group. We had refreshments and I had a great time listening to people's conversations. Now, this place is country! It's not like any place I've ever lived. Very fun. I'm headed to Dry Branch today
and I actually have a full day of walking today. I'm gonna start where
I stopped in Jeffersonville after getting a ride in with Bob when he goes
to work. Right now, he's out turkey hunting. Yep. I slept with two eight
point buck heads hanging above me and a hog across the room. I was afraid
that I would bump something and have one of those heads fall and get stuck
on mine. Then a whole slapstick routine involving mistaken identity would
ensue. I know how easily that happens, I've watched lots of cartoons. |
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| 4/1/03 Tue |
Journal
Entry from Wesley Location: Dudley, GA Happy Birthday, Lana! You're my favorite sister. Well, I'm only a little ways out of Dublin and I'm already enjoying a break. Key word, enjoying. I really pushed the last couple of days and I don't like that feeling of needing to be somewhere besides where I am. That's one of the things I was leaving behind. And, after an extremely short debate with myself (it turns out we were in agreement from the start), it's decided that I do need both feet to enjoy the walk. So, I honestly don't know where I'll be tonight and I just as honestly don't care. Today, I'm enjoying the walk and as many pine forests as I want. I'm also looking forward to being back in my tent tonight. The Page House was beautiful and amazing but, having my own bedroom and bathroom and all gives me way too many decisions to make. Like, should I stand up or sit down? I've never had to ask myself that question in my tent. I'm in another forest now. A big one with lots of room between the trees and I'm having a snack. This snack is one of the blessings of the day (besides waking up with more mattress than I knew what to do with and a big delicious breakfast). I stopped at a gas station on my way out of town and talked with the 2 ladies working. They ended up buying me a bottle of juice, a granola bar, a can of soup and a candy bar. I gave them both hugs. So, if you were ever wondering if these Chewy Granola bars with the yogurt coating are any good -- yeah, they're great. Later. . . Well, my day just took a huge turn. Something just wasn't quite clicking today with the walk. Just outside of Dudley, I came upon the Olive Tree International Ministry. I stopped out of curiosity and also to ask about the route ahead. I got into some good conversation and decided to spend the day with these folks. We've just been talking and hanging out. We're gonna get some dinner and then I'll get a ride to Allentown. I wasn't sure about all of this because it means I'm missing out on a few miles of walking. I prayed about it and I know there was a reason I felt like stopping. I'm getting a bit antsy just because I'm not moving (at least we know this won't be a usual thing). I'll be staying with
a member of the church tonight in Allentown and getting an early start
on to Jeffersonville. There I will definitely be in my tent (I miss it).
I should take advantage of these contacts in GA because they probably
won't continue after I get out of the state. That's all for now. I'll
write about the end of the day next time. |
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| 3/31/03 Mon |
Journal
Entry from Wesley Adrian, GA I'm somewhere between Adrian and Dublin. I have about 10 or 12 miles to go. My feet must be feeling better because I just walked 8 miles without stopping. The weather is cool and very windy. I'm sure the cool keeps me going as well. I'm sitting in another pine forest. This is now my favorite activity (though very inactive). I could write a whole post just about how much I enjoy these pine forests. Met a nice lady named Brenda at a bait shop a mile back and she treated me to a bottle of grapefruit juice (still craving). Talked about the area. I've had a nice lunch now and I'm starting to get chilly. Gotta hit the road and get my blood moving. Ok, I was gonna write about the rest of my walk through East Dublin and into Dublin but not much happened and where I am now is way more interesting. I'm chillin on a nice big bed in a historic mansion. It's a bed and breakfast called the Page House and it is beautiful. Shoowee, I don't know what else to say. The family that runs it is really nice. The father, Kelly, treated me to dinner at a Country Buffet. I'm stuffed. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention why I'm here. The local Communities in Schools Executive Director, Jackie, lives just up the road and arranged for me to be able to stay here. Thanks Jackie and Lori. This is amazing. It's great to able to contrast sleeping on a baseball field to sleeping in a mansion!
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Week 1: March 24th through March 30th |