Previous
Weeks
Week 1: March 24th through March 30th
Week 2: March 31st through April 6th
Week 3: April 7th through April 13th
Week 4: April 14th through April 20th
Week 5: April 21st through April 27th
Week 6: April 28th through May 4th
Week 7: May 5th through May 11th
Week 8: May 12th through May 18th
Week 9-10: May 19th through June 1st
Week 11: June 2nd through June 8th
Week 12: June 9th through June 15th
UPDATED 5/19: NEW PHOTOS FROM WESLEY!
Sun
Journal
Entry from Wesley
Location: Fulton
, KY
Happy Mother's Day, Mom. You're
my favorite mom!
I tell ya, these Brocks are nice folks. I'm having a very nice visit. I had a good night's sleep last night and we went to church this morning. I met a whole lot of people who's names I've already forgotten. Sorry, people.
We went over to George and Alma's daughter's house, Gigi (who also taught my Sunday School class with her husband, Michael) for lunch and a bunch of family was there. I was made to feel right at home and we all ate very well. There was lots of conversation which I enjoy. We even talked about Art History. Always a fun subject.
Now, it's nap-time. I'm gonna get so used to hanging around retired folks, I'm gonna be spoiled for the "work-force".
Oh, and yesterday, when I got here, I had a stack of mail. I got 2 packages and 3 cards. I thought it might be my birthday and I forgot (like that could ever happen). That was sure cool. I certainly don't get a chance to ever feel unloved. Ok, I'm gonna nap now and let that carrot cake soak in.
Whew! I got kinda carried away with that nap. I'm not complaining. It's been a month or so since I've gone a day without yawning. I'm just kinda tired all the time. I'm trying to fix that here. I got up just in time for a phone call from Bill and Judy Stephens (the friends of the family) and it was great to be able to talk with them and thank them personally for introducing me to such fine folks.
Then, we ate some more. Even
had ice cream. George and Alma have lots of stories and we've spent hours
talking about everything and anything that comes up. I'm having a great
time. I've been invited to stay another day and I'm thinking that I just
might. We'll see how the weather and everything is tomorrow. It stormed
last night but was a beautiful day today. I'm feeling very relaxed and
on track. Oh yeah, I forgot to make a big deal about being done with another
state. Woo-hoo or somethin'! I danced when I saw the sign. The Brocks
live right on the state line so I've been between KY and TN a few times
in the past 2 days. Also, I'm about halfway to Minnesota! Now, that's
cool. I'm getting a touch nervous about how the midwest is gonna treat
me. It's certainly not the south. But, God is the same north, south, east
or west and I'm still in His hands. I'll be done with Kentucky in about
4 days or so. The dancing is pretty frequent at this spot in the country.
Sat
Journal Entry from Wesley
Location: Fulton , KY
I actually managed to sleep a little in the bus station. The chairs are all designed so that people can't fall asleep in them. There was one small bench with a table near the vending machines. I called upon my sleeping-in-school abilities from high school and it saved my sanity.
I got to Union City, TN this morning and got walking around noon. It ended up being a few more miles than I expected and I even made a wrong turn to make it worse. I guess I must be out of practice 'cus today was pretty rough. I'm glad though. It feels good to hurt again.
The sun snuck up on me out of the clouds today and I actually got sunburned for the first time. This farmer's tan is awesome. It looks like I have someone else's arms attached to me.
I got to the home of George and Alma Brock a while before 7 pm and was greeted by George even before I could ring the bell. These folks are friends of friends of the family. And they're certainly friendly friends of friends. Say any word enough and it starts sounding weird. Alma's sister, Francis, was also here. I got cleaned up and we went out to eat at a restaurant owned by a friend. The shower here was a trip. It was way more powerful than the one at the Western Inn. I was blown away...get it? Oh man. I got in with a sunburn and got out with new skin. I'm healed. So, if the other shower was actually a fire hose, this one was the power of God. It practically turned me inside out. Amazing.
We've had a very nice visit
and it's already been insisted (not by me, of course) that I stay at least
2 nights. We're going to church in the morning and I'll get to do my laundry
tomorrow 'cus Lord knows...well everything. Ok, I sure he knows it needs
it.
Fri
Journal
Entry from Wesley
Location: In Transit
What the heck am I doing in Paducah KY at 3:40 am? I'm wishing I was asleep. That's what.
I had a good night's sleep last night and had a shower and breakfast. I walked back to the truck stop and called a cab. I was going to walk the 15 miles to the bus station but the ticket counter closed before I would get there. The bus station was actually just one of the cash registers at a local restaurant. I got there around noon and my bus was at 5. So, I bummed around the restaurant all day. The two buses so far have been filled to capacity but I still managed to sleep some.
I'll be arriving in Union City around noon today and then I guess I'll get right back to walking. I have a contact in Fulton, KY. I should be able to get there today.
My eyes hurt from all
of the various air-conditioners that have been blasting me for the past
day. I met some nice people on the bus and got to see downtown Chicago.
I saw the Sears tower and the Elle train. I still don't have any idea
why a fashion magazine would want to sponsor a public transit system in
Chicago. Another mystery.
Thu
Journal
Entry from Wesley
Location: Rochelle
, IL
I didn't write any post earlier because I didn't think much was happening. I'd figured it'd be a short post after an uneventful day. As is the norm, I was wrong. Within a span of 4 hours, I went from being typical chill to being so scared that I was trying to remember any time I'd been more scared to praising God with sincere reason. The charmin Mr. Roy continued to not get the hint (or straight-up shoot downs) of his advances. He just really wanted some "company". Naive me. I guess some day I might have to exchange my child-like sense of wonder for the corrupt adult sensibility. So, anyways, today he finally saw that it wasn't going anywhere so all that crap about never leaving anyone stranded and taking care of friends was easily forgotten. I got left today at a truck stop in the middle of the spanning fields of Illinois. I wandered the "trucker mall" and the parking lot. I couldn't believe that he'd left. There was no hint that he was gonna leave. I mean, if he asked me to get out, I would have. The really, really, really bad part was not finding my bag anywhere. I had my pocketmail in my pocket and my jacket on. Everything that I wasn't wearing or holding in my pockets was gone. Yeah, everything gone. What do I do? I still wanted to get back to my walk but how could I with nothing?
While I was in the truck stop, I was reading some newspaper articles on the wall about a trucker chapel on site. It's part of the Transport for Christ. I went there and prayed with the Chaplain and we went out in his truck and searched the whole area for the truck and my stuff. We didn't find anything and we went back to the chapel. Besides trying to figure out what the heck in the wide world of sports to do, I was trying to figure out what God was trying to teach me with this. It looked like the walk might be coming to an end. Satan was certainly making a big fuss and a nasty dent in my plans. The last thing I ever want to do is let him get any satisfaction.
Next, I called the police to see what they could do. An officer came to the stop and got my information and all I could tell him about the truck and Roy. He left to get on it and I went back to the chapel and prayed more. The officer came back a while later and was kinda nasty with me. They had found Roy ad questioned him. He said that I took my stuff and got out of the truck on my own. They looked through the cab with his permission and my stuff wasn't there. Then the cop told me that it was his word against mine and according to their records, I didn't exist (never a fun thing to hear when you already feel very vulnerable and alone). I was thinking about having him pinch me o something but he didn't seem to be phased by talking to a figment.
I was getting worn out and needed to think. I hadn't been able to get a hold of mom or dad because they were driving home from Ohio and were very near me unbeknownst to them. I started walking to a motel about a half-mile away and when I was almost there, I turned around to look once more through all the parking lots and on the side of the roads. If my stuff wasn't in his truck, it could be here. On my way back to the stop, the same officer pulled up next to me and he had my pack in his car. It had been laying in the parking lot sorta behind the chapel. I don't know how we didn't see it. Either way, I was ecstatic! At that moment, the clouds that had filled the sky all day broke to reveal the sunset. It was one of those with big beams of light shooting through clouds like God's sitting behind them. It was amazing. The things that God's teaching me are rarely little tidbits and adages. It's still all sinking in.
Tomorrow, I'll be catching
a bus back to Tennessee and getting back on my route. Thank God! I don't
know what I would have done if I had to quit the trip for a while (it
wasn't a consideration to quit entirely, I never want Satan to have the
satisfaction). Now, however, I have a new task once this walk is done.
I need to learn about this thing called the "internet" and make
a "Roy Garedener is a Bad Person" site.
Wed
Journal
Entry from Wesley
Location: Semi Truck
When I decided to walk, I chose to leave behind comfort. It's happening. I really wanted to be able to correct some stereotypes of truck drivers. Unfortunately, I don't think I can. Roy (I called him Ron yesterday. oops) very politely came onto me last night. I very politely shot him down and politely reminded him to stay down. Yep, interesting day. We're still getting along. Today was what truckers call "one of those days". We had to fight traffic and didn't get a chance to eat until almost 7 this evening. We're resting tonight in Milwaukee and making a pick-up somewhere in town. Hopefully, it'll be headed right back south and I'll be able to get back to my route soon. Things, of course, aren't going quite as expected.
So, I'm definitely not being
sold on trucker life. Hardly a surprise. Imagine me living my life inside
of a vehicle. Haha. Oh man. I'm gonna be pretty low by tomorrow cus I'm
totally gonna miss walking. It's almost a claustrophobia sitting in a
truck all day. It's definitely an experience.
Tue
Journal
Entry from Wesley
Location: Semi Truck
I woke up this morning, earlier than I wanted as always, and began praying about the day. I watched the weather for a while. I figure when the local weather can be seen in special coverage on national news shows, it's gotta be bad. I felt that I had to get going though. Not much choice other than to walk.
I figured if things got too bad, someone would help me out. Otherwise, I'd be able to keep walking. I did say to myself that if someone offered me a place to stay until all this tornado nonsense had passed, I'd take it. Well, that happened. Except the place happens to be moving at Interstate speeds and is a semiitruck driven by a man named Ron. He's an interesting guy. We're getting to know each other. I'm gonna be his navigator for the next couple days. Definitely not what I expected. I've already been through Kentucky today and I'm in the middle of Illinois. We have 2 deliveries in Illinois tomorrow and then one in Milwaukee. Then, we're headed back south and I'll get dropped off back on my route (haven't decided where). The really bad weather is supposed to be passed by then.
I've never been in a semi before. It's kinda neat. Ron's trying to recruit me to the life of a trucker. I'm not biting. But, the seats are really bouncy so it's a total blast when we're on a bumpy road. I couldn't help but laugh. I even ate at a real truck stop in the Truckers Only section. The food wasn't so swell but the atmosphere was a new experience. We're sleeping in the truck tonight at the rest stop 2 miles from Altamont (where our first delivery will be in the morning). Ron better not try to get me to share a bunk. I know I could take him though. He's a scrawny'un.
So, I'm not walking for a couple days, I'm getting away from the dangerous weather, I'm learning a lot about something I know nothing about and I'm making a friend. Sounds good to me.
I should be to The Kentucky
border by this weekend so I'll do another dance for Tennessee.
Mon
Journal
Entry from Wesley
Location: McEwen
, TN
Happy Cinco de Mayo! I wonder if there will be a Mexican Restaurant in the next town I get to. If not, maybe I'll have to give in to the American advertising and drink a lot of Corona at a gas station. They say that's what everyone in Mexico does anyways and I believe everything I see in ads.
It sure takes a long time to walk by a dead skunk. Time just slows down. But, the honeysuckles are blooming and that brings back memories of Grandma's house. I'll be there in not too long now. I don't know if they'll still be blooming.
The weather is very iffy here. There were several tornadoes in Tennessee last night and it rained like nobody's business where I was. Watching the weather, I might get hit by a thunderstorm but the farther west I get the better. Staying put wouldn't do any good. Another day there and it probably would have killed me. No, not really. But, I would probably have another long depressed journal entry.
Now, I'm under a bridge praying. There's a huge thunderstorm right above me with lots of lightning. I got under this overpass just as it started to pour. An answer to prayer. I'm gonna wait here in the mud for a while and wait for this big one to pass. I'm about 5 miles from McEwen so I have time. Heck, even if I didn't, I'd still be under here. This storm is scary! It looks like this area was flooded last night. Ooh ooh, there's an animal on the other side getting out of the rain. I can't tell what it is yet. Looks kinda like a muskrat from here. Neat! I wish I could lay down but it's all rocks and mud. Oh well. I just want to make sure I don't get carried off with any of these storms. They're all headed east and that'd be back-tracking. Oh, the lady, Donna, working at the gas station in Tennessee City treated me to lunch. So, I'm full and dry. Everything's good.
About a mile before I got into McEwen, my other prayer request was answered. A woman stopped and told me that there was talk of tornadoes on the radio. She took me into town and found a minister in town. I was hoping he would let me sleep in the church or something but that didn't happen. He took me to Waverly and put me up in a motel. He even paid for my meal at the local restaurant. I had the Taco Salad so I got some Americanized nonsense for Cinco de Mayo. I don't have any idea what I'm going to do' about the weather but I said the same thing this morning. But, Jackie O, I'm glad that I'm inside cus it is storming!
My feet felt great today with
the new inserts and the pantyhose. I don't know if I explained that. Wearing
the fiddy cent hose under my socks reduces
friction. Ok, this is plenty long. Let's see what the weather does.
Previous
Weeks
Week 1: March 24th through March 30th
Week 2: March 31st through April 6th
Week 3: April 7th through April 13th
Week 4: April 14th through April 20th
Week 5: April 21st through April 27th
Week 6: April 28th through May 4th
Week 7: May 5th through May 11th
Week 8: May 12th through May 18th
Week 9-10: May 19th through June 1st
Week 11: June 2nd through June 8th
Week 12: June 9th through June 15th
UPDATED 5/19: NEW PHOTOS FROM WESLEY!