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!
through
6/02/03
Journal Entry from Wesley
Location: Kirkwood,
MO
Obviously, I've kept busy. It
takes a lot of work relaxing. But, my time of rest is coming to an end.
Thursday was a very restful day. I think I took two naps. It was nice.
Friday, I got together with Jason in the morning and we went to the Science Center. Aunt Helen and Uncle Charlie are members so we got free tickets to the IMAX movie and the special exhibit. We saw Space Station. The special exhibit was "Candy: Unwrapped" which sounds like a dream. They taught us all about the science of candy and showed us candy. I even took a quiz telling me how much I like chocolate. But, they didn't give us candy! We got two root beer jelly beans to teach us about olfactory influence on taste. 2 jelly beans! Then we went and ate lunch at a trendy burrito place and walked around the area. We went to a cool record store. Later, we picked up Susan from work and we all ate out and rented a movie. It was a good day.
Saturday, I hung out some more with Grandma and Lynn. Lynn won that game of Ginch. That night, I finally got together with Allyson. We hung out but not too long because we both like sleep better than each other.
Sunday, I hung out with Allyson most of the day. We had lunch at the coffeehouse of which she's a patron. We also went to the Botanical Gardens and got lost. It was fun. So, I've been staying busy and getting a great big dose of friends and family.
I was even starting to like weathermen again, but now I'm absolutely sure that they have a conspiracy against me. This week was what I would classify as a perfect week for walking. It was unusually cool and shady. Still, so comfortable with enough sunshine to make everything beautiful. But, as soon as I mention leaving, they pick it up on their dopplers and start calling in the rain clouds. So, from now on, weathermen (persons) will be referred to as Summoners of Evil and Misfortune.
Anyway, I'm leaving tomorrow (Tuesday) and I'm excited to get back on the road. I know it's gonna feel a little bit like starting over. Gotta get my "walking legs" back and forget about seeing familiar faces for a while. I'm excited about the scenic route I'm taking for a while. Wow, only about 500 more miles to go. It'll be a cinch.
5/26/03
through
5/28/03
Journal
Entry from Wesley
Location: Kirkwood,
MO
So, I've had a busy past three
days. I have plenty to write about now. I guess I'll start with Monday.
First off, the weather was unbelievably good. Well, that's not entirely true...I mean, I believed it. Anyways, it was Memorial Day. Uncle Dan's boss had box tickets to the Cardinal's game. Now that was a first! It was awesome. I actually got kinda into the game. The best part was that these box seats have food. I ate chicken fingers and lots of fruit, cheese and crackers, shrimp, hot dogs, and popcorn. Then the desserts came and I had a huge piece of Death by Chocolate cake (I survived) and then some ice cream. It was great. I just ate the whole time. Oh, and the Cardinals won big time against the Astros.
On Tuesday, Aunt Margy and I went to the St.Louis Zoo and saw the new penguins and puffins section. They were really fun to watch. We also went to the butterfly house and watched the polar bears (not at the same time). Then, we walked over to the art museum and my day was made. I saw a whole big wall of Geirhard Richter's work. OhmygoshIlovehim. They also had 2 pieces by Anselm Keifer. I saw a Rachel Whiteread, Kandinsky, Giacometti, Diebenkorn, and so yeah, I had a great time. Next, I went to Grandma's and mowed her lawn. I need the exercise. We visited for a while and then I went back to Uncle Dan and Aunt Margy's house and we had a great dinner. Right after dinner, I got together with Jason and Susan and went to Bible study where I was "the speaker". That was fun. They had food too (I wouldn't have talked otherwise). I met lots of cool people.
Ok, last day, today. I got up early( 6:30). I went to school today with my Aunt Helen. She's a teacher at a school for the deaf. She's teaching Home-Ec now and they built a garden a while ago that they tend to and harvest. We worked in the garden with the students and it was a lot of fun. I went there knowing very, very little sign language and now I know a lot (relatively) more. I could actually talk to some of the students a bit. It was really cool.
So, I'm relaxing and enjoying my down-time. But, I'm still having fun experiences and learning (I don't think I'll ever let that stop). Allyson's gonna have a tough time finding something to do with me that I haven't already done. All I need now is to meet the mayor and receive the key to the city.
Ok, that's all for now. I wonder
what I'll do tomorrow. I wonder if I'm wearing out my relatives? If worse
comes to worse, just put me in the basement with a few gallons of ice
cream and check on me in a couple days. I'm easy to take care of.
Sat
Location: Kirkwood, MO
I'm not sure about
how often I'm going to post this week. I'm not going to be walking for
a while. Today, I went to church with Grandma, played two games of Ginch(Grandma
won both) and we all went to Uncle Dan and Aunt Margy's for dinner. We
played another game of Ginch. It was quite a game. Big drama and I won!
See, it's a totally different kind of excitement now. I talked with all
my peers at Bull St.Baptist Church in Savannah and Sandra McCracken and
Derek Webb from Caedmon's Call played a concert and dedicated it to me.
Holy cow, that's so cool. I listened to the first song over the phone.
It was beautiful. It is so awesome that I have such a dedicated church
praying for me. It makes all the difference. I love them.
Sat
Journal
Entry from Wesley
Location: Kirkwood,
MO
It's the two month anniversary of me leaving Savannah. Wow, that's a thought. So, to celebrate, I walked like a frickin maniac...make that a maniac that walks a whole lot. I think I walked over 25 miles today. It hurts. I love it. I got to Arnold and it was only 1 something so I decided I was gonna just cruise and get to Kirkwood today. I didn't stop for anything. I had one meal. It feels great walking beyond anything in me that tells me to stop. Anyone who runs distance knows what I'm talking about. I had to try all the tricks to keep going. Singing really loud, talking to things on the road, all that. I was just coming in to Kirkwood when my Uncle Dan and Aunt Margy drove up. It was past 7 and was getting to be very dusk (a rain storm had just passed). They figured they should find me before it got dark. There were only 93 bottles of root beer left on the wall.
We went to Grandma's house
and surprised her. They had chocolate cake and ice cream for me. A very
nice treat. It's so cool being with family. We all sat and talked for
a while before Dan and Margy went home. I'm staying with Grandma and Aunt
Lynn tonight and going to church with them in the morning. I'm sleeping
in the same bed that I've slept in since as far back as I can remember
of visits to Grandma's. This is one of those built-up genuine experiences
that I love so much. Wow, my feet hurt.
Fri
Location: Herculaneum, MO
Today was an awesome day of walking. I'm feeling great. The weather is totally perfect. I was gettin' kinda down there for a while. Things weren't going smoothly and I was spending a lot of time inside between bad weather and being sick. It made things seem like a vacation that wasn't very fun and was takin a lot of work. Today, I'm totally back into loving this walk. I was even back to singing. I made a remix of that infectious club hit by Sean Paul that's been burning up the charts. I changed the lyrics to be about a "honey bunny" that shakes its thang for funny money. It was a lot of fun. I walked from where I camped up in the rocky woods near Bloomsdale to Festus and Crystal City. I made good time and felt fine so I kept on to Herculaneum and then Pevely. Lots of indeedly fuuny names. Herculaneum makes me think of Kryptonite and Flintstones vitamins.
I walked today until the tops of my feet ached as much as the bottoms. That's a sign that I'm getting maximum mileage. I'll see how things go tomorow but I'm expecting to get pretty far. I'm really glad that I quit trying to take my time. It was ruining things. So, I blame Allyson and her going to school for me getting sick and everything. I should tell her that she owes me ice cream or something.
Oh, I had a great slap-stick moment today. I was trying to figure out how many miles I'd walked and I walked right into the city limit sign of Crystal City on my way out of town. It was so funny and lots of cars saw me which makes it even better.
Well, I'm gonna watch
the lighting bugs for a bit then go to bed.
Thu
Location: St. Genevieve, MO
Let's see...how did my day start? Beautiful night..blah blah..omelette and juice..yadda..forget it. Let's get to the exciting part. I was on my way to St. Genevieve and around noon a car pulled up a little ways ahead. I thought,"ok, what's this guy want. I don't need a ride." When I got close, Jason DePriest leaned his head out the window. I was shocked. He's the first person I've seen in almost 2 months that I already know. He had decided to come find me and say hi. A sign that I really am getting close to St. Louis. We went to St.Gen and walked around the Historic District. and looked at all the pretty shops. Just typical guy stuff. We had lunch and conversation. (I should mention that the tea is no longer sweet and I can't find grits anywhere). It was great. He took me to the grocery store in town and I got a few things for the next couple days. When we were done, I had gotten enough of a boost that I'll be in Kirkwood a day earlier than I thought which turns out to be better for my relatives there. I walked until sundown today and found some sparse woods. It's a beautiful area on top of a big hill. The ground is really rocky but I don't care. I've got this super-rad sleeping pad (gimme a dime).
I found some
neat stuff on the road (none of which I kept) a big black snake, a tiny
green snake (both dead), several hundred burned matchbooks, several hundred
non-burned matchbooks, a pregnancy test, a dead fox with it's tail in
perfect condition (I wish I had kept that) and a salamander (alive). So,
as you see, all the ingredients for a great day are here.
Wed
Location: St. Mary, MO
This morning, I saw Avril Lavigne perform Fuel by Metallica on TV. It changed my life...none. Anyways, I felt good this morning. I had breakfast and checked out. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining all morning but it was still cool and breezy. Dreamy walking weather. Then, it got cloudy. Even better. My stomach bothered me some while I was walking. I figured it was the virus saying goodbye. It doesn't have any way to communicate besides discomfort. That's what I call "benefit of the doubt personification". I had a fast walk through Brewer (pronounced "brur") and into St.Mary. It's a nice quiet town. I even found a Baptist church. A church with a Wednesday night prayer meeting. So, I got to go to church this week after all. Met some nice people. Even talked with a kid close in age for a while. That's a rarity now-a-days.
I
was invited home by the man who taught the lesson, Glen. I met his wife
and their puppy and took a shower. But, then his wife, Rosemary, reminded
him that they were leaving that night to visit their daughter. So, I couldn't
stay there after all. He apologized and gave me a ride back to the church
where I set up my tent. Like I said, it's nice weather. It's gonna be
a cold night. I'm feeling better enough that I can feel my excitement
about walking. But, my excitement about being in St.Louis is so strong
that it overpowers the other excitement. So, I'm a battlefield of excitement!
Just as long as the battle stays out of my stomach.
Tue
Location: Perryville, MO
I was feeling a lot better when I woke up this morning and got all packed up. I checked out and started walking. It was really cold and windy. It was raining lightly. The forecast said it was supposed to clear up by afternoon. But, by the time I walked the first mile, it was wearing on me already. My head started aching. I decided not to push it and stayed another day in Perryville. I told you I was a wuss. I could have walked, but I'm still trying to take it slow. Now, I have a six day walk to St.Louis. The weather looks really good for the next few days.
I had a good nap and watched Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey. Totally heinous. I ended up feeling kind of sick later today, but I'm blaming it on the Chinese food I ate. I'm in the denial stage of recovery. Recovery from what? I'm not sick. See?
I'm gonna be so ready to walk
in the morning. I'll be back in my tent. It'll be good for me. I even
washed my socks in the sink. They smelled like a dog before and then they
smelled like a wet dog. If only there was something to be done with the
evil possessing my shoes.
Mon
Journal
Entry from Wesley
Location: Perryville,
MO
I awoke this morning in my teepee in the traditional Native American manner--by opening my eyes. I slept pretty well last night even though I was really hungry this morning with very little appetite. I dreamed about Justin Timberlake last night which is a strange thing for a guy to say. We were just hanging out. I love his music.
I took a shower at the KOA and headed back to Highway 61. I called my mom and told her I was feeling pretty good. A mile later, I called her back because my head had changed its mind. I still felt nauseus and all that. Whenever I stand up fast, I'm reminded of that Dr. Dre song, Ring ding dong!
We talked about the
road ahead for the day and my options. I admit, I shed a few tears at
the pay-phone because I felt so sick. I ended up walking 3 miles back
to a motel and took the day off. It was gonna be a while before I had
that option again. It was good to just rest. The lady at the front desk
got me some oatmeal. I didn't eat lunch and watched the Food Network for
an hour before dinner. That got my appetite up. I ate a big dinner at
the restaurant next door. I missed a rainy day and the forecast looks
pretty good for the next few days. That'll make things easier. For now,
I rest and pray that I feel all better tomorrow.
Sun
Note from Brett: this entry got entered late, and right after last week was archived, so it's here in week 9 for the sake of continuity...
Journal Entry from Wesley
Location: Perryville,
MO
This morning, I rode with Jim into Cape and said goodbye. Which means that I'm in Mizzoura and should be in Missouri very soon. 4 states down! I should note that he ran an Army Surplus booth at the Flea Market, he had some very big surgery scars, and his dentures were even missing a tooth (I guess he wanted to "keep it real" Oh, and he called me Sugar Booger). Next, I met a guy working at the gas station and was asking some directions. He said that he'd give me a ride to Jackson when he got off work in 20 minutes. It was the same amount of walking as my other route but a little more populated. Sounded like a good idea seeing as though it was raining. He ended up driving me to a gas station in Fruitland (la la la). From here I walk to Old Appleton. Tomorrow, I'm guessing I'll be headed to Bananaville. Maybe after that will be Orangeson (which should be named Kumquat). Speaking of fruit, yesterday, I looked like PacMan. My yellow hat, munching on white dots (Tums) and eating fruit! It was great. I even heard PacMan music somewhere in the distance when I was at the Flea Market.
Well, I made it to Old Appleton and almost missed the only store of any kind. I talked for a while with a kid that was jumping off the bridge into the creek (Well, it was right before he jumped. Otherwise, it would have been a really little bit of talking). Looked like fun, I was thinking of joining him. I was too into walking at the moment. Oh well.
Then, suddenly, and without warning, I was in Uniontown! Which means nothing. It doesn't even mean anything as far as Civil War stance because the name changed after the war. Speaking of Civil War, I forgot to mention that I saw the Mound City National Cemetery. Lots of Civil War fighters buried there. I found out a lot of history and got some good conversation from a lady running a beautiful antiques store. It was actually open at 5 on a Sunday. Speaking of Sunday, this is the first Sunday that I haven't been able to get to a church. Things are really spread out here and my timing was off, I guess.
Anyways, while I was at the store, a woman and her daughter came in and we all talked for a while. I asked about places to camp. Karen (the customer) was from Perryville (too bad it wasn't Pearyville then the joke would never die) and she offered to take me to the KOA there. I figured, what the heck. They said that it didn't cost much. When I got there and saw there was a pool and mini-golf course, I knew they were wrong. Karen and I had some great conversation about being able to trust God. The office was closed when I got here so I went ahead and found a place in the teepee by the lake. It was a really funny place. A teepee with carpet. But, it did keep the bugs out.
I'm feeling not-so-hot. My
stomach doesn't hurt as much but I have a negative appetite. I've only
eaten snacks since breakfast. I couldn't bring myself to eat anything
else. Whoah, maybe I'm getting sick of cold soup. No way! I can't imagine.
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!