Random thoughts on a moving day
Today we left Rapid City and set up camp just outside of Interior, South Dakota at the Badlands Ranch & Resort, third time is a charm...this place is VERY cool, off the beaten path, deer in the fields, coyotes yapping, wild turkeys in the trees and stars in the sky...we ended up there based on the recommendation of one, Virgil Klausen one of the guys working on the road crew doing some repairs to SD route 44 east...Emily, the manager was there to welcome us on her way to class and directed us to her brother Moses "Bull Bear" (I will have to clarify the name)...I had a rather brief but touching conversation with him...it seems that no matter where I go people are impacted by either diabetes or cancer and in some cases both, Bull Bear would be one, Jerry, the owner/bartender of the Wagon Wheel Bar & Grill in Interior would be another...Wayne one of Jerry's patrons rounded out the day being a Vietnam veteran (Air Force)...I never cease to be amazed at the heart felt stories of the "regular folk" that I bump into...Vietnam may have been a "crazy war" (aren't they all!?!?!?) but who is to say, Wayne did his duty as did the WWII B-17 pilot whose son I chatted with on yesterday's walk...I am not sure what the simple answer is for world peace other than "can't we all just get along?", it REALLY is that simple, HOWEVER as long as there are people who seek to tear down and destroy freedom we do have to stand up for that, as I see it, it IS all about peace, love, harmony and joy...thank you Jerry, Wayne and Bull Bear for sharing your stories with me, again I am touched and I am honored, all three of you will travel with me to Key West...today was further confirmation that as long as I am open I will find the right and perfect situation for me...today WAS the right and perfect experience...thanks Jim for the lunch and the book...cheers!!!
A new era for The Walk of Life commenced today...Jim Doran from the Pacific Northwest joined me today as the new support vehicle driver...Jim is a "professional volunteer" spending a good deal of time with Habitat for Humanity and the Red Cross...thanks Jim, I really Really REALLY appreciate you doing this, it means a great deal to me...soooooooooo today for the first day on the job for Jim and day 77 for me we did 23.2 miles (37.4194 km's) using 43,214 steps...findings for the day: 1 railroad spike, 1 quarter, 1 rather scuffed up nickel, 6 pennies and one Bridgestone golf ball...wildlife sightings: 1 little bunny rabbit, 1 hawk and all kinds of deer...we started in Rapid City at the Omaha Street Disc Golf Course and headed east on route 44...I stopped at the Caputa Store to assure Holly that I was dressed warmly enough to continue the walk (long johns over shorts)...I also stopped to visit one of Jonathan's cousins, Keith Ham...as it turns out Keith has three honorees of "The Walk" and didn't even know it, Jonathan his cousin, his son who was in the Marines and his father, Carl, who was in the army, thank you both for your service...just at the end of the day a gentleman with a pickup loaded with furniture stopped and asked me what I was doing after I explained he offered a prayer for my safe journey...it is such a treat to meet the "regular folks" out there, Holly at the store, the gentleman with a prayer, "Bull" at the tire shop, all of whom have an impact on my life and are truly a gift...thank you one and all for showing upon my life...see ya'll down the road...cheers!!!