Day 16

New Hope Lutheran Church

April 11th, 2010



Last night I dropped by this church to see if they would let me stay on their property for the evening. Pastor Nathan warmly invited me in for the community dinner they were having, which included a triple-cake dessert! He also asked if I wanted to take a shower, but I said no thanks. Don't want to get spoiled! I pitched my tent beneath a crystal-clear starry firmament and contentedly dozed off.

Day 16

Interesting daffodil

April 11th, 2010



I didn't get the best angle on it though.

Day 16

Tree ID quiz

April 11th, 2010



Anyone?

Day 16

Scott and Denee

April 11th, 2010



They really wanted to help support me on my walk, but didn't have any cash. What they did have, however, was a gift certificate to Applebee's. Suffice it to say that soon I'll be eatin' good in the neighborhood.

Day 16

The survivors

April 11th, 2010

Day 16

A rogue Interstate

April 11th, 2010



"Located east of Interstate 79 and west of Interstate 81, Interstate 99 is the bane of many road enthusiasts who treasure an orderly and sequential numbering system for Interstate highways."

Read more!

Day 16

True kindness

April 11th, 2010



Wendy saw me pushing my cart earlier in the day and, not knowing that I'm walking across the US, was very concerned for me. When she saw me again sitting on the curb in Pleasant Gap, she gathered up a jacket, a newspaper, and some food, and brought them over to me in the bag you see her holding (she apologized for its pinkness). She was worried about offending me, and wanted to make it clear that she didn't think I was beneath her; she just wanted to make sure I was okay.

She also said she was very touched by the sign on the front of my cart (see below). I haven't addressed the sign yet on this blog, so I think now would be a good time. I can't take credit for it; I stole the idea from my friend Bill Wetzel. It just seems like such a perfect reminder of the ephemerality of life. Make the most of each encounter; you never know if you'll see that person again. I also think it's kind of poignantly funny that the vast majority of people reading my sign are zooming past me in their cars, our one brief encounter in this world over and done in the blink of an eye. (Although there have been a surprising number of people who see me a second time and pull their cars over to talk to me.)

The sign on the front of my cart

Day 16

Set the trip meter

April 11th, 2010

Day 16

Segregation

April 11th, 2010

Day 16

Awesome pedestrian facility

April 11th, 2010



Pushbutton unreachable without climbing over the guardrail