When I stayed in his RV back in Indiana, Bob gave me this sticker for my cart. I finally got around to filling it in today.
28 miles and 94 degrees.
This morning: free 6 AM wake-up call from the gentlemen mowing this park where I stayed last night.
There was no sign indicating otherwise, so that's what I'm going to believe.
I guess it's a bookstore, but again there was no sign.
Barb at the Westby Bakery & Coffee Shop gave me a bunch of delicious pastries for the road!
First, Christian and his dad pulled up beside me in their truck to give me some words of encouragement. A little while later, Christian tracked me down in his car to offer some financial support.
A little while after that, Christian's dad tracked me down again, this time to give me the food and beverages you see pictured. This was the first time I drank a beer while pushing the cart.
Also, LaCrosse Lager: the real Old Style?
I walked until later than usual last night, but they graciously accommodated me, letting me stay in their trailer to avoid the thunderstorms (which never actually materialized). This morning they sent me off with some goodies for the road, including homegrown (and handpicked by me!) lettuce, spinach, and rhubarb.
That's what the billboard says, along with the advertising company's name and phone number, and a generic lighthouse photo.
Mike spotted me from a nearby gas station and came over to give me 20 bucks and a bottle of water!
A couple of days earlier than expected. More on that later.
I just wanted to take this opportunity to publicly thank a few people for their help in putting this whole thing together.
Jason Eppink: Site designer and vigilant webmaster
Roger Berg: Designer and generous donor of the Runabout stroller I'm using as my cart
Posterchild: Originator of the "imjustwalkin" website name
Bill Wetzel: Originator of the "We May Never Meet Again" sign on the front of my cart
Gary Hause: The man who convinced me I could do it
They spotted me walking up a big hill. I was anxious to make some progress and didn't want to stop for an interview, so they walked/ran along beside me talking with me and getting some footage. Athletic, tenacious reporters: I was impressed!
I was planning on heading up the Mississippi River from La Crosse for a couple of days before crossing into Minnesota, but when Eileen from the La Crescent Chamber of Commerce offered me a shower and a chance to do laundry (both of which I desperately needed), I decided to make a run for the border early, and I'm really glad I did. She and her son Brian were wonderful hosts, preparing a big summer feast for me. Eileen hung around the house a little later than usual yesterday morning to make me breakfast and see me off.
Eileen and Brian gave me this card (which Eileen made!) at breakfast yesterday.
As it turns out, my mom had emailed the La Crosse Area Convention and Visitors Bureau to tell them I'd be in the area on my birthday, which is how Eileen found out about me. I also got a couple of nice offers for free food and beer from the owners of local businesses (Rudy's Drive-in and the Pearl Street Brewery). And a few people just stopped me in the street to wish me a happy birthday.
I also received almost 2000 emails yesterday, many very heartfelt and personal, after Martha's AP story started running in various news outlets. Thanks for all the kind words, everyone! It will take me a long, long time to read through all the emails, but I will read each one even if I can't reply to them all.
What a birthday!
A beautiful, isolated, precipitous dirt road running from the top of a bluff down to the Mississippi River
He seemed to have a deformed leg and was just sitting dead still looking at me.
Thanks to Sandy (second from left) for the lemonade and the $20!
He had read about me earlier in the day, and figured I must be somewhere in the area. He pulled over his motorcycle to talk when he saw me walking, and let me spend the night at his cabin, which happened to be right near where we met. It was a beautiful, serene place, right on the Mississippi, and the fridge was stocked with beer: a perfect, quiet end to a crazy birthday. This morning he came by to check on me and gave me money for a nice dinner tonight.
They're in town from Idaho because Lanny is acting in a Shakespeare festival in Winona. They just stopped to give me some moral and financial support (Ada has deep pockets).
No big green dinosaur statue, but they do, apparently, have frisbee golf frisbees.
The "Nurses of Winona County" were having a yard sale and gave me some homemade rhubarb bread!
