Day 49 / May 22, 2012

     
       I woke up on day 49 on the west side of Jackson MS. The ground I slept on was really hard and rough and I woke up at around 7. I slowly got up and was very tired. My knees were hurting a little and I had a headache.
       When I woke up I plugged my electronics in to charge while I packed up. I packed my stuff and then brushed my teeth. As I was brushing my teeth a car pulled up in the parking lot. A lady got out and walked towards the church. As she walked closer she saw me and stopped. I told her I was charging my stuff and would be leaving soon. She said no problem and went into the church. Then right as I was leaving she opened the door and asked me if I needed to use the restroom or anything. I said no thanks. But then I said I had a few things to donate if they would accept it. So I gave her all the Vienna sausage cans I had stocked up. I needed to get rid of the extra weight.
      After that I started walking. I walked for about 5 miles when a lady pulled over. She handed me $5 out of her window and said God bless. About 2 miles later a girl pulled over and gave me a snack and a sealed envelope. Inside it had a prayer and $5.
       I continued and there was a McDonald's ahead where I wanted to try and upload some videos stored on my iPod from the last few days. So I stopped there.
     During the 7 mile walk before I stopped my knees had been hurting me. I wasn't sure if it was from the surface I had slept on the last night, or from walking or what. So I took some anti inflamatories and pain relievers.
      I tried getting the videos up but they wouldn't upload. Also the McDonald's had no outlets to charge. So I stayed there for a bit and then walked next door to taco bell to see if they had outlets. And they did. Also I was able to pick up a wifi signal from a Starbucks right next to it. And I uploaded the videos.
       As I sat there I updated my location on twitter. Then 2 ladies showed up and brought me athletic tape for my knees. They talked with me a while and said they would pray for me, then left.
      Then a while later Terry, the guy who's house I stayed at in Brandon came by on his way home from work. He bought $30 of $5 McDonald's gift cards and gave those so I can pass them out to more homeless along the way. He offered to have me come back to his house to rest longer. But I didn't want to back track that far. He also offered to get me a hotel room across the street, but I told him I was alright and would figure it out. We hungout a bit then he left.
       A little later 4 more people that were all friends came to say hi. There were 2 guys and 2 girls and were around 22 years old. We talked for a while and they were inspired by my stories. I enjoyed talking and sharing with them some of my experiences. While we sat there a dumb (can't talk) kid came up trying to raise money for baseball uniforms. I gave him $20 and they also gave him money. They stayed a while longer and then took off. The 2 guys returned about 15 minutes later and brought me $24 and a $15 I tunes gift card. That was pretty cool.
       After that it was getting late. My knees were hurting still, and I didn't want to walk anymore the rest of the night. So I walked across to the Starbucks and found a spot behind the dumpster that was hidden. I made my bed there and I was out of sight. My bed was on grass too so I hoped my knees would be more comfortable for sleeping. I laid there a little while then fell asleep around 11.

Day 48, May 21, 2012

     
       48 days ago I woke up on Jacksonville beach in Florida. I slept on the beach on my tarp with my sleeping bag on top. When I woke up all I had was a backpack, tarp, sleeping bag, extra pair of clothes, and a few other little toiletries ect. I had no money, no access to money, no food, or acess to getting food. I had what I was wearing with my bedding in my backpack. And that was it. I decided from that day on, I would not accept any help from anyone I knew. I wanted to try and walk, and only walk, across the entire country. As I walked away from the water, it was a scary thing. I was committed in my mind to make it all the way under that condition. And I didn't want to ask people for help at all or beg or pan handle. I prayed to God and told Him this, I let Him know I was in His hands all the way. When I walked away that day I wasn't prepared at all for where to go or how to make this trek possible. I started with close to no thought on preparing for making this possible. I also did not exercise or train for the walking for even a day. I just thought about doing this one day and went.
        So the first few days were tough. I was out of shape, starving, and unprepared. I told God I wouldn't quit and would rot away slowly as a homeless poor man out here for as long as it took me to walk to the California coast. I called Him out, and then He answered me in an overwhelming way. I suddenly had support coming from people approaching me along my walks and in the areas I was around.
      Since then it has gotten stronger and stronger. I have not had help in any other form except for complete strangers who have come into my path. Only people who have approached me during my walk to help me. It was like God was on my shoulders at all times. I'm not a religious man, but when I was getting this support in a survival situation, I felt God protecting me. I lose faith at times but during this trek He has reminded me daily He is there.
      So now it is day 48 and I have all that I need and am moving right along. As a matter of fact I have more than I need and have been overwhelmed. So on this day I decided it was my turn to give back to the communites I am walking through.....
      I woke up behind a Lowes out in the trees. I woke up as I felt the rain hitting my face. I sat up and the rain quickly became heavier. So I quickly packed up and hurried to the back of the Lowes where there was a big rig trailer parked in a receiving ramp. It was tall enough for my cart and was the only place in sight to stay dry. So I sat underneath it to wait until the rain stopped. I ended up sitting there for about 20 minutes and brushed my teeth. I was very tired and didn't sleep well.
       After the rain slowed down I walked around to the front of Lowes and headed down the 25 towards Jackson MS. I walked about 5 miles to a McDonald's. When I got there I plugged my electronics in to charge and ordered two chicken sandwiches to eat. After I ate I took $90 out of the amount of money given to me along my way so far by complete strangers. I used that money and bought 18 $5 gift cards at McDonald's.
     I left there and walked into Jackson. When I got there I stopped at a hardware store and bought a package of rubber bands. I sat in front on the curb outside and pulled out about 15 granola bars that I had stocked up in my cart, all food I had been given from unknown people as well. Then I pulled out my money and sorted some dollar bills out. I made up a bunch of bars with a $5 gift card and $3 cash, wrapped in a rubber band. I threw them in a bag and headed to the ghetto of Jackson.
       I took me about an hour to get there. When I got down there it was a pretty rough area. I spotted the first homeless man sitting outside of an abandoned building. I yelled to him that I had something for him. He got up and walked to me. I handed him a bar with the money and card. He was so happy, he gave me a huge hug! It was a pretty cool moment and the first I have given back on this journey was an awesome moment!
       I walked down further and passed a man and lady walking. I handed them each a pack and they looked shocked. They said thanks and were very confused that I was homeless and helping them. That was a look and reaction that I loved!
      Another lady walked by. I gave her a pack, and she was very happy. I kept walking and when I stopped to look at my gps, she walked back up crying and gave me a hug and said thanks for sharing.
      I passed a bunch of homeless people through my day and it was an awesome day of giving back! I have never done anything like this. I've never even volunteered for anything. Ive just never been someone who truly wants to give back. This is the first time I could be appreciative and thankful enough to want to. And it felt really good! It was a special day and my heart was blessed in sharing what I have received.
        After a while it started raining. I got under an over hang to stay dry and was still in a rough area. I was hoping it would stop soon as I had a ways to go to get out of the ghetto to find a place to sleep.
      When the rain stopped I walked about 7 more miles to get to a nicer suburb of Jackson. I passed a few more homeless people and helped them also. I passed the freeway and it was instantly a nicer area. I came to a McDonald's where I stopped for a break. I sat there and just thought about the day. I couldn't stop smiling thinking of some of the reactions, and knowing those people could eat a good meal that night because I payed forward what God and his people have shared with me. That gave me piece of mind.
       I left there and walked down another mile or so and came to a big church. It was still in the city but I was tired and decided to make my spot to sleep there somewhere. I walked to the front and there were bushes between the front door and the parking lot. They were high enough to hide me so that was where I made my bed. It was on asphalt with a finish of small rocks on top. It was a hard surface and not comfortable at all, but I laid down and fell asleep.

Day 47 / May 20, 2012

     
       I woke up on day 47 in Brandon MS. I was in a nice house of people who took me in. I opened my eyes and almost forgot where I was. Much of this trip has been surreal and has felt like a dream. So sometimes when I wake up I have to think for a while and process what's going on.
       I stretched out and yawned. The bed was so comfortable and I was so relaxed! The little dog was still laying there next to me sleeping. It was cool that he liked me and just hung out next to me like that.
       After laying there a while I got up slowly. I walked out to the garage where Terry was washing his car. I hung out with him and did a few things I needed to do before leaving sometime that day. I put another coat of duct tape on the bottom of my shoes to prevent the soles from wearing out. And I also lightened my cart as much as possible. I took my atlas and tore out the pages of the states I will go through and put them in a ziplock bag. The rest of the book I threw out to get rid of the extra weight. Also took some other random stuff out.
     Terry had bought me some new wheels from home depot for my cart. So we put those on and trashed the other ones that were pretty worn out. They lasted 600 plus miles, so it was a good run.
      I stayed there til about 12 or so. I packed my clean laundry and clothes up in my bag, and was set to head out. I thanked them very much for taking me in. It was a much needed rest and I was very refreshed and recharged to continue. We said goodbye and I walked out to the street and off I went.
        I walked only about 2 miles to a McDonald's and went there to catch up on my journals. A guy on twitter wanted to meet me there. He showed up a bit later and came to meet and talk to me. He had a lot of questions about what I was doing and was trying to figure out why I was doing it. He lived right across the way with his dad in an apartment. He was 20. He asked if I wanted to stay with them and at first I thought maybe I would. But then he said his dad might freak and for me to tell him I was going to be on the Ellen show or something. At that point I really didn't want to go there anymore. He was trying hard to get me to come but I didn't have a good feeling about it. He also was calling a bunch of people and said he was gonna have a party and get wasted and smoke. After nobody answered when he called about 6 times, again I was just not sure about going. I told him to let me know later on twitter and I would play it by ear. But at that point I didn't want to go anyways. He went home and I stayed there to write my journals.
         I stayed there the whole day and just rested my legs. They were still hurting and my knees for some reason were pretty sore. Plus I walked about 100 miles in 6 days so I figured a few days to recover was in need.
       So after the day went by it was about 9:30 and I had a little more writing to do. Just then the same guy that came by earlier came back. He said he was drinking margaritas and trying to get at some chick but it didn't happen. He was a trippy dude. He kept asking very prying questions and talking to him was a little uncomfortable for me.
         On twitter I had the sherrifs fiancé tell me that Drew (sheriff I met 2 days before) wanted to come say hi one last time before I left tomorrow. His shift just ended so he stopped by there. I met him outside and the guy that was with me followed too. So we visited for a bit and Drew brought me a couple things. He had an off brand leather man fold up knife, and also a strong clip attached to some nylon cord that he made himself. It was really cool and I could definitely afford to pack it as it was light and may come in handy. We talked for a while and I told him if he and his fiancé ever wanted to visit California in the future we would love to have them out there. He was a really cool guy.
        So eventually we parted ways and I was off to find a sleep spot. I said goodbye and he said if I get into any troubled situation and I'm not too far to let him or his fiancé know and they would help. I said bye. Then as I left the young kid circled back around in his car and said he would like to come to California too. He said if I get rich and famous off of this journey (which I doubt would ever happen) that I should fly him out. I said we will see. Then he said he wanted to do a video for me before he left. I felt bad to say no so I told him ok. He got out of his car and I recorded him. He started marketing his raps and said if any record labels see this video, that they need to fly him out and record his rhymes. It was pretty funny. The guy was funny.
        So I left there and headed across the street behind a Lowes. In the back there were some trees and bushes. I walked into the bushes where my cart was hidden. I made my bed there. It was a pretty sketchy spot and I got there in the dark so I couldn't see much of what was right around there. But I laid down and eventually went to sleep. I woke up in the middle of the night hearing something that sounded like a possum, or something that size, stomping around getting closer to me. I got up and yelled and did a fake growl to try and scare it off. I heard it run away. Then I went back to bed.       

Day 46 / May19, 2012

       
         Day 46 was pretty wild! I woke up at around 7:30 at the church just south of Brandon MS. I was eager to get to the house where my twitter followers that I met in New Augusta were taking me in. They lived in North Brandon, about 17 miles from where I was. So I packed up quickly and headed out.
         I hadn't even walked for 10 minutes when a man pulled off in front of me and got out to give me a hot breakfast sausage sandwich. He said he had passed me a few minutes earlier and ran to the gas station just ahead to bring me that. He gave me a cold soda with it too. I didn't eat yet so it was pretty awesome!
       I hit highway 18 where I would take that up to central Brandon. That walk was tough and there was no shoulder. It was a lot of uphill and off and on the road (also tough as it dropped off 6 inches on the end of the asphalt). I was huffing and puffing up the hills and it was hot already by about 9.
       Around 10 a lady pulled over in front of me. She handed me a bag that had a carton of food (chicken and a sausage biscuit) 2 big waters, and a gatoraid. She said she also passed me and wanted to help.  Both her and the first guy were complete strangers.
        A little further down the road my iPod ended up dying. I tried to find an outlet at the church to charge before I left while I packed up, but the 2 outlets I found were not working. So I knew the road I was on would get me to the town, where I could plug in somewhere and have my gps to get me the rest of the way to their house.
         I finally came to a gas station on the side of the road and I sat out front and plugged in to use an outlet outside. I was going to stay there and charge for about an hour, then finish the walk to their house that was 9 miles up still.
         About 10 minutes after sitting down there a cop walked up. He asked if I was ok? I said yes and told him why I was there and what I was doing. He thought it was pretty amazing and was interested in my travels. He said unfortunately the owners didn't want me there and that he was sorry but he had to ask me to leave. I told him I understood and that it was not a problem.
         So he shook my hand and said good luck. I put my backpack on and began walking. Just before I even got out of the parking lot I saw another cop car pull in. He pulled up next to me and it was the same cop from the day before! His name is Drew. He said he heard my name while my ID was being checked over the radio, so he called the city dispatch to see where I was at. He was such a nice guy and said he came incase there was a problem. We talked for a little while. He asked how it went staying at the church. He had driven by during the night to see if everything was good there. That was cool to hear and I said it was a good night. He said he had a chance to check out some of my updates through his fiancé's twitter. He thought it was a very cool thing. So after a bit we shook hands and I told him I really appreciated him coming by to check on me. And I took off.
       I had enough charge to see the route, so I headed north. I walked for about 4 miles when a cop car pulled over. A cop got out and it was the same cop who came to the gas station for the call. The one that had to ask me to leave. He asked if I was hungry and that he would buy me lunch. I was so stuffed already I told him no thanks. But the offer was really cool. He also helped me with directions to the street I was heading to. I already knew where I was going, but I let him tell me anyways since he wanted to help. Then he shook my hand again and said he really is inspired by my walk. He also said sorry he had to kick me out of the gas station. I said no problem at all. I continued.
        I walked maybe another 2 miles when a car pulled over and 3 people got out. It was a mother and daughter and then a little girl they were baby sitting. They said they saw my route on twitter and wanted to come meet me and take pictures. It was really hot at this point and they had also brought me a cold drink, and a wet towel that they had on ice inside a big tray. That was awesome! They put it on my neck and it felt amazing! They had snacks for me too and also a $15 McDonald's gift card. I was pretty happy and we got some pictures together. It made me feel like a rockstar to have the cold towel delivered on ice. They were very nice and were supportive of what I'm doing.
         I walked another mile or so when a girl pulled over. She had a bag she brought up to me and she said she was the sherrif's fiancé. She said her and her fiancé Drew (cop who checked on me and that I met yesterday) were very proud of what I am doing. She had a sandwich from a shop in town and some fresh fruit. I was so thankful and I got a picture with her too and then left again.
       Then it got really wild. I was walking in the country north of Brandon about 4 miles from my destination when I heard "nick!". I looked back and saw a young kid around 15 maybe, running down the side of the highway with no shoes on. There was no car and just a house a ways back. He came running up with a black bag in his hand and smiled from ear to ear. With no car I asked him "do you live there?" and he said "yes sir!". And that blew me away a little. He saw me walking down the road and he already follows me on twitter. He wanted a picture and kept saying "this is awesome!". It was really cool and I was just so shocked that he just coincidentally saw me walking. And he also didn't even know the people I was meeting to stay with. Pretty nuts!
        I kept walking and it was real hot. I got to a church and my iPod was almost dead. So I pulled off under the front overhang to charge up and take a break. After 5 minutes of sitting there a car pulled into the church. Then just behind the car the guy I was staying with ahead pulled up on his bike too and had tracked me down to meet me. The kid in the car asked through the window if I was the guy walking across the country? I said yea, and he asked for a picture. When Terry pulled up on his bike (my host) I thought him and the kid knew each other but they didn't. So Terry ended up taking a picture of me and the kid. It was pretty surprising and I felt like a homeless famous dude haha.
       From there me and Terry walked to his house. (I walked and he road). We got there and I was relieved. Right away I got into the shower and it was amazing! I threw my laundry in and then just relaxed with them. It was a nice house and I was so comfortable and thankful they took me in. Never knew them before this trip and they still invited me in.
       So the rest of the day was very relaxing. We hung out and watched movies and talked. He had some friends over also to visit and we all just hung around and visited. They BBQ'd for dinner and I ate some burgers and sausages and it was nice to have fresh hot food off the grill. Their friend and his girlfriend from work were over and they gave me $20 and said they enjoyed following the journey. I was thankful.
        After a long night of resting and chatting with them, I went to bed around 1 am. I had my own room and a soft bed. When I laid down their little dog jumped up and fell asleep next to me. I passed out and it was a great night!

Day 45 / May 18, 2012

        On day 45 I woke up just south of Mendenhall MS. I slept good and woke up on the concrete in front of the baptist donation center I was at. It was up on a hill so the highway was down low and I was out of sight from it. When I woke up my eye was able to open. It felt way better and I was relieved.
        I got up and packed my bed up and got ready. I couldn't find a water spicket anywhere to fill my waters, so I was gonna have to find somewhere down the road. I packed some of my new stuff up and threw some of my old stuff out. I ate an MRE for breakfast and was ready to head out.
        I walked through the town of Mendenhall and there wasn't much right off the highway. I didn't see anywhere right off the road to fill my waters up or anything. So I passed through it and kept walking. Finally past the town a little, I came to a gas station. I stopped there and by that time was a little dehydrated so I got a cold drink there and a snack. I sat outside there in some shade and charged my devises while I relaxed for a little break. I filled my waters and after a good charge I took off.
       My route from there turned off of the 49 and onto a back country road heading north towards Brandon MS. It was a nice quiet walk and there were big shade trees growing over the road. I enjoyed the walk through there.
       I came to a couple of really nice houses where I noticed a guy walked towards me from his driveway and was asking if I was lost. I told him no, and that my gps was taking me through here to get to Brandon. He asked if I was thirsty and invited me to come to his brothers house (next door) for a cold water. 
       I walked to the house and both of the houses were really nice. They were brothers and worked on oil rigs around the world. They asked me some questions and gave me a few cold gatoraids for the road.
        I walked about 5 more miles when a cop pulled off. He was really friendly and just was curious where I was headed. I told him and he was amazed. He had a twitter and took my twitter name so he could follow me. He didn't check my ID or anything, just totally curious.
         I walked about another mile when a car passes me then turned around and came back. It was a guy around my age. He said he saw me the day before by mendenhall and asked if I needed a ride. I told him I couldn't and why. He said no problem and took off.
       About 5 minutes later he came back around. He asked me if I wanted to stay at his and his cousins house for the night. I asked where I was but I would have had to walk and extra 10 miles total to go there. Then he asked if I was looking for a spiritual trip I could go there and eat some mushrooms they had. I for sure was not wanting to go play with the sesame street crew, so I said no thanks.
           I walked another mile and came to a nice shade tree with grass under it. I pulled off for a break. As I sat there another cop passed me. Then he came back around and pulled off next to me. He asked if I was ok. I told him yes and why I was out there. He thought it was pretty amazing. He was real interested and he was a really cool guy. He asked where I was staying and I told him the church I was headed to. He said that my gps was wrong and that church was down another road a ways away. So he told me where to find the next church and said to stay there and I should be safe! He was so cool!
         Finally he had to go. Just as he pulled away a man pulled off next to me. It was him and his little daughter in the back seat. He was well dressed and driving a progressive (insurance) car. He said he saw me and wanted to make sure I was ok. I let him know I was good and where I'm headed. He said it was a blessing to meet me and be a witness to what I had experienced so far. He also said "it was funny I met you as he I've been trying to find someone to give this to".  He had a hundred dollar bill in his hand already. His arm was outside the window the whole time, so when he pulled up he already had it ready. I didn't even know how to react! It was pretty wild! He said he was lucky to meet me and it was meant to be by God's guidance. We talked a while longer and then he left. I couldn't believe it!
         I continued walking and about a mile down the road a car pulled off. It was a man who said his friend told him about me and he wanted to meet me. His friend was the man who have me the $100. He had some questions for me and told me a little about his life and how it has turned around with the help of god. It was pretty cool to hear.
          About an hour later a man and his wife pulled off and wanted to know of they could talk to me for a while. I let them know I had to try and get to the church 4 miles up before it was dark, but if they wanted to meet me there I was happy to meet and talk.
        So I walked the last 4 miles. My knees were really hurting me and my feet were in pain. It was a tough end of walking for the day. So when I got to the church, there was a gazebo next to it where I decided I would sleep. I made my bed and relaxed on it. I took my shoes off and let my feet stretch a bit. I sat there for about 20 minutes and then the old man and the guy who gave me the $100 showed up together. They were pleased to meet with me and I was happy to have the company.  They brought me some snacks for dinner and some drinks. I was starved and hadn't eat since breakfast so I was thankful.
       They brought a Bible and wanted to go through some Bible verses. We went though it for maybe an hour. I had many tough questions and picked their brains about their belief in truth. It was tough to understand the things they believe for me, and the fact that I am going to hell right now without Jesus in my heart is scary. I am not religious but I am very spiritual. I would live to know a truth and share it, but it needs to be evident to me and I need to know its real! So we prayed for me to experience something to show me what is real. And I was thankful to them for that. I had mixed feelings about some of the answers they gave to me about what they believe in. When they left at around 10 I was a little stressed out with the thoughts evoked from our discussion. I didnt sleep well that night as my mind was stressed over that.

Day 44 / May 17, 2012

           On day 44 I woke up and something was wrong with me. When I woke up my left eye wouldn't open. I felt it with my hand and it was swollen about the size of a golf ball and I couldn't open it at all even if I tried as hard as I could to. I couldn't help but laugh and just think to myself that I knew something bizarre would happen sooner or later. I didn't freak out at all and just figured I would google to see what it might be before I become worried at all. So I got up and packed my things and walked to the car dealership to plug in and check out google about my eye.
          I checked into it and it looked like a spider bit my eyelid and it had become inflamed and full of fluid. So I took some anti-inflammatorys that a guy gave me in Florida to help the swelling. Also I used cortisone cream I had on my eyelid.
          I sat there a while when a lady pulled up. She said her son owns the car dealership and he would be there soon. I let her know I was just charging my GPS for the day and she said it was ok. She left and I packed up soon after that to leave before he got there. Before I left I brushed my teeth. It was a mission to try to get the toothpaste on the brush. My depth perception was way off and it took me 3 tries to get it on there.
         When I left walking it was a little sketchy only having one eye. And again, even as hard as I tried I could not open it at all. I would lose my balance slightly every once in a while. It was scary being on the shoulder close to cars like that but I wanted to get 20 miles in that day.
          A few miles up a car pulled over and honked behind me. It was the husband and wife from the day before who were on their way to McGee to pay bills. They were checking in on me. I showed them my eye and they were pretty shocked. It looked pretty wicked. They said be careful and asked if I needed anything. I told them prayers! They said they would stop to see me on the way back later.
         I kept walking and walked a good ways but at a little slower pace because of my eye. About an hour later the husband and wife returned to check on me and brought me a cold drink. They also had a niece who wanted to meet me, so they pulled off and I took a break with them waiting for their niece. They showed up and it was the niece, her boyfriend, and their 2 kids. They hung out a while and took some pictures. When they left I continued.
           As I approached McGee I was going to stop at McDonald's to take a break. There were friends of the kids I met from the day before who wanted to meet me, so I let them know (on twitter) that I was stopping at McDonald's if they wanted to meet me. So him and his friend and her baby met me there for lunch. We hung out and talked a while there about my trip so far. And of course I always let everyone know all the glory is God's. I am close to Him and He watches and guides me along my steps. They left after a while and eventually I got back on the road.
         About a mile out of town a man pulled over and gave me a instant dinner and some snack bars. Then right after that another guy pulled over to give me some pop tarts he had.
         I walked a little while longer and I was so loaded down that my knees really were bothering me. I decided it was a good idea to pull off and lighten my load. So I stopped at a church I passed on the north end of McGee to leave some food there that maybe the church could give to someone. I was getting so much now that I can't use it all. Which is a good problem to have out here.
         I continued to the town of Mendenhall ahead about 5 miles. My knees still hurt but the load was for sure lighter. The two guys I met the day before wanted to come out and bring their friends to meet me when I got to my destination for the night. I got to the church that I mapped out on the GPS, but again it was a house. But there was a church just back a few hundred yards that I walked back to. It was up a hill and it was actually a baptist donation center. But it was closed Friday and it was Thursday night, so I figured I was good.
         The guys came and met me there. There were 5 of them and they brought me a box of MRE military meals, 2 pairs of shorts, 2 shirts, 3 pair of socks, and some other small first aid items. And a cold Gatorade that hit the spot! They were all really cool and were very supportive of my trip. It was a really cool visit and they gave me inspiration just like everyone who stops for me does! They hungout for about 20 minutes and then took off. It was really cool.
        I couldn't find a faucet anywhere there and the outlet where I slept didn't work. So I made my bed and laid down. My feet and legs hurt, I was really sweaty and in fact took my shirt off and threw it away and put one of the shirts they gave me on right away. But my pours still were sweating.
        I laid down and it was a good day. I still only had one eye, but was happy I overcame that and still had a great day and moved with God's speed. I laid down on the concrete and looked up to thank God in a little prayer. It hit me in the middle of the prayer, even with my eye messed up, my legs riddled with scabs from bug bites, my feet and knees in agony, I was experiencing a moment of happiness during that prayer. I slept like a baby that night.

Day 43 / May 16, 2012

In day 43 I woke up at the church off the 49 just south of Collins MS. I woke up at around 9 and had slept pretty well. This was the first night I can remember not being bit by a mesquito since Alabama and staying with the family there. Even though I slept on concrete I was pretty rested and slept ok.
       When I got up I needed to put a new coat of duct tape on the soles of my shoes and also on my carts wheels as well. I spent about 30 minutes doing that. I charged my stuff again before I left while I ate 2 bananas given to me from the day before for breakfast. I filled up my waters and left around 10:30.
         I headed back to the highway 49 and headed north. Not even a mile into my walk and a man pulled over. He said he saw me and so he ran home and brought me leftover t bone steak, sausage, and potato scalps. He also brought me a water and 1 beer. He said a month before that he got out of rehab and was homeless for a month in Dallas and knew how much it would mean. He also let me know the rehab didn't work.
          I kept walking and another mile up a car pulled off ahead of me. A man got out, waved to me, set a bag down and took off. I walked about a hundred yards up and picked up the bag. It was chips, 2 bananas, a soda, and 2 waters. And already I had too much food. My cart was full and I could haul it all. So I took some of it and threw some out in the next houses garbage can out by the road.
           Another half mile up a lady pulled off and brought me a half sandwich from arbys and some fries that she had leftover. She gave me a soda too that she had in an ice chest in the back of her SUV.
            About 2 miles up a man and his son pulled off. They handed me some cracker snacks and bars. They gave me a lighter and a green tea too. And mind you, these were all complete strangers that are not twitter followers, all of the people that stopped this day are strangers I've never met. Also my food sign was covered after the second guy stopped.
         Another mile up a man and wife pulled off to make sure I was ok. They gave me $10. They also got my twitter name and follow me now.
        About another mile ahead a man pulled off pretty far ahead. He walked back to me pretty far. He gave me $5 and said there was a burger king in the next town, and to stop and get myself lunch.
        5 minutes after that a lady pulled off to give me 2 sandwiches and a Gatorade. She said she saw the last man helping me from her house across the street. So she made sandwiches real quick and brought them out to me. She said her daughter received a medical blessing recently and they wanted to share a blessing with me as they were thankful.
           A few miles ahead a truck pulled off. A young guy brought me back a whopper meal from burger king and a poweraid. He wanted to say a prayer for me also.
          I took a break in Collins where I ate some of the food. I was so overwhelmed from the help I was receiving that I don't even have words to describe it on here. But I was ecstatic all day and so thankful to God! Then I got back onto the road.
       Right as I left Collins a car briefly pulled over to offer me a box of leftovers. I said I was full but thanks and God bless.
          Another half mile up a guy, his wife, and his baby pulled off and offered me a ride. I told them I couldn't but thanks anyways.
           A mile up two young guys pulled off and offered me a ride. I told them I couldn't but they still ended up giving me $12. They got my twitter name and now follow me.
        Another half mile up a girl pulled off and offered me a ride to Jackson. I passed and told her thanks for the offer though.
        Right after that a lady pulled off and also offered me a ride. I said I was only walking but a prayer would be appreciated.
        Another couple miles up just before the dark one last lady pulled over and gave me a banana and an apple..
        This day was incredible! I had 14 people stop to offer me help! It was really amazing and it honestly felt fake and like they were hired to be there and to help me. It was pretty wild!
       I finally got to where the church was on my GPS. Except there was no church. It was a house and this has been the first time my GPS has failed me. Luckily across the street there was an auto broker lot where I found an outlet. I had charged up a little on my stop at a church in Collins but I was running low. So I plugged in for a while. I was still in the country and next to the dealership there was some bare land. There was a cement wall around a propane tank there and I slept behind it.
         The spot was a little rocky but I was tired and it was out of sight, so I just roughed it. I laid down and finally fell asleep around 11 or so. I woke up as I felt bites on my arms. When I got my iPod and light the ground up I was right in a red ant hill. So I got up and brushed the ants off me and my sleeping bag. The bites REALLY itched. I moved back a ways to get away from them. I woke up again in the middle of the night and my eyes felt tight like it had a bite or a bump on it. I felt it with my hand and it did have a bump on it and it was irritating. But I ended up falling back asleep.

Day 42 / May 15, 2012

On day 42 I woke up next to the shop across the street from the laundromat in south Hattiesberg. I woke up at around 10 and was ready for the day. I got up and packed up right away. I went across the street to the laundromat to brush my teeth and charge my stuff a little more before leaving.
         I was there for 30 minutes and at 10:30 I headed to the 49 and started walking north through Hattiesberg. I walked through it and in northern Hattiesberg I didn't even know it but I came across Southern Miss. (the college). I walked past it and the football field was right there along the highway. I noticed a gate was open so I decided to try and get onto the field. I went through and got right out onto the turf. It was really cool and it was a beautiful stadium. I was the only person out there and I walked across the field a little. I wanted to continue on the highway to get along on my way so I took off.
        As I reached the north end of town I decided I would take an early break at a Wendy's and charge my devices again before leaving Hattiesberg. I sat there and ordered a couple things off of the dollar menu. I stayed there about an hour and then took off again.
          I hit the end of town and it was open road from there. I walked for maybe an hour when a man pulled over. He said he thought I could use some lunch so he went to get me sonic. He gave me a bag and a soda. I was really thankful. I was pretty full and so I stowed the bag in my cart to save it for dinner.
          Maybe 30 minutes later a man pulled off and brought me some bannanas and a water. He said to be safe walking on the highway. Told him thanks and he took off. I was very surprised with how people were pulling off that often and taking care of me. It was pretty awesome.
          I walked a few hours and was about an hour from my destination. I pulled off for a break as my feet were hurting and my knees were lightly throbbing. I pulled off and ate the food from sonic that the man brought me earlier. When I opened the bag there was also a $5 bill inside of it! That was a cool surprise.
         I headed north on 49 for my last mile. The church was off a little road just off the highway. As I approached it I got to see a really cool sunset. It was a nice night. I got to the church and it was a good place to stay. It was big and nothing was around it. Also it had plenty of chargers behind it and water faucets everywhere. I made my bed under an overhang in the back and plugged my things in. I laid there a while and used the Internet and eventually went to sleep around 11 or so.

Day 41 / May 14, 2012

 

I woke up in south Hattiesberg on day 41. I had slept well, for homeless standards, and was charged and ready for the day. I wasn't sure what time it was as all my electronics were dead. I had one bottle left of water and hoped to find an outlet soon to charge my stuff.
       Before I left I needed to get rid of some weight in my cart. My knees have been hurting lately and my cart is packed too full of stuff. So I picked through it and got rid of some things I could do without. When I left walking I already could feel how much better it felt.
       I had no clue really where I was headed and wanted to hit a McDonald's to use their wifi/outlet and get a gameplan ready for the week. I walked down to a stop sign where there was a storage property and saw a man outside of there in a truck. I asked him where there was a McDonald's north of there? He wasn't sure how to get to it but he guided me in the right direction.
         I headed up the way he said and eventually ran into a charge where there was an outlet out front. I plugged in there and charged for a bit while finding the right route on the GPS. After 15 minutes I headed out.
          On the way to the McDonald's I passed through a construction sight where they were doing roadwork. One of the crew members waved me down and ran after me to give me 2 MRE dinners. He said he had extra and I might be able to use them. That was pretty nice.
         I finally got to McDonald's. I ended up spending most of the day there resting my knees and setting up my weeks route to get to Jackson MS. I wanted to be there by Saturday as the people I met a couple days before we're gonna BBQ for me.
         As the day went by I also wanted to do my laundry. So at around 8 I walked about a half mile away and found a laundromat. I went in there and there was a restroom inside. So I went into the restroom and bathed in there. I stripped down and bathed using the sink and my jacket as a scrub. I put my other clothes on and came out. I took the clothes I was wearing and my sleeping bag and threw them in the wash.
        I sat there for about an hour and a half doing my laundry. After I was done I headed across the street to a church. The church was a little more open then I liked so I ended up sleeping next to a big shop across from it. The shop wasn't near a house and I wasn't sure if it was associated with the church or what? But either way I was pretty hidden  and wasn't too worried. I made my bed there and I felt good and clean and fell asleep comfortable on the grass that night and slept pretty good.

Day 40 / May 13, 2012

I woke up drenched in sweat and had the cold wet tent pressing on me. I didn't sleep well at all and woke up with a headache. I was dead tired and it was hard to wake up, but at the same time I was so uncomfortable that getting up and out of that tent was nice. It was like I had mixed feelings and was just drained from the night.
        I got up and sat there just staring at the ground a while. It was partly just blank thought and just a tired state before I even stood up off the ground. I sat on my tent a while and it was a tough few minutes mentally. Eventually I grabbed another cliff bar to eat for breakfast and somehow found the energy to get up and going. I wasn't looking forward to packing all my stuff up. It seemed like so much work for how drained I was. But again, I found the energy and finally got with it.
       After I packed up I went down to the highway and started walking. My feet hurt, I was sore all over, and I was not feeling in a good mental place. But I just kept stepping. This trek would be much easier if I had accommodations along the way, but the homeless and poor challenge added to walking all day is a challenge. Being drained all the time and keeping myself going physically and mentally is very challenging. But I am proud that I can find my way through it. I feel strong and that I am much tougher than I ever gave myself credit for. And in being strong I have to give the credit to God for helping me have what I need to continue each day.
        I walked a few miles when I noticed the wheels on my cart were starting to crack pretty badly. They were getting to the point where I didn't think they would last much longer. So I pulled off and decided to take some time and do a good duct tape job on them to keep them together. And let me just say, duct tape is awesome! Fixed them up and they were good to go! I also patched the bottoms of my shoe soles with some of it as well and after my break I felt much better with my equipment. I also tried using my Internet before I left and it finally worked! Very happy to see that.
           I walked after that at a good pace and wanted to get up to Hattiesberg MS by the end of the day. It was 22 miles up so I walked a long ways! When I got close to Hattiesberg I took a short walk into the town by taking the old highway 49 road for a shortcut. It was a very nice road and there were hardly any cars. It was shaded from trees growing over it and was very quiet. Nice to take the road less traveled for a change to have a more peaceful walk.
         I walked down that road a few miles and it was maybe 5 or so. Just around then a big red truck pulled up behind me and pulled off the other side of the road and a man said "hi nick". I just smiled as I knew they were there to see me. They got out and dropped the tailgate down. I thought maybe he was a friend of the couple from the day before but he said they didn't know them. They were other twitter followers that have also been tracking and following my journey.
          They had all kinds off stuff for me! They brought me dinner and Gatorade. Also snicker marathon bars (2 packs). And a first aid kit. They had more also but I could only carry so much. I hadn't eaten besides in the morning and was really hungry. I was also just about out of my water bottles (besides the gallons I store). And was pretty thirsty. So we hungout and talked for a while. They were very nice people and we hit it off well. The man was a safety rep for job sites and traveled a lot, and his wife was a kindergarten teacher.
         We stayed there talking about an hour and a half and I ate some chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn they brought me. It was so good! And it worked out since I was hungry when they brought it. It's getting hard to accept things when I can't really carry extra stuff.
         So we stayed there a while then it began raining and getting close to sunset. It was awesome to have their support and I was so thankful! So they left and I continued down the road. It was still very quiet and no cars hardly at all. I was coming to a church ahead where my destination was.
        When I got to the church, it wasn't a very good spot and there were houses all around it. I was still hungry and decided to finish my dinner there though. And also I needed an outlet as my stuff was almost dead. So I went behind the church and sat down on a step to eat. I was sitting there about 10 minutes when I heard a truck pull up and shut off.
          I was hidden behind the corner so he still didn't see me. But I heard footsteps walking back. Then there was an older man and he was obviously looking for me. He asked if I was ok. I told him yes and why I was traveling. He was interested and had many questions. So we talked for 5 minutes or so. He then told me he didn't want to scare me but the old lady that lived next door to the church saw me walk back there and was freaked out, so she pulled her 9mm pistol out and loaded it up and was ready to fire on me if I roamed near her house!
        I was pretty startled by this and just thinking of a scared lady impulsively firing at me if I walked by her house made me think. It was funny, but at the same time a bit freaky.
      The man went to tell her it was on and then brought her back to meet me. When I met her I said thanks for not blowing me away. She laughed. After telling her my story she coincidentally had met a man walking America when she was a little girl. He wrote a book apparently too called "walking America" or something. That was cool to hear about.
       So I chatted with them a while and they said they would pray for me along the way. That was cool. But I didn't want to stay there as they didn't really offer it and it would have been awkward at this point to camp there. So I headed down the road again.
      Right when I left my iPod died and had no GPS and didn't know where the next church was. So I walked a ways and into the dark. I was in Hattiesberg now for a while and it was starting to turn into a rough area. Finally I came across a little church in the country there. It had no outlets or water spickets which sucked. I was almost out of water and had no battery.
          It was a good hidden place to sleep though. I laid behind some trees on the soft grass and made my bed. It was comfortable and I fell asleep much rosier that night. I still was hot and sweaty, but compared to the last night it was far better. I was beat tired and I was out.

Day 39 / May 12, 2012

On day 39 I woke up out back of a church north of Beaumont MS. I was in my sleeping bag and had half my tarp under me with the other half folded and over the top of me incase it would have rained. I woke up and there were a good amount of ants crawling on me so I brushed them off. Not in any hurry but sort of lackadaisically.
        There were some cows in front of me in a pasture and when I sat up they were a little startled and walked away from from me. I got up and took my time packing my stuff. My heel was irritating me a bit and I ended up throwing some more duct tape on the inside of my shoes on the heel part. I ate a cliff bar for breakfast and filled my water jugs also. There was no outlet outside of the church as I walked around it so I didn't get a charge. I packed up and headed out.
         I walked on the highway that went from Beaumont back to the 98. When I got to the 98 about a mile ahead I headed north towards Hattiesberg. There were those little bumps on the shoulder of the highway. I forget what they are called but they are a bit of a hassle to pull my cart through. Either I have to walk in the oncoming lane until a car comes and then go onto the shoulder, walk on the shoulder with one wheel rolling through the bumps (annoying/bouncy/wearing out the wheel), or straddle the cart with a wheel on each side and walk through the bumps which hurt my feet. So either way I'm always having to somewhat be uncomfortable.
        I walked about 5 miles up the 98 when I pulled off for a break. At this point my iPod and wifi devise we're now dead. I knew I wouldn't have to get off the 98 for a while and knew there was a town up ahead where I would get a charge. So I drank some water and continued north.
          I walked a good ways up and there was really nothing along the highway. I was keeping my eye out incase I passed a church where I could charge up but never saw one. I was really hoping the town ahead would have a place I could sit where there was an outlet and wireless Internet. But it looked like the town might be pretty bare.
         As I approached New Agusta I didn't see anywhere I would find Internet. I Kept walking through and I saw some restaurant or something ahead but didn't recognize the logo of the sign out front and figured it was a local place that wouldn't have Internet. But as I walked closer it actually turned out to look more like a fast food place and I figured I would check it out. It was a Wards, which I have never seen or heard of. As I walked up saw on the window that they had wifi! I was pretty surprised! I went in and found a charger and was relieved!
        I ordered a chicken sandwich and a drink there and connected to the Internet. Man that was some good food and having a connection to my friends and family was nice! As I sat there charging up and eating I let people know my location on twitter and that I had no service for the last few days.
      After a while relaxing there I heard a voice say "nick!". I looked up very confused and surprised. It was a couple and they had a shoe box. I couldn't believe it! They said they were from Jackson (2 hours away) and were down in the area and wanted to help out. They brought me a brand new pair of asex shoes! At first I was thinking it would be hard to pack and any extra weight was tough to haul. And I was planning and hoping for the nikes I started with to last at least half way. But once I felt how light the shoes they brought were I would have no problem packing them. And after all if I need them badly at some point that would be very nice to have! I was very thankful they found me and helped me out!
         They sat with me and we talked for a while. It was pretty cool to have company and especially people who don't think I'm insane. Usually people I talk to along the way seem a little unsure of me. So it was nice to have someone who follows the blog and my journey who knows and has more of a sense of who I am.  Even though I never met them or knew them before this day it was nice to have them there. We talked for maybe an hour and then they were headed out back to their home in Jackson. They also invited me to stay with them when I arrive in Jackson for a night to shower and get me and my stuff cleaned up and relax and have a bed for a night. So I told them I definitely would when I arrived up there. We said goodbye and they left.
        I was pretty happy they stopped and it was pretty cool going from no connection to anyone even on Internet, to having internet then having visitors know where to find me also.
       A little later I was starting to figure the rest of my day out. I found a church ahead a ways and figured I could leave soon and make it up the highway before dark. Just as I considered getting ready to leave it began to downpour! There was lightning and thunder and extremely heavy rain! It poured a while then all off a sudden, boom! Lightening struck hard again and right when I heard the roaring thunder the power inside the wards shut off. It was pretty weird and it was just me and the workers inside there in dead silence and a gloomy dark. About 5 minutes later it came back on. The rain kept falling.
         So it stormed for a while and the power was on and off through the next few hours. It was about 5 now and I was starting to worry where I would stay. I looked out the windows and there wasn't much around the area. I was going to have to wing it and hoped the rain would stop.
         At around 7 the rain had stopped and I wanted to get somewhere to stay before dark or before the rain came back. So I walked north up the highway and found a little road that pulled off and went over the railroad tracks. I tried to find a place to be hidden to maybe pitch my tent. But no luck. It was too swampy and thick and there literally was nowhere out of sight. And usually I'm pretty good and finding hideouts.
      So I got back on the 98 and went north again. I went up the highway and it was getting dark. Even along side the highway I couldn't even find a clearing to get behind trees or anything. It is so thick that you can't even walk into the trees. It was now dark and I was more worried. I was desperate for a spot to stay and it wasn't looking any better.
       Finally I spotted a driveway. I looked around and there was no mail box. The driveway went into the trees the sort of faded away. There was a little clearing and I made a decision that this would be my spot. The only spot I had room to lay down was in some bushes that were a couple feet tall and were visible from the road. I could get behind them but I couldn't pitch my tent or the top half would stick out over the bushes and easily be seen by traffic. I knew it was possibly going to storm so I made a game time call to lay my tent out but not pitch it. So my tent laid out and I crawled into it. I had my sleeping bag inside and crawled in that as well. Then to keep dry I laid my tarp over my tent also. I put my cart on the end of the yard so it wouldn't fly away either. Then my cart had a garbage bag over it to keep it dry.
       So I zipped my tent and it literally was pressing down on my face with the tarp on top of it too. It quickly was very hot inside there and condensation made the tent wet also. So I was dripping sweat off my arms and face, and my tent was also wet on my arms and face. It was pretty miserable. It took me a couple hours to fall asleep as I tossed and turned.
        I woke up in the middle of the night and I needed air. I was hot and it was so stuffy it was almost unbearable. I started feeling around for the tent door and I couldn't find it. I was twisting around feeling for it but the tent had so much slack that it had twisted around me as I tossed and turned earlier. I was bonded up inside of it and it felt like there was no air! I thought for a brief moment about ripping it open with full force, but realized not to freak out. I paused, then started feeling again. I finally found the door and opened it to breath some fresh air. It was a very hard night and my rest was very limited.

Day 38 / May 11, 2012

 I woke up on day 38 and had slept pretty good. I was pretty comfortable when I got up and it was about 8:30. I packed up quickly and got ready. I wanted to look at a blister on my heel that was hurting pretty badly. When I pulled off my socks it was pretty nasty. It was about a quarter sized hole that went deep into the layers of skin on the back of my heel. I didn't have much to patch it with. So I ended up folding toilet paper I had into a square shape big enough to cover it, and then threw a bandaid over it. It was sort of like an oakie band aid. I put my shoes on and it actually felt ok.
         I still had no Internet signal for the 3rd day now and knew my family might be worried. I also had no way of planning a route except just taking the highway northwest on 98 and winging it. So I ate some wheat thins from the man who brought me dinner the day before, and left walking around 9.
       I was going at a good pace and just took little 10 minute breaks here and there. Beaumont was about 20 miles up and was the next town. I wanted to get there and see if they had Internet wifi somewhere. So I walked a good pace.
         At around 11 a lady in a van pulled over and gave me some left over catfish and a coke. She also gave me $10. It was really cool and when she left I was hungry so I ate some of the catfish.
         About 3 hours later I was making good time and covering ground. A guy pulled over in a jeep and gave me a bunch of fresh fruit. Sliced kiwi, strawberry, and cantelope. I was hungry again at that point so I ate that up too.
          I walked a long ways and was tired. My feet hurt but I was almost to Beaumont. As I approached the town I took another road off the highway that went to the town. When I got into that road it began to rain. It was a steady rain so I covered my cart with my jacket and threw my trash bag over myself.
      Right as I got into the town of Beaumont there was a cop parked on the side of the road and I decided to see if he would let me use a phone to call my mom. He got out as I walked up and looked at me suspiciously. I told him my situation and he was a little rude about it. He kept asking repetitive questions and said it was weird that I was traveling with no source of communication. I told him many times I have Internet but just hit a dead zone with no service but he still kept saying I looked suspicious and asked why I was in the middle of nowhere? He checked my ID and afterwards seemed very hesitant to let me use the phone but he finally let me.
        I called my mom and told here I was ok and to tweet to anyone that was worried and let them know the Internet situation. I made the call short since the cop still was weirded out. After the call I asked the cop if there were any wifi places there and he said no. He seemed like he wanted me out of there. He said I wouldn't have Internet signal until Hattiesberg and that was a bummer as it was still a few days away.
       So I walked through the little town of Baumont. There really wasn't anything there. It was tiny and I was on the end of town right away. I didn't know where I would stay and the sun was setting. So I passed though the town and kept going. I hoped to find a church but it didn't look promising. There were thick trees and swamp. Not even a place to pull off.
     So I walked a ways and could barely go on. I was so sore and hurting and didn't have much left in me. I said a prayer that I would find a church or somewhere to stay soon, or to have the strength to carry me on until there was one. About 10 minutes later, in the middle of nowhere, there was a church.
        I walked behind it and made my bed. I was very relieved and extremely tired. I fell asleep right away and slept like a baby.