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.
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