I took off walking and left the town of vega on the old route 66. I headed out into the country there and there was nothing around me. It was just fields for miles all around and of course the busy interstate about 50 ft away from me.
I walked a good pace and the weather was surprisingly cooler than it had been in a while. It was around 95 degrees with a breeze. It seriously felt like it was 75 degrees from being used to the heat out here. It made the walk so easy! If I didn't have the heat element on this journey, it would be a lot more simple. This day was really smooth and the cool air felt great!
I walked 17 miles with no breaks or interruptions and got to Adrian TX. It was a tiny little town but I wanted to teak a break somewhere there. I walked through the town and there was nowhere to stop. Then at the west edge of town I stopped at a little cafe. As I got closer I realized it was a midpoint exactly of the entire span of route 66 (which goes from Los Angeles CA to Chicago IL). I went in and it was a cool historic place. I sat down and I ended up ordering a burger there and an iced Tea. It was a bit of a splurge for me, but I was about to finish Texas and get into some long tough stretches of nothing. So I felt ok treating myself.
I stayed there a while and charged my stuff and relaxed. They closed at 5 and so I headed out then. When I came out my front tire on my cart was flat. I pumped it up with my little hand pump I have and it seemed to hold the air ok.
I headed out from there and walked on. There was nothing ahead of there until the New Mexico state line. So I was gonna have to rough it and find a place to sleep around no towns or anything.
As I left town I had two ladies pull up in front of me. They got out and said "we found him!" they came up and gave me hugs. They said their friend had met me about a week ago, and they had to come track me down. They brought me drinks and $32. They asked if they could pray over me. I said of course. I don't care who comes my way, I will always accept prayers or any good energy. Despite religion or anything. I just like that good people are sending good energy my way.
I walked about 3 miles when my route from there was heading due south off the interstate 40. So I started south down a very lonely road. I walked south for about 4 miles where it capped a 23 miles day. I stopped right at a right turn where the road turned back west. At this point I was way off the interstate and couldn't see anything all around except a tower.
On the corner where I stopped there was one abandoned train car. It was randomly sitting in a field with nothing else around. It was good as I could sleep behind it to stay hidden. Not that it mattered much. Only 3 cars passed me the last 6 miles or so and in the three passing one of the cars was the same one passing twice. It was lonely out there.
I had a car come out to meet me there. It was a couple from my twitter that I never met or knew (everyone I have seen this entire trip from day 1 have been people I don't know or never even knew about, which is cool). They were traveling back to Mississippi from New Mexico. They brought me a cold gatoraide, a snack, and a hat! I try and run everything I have as long as I can, but I stowed it away for backup. I have worn the same hat I have on everyday since day 1... So they hung out for a few minutes just as the sun set then left.
I sat on my sleeping bag on the edge of the road while leaning up against my cart. It was so quiet and peaceful and I wished the moment would last longer. I was really in a peaceful mind set.
Just as it was getting dark dark, I walked back behind the railroad cart and set up a camp hidden behind it. I climbed up on top of the cart to get one last look all around before it was too dark.
I came down and laid down on misty dirt there in my sleeping bag. It was actually pretty chilly so I bundled up in my bag. I laid there a while. It was my last night in Texas which was crazy to me. I fell asleep around 10:30.
I woke up to howling!!! Loud!!! It was a pack of coyotes nearby! They were really letting it rip. I grew up in the country always around coyotes. So I know they do that and are scared of people. So I listened to them a while and then went back to sleep.
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