At around 7:30 I finally got up. I packed my stuff and headed out from there. I didn't sleep to good just from hearing the stories the night before from the security guy. I was so alert all night and woke up to any sound.
I went across the street to the McDonald's. I filled up my waters there. About 4 gallons. I also got a sausage mcmuffin. I was ready to go around 8am. I walked to the 40 and headed out of town.
I walked about 4 miles when I came to the west exit of Gallup where there was a hotel and a few places to eat. I suddenly had to take a dump bad! It felt like a rocket was ready to shoot out of my anus. The exit was still about a mile up, and there was a bunch of construction ahead near the exit. When I got close the way to get off and get to a bathroom was not direct at all, but rather backtracking on a detoured exit. I was not happy about that and the space shuttle was close to launching into my shorts at this point. Luckily I saw an outhouse on the construction site ahead. I got on the gas and high stepped to it! When I got there I blew some fuses and it got nasty.
I left there and beyond that exit was nothing until the state line. I walked about 8 miles when an exit lead onto a frontage road that I could take all the way to Arizona. I could see the land ahead and it was beautiful!! I got onto the frontage and stopped for a break where a bridge went over the railroad tracks.
I sat there on a curb on the bridge and decided to make a peanut butter sandwich. I was making my sandwich when a car pulled up and stopped by me. It was an Indian family and they had waters for me. They said they saw me walking a ways back and went to get drinks for me. Complete strangers again helping me out. I have had support all across the country from all kinds of places and people. There has been hospitality the entire way and that is such a refreshing thing. Knowing people have my back wherever I go. That's is real hope.
I sat there about 20 minutes and then took off. I walked down the bridge and the road was awesome! Hardly any cars at all (like one every 15 minutes), and the scenery was getting better the further I went. I was starting to get excited to get to the state line. It was an awesome day!
I walked ahead where I was walking on a hillside and could see down the valley and also veered over the river. It was such a cool sight. I was really taking it in and the more I thought about how far I've come to see this, the more I appreciated it.
I stopped again another 6 miles up with about 4 miles to go! I cracked open another can of ravioli to eat. For some reason I was really hungry all day. As I sat there, a dark cloud started moving over the mountain. Then the wind picked up. I could see it was about to rain.
I grabbed my sleeping bag and put it next to my cart, then I got my tarp out and bungeed it over my cart. It began raining soft at this point. My tarp was secured and a portion of it big enough to cover me while I sat there also hung over the side.
It rained soft for a few minutes once I was covered, then it hit. It was spitting rain and the wind was also picking up. My tarp was blowing around a little to where I had to hold it down. I was staying pretty dry though.
I ended up sitting there for about 20 minutes while the rain and wind whipped around. Finally it passed and I got out from under my tarp. I looked around and the direction the clouds were coming from seemed to be clear. I couldn't see far since they were rolling from the hill next to me. The hill was basically pure rock too. Really cool.
So I flung my tarp and all the water off of it, folded it, and then continued walking. I walked about a mile when a car pulled over. They asked if I was ok or needed anything? I thanked them very much but told them I was ok. A guy in the passenger seat offered me to smoke some weed from his pipe, but I told him thanks as I've been sober for my travels.
I got about another half mile from there when another cloud raced over. I pulled off again and covered just in time for more wind and rain. It wasn't crazy, but enough to get all my attention and have to hold my tarp secure with both hands. That lasted another 15 minutes.
By this time I had just a few miles to go and it cleared again for the moment. It was about 6:00 pm and I really wanted to make it before dark. I hustled on and hoped the rain was done.
I finally made it! It was just before the sun was going to set and I was there! Arizona state line. This one tasted sweet. Now I really felt like I was on the west, and I've been to Arizona before so I feel closer to home. I was really happy and couldn't stop smiling. Had such a relaxed attitude and goosebumps non stop.
I took a picture at the state line and then slowly strolled into the little village at the Arizona side. There was a little souvenir shop there that sold cigars. I wondered if they had any cheap cigars. I havnt bought anything really for myself in a while to enjoy (besides food). So I went in and got a $2 cheap cigar. I walked over to the Arizona information center from there and sat on a bench just in time for a really awesome sunset! It was huge rocks all around, like mountain size solid orange rocks.
I sat there and puffed the cigar. Although it was a pretty poor quality cigar, it was the best cigar I ever smoked. I was at such a good place in my heart and mind. I was so thankful for all I have been blessed with to get here. As I looked to the sky I said a little prayer of thanks to god for all the things I have been given. Things money can't buy. Things I have received after giving up my whole life. I now see his plan was a big one, one that I had to go through a lot of hurt. I would do it all again just to be in this moment, right now. I felt on top of the world.
After the sunset I sat there under an overhang near some pay phones and an outlet. I had my sleeping bag against the wall and laid on the concrete there next to my cart. It rained again just then and really hard. I was under the cover so I enjoyed listening to it and not having to fight with my tarp and worry about me or my stuff getting wet. I sat there until about 10. Then I was ready to sleep.
I walked over to the rest area where there were a bunch of covered benches and nobody around. I went to the bench with the most bushes around it to keep me out of sight a bit more. I laid next to the bench on the concrete and passed out at about 11. I laid there awhile just taking everything in. After a few struggles in the day, and not knowing if I would make it here, I was thankful it happened. I smiled until I fell asleep.
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