I packed my stuff up and was ready to go. I was surprised how good I felt from the lack of rest the last 2 nights. I left there walking at around 8am. I walked about a mile and was still going through town.
I walked past a motel where two guys were just fixing to leave and they had traveling backpacks on. I asked them where they were headed? They had come to flagstaff from San Diego for a wedding. And the day before they got pulled over and one of the guys truck was impounded. He didn't know it, but his license was revoked in Arizona. So they were actually heading to jump a train and ride it back to San Diego. I wished I had more time with them, but at the end of the block our paths parted. I said good luck to them and shook their hands.
I walked down the old 66 when I came to what looked like the last gas station before leaving town. When I walked into the parking lot I saw a family that had a sign for gas money. I went inside and broke a $5 I had and came back out and gave them $3. I also has their son a Capri sun and fruit snack. He was pretty exited. They were headed to Chicago IL. I wished them luck.
I went into the gas station again and asked if I could fill my water jugs. The girl was cool about it and said no problem. So I filled 3 gallons up to get my stock of water back to about 10 gallons. After I filled up I hit the road.
It was a nice day and a little overcast. I walked the old route 66 for about 4 miles when it met and merged into the 40. Right before the on ramp I saw something that gave me goosebumps. It was the first Los Angeles sign I saw. It hit me that I'm almost on the home stretch.
I stopped there and took a break on a rock under a tree. I ate the fresh veggies I was given the day before before they would go bad. I sat there for about 20 minutes and was just staring at the Los Angeles sign.
I jumped onto the 40 and got on a roll. I walked about 9 miles or so when I came to a rest stop to take a break. The rest stop was closed but I rolled by the barriers where a car couldn't fit but I could. I stopped there for about 10 minutes.
I went to leave there and when I got close to the lane that merged with the freeway there was a gate. It was different from the other side and I was stuck. It was about a half mile back to backtrack where I came in. So I sat there for a second thinking.
Right then a car pulled up. A guy got out and he was actually traveling for buisiness. He followed my walk online also and his boss asked if he could track me down to give me supplies. He works with parts unlimited with the same group of guys who have checked up on me off and on since mid Texas. Very cool!
He gave me a chocalate milk and coconut water, and a cliff bar. Chocalate milk was actually awesome and I havnt had that as long as I can remember. He stayed a few minutes and then took off.
When he left I decided to undo the barbed wire and go through next to the gate. So I grabbed my leather man and undid the bottom 2 strands. I rolled my cart under them and when I got through redid the twist to put them back. I was back on the road.
I walked another 5 miles when I came to an exit. I was about 18 miles in on the day and planned to stay somewhere off that exit. There was a texaco right of the exit so I stopped there. I sat outside next to an outlet.
The place was like a log cabin more than a gas station. It was quiet there and there were cabins all around, it was such a cool forest area. People were cruising off road mules and stuff around too and it really seemed like a laid back community.
When I sat down a lady asked me where I was going and I told her California. She asked how I get money which threw me off and seems a little odd. I told her from people who pull over and that I never pan handle. Then she laughed and said she was just messing with me, she had $5 in her hand that was already there and she was planning to give it to me before she asked that. Her and her husband have a cabin nearby and were here on vacation. She said good luck and her and her husband took off.
I stayed there for 30 minutes when I wanted to do 2 more miles before finding a place to crash. It was late and there was just enough sunlight left to get the 2 miles.
Off that exit was where the old 66 continued again parting from the 40. So I walked down that and it was awesome! It went north a ways from the 40 and was silent. It was slow and just beautiful forrest.
I walked 2 miles when I found a clearing under some pine trees off the road a ways, maybe 50 ft. So I rolled out into the woods a little just as it got pretty dark. I stopped behind a couple big pine trees and made my bed. I laid down and wrote a couple journals there in the dark.
It was actually a good spot and the pine needles were soft. After my journals I was ready to sleep. I laid there about 10 minutes before I heard crunching near me. I shined my flashlight toward the sound and saw 2 red eyes!!!.... Then after a few seconds it jumped and darted. It was big!! The way it was jumping I could tell it was a deer. But all I saw were red eyes darting behind trees going sideways. And hearing the stomps when it would hit the ground. After It ran off I was not really too spooked for some reason. I laid down again and it was silent with just crickets. It was nice. I was ready for bed... After all, my parents were about 12 miles away from me in a hotel in Williams AZ. They drove from California and were meeting me the next morning... I slept great that night..
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