We survived the 18-hour Greyhound bus ride and arrived in St. Francisville on Friday afternoon. My friend Peter invited us to stay for the weekend in New Roads, so we decided it would be nice to spend a few days here visiting, and recovering from the bus trip. I am very glad that we did, because we not only had a chance to spend time with friends I had met here last fall, we met some new friends as well. I am happy to report that the Southern Louisiana hospitality that I experienced last year is still alive and well.
I am also happy to report that a Greyhound bus continues to be one of the most interesting ways to see the country, and at the same time experience a unique slice of the American culture. I'd recommend it to anyone who has a sense of adventure, as well as a need to get from point A to point B without spending a large amount of money. The most memorable moments of the ride came when we met a man named John who had decided to experience his Greyhound trip on LSD, and the time when one of the passengers on our bus from Dallas to Shreveport bought a can of Right Guard and sprayed it into the air in a valiant attempt to cover up the reality that the entire bus smelled like restroom. Memories that won't soon be forgotten.
The weather is beautiful in Southern Louisiana right now. The highs are around 80, and the lows are around 60. We start walking tomorrow.
Wednesday, October 3, 2001: Jackson, Louisiana
Yesterday, Brandi and I experienced our first day of walking across America together. Peter dropped us off at Green Acres Campground, where I made the decision to return to Oklahoma last fall. From there, we walked about six miles east to the town of Jackson, Louisiana. The day was more emotionally exhausting than physically exhausting for me. I have found that I am much more concerned about my wife's safety than I ever was about my own safety while I was walking alone. We prayed a lot yesterday.
Walking through Jackson, we passed the Jackson Police Department and stopped in to let them know what we were doing. Stopping to check in with the local P.D. is something I used to do now and then in the past, and probably something that we will do more now. Seeing a sheriff drive by earlier that afternoon had actually given me a sense of comfort. Anyway, the fellas at the Jackson P.D. were very friendly and directed us to Pecan Ridge Bluegrass Park for the evening's accommodations.
We were just looking for a place to camp, but the nice couple that own the park, Alvin and Sadie, encouraged us to stay in the park's clubhouse and to enjoy the hot showers. So, we ended our first day on the road sleeping indoors and freshly bathed-- comforts that I tell Brandi not to get used to, but who knows, maybe she can get used to it. More will be revealed.
This morning, when Sadie offered to take us on a tour of Jackson, we took her up on it, and ended up staying here another night. It has been a good day. We saw some fellas shining up a steam engine train, met a local artist, looked at an old cotton gin, and had a "hot lunch" at one of the few restuarants in town. (Not to mention staying an extra day gave us a very good excuse to rest our bodies and ease into the walking lifestyle, as well as enjoy another day of being clean.)
Willie and Charlie, putting a shine on their steam train
Brandi and Sadie
Thursday, October 4, 2001: 3 miles west of Clinton
This morning we said goodbye to Sadie and spent the rest of the day walking about eight miles east. It was a fairly uneventful day, but we enjoyed walking on the somewhat quiet, tree-lined, country roads and past the large antebellum homes typical of this part of Louisiana.
Friday, October 5, 2001: 3 miles east of Clinton
Today, we packed up our gear and began our three-mile walk into Clinton on a much-dreaded section of Highway 10. This part of Highway 10 has quite a few curves, no shoulders, maybe a dozen narrow bridges, and loads of log trucks traveling on it-- a very bad combination for walking. Unfortunately, it was the only reasonable way for us to walk into Clinton. We tried to take the railroad tracks into town, but the tracks that were on my map no longer existed.
About a mile into this treacherous three-mile walk into Clinton, it got worse. It began to rain. Then it got even worse, as it really started to rain hard. A nice man took pity on us, stopped, and offered us a ride into town. We didn't take the ride, but later as the passing trucks began to move large amounts of water from the road onto us, we had moments of regretting that decision. It's all part of the adventure I guess. We reached Clinton and promptly sought out the local wash-a-teria to dry our things and regroup. I'm going to let Brandi tell you about the rest of the day. We're going to start putting Brandi's notes in blue.
Today was the day that the reality of this trip set in for me. I did not realize how overwhelmed I was until I called home. It has been the first time I have cried thus far. Honestly, this is hard. The thought never crossed my mind that I would not be able to walk across America...until today. The physical part of the trip is by far the easiest; the emotional and mental parts are another story. People look at us like we are from another planet, and it hurts my pride when I am not always trusted right away. The question is, am I expecting too much of others? I wouldn't trust us either, if the shoe were on the other foot, as the old cliché says. God, the loving father that He is, has been showing me my heart and making some changes in it. However, He promises not to give us more than we can bear.
As we walked out of Clinton, we saw a woman sitting on her porch and decided to ask her for some water. Her name was Karen, and it seemed like she knew us already and was expecting us to stop by today. Before we left Karen's house this afternoon, we not only had filled up our water containers, she had let us both take showers and fed us dinner. Her acts of kindness and trust encouraged us as much as her words when she said, "Sometimes I think we are capable of more than we think we are." Meeting Karen really made our day.
Addy, Pauline, Joby, Chloe, and Karen
Staying warm and dry outside of Clinton
The weather report said there is an 80% chance of rain tonight, so we took the advice of a man we met today in the wash-a-teria. He told us of a structure outside of Clinton that was built by the Cattleman's Association and never used. Just like meeting Karen was exactly what we needed today, this is exactly what we need tonight.
We later found the church, but we couldn't find Brother Baxter's house. At this point it had started to drizzle, and we decided to just stop at the next house and ask if they knew where he lived. I asked God to please guide our feet and let us be where He wanted us on Sunday. We were about to have one of those "Divine Appointments."
At the next house, a woman named Sandra quickly invited us inside to dry off and have a hot cup of coffee. Neither she nor her husband Mike knew where Brother Baxter lived, but they invited us to camp in their yard and go to church with them on Sunday. We have had such a blessed weekend with Sandra, Mike, their grandson Alex, and their church family at First Baptist in Clinton. Our souls have been replenished with solid Bible teaching and wonderful Christian fellowship at their church. It has just been a pleasure to watch God give us everything we need each day as we walk on down the road. We'll be walking east again tomorrow.
Mike, Sandra and Alex
Sunday, October 7, 2001: 9 miles east of Clinton
Saturday started out looking like it could rain again, but we decided to continue walking on anyway. About two miles into our walk today, we stopped at a little store and fuel station called Slaton's to get a soda, call our folks, and ask about a possible church down the road that we could attend on Sunday. The man at the store told us about a church three miles up the road and about one of the church's members (Brother Baxter) who would probably let us camp in his yard. With that information we were back on the road.
Greg's hunting excursion this morning had yielded three regular tree squirrels and a large fox squirrel. He apologized for having to take a few minutes to clean them before he started lunch, but then he smiled and said, "Now here's somethin' you can put in your journals." I realized a photo opportunity was taking place and grabbed my camera.
I made the comment that I had never eaten squirrel before. (By the way, don't ever tell someone cleaning a squirrel that you've never had squirrel before, unless you have become ready to try some.) Suddenly, we were about to have fish and squirrel for lunch. The fish was so good. They were bass that Greg had caught in the Amite River. The squirrel was...uhm...chewy.
We spent a few hours with Greg this afternoon, telling him about our lives and listening as he told us about his life. He has an interesting story, as most everyone does. About nine years ago, he quit his job at the nuclear power plant south of St. Francisville and built a home out in the woods. "It just wasn't worth it," he said. Now, Greg spends his time doing what he enjoys-- mostly hunting, fishing, and reading. He has effectively simplified his life, and I appreciated and admired that.
Greg preparing lunch
Tuesday, October 9, 2001: Easlyville, Louisiana
About two miles into our walk this morning, Brandi and I had taken a moment to sit down and rest at the side of the road. A pickup slowed down to a stop next to us, and the man inside said, "Ya'll broke down or something?" "No, we're out here walking across America," I said. His name was Greg, and after we talked for a while, I could tell that he meant us no harm. Greg was on his way home from this morning's hunt, and he offered to fry us some fish for lunch if we would tell him more about some of our adventures. That sounded like a fair trade, and so we got in the back of Greg's truck and rode the half-mile to his house.
Biking Tom
Camping "onstage" at Inspiration Park
We headed northeast yesterday at a sign that said, "Campground - 7 Miles." (Campgrounds sometimes have hot showers, and walking a few extra miles for a hot shower is almost always worth it.) So, tonight we are camping at Hyde Park Campground, just past a little town called Easlyville, and they have hot showers! There is another campground nine miles east of here called Inspiration Park, and we now have confirmation that they have hot showers, too. That is where we are planning to walk to tomorrow.
Wednesday, October 10, 2001: Inspiration Park, Kentwood, Louisiana
Today on our walk to Inspiration Park in Kentwood, we met a man named Tom riding his bike. We have been walking on a section of a popular, Trans-America bike route, so I figured Tom was on a long ride even though he wasn't wearing the typical bicyclist's neon-green windbreaker and spandex biking shorts.
Tom is from Virginia, and he was on a long ride-- from Virginia to Houston, (or maybe all the way to San Diego...he wasn't sure yet.) We talked on the side of the road for about two hours, exchanging stories from the road and important travel tips. Tom gave us loads of useful information for our upcoming walk through Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.
Saturday, October 13, 2001: Inspiration Park
We made it to Inspiration Park on Wednesday afternoon. The last five miles of our walk were in the rain. It has been raining on and off (mostly on) for four days and four nights now. We have been camping on the music stage in the park, and it has been such a blessing to have a roof over our tent. We understand how uncomfortable it could be without this shelter. There has just been an incredibe amount of water falling from the sky.
Inspiration Park is a Christian campground and mobile home park just west of Kentwood. Because we have been here for a few days, we've met many of the residents here, and everyone has been extremely kind to us. A man named John lets us use his home as if it were ours for all of our bathroom, laundry, and refrigeration needs. If we need a ride into town, all we have to do is ask.
The nice couple who own Inspiration Park, Shady and Anne, let us stay in a vacant cottage on Thursday night during tornado warnings in the area. However, Friday night we moved back to the stage, because someone was renting the cottage. Shady and Anne stopped by this afternoon to invite us to go to church with them tomorrow morning and speak to their Sunday school assembly at First Baptist in Kentwood. We said, "Sure!" and we're looking forward to it.
Anne and Shady
Peety the flying squirrel
We've spent most of our Saturday here with J.C. and Kate, a couple we met who have a mobile home here at Inspiration Park. J.C. and Kate are "Sabbath keepers," so this being Saturday, was their day to rest and focus on the Lord. We joined them for a Bible study this afternoon and had dinner with them tonight. They have also invited us to stay in a spare bedroom in their home tonight, and we have gratefully accepted their offer. Kate didn't want me to put their picture on the website (she's kind of shy,) but I do have permission to put a picture of the flying squirrel that they rescued from a tree that was cut down a couple of months ago. His name is Peety, and he now lives here with J.C. and Kate.
The forecast today claimed that this should be the last day of rain for a while and that the next week looks good for walking. I hope that is true.
We survived the 18-hour Greyhound bus ride and arrived in St. Francisville on Friday afternoon. My friend Peter invited us to stay for the weekend in New Roads, so we decided it would be nice to spend a few days here visiting, and recovering from the bus trip. I am very glad that we did, because we not only had a chance to spend time with friends I had met here last fall, we met some new friends as well. I am happy to report that the Southern Louisiana hospitality that I experienced last year is still alive and well.
