Today was the first day I walked 20 miles intentionally, and without any pain worth noting.
Frankly, when I quit for the day and found a place to set up my tent, I felt a little guilty. It was only 2:20 pm. Yet I had started walking at 5:40 am, so I’d put in a good day.
My next waypoint on the journey is Amboy. Other than being the home of the famous Roy’s Motel and Café of Old Route 66 lore, it’s pretty much a ghost town.
Today, a young guy jogged past at about 11 am and waved. On his return jog, he walked alongside me and asked about my kart, etc. His name is George, and he’s a firefighter at the Wonder Valley station. He took my photo, and then I sat down at a shaded picnic table nearby to eat the other half of last night’s Subway tuna sandwich (don’t worry, it was in the refrigerator overnight and was still cold).
Later, a man pulled up on the shoulder and got out of his Jeep to say hello to me. Turns out he had seen me struggling up the treacherous hill to Morongo Valley a few days ago. Bernie and I had a nice chat, and he offered me a bottle of water, which I accepted. (Even though I have 4 gallons of water with me, you never turn down water in the desert.) Bernie is another of the “angels” who have assisted me on my journey.
I am camped behind some bushes a hundred feet off of Amboy Road. I can hear the light traffic, a sound I’ve been listening to since Day 1. For dinner tonight I have peanut butter, two kinds of crackers, and a banana. Did you know there are more calories, calories from fat, total fat, sodium, and sugar in a serving of Nabisco Wheat Thins than in a serving of Triscuits? I love both.
@ Wonder Valley, California