Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Fort Ripley to Brainerd

It was dark when we rolled out on the highway. Nice (the dog) was enthusiastic and searched the tall grass for rodents. He had caught a rat when we emerged from the van. The poor thin didn't have a prayer. It held him off for a few seconds with its brave squeaks but as I pulled the dog back by his leash he did the deed in a single bite. The grass along the highway is getting tall and Nice spends half the day trolling for frogs or anything that scurries away. Entertaining for him,for me it means more black flies and mosquitoes. With a generous helping of bug repellent and Vermont's own Bag Balm around my forehead along with a dense coat of sunscreen on my face and ears keeps the bites to ba minimum. The sky favored me with a few shooting stars as I walked the long line. With the early start we beat the heat and the wind that was set to roll in late in the morning. After walking nearly a dozen miles we arrived at the edge of Brainerd as the winds picked up just after I got permission to stay at the gas station and a news station reporter had come to film an interview. Nice knew we were finished walking for the day and didn't give the reporter the shots she wanted but we did our best to get enough for her piece. I tried to glue a bad spot and paint a bit of the world but the wind blew thw world to and fro so much I gave it up. While the interviewer was still filming a woman came to me to thank me for what I was doing and explained she had beem diabetic for a decade and had several heart surgeries. The woman hugged me and I nearly teared up...I'm not doing anything more than bringing diabetes to mind, spreading a message to be active. The researchers who are working for cures do the real work to help the diabetics most in need. The wind blew hard all day making the large canvas ball bounce and rock back and forth as it was lashed to a solid spot. I wanted to touch up more but only had a short time at the end of the day when the wind subsided.
In the morning I will walk back to the highway and push on another ten or so miles as I work toward the head waters of the Mississippi River. I have crossed over the great river more than a dozen times in and out of more states than I remember. To be so close to it's beginning is a task I can't resist (thanks a lot Keith).
My enthusiasm is low but diabetics must keep it up everyday so I will press on.
Walk with the ones you love, or walk in their memory. Goodnight.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

stay safe you are close to your destination, walking in the dark is not the safest thing, but I assume you have done it more than once. Stay safe and again , Thank you
vicky benner