I hardly had time for a few pictures on the line before the previously empty road had several cars coming from both directions.. As with every milestone I had little choice other than to step past. The sun was high and the pavement was heating up. Thirty nine steps into Michigan we stopped under some shade by a row of trees and brush. I took the bag of Dog food out, filled Nice's water bowl and sat down so he would comfortably eat. We had already waked ten miles but the WallyWorld was two miles ahead. As soon as he had eaten his fill I hurried us along. Taking time to ponder a post would have left uswalking in the hottest time of the day. With just under a mile to go we were scurrying from shaded spot to shade tree. Two miles walked in the dark takes less time than one in the hot afternoon sun because each area of shade is necessary to cool off and offer Nice (the dog) water before pushing to the next dark shadow. At one such stop a woman pulled in with her daughter. She had heard of our walk and was very glad to find us. After a few pictures and conversation about our journey she offered to give us a ride back into South Bend to the van when we had made it the last mile. We were concerned about the heat so while I walked she and her daughter kept Nice (the dog) with them in the air conditioned comfort of her car.
Not long after we had returned to the Walmart in Niles, the first town in Michigan, I began to repair the leak around the plug that holds the air in the World. The inner core of the World is as old as the tattered fabric that covers it. The plug, made of hard plastic, has tiny cracks and the female sleeve of the inner tube is ripping away after thousands and thousands of pulls and tugs at its vulcanized seams. I have found a glue that works well for several months before it gives way to the pressure. It was past due, I have been using the battery power air pumping more often for two weeks to keep the world taught. The leak was getting larger and larger. Even on the hot sun when I usually must release air so the Seams of the outer skin will not split apart I have been adding more.
By the time I had patched and glued, fed myself and the dog, updated photos and did what I could thru Facebook with photo and friend updates I still had no energy or time for writing before I had to sleep. When I awakened at four thirty, got dressed and then inflated the World I found a seam line I had missed. I had to apply more glue and let the World go soft on a pile of blue and green beside the van. Still tired, I could not force myself to write, even with the prospect of a few hours time to let the glue set up hard. I slept then until the sun was high , I slept to eight forty five, late.
It was already hot when I finally inflated the World Nd stepped off through the parking lot. We had gone only a few hundred yards when Nice flopped down by a shade tree. I was glad I was only going a few miles into town where I planned to find a place where I touch up the World and prepare for ten miles to the next dot on the map (milestone). I was very happy when half of the way to the downtown Niles riverside park the local animal resue advocate stopped for a picture and soon relieved Nice (the dog) from his ball and chain and took him with her while she ran some errands taking two puppies into South Bend. Timing worked out perfectly as she was a few blocks away when I called to tell her I had arrived by the park and had someone to watch over the World in my absence.
I should be trying to sleep now but after recording the surface of the World and all else I need to do, a milestone is a milestone.
Love yourself , walk to another state. A state of better health.
Because it is late and I am in a lowland area I will not recheck or post pictures until another re so this will post at all....
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