I Finally Used It

My final day of walking in New Jersey was as hard as any. The wind buffeted us backward. I had to push for every foot most of the day, even pushing down hills. Tacking from one side of the four lane state road to the other was no better. We did have many good conversations with many who we would have passed had the winds been calm, so I pushed on one labored step at a time.

We had good directions from the New Brunswick firemen, but I took an exit off the road before I should and found I was on a divided highway. Then a man stopped with encouraging words and advice how to correct my mistake but was not sure of the exact directions. The next exit found us skirting an industrial area with little traffic. I knew I had to circle around to a bridge that crossed the highway I had been on earlier, but was at a loss as to how to get there. Standing on a corner to an office complex, a van stopped and the man began taking pictures with his phone. I called over to ask the best way. He was no help. So for the first time in my travels I used the GPS hanging from my neck. It led me to the helping hands of the Perth Amboy fire Department.

I said I would take more time to post updates but I find myself in a rush.

A Good Nights Sleep and a Hot Shower

Before I leave New Brunswick Fire Company #2, I want to extend my deep appreciation for all their courtesy. They shared their breakfast, hot water (a much needed shower), and allowed me to take time to make some repairs on the World while they washed a load of clothes. They also called ahead to my destination tonight to make sure I was welcome.

New Jersey, all in all, has been a wonderful state to visit. They even have attendants to pump your gas!

Enjoy your weekend, New Jersey!

The Farthest Day and a Cold Shower

It is midnight and I just got to a spot for the night. We walked 15.3 miles from Cranbury to New Brunswick. We had stopped at a volunteer fire house in South Brunswick after a hot and sunny day when we were told we would do better if we walked to another station in New Brunswick. They gave us dinner and a cold shower and sent us to an even better spot.

I will wait till tomorow for any more tales to share ZZZZzzzzzzzz

Friday Morning Sunrise

Yesterday afternoon we walked into beautiful and historic Cranbury, found the old and the new Firehouses, talked with the volunteer commander and took some pictures. I then settled down to the work of global reconditioning. As I worked, a local reporter cam to talk with me. We had an interesting interview for his weekly publication. After he left I retouched as much as I could of our planet as possible before the sun went down. Then I wrote a little post and now after a good night's sleep I am getting ready for the day's dozen. We will walk through the rest of historic and beautiful Cranbury before getting back on route 130 to the next city. I hear I have several miles of industry to pass before I get back to civilization. I will need to take plenty of water just in case we have no place to resupply. I am glad I took the time to do some repainting on the World as the rains and roads of the past two hundred miles are taking a toll on the fabric of our little globe.
Have a wonderful day New Jersey!

Special Delivery

We left this morning to a clear sky. We came to a large nursery where a family of migrants were working. Only the father spoke some English. I did my best to answer his questions. He was as excited as a school kid at what I was doing and amazed at the distance and time of our journey. After we spoke and I was walking away, he called for me to wait while he brought out the proprietor of the place--who was much less enthused but polite. I think she was more concerned with the business at hand so I quickly told her mine and left before she docked the beaming South American man any pay.
The Robbinsville police paid us a visit up the road and brought us fresh water which I appreciate on these sunny and warm days on the open state roads when shade is at a minimum. Many people stopped to learn our story and pulled off the road to talk. One young couple stopped in traffic and turned on their hazard blinkers thinking little of the trucks and cars behind them. These type of people are dangerous so I quickly answered them. Thankfully, they were not hurt or in an accident.
As the day progressed, I came to a place in the shade where two men came from across the road to talk during their break. As I explained myself, a woman trucker stopped to give us a drink. At this point I was trying to coordinate how I was going to pick up a UPS delivery at a store I had passed yesterday and still keep some forward progress. The Robbinsville Fire and Police had given me their phone numbers and the store clerk had said I could authorize them to pick it up, but there was a holding fee. As I juggled phone calls, I mentioned to the trucker I was doing this for diabetes. She pointed at the insulin pump on her side. We talked a little more and she left. About five minutes later, the trucker pulled-up, having found a spot to leave her trailer so she could drive me to pick up my package. That puts a whole new twist to freight delivery.
When I opened the package from D.E.S.A., on top were some wrist bands with the signature phrase of the D.E.S.A. organization, "I run on insulin." I gave one to my special delivery, insulin pump wearing, third generation trucker, first generation owner operator / road angel. She's wearing it now. When she dropped me off she thanked me for walking for people like her. Yes gentlemen, I teared up...Again.

For those that don't know my story, I'm walking because I lost my mother to diabetes, and always stress to you to take care so you can be around for your grandchildren. This walking for diabetes idea is the result of my walking with my -then seven year old- son in the park when the World was too large for our own back yard. The park had a large hill where people would walk their dogs and we would roll the World off the top toward the dog walkers. We called it bowling. The pins always moved, but it was good fun for a seven year old. After a couple months of play many people would come to me asking if I were walking across the country, or where I was going, what cause was I representing. Fun and merriment with my son was just too simple and eventually the idea took hold. These walks are the result of peer pressure and playing with my son in the park.
My boy is nineteen now, he never knew his Grandmother. He called me today and is going to take the money he is earning by helping a man paint his house to buy a bus ticket to come walk with me and Nice (the dog). Even if he has to hitch-hike some of the way, or hop a freight- whatever it takes. Yes gentlemen...
Thank you for being so good to Nice and me New Jersey, and goodnight.

Finding my Pace

I've found that trying to post is the hardest part. In the evening after walking all day, talking to all the good people we meet, then getting things together to settle down for the night. I usually write the introduction and then fight sleep that takes hold and shuts my body down. I'm finding the morning after to be the time for writing even if the events aren't as fresh. This is the third long trek we have taken and I am still learning to pace myself. No day is the same and each has some special moment that may or may not have a connection to our cause of walking for diabetes awareness.
Last night we were taken in by the Robbinsville Firefighters and the police department shuttled me back to pick up the support van. The timing was great, and I'm just amazed how I am welcomed by all the firefighters I've met.
Yesterday was filled with moments, and the theme seemed to center around mothers and daughters. My way of making the point is take care of yourself so you can live long and be around for your grandchildren. One mother and daughter pulled up and when discovering my cause they excitedly announced they were diabetic. I reminded them that being active, even just walking is key to keeping their levels balanced. They both looked guilty and agreed they should do more. Then the mother lowered the rear tinted window to reveal her mom and two grandchildren, and their guilt became more evident. Before they pulled away they promised to go walking, for the kids sake.
I will work on pacing myself so I can do my job of sharing my days experience on the blog. I have a guilty look on my face now.
Have a great day New Jersey.

A Relieved Thanks

A quick thanks to the men at Relief Fire Company #3 in Burlington New Jersey.
They were out this morning serving us all!

My Dogs New Obsession, Relief from the Rain. and the Benefits of Forgiving

Nice (the dog) and I have been walking the right-of-way along the train track the past couple days through the small New Jersey boroughs. Occasionally along the river in southern New Jersey a train would pass as we were at a crossing. The bells would ring and the gates would lower, the train would sound its horn, and Nice would bark at the evil gate arm, rising up on his hind legs to lightly nip at the bar. I can only shake my head at my dog's new obsession.

Can we talk?

The rain has been constant all morning from a drizzle to a cold rain. I am glad to take this day to let Nice rest. The down-time is good for me also. I am a carpenter and have racked my body for decades., so the rain is causing me to remember every injury, ache, and pain from years of hard work. I am grateful to be allowed to stay here at the fire station in Burlington, Relief #3 while this rain fall drums on the roof of the van.

While I walk --and on days like this-- I have time to reflect about things. The choices I have made, both good and bad, during my life, and how they have influenced my health and state of mind. I notice the things I hold onto negatively cause me to loose sleep, over-indulge, and distract me in my work and at times have caused me to make mistakes or injure myself. On cold, rainy days like today those old mistakes are amplified with aches and stiffness. When I let those things go I am able to work better, sleep more restfully, indulge less, and enjoy life now - not berating the past. I forgive myself, simply.

I am also a painter. When I paint, like when I am walking on long stretches of open road, it is a time to meditate on my life. One benefit from forgiving I want to share is something I held onto for years after high school. The first girl I shared an apartment with moved out and traveled around Europe. We never got back together or talked about that time even when my ex-wife and her were friends over the years. I know we were kids but I held onto this. I see now how it hurt my relationships and caused me other hardships until I let it go, that teenage hurt that kept giving. No break up, just her taking the opportunity to see the world.

To wrap up this sentimental journey I'll try to end it quickly. An old friend and his wife came to town and invited her and I both to dinner, we had all been friends back in the day. Talking about the past days, I saw it was all just young hurt that amounted to one bean in a hill of beans. A few weeks later she called to ask a favor. To help her store the contents of her coffee shop that had failed. In return she would give me a van she used as the coffee and smoothie mobile. $95, a week's work, forgiving my imagined hurt, and I am now sheltered from this blowing rain - not hold-up in a pup tent shivering with my wet dog. The benefits of forgiving. A purple van that sticks out like a sore thumb.

When this storm blows over I'll get back to the business of being a spectacle with people wondering why some guy is walking his dog wearing a weathered fedora and swinging the World by its tail. It's to raise awareness for diabetes, of course.

Smile New Jersey! It lowers your stress.

Authorization and the Fork in the Road.

A day that starts with comedy is a good day. I was awakened by the sound of a firefighter loading things in his truck. Soon another pulled in to help gather supplies for the event the company was attending today. The first asked the other if he had gotten authorization to park this "clown truck" there in the lot. I flipped open the levered window and said, "No, but I have." And in one sentence told him what we were doing. We all had a good laugh.
The skies were cloudy all day and the wind was rarely a factor as we made our way along the river boroughs from Riverton to Burlington. I had no map like the previous day, but I had direction from people I spoke with throughout the day. The paramedic station downtown was too busy to help out a boy and his dog so we kept up the trek toward the main road of route 130. Not knowing where I would find a safe haven for the night and without a ride to shuttle the "circus truck" forward, I had to convince myself that things would come together.
Everyday presents itself with different challenges and high points. I had many favorable moments during the day. A woman took her afternoon walk with us which is a treat that rarely occurs. The last time anyone walked with us was In Illinois during our walk last year from Kentucky to Kansas. We had a good time talking along the way. We talked with the mayor of one of the towns and enjoyed several other conversations during the two miles she stayed with us.
I'd come to a fork in the road both figuratively and literally. I could see the highway ahead. Not sure which was the best route, like my wavering energy I chose south.
I walked by a ball park with a baseball game in progress. The parents on the bleachers turned to look. Not wanting to take their attention from their childrens' game I felt like reciting the line from "The Wizard of Oz" when Toto is pulling back the drapes and the wizard booms, "PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN!". Instead I quickly let them know what I was doing and apologized for distracting from the game. A few came over to ask more questions and offered directions to a nearby volunteer fire house. The man who gave me directions said he would meet me there and offered a ride back to the Riverton firehouse to fetch the purple stripped "circus" van. He had friends at both firehouses and was able to arrange for us to keep the world safe while we shuttled back. When we pulled up to Riverton the men there had all returned from a golf event and invited us in for a bite to eat. Even Nice (the dog) was showered with attention by the wives and children. Our savior of the day knew some of the men there. We had fresh grilled burgers and a good time was had by all.
When I finally got back to where the World had landed and started to write my daily post, I fell asleep with my Blackberry still in my hand. I have written most of this in the morning. It is raining now. So, I may be here for the day.
I am so thankful to the firemen who have guided me so far and the help from the law enforcement communities that help ensure our safety.
Enjoy the rain New Jersey, may it help your flowers bloom.

Three GPS Systems,Three Road Angels, and a Reminder.

When I awoke this morning I had hand written instructions directing my path from Audubon to Merchantville supplied by the good and kind volunteer fire fighter at the station where we stayed. The morning threatened rain with a slight sprinkle here and there.

As we walked, the skies grew clear and the wind was brisk at our faces. We passed a park that was having a rowing event as well as a 5k run-walk that launched just as we came over the bridge. We rolled out of their way as they passed and crossed the first overpass of the day. It had its hazards, but we made it through, the wind getting stiffer and more difficult.

By the time we traversed the second overpass my guide arm was cramped and my shoulder was throbbing on the pushing arm. I couldn't switch sides because of the wind's angle. People were not very talkative and most just took pictures from a distance. That was good because I was working hard to keep a forward motion.

We finally got close to the town of Merchantville where I was walking toward a man who had been working on his yard. He was so stiff that he used his foot to lift his broom handle just high enough to strain and bend to grab it so he could sweep the final touches off his well manicured lawn. I could relate to his stiff back: I can walk all day but bending over is a pain. I told him he had a fine looking yard and he brimmed with a happy thanks. This has nothing to do with diabetes, but I meant the compliment and gave it as he made his last stroke. I always talk of the wind holding me back for a reason and that was the highlight of the morning. He was obviously in pain, yet determined to do a good job. He deserved the compliment.

I came to the circle turn at the edge of town and could see the last direction on my hand-written instructions seemed to take me a block the wrong way. I went on anyway and came upon some children who asked questions for ten minutes or so as they loved on Nice (the dog) and he loved them back. The eldest, a girl, gave the few coins from her pocket even though I kept saying she should keep them for herself, but her uncle was diabetic and she insisted.

A nine year old telling me I was doing a good thing is quite humbling.

While this was going on, an elderly man stood close by and then offered some directions toward route 130 which cut me back the block I had correctly thought I should have gone and then onto a mile long stretch where he said I should find another guide. I guess it was no wrong turn after all.
I was about two blocks down that road when a man in a suit -probably on his way from church- stopped to talk and wrote out a map for my second leg of the days walk. He was very helpful and encouraging. Just as he was leaving, a young woman came up. When she found out what I was doing she said her father was diabetic and said that since he had been going to the gym and loosing weight his levels were vastly more stable, a point I make when I talk to others. It is good to hear it from a stranger the difference it makes ( I know I'm rambling and my punctuation is worse than usual.) The two exchanged cameras and got a shot of themselves with the world before they left.
The second GPS map was clear, but led me to a dangerous section of road with no shoulders --the approach even seemed dangerous. Just as I was about to go it alone I was called to have a break across the road to a restaurant for a drink. When I was inside, three women pulled in who had been searching for us for awhile. Then an off-duty policeman came by. We all discussed how I was to get through the gauntlet. Finally the policeman said he would turn his head if I went on the over pass while the three women stayed behind us all the way around. I could have easily been road-kill like the three animals that I passed as I walked through the bad area. The angels came right on time. They wanted to escort me up 130, but I had made it to safe ground ans was okay.
After we got across the highway, we stopped to talk with the Firemen of Cinnaminson who gave us our final maps for the days walk. These were printed out from Google, and they highlighted the other fire departments ahead. Google beats the others hands down but does take the adventure out of it.
As the sun drew down to the west and we had found ourselves in Riverton. We were walking the wide sidewalk by the train track right-of-way when we met a woman and her son who invited us for dinner and allowed us a shower. Their family was wonderful and reminded me of when my son was young and the joys that go with raising a child. You can't get those times back and only have one shot to do your best. That family is doing great.
I am so tired I should have waited till morning...

Sunday Morning in the Garden State

Since I am up early (5:30 am), I'll get on the road early. We had a easy walk Saturday of just under seven miles. We got a late start and talked a lot. I don't have much to say this morning, so I'll enjoy the New Jersey sunrise, try to work the kink out of my neck from the weight of the back pack, and keep heading North.

Have a great day New Jersey!

The Roses, the Shade, and the Man

It's Saturday morning and the sun has just come over the trees. I was far too tired when we finally settled down for the night to write.

After walking and talking all day Friday from Bridgeport's Firehouse to the Vergas Station (I hope I spelled that correctly), we were tired and got to our destination just before a thunder storm. The day had begun cloudy and misty, but the cool mist soon broke into a very sunny and hot day with us taking time to cool under shade trees a few times. Whenever we would stop we would soon be met with several visitors who had already heard of our trip from D.C. to Maine or were curious to know what we were up to. Like our first day In New Jersey, we were never wanting for water. We had so much given to us our packs were almost too heavy by the end of the day. Nice (the dog) was given a variety of treats, both dry and canned food, which added to our load.

As we walked, I took the time twice to stop and smell the roses, literally, that were in full-bloom next to the road. I tried to write a quick post under the next shade tree stop, but we had so many visitors I had to post the title first and then edit one sentence at a time as we walked in the hot sun later in the day.

At the first rose sniffing stop, a bearded man came to his fence to get his little dogs that were barking at the gate. They were protesting our presence at his blooming bush. I told him I was taking a moment to smell the roses as I walked through the northeast for diabetes. He smiled and said to take all the time I needed. The aroma hung in my senses far down the road and the old hippies' reaction left a smile on my face much further. I meet so many different people on the road.



The law enforment officers are all understanding, some are speechless, others get a little tick or twitch in their face, and on occasion, one will be stern about me staying off the lane of traffic, which I am very practiced at after walking over a thousand miles in fourteen states and the District of Columbia. The one police officer who had this stern attitude yesterday may have been so because of my answer to his first question. He asked "What's the point?" and I can never resist... "There is no point, it's a ball." In the end all was good with the world and we were on our way.

Everyday I meet so many people who are diabetic and more whose family members are (or died from) diabetes. I wish it were an unheard-of ailment that I had to describe to everyone, but it IS epidemic. At one of our shade break meetings I met a man and his son. Later as we walked along the road, another man pulled-up who I thought to be the man I had seen earlier, but it was his brother. He got out of his truck and told me his brother had told him he saw me and that I was walking for diabetes. He shared that he had just been diagnosed a few days ago with diabetes and that I was, to him, a sign from above. Now I'm just a guy pushing a big ball and walking his dog... He and I talked and exchanged phone numbers. He was my GPS (good people support) at the end of the day to help leap-frog the support van to the volunteer fire station. All things being connected, his brother and cousin are members of the volunteer fire company, and I will keep in touch with this new friend and hope he keeps the enthusiasm to lose the weight and turn around his life. I am a large (read: fat) man, and if he can get down to my weight there is hope.

I have been taught it's rude to turn down an offer of hospitality, and have been invited this morning to have breakfast at a family's home. So, after breakfast, I will get my World together and walk-off the meal. I can't loose weight on these walks, to turn down a kindness is just rude.

Have a great weekend New Jersey!

Sent from the good people at Gibbstown F.D.: www.gibbstownfire.com

Gibbstown N.J. Fire Dept. From WorldguyGallery