The power

We crossed the bridge to Little Rock and rolled up to the state Capitol before heading thru town. All day in the city folks had time to stop, many asked how I managed and where I slept. When I explained how we get help from good people we meet to leap-frog the support van up to where we finish the day all I actually had at days end was many well wishes . As the sun raced to the horizon I began to loose faith in this system that seems work in all places but in large cities. My foot was sore and I could feel it swelling . As I walked past a seminary some young men came to the road and asked my story. I half heartedly shared and to my surprise they helped. The man who helped with the ride was a veteran who shared his experience after returning home from "the war", becoming lost in drink and depression. He shared with me the night with a bottle in one hand and gun in the other he had his moment where his faith called him to give his life for ministry rather than end it all.
A powerful choice, a good choice.

North Little Rock

From Lonoke the distance was more than I like to push us. Nice(the dog) and I hold well up to fifteen miles. By sunrise we had walked a few miles out of town. When the sun went down we were on Broadway in North Little Rock. Both of us were sore after the twenty-plus miles when I finally called the one man and his wife who had taken the time to offer help that day. People stopped during our walk from Lonoke but most snapped a picture then drove on with a thankful word for the cause. They have lived along this highway since childhood and I learned much of the changes and events on this road, The Trail of Tears, heritage trail, butterfield trail. I have followed this road from West Memphis never realizing it was the path also of the famous civil rights march. That, in an abstract, explained to me the distance I have felt along this trail of tears. Because the area I stopped in and the threat of heavy rains on Sunday we loaded the deflated world in the bed of their truck then rolled it up and got it in the van back in Lonoke where I was too exhausted to drive back to the city so I curled up next to the hard balled up world.
When I awakened my old Achilles injury caused so much discomfort I was gasping for breath. Nice was content to rest while I washed a load of clothes at the laundry before heading to North Little Rock where I parked at the vacant lot of a leveled drive thru restaurant. The rain finally came late in the afternoon followed by a cool front. During the night a local officer checked on the van. He quickly recognized who I was having seen our story and recommended we begin in the morning from the riverfront a few blocks away. It is brisk with clear skies this morning. A beautiful day for a walk over the bridge into Little Rock. The swelling has gone down and if I don't attempt walking to Hot Springs all in one day the heal may allow me to keep going.
Thanks to the NLRP and my new friends for the help and advice.
Walk daily, take a friend.

Lonoke

Another quiet day walking. The usual tug-o-war with Nice(the dog) for a mile as we walked among the Arkansas farmlands. The Little Rock tv 11news came for an interview. The reporter/meteorologist asked if she could walk Nice as we walked, I told her not to resist when he tugs but she may have weighed half of what I do and she soon was sitting on her haunches, she was not ready for a Nice tugging match.
A few quiet miles later we arrived in the town of Lonoke. The final mile had a paved walking path parallel to the highway, a repurposed railroad bed, where met the first two people I had seen in Arkansas who were out just walking, they told me that they walk twice each day two miles. They seemed to glow with a happy attitude as they bounced along. Of course they agreed walking was a good thing for all.
I stopped for lunch at the center of town where the Lonoke newsman sat and asked questions as I ate. When we left the restaurant that was across from the police station the sheriff and another officer along with two women and another man asked from the opposite side of the road what the world/ball was made of and if Nice(the dog) protected it. He had let the women come and pet him but had put himself between the world and the Sheriff. It worked out well in the end, the sheriff gave me a ride to the van and made sure the whole police force knew I would be parked across the town square that night. If not for Nice standing off men with guns in Arkansas we may have been without a ride. Like I said, it was a quiet day.

Hazen to Carlisle

Not much happened along the road. Just a few people stopped for a photo. Most simply stopped, snapped and thanked me as they drove on. A man who I had met in Hazen stopped three times to chat and even brought me a subway sandwich. He was originally from Connecticut, though he had a southern twang his nor'easter habits gave him away. Asking if I was "all set" and knowing what a "grinder" was gave him away, aside from stopping and being outwardly sociable three times. Somehow that is not atop the list 'round here a'. As I walked in Carlisle I did meet a woman who knew where I could park for the night. A vacant lot with just a concrete slab,,, all that was left of their family business after a tornado a few years ago. I was a perfect spot with a small bunch of willows. With help from the chatterbox of Hazen, an import from California I got a ride back to get the van. I didn't get to say much. Same as the Connecticut Cowboy,or me, you can take the girl out of the valley but you can't take the valley out of the girl. I am joking when I say all of this.

Whatever (roll of the eyes).

At the end of the day a man and his wife brought me fruit and a hot plate of pork chops and greens and a young woman came to find me and tell me her father had recently been diagnosed with adult onset diabetes which scared her enough to start dieting and walking. She now is up to ten miles a day and has lost and incredible amount of weight. The hardest part is her father is doing little to manage his condition...

Hazenarkansas

Aside from the strong headwind I pushed against over the flats and ponds with no cover to break the force of the wind it was a good days walk into Hazen from DeValls Bluff where we began the day with an impromptu interview with Ernest P. Glass and his sidekick. The windshield squeegee was a nice touch. Gotta' have fun wherever you can.
I had a relaxing afternoon and evening with a nice family in Hazen listening. I hardly said a word, refreshing.
As always I met diabetics and families who dealt with diabetes. None disagreed that walking helped control the ailment . Love yourself, go for a walk daily.

The skies cleared

Grey and cloud filled skies loomed all morning as I walked out of Brinkley on election day.The first several miles were wide open with a broad paved shoulder with room enough for me to stay off the grass wet from the rains of the previous day. When the road narrowed through the wildlife refuge the roadbed was elevated above marshlands making the way slow because of the steep drop along the roadside. Whenever a car or truck approached I would stop and hold the world off the road but standing under it to keep it from getting any momentum down the side. U.S.-70 is the old road and the bridges are narrow . When I rolled up on the first long bridge there was a man waiting to take a picture of me. His wife had told him of me so he came out to find me. He knew the narrow stretch and offered a ride over the rest of the dangerous span of road. Sorry to let anyone down, I took the ride. My knees and shoulders were stiff from the rain on Monday, the wind was strong and the bridges as well as the roadsides were too tight. He let us off where the highway turned back to farmlands and wide sloping ditches. He may have saved me from being hurt or worse.The winds were strong across the open fields only lightening up when I got close to the little town of Biscoe before the next little town of DeValls Bluff. The owner of the grocery came and gave me a ride when we got to the park along the White River.
Because of the good Samaritans I was able to have enough daylight to do some repairs to the World before enjoying a beautiful sunset .

-to clarify-
A number of diabetics who happen upon me not knowing what I am doing then thank me for walking for them. I am , more than that, walking to get through to them. Walking is helpful to the one who walks. Not so much for those who do not.

Lost and Found

Outside Palestine I took a picture,then clipped my phone back on its harness that hangs from my neck, walked about one mile before looking down to see the phone was gone. All I could do was walk back scanning the ground for a small black phone. Not far from where I had holstered the phone it lay in plain sight. A heart stroke of luck because I walk sometimes far from the narrow shoulders in the tall grass which could easily swallow a tiny wedge of plastic.
Then the rain began to fall most of the day to Wheatley thru to Brinkley where it was well past dark when I finally found a place to park for the night. Without the help of K and the Brinkley police we could be out in the cold instead of under a warm blanket in the van. Thank you all.

Busy work

As we cross Arkansas encouraging everyone I meet to take time to walk, to stay active for their health and to control diabetes I collect tiny pieces of broken china and ceramic tile for my friends college mosaic project. She has some philosophical theme to the fact it will be made completely with discarded scrap of our time. Often ancient digs leave only pottery. Maybe these pieces will be found by our descendants. What a happy note.
Enjoy a walk, love yourself as you do that for your body.
It looks like rain is on it's way. If I don't go now I might be stuck here...palisteeen.

Walking tall over the bridge to Madison

Didn't make the full twenty into Forrest City because of the winds. The breeze died down just as the storm blew through just after I was escorted across the bridge heading into Madison by Arkansas own "walking tall" policeman,he let me hold his big "walking tall"stick later when I parked outside city hall for the night with the help of the good couple who I had first met this morning, they shuttled my van for me getting it there just as I rolled up. Didn't have very many conversations today but the few I had we're golden, from first to last.
The wind put me through my paces today so I will have to wait for morning to see what parts ache. It may be raining when I awake, if it rains I can sleep a little longer. The storms rolling past already have my shoulders feeling like I bore the world on them today. Today was no picnic with the winds , it ended well. What more can I ask?
I could ask everyone to walk...

Plain windy

The wind picked up awhile ago blowing hard directly at us. It is warm and the sky is almost clear with only a few white clouds to the north. I have had to take a roadside break from this wind that is wearing me down with ten miles still to go.

Lehigh to Heath

Ten miles with new shoes doesn't usually cause a blister but it being my second day after two and a half months walking comfortable sidewalks then going to grassy shoulders friction got the better of my left foot. Not enough Bag Balm. Tomorrow the distance is twenty so we will need to start early. Blisters or not, it is still twenty miles.
All the people I have met in Arkansas have been nice, most talk with the accent I grew up with so I feel right at home. The land is pretty flat so far and the spiders ride the wind leaving single strands in my path covering my hat by the end of the day with glistening webs and fluff of cotton that hitch a ride.
I still have writing block. A long walk might loosen my tongue. I certainly feel better when I walk. Give it a try.

Leaving the nest

For two and a half months I have been at home, making a home, letting myself be at home, nesting. During that time as I picked up a few pounds of leasure-weight despite long walks, bike rides, yard work and regular "work-work". Whenever I would have the thought to stay home and leave my efforts to get out the message of moving to prevent or control diabetes I would receive a call or a message from one of the many people I have met encouraging me to keep pushing. Several things in my personal life and of those close reached completion of sorts. So many things I wanted to write but I couldn't , I had writer's block. Losing my Brother-in-law to diabetes, my son finishing high school after his trials and tribulations both rocked my World and lifted it up are just two examples. Though it has rough edges my nest is as tidy as it ever has been. My boy is on "the road to recovery" with a plan for his future I have to watch from a distance. My Brother-in-law passing despite my asking him to "walk with me" each time I stopped by to visit has me charged to keep the "movement-movement" going. It is time to fly the coup, to inflate the World and West Memphis is a good as any place to continue...love yourself, walk.