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| Day 95 - January 3, 2006 |
Whoa alot to report on.
The first hill on US 52 in Virginia is a doozy. As steep as our hill but fortunately, not as long. Only 6 miles. Some thing called the Blue Ridge. Beautiful vistas, a little wind and a little snow and quite a bit of rain. Messy walking for sure. Last Thursday night Karen Parsons and her father picked me up north Of Hillsville, Virginia and took me back to Wilkesboro in NC. Had a wonderful evening sharing Skagway stories with her and her mom and Dad and sister....niece etc...
Did the Kiwanis luncheon the next day. Hopefully we did some good for the clinic. Will find out in the next week or two. Had a pleasant surprise last Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Todd and Shelby Cosgrove, former Skagwegians drove over from eastern Virginia to help out. They went from gas station to gas station along highway 52 looking for me. That was Thursday PM. Although they rec'd several reports verifying my progress it was not meant to be that night. Karen picked me up just before they would have found me. We hooked via cell phones and they drove down to Wilkesborough for the Kiwanis gig and then walked with me Friday PM and on Saturday(new years eve). All of their children walked at least two miles each as well. That would be Ericka, Paige, Tyler and Jessie. It was real cool to see them. You may remember Todd and Shelby from the days they ran the Picture Emporium with Todd's illustrious sister, Cara. They send all their love to everyone back in town. They were simply incredible to have around. Through their church affiliations it looks like I'll be getting some unexpected support in Charleston and maybe even some points beyond. Todd and Shelby left late Saturday PM for their home in Keswick, VA and a New Years Eve party. I miss them already.
I fell asleep about fifteen minutes before midnight on NYE. I'm truly getting to be an old man. It's the first midnight I've missed since childhood. I crossed over in to West Virginia yesterday. I'll be walking this PM and late into the evening tonight. There is a lighted highway over much of the route. I'm taking advantage of it. I'm basing out of Beckley and plan to move my base to Charleston tomorrow or Thursday at the latest. More rain and the terrain is very steep. West Virginia's mountains may not be as high as ours but an uphill is still an uphill no matter where it is. Once I get passed Charleston it starts to level out and I shouldn't have many steep encounters for about 2,500 miles when I hit the Alaska highway.
I'm finally over the thousand mile mark. It took 40 days longer than I thought it would but at least I made it. I'm hopeful the next 1,000 will be achieved in a far more expeditious manner. By heading to Chicago from Pinehurst instead of Maryland I save about 200 miles. That will help. I'm taking a bunch of county and state roads to Charleston and then I get on US 35 up to Dayton, Ohio out of Charleston. The hills are tough or did I already suggest that. Here's hoping the Broncos get to play the Seahawks in the Super Bowl. Go Broncs! Bye the bye. Mocksville NC may not have gotten it's name by tavern patrons mocking British soldiers as they marched by. The British army under Lord Cornwallis bivouaced in Mocks Field above the future townsite. There was a taven at the cross roads but a woman with the Historical Society had not heard of the tale I offered. Mocksville was also the home of Daniel Boones parents and grave site. I visited said grave.
Take care everyone and Happy New Year. Wheat
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