DAY 7

DAY 7 BEGINS IN EVERETT, WASHIN GTON.

DAY 6 BEGAN AT THE HOME OF PAUL & MARY, ON THE STILLAGUAMISH VALLEY HILLS11IDE. TYHE EVENING BEFORE, PAUL STOPPED ON PIONEER HIGHWAY NEXT TO SAM & ME, ADMIRING SAM. PAUL DESIGNS AND BUILDS 3-WHEELER BIKES AND WAS TAKEN BY SAM. "SURE, YOU CAN STAY WITH US TONIGHT" PAUL OFFERS. AFTER A CLIMB OF PAUKL'S STEEP DRIVEWAY (SAM COULD NOT PULL IT...I PUSHED HER UP, WE ENJOYED MARY'S BAKED SALMON SUNDAY DINNER. CHATTED TILL NEAR 11 PM. PAUL OFFERED HIS ONE-MAN SURVIVAL HOME FOR ME TO INITIATE. IT HAS ALL THE CONVENIENCES & CAN BE PUSHED. SLEPT LIKE A BABY WHILE SAM GOT HER BATTERIES RE CHARGED. WE LEFT WHEN MARY WENT TO HER TEACHER'S JOB IN EVERETT AT 7:00 AM.

BY 8:30 AM, ARRIVED AT I-5 FREEWAY. CHEATED BY HAVING ONE PANCAKE & ONE CUP COFFEE AT DENNYS. AFTER A FILLING EVENIG MEAL, I AM ALWAYS STARVING IN THE MORNING.

LEFT PIO NEER HIGHWAY TURNING SOUTH ON THE HIGHWAY TO EVERETT. WAS AN EASY CLIMB FOR SAM OUT OF STILLAGUAMISH VALLEY. WE PARALLELED I-5 THROUGH THE SMALL BUT SPOTLESS CLEAN SMOKEY POINT. EXCITEMENT: STATE PATROL SNEAKED UP BEHIND US, BLASTIG HIS LOUDSPEAKER ..."GET OFF THE ROAD". I THEN SAW HIM IN SAM'S REAR VIEW MIRROR, TURNED WHEN HE AGAIN BLASTED OUT..."I SAAID GET OFF THE ROAD AND ONTO THE SIDEWALK". I SET SAM'S FRONT WHEEL PARKING BRAKE, TURNED & WALKED BACK TO THE WSP CAR. gOOD MORNING, OFFICER, I SAYS; HE SAYS ...I TOLD YOU TO MOVE THAT THING OFF THE ROAD; I REPLY...SORRY SIR, BUT I CANNOT. HE GLARED AT ME. I CONTINUED...YOU SEE SIR, SAM, MY CART IS A MOTOR DRIVEN VEHICLE AND NOT DESIGNED OR BUILT FOR SIDEWALKS. HE CONTINUES...YOU HAVE BEEN HOLDING UP TRAFFIC (GUESS SOMEONE COMPLAINED!!!) I REPLIED THAT I ALWAYS HUG THE SIDE OF THE ROAD & THERE IS MORE THAN ENOUGH ROOM FOR TWO VEHICLES TO PASS...BUT, FOR YOU I WILL MOVE ONTO THE SIDEWALK.

MR. WSP THEN SMILED AND SAID...I APPRECIATE THAT & WHEN THE SIDEWALK RUNS OUT (IT DID RUN OUT ABOUT 4 BLOCKS FURTHER ON) GO AHEAD & USE THE HIGHWAY. THANKS...I SAYS & OFFER HIM MY BLOG ADDRESS. "GOOD MORNIN G MR. WSP...JUST IN CASE YOU READ THIS...TRUST I GOT IT RIGHT."

FURTHER ON A YOUNG MAN SITTING ON SOME STEPS SHOUTED OUT...YOU ON A LONG TRIP? YES, TO FLORIDA, WOW, HAVE A GOOD TRIP. TWO BLOCKS FURTHER ON I HEAR RUNNING FOOTSTEPS & "SIR, SIR". IT IS THE SAME YOUNG MAN, ABOUT 20 YEARS OLD, VERY GOOD LOOKING, HOLDS OUT HIS HAND AND SAYS..."MY MOM SAYS SHE SAW YOU WALKING NEAR STANWOOD YESSTERDAY, AND WANTS YOU TO HAVE THIS" AS HE LAYS 2 DOLLAR BILLS IN MY HAND. I REALLY TAKEN ABACK...BUT I CANNOT ACCEPT YOUR MOEY...MOM & I DO NOT HAVE VERY MUCH, BUT SHE ALREADY KNEW ABOUT YOUR WALK TO FLORIDA AND SHE WANTS TO BE A PART OF YOUR WALK...CAN I WALK ALONG WITH YOU...MOM ASKED ME TO PICK UP SOMETHING DOWN THE ROAD.

AND SO, BRAD HAS BECOME A FRIEND. HE ACCEPTED MY BLOG. BRAD IS 20 AND LOOKING FOR WORK...BUT NO LUCK YET.

BY NOW IT IS NOON AS I WALK INTO MARYSVILLE. I PARK SAM IN FRONT OF A SMALL MARKET. INSIDE IS KINDA DARK, BUT I FIND THE FRUIT SECTION AND CHOOSE ONE BANANA @ $0.29 PER POUND. I PAY FOR IT, AND EAT IT ON THE SPOT. ONE PANCAKE WENT QUICKLY. A MAN SITTING IN A DARK CORNER GOT UP AND OFFERED TO TAKE MY BANANA PEEL ASKING...THAT YOUR CART OUT THERE...YES, THAT IS SAM...SHE AND I HAVE COME FROM CANADA & ARE WALKING TO FLORIDA. HE SAYS "UMMMPH" AND TURNS AWAY. I LEAVE BUT COME BACK TO FILL MY WATER BOTTLE. AS I START TO PUSH SAM, THE SAME MAN WALKS UP TO US, HANDS ME A BAG AND SAYS...FOR YOUR WALK TO FLORIDA. INSIDE IS A SMALL BAG OF ICE AND A PASSION FRUIT. TEARS PUDDLE MY EYES; I SHAKE HIS HAND...THANKYOU, AND SAM & ME WALK ON.

IN EVERETT COMES MY SECOND ENCOUNTER OF THE DAY WITH THE AUTHORITIES. CITY POLICEMAN PULLS IN FRONT OF ME, STOPS, GETS OUT AND WALKS BACK TO ME...YOU MUST USE THE SIDEWALK...YOU ARE HOLDING UP TRAFFIC (MORE 911 CALLS ABOUTY SAM & ME???)... A MOTOR VEHICLE...YOU DON'T SAY...IS THAT A SOLAR PANEL? NICE RIG YOU HAVE...BUT PLEASE BE CAREFUL, WE WANT YOU TO BE SAFE. YES SIR...WOI,D YOU LIKE MY BLOG TO SEE HOW SAM & ME ARE DOING...YOU BET! GUESS WE MADE ANOTHER FRIEND.

RECEIVED MANY HONKS & WISECRACKS WALKING UP BROADWAY IN EVERETT. BUT MOSTLY, FOLKS WERE REALLY NICE. BROADWAY IS VERY VERY STEEP FOR ABOUT 6 MILES TO THE BOEING FACTORY FREEWAY. SAM CLIMBED SO WELL, I WAS ACTUALLY PULLED ALONG. THREE TIMES THE CITY POLICEMAN DROVE BY...PROBABLY NOTHING TO DO WITH ME...YEAH, SURE.

AT 4:30PM, SAM & ME ARRIVED AT THE TRAVELODGE AT HIGHWAY 527 AND CHECKED IN. NEPHEW DALE & FAMILY DROVE UP FROM KIRKLAND & WE ALL ENJOYED STEAK DINNER AT "BUZZIN" NEXT DOOR (WAS EXCELLENT). TOMORROW (ACTULLY TODAY, AS IT IS NOW 7 AM TUESDAY, APRIL 27) SAM & ME TAKE HIGHWAY 527 ALL THE WAY TO DALE'S HOME ON JUANITA DRIVE.

PLEASE EXCUSE ALL "CAPS". I'M HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME MANAGING THIS MINI-LAPTOP. STAYING IN CAPS HELPS.