An interesting event occurred during last night...my ribs did not hurt. This morning was a different story. An IBUPROFEN took care of that. As the Sun lit up the Eastern sky, I was dressed, enjoyed a large bowl of cereal topped by Yogurt and Fruit, and was walking on US 60. 16 miles later, I returned to SPIA-2, having come to a major decision:
My walking route around the perimeter of the Lower 48 must change.
Should I continue on my current route itinerary, I would reach Northern parts of the walk in late Fall or early Winter...making it necessary to find a place to hunker down for the Winter.
So, I have come to consider the following option:
Upon leaving PHOENIX, Arizona next week, I will continue East on US Highway 60, heading for the city of DICKINSON, North Dakota. At Dickinson, will travel EAST, eventually reaching NEW ENGLAND in late Summer or early Fall. Imagine...New England COLORS for our Blog.
This route change will place me on the Central East Coast- heading SOUTH for COLUMBIA, North Carolina, where I have been invited to visit before Winter sets in. For those who have followed my prior adventures with Craig and his lovely wife, Karen , Karen passed away in late December 2013, after her heroic battle of many years against Cancer. Karen will for many reasons remain forever in my heart, but I know she would approve my sharing here, our VERY FIRST face to face meeting some three years ago.
After introducing me to Hubby, Craig, Karen leads me back to her car...Come on, we are going shopping...says Karen. After visiting two or three shops, she says..."I need to buy a new pair of BOOBS...and I want you to help me pick them out...".
How can I not have special feelings for that beautiful woman...fighting for her life...accepting me, a complete stranger into her most private life. I can only imagine Karen's feelings of my own recent experience with my wife, Cri, who so recently traveled the same path of battling Cancer, as did Karen.
I will make my final route decision before reaching PHOENIX next week.
If I make the change to reverse course, I would, of course, continue WEST across America's SOUTH and West during the Winter months.
Where SPIA-2 parked last night in SALOME, Arizona.
US 60, Main Street, SALOME.
US 60.
STANFORD INN AND CAFE, SALOME, Arizona, where this episode of our Blog is being created.
Thank you for allowing me a booth to create this Blog update.
WENDEN Valley, some 60 miles West of PHOENIX, Arizona.
Flowering Cactus on the berm of US 60.
The tall rig in this image is a Water Well Drilling Rig.
The items surrounding the drilling rig are water filtration equipment.
Water is being pumped from a newly discovered LAKE of fresh water some 1,000 feet BELOW Wenden Desert. Farmers are drilling into this lake, pumping crystal clear fresh water at the rate of 1,000 gallons per minute...water to irrigate dozens of fields growing COTTON, WHEAT, and ALFALFA.
Please say HELLO to LUCIO, Rancher managing the land which is receiving the lake water.
Wenden Valley newly pumped water being fed via canal to a reservoir where it will be stored until fed by perforated plastic pipes to the fields of new crops. Water flow will be controlled by computer...not a drop to be wasted.
Another view of Wenden Valley.
Please say HELLO to JOHN. John, a local "Snow Bird" treated me to lunch at Stanford Cafe.
Thank you, John, and safe trip back home to Michigan.
* * * * * * * * * *
Is now 12:30 PM (Noon). Will continue walking East on US 60, making our way toward PHOENIX and perhaps a new direction for our immediate adventures.
Love tolling you
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