Brett Bramble Walks

So I was supposed to get a ride and go back to where I got picked up yesterday and finish up to this point. I had every intention of doing that today. The hotel that I’m at has a computer and I haven’t been able to use a desktop since I was back home in Atlanta. I got on it and stayed there for 5 hours haha!

I got a TON of work done that I needed to catch up on. I went through all of the comments on my blog and I was in tears. I had no idea that so many people were reading and were enjoying it. I can’t read the comments from my phone so I didn’t know about all of the positive feedback that I’d been getting. I think I’m going to get a small laptop so that I can keep up with the blog more. I was in tears from all of the nice things that you all had to say about me.

As I was going through it was taking me back to all that I’ve gone through already. It hasn’t even been 4 weeks yet but it feels like I’ve gone through so much. I can’t wait to see what I can make happen from all of this by the time I finish.

A dear friend and my first trail angel contacted me today and wanted to arrange for me to have a massage while I am in a city. It was either get a massage, or go walk 8 miles in the rain.. yeah.. even I’M not that crazy!

Valerie lived and worked close and came to pick me up at the hotel. Yes, it was awkward being picked up at a hotel to go get a massage lol. She was extremely kind and I was comfortable as soon as we met. The massage was amazing and I needed it so bad! For the last few days I’ve been rolling around on a can of ravioli trying to loosen my knots up haha.

Not only was the massage incredible but the conversation was as well. I got to meet her husband and we went out to dinner sushi!  YUM!

I feel great and don’t mind not making up those 8 miles. I got so much work done today that I still feel accomplished. Tomorrow is 18 miles and I have to hurry to beat the snow storm that’s coming.

I enjoyed my day so much. Now I’m playing with Domino and hopefully we’ll both sleep well. Good night from Bridgeport, WV..

I had a late start this morning after walking 25 miles yesterday. It was hard to get out of bed but I had to. Not only was this the day with the best weather in 2 weeks but I was supposed to meet up with a news reporter and a woman from United We CAN.

Domino got lots of love from the hotel staff as were leaving and we took off down the road. There were a lot of hills that I knew I had to climb today but the elevation is getting lower and lower now that I’m on the other side of the Appalachians.

At the top of Phillipi I went through a college campus thinking it was a shortcut but got lost. I asked a few guys that worked there for directions and was able to spread the message about my walk also. They were impacted and all came together to throw in some money for me and Domino. I wanted to hang out with these guys longer but we all had work to do so I went on..

I finally got to the long road that I’d be traveling on for the rest of the day. It was a gravel road that not too many people know about. I love roads like this because they are so much safer. I was able to let Domino off the leash and relax my mind a little. Dodging traffic really takes a toll on you after a while. It’s nice to hit the small roads and take the alertness that it requires out of the equation.

Domino was being funny today. I’d turn around and she was playing with horses and cows and having a great time. I didn’t mind because she was having fun and would always come running back. I got nervous when she got behind the horse but I hollered and she moved quickly. One kick would end it right there for her. I had to be the strict parent for that one…

The news reporter found me and we got the footage we needed and hung out for a while. We could’ve chatted all day but we both had places to go.. more hills to climb..

I made it about 9 miles from the hotel that I had arranged for tonight and Regina, her daughter Jessie, and her two dogs Ava and Bailey finally found me. They had gotten lost trying to find this backroad that no one knew of. At that point in the day I asked them for a ride to the hotel and we got there and hung out there for a while and I was able to watch the news story as it aired on TV.

Regina does a lot of great work in the recovery community and United We CAN wants to help me when they can along my walk. It was nice to be able to ask her some questions that I had about recovery and get some good answers to help me understand.

Now I get to relax for a while. I’ll work out a ride for tomorrow to take me back to the point I left off at and walk back to this same hotel for another night. So a pretty easy day tomorrow although it will be in the rain. But I’ll finally be able to say that I made it to Clarksburg!  I’ve been trying to get here for a long time now.

I am hoping to get some more media done while I am in a city. And hopefully I can catch up on some of these comments on my blog. It’s hard to keep up on my cell phone. There is a computer at the hotel so I’m going to do my best!!!

Thanks for reading 🙂

Early start this morning as I had 25 miles to get to a hotel or else I’d be sleeping in 20 degree temperatures. I went to McDonald’s for breakfast as there was one nearby the place I was staying. Which reminds me…. I stayed at the best place ever the last 2 nights. Irene’s Place guest house in Parsons West Virginia. I had a whole house to myself with the MLB package on TV. I felt like I was home. And even better, when the owners heard about my cause they refused to take any money from me. They told me to save it and use it later on. Unbelievable!  I wanted to leave at least $40 or $50 to cover the cost but I wasn’t sure if that would’ve been rude or not. I left a nice note for them instead…

Back to McDonald’s… I ate my breakfast and Domino ate her sausage biscuit and as I was getting ready to leave a young lady comes up and tells me she knows me from Facebook and wanted to give a donation. I felt bad that I didn’t get her name. I know she told me but I didn’t catch it. Thank you!

As domino and I set off it was snowing. I couldn’t believe that we were walking in the snow and people were being normal. Being from Georgia, it is foreign to me for people to act normally when it snows. The world shuts down and there is no milk or bread left in any store in the entire state. I was dressed for it so it didn’t bother me and I just kept rolling.

The day started on a trail alongside the main road. I love having the trails because there is no car traffic and Domino can walk without her leash on. We passed some civil war battle sights and quickly read about some of the history of the town.

I reached my first 2 hour mark and took a break. Domino was full of energy and was playing doggy parkour on all the logs and rocks that were lying around. A woman on a mountain bike approached and Domino took off toward her. It was out of character for domino but she was in that hyper mode. I kept telling her that she needed to save that energy. We still had a very long day ahead of us.

The cyclist saw me and Domino and Jenny and was curious so asked where we were headed. I told her where I was headed and how I was planning to get there. She told me a much safer way to go. I was soooooo glad that she did. Especially after the fact, when I saw the road that I would’ve been walking on if she didn’t tell me how to navigate the trail. That was a true blessing.

I made it to the end of the trail and after crossing the main hwy I went on to backroads to go through more mountains. It was a beautiful part of the country. I’d never ever drive on this road even if I lived in the area. I love seeing the things you see when you walk. I passed huge farms with old farm equipment used as outdoor decor. I saw a guy chopping wood and working hard for his simple life here in the mountains of West Virginia. I got a little closer and could hear that he had music playing from his muddy red Jeep. I naturally assumed that it would be country but as I came within earshot I realized that it was Lady Gaga. Mind blown!

I kept walking and seeing more cool stuff and every now and then would pass cows or horses that stare at us as we pass by. Or pass dogs that bark until we are far enough not to hear them any more. Domino just stays at my side and pays them no mind. She is such a good girl.

We walked around a corner and I could tell there may be trouble here.. there was an old run down trailer with about 8 dogs in their yard. All chained up with their individual dog houses. They probably never leave their chains. Well the rottweiler broke his and came running toward us. He came for Domino first and I turned to grab my walking stick and was thinking that I’d use that if I had to. Surprisingly, Domino was holding her ground very well. In fact, the rottweiler retreated. He started to slowly come back. Towards me this time. I took advantage of the fact that he wasn’t in full force and thought that if I showed no fear that he would leave us alone. I yelled and firmly said, “get outta here!”

He was going back and forth and not leaving but not attacking. He was deciding on which to do. Domino doesn’t bark but she was definitely showing with her body that she was ready to fight. I was proud of her. This was the first time ever that we’ve ever been in a situation like this together.

I noticed that the trailer door was now opened. It wasn’t before. I yelled, “your dog is loose!” What I wanted to say was, “if you don’t come get this dog I’m going to hit it in the head with this stick!” I don’t think they cared. The dog didn’t deserve that anyways. It was the owners that needed a stick beating. I yelled again. They didn’t care. They were probably laughing inside. The dog finally retreated as me and Domino showed that we weren’t going down without a fight. We walked on and I wished someone would take all of those dogs from them and give them to loving people. I told Domino that she did good and gave her treats and hugs and made sure she wasn’t scratched up from the short scuffle she was in. She was fine. Good girl…

We went on and on and up and down. Breaking every 2 hours. The last 6 miles of the day were really hard. There were 2 big mountains that I had to up and over. A friend of mine from high school messaged me last night saying that her brother just died of an overdose to pain pills. I found motivation by walking for him and his family. I remember those first few days and they are so bad. So much worse than walking over mountains. I’d walk over mountains every day if I could see my sister one more time.

My feet were giving out but I only had about a mile to go so I pushed on. I made it to the hotel in Phillipi. We went in and Domino got all the attention from the staff of course. She found a burst of energy again. If I’d have ridden in Jenny down every hill I may have had energy left over too!

I checked in and got cleaned up and headed for my first steak dinner since I’ve started this trip. Of course I saved some for Domino. While in the restaurant I was asking some locals about the best route for us to take tomorrow and we all had fun trying to figure it out. A nice woman gave me a necklace to carry that she believes will help keep us safe. That was so kind and I will definitely continue to walk with it to the end.

I have a 23 mile day tomorrow and then an easy weekend. I hope I can make it tomorrow. I’d rather push through if my body can keep up. Good night everyone. Thanks so much for reading my blog. It means a lot to be able to share this experience with someone 🙂

Woke up early and went out to see the snow. I was excited to walk in it. I got everything ready and waited until around 11 am for the sun to be high enough to start making it a little warmer and I set off for Parsons, WV.

The entire day was going to be on a trail. So no car traffic!! I got started and immediately fell in love with this trail. It’s an old rail line turned into a trail. There are waterfalls and cool bridges along the way. There are a lot of remains that show the railroad ran through it.

The sun was out and the wind was light. I was dressed appropriately for the cold temperatures and I was comfortable all day. It was just me and Domino rolling through the woods. She had a blast and so did I. 15 short miles later we arrived at a beautiful guest house that I’ll be staying in for 2 nights.

I am trying to get out of these mountains asap. But weather keeps holding me back. That’s ok though. I’m making progress. Tomorrow I’ll be able to get all of my errands done and also watch some opening day baseball!!!

The town I’m in is small. They have the one stoplight in the entire county. Everything I need is within a mile so I’ll be able to feel like a new person when I leave here on Tuesday morning.

Hope you enjoy the pictures. The views I saw today were amazing. This may have been my easiest day yet. Now to watch the Royals beat up on the Mets….

I woke up miserable and didn’t sleep well. I was sitting in the tent bored and trying to see if I should just pack up and go even though I knew more rain was coming. I got restless enough to not even care. I just packed up and headed out. I knew that I was only 10 miles to a hotel.

6 miles later and I’m still pissed. I was cussing and fighting the wind all day. Not enough sleep was really beating down my will to go on. I came close to sticking my thumb up for a ride. I had to keep telling myself to just keep going. I was just tired and hungry and had lost site of everything. I just felt stupid for being out there. It was very out of character for me as I can usually find something positive to motivate me. This time I just wanted to stop and scream. In fact I did that. A few times. Domino was scared. I had to say sorry and that I wasn’t yelling at her.

As I was about 3.5 miles away and SUV pulled over and my first thought was should I ask for a ride. I soon recognized the vehicle and Chris from 2 or 3 days before hops out. Man was I happy to see him. He was the man who really cheered me up the last time from the same bad mood that I was in. He asked if I wanted a ride. Haha

I had to decline. I knew that I could and should just tough it out and keep walking. He gave me a CB radio and another awesome gift. The radio is great to have. I can use it in emergencies when I don’t have cell service. I know my mom will be very happy about that. He showed me how to use it and told me the emergency channel. This guy saved me. I immediately cheered up when I saw him. It brought my spirits back up. We said goodbye and he gave me his number in case I needed anything else. Just amazing!

I roll on and am still battling the wind but I had my positivity back this time. Nothing was going to stop me from getting to Thomas WV and inside of a hotel for some much needed R&R. Two cars pull up as I am about a half a mile away. They saw me and just wanted to make sure that it wasn’t a baby in my stroller haha. I told them about what I was doing and they gave me some snacks and told me about a better place to look for a room than the hotel I had in mind.

I called the Purple Fiddle, a restaurant with live mountain music and a hostel for travelers. This is the place that the nice people told me about. They said they would take me and Domino and we headed there and checked in. I got situated and then headed over to the restaurant for a meal. The people who had stopped on the road were there and bought my meal and gave some more money for dinner the next night. All of the struggles I’d gone through to get here were washed away. I was looking forward to the live music that night.

After I ate I took a stroll around Thomas WV. Don’t blink. You’ll miss it. It was a very neat town. Used to be along a railroad and was a coal-mining town. Now a tourist destination for skiers in nearby Davis, WV. I saw an interesting shop. I walked in and a beautiful woman welcomed me in and showed me around. I told her about the walk and talked with her and her grandmother about it. She gave me some gifts from the shop and told me about some things to do while I was in town.

I get back to my room and I laid down and napped a little. I didn’t want to go all the way to sleep so I hopped up and headed to the restaurant where the music was getting ready to start. I met some locals and the band and Lynea. A pretty girl who offered to help me with anything while I was in town. She also told me that she had a boyfriend that is out of state in the military. I wasn’t even thinking about her hitting on me or me hitting on her. I thought it was funny yet smart of her to mention that. I asked for a ride to the grocery store the next day and she said she’d be happy to take me. That helped me relax a little as I really needed to stock up on food for me and Domino.

The band started and they were awesome! I was so happy to be there enjoying live music. I’m not cut out to live in these small mountain towns but they sure are fun to visit. After the show I hung out for a while and played pool with the band. We stayed up late and I eventually made it to bed.

I felt awful in the morning. I woke up too early and needed food and ibuprofen. I did the best I could to try to go back to sleep but couldnt. My head was killing me. I finally roamed out of bed around 12 and took domino for a walk and headed back to the little shop where the owner Jarolyn had a goodie bag for me. I was telling her that I had no idea how to get out of these mountains because it was starting to get too cold to camp and I was too far from any towns on my route with hotels. She said she’d look up some places and call around.

I headed back for my room where I took a great nap that I really needed. I checked my email and Jarolyn had found a place in a town 15 miles away. It was off of my route but it was all I had to work with. I called them and booked the place and I looked up how to get there. There is a trail where the old railroad used to be that takes me basically all the way there. And it’s DOWNHILL! No traffic and beautiful views. I am looking forward to it. Although it will be in the 30s tomorrow. I’ll dress appropriately though and hopefully get there before the sun sets.

It’s snowing outside right now. I’m going to head over and listen to the band play for a while and watch the snow fall that I’ll be walking on tomorrow 🙂

Woke up early and packed up and ate breakfast during sunrise. I was on the road at 8 am. Great start! Today will be the day that I get over the highest point on my trip until the Rockies! I set off with confidence that I would make it. I looked at the mountain ahead and shouted, “I’m coming for you mountain!”

The first 2 hours were easy and mostly downhill. I got to the point where I could see the climb that I had to make to reach the top. I got to a resting point at the bottom of the hill and was facing my hardest challenge yet. I ate a ton of high-energy snacks and took off.

Not as easy as I thought. I had to break about 1/3 of the way up. I regained my composure and took off again. This time I played a game with the cars to take my mind off of the walking. I would try to guess how many seconds it would take the car that came into view from around the corner to pass me. I would guess and then count. I don’t know if I got any right or even got close. I can’t remember. But it did serve it’s purpose as the next thing I knew I was around the corner.

I still had a long upward way to go. A very steep grade. People passing by looked on at me in pity. I could see the top just ahead so I kept pushing and pushing. The windmills on top of the mountain that I’d seen from a distance for the last 4 days were so close now!

As I got closer I saw that there was a scenic overlook at the top that people can drive off and stop at to see the view. I figured this would be a perfect place for a victory dance! I eek on up and with a huge gasp pull Jenny to a stop and open my arms to a full Titanic, “I’m on top of the world” moment. I tried to stand up on the guard rail and totally failed and looked silly but no one saw it. I made it up the second time and yelled out shouts of joy and victory! I looked out at all the mountains that I’d crossed to get here. I had a moment to myself with Brittany. I got down and danced with Domino. She had no idea what we’d just done but I was trying to explain it. I laid down on the ground for a rest and Domino came to give me kisses and be close.

A few construction trucks pulled up to eat their lunch up there. One guy came over to make sure that I was alive. He said he saw me a few times earlier and was glad to see me there. He informed me that I still had a ways to go before I reached the top though. Waa waa waaaaah… Looks like around the corner kept going up instead of down. He was right. I kept pushing and pushing. I wanted to get to the real top so bad. That was my goal for the day and the biggest milestone yet on this entire trip.

I get to the top, again, and this time was a little less dramatic but I still looked back and said goodbye to the east coast. From the beach in Delaware to here. I put one of my cards up on a sign to claim my victory and turned around to keep going. I’m not even kidding, 5 seconds later I look up and a fighter jet is racing across the sky. The loud rumble following behind it. It was for me! I screamed, “YEAH!” I cheered for myself and for the moment. I was on cloud 9. I turn right to get to the gas station that Kevin the construction workers told me about.  As I began to see around the next corner, I realized that I was once again wrong about the highest point. I laughed it off and thought to myself, “figures.” I knew that after the gas station that I had to go over that hill though. I bought a lot of junk food and some soda. I knew that I’d be stuck in a tent for a while because a storm was coming through. I’ll get to that in a sec..

At the gas station I ate and talked to locals. I haven’t had cell reception all day so I asked questions like we used to do in the old days. I wanted to know where exactly is was and when the mountain would stop getting higher. It didn’t look promising. No one really knew. They just said it goes up and down for miles. Thanks guys…

So I set off again. This time feeling drained from all of the ups and downs (ba dump bump). I knew that once I got over this next hill that I would find a place to camp no matter what. A storm was coming soon and I wanted to take the time to set up a good enough shelter to comfortably wait it out.

I get to what i now think is the real top of the mountain and have another small moment but not getting too excited in case it wasn’t. Without Internet service I couldn’t look up my elevation profile so I really had no clue and was done trying to think I know anything about anything in these West Virginia mountains. I couldn’t find a place to camp for miles. The wind was blowing again on this side of the mountain. I was “over it” at this point. I had no choice but to keep on going though. I did see a lot of deer and turkey. That was nice. Everything else sucked.

I FINALLY found a spot to camp. It’s not completely out of site but I didn’t care at that point. I set up what I thought would hold off the wind and rain and got inside to relax. I got into some junk food and wrote this blog as domino napped. I got my Kindle out and read myself to sleep…

I got up and rolling at 10 am this morning. Later than I wanted to but I knew that it would be ok. I took longer than usual in the morning because I knew that I’d be camping for the next few nights and rain was coming. So I made sure everything was ready and organized.

I went McDonald’s for breakfast before getting back on Hwy 48. When I was in line, a man comes up to me and says he saw me on the news and wanted to buy my meal. It was so nice to start off the day with someone going out of their way to be nice to me. His name is John and I will never forget him. I ate my meal and chatted with some locals of Moorefield, WV. One of the places with the nicest people on earth.

I set out on the road and the sun was out and there was no wind. I had to pinch myself to see if I was dreaming. I loved every second of every minute all morning long. The walk was way easier without the wind blowing me back. The views were amazing!

I’ve come up with a formula that has been working for me. I walk for 2 hours and then take a break. During the break I do everything that needs to be addressed. Give Domino food and water, give me food and water, do phone stuff and facebook, check maps, adjust shoes, etc.

My 2 hour mark came up and I found a great spot for domino to play and for me to rest. A car pulls up and it’s an older couple who also saw me on the news. We talked for a bit and they gave a donation and some water that they had in their car. I can’t express how much it means to me when someone pulls up. It’s not about the money or any gifts. That stuff is great but what really hits me in the feelings is that someone is doing something to help someone they don’t even know. It’s beautiful.

I kept going and wow! I climbed a HUGE hill. I had to turn around to walk backwards because somehow that helps when going up steep hills. I’m glad I turned around because the view was spectacular!

We made it to the top and we took a break before the 2 hour mark. I needed to stop after that. Plus, I wanted to take the time to celebrate the victory we just accomplished. After a quick break and a high five from Domino, I set off again. This time downhill, because that’s what mountains do. I put Domino in Jenny and we rolled 4 miles down the other side of the mountain that we had just walked up.

At the bottom we took another quick break and I was beginning to think that I needed to start focusing on camping situations. I still had quite a bit of time but I knew from my map that the next 20 miles are ALL uphill to the highest point that I’ll cross on this side of the Mississippi River.

My goal for the day had already been met so everything from there was bonus.  I was still feeling good so I pushed on. A woman named Paula stopped by to say hey and to take a picture. She’d also seen me on the news. We talked and I told her that I was planning on just camping on the side of the highway out of sight because she asked. She seemed worried about me doing that but I tried to assure her that it was ok. She said that she would post something on Facebook saying that if anyone had a place for us to stay to come pick us up. I thanked her and walked on hoping that would happen.

It started to get about an hour before sunset. That’s when I usually like to start setting up camp. I walked on for a while just in case someone read Paula’s status and was out looking for us. I came across a spot that I couldn’t pass up on. I was only about 50 feet from the hwy but down an embankment completely out of view. Perfectly flat and had a clear view of the sunset. I took my chances and set up the tent and made dinner. I ate as the sun was setting and enjoyed some Gatorade from a pouch that you mix with your water. A friend of mine back home gave a bunch of them to me before I left. I’ve enjoyed them a lot.

I had no service on my cell phone so I walked a little ways to see if I could get a signal. I couldn’t get Internet but found a spot with phone service. I called my mom and told her where I was and to post something on my Facebook page, Brett Bramble Walks, to let everyone know that I was ok. I came back to the tent and handwrote this blog so that I could post it later when I had service.

Tomorrow I should hit a major milestone as I should be able to make it to the highest point on my route until the Rockies. I can’t wait to share that experience with all of you!

Good night!!

Today was by far the hardest day I’ve had yet. I woke up early and it was still dark and me and Domino were both cold so I wrapped her blanket around her again and I put on a few more things and went back to sleep. I woke up again as the sun was rising but there was a huge rain cloud and we were in it. It only came down very lightly but I didn’t want to be cold and wet so I stayed in the tent and entertained myself with funny faces.

After a slow start and a big breakfast we finally got moving. It was uphill and against the wind to start. I was so frustrated. My will was tested for the first time. Just as I was getting close to calling someone to give me a ride outta there a man pulls up. He was dressed nicely and had a nice SUV. Someone I would not have imagined to pull over to check on me. But I was wrong.

He said hello and shook my hand and asked if we needed a tent or sleeping bag or anything. I told him thank you but we were ok and I started to tell him what we were up to. Before he even knew my cause he reached into his wallet and said, “here is everything I have, please take it.”  It was over $100. I couldn’t believe it. I told him thank you and that it was very good timing for him to pull over as I was in a bad place mentally. He told me to keep the flame inside of me lit. Needless to say, I continued on…

The views were stunning. I wished so much that the wind would stop. I didn’t mind the hills so much but the wind was driving me off the walls. I had to literally push my jogging stroller downhill at times. It would roll backwards up the hill if I let it go.

I saw a nook where I could take a break from the wind and went down to eat some snacks and feed Domino as well. As we were down there I heard a car pull up. They saw Jenny on the side of the road and wanted to see if everything was ok. This was a wonderful older couple who saw me on the road earlier and just wanted to check on us. I told her that we were ok and what we were doing. She thought that it was great to walk across America. They also gave a generous amount of money. I told her what I was doing it for and she told me that she’d lost her son to the same cause. Unbelievable. I wouldn’t have guessed in a million years that this sweet couple had dealt with something like that. It’s everywhere guys. It’s bad!

Between those two people and thinking about the rest of you guys, I fought on. I caught a few breaks in the wind but the hills were worse. I started to develop what may be a shin splint. I’ve never had them so I don’t know yet. I didn’t care. I just wanted to get to this small town that had a hotel so that I could get out of this madness and regroup.

I finally get there and I didn’t even tell them about Domino because I didn’t want to risk them no taking pets. This is the third time already that I’ve snuck her into a hotel haha. She is so sweet and quiet and doesn’t bother anyone. I don’t feel bad about it because of that. I feel like no pet policies are for pets that will be a nuisance. I’m sure this hotel would’ve taken her. I think I’m the only guest here tonight. It’s a small 12 room motel in the middle of nowhere. Probably mostly used by people traveling through. It is nicer than I thought it would be. I grabbed a shower and headed out to grab some dinner..

I followed my nose and was led to a BBQ restaurant named Blues. I get in and order a pulled pork sandwich with potato salad. It was so good I ordered another one! We got to talking about the walk as I brought it up to explain why I was eating so much… they thought it was great and they said drugs are really bad in their town. They put my double meal on the house! I couldn’t believe it. I almost felt bad. The waitress told me not to worry about the tip either. I swear if it wasn’t for all of the kindness in people that I meet that I would never make it through this walk. But I know that I will go all the way. Even on the hardest day, I received some of the kindest gestures yet.

Don’t listen to what the news tells you.. people are good! I hope that the people who helped me today have something amazing happen to them in the near future. Because of them I made it to my destination and am in a hotel safe from the freezing temperatures that are projected for tonight.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!! 🙂

I stopped by Groomingtails in Winchester VA today to meet the awesome people who helped Domino get clean and even had her looked at by a vet and got some medicine for her ears that were bothering her. Some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. They had more gifts for Domino and me and we hung out for a while. I loved it and wished I could’ve stayed longer. The road was calling me though. I could’ve waited another day to get out but I just HAD to walk.

I get all ready and start walking and it was basically all uphill in 20 mph headwinds. I was probably moving at .5 mph… I loved every second of it though. Well.. I occasionally had an obscenity slip out of my mouth wishing for just a small break in the wind. It never happened.

I was trying to make the best of it though. I had sunshine and a wide shoulder to walk on. Domino and I were both in good health and no matter how slow we were moving, we were still moving. The sooner i get over these mountains in West Virginia the better.

I had a very late start so I didn’t get far at all. Maybe 8 miles at the most. I saw a great spot to set up the tent so I did. If it wasn’t for the beautiful view right at sunset I probably would’ve been frustrated with the wind. I stayed positive knowing that I’d be protected once the tent was up.

It’s actually holding up well. I tried to pick a good spot to where the wind was blocked as much as possible. I’m not very good at stuff like that but I think it may have worked a little. I still get strong gusts occasionally but so far I haven’t landed in Oz…

It felt great being out on the road again. This time with no destination but somewhere farther West than when I started. The freedom is unreal. The unknown is scary. The views are beautiful. I am happy!

I had a few people stop me and say hello as well as some people honking and waving as they pass by. I love those little acts of kindness. Most of the time it’s random but today more people recognized who I was. All the news stories are getting out there. Which is great. I’m glad this is working out.

I am on my first true test as I will probably be camping for the next week and a half while I travel through the mountains of West Virginia. I am extremely allergic to pollen and I can sense it coming. The weather is either windy or rainy. But I feel like I’m ready for the challenge. Tonight I am near Baker, West Virginia. I hope to make good progress tomorrow and Wednesday. I am on a highway with a huge shoulder and I love that! Domino has to walk up the hills but she can ride in Jenny when it’s flat or downhill. Unfortunately it’s more up than down for the next few days. I cannot wait to reach the highest point on this side of the Mississippi River. I am getting close to it. It will essentially be all downhill from there!!

Until tomorrow!

So I woke up at 7 am and was going to get ready to go walk some more… next thing I knew it was noon and I was waking up again.

I definitely exhausted myself yesterday. I slept all morning today and didn’t start feeling better until around 2 pm. Too late to start walking. I decided to take advantage of the time and get some stuff done online and organize Jenny again. I am going to be in the mountains for the next few weeks and I want to make sure I am prepared for it.

It was actually a good thing to do. I will definitely be getting rained on since April showers are coming and I wanted to have everything ready for that. So nothing exciting to talk about today. I have had a few touching conversations with people that have just heard about my walk. I planned out my route for the rest of West Virginia. I bought what I needed from Walmart. Me and Domino are now ready to go and I can’t wait to get back out on the road!!!