Day 143

I woke up in my hammock by the tennis courts. I watched the sun rise. I hung out in my hammock for a little bit. 

For some reason I checked my phone, there was wifi! Pretty crazy, I was outside along a shipping container. I caught up on journaling.

It took me a while! By 8:30 a.m., I broke camp and repacked the buggy. I ate two cans of tuna for breakfast. I hit sidewalk.

I strolled along and took my time. I was hoping the sidewalk would continue all the way into El Paso. 

It did!

My pace was slow. I was tired. I contemplated whether or not to take a siesta. I started to get dizzy just around 11 a.m. I found a banquet hall that looked abandoned. I hung out in the shade outside.

I ate the last of my food, an MRE. It was a good one, they gave me peanut M&Ms! 

The owners of the banquet hall came by. They were so nice to me! They filled up my near empty gallon and gave me some popsicles! I ate them quick!

It was the kick I needed to get into town. I also heard from the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift store on North Piedras. They told me they were expecting me! I wasn’t sure what that meant, but it sure was motivating. I decided to walk through the heat of the day. At quarter to noon, I chugged some water and hit sidewalk.

It was tiring, but there were plenty of small businesses and shade to take breaks. The sidewalks of El Paso:

Just before 4 p.m., I made it to the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store. Rudy gave me a $40 store credit! I had no idea what I could use. They didn’t have any jogging strollers or anything similar. Their dollies weren’t for sale. They didn’t even have any backpacks. I sat down on a couch and pondered. 
I needed shoes. The nikes I had been wearing were cutting up my feet badly. It actually hurt to walk. I found some moccasin slippers that were a couple sizes too big. They were soft and would do.
I also found a baby carrier. It was made by L.L. Bean and was in good condition. It was the closet thing to a backpack I could use. I knew the little stroller could not handle too much weight. If I carried my personals on my back, I could use the little stroller for food and water. 

I checked out with the moccasins, a baby carrier, and a light and white long sleeve shirt. I thanked Rudy and hurriedly hit the sidewalk. I was trying to make the vigil Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

It was only a few miles but it was tough. Carrying the weight on my back meant more work, which translates to more water and more calories. Exhaustion. The Moccasins were soft. I liked them. 

I made it just in time! I left the stroller outside and passed through the Door of Mercy.

I left the carrier in the entrance and found my place among the people.

After Mass, I spoke briefly with the priest. He gave me some money. 

I was feeling down for some reason. I just started walking.
I wasn’t even sure what direction I was heading. I didn’t pay attention to the weight on my shoulders. I didn’t care about my aching feet. I knew I should stop and drink and eat something. I just kept moving. 
I saw a lot of beautiful things, and yet I didn’t take many pictures. The mountains were amazing. I saw the most beautiful sunset I have seen on this journey so far. It set right on the mesa. There were lots of cars, but it was somehow quiet. I smiled and headed off into the night.

After a couple hours, I stopped at a McDonald’s and drank some powerade. I rehydrated and charged my phone. I made a list of everything I needed. I found a Little Caesars and bought a cheap pizza. I made myself eat a few slices and saved the rest for the morning.

I wandered around looking for a place to sleep. I eventually found a high school and set up my hammock on some stairs down in a courtyard. It was well lit. With my hat over my eyes I fell fast asleep.