Day 151

I awoke to moonlight around 4:30 a.m. It was dark. I was tired. From my hammock, I started listening and counting the cars as they went by. Somewhere past 8 cars I drifted back off to sleep.

I awoke just before the sunrise. I slept in!

I broke camp and unearthed the buggy. I made my way up to the interstate and watched the sunrise. It was 6:30 a.m. Mass was at 11 a.m. I was 18 miles from Lordsburg, NM. I kept doing math.

I downed a coconut water and started chipping away at the miles. 

A strong eastwardly wind blew across the flats. I was working against the current. It was draining.

Around 9 a.m. I stopped along a guard rail. I ate some cheerios and a can of pork and beans.

I kept moving. The winds were so strong. They zipped across the desert.

At 11 a.m. I was six miles east of town. The sun started to beat down. I found an overpass and sought shade. I missed Mass 😦

I set up my hammock and took a long siesta. I chatted with my sister Emily on the phone. I opened up my last bit of canned goods, but most of them were expired by a few years 😦 I would have to toss them. I ate a can of beef tamales and the rest of the cheerios. 

At 4:15 p.m., I was back on the road.

I put in a few miles. Storm clouds hovered to the east.

At 6 p.m., I made it to town. I wandered through a truck stop and and hit sidewalk.

I made my way through town. I spoke with a good friend on the phone. No one seemed to be at the St. Joseph’s rectory so I kept moving. 

I made it to the Assembly of God church. There were some cars outside.

Joe and Amanda were so nice to me! Joe is the pastor, and when he saw me poke my head in the door, he invited me to come in and sit with everyone. They were having a bible study! Amanda is his wife, and she was also so welcoming! 

We talked about the journey, and the road ahead. Joe enjoys following people on their adventures across America. He knows someone who is currently cycling. They gave me a bunch of bottles of water, and a couple cans of soup! I felt so thankful. Joe lead us in prayer. We parted ways.

I was a week or so behind on journaling. I headed to McDonalds. I bought a small drink and drank a lot of powerade. I was there to use the wifi, but it was down 😦 

I headed outside to a patio and ate some New England Clam Chowder. It was so good, even from a can!

I had spied a culvert on the outskirts of town by the truck stop. I started making my way.

A man who only spoke spanish called me over to his house, he gave me a donation! I thanked him. What a kind man!

Storms danced around the mountains. I kept moving. Out past the truck stop, down Old Highway 70. I found a rail road bridge with culverts. I set up my hammock beneath.

It was a rough night. Storms surrounded Lordsburg, NM. It rained off and on. Lightening. I kept ducking inside the culverts. The wind was so strong! I wandered around a bit looking for better places to sleep. It was depriving. Around 1 a.m. the skies opened, the wind let up, and I passed out. I slept ok.