Day 154
I rose before the sun. It was just passed 5 a.m. I had gained an hour! Unofficial west coast time!

I broke camp and repacked the buggy. The hammock is so versatile! Back in Florida, I never thought I would have been able to hang it from a single tree. I’ve learned a few tricks to hang in tight places.

I watched the sunrise.

I hiked back to the rest area and used the bathroom. I found a water pump a bit out in the desert. I washed up. The water surged, it was like a shower!

I hung out for a little bit and ate the last heater meal. Trying to ration food, I had skipped breakfast the day before. I needed the calories.

I hit the road. It was 6:30 a.m. I chipped away:

I made it to San Simon!

I crossed town. It felt hot early! 

I made it to a truck stop just before 10 a.m. I hung outside in the shade. I charged my phone at an outlet.

A trucker came by and gave me some money! He told me he wished he could help me with more. I don’t think he knew how much his charity meant!

I headed inside and bought a hot dog. It was good! I felt better hanging out after making a purchase. I continued charging my phone inside.

Charged up, I found a tree back outside with some great shade. I set down for a siesta.

The trucker came back! His name is Nick. He just returned from backpacking in Central America for the last 5 months. He went to some festival in the desert back in Wilcox. Nick was “flying a sign” recently, and Chris, a trucker, offered him a job! They run gasoline up and down the interstate. Nick told me where I could get a hot meal in Wilcox, and wished me the best. He returned to work, we parted ways.

Just past 3 p.m., I hit the road.

A frontage road, it went all the way to Bowie, the next town. No interstate miles 🙂

To the north, a dust storm was picking up. 

It rolled in. It was crazy! Lightening, winds, dust, rain, and chaos!
I ducked down beneath the road and hid out in a culvert.

I hung out on the dry side of the wind tunnel. I watched the storm roll through.

An hour later, I was back on the road:

Digger stopped by! 

He gave me a few ice cold waters! So refreshing. Digger hung out on his bumper, and picked my brain a little. He couldn’t understand why I was crossing America. He was a nice man. We parted ways.

The sun hung low in the sky:

And it set.

I kept moving.

It started to rain, I ducked beneath the interstate overpass.

Travis pulled over in his truck! 

He gave me a bag of canned goods, and ocean spray grape juice, and a gatorade! He asked me if I needed anything else. He had already helped me so much! We parted ways.

It was the kick I needed. The rain let up, I kept moving.

There was lots of vegetation along East Olga Road. I found a bit of brush and set up my hammock.

And my tarp too! It rained for a bit at one point. I enjoyed it.
The rain passed, and I fell asleep beneath a bright moon. I was just outside the town of Bowie, AZ.