Blog #40    7 Million Steps

Realisation, Challenges, Little Miracles Day 109

The morning started very overcast, drizzling rain and foggy, very  poor visibility.

The plan was to walk into Bernice LA, some 13 miles from our last turnoff.

I said to Kelly I needed to go 2 miles in to give me the 11 miles I needed then I would walk back and meet her. The further we drove the more panicked I became. The area was very isolated and the visibility was very poor, I was so stressed!

Kelly was doing everything she could to calm me but nothing she said helped!

Eventually once on the road, I said stop here I’ll start walking, I was angry, frustrated and so far out of my comfort zone. As I stomped along the route I realised in the car Kelly was like the mom encouraging me to keep going, me I was the angry scared frustrated “kid” trying to deal with this hideous spinal cord injury. I could have had the same conversation with Josh.

As I walked on my nemesis the angry dogs appeared not just once but four times. I was so scared, I was facing my greatest fear over and over again. The final challenge as I walked past an isolated ranch was 6 hounds raced down the property howling and growling. I was screaming stay back waving my steel pole at them … I grabbed the mace ready, just as they approached the roadway their owner called them back! My heart was pounding decision –  turn around or go on! I decided to go on!

I had another few encounters along the way but finally made it to Bernice, my goal! I had wanted to reach Bernice as this is Shirley Harmon’s moms name – I wanted to take some pictures of the town and send them to Shirley.

About 4 miles out of town a local had offered me a lift, I called to him I was walking across America, he smiled and wished me “Good Luck!”

Arriving in Bernice I was cold and hungry. I found an outside burger business,  walked over to place my order, approaching the window the girl went to open it and then slammed it closed. I realised I still had my trusty weapon in my hand. I apologised and explained through the closed window what I was doing and then placed my order.

I had only just sat down and I was approached by a lady – Danielle Harkins, a local journalist, the gentleman who had offered me the ride had called her. She had immediately jumped in her car to find me. Not locating me she decided to go for a burger and there I was – my small miracle.

Danielle warned me to take great care around the local dogs as they were unregulated and didn’t require collars or to be restrained, there had been several attacks. This did not make me feel very confident for my return walk!

We spent 45 minutes together, there was a tight deadline for the story so she left and I commenced walking.

Kelly was going to meet me, as I had to be back at the RV at 4.00 pm to review the story before going to print. I commenced my walk back to where Kelly would be parked, within 5 minutes I had 2 dogs on my  heells, I threatened them with my pole they eventually retreated. About a mile along the road, I was feeling more relaxed when out of nowhere came a German Shepherd growling and scaring the hell out of me, he was closely followed by 2 other big dogs. I shot the mace at them screamed at them and waved my pole at them, fortunately they stopped. My legs were like jelly I was consumed by fear!

I was over it I rang Kelly asking her to collect me and take me somewhere safer to complete my walk.

Kelly does a great deal of researching / working out my routes, she knew of an area that would give me a safe 6 mile walk along a highway.

On the way Danielle had messaged me the story so I was able to check it and approve it so I no longer had to worry about the 4 pm deadline.

I completed the 6 miles still short 3.. Kelly had found another route in the town, not much paved area but close to where the RV was…

So back we went, I finished the walk in light drizzle freezing cold conditions at about 4.45 pm – another long day.

I was so grateful for a long hot shower at Michelle’s restoring my body heat and easing my aching legs..

In bed by 8 pm… a little late for me! It was truly a day of challenges and a small miracle!

#warriormomzwalk  #7millionsteps #enablednotdisabled