Day 22 - Day 24 South of Salina to Richfield

 Didn't walk Wednesday due to wild weather. The thunder was so loud and close that it literally shook the trailer. It was nice having a day off though.

Thursday morning I walked down past Aurora to where I-70 crossed 89 again. Saw some great scenery, and a couple of Texas Longhorns, but not many people.

Friday was a bit more interesting. We moved the trailer from Temple Hill Resort in Manti to the KOA in Richfield. We will miss the folks at Temple Hill. The owners are new and working to make the resort fires class, with a new restaurant coming by the end of the year. It was a beautiful place with beautiful owners taking care of people who came to visit. Thank you Holly! I hope their business does well.

The KOA in Richfield is also a beautiful park. Ray and Lora Jones, the campground hosts are wonderful!

I went back to where I left off walking yesterday and started south again. Before long, a car pulled up beside me with 4 teens inside. They asked if I wanted a ride. Then one of them asked, "Are you the guy that's walking to St. George?" When I said I was, they asked if they could get a picture with me. They were from Richfield High and had heard I was coming through town.

All up and down the highway, trucks pass loaded with corn husks. They leave so much behind as the wind blows the top off the piles as they speed on that the road is literally littered with bits of corn husks, and passing cars kick up swirls of them that remind me of snow blowing in the wind. I was finally able to see where these came from today – I watched as the corn was being harvested while the waste was blown into the truck that drove beside the harvester. It was pretty interesting to watch – or maybe I have just been on the road too long?

A few people stopped and offered rides, some gave me donations. One lady gave me a chilled bottle of water, a Snickers and some beef jerky. Another lady had to get out of her car to get her purse out of her trunk. Another lady pulled off the road some distance ahead of me and got out of her car, crossed the street and called out asking me if I wanted a ride. When I told her what I was doing, she said, "I have some money in my pocket." She pulled out everything she had and handed it to me. The next day I saw her again in Richfield. She slowed for a bit in an intersection to say hi and congratulate me on making it into town. Finally I was stopped by a sheriff who said he had been sent out to check out a report that a guy on crutches was walking down the highway. When he pulled up to where I was walking he pointed at my shirt and said, "Is that what you are up to, walking for kids who can't?" I said it was and he said he thought that was really great.

Saturday was not very eventful. Kara was sick so I didn't walk much. We drove down the highway to scout out the road ahead, but I didn't start walking until late in the day. The most interesting fellow of the past few days pulled off to the side of the road near the end of my walk. He gave me a thumbs-up, to which I responded in kind. Then I saw him frantically start emptying out his front seat. Things were flying from the front to the rear, so I hurried closer and called out to let him know I didn't need a ride. When I got to the car, I saw he had an almost finished cigarette in one hand and a can of gasoline in the other. I reassured him, I wouldn't be needing a ride. He gave me $5 and then began to tell me how to make more money at this. He said a guy last year made $45,000 just hanging out by the temple. He thought that would be a good idea for me. And I should go into Wal-Mart, but to be careful not to panhandle. He told me about a mission that would help me, warned me about drunk drivers on the road I was on, invited me to ride with him again, and finally, he gave me directions to get a free meal and a safer road to walk on. He drove off a bit and then stopped, put his car in reverse and steered it backwards for some distance to get back to where I was walking. He then offered me a red delicious apple, stating rather emphatically, "You can't turn down a delicious apple." I have not had a red delicious apple for years. I ate them all the time when I was a kid, but then they began to consistently be mushy and not flavorful. I reluctantly took the apple and then he kept talking and looking at the apple. So I started to eat it. I was like going back to my youth in a time machine. It was crisp, flavorful, and every bit a match for my memory of what a real delicious apple ought to taste like.

The highlight of my day was having my buddy Brock stop in and spend a few minutes with us at the trailer. He is a great guy and a true friend. I feel honored to know him.