It was a long stretch of open road for the first twelve miles that day. After the grueling hill that I was absolutely not ready for first thing in the morning. I trekked on over a flat straight road overlooking the Snake to a fancified rest stop as my mid-point. I decided this would be the best place for a little meal via the ole whisper light I’d been ignoring. To my surprise and excitement there was a juice and soda machine to which I treated myself to a cherry Pepsi. I then set up shop on a picnic table in front of the parking area.
I attracted many curious tourists as I prepared my meal. A family traveling from California chatted with me for a long while, donating fruit, drinks, even some money to the cause as I told them my tales of travel and adventure. One of the kids, when told where I started from in Georgia, asked if that was as far as they were going; the Tetons. Their dad laughed a hearty, “no, he’s come from much, much farther than that.” I was amused.
They left and then another set of folks came by as I was munching on the previous company’s treats. I talked with them and handed out some cards, then started in on my dishes. As I wrapped everything up and began to head off I met one last set of travelers out of Atlanta. I kept it short wanting to get back on the road, but before I left I got a bag full of cherry’s and was surprised (never having really given regular cherries a shot before) at how good they were. I spent the next two miles plucking one by one out of my pocket saying it’d be my last for a little while, then go right back in saying one more ‘til they were gone. Darn good things those cherries, I shall have to get more.
By seven I got into the little town of Ririe (Rye-ree; I was calling it Reary for a while). The roadside gas station had burned down, which I’d heard about in the Irwin diner, but I was also told that it was still operational. It was true, you could get gas out of it, but that was it. Disappointed I stopped in at the fireworks trailer sharing its lot and got a bag of Cheetos and a Mountain Dew. As I chatted with the cashier there her dad pulled up and joined in the conversation. I was told if I headed into town, a mile down the road, I would find a Maverick’s and a pizza place. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go out of my way at that point for pizza or gas station food, but when offered a ride in I took him up on it figuring that’d leave me with only a mile to walk out back to my path and an unbroken trail.
On the ride in I found out he was getting ready to be shipped to Iraq on Monday. He had been preparing for retirement from the Army for March 25th, and on February 29th they cut off all retirements due to the war. Not much to say to that other than sorry, hope all goes well.
I ended up getting a sandwich at Maverick’s, the gas station, along with another bag of Cheetos and some coffee. I sat on the ground in the corner and finished it up then tromped the mile back down the road to the highway and said hi to the folks at the fireworks stand before continuing on. The sun was getting low in the sky at this point and I just wanted to go a mile or more before making camp.
It started getting really dark as I tried finding a spot when a truck pulled up and asked if I needed a ride. No, thanks though. Then one girl asked if I was looking for a place to camp. Indeed. Her aunt lived a mile away and would be more than willing to let me camp out on her yard. They turned around and went back to her aunt’s place to let her know, and I arrived twenty minutes later under a night sky thanking her for letting me crash there. She seemed happy, if not a bit confused, to have me. That night it rained some, but I got a very comfy nights sleep stowed away on freshly groomed grass and my rain to lull me.