Looking out the window yesterday morning I knew it was going to be tough to leave the warmth of the motel, the streets were covered in thick, fluffy snow. As beautfiul as it looked, it promised a long, cold day. Never the less, I got showered, got changed, packed my gear and headed downstairs for breaky. As usual I had a hunger like a wolf in the morning and knocked back 4 muffins, 3 danishes, 2 pieces of toast, a bagel, 3 orange juices, 2 coffees and an apple, I was ready to go.
Stepping outside in all my best cold weather gear I was hit straight in the face by the coldness of the day, and was immedietly thankful to my sponsors at Equip Outdoors for their down jacket I had on. It was a pretty straight forward day yesterday with the exception of the cold. At around 5pm I was wandering a tiny little road that runs in between the river and the interstate, I was thinking where am I going to put up camp for the night as to both sides of me it was just wet snow covered paddocks of the local farmers, but wouldn't you know it, I came across a little church literally in the middle of no where, and it was one of the most beautiful scenes I have come across yet. It was a little white church covered in snow and with the front yard part of it equally covered. The sun was setting just behind it as I arrived also and after a long day hiking through the snow, this scene made me laugh out loud as I could not have asked for something more perfect for the night.
This morning brought a new day and as I crawled out of my tent I was blasted in the face my the suns rays, I had not seen the sun in almost 4 or 5 days due to the weather, now there was not a cloud in ther sky. It was a magic morning with the sun out shining and all the churches garden still covered in clean, white snow.
I headed off and felt that energy and excitement I remember from my first few days of the trek up in northern Minnesota, the sun was out and warm on my face, I met two new little friends in two nice dogs that followed me for a while, jumping up on me and begging for affection. After heading down a gravel road for most of the morning I was forced to head west towards the interstate to cross over it and find the next trail I had planned on taking. As I was jumping a fence from a farm I was startled to hear someone yelling at me from the bushes on the fence line. I looked down along the fence to see a wildman, with a long beard half falling, half climbing the same fence as me. I continued on towards the interstate as I was not sure if he was crazy or what. As I was crossing the interstate I looked back to see if the wildman was still there, and found him still struggling with the fence and calling out to me and pointing further down the fence line. I followed his pointing down the fence line and saw a wildwoman dressed in some long, woolen, robe type outfit with dredlocks down to her bum running across the interstate, dodging the cars and waving her arms like crazy at me, she was pointing to a car that had stopped on the interstate that I realized was theirs and they were trying to get to me to offer me a lift, or to eat me, I was not really sure! I looked at the car and out of it came three mangy dogs with another shaved headed wildman in hot pusuit of them trying to rescue them from the oncoming traffic. This all happened in a matter of seconds and I did not know wether to laugh or take off running in the opposite direction. I called out to them thanks very much for the effort to help but I could not accept as I had to walk. They did not seem to understand and kept yelling at me to come over, these actions made me think maybe it would be better to continue on solo. I waved the flinstones goodbye and good luck and kept heading east towards the trail I needed to find.
Tonight I was walking past a motel and noticed a big area of grass just behind it. I thought I would try my luck and go in to ask if I could use it to put up my tent. I went in and said gday and explained what I was doing and the lovely ladies on the desk told me I could put my tent up outside under the outside patio which has a light and electricity in it, and that I could also come into the reception and watch the television and drink all the coffee I wanted, I can tell you I am a happy man at the moment!
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