Yelling Lady - Champion...

Forecast showed me last night that today was going to be wet and cold... couldnt have been more correct!!
After a great breakfast of bacon and eggs cooked for me by Lotti, I thanked Amber and Lotti for their hospitality and with great effort, left the comforts of the little house and good people behind me.

The morning wasnt so bad with only a few clouds bobbing past, but when 11am came around, so did the rain. It poured for 15 mins or so and then stayed steady all day. With my Disney poncho (a gift from the great family I stayed with in Praire du Chien) and other water proof gear on, I put my head down and pushed on. It was a beautiful path I had for the day to follow but unfortunately it was a little hard to enjoy with little rain droplets slapping me in the face. Around 5pm I reached the little town of Montpelier. I had hoped to pass this and camp a few kms further, but with the rain beginning to come down harder and harder, I was pretty keen to call it a day. I wandered on and as I came to the edge of town I noticed a small church up on the hill. Churches and the people in them have been good to me on this trip, so I thought I would go and ask if I could put my tent up in their front yard. As soon as I entered I was hit with a beautiful, dry, warm room. You know that feeling when you are out in the cold wind and rain and the moment you enter your house or car and the heater is on, oof, gotta love that feeling!

I was met by the pastors wife who told me immedietly that they had a room and it would be no problem if I used it for the night. I also joined the family for dinner which was ravioli, salad, asparagus, mushrooms, bread and tea. What more could a man ask for after a lond day walking in the rain? Maybe a hot shower... yes, thay offered me that too...

Earlier today about 15kms out of Montpelier, a woman stopped her car beside me and started yelling questions at me from the window "What are ya doing", "Are ya hungry", "Where ya going". I went to say gday and answer her questions and she sped off down the road. Getting used to strange people and events I laughed it off and continued on. A half hour later a familiar looking car came speeding towards me from the opposite direction and the yelling lady was back again. She produced a little can of oil from her car and told me I had to oil the wheels of my cart as they were too noisy and would not make it much further. She then produced three bannanas, a mountain dew and a box of carrot cookies (better than they sound beleive me) and thrust them into my arms with all the affection of a rottweiler. I told her she was a hero and she had made my day, she gave me her first smile, told me "God Bless Honey" and sped off again. I usually think myself as a good judge of character, but how wrong was I and maybe have been in the past also, many times. If I lined up all the people that drove past me today while I was walking in the rain, I am sure I would have chosen many more people before this lady that I thought would have helped me out. She was a ripper, a real good soul and a character when I think about her... I am sure she will not be reading this, but I still want to thank her for a valuble little lesson for me today, and of course, also for the food and drink...

Am off to have my shower now and then off to bed, even though I did not walk a huge distance today, walking in the wet and wind kind of wears ya down and I am stuffed. Dont know when I will have internet again as I will be walking along some pretty isolated patches for the next few days, will wait and see how I go, we never know what will happen hey...