Day late and a doll hair short but after I got to the hotel here in Coalville, Utah. I ate my second dinner, did laundry and passed out. This was a good week. Averaged a little over 20 miles per day, met some more fantastic people, and learned a little bit about love, life and maybe a little bit about myself. Ok that last part was from a Hallmark movie trailer. I think. Anyways….awayyyyyy we goooo
Day 141- This was a short walk from Rock Springs to Green River, Wyoming. I waited later because I had to do some laundry. At the laundromat met a retired oil rig worker Dan Shirley Jr. great guy. We talked while my clothes dried and then while I packed and folded them. He talked about his family in Louisiana and how he’d moved back to Rock Springs not long ago and was happy there. Had a room donated from a couple who knows my mom from HS. Getting into Green River was cool because it was this 12,000 person town sitting in its own little valley in Wyoming. After some research I found out that Green River is home to the largest trona deposit in the world. This whole area is a mining town. That’s pretty cool.
Day 142- Covered 21 miles from Green River to Little America. Little America is its own town in Wyoming, but it’s a massive hotel/travel center/fuel center. Had a room donated again from a woman whose son graduated with my sister, and she was one of my customer when I worked at TruGreen many moons ago. The climb out of Green River SUCKED. It was a 1.5-2 mile (minimum) climb at a pretty rough grade. I took quite a few rest breaks as I went. At the top of the hill I popped my chair out and took a break. I met a woman named Angi. She works transporting dead bodies to and from morgues/tissue donation centers and also works in the funeral business. (I later found out she holds down 7 different total jobs to make sure her three kids are taken care of…complete BOSS). She stopped because she thought I was dead at first, she asked if I was crazy and then we talked about the walk. She’s lost her two best high school friends within the last two years to suicide so she definitely appreciated what I was doing. As I continued on I got a notification that my shoes (the last two pair for the walk) were delivered! To the place I was at two nights ago…after I was told they’d processed my request to return to sender. I was 40 miles away. I had no idea how I’d get the shoes now. I thought I’d just wasted $371.00. In comes the man, the myth, the legend Dan Shirley Jr! He got off work, went to the Motel 6, grabbed the shoes and hand delivered them to me on the highway. It turned out sleeping in some, and doing my laundry as JUST the right time, ended up paying dividends. I gave him a hug, we took a pic and he was off to his home. About a mile away from Little America there was a truck driver in one of the highway pull off parking areas they have in Wyoming and he was waving me over. I thought a horror movie was about to begin. Instead he mentioned he’s driven past me a bunch and wanted to talk to me. We talked about our faith, and he did some talking about “grounding” or “earthing”. Where contact with the earth can actually help alleviate inflammation. I can attest because every night I camp in the tent, I’ve legitimately noticed my legs were a lot less swollen than when I stayed in hotels. He gave me some cash to get a meal at Little America and I went on my way.
Day 143- This was a relatively uneventful, flat walk of a day. Covered 24 miles from Little America to the outskirts of Lyman. I camped about forty feet off the I-80 business loop and called it a day. I broke the front axle again, luckily I had the spare skewer I bought in Nebraska so it was a less than one minute fix. About an hour after tenting up for the night I caught some headlights on the tent and started to get up to talk to whoever but they drove off. I’m assuming it was a sheriff. But there were no red and blues. I didn’t die, so that’s a plus.
Day 144- This day hit me in the gut. Knocked out five cold miles into Lyman and had brunch at a Taco Time restaurant. This was my first Taco Time experience and I wish we had them in Ohio. I started feeling off as I left Taco Time and about a mile and a half later I was light headed, thought I was getting feverish, so I sat down on a bench on the bike path I walked on. I sat for an hour, slugged a half gallon of Gatorade and got back at it. It set me back some time-wise but I was feeling better. I’m guessing it was a brief return of elevation sickness, at first I worried covid but I didn’t have any other symptoms, aside from coughs but that was also because it’s been 33-40 degrees in the morning so I cough more. I walked 17 miles today to a TA truck stop outside Ft. Bridger and they gave me permission to camp out back. I also ran into a gentleman who passed me as I left Nebraska and got into Wyoming, we crossed paths again 380 miles later. Small world.
Day 145- This was another bit of a rough day. Beautiful weather-wise but I had to traverse Wyoming’s “Three Sisters”. Three peaks and valleys along I-80 that are said to be the most dangerous roads in Wyoming in winter time. I covered 25 miles from the TA to the Prairie Inn in Evanston, Wyoming. Along the way Angi from a few days prior dropped off a care package of some fruit, granola bars and a mini shot of crown apple I am saving for when I hit the pacific. Once I got into Evanston she drove up and took me out for Mexican as well, and bought me some Bayer back and body as well as a pair of Wyoming socks as a memento. We talked my journey, my pre journey life, and what my potential post-journey plans are. Conversation was really nice.
Day 146- Covered 20 miles from Evanston to the Castle Rock exit in UTAH! Before I left I went to Jody’s diner next to the hotel to fuel up. Ran into two gentlemen who’ve seen me along the way. One gentleman bought me breakfast and the other wanted a picture. I went to Subway to grab a couple subs for lunch and dinner knowing there wasn’t anything for 40 miles or so, and the manager had seen me in Lyman and wanted to meet me. We talked, and she ended up giving me both subs for like 2.52 and I tipped her up to 10.00. The Castle Rock exit had a large gravel area for trucks to park so I used a portion of it for myself. I got the bad news when I was in the tent and looked around and noticed the holes and how it began to tear at the seams. So I have to get a new tent soon for this last leg. Another unexpected expenditure but we shall sally forth.
Day 147- Covered 22.5 miles from the Castle Rock exit to Coalville, Utah. Got to see some beautiful scenery as I walked through canyons to get here. It was also nice to see green vegetation again if only for a few days. As I walked I got a notification on Instagram that someone had started following me, and they commented. Then the same person made a 20.00 donation online. I assumed this person was one of the crazy rock climbers I passed along the highway scaling the rock faces. She said that she and her husband had passed me and she did a quick Google search and found me. This absolutely floored me. The cause, has become….Google-able? I never thought it’d get to that point but here we are. Not long after that a gentleman on motorcycle left a rest area and pulled over and waved me over. His name was “Dirty” Joe Romano, and he’s a truck driver. He said he has passed me time and time again on I-80 over the last week and a half or so, and said he was going to make it his mission to find me and talk to me. We discussed the walk, I shot a mini interview and video with him for his socials. He donated some money and said a lot of the truckers have been talking about me and he said a lot wanted to help. That’s crazy to me. Then again a dude with a stroller walking along a major freeway is not your usual sighting.
After we talked I flipped on ABC on the phone, to pick up the game. Thankfully I hit an area of I-80 out of the canyons and had perfect reception. This (and 11Ws own TateManziel’s sister adding me to their YouTube Family plan) I haven’t missed a game yet. I got to see the Echo Reservoir on one side and Stroud slinging dimes (even one to MSU) on my other side. Stopped at a little diner and got dinner, and a second dinner for later last night to replenish calories since I didn’t eat much yesterday. Got to the Best Western which was donated by a girl I went to school with and was in show choir with me (yeah I did show choir and four sports WANNA FIGHT ABOUT IT!?). Did some laundry and crashed.
Just finished pounding some breakfast and hitting the road towards Summit Park today. The Park City FD told me they’re going to let me sleep in a spare bedroom they have, I only asked for a spot to camp, so I am definitely happy about that. There’s also a Panda Express right by there for me to feed my addiction. Then I descend into Salt Lake City Monday, a little suburb west on Tuesday, then Wednesday-Saturday I traverse the salt flats, where there aren’t many services or anything at all. So next Saturday I should hit Wendover Nevada.
Want to give a huge shoutout to SeattleLinga for grabbing a shirt (I also believe it was or will be his bday soon so happy birthday my man) and another user here who’s name I won’t reveal (and he hasn’t given me his username) but thank you for your donation as well!
Much Love Guys!
-Joe
Go Bucks!
