WALKING ROUTE 66
The Best Way To Handle Ups And Downs
Life is like a rollercoaster.
Bruce Campbell was a FB friend of Holly Jahangiri, who was following my journey while I was walking route 66. He said that if I made it to Cuba, I could stay at his place, and he will buy me a new pair of shoes.
Sullivan to Cuba, according to GoogleMaps, was 18.6 miles. That should be about an eight-hour walk. But there are always surprises along the way. Today’s surprise wasn’t all that delightful.
I came to a point where it seemed like I had two options. I could go across the freeway and take the east branch, or I could go straight where the sign said there was no access to I-44. I decided to forge straight ahead. It turned out to be the wrong move.
I had to backpaddle after walking about three miles because the pavement turned into a gravel road that seemed endless. So, instead of 18.6 miles, I ended walking almost 25 miles and still made it to Cuba by 5 PM., Bruce gave me his address, and GoogleMaps guided me there.
After meeting Bruce and his wife Paty, and relaxing for a little bit, we headed out for dinner at Route 66 landmark. Missouri Hicks Bar-B-Q.
Paty gave me a guided tour of all the murals around town and the history behind them. Good thing there wasn’t a test; afterward, I was too tired to remember everything she’d said.
Bruce is a stand-up comic and kept me entertained. He also has a collection of funny custom t-shirts, like the one he is wearing here. It says, “Keep Calm, and let Bruce handle it.”
When we got home, Paty said she was going to bake a cake for dessert while I take a bath in their Jacuzzi. I told her that it was a bad idea because I may fall asleep in the tub, which I did, and when I emerged from the bathroom an hour and 20 minutes later, They’d already eaten dessert, and Paty was ready to go to bed. Bruce showed me how to operate the washer and dryer before joining her.
As I think back and ponder.
It was a day filled with ups and downs, both physically and metaphorically. The Ozarks have a lot of elevations along the roads. On the lower left-hand side of the map, you can see the representation of rises and falls.
I had been on the road for just over a month by this time and getting better at handling surprises. I am grateful that I picked up those knee braces the day before. They provided excellent support. Also, my calves have started bulging.
You never know what you are capable of until giving it a try. I had never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would be able to walk such long distances, day in and day out. I also realized along the way that this was very encouraging for me to know that when I begin training for my Mount Everest adventure, I will be okay. It will not be a total shock to my system.
Stay blessed and be happy, my friends.
Day 33: Sullivan to Cuba (Original blog post).
Just for fun.
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Rasheed Hooda is a published author, and a regular contributor and editor for ILLUMINATION, a writers’ community on Medium, where writers support each other.
He is a self-proclaimed weirdo who lives a Freedom Lifestyle and writes about related topics — Travel (a top writer), Personal Growth, Freedom, and entrepreneurship. (Get the Newsletter)
