6/5/2015
We had gotten up bright and early to make sure the meters across the street were fed. A continental breakfast and a little conversation with Marilee and Dave started my day. I learned a lot about the area from them and about the next state I would enter. My body felt fatigue despite having slept like a bear in winter. Of course I knew what my day would be like. I would run and think deep thoughts. Some of those thoughts turned towards the books we had created and the things which needed to happen. I tried to remind myself just to do what I could and give my full effort to the task at hand.
When we reached the location where we had retired the previous day, I confided in Crystal that I had let negative thoughts creep into my head. I had never vocalized the sentiment of packing it in. But, for some reason I asked her if she thought my actions up to that point had been futile. We had bounced back from all our mishaps but, “What was it all for?” At that moment a divine sign came and pulled up next to the trailer. A friend on Facebook that had been following our journey just happened to pass us on the way to work and he recognized the trailer from the pictures that had been posted. What were the odds? Scott Alexander had appeared out of nowhere to tell us he enjoyed following our journey. I wanted to give him a book for his two young kids. I wanted to thank him for that moment. He couldn’t have known what that instant meant. He gave us a donation before returning to work and we took a photograph. The chance encounter gave me the fuel I needed to keep going one more day.
After we parted ways, warm tears came to my eyes. I had a moment where I felt I was doing the right thing. The foundation was not created for fame or fortune. There are easier ways to acquire those items. It was formed to do something good. To act in a small way and try to give inspiration to others. I never realized I needed a dose of inspiration myself.
The hills were ridiculous. But my thighs had grown accustomed to the climbing over the course of a couple days. I never realized the climbs would increase in length and incline. I was very lucky to have received that earlier shot of energy. It stayed with me all the way to the border. Another thing that stayed with me to the border were the facts about Vermont. She mentioned that inbreeding was not uncommon. She had told me and Crystal that we might encounter some characters. I never realized that I would encounter one the moment I stepped foot across the state line. Literally the moment I crossed that line an older woman with quick staccato speech ran from the opposite side of the street to see what Crystal and I were doing. She meandered in between Crystal and myself and tried to jump into our photos. It took a weird turn when she began to pet a Styrofoam sponge on the ground. I thought to myself, “This is what Marilee was telling me about!”
I didn’t take many pictures. I just walked with Crystal back to our trailer. We had arrived at Brattleboro and we were ready to relax. The town was packed but the North Brattleboro KOA had an overflow parking spot reserved for two weary travelers. I meandered around the front office and perused the cute Vermont products for purchase while Beverly checked Crystal in for the evening. After a little chat, in the office we strolled past an antique trailer. Had the weather not been so glum I would have taken a dip in their pristine pool. I settled for staring at nature from the trailer window. I had plenty to contemplate on that surreal day. 
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