It’s been a while since my last Update. It is day 109. I have eclipsed 2,000 miles. I have gone roughly 2060 miles. I am sitting in the laundry room at the Western Hills Campground in Rawlins, WY. The last 10 days or so have been without question the most difficult times mentally for me along this journey. I stayed a week in Laramie. At first it was just to check out the city but then I really had no choice. It’s funny how some days I can feel like I am just cruising across the U.S. and home is right around the corner. Others it feels like an impossible task that I was dumb enough to think I could accomplish. Today I feel optimistic, but it’s been yet another struggle to get to this place.
After a 2 night stay in Laramie I saw there was thunderstorms all day. I spent that day at the library in Laramie just watching Netflix and wishing I could be outside walking. I decided I would just walk to La Bonte Park just up the street and stay there for the night. I would head west in the morning. Walking out to the library bike rack where my cart was parked there was a homeless man. He seemed to take offense to my presence. He starred at me. Walked right by me starring. By his appearance and mine many would assume he was my father, but he wasn’t, and he was starring. He walked inside and continued this through the glass. Unlocking my cart I could feel his eyes still on me. I looked through the glass inside the library and there he was still looking on. Our eyes locked. We were in a stare down. 30 seconds of this and I had to get out of there. I didn’t understand it.
That night at La Bonte Park I couldn’t get comfortable. I had to sleep on a tabletop because the pavement was too wet. I couldn’t fall asleep thinking. Is this where that homeless man sleeps? Will he arrive here and find me? How many homeless people live here and where do they sleep? Still lying awake at 2am the sprinkler with the most range I have ever seen started spraying me. I thought it was a mistake but another rotation and I was soaked. I moved a table over. Finally comfortable again I heard yelling. I sat up and looked. 4 men in suits were yelling at each other in German while walking through the sprinklers. They walked in line about 10 feet from me. Their suits drenched in sprinkler water. They walked by in silence. That was it. No sleep for me on this night.
I woke up with the worst headache and pains shooting through my stomach. I knew I couldn’t walk far and I knew I needed rest. I walked a few miles to the KOA campground. Finally able to get some good rest without having to look around to see if anybody will discover my spot. I woke up the next morning feeling better. About 10 miles later and 2 flat tires replaced I knew I needed to go to the hospital. I was delirious. My mind was drifting and my body was left without energy. Knowing there wasn’t another hospital for another 90 miles, I turned around. I was dehydrated and had some sort of stomach flu. The elevation had gotten to me. I got several bags of fluid. The next 3 days consisted of my resting at a local motel. I had been in Laramie 6 days and had walked all around the city. I was incapable of walking. I was exhausted. I had never felt so far away from California in my life. When your body is incapable of accomplishing your goals. Your mind goes with it. So much doubt sets in. I was afraid of the road ahead. I started this walk to free myself of the fear and doubt that stuck around me like cigarette smoke. Here I was again. 2000 miles closer and so much progress, but it was all for nothing if this is how it was going to end.
After 3 days in that dark motel room I finally convinced myself to get going again. I would feel better if I just got going, I told myself. I was on the road once again. Very aware of the elevation now. Trying to drink more water to avoid the pain I had gone through. The potent air stung my nostrils. Trying to breathe normally. A sudden warmth took over my head like when painkillers finally kick in. I was numb. This wasn’t a bad thing. I was no longer scared. I walked on.
The next 100 miles of walking consisted of 2 gas stations, a rest area and a truck stop. The only landmarks between Laramie and Rawlins. I slept behind an 18 wheeler at a truck stop parking lot, a rest stop where I had a fantastic view of the rolling hills, and on the shoulder of the I-80 which was closed to the eastbound traffic. I still didn’t feel quite right until reaching Rawlins. I don’t know if it was because I finally saw civilization again or if it was because I finally had cell service again. Maybe it was because I had reached 30 miles in a day again. I had reached another mini goal again. Another town. I couldn’t help but smile. I was myself again and I had no fear. There is no reason to worry.
I am heading west once again tomorrow towards Rock Springs which is 107 miles away. In Wyoming the wind is at a constant 20 mph blowing straight east slowing my pace a bit. It is not so bad because without it I would feel the extreme sun that has begun to come down on me. The rain filled days look like they are behind me. I have traded them in for sun. This is the next chapter of my walk. Sun.
Side Note (s)
I got to play mini golf here at the Western Hills Campground. Playing Mini golf by yourself is not that much fun. It is just as much keeping score as it is putting. I shot 4 under.
It is funny the supplies I brought along and what I actually use them for. I guess that goes in to how naïve I was about this walk, but how could I know what I was doing without ever having done anything like it before. I rarely even hiked before I started this. This was all so new to me. My body soap has become a mosquito repellant when dropped into a pot of water. This was put into action after receiving another 60 or so bites at the rest stop. It seems to work well. My lighters which I brought along for hopes of having a sweet campfire every night have been reduced to opening beers. My compass has not been touched. I was so pumped when I bought it because it had an LED light and a whistle. Maybe I’ll blow the whistle when I reach California.
I would have set the under/over at much higher than one during this walk.
I just bought my 2nd notebook my first one has been filled with 108 days’ worth of words.
I will remind everyone that my Facebook has tons of pictures of the last 3 and a half months. Mitchell Grady Sodersten is my name on there.
I also want to thank anybody who has donated thus far. This walk has turned out to mean much more to me than I ever could have anticipated. I figure I have about 7 weeks left and any further donations would be much appreciated. Remember 20% and any money left over goes to the Derek Sheeley Foundation for concussion and brain injury awareness.
There is so much more to these posts that I can not disclose on this site. I look forward to someday writing about my experiences in their entirety to share with all of you.