PDY

Silence is Golden, sang the Tremeloes back in 1967, and I say today. Didn’t have a whole lot of it, as my side road was right near the Interstate and it was busy, and very noisy. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t beautiful, and it was safe, but the highest headphone volume wasn’t quite enough. I only walked a little over 9 miles today, given the distances between towns and hotels, but looking forward to my 20 tomorrow which will take me away from the highways and into the hills. Can’t wait. Some nice pictures is all I’ll say about today’s walk.

Given I only walked for about 3 hours, I had some time to tend to things like sending my shorts home, paying some bills, some of that reality stuff. Continued in the afternoon and got a lot done, which makes me happy for I don’t have to think about it any more. Amazing how that works.

Along my walk today, I got curious about when and where I would cross the Appalachian Trail. Of course I had heard about the trail long ago, but it seems it is talked about quite a bit around here, and I knew I would cross it somewhere. So I found a cool interactive map on the web, and guess what? I have not only crossed the Appalachian Trail, I have walked on it, for a full 600 feet! So add Appalachian Trail to my collection, now an AT veteran. But guess what else? I didn’t even know it.

This all happened yesterday morning. As you recall, we were getting rained on, it was foggy and drizzly when we left Atkins. So leaving town, there are your typical sights; a gas station, an old motel. Frankly, I wasn’t really paying attention, but I know I would have seen signage for the AT had it been there, but I really saw none. I did take a picture of the “Early Settlers”, which turns out is right on the trail itself, on a little 600 foot stretch on the Lee Highway, the entirety of which I have hiked… yay me.

From the interactive maps…

From my maps app…

Can’t believe I missed it, but can tell you I enjoyed it, as I’ve enjoyed most ever mile of the more than 1,150 I have walked so far.

Having discovered this, I figured a celebratory dinner was appropriate, my first Appalachian Trail adventure!! Well, on this side of the freeway, you have two restaurant choices, Denny’s and Happy Cinco de Mayo, so off to the fail-safe Mexican restaurant next door, and what a great name. Then a nice surprise… I found travelers. (Correction: I found extreme travelers!).

As I walked out of the hotel there were 2 very impressive motorcycles - don’t even know what to call them, not road bikes, not your normal off road bikes, but very impressive nonetheless. With them was a couple, who like me, ain’t from ‘round here, so I said hi. We talked for a few minutes and I was pleased when they joined me for dinner at Happy Cinco de Mayo, on a happy once de octubre.

I’ve been on this little trip for a couple of months, walked a few miles, telling a little story. Meet Simon and Lisa, originally from the U.K. but literally now citizens of the World, around which they have been riding their respective motorcycles for 16 years, all around, a hundred and some countries, definitely a been there done that duo! No, they don’t go home between rides - their rides are their home, literally. Had a lovely conversation about all kinds of things; their travels, my travels, solved a couple of the world’s issues. We spoke of human kindness, agreed that it is everywhere you look, but unfortunately, the relatively few unkind among us have messed it up, and the media doesn’t help. Regardless, thank you two, ‘twas a nice shot in the arm, and I suspect our paths will cross again.

After you’re done here, check ‘em out at http://2ridetheworld.com/. I swear, if I was 58 again, I would so do something like this!