Unlike Disney World, I'm probrably 1 of 2 people each year who ever find this spot. Located on US 11 somewhere in Virgina, I found it after being dropped by Kevin directly on the interstate.
Kevin with his step-daughter, dropped me off at the intersection of 2 interstate highways. Instead of trying to catch a ride on the interstate where people are doing a minimum of 70 mph, I walked a mile and found a road leading to US 11. Rain had been off-and-on all day as well as yesterday, but when it wasn't raining, it was seriously hot and humid.
Taking a break at the Fort Bowman historical marker, it was plain obvious it would be raining again, except this time there was no shelter. I placed the pack cover on the backpack and got ready to weather the storm. I didn't feel like wearing the rain gear because it was a task to get it out of the backpack, change clothes, and then replace it when the rain stopped. Since my clothes were synthetic, they would dry within an hour of walking; however, my socks and shoes were a completely different story.
The rain came stronger than I had anticipated, and I even became a little chilled. After 15 minutes of crouching against a tree, I left after the rain stopped to warm up. Along US 11 again with a backdrop of grey clouds waiting for another downpour, I walked not expecting anyone to stop for a soaking wet stranger. A couple of cars passed before Keith, driving a 1976 Ford truck, stopped up ahead and reversed towards me. Something stirred alive inside me as though awakened from a deep slumber- some people will stop for a stranger apparently trapped in a storm.
Keith was once homeless living under the boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Somehow he managed his way out and now works as a janitor at one of the nearby schools. He was a very religous person and carried a bible in his truck. Keith's rough appearance and a couple of missing teeth revealed he's walked some painful miles in life, but that didn't deter him from assisting a stranger on a wet day.
He offered to drive me to a better spot on interstate 40. After dropping me off with discussions from the bible, I headed directly to the entrance ramp as we waved good-bye, and the next rig heading onto the interstate stopped.
I thought this was going to be my lucky day! this was going to be the mega long ride I've been praying for; unfortunately, he was only going 30 miles to the next town of Harrisonburg. He offered to take me to Illinois tomorrow and then I could head directly south to Texas from Illinois. That brought back discouraging memories of hitchhiking in Iowa last summer. I dicided to try my luck at the entrance ramp at the next town.
Charles wasn't a driver for a trucking company per se, he delivered dry food products for a company which made the generic products shelved at many grocery stores. The company made products which are then packaged in the supermarket's branded packaging. That is, Wal-Mart or Kroger's or Albertonson's branded Mac 'N Cheese all come from the company he worked for (or similar), but the exterior boxing was different. I knew how this worked because I labored in a coffee factory after my freshman year in college. The coffee on an airline may be the same as the one sold at the local grocery store (and people complain about awful airline food).
Charles' ride would be the last one for the day. I wasn't able to catch a ride and the ominous storm never went away. After it started raining again, I ducked behind a tree but that only helped as much as it did at the Fort Bowman historical marker. After a while I was drenched, and decided to walk to stay warm. When I came back up to the entrance ramp, there was a highway accident on the opposite side of the interstate.
Heading back to US 11, which ran parallel to interstate 81, I was able to make it to a log cabin-like building before the downpour started all over again. The building was actually an office for a company which designs and builds residential cabins. They had a lovely porch which sheltered me, and luckily it was about an hour after closing time.
I walked another 2 miles or so and came to gates of the fairgrounds, but it looked pretty open and another fair amount of unpredictable walking off a beaten path. In town, there was a church which had a vast parking lot, and there were some people still around. I considered asking if I could pop the tent at the edge of the parking area, but I quickly gave up the notion because the vibe the churches have given me have not been all great. I have some sense they probably do not want me loitering on their holy property unless I fit the stereotype of someone more decent, whatever that stereotype might be.
Finally, an abandoned home presented itself. How strange everything sort of gelled together to suggest a haunted home: the tall uncut grass, the dark storm, chilling night, and the tattered house itself standing lonely. If I doubted the existence of ghosts before, I feared them tonight.
July 12 continues with this link.
