In his attempt to out run a storm Dry Foot Wet Foot meets a potential president of the good ol' US of A...
Hi Guys,
In town again. Had a bit of an experience yesterday. Hiking towards town had done maybe 15 miles with 15 to go. Got GPS out and did an 'as the crow flies' measurement which read 18 miles. (Real accurate stuff) After another couple of miles I noticed clouds building maybe 30 miles away then few miles on I thought this is not right. An old couple pulled up and offered me a ride and assistance so I told them I was a CDT hiker. As I spoke to them another couple of guys in a pickup pulled up and offered them assistance. So they all listened to my story, etc. After a few minutes they drove off with the old guy saying, 'when you get to Dry Springs don’t stop there as there’s a funny farm and if they hear you they might just keep you there!' OK I thought.
Anyhow, to cut a long story short... the storm got nearer and I got further from my destination. I was on the wrong road.
I took a 'short cut' across some fields, which turned out to be about 5 miles across. As I hurried across to the other side where it dropped to the valley I noticed the only way was straight down a farm driveway. So with trying to shut thoughts off about the farmer’s wife taking me out with a machine gun I thought I would give the 'I’m a lost English man' routine (well I was after all!)
So I escaped down the long driveway towards the freeway with driving rain now on me and thunder kicking off in all directions, including above me! What to do...you're not supposed to hide under a tree....I couldn’t set up my tent on private land (signs everywhere) so I made for the highway bridge A lady pulled up to offer a ride but she was going the other way. So I started hitching the 20miles to town. (This was a life and death situation guys and I was 10 miles off course!) Eventually a car stopped which was being driven by a middle aged guy with lots of leaflets on the seat of his beat up Cadillac. Seemed a normal guy – at first. Said he was canvassing for the local election. So I thought he was like a local councillor or something. As we drove into town he started pointing out various things of interest adding a Phhhtinnggg (a sound like a gun going off to the end of every sentence, and pointing his hand like a gun!)
'So there’s the local smelter factory – Phhhhtinnngggg,' he said.
'Oh that’s nice,' I said (what else could you say!)
'There’s MacDonald’s – PhhhhtinnnGGG,' (slightly louder) he said.
'There’s the hospital if you are thinking of getting sick. – Phhhhtinnn-GGGGGGGG!' he said even louder.
He then said, 'you can stay at mine place. I would use the cell phone to tell Mary but I haven't got one – PhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhtinnnGGGGGGGGGGG-GGGGGG!
Needless to say I declined the offer!! I said drop me at the RV park for camping and so he drove me to the local park as there were camping spots there.
'Is this it? – PhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhtinnnGGGG!’ he said. I jumped out in town, and hurried to a motel.
His final words were, 'if I see you again, I will pick you up again!'
'Yes thanks bye then,' I replied and I breathed a sigh of relief. Was he from the funny farm? Who knows? I had a good nights sleep in the Motel though. Must do some miles now.
PhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhtinnnGGGG!
Andy
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