Re-Posting IN PROGRESS

Below, you'll find the days that have been transferred to this blog (from my old blog). This is a work in progress and more will magically appear below as I get them transferred here.......slowly.

Welcome!

It's exciting to think that I'm really changing blog locations. I've talked about doing this for multiple reasons, but primarily because I'm looking for more ways to add creativity to writing, displaying photos and videos - and really, I'm ready to learn what's out in the world of blogging and learn new things. Blog sites are all a little different, and I'd like to thank Lauren for getting me set up with Tumblr to give this a go. I have many things to learn about this site and what all it can do, but that will be part of the fun. I'm learning how to insert photos and esp excited about putting videos in a blog that aren't videos of videos. I've got alot to learn, and I'm looking forward to it.

I've gotten some practice in so far, as I've started to load my old blog posts starting back in 2015 when I crossed the U.S. Just rereading it, reposting it, and adding photos to it brought it back to life for me. I have about the first 2 weeks loaded thus far, and adding pictures to it was like I was reliving it again. I'll continue to add the old posts back into this blog site slowly. That's a huge project in itself. With time though, I'd like to move it all over here.

For those who want to reference the previous blog site, you'll find it here:

For now though, this is my first up-to-date blog post on this site. So let's get started......

MRI time, my friends

This past week David made his well-worn trek down to Houston for his first set of follow up visits to MD Anderson. It's with a blissful heart that I tell you David received an A+ from his radiation oncologist, his chemotherapy oncologist, and from his medical oncologist.

** David's favorite thing about having an MRI, are the socks he receives. He has a whole drawer dedicated to no-slip socks. **

His MRI looked good, his labs were spot on, and the healing of his nasal passages, throat, mouth, neck area (lymph nodes) and skin are all ahead of schedule in the healing process.

How about we take a look at what they saw in David's nose, shall we?

All the gold stars for you, David. We thank God for this wonderful news. Miracles are happening around here. SNUC is not an easy thing to have, and leave it to David to just blow right through it all.

What's next? Well, he goes back again next month for a PET scan at MDA, and then that will tell the tale of this story further. Dr Hanna is hopeful that all will be well on it, and David takes this information from him seriously, because if anyone knows SNUC, it's Dr Hanna. His words are golden.

The news keeps getting better, as David has a PreOp appt with Dr D on Monday and has inguinal hernia surgery scheduled on Thursday. Words cannot express how important this is to David and his livelihood. With cancer treatments delaying the surgery, he's been limited to what he can do physically, as the hernia just kept getting worse and worse. Next week is the Week of David. I'm so happy for him. No, the recovery won't be easy, but he's All-In and ready to move forward no matter what the recovery looks like. He can do hard things, no doubt.

Spring has sprung

This Spring weather is certainly a treat for everyone. It's wonderful to see the grass so green, the trees are all growing neon bright new leaves, and the animals are seemingly enjoying it as well. As I spend more time outside and with the animals, I didn't initially understand the power of farm animals and how they heal us and teach us how to live. Now, going on 5 years with so many fun and exciting experiences with sheep, goats, mini horses, donkeys, barn cats, ducks and chickens - I realize they teach me how to be. They guide me toward my truth. I feel it each moment I'm with them, which is why I think I love being in the barn so very much. This is how I want to spend the moments of my day, every day. It just feels right.

Opening our hearts to our animals has brought us so much joy, but it also makes us vulnerable to the heartbreak of loss. I remember when we moved to the farm with Ginger and Butterscotch, our 2 Rhode Island Reds. We were so proud of our 2 chickens. Then upon moving to Gunter, we bought 2 buff Orpingtons and 2 Barred Rocks - and we thought we had SO many chickens. Silly us.

This is our 5 year old girl, Pepper (Barred Rock) whose sister looks just like her, Pebbles. They are barred rocks who are aging and showing the others what it's like to like a wonderful life up until the last breathe. It's with a sad heart that I tell you we lost Pepper this past Thursday night. She had gone up to roost in the coop for the night, as she usually does because she no longer roosts up high. She slowly and intently climbs the ladder up into the coop where it's warm and quiet. And that night, she died in her sleep. I found her the next morning with the most content expression on her face, eyes closed, and feet still curled as if still sitting on the post in the coop. God took her in peace. It was just the day before, that she was slowly moving around with the others. Slowly. The wonderful thing about chickens (or at least ours from what we've seen) is that the other younger chickens respect their elders. They all mingled together, with Pepper no longer able to move quickly these last few weeks, but she's always up and with the others. And now we see Pebbles slowing. In addition, we have several other older girlz that we have purchased as adults, so they too, are showing their age.

In Cluckingham, when our girlz no longer lay eggs, they reap the benefit of getting to hang around, grow old and free range. They are great at keeping the pesky insect population down, so even in retirement, they are useful. Exactly how we all wish to be.

Speaking of Cluckingham, we are watching several older sweethearts start making their way to the slow moving, early-to-bed, slow eye blink phase of life. Here's a few of our older girls:

We lost sweet Pepper, but her sister, Pebbles is now taking the same road of moving slowly, puffing herself out to keep warmer (even during the day) and her eyes are shut often as she rest in the very spot she stands. These girlz will still mix with the flock, just at a slower pace. I get you, my sweets. Take all the time you need.

Another older gal is Cali. We purchased Cali at an unknown age from a chicken lady in Oklahoma and have never been really sure what breed she is, but I think she might be a buff princess gem. She was already an adult and laying eggs when we took her home a few years back, but I can tell she's getting old because she goes to bed very early, and sleeps in each day. Her comb is wilted and no longer red and vibrant. Her feathers have dulled from the once beautiful sheen she had as a young hen. She's in no hurry to move around, all while the young'uns are feverishly moving around her. She does her own thing. You do you, Cali. We adore your kind-hearted self and your beautiful just as you are.

Speaking of princess gems, here's an older gal, Storm. She's very quiet and keeps to herself mostly. You can see her comb is shriveled up and her eyes show her age. She's no longer a layer, and rather enjoys being retired. She roosts low to the ground, but still in the open area with the other girlz. We ended up buying another grey princess gem who looks just like Storm, but whose obviously much younger.

This is Storm's younger look-alike, Raine. She loves to roost on top of the coop at night, and poop all over it, knock over the weather vane and do things young girlz do. She's an egg laying machine. Notice how her comb is bright red, stands up straight and nice, and her ability to fly to the top of the coop is evidence of her younger age. Storm is just not able to do that anymore. Both these girlz are beautiful grey gems, and we love the contrast they bring to the flock.

I appreciate the differences in each chicken, as well as the differences of the young and the old. I love all the animals and their uniqueness. They all bring something special to the farm. What I know for sure is that everything in the past has been perfect. We've had our ups and downs these last 5 years on the farm, and I wouldn't change a thing. I grieve with every loss, every time. And all that unspent love that gathers up in the corners of my eyes, the lump in my throat, and that deep feeling in my chest all tells me that it's just love with no place to go. Fortunately for me, all my animals I've lost, I'll meet again in heaven. Waiting for me. That in itself brings about peace, and I will carry on here at the Graves Farm loving and learning. It makes me come alive, and when life breaks you open, I keep moving towards love, with joy as our GPS.

Day 13 Amazing Day

This day is the reason why I'm doing this crossing. Everything about this day was wonderful! Even the headwinds (lasted for only half the day), to the major climbs, the fun downs, to the beauty of the area. It all came together, into a perfectly tough, fun, exhilarating and reason-I'm-doing-this kind of day. I loved it all! I love the challenge, the coordination of food/hydration, and listening to my body's needs. When I do, it treats me well in return. I could go on and on about how I loved this day. When I reached the top after miles of climbing, you would have thought I just won the lottery. I raised my arms high above my head, waving my hands, smiling, like I was crossing a invisible finish line. It was the view from atop that mountain that took my breath away. I'm sure the cars passing by were unsure of it all. And I ran the whole descent, using my brake on my cart, SINGING to my music the whole way. Just happy and elated. A 40 mile day - and it felt good. I ran on in into Superior, which is now my new favorite town (I think I'm going to have lots of "favorite " towns).

So safe, quaint, beautiful (that word does not do it justice), and peaceful. It's crawling with hikers. Most are long distance hikers, hiking the Arizona Trail. The vibe here is what I really enjoy. Laid back, active people, who don't think what I'm doing is crazy. This may be the only place so far where people do not think I'm homeless. And you are NOT going to believe this. Upon reaching the edge of town, the first place I come to is a restaurant. Yes, a Mexican restaurant!!! Really? Yes, really! And they hand make their tortillas, homemade real guacamole, and you guessed it.......I had a quesadilla. My life is so good. How does this happen?? Okay, wait, it gets better.

There's a motel here, and we got the last rooms.

It's a small, cute, well-kept place, mostly occupied by the hikers here.

The rooms are like a room in your house. And upon check-in, the guy (who owns it and does everything here) gave me change for the washer/dryer, two dryer sheets, and detergent for the washer. It really doesn't get better than this. I never want to leave here. I could hike every day in these gorgeous mountains. As you can tell, this is by far a day to remember. This is the kind of day that makes the more "unpleasant " days disappear. I had such a fantastic time, and it makes it all worthwhile. It reminds me why I picked to do this crossing. Unfortunately, I must put an end to the day, and head to bed. If I thought we climbed a lot today, tomorrow will bring much more of that. That's okay, a little sleep and rest, and I'll be ready. Night night, Cyndi

Night 12, Start of Day 13 - Heading to Superior, Arizona

Last night in Mesa was magical. I walked to a nearby Mexican food place, and had a quesadilla, then showered, and prepped for the following day. I did turn the TV on, and although there was no Big Bang Theory on, I decided to watch the local "Mesa" channel that talks about things to do here, about the city in general. You know, the channel nobody really watches, yet I found it informative. And comforting, mostly.

Mesa is so neat! I went through the downtown area yesterday, and it is artsy, creative, and endearing. Despite the homeless man who ran after me after I happen to run by him. Not sure what he was thinking, but it didn't seem good. Mesa is also a powerhouse for RV sales. Literally, Lots and Lots of them. So many dealerships, it's amazing they all stay in business. But they do! Lots of retirees here make that happen. My motel last night was nice. Only 53.00 for the night! What a deal. It was the best nights sleep I've had since I began this trek. I'm beginning to be able to relax at night now. Taking care of myself, doing the miles, caring for my cart and ensuring I have supplies, is a full-time job! But I've gotten better at it, and hope to continue so, as I move along. So today, as we pass through Apache Junction (which I really liked!), we head a few more miles and pickup US60 again. That will take us climbing mountains today.

And hopefully end up (about 40 miles total) in Superior. We may or may not make that with the climbing ahead, but we will sure try. We are a little slow this morning so far because we have quite a headwind. That's okay, we'll get there eventually.

That's the best part, we just keep moving, and every step is positive. We are not sure of our accommodations tonight, but I can tell you there's a small motel in Superior, and then again, we have our sleeping bags. So either way, we will be just fine! Onward and upward! Happy Monday, Cyndi

Night 11 and Day 12 Phoenix area

Night 11 was spent in the lovely town of Glendale. (In the Motel 6 as mentioned in my previous blog post). It was a place to stay inside your motel room. With the door super-locked!  I was so glad to have a comfy bed, and was most grateful to be there and safe. After my revelation yesterday, I was grateful for a place to lay my head. Just as a reminder, my revelation yesterday went from : "This is fun!!" to "This is really real now!". I awoke today very excited about going through Phoenix.

I'm often asked, "Do you ever take a day off?". Well, days like today are considered a day off to us. We run minimally, due to the detours, traffic, and turns to get through the city. We will still log between 35 and 38 miles today. It will be more fast walking than running. After leaving the motel, within 2 miles, we were stopped by the police. This is not an unusual thing anymore. We are a bit odd looking.....so early in the morning (okay, all the time). The policemen proceeded to tell us about the high-crime area we were in, and to be very careful. It wasn't my favorite way to start the day, but we would be mindful and carry-on. He was right. We watched ourselves, carried our mace, and stayed aware of our surroundings at all times. We went through areas off and on like that. Nice area.....bad area.....nice area....mostly bad areas. That's the way it is traveling through major cities - or at least the routes we are taking? (Remind me to talk to John about that). I can tell you that the homeless people who are NOT in LA, are in Phoenix. Or so it seems. Another thing Phoenix has is a lot of is thorns. The "Arizona Thorns" are fierce. I had two flat tires today. Luckily, a bike shop was about 8 miles away, and I went there. (Took awhile, but it was worth it!!). They put in new thorn-resistance tubes, one new tire, and liners in all three tires. So now I've got heavy duty wheels to proceed. The best part is they did it a ga-zillion times faster than I ever could have. Bless them. Thank you Freeride Bike Co!!!!! Love you guys!!!!!! They are now my official sponsor. They granted me these gifts of tires, ties, liners and labor. Free. I cried. They were so kind, and supported what I was doing whole-heartedly. We took pictures, chatted, and they will follow me through my adventure across the U.S. Thanks again, Freeride Bike Co in Mesa, Arizona. I'm official. I have a sponsor. Overall, I'm very pleased with our day. Each day is such a adventure, I enjoy seeing what each moment brings. Whether it's the big city (like today), or the small towns, I enjoy it all. It's interesting to see how people live.

The best part? Seeing the land, the mountains, the desert, and everything else that is to come. It's all so beautiful. We are staying at a motel again tonight. I'm very happy about that. We will have a hard day tomorrow of climbing. It will be a lot of work pushing the carts up the climbs. And then we will camp out tomorrow night. The beauty of it all cancels out the tough moments. Hygiene Report: It's true! Another day in a row with a shower!!! This is great. Teeth brushed. Hair washed. Life is good. I even had shampoo tonight! And today may be the first time I turn the TV on and watch something?! I'll let you know if that ends up happening. How cool would that be? I hope Big Bang Theory is on. That would make my day complete. Have a good Monday, Cyndi

Day 11 Wickenburg to Phoenix

If I wasn't living this challenge day to day myself, I wouldn't believe it. It's like a dream. We move from town to town, and when I do stop, I feel the sensation of still moving. It's very unusual. My favorite time is after I shower. I relax a minute before bed, and think about the day. It's so much bigger than I'm able to wrap my head around sometimes. I'm having one of those moments tonight. What prompted it was when we went through Surprise, Arizona today. Judy (runner friend of mine) had told me her dad lives there, and if I needed anything, to let her know (thank you, Judy!). At the time (a few weeks before we were to start this crossing) I thought, " I can't imagine getting to Arizona ." It just seemed so far off - and was it really possible? When I passed through the town of Surprise, I realized I have now gone farther than I thought would happen. Not sure why I had that boundary in my head? But now, any boundaries I had in my head are gone. And it's a bit surreal tonight. Speaking of! I'm in a Motel 6 in Glendale, Arizona (about 45 miles today). The day is complete, and I'm thinking about what tomorrow will bring. We are on the outskirts of Phoenix, and will be going through it tomorrow. That's when it gets pretty slow moving. Traffic, lots of turns, and up and down sidewalks. It will be nice for a change of pace from US 60 (which I love love!). We will end up on US 60, we just have to make a few detours during some major cities. (We'll be primarily on US 60 til Virginia Beach). I'm looking forward to seeing the city. I don't think I've been there before? My favorite town, so far, was the one we just came from. Wickenburg. They have bike lanes and walking paths ALL over the town. If I lived there, I don't think I'd need a car?!? I'll have to make a mental note about putting it on our possible retirement place. Bonus? The warm/hot weather......love it! Extra Bonus? The Mexican food place I ate at. Loved it, even though it was still "talking" to me the next day. Today was a straight shot here. The shoulder was generous, food and drink readily available, and perfect weather. We passed through Sun City, as well. Very interesting! Lots to do around there! Here in Glendale there's a little area of shops. Looks like it used to be a old neighborhood, and now the city changed it to a quaint shopping area. Each "house" is now a business. Very cool idea! I walked over to a bakery and got a Butterfinger Cake Ball. OMGoodness. Beside my fabulous lunch today (which I stopped and ate inside!), this was super yummy!! I look forward to the process of navigating through Phoenix tomorrow. For now though, my motel bed is a wonderful retreat. Hygiene Report: For the first time, I showered two days in a row!! Being a Motel 6, there is no shampoo or amenities. But that's okay, I'm happy to be here! I'm safe, healthy, and pretty clean.

Altra's - my shoe of choice.

But sometimes, I let my feet be free for awhile. Thanks for listening, and I hope your Saturday was wonderful as well. Cyndi

Night 9, Day 10 and Night 10 - I'm behind on my blog

We spent Night 9 camping again. It was off the highway, and not near the RR tracks. We made camp pretty quickly because we were both so tired. All of  day 9 was a climb. Only about 3 miles of a hard climb, but the rest was a slow and steady up. I'm getting used to setting my stuff up to sleep outdoors. I don't have a lot, it's more about making sure I have what I need around me before I take my shoes off, etc. I awoke on day 10 (Friday), thinking "Yay! We will get to a hotel tonight!!". So far, the ratio has been 2:1. We camp twice as much as we stay in a motel. I will LOVE camping out when it gets warmer.  But when it's in the 30's and 40's, I'm not always a happy camper. No pun intended. The US 60 to Wickenburg yesterday was extremely pleasant. We had easy traveling with a wide, smooth shoulder. It was a great day! And the best part? It was downhill (for miles) into the town of Wickenburg. I loved loved it!! We got a lot of running done in the morning, walking in the heat of the day, and then ran it into town. I want to thank the nice lady, with the white truck, that offered me a "ride into town". I do not like looking homeless. I try not to look that way. But that's just the way it is. Before getting to the hotel in Wickenburg, there was a Mexican food restaurant, and guess who stopped? Yep, a quesadilla was calling my name! We had only gone thru one small town for the last 37 miles, and it only had a convenience store. So real food - and my favorite - was awesome! She even gave me extra guacamole. Now, the FUNNEST part of my day.......FaceTime - ing with Ms. Henard's 2nd grade class in Wylie. They are following me along my journey, and learning about the states, terrain, animals, and such as I move across the US. They made a poster with all kinds of inspirational words, and many of the children gave me such encouraging words!!! I loved every minute of it!! They got to ask questions, and they were all relevant and valuable questions. From "Aren't you scared camping at night?", to "How old are you?", to the ever-famous "Where do you poop?". I turned the camera towards the bush I was standing near, and showed them the type of place that happens. It's a bit shocking. But I think the 2nd grade boys liked it that you can pee/poop outside, not shower for 3 days, and sleep outside with snakes and spiders. The girls just stared, not quite sure what to make of it? It was a boost of positive energy, as the children are SO excited about the process!! I smiled the whole rest of the day. I think about those kiddos off and on throughout each day. It means a lot to me that they care so much. Thank you, Ms Henard, for allowing me the privilege of talking with the children. And, looks like we may do it again, next week. Wickenburg is now my temporary residence, at least for the night. It's a great town! I ate well, slept well, and of course, got cleaned up! Hygiene Report: I showered!!!! I brushed my teeth, shaved my legs, and relaxed. I also got to do a load of laundry!!!! It made me feel normal again. What a nice stay it has been here. Perfection! Now, with fresh smelling clothes, a reorganized cart, and fresh, clear mind, I set out on the road for day 11. With Phoenix in my sights. Not sure where I will rest my head tonight, but I trust in this process. Have a wonderful Saturday, Cyndi

Night 8 and Day 9 - Camping, then onto Hope, Arizona and beyond

After about a 35 mile day on Day 8, we settled into a "camp" spot hidden well away from the  highway. It was near the RR tracks, and I can tell you that when a train would come through (which it did twice in the night), it would about shake me off the ground. Not my best nights sleep, but it will do. It got colder than I realized, and I awoke with an off/on shiver. I hustled to "break" camp and get on the road to warm up. What really woke me, I think, were the coyotes howling. I don't know how close they were, but I was ready to get away from them.

We got going early, and it was about 15 miles to a town. I said a prayer that they would have coffee. And lots of it! My prayers were answered, and in the small town of Hope, was a convenience store with fresh coffee. I had 3 tall cups. I spent a little time there recovering from the camp experience, and used their sink in their bathroom to shower. Bless them. It was a good stop! Then it was onto Salome. It just keeps getting better, because they had a cafe. I ordered a quesadilla. Man, it was good!!!

It was while I was in Salome that I had a appt to speak with a 2nd grade class in Wylie (Ms. Hernard's class), who are following me along my way. I couldn't call because of lack of cell service. But I will try again soon. I look forward to answering the kids questions!! The terrain is going from desert-like to farming. Things are greener now. I've seen quite a bit of cotton fields. Who knew? The one thing I found interesting was the wind funnels in the fields. It's like a mini-tornado......swirling up sand high in the air. Seems it happens a lot and often? In the town of Hope, we turned onto US 60.

This is exciting because the remainder of the route is on that highway! (With a few exceptions of small detours, which puts us right back on it). So if you're wondering how we'll be getting to Virginia Beach? It's via US60. That's where I will be. We will be camping out again tonight. Oh goodie! But this time, I'm putting all my clothes on, that I have with me, so I won't get SO cold. Hygiene Report: I "cleaned up" using a sink (in Hope). I did brush my teeth, too! That's as close to a shower as I'm going to get today. I really need to wash my clothes, for real. They smell funky. Maybe one day. I owe my feet an apology. I am torturing them. I'm very sorry. I hope they will forgive me. I can tell you Arizona has such unique and special qualities in regards to the terrain.

I love the tall cactus! I've not seen anything like them - they are HUGE! Tall, very round. And they are everywhere!! Love it. We will still be moving more today. Slowly, making our way toward Phoenix. Have a good rest of the day, Cyndi

Day 8 Arizona!

To recap, yesterday we arrived in Parker, Arizona late last night. The motel stay was much needed. We even slept in a little today (5:30am, oh my). Then we were off and running again. We decided to have a short day - 35 miles today - since we did 50 miles yesterday. We are still in the "desert", if you will, and will be for some time. The last few days we were in a potion of it where there was no "services" (food, water, gas, cell coverage, or anything, really). Not even power lines, fences or people living out there. Very desolate. Now, it's still desert......but now there's towns here and there to get food and drink from. And that's a wonderful thing! We will have one more stretch here in Arizona where by it will be around 90 miles without services. Note: I've never gone days without washing my hands like that. Nurses just don't do that. Today was a "easy" day. No real climbs, no complications (police stopping us....again), no carrying 3 gallons of water, just taking our time. Stopping when we want. I quit taking pictures because they all look the same as the last 150 miles. Don't get me wrong, it's very lovely, there's just a lot of it! I did notice the mountains in Arizona are a bit different than in California. They are lower and kinda flat on top. There's probably a name for them. I just don't know it. We are camping out tonight. Not even sure what tomorrow will bring yet, but we'll wait and see. Fun facts after my first week: 1) Many California people have see my white hiney on the side of the road. I'm so sorry. 2) I have not cried.......yet 3) I take far less ibuprofen than when we first started. 4) I've never had sunburned knuckles before like I do now. 5) RV drivers should be trained further on how to operate their vehicles. On a scale of 1-10, it goes like this: 18-wheeler drivers get a 10. Good job, guys! You make a hard job look easy. RV drivers get a  -1. They think they can handle it, but I now know better. 6) The one thing that makes me smile is when my front tire on my stroller is aligned straight. Lastly, Hygiene Report: Sadly, no shower tonight. And I'm not even brushing my teeth either. (I did this morning though, if that counts). My feet are holding up pretty well. Reflexology is in my future. Far off future. Happy Hump Day! Which reminds me, I find I don't keep up with the days of the week well. Kinda like retirement......every day is Saturday, except for Sunday, of course. See you tomorrow! Cyndi Who has her mace beside her tonight. When I potty'd earlier, I looked down and noticed some tracks that looked iffy.

Night 7 Out of the desert

Good morning and welcome to Night 7 and Day 8!

We made it into Parker, Arizona last night, and it was worth the extra miles to get to a motel. I felt like I needed to put my whole cart, supplies and all, into a huge washing machine!! I was in luck, because the motel had a washer and dryer (one) for customers. I was so excited, got all my dirty stuff together, and took it to the washer. Surprise! It was being used. Whoop whomp. Back to my room, and it would be another clothes washing in the shower tonight. That's okay! I get it done pretty quick. So I've got all clean clothes this morning. Yay!!!! The time in the desert was wonderful. The beauty of it is constant. Seeing the sunrise and sunset each day, sleeping under the stars, and the quiet of it is priceless. We will get to do this again coming up. But today, we will begin from Parker, and start moving across Arizona. The way into Parker last night was a bit precarious. The shoulder was about 6 inches, and there was a thousand 18-wheelers going by. I'm sure everyone of them thought I was crazy. Even I thought I was crazy. The motel was wonderful. I slept well! Now it's time to start my day. Thanks again for all your kind words and support. It warms my heart. Hygiene Report: I, of course, showered for about an hour. My fingernails are now clean again. Teeth brushed (in a sink), and clothes washed in the shower with me. All's well. Who could ask for more?! Gotta run, Cyndi

Day 5, 6 &7 In the desert

Hi! Hope your week has been off to a good start! After 3 days in the desert, I will be making my way out of this beautiful place, around late this evening. We'll be making our way to Parker. I'll be in Arizona before too long!! As we left 29 Palms, we had gathered at least 3 gallons of water (1 gallon = 8 lbs), plus other fluids.

I purchased food that is sealed - so that critters in the desert don't visit me while I sleep in their territory. (Yes, I use my flashlight before I pick my sleeping spot. I make sure there are no snake holes or ant beds too close!). So with my food and drink in my cart, we head out to cover the approx 100 miles on our own. We did pass the 29 Palms airport, and were able to stop there for a break.

It's small, but they had a picnic table under an awning, that had shade. Shade would be a rarity for awhile! We moved about 40 miles (includes getting out of Yucca Valley, to 29 Palms, and into the desert - a little ways), and decided to camp. This would be my first time to sleep out in the desert. I was nervous. And after dragging my far-to-heavy cart through the sand about 40 ft from the road (in the dark), I picked a spot, set up my sleeping bag/bivy and tarp.

Needless to say, I did not sleep well. The wind picked up, and blew my tarp around. I was trying to decide if it was a bobcat trying to get me, or a rattlesnake stuck in it?!? In the end, it was only my tarp, making noise, and everything was fine. I awoke the next morning, not very rested. I'll do better, Night 2, in the desert. So, the next day was spent making our way (running, run/walk or walking) across the desert.

It's beautiful!!! I'm trying to enjoy each moment. It was tough, yet the memories last a lifetime. Night 2 in the desert. Okay, I've got this! 42 miles and I'm ready to sleep! Since the wind picked up, I will not be putting that tarp up! Sleeping bag, under the stars. Thousands of stars! I laid there thinking: How is it, I'm laying in the middle of the desert, under the stars? Wow! Then I feel asleep, and slept like a baby. And Day 7 began.

Time to leave the desert, until we do this again, in Arizona.

I was able to keep my phone charged with my solar chargers. Not that I could use it much.

We technically won't be out of it til later, but the desert has taken pity on me, and gave me a tail wind, and partly cloudy day, for my last day here. Thank you! It's about 10am, and are moving toward Vidal junction.

Hygiene Report: I'm dirty, my fingernails are full of something that resembles dirt? Day old sunscreen still there. I've not taken my socks off in 3 days. Blisters are covered, and doing well! No feet issues for now. I'm afraid to take my socks off. I have brushed my teeth, each morning, using my much-valued water. Will close, and get moving. A motel in Parker is in my future, if we can do about 43-45 miles today. Can do. Happy Tuesday! Cyndi

Once I arrived back to cell service, here my sweet daughter and I's conversation (she's reading my blog along the way to keep up with me)..........

I'm in the desert and we are talking about hair cuts. That was probably my favorite thing about texting with Lauren. She keeps it real. While I'm just trying to keep myself alive. Love that girl.

Day 5 Signing off for now

Heading into the desert, and expect to have little to no cell service. I have water and food for three days in my cart, thanks to convenience stores like this one. If I can, I may be able to Instagram on occasion.

Have a good start of the week, and will talk to you after the desert crossing. Here we go.......Cyndi

Night 4 Yucca Valley

How I roll up to check into a motel.

Happy Easter! I hope things are well with everyone. I awoke early this morning, and look forward to seeing Joshua Tree later today. We left out of Morongo Valley last evening,  made it to Yucca Valley last night. (About 10 miles apart). As soon as we made it into town, there was a Travelodge right there! We stayed there last night, as we know the next 3 nights will most likely be camping in the desert. We weren't yet ready to settle for the night yesterday in the "wind farm", as we were feeling good to continue. (We can make decent time when the "ball of fire" begins to set). The turbines make a calming, swooshing sound, so it would have been a good place to sleep. The locals mentioned to us to be mindful of the rattlesnakes, though. They are prevalent out there. As we traveled on the jeep roads (dirt), we were watchful. As I had mentioned, we are now on CA 62, and the shoulder is quite generous. We go against traffic, and take safety precautions, such as red blinking lights on us, and the cart, as well as staying close to the side of the road. I can't say for sure, maybe there are more mountains to go through today for awhile, but then desert will begin. Time will tell. Hard to believe it will be desert-flat, after being so mountain-like for so long. The beauty of it makes me smile, as I travel down the road. We will be heading down US62 to Joshua Tree, in the city of Twentynine Palms. This is in the southern Mojave Desert. We will stock up on supplies, before making our trek there. Once we get there, there should be abundant availability for addt supplies, for the long stretch of 80-90 miles in the desert, without the ability to get food or water. I'll outline what our plan will be later on that. Today, we will eventually get to more supplies (much later on). Yay! I'm nervous about the 2-3 day, with no civilization-thing. That will be new to me. Hygiene Report: I am happy to report after being on dirt trails and highway yesterday, I DID shower last night. Teeth brushing and AC were side benefits. The one thing now posing a challenge, is the foot situation. I have a few areas of rubbing and blistering. I did some management on them yesterday. The preventive maintenance I was doing helped, but the heat and hot pavement is hard to fight against. My goal today will be to not develop any further issues. The time has come to juggle this problem, as it will be on-going from here out. Body glide is my friend, but does not come near helping after awhile. Blister band aids, and being mindful of developing "hot spots" is key right now. Oh yeah! I bet your thinking.....what about her dirty clothes? Well, they shower with me every time I do. I have fabrics that are quick drying, so by the morning, they are fresh and dry. Thanks for listening, and I wish you a nice Sunday. I hear it may rain in the Dallas area? I want to congratulate Sheryl, Gene and Matt on their amazing Half Marathon finish on Saturday!!!!! You guys rocked it - and I'm so proud of y'all!!! I look forward to seeing the desert up close, and personal. Got my hat and sunscreen ready to go! Missing everyone, Cyndi

Day 4 And it's not over yet

How many cool things can I see in a day? It seems so long ago, this morning, when I changed both tires and tubes on two of my tires. The road is not kind to my stroller.

Yes, gotta carry extra wheels. I digress.

I cannot put into words what I did today. It started out early on a dirt trail.

Which took us from Banning, towards our next destination. I was concerned about pushing that cart through a dirt/rock path, in the dark.....but somehow I did it. Turns out, that was only a taste of what was to come. We ended up traveling much of the way on dirt roads. It took us through wind farms filled with thousands of turbines.

Truly amazing!!! Up a mountain we would go, then down. It's so breathtaking, I can't even put it in words, to do it justice. Then, after trail blazing, we came to CA 62 (which we will stay on until Arizona). This highway took us up a mountain, then led us to Monrongo Valley. I've never climbed mountains like this, and I loved it, no matter how tough it was. The rest of the evening is up in the air. It's 10.8 miles to Yucca Valley. I bet we start that way, and then "wild camp" (new term for me) when we are ready to sleep. I'm looking forward to the sleeping bag thing again. I kinda like doing that. I don't know what the rest of today will bring, but I'm ready for whatever it might be.

Every day is new and different. It's just like an adventure every day. I'm beginning to forget what day of the week it is. Better go stock up on some supplies. I've got to be ready for whatever is ahead! More later, Cyndi

Night 3 Perfection

What a great night! All the conveniences of showering and sleeping indoors. It was a nice break! We are on the road again. Not much to report yet. We've run about 6 miles so far. Many to go. The skies are clear, mountains all around, and the weather is crisp. I meant to tell you all, I won't be using Twitter after all. I'm just not good at that! As I type this, I see many turbines (is that what they are called?) ....generating energy for something?! I will seeing a ga-zillion of them today, from what I understand. They look like art. Hygiene Report: Showered! That says it all. Have a wonderful Saturday!! Cyndi

Day 3 Calm Sets In

It's going to be okay. More than okay - wonderfully okay! Today brought mountains, blue skies, and perfect weather. I really enjoyed everything about today. Ran this morning, fixed a flat, ran/walked, and now finishing up walking about 6 more miles. Another 35 miles today. We will start increasing it over the next few days.

I think there's a Super 8 motel in my future tonight! That means.....shower! So excited! So we went thru the pass today....between the mountains, if you will. Redlands to many towns I don't remember, then made it through over to the beautiful town of Beaumont. We will end up in Banning soon. Our route today ran alongside RR tracks for much of the way. Got to see a lot of trains up close! I tried to decipher the graffiti on many RR cars....there are some talented spray painters out there!! My very favorite thing about California is all the bike lanes. The bikes have their very own lane much of the time. So jealous. I'd move here just for that reason. Traveling on foot also allows for picking oranges off the trees - only an arms length away!

Amazing! (Is that legal?) Tomorrow brings more adventure. Through paths, trails and into fields of turbines! Can't wait! Thanks again for all your kind words. I read them over and over. Tonight, my sleeping bag catches a break from my smelly self. Hygiene Report: On the agenda? Not yet happened....but most likely a shower, shave my legs, and wash my hair 6 times. Then...clean clothes. What more could I ask for. Oh yeah, I WILL be brushing my teeth inside tonight. Hope your Friday was wonderful! Cyndi

Night 2 Much Better

Had a great second night camping! No bugs or critters to report. I got in my sleeping bag, which is placed inside my bivy sack, and zipped it up all around me. Like a Cyndi-cocoon. Nothing could get to me. It was good sleeping!!! Thank you to everyone for your comments and thoughts. I may not be able to respond often, but I read them, and can hear you all saying those words to me. I appreciate it very much! Hygiene Report: Still no shower. I did brush my teeth twice! Same clothes, Sheryl. I did fix my own first flat tire, too. We have each had one so far! With many more to come. Happy Friday!! More later, Cyndi