Wednesday, Aug 26

Temperature: High 74°F / Low 64°F

Conditions: Sun, clouds and light breeze

Distance Walked: 29.3k

Experience of the Day

Woke up this morning nicely rested after spending the night in the barrel. Since I was awake and I didn't have food for breakfast with me, I decided I was going to hitch a ride down to the so and get something to eat. Therese was going to be riding her bike, but she was going to leave in a couple hours, and the other ladies have food with them for breakfast. I figured I'd get my breakfast and then I would see them on the trail because it always takes me a while to get rolling.

A couple of cars passed me by, but the third one was a nice guy in a pickup truck who was headed off to a construction job in Nova Scotia. After a few minutes of chit chat he dropped me off at the ESSO in Murray River. I took my time looking at everything in the store to determine what I was going to get for breakfast and lunch. While I was perusing the shelves, I heard the people visiting at a table while they had their morning coffee. So I picked up my items, paid my bill and asked if I could sit and eat my breakfast with them. Of course they said yes. People here are nice. We chit-chatted a bit and one of the ladies asked me what my biggest surprise was about my time here on the island. I said I was surprised by how many Irish people were here because I had not expected that and how everybody knows each other. Then I started listing a few people I had met. Sure enough, she knew the very first person I mentioned: Jo-anne!

When I asked one of the gentlemen who was looking at the paper if there was any news, good news, -- I only wanted to hear good news. He told me that there really isn't any bad news in the paper. I thought about that and then I told him I'd been reading the Island news for 8 months and sure enough he was right. I really had not seen any bad news. There were two sad things that happened, but there was nothing bad. This island really is positive and amazing.

I started my walk thinking that I'd see my friends at any moment, but I never did. So I walked the trail on my own and didn't see anyone until Therese rode up on her bike a few hours later. As for this part of the trail, it was different than anywhere else we have been:

-It was more open than other rail trails;

-There was more damage from the wind storms;

- I really enjoyed walking past the vast blueberry fields.

Partway into the walk, looked up and saw big clouds. The kind that make me think thunder. I heard thunder, but the rain never came.

I met Judy back at Roe's Fish House by Dalvay when she dropped my pack off for me. She had said she lived in Belfast...so when we ended up staying in the area, I asked her if she would be willing to give us a ride from the church to our lodging. She was all in! As for the Anne, I had called the church in advance about leaving the bike at the church over night. Somehow, I got the church wrong and Therese ended up meeting Charlie who lives adjacent to the trail and who was happy to have Anne stay for the night! As for the walk, I was doing ok and decided to push on to Fodhla. Judy was our awesome trail angel and toured us around Lord Selkirk Park and made a stop for us as the Red & White for groceries. Checked into our cute little cabin and we all took a look around. Judy gave it her approval and we settled in for a relaxing evening.