Days Twenty-Three through Thirty-Two

Windmill, Palacios, Matagorda County, Day 20

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I am currently in Houston, living large with my cousin Cat. When I showed up to Galveston, I was limping a little from the four or five blisters I had picked up along the way. Normally, my calluses are enough to stave off any nasty, bubbly blistery trouble, but I pushed a little extra hard to get there, walking around 50 miles in two days. Maybe the previous days' wanderings contributed too. Here they are in brief:

Day 23: Somewhere just shy of Old Ocean, about 14 miles

Day 24: Brazoria (via the back roads), about 15 miles

Day 25: A zero day in Houston

Day 26: Quintana, 20 miles

Day 27: Just shy of San Luis Pass (I went back up to Freeport for mail), about 25 miles

Day 28: Galveston, about 25 miles

Days 29 - 32: A zero weekend in Houston

Wetlands Project Sign, Matagorda County, Day 21

(Note: The domes in the background belong to a nuclear power plant on 521.)

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I am taking full advantage of having family in the area. My parents swung by on Day 24 because my dad had some business at MD Anderson in Houston. I went to a hospital class with both parents (and tweeted about it) and was later taken back to where I left off. I then got picked up by my cousin in Galveston on Day 28, and we've been hanging out since. Also, a huge thank you to Nate and Fatma who let me crash in their garage in Bay City on the night of Day 22.

Truck on Pier, Galveston, Galveston County, Day 28

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Triangular Beach Houses, Surfside Beach, Brazoria County, Day 27

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A few thoughts in the last week:

* There are two types of interactions on this trip, my virtual ones (family and friends via phone, email, and texting) and my real life ones. The difference is stark. The presence of someone - even a stranger - is sometimes preferable to a virtual contact simply because that person is right there. This kind of interaction and communication has a more profound impact for reasons I have yet to understand.

Since breakfast with Nate this morning and a short conversation with a fellow at the donut shop, I've had no other meaningful face-to-face conversations with people all day. I've mostly talked on the phone (five conversations) and texted (over a dozen). I'm subsisting on a virtual community, but I need the one I'm in.

Cross on Telephone Pole, Matagorda County, Day 21

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* It's been great to see my folks during the trip, but I wonder what it's doing to the trek's continuity. I suppose you could argue that it is what it is, that there aren't rules to this thing. But I feel myself getting yo-yoed back and forth between the two worlds.

I was a homeless person to the Sonic staff today. That is, until my parents showed up, gave me hugs and kisses, and reduced their idea of me to a large, dirty

boy scout. Not that a person should think one thing or another, but whatever reality we're creating is getting disrupted or in this case abruptly redefined. I don't know how I feel about that. Then again, it is what it is.

Texan Mailbox, Matagorda County, Day 23

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Stone Hedge?, Brazoria County, Day 27

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* How much am I really learning about Texas? I read a few books, talked to a few people. There's too much! It's too epic! I'm a little kid begging for tales, and there's no time to hear them all.

But I am learning something. There's a heartbeat around here somewhere.

Fresh Seafood, Matagorda County, Day 23

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Church, Matagorda County, Day 21

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That's all for this installment. There is much much more coming up. Please stay tuned.

Beach Landmark, Brazoria County, Day 27

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Until next time, readers...