Days One Hundred Eighty-Six to Two Hundred Twenty-Nine

Okay. So I didn't post my miles for nearly a month and a half. So kill me.
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While looking through this, there are two numbers to keep in mind: the actual distance around the state of Texas (2842 miles according to a Texas textbook) and how much I have actually covered (my total miles are probably in the 1600 range). I haven't sat down and added everything up, but I'm confident my ballpark estimates are close nonetheless.
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Miles first, this time, then pictures and journal entries and thoughts. Enjoy!
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Day 186: Near Turkey, 10 miles
Day 187: Parnell Station, 22 miles
Day 188: Intersection of Ranch Rd 1619 and County Rd K, about 20 miles
Day 189: Hwy 83 south of Wellington, about 15 miles
Day 190: Hwy 83 north of Wellington, about 16 miles
Day 191: Hwy 83 south of Shamrock, about 15 miles
Day 192: Hwy 83 north of Shamrock, about 15 miles
Day 193:Hwy 83 north of Wheeler, about 13 miles
Day 194: Canadian, about 28 miles
Day 195: Zero day in Canadian
Day 196: Marvin Lake, about 14 miles
Day 197: Higgins, about 25 miles
Day 198: Lipscomb, about 20 miles
Day 199: FM 1454 south of Follett, about 20 miles
Day 200: Top-Right Corner of the Texas Panhandle, about 16 miles
Day 201: Old Railway Path which parallels Hwy 15, about 16 miles
Day 202: Past Booker, about 18 miles
Day 203: Perryton, 15 miles
Day 204: Waka, 17 miles (I walked the first mile in Perryton looking for the church below.)
Day 205: Zero day in Waka
Day 206: Beyond Hansford, about 17 miles
Day 207: Intersection of Farm Rd 1262 and FM 2535, about 17 miles
Day 208: Texhoma, about 26 miles
Day 209: FM 2677 (I walked due west of Texhoma and came down), about 21 miles
Day 210: Northwest of Stratford, about 8 miles
Day 211: High Lonesome, about 21 miles
Day 212: Thompson Grove, about 19 miles
Day 213: Top-Left Corner of the Texas Panhandle, about 18 miles (9 to Texline, 8 to the corner, and 1 bouncing between the corner marker and the tri-state marker)
Day 214: Hwy 87, about 16 miles
Day 215: Dalhart, about 28 miles
Days 216 to 218: Three zero days in Dalhart
Day 219: North of Hartley, about 14 miles
Day 220: Channing, about 15 miles
Day 221: Hwy 385, about 15 miles
Day 222: Vega, about 20 miles
Day 223: South of Adrian, about 18 miles
Day 224: Hwy 214, about 20 miles
Day 225: Hwy 214, about 19 miles
Day 226: Beyond Friona, about 16 miles
Day 227: Hwy 60, about 22 miles
Day 228: Past Lariat, about 13 miles
Day 229: Muleshoe, about 12 miles

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Taking Back the Land, Collingsworth County, Day 190
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Day 190: Hiking sticks gone! After looking around the library, I found one broken, half in the garbage can and half on the ground.
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Day 191: Woke up in the middle of the night and peed off to the side of my sleeping area; got a bag strap and my mat! Ah! I sprinkled sand on everything. [Note: I literally urinated while lying down. When it was cold out, I hated getting up and losing my warmth. I acknowledge the gross factor here, but before you judge, go spend a night out in the cold.]
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Mural, Shamrock, Wheeler County, Day 192
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Day 194: Hiked to Canadian ~28 miles; tough walking against the wind ... went to a meal at the Cattle Exchange with Tamera Julian, Director of the Community Development Center, her sister, parents John & Lee Ann, and family friend Dawn Webb. Lots of questions! [Tamera, whom I had spoken with earlier, had kept the entire party a secret from me, so having dinner at a full table was an unexpected surprise. The evening with her family and Dawn was the perfect end to a rough day. Then Tamera put me up in a Best Western for a couple of nights!]
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First Day at School by Norman Rockwell, The Citadelle Art Foundation, Canadian, Hemphill County, Day 196
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Day 196: Went to Citadelle Art Foundation in morning; met Sue and Wendie. [Such a plain entry for such a great place! Wendie is the Director and is rounding the end of the foundation's first year. Given what I saw, she's done a great job. Sue Cox volunteers once a week at the foundation and gave me the run of the place. The collection is wide and varied with paintings, sculptures, photos, even a cross blessed by a pope. These three shots are my favorites in the collection.]
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Sweet Sixteen by Christian Vincent, The Citadelle Art Foundation, Canadian, Hemphill County, Day 196
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Twins by Jono Rotman, The Citadelle Art Foundation, Canadian, Hemphill County, Day 196
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Day 196: On the way met Tray Webb, brother of Dawn; he stopped and shook my hand ... When I finally reached Marvin Lake, I met Sue again from the art museum! She offered me a night in; I accepted ... had some really nice conversations with Sue and Lonnie Cox, both in the ranching business.
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Day 198: In Lipscomb. Tiny place. Staying at Naturally Yours thanks to Debby and Jan.
High Plains Recycling, Lipscomb County, Day 199
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Day 199: I met Boone Tyson of Tyson Ranch. He was youngish, red pick-up, backward cap. I complimented the panhandle, and he said simply "It's home." We chatted a bit, then he took off. In leaving he said, "I will be praying for you."
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Before meeting Boone, I met another man who stopped to see if I needed a ride. But there was more. He invited me to a meal and a prayer group. I turned all three down. I tried to explain I was in the middle of a project, but he couldn't hear me where his mind was. I thanked him, and he took off. Later, he passed with his wife and daughter and offered again, this time only mentioning the food. I declined, smiling. They looked like they were ready to adopt me.
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The difference between these encounters is stark. Boone asked my name, gave me his, and shook my hand. We were equal. The other fellow just saw me as a bum to be saved.
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The Panhandle's Top-Right Corner, Lipscomb County, Day 201
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Day 201: Woke up near corner; hopped fence and found marker. [Back in Follett, everyone was asking me about the marker. Men who'd lived there their entire lives had never seen it. My little expedition got them all excited about it.]
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Going Rates, Booker, Lipscomb County, Day 202
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Day 203: Frost again! Everything covered. ... Hiked into Perryton; scared up several pheasants and rabbits; took a lot of breaks, too; problem? ... I went to the library and posted a blog; bought a book by Plato for 25 cents; wisdom is cheap. [Donnie Dendy, whom I met in Lipscomb, put me up in his future home this evening.]
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Key Heights Baptist Church, Perryton, Ochiltree County, Day 204
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Day 204: Wild goose chase; in Perryton trying to find my old pastor's old church before he came to Corpus; First Baptist Church was a bust; the secretary was scared even. ... Accidentally found Donnie at a restaurant with two women; one had known of my old pastor, so I was able to find the above church!
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Batman Grains, Ochiltree County, Day 204
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Day 205: Nice night under a warm Ecuadorian wool blanket. [For two evenings, I was hosted by Mike Ladd of Waka. He's a former Peace Corps Volunteer, so we exchanged a ton of stories. The blanket was a Peace Corps byproduct.]
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Windmills, Spearman, Hansford County, Day 206
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Day 206: Walked to a small canyon; Bud the dog followed me from a few miles back. [Several dogs have followed me along my trek, for a mile or two or three. Most turn back after a bit, but Bud stayed true. At my campsite, he dug up a rat for dinner, ate it and puked it up in the middle of the night. Bud stayed with me underneath my tarp, growling from time to time throughout the night. In the morning, I gave him some jerky, called his number on his tag, and his mom came and picked him up. She told me that collies can be very protective.]
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My First Snowman in Texas, Hansford County, Day 206
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Grandpa's Tree, Hansford County, Day 208
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Target Practice, Sherman County, Day 208
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Five Miles to Go, Sherman County, Day 210
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Bloody Toe, Sherman County, Day 210
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Day 210: I'm getting the homeless vibe again. My waitress could hardly keep a straight face, part giggly, part embarrassed. Ah, to be known... [I had camped out in the snow and wind, so I probably didn't look too great. Take my feet, for example. I walked into Stratford in the shoe you see above. My toenail on my foot had buckled to the pressure of walking everyday. As a result, I bled a lot, straight through my sock and shoe. I later went to a laundrymat and washed the whole thing.]
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I'm Sure You Will, Stratford, Sherman County, Day 210
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Where the Antelopes Play, Rita Blanca National Grasslands, Dallam County, Day 211
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Day 212: Wind! The wind actually started last night as I was settling in; lasted all night and all day. Tore apart my tarp in different spots. Wrecked the Hilton [My tarp set-up had been extra-spacious that evening, and I called it the 'Hilton.'], though the stakes held. Stayed in bed till 10:30am!
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The Builder, Dallam County, Day 213
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Day 213: [The above was on an abandoned well in the Kiowa National Grasslands in New Mexico, just north of Texas in the northwest of the panhandle. I was looking all over for that corner marker and stumbled upon this well. It is nowhere near the corner, but what a neat thing to see.]
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The Panhandle's Top-Left Corner, Dallam County, Day 213
(Close-up below)
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41.19 Feet to Corner, Dallam County, Day 213
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The Other Marker, Dallam County, Day 213
(Tri-State Marker of Texas-Oklahoma-New Mexico)
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Sunset on the Top of Texas, Dallam County, Day 213
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Dalhart Consumers, Dalhart, Dallam County, Day 215
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Day 215: Finally made it Dalhart. After meandering with a pint of ice cream in hand, I made it to downtown and met my couchsurfing host Nate French. I also met his dog Mr. Lambert who was wearing a glittering collar and a blue shirt that read Cool Pups in sequins. We talked, I cleaned up, and we went out to eat. Nate also gave me an impromptu tour of the town. ... Great host, great guy, nothing but helpful and nice and giving.
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Day 220: In trying to find Randy's yard [where I was going to be camping for the evening], I met Pastor Tim Hooten. He let me use his computer to post a blog. We talked quite a bit. He would frequently go into sermon-mode, but it wasn't so bad. He gave me a Bible and prayed for me. "God, this is my new friend, Matt." I smile at that.
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Billy the Kid's Old Hangout, Oldham County, Day 221
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. . .Farming the Wind, Oldham County, Day 222
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Day 222: Phyllis from Gruver gave her son Scott Atwood the heads up that I'd be going through Vega. I met his wife at the grocery store, and we chatted. A little bit later, I met Scott at the Shell station. We talked a little bit, then parted amicably. [I went to the Shell station, bought a shower, and cleaned myself up. When I came out, there was a note in my backpack inviting me to stay at the Atwood's house!]
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Alex Jones Supporter, Oldham County, Day 223
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Day 223: [If you're not familiar with Alex Jones, you may want to know in advance that he means what he says and says what he means. I read an article about him in Texas Monthly, I believe. He's tagged as a conspiracy theory fellow, but he backs his stuff up with quotes. The article was compelling, and to some degree, so was the man himself.]
. . .Short Circuit, Dallam County, Day 223
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. . .Midpoint Self-portrait!, Adrian, Dallam County, Day 223
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Day 223: Went to Adrian; MID POINT. I ate a burger and fries and two slices of pie at the Midpoint Cafe! [I was in the vicinity of my midpoint, having certainly traveled the requisite 1421 miles, so I celebrated big. The burger and pie were amazing.]
. . .Carpe Diem, Adrian, Dallam County, Day 223
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. . .Old Bull, Deaf Smith County, Day 224
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Day 224: [Didn't journal about this bull, but I liked this guy. When you're walking, cows will come up to you in a herd, wondering if you've got food. The quickly figure that you don't and stamp away in a cloud of dust.
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This old bull didn't budge an inch. I had picked up two dogs which the bull eyed warily. Didn't seem in the least bit interested in me, to tell the truth. I was able to snap several shots while he watched the dogs scamper around, but I was careful to stay clear of those horns.]
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Day 225: Started talking to an old man in a jeep. Very friendly fellow named Mr. Rucker. We were chatting about his family when another vehicle pulled up and the driver got out. It was Sandy Drake of Waka, Texas! She had been to a quilting fair in the area and brought me cookies, Nature Valley snacks, and a book with a letter in it! Incredible!
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Day 228: Turned phone on and chatted with John Mark Beilue of the Amarillo Globe-News. He has my ideal job - full-time columnist! We talked while I walked. [Note: nature called at the same time, but I was able to accommodate both.]
And with that, I leave you! I hope I have appeased the photo hounds.
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Until we meet again...

Days Forty-Eight through Eighty-Five

(My apologies for not putting this up sooner.)

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Over a month has gone by, as well as a few hundred miles and the ushering in of the beginnings of winter, since I last posted my mile count and journal entries. Miles, miles, miles. There are so many of them, and this state seems especially loaded.

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I'm not even sure exactly what I've walked. I try not to concern myself too much with the overall mileage so as not to lose a general daily awareness. Thus this exercise is just as enlightening for me as it is for you.

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Here are the stats: day, destination arrived at, and approximate distance walked. Enjoy!

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Day 48: Somewhere along Hwy 87 north of Newton, about 7 miles

Day 49: Near intersection of Hwy 87 & R255, about 14 miles

Day 50: Hemphill, about 24 miles

Day 51: A zero day in Lufkin

Day 52: Somewhere along Hwy 87 past Milam, about 10 miles

Day 53: Near Shelbyville, about 24 miles

Day 54: Near Center Airport, about 12 miles

Day 55: Texas-Louisiana border on Hwy 31, about 21 miles

Day 56: Galloway, about 2 miles

Day 57: Somewhere along US Hwy 79 (via De Berry & toward Carthage), about 30 miles

Day 58: Intersection of Co 336 & US Hwy 79 (toward Henderson), about 26 miles

Days 59-60: Two zero days in Henderson

Day 61: Martin Creek Lake State Recreation Area, about 15 miles

Day 62: Longview, about 16 miles

Days 63-64: Two zero days in Longview

Day 65: Hallsville, about 11 miles

Day 66: Beyond Marshall on Hwy 43, about 15 miles

Day 67: Caddo Lake State Park, about 15 miles

Day 68: Near Smithland, about 10 miles

Day 69: Queen City, about 25 miles

Day 70: Texarkana, about 23 miles

Days 71-73: Three zero days in Texarkana

Day 74: Hooks, about 15 miles

Day 75: New Boston, about 7 miles

Day 76: Outside De Kalb on US Hwy 82, about 10 miles

Day 77: Oak Grove, about 5 miles

Day 78: Beyond Avery on US Hwy 82, about 8 miles

Day 79: Beyond Clarksville on US Hwy 82, about 16 miles

Day 80: Somewhere on US Hwy 82, about 10 miles

Day 81: Reno, about 15 miles

Day 82: Paris, about 12 miles (6 to Paris, then I wandered 6 miles around town)

Day 83: Globe, about 13 miles

Day 84: Beyond Direct, about 12 miles

Day 85: Intersection of Farm to Market Rd 1396 and 273, about 25 miles

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Interspersed among the photos are a few journal entries from these days. I remind you that each is a snapshot of this trip, something from that particular day, and not necessarily a unchanging perception, feeling, or thought. Enjoy!

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Day 53: If anyone can get anything out of this project, I hope that it's to try to realize a dream. This was my crazy dream, and I'm doing it. It's not what I thought, at least not yet, but I'm doing it. I could fail to complete it, but that's ok. Failure is somthing to be proud of; it means you had the guts to try.

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Two Mushrooms, Sabine County, Day 54

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Day 55: (not a journal entry) On this day I stumbled upon an original survey marker, placed in 1841, separating the newly formed Republic of Texas and the United States of America. It was placed at the south end of Hwy 31 where it runs into Louisiana and, a few miles later, Logansport. I have not added a picture or much text because I've submitted an article and photo to the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Out of respect of my agreement with them, I'll hold off using some of my extraneous materials. But let me tell you this: it was a little vertical block of granite, nothing too special, but the initials R.T. were something incredibly powerful to behold.

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Logger for Hire, Sabine County, Day 57

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Day 57: It was a real pleasure chatting with David [the biker from Irving] today. I'm relieved I'm not so alone in this endeavor. We spoke on a wide variety of subjects, but the common theme was "Why aren't more people out enjoying this world?"

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Cloud Makers (near Martin Creek Lake State Recreation Area), Rusk County, Day 65

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Caddo Lake State Park, Harrison County, Day 67

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(A short Day 67 pre-thought here: I tweeted about a woman who had given her son free reign to shoot me if I did anything "funny." The scene of this tweet happened like this: I stopped on a hill near the road across the street from this woman's five-acre plot and home. I made myself comfortable, drinking water, reading, etc. I see the family members talking on the porch of the house, and eventually the woman comes out to talk with me. Aside from the initial distrust, she was quite nice. She told me how her family had been the victims of a lot of theft, that the neighborhood had gone to pot, that times were really tough. She said that it was "a black area." I left more nervous than I had arrived, but it wasn't from the gun.)

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Day 67: As bad as people say these places are, I have not encountered a negative element yet. There is [racial] tension, but I feel outside of it. And I've seen many exceptions too. Hard to know what to think. I've found people using "black" like it's a bad thing. "Oh, that's a black area" or "That's a black neighborhood." They confuse things known to increase crime (drugs, unemployment) with skin color. For this period of time, they may be right, but should things ever shift the blight on the word "black" will be difficult to recover from.

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Muddy Conditions? (Caddo Lake), Harrison County, Day 67

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No Parking, Marion County, Day 68
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Day 68: These convenience store ladies have seen it all. Truckers, druggies, locals, drunks, cowboys, farmers, rich and poor. Throw me in with my crazy project, and they believe me, no problem. They pepper me with questions and get a kick out of it - for a minute or two. You can pick up a lot from these ladies and from the customers they serve. One guy today took his money out of his sock. He was a huge man, no need at a glance to hide anything, but I'm just passing through. Two ladies at this last place spoke freely of getting robbed by residents and harassed by the police. They wouldn't elaborate on their grievances with the police except for one work-related complaint (couldn't get time off). I wanted to photograph them but was scared to do so. I've adopted their philosophy: Don't put any more stock in your surroundings than you have to. So I don't.

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Trucker Mailbox, Marion County, Day 68
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Day 69: Money is the great normalizer. If I spend a little, usually this breaks the ice and allows people to open up, ask questions, whatever they want. The BBQ restaurant staff [in Atlanta] were so friendly and talkative. The manager (at least I think she was the manager) appreciated the dedication I've applied to the project. "I hope you find what you're looking for," she told me. The other worker admitted she got pregnant in her teens and had been putting off going to school. "After seeing you, I guess I don't have a good reason not to try," she said.

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(Day 70 pre-thought: This was an unusually positive day. My interview with Michelle Williams was wonderful. Then I met a Pakistani couple running a convenience store who were quite nice. Then some workers at the next convenience store were all smiles and questions. Then I made it to Texarkana and Michael Boyd and another interview that Michael had set up. All that fed into my short entry below.)

Day 70: I feel an emotional momentum.

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Hay Bales, Red River County, Day 76

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(Day 76 pre-thought: I was hiking along and saw a car pull up a half block ahead of me and stop. "Oh, boy," I thought. A woman stepped out. As I got closer, I could see she was older with hair as white as the clouds. She was holding something in her hands, hidden by a paper towel. I said 'hi,' and she asked, "Are you hungry?" That's how I met this charming, smiling woman named Neva.)

Day 76: I can't tell you how nice it was to be met on the road by Neva [of Malta]. True, she thought I was a needy, homeless person (guess she was half right). The random kindness she did for me, giving me cornbread, filled me with happiness and love. The bread was good, too; warm, delicious, crumbly, filling, and a little sweet.

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Day 78: Honestly, what am I doing out here? The great adventure is getting easier everyday. Hike, eat, sleep. Even the indignities are easier to take now. Is this about faith? So many people have spoken to me about God that I have ceased being surprised, but I have yet to make any real revelations. What am I doing out here?

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Self-Portrait, Red River County, Day 80

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Top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Texas, Lamar County, Day 82

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Impact Area, Lamar County, Day 83

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Pyles Cemetery Angel, Lamar County, Day 83

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(Day 84 pre-story: I walked into Direct, Texas and a few drivers pulled over to chat with me, having seen the Paris News interview. I made it to a little restaurant, and a customer said to me, "Hey! You're not making very good time, are you?!" The all-around cheerfulness was contagious, and I tweeted about it. Then I later heard German (Direct has a big Mennonite community) being spoken, and I tweeted about that. +++ In a different part of town, a woman settled down with the paper from the day before. She read about the interview, then got online for more information. She found my recent tweets and thought, "He's down the street at the restaurant!" She got out the phone book, called the place, and got ahold of me! Her home was on the way out of town, so I stopped by.)

Day 84: What a pleasant encounter! I spoke with Liza and her boys for about two hours (mainly Liza; the boys were busy playing in the mud). She tried to give me new shoes! She did manage to slip me about two pounds of food (tortilla burgers, trail mix, tortillas!). We talked about all kinds of stuff, but once again without effort, God came into the conversation. We also talked about their family, how she and her husband Norm had come to Texas. We talked while watching the kids play, and it was a nice way to spend an afternoon.

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What an unpleasant encounter! A truck pulled up to my camping spot, and I figure the jig is up. I start by saying 'hello?' Nothing. I wait figuring the windows are up. I hear the door open and start up again. "My name is Matt Read. I was just in the Paris newspaper. I met a lot of nice people in Direct." Not a peep, nada. I start to think it's more sinister, but what could I do? I kept talking. Finally, a voice in the dark replied, "Oh, you're talking to me?" Uh, yeah. Turns out he was just hunting first for game sign, then for the game. I watched his flashlight bounce around across the road and down the way. +++ Another truck pulled up! Guy got out, burped loudly. I wasn't in my sleeping bag yet, and it was getting cold. I considered speaking again but didn't. Instead, I tried to get in my bag as quietly as possible. Just as soon as I did, the second fellow jumped in his truck and took off. Guess I scared him!

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Texas Tree Trimming, Fannin County, Day 85

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Day 85: I'm such a fool sometimes. I slept with an insufficient tarp covering to ward off the rain (even though I saw clouds), and my stuff got wet. I call what I did "Lazy Man's Tarp" which means you lie down on one side of the tarp and if it rains you roll up like a burrito. Argh. This time, it was just dumb. I decided to hike double (or try to), so I could get picked up by my aunt and uncle a day earlier. So in addition to a bad night of sleep, I punished my body a second time! My toe hurt a bit, and I felt tenderness in a tendon in my left foot and leg and both big toes. When am I going to learn? Still, I'm in a bed now, and as long as that's the end result, it's going to be really hard to change.

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After spending a nice few days with my aunt, uncle, and grandma, my brother and I drove down to Corpus Christi where we met our parents, another brother, our sister-in-law, and niece. I'll celebrate Thanksgiving here, let my toe recover, and figure out what my next step is at the end of this break.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Until next time, turkey-eaters...

Dear Perimeter Hiker

It's time for another session of "Dear Perimeter Hiker"! Let's just jump right in, shall we?
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Dear Perimeter Hiker,

You tweeted that your shoes and socks have holes in them. Well, what does a worn out shoe from the Texas Perimeter Hike look like?

I like my Shoes New

Dear ILMSN,

If you regard the above picture, you'll see a small tear in the shoe toward the middle right of the photo. I noticed this when I felt a tingling in my foot. Looking down, I could see my pinky toe through both shoe and sock! Upon further inspection of my footwear and a quick calculation of the miles walked in them (over 400 miles... I got them after Palacios and then walked a lot of the beaches barefoot), I realize that it's time to retire said shoes. Hard to say what I'll replace them with though. More on that later.
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Dear Perimeter Hiker,

I notice your mileage is way down. How's that toe treating you?

Stay off the Foot

Dear SOTF,

After 50 plus miles, I've come to the conclusion that I fractured my toe as opposed to breaking it. It hurt badly the first couple of days out of Texarkana, but it's gotten much better since. I use two poles and do my best to keep the weight off of my left foot. In the picture above, I have used the "buddy system" of toe healing. Underneath the bandage is a slightly swollen and slightly bruised toe. It feels better but still has a ways to go.

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Dear Perimeter Hiker,

You haven't posted a picture of yourself anywhere. What do you look like these days?

Looks Aren't Everything

Dear LAE,

The weather has changed and with it any chance for looking even remotely like everyone else. The straw hat has been replaced with the stereotypical homeless head-hugger. The normally awesome Patagonia polypro has many holes in it, but since it does the job, I'm hesitant to invest in a new one. I'm wearing longjohns under my shorts now that the cold has come in (low 40s today in Paris, TX), and I imagine even these looks will change in the weeks to come.

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Dear Perimeter Hiker,

What are you doing for the holidays? Are you plunging ahead into the Panhandle or what?

Watching Your Progress

Dear WYP,

I am getting off the edge of Texas! I am spending both Thanksgiving and Christmas with family and friends. I just hope I don't come back to an arctic Texas.

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Until next time, wanderers...