05-12-11 - I Got Ramblin’ I got Ramblin’ on my mind…

05-12-11
I Got Ramblin’ I got Ramblin’ on my mind…
As the day started I worried about “Pignose”. I fed him in the morning and prepared for our venture to internet land. A man and his wife drove up to clean the bathrooms and “Pignose” ran up to them scaring the woman. I asked if any of them had seen this dog before or if they knew of any shelters around. They knew of neither. The man recognized the dog was a friendly loving dog, but the woman still had here reservations. Must have been traumatized by a bad dog in her youth (or is just not a “dog person”).
I made ready to go and “Pignose” came up to my door and whimper a goodbye. I was ready to put him in the car right then but he ran off. I called to him to come back but he was already down the road. I hoped he was just going to visit the other campsites and would be back when I returned. As I drove out I looked for him, but he couldn’t be seen. The tent was still there and a whole bag of the food he’d gobbled down as well as the water I’d left for him were still there as tokens of our return. Time would tell.
I drove for gas to the nearest town, Lebo. There are maybe 35 buildings/businesses…ok, maybe 55...in the whole town. But there where 4 gas stations. I picked the one with the cheapest gas $3.83 and pulled up. A young man said I needed to move back to the first pump if I needed non-diesel gas. And he pumped it for me. I told him that was the first time since I was in Oregon that someone had pumped gas for me. I only got $5.00 (one third of my remaining cash) and asked for a receipt. He looked at me kinda funny but went inside and brought out an hand written receipt. In one of the lucky moments of the day I asked him if he knew of the nearest wifi location and he said “You could try the Library. It’s just up the street. Past this intersection, it’s the main one in town…if you go past the School, you’ve gone too far. Now I remember who this kid reminded me of - Bob Falfa - from American Graphetti! I drove the two blocks. Sure enough the school was the building across the street from the Library. I hooked up on something called “Coffey County Hotspot which was really run by the Coffey County Hospital. I got a sign-in account and took off.
I searched for No-Kill shelters and SPCA branches and animal shelters and found three - one in Topeka some 35 miles or more away; and two in Emporia some 12-17 miles away. I called them both. The No-Kill clinic had a web address that didn’t go to it’s own page any longer. I left a call back number, but never got a reply.. I tried to call the Animal Shelter in Emporia but kept getting a message saying either “Circuits are busy” or “Your call cannot go through”. I asked the librarian and she said I could take the dog to city hall and they would get a police officer to take charge of the animal. I wasn’t sure I liked the sound of that but she had also said that they’d take pictures and put him on facebook and try to find a home for him. Fair enough. I guess. I could find out if they had a no kill policy or find another place to take him if they couldn’t help.
I finished with the majority of my posting having put up 5 days worth of back and recent writings. I did a little solicitation as I’m almost always running on empty. Full Benefactors are few and far between. Even Patrons are rare, the last being Charlie Crawford. But I have gotten to 17 states over 5 months with 11 benefactors and 4 Patrons and maybe 10 supporters and about 5 subscribers. And I’ve had 14 hosts and about 15 interviews. I’ve lived on food stamp money from February that ran out finally today and food I pack In my trunk from my kitchen back in December. (I still have much of it today!) I have been even more frugal than when I lived in my room in Simi Valley (My income from last year was $4244.)
I’ve lost at least 26 pounds and two pant sizes and I’v e put over 12K miles on the road since I left San Diego on January 16th.
I just put folders for all the remaining states in my word processor folder for “Cohalen’s Journey” it is a little daunting to see that I’m still less than half way though the Journey and how much more is yet to be covered. I’m beleaguered by how long and exhausting and at times totally forlorn, the hope of this journey’s completion, but I am excited at the prospects of unexpected discoveries waiting for me down this road.
I have traded one ailment’s location for another. My right wrist is now about 95 % functional with only minor twinges at times but now my right outer heal is hobbling me. I can still drive, but walking is challenging.
I’m getting a lot of ticks around here and I wish they’d just go away. I just gave Mischa a summer hair cut that will make her cooler and ticks easier to find and remove. I keep having to pick the little “F’er’s off of my neck and out of my hair…and other places. I need a hair cut myself. But other things have priority…like gas and camping fees.
I’m going to stay in camp tomorrow (yesterday by the time I post this), not just because it’s Friday the 13th (I’m thinking of using the lyrics from Jeff Beck’s “Ain’t Superstitious” or Wonder’s “Very Superstitious” as the musical tie-in for tomorrows post. Mainly it’s to save gas money. I only have $10 cash left and about $14 to $24 total assets remaining beyond that. Camping is free here, but Come Sunday, I’m supposed to be in Missouri. That takes gas. And I’ve yet to find someone to interview from Kansas. Much less see the “Big Cities” of Topeka and Kansas City.
I was given a very cool gift from my cousin Converse. It’s called a Lunchbox Stove. I plug it into my inverter and make hot meals. Last night it was Broccoli Rice with ramen noodles and tonight It was lamb stew (with the last of my food stamp money.)
It was very tasty and Mischa enjoyed it too. There’s even some for tomorrow.
The radio says there’s chances for rain again tonight and tomorrow, while the Weather channel said that only Wednesday would be rainy. It’s almost 9 pm and the day, since about 10 am had been glorious.
I will take this day as either the Weather Channels’ redemption or the local news’ apology for causing undue concern.
I hope it doesn’t rain. I hope that where ever “Pignose” is, he’s well cared for and loved. He deserves no less. And if not, I hope he finds his way back to this camp. We’ll help him find a home he deserves.
As we all deserve…