06/25/2024
Here’s my journal entry while I was walking across America, 22 yrs ago. I sure wouldn’t mind being on the beach right now, but without the blisters!
Portsmouth, New Hampshire 6/20/02
This morning started out with an interview with the newspaper and pictures of the fire crew and I standing in front of their newest truck. I really enjoyed that, and made sure we got a few of those pictures with my camera, too. Last night they contacted the fire station in the next town, and today
they hauled my cart there for me.
After the photo session, I headed up the coast for Portsmouth (*Portsmith. Say it fast.) It was a beautiful day out, and I was able to walk right on the beach, barefooted in the sand and wading in the Atlantic. Actually, I walked around 4 miles right in the water like that. The velvety smooth sand and the
cool water felt wonderful on my sore, blistered feet.
While I was there on the beach, I visited with a woman who was out for a stroll with her poodle, Sandy. She has lived on the coast all her life, and was telling me all the neat things I should do while Im in this area. She especially said I should go out to the Isles of Shoals, and also take in New Castle, a town steeped in history.
As I continued on, eventually the sand turned into rocks and I came to an area of the beach that was not meant to walk on, so l patched my feet back up, put my shoes back on, and headed down Hwy 1A. I asked several people where a good place to get fish & chips was, and on 3 separate occasions they each said "Rays Seafood." So Rays it was. I had a great lunch there and then was
back on the road again.
It seemed to take quite awhile to get to Portsmouth today. When I finally entered town, I saw a small fire station on the left. It didn't look big enough to be the main station, but I stopped in anyway. Talk about a letdown when he said I still have 5 more miles to go! I thought I was almost there!
So I continued on, and visited with a husband and wife who were out bicycling. They commented about the flag that hangs from my backpack, and I asked them how much further it was to the fire station. We visited for awhile, and they were amazed with my story. He was especially amazed at the picture of my cart, and assumed that I had quit using that a long time ago! When I said no, that I still have it, he said he'd haul it to the next destination for me. We visited some more, and they gave me their name, ph # and $20, and I continued on. My feet were hurting, and I was ready to find that fire
station when it finally appeared up ahead, just as the bicyclists had said.
I knocked on the door and got no answer. The door was unlocked, so I walked in. I then headed upstairs to investigate. I found no one around, and assumed they were all out on a call. I was feeling pretty unsure about being inside with no one there, and was not even sure if this was the right place where I was staying. A few minutes later I heard the sound of a fire truck backing into the garage, and as the first fireman came upstairs, he saw me and said YOU MADE IT! Buddy, it felt good to be home. The other firemen came upstairs and introduced themselves, and Captain Steve showed me around. He showed me a large meeting room with 3 TV's, my cart, and showed me where the shower was, and they also invited me to have supper with them.
It was a hot, sunny day today, so with all the sunscreen, gritty-grimey sand, ocean, and sweat, the shower really felt good. The guys grilled some steak, and fixed rice and corn on the cob, and
finished it off with angel food cake, strawberries, and cool whip. It doesn't get much better than that. Good times, good food and great company can't be beat.
On Friday I plan to take the day off, and hopefully, if my feet will let me, do some sight-seeing. Right now I'm dealing with 5 blisters, so it'll feel good to take a day off. Then on Saturday I'll head for Maine, my 22nd state.
