Manifest Destiny: America from the Bottom Up - Day 24 - Lancaster, PA - A Wallk Around Town

So nice to sleep in an actual bed. I know it seems romantic to be sleeping on the ground each day. But, essentially, that is what animals do. I am a human being and we humans have not evolved for a million years to be planted on the hard cold ground. I was however beginning to fully understand just how tough it was to live without a home. Being in a hotel made it all the more real.

The Protector had bought me two nights at this Days Inn. That meant I could leisurely explore the city on this day, and also prepare for a train ride from here to Pittsburg in the western part of the state. Before leaving to tour the town, I did a tub laundry--the first of many...

After hanging up the clothes to dry, I left to explore Lancaster. Besides getting some kind of idea about the layout of the town, I also had one particular mission in mind. I had t-shirts and winter coats, but no long sleeve shirts. I wanted at least one long sleeve shirt for times when it was too cold for a t-shirt but when my walking would not necessitate a winter coat.

In a rare confluence of beneficial circumstances, there was a Goodwill right across the road from the hotel! I poked around and found a blue Puma longsleeve shirt for $3.00! I bought is and put it on right away, so that I didn't need to where my heavier coats, then set out to explore the city.

Lancaster is a neat place. I thought it was a shame that I would not be able to experience any festivals or events featuring the "Dutch," Mennonites, or Amish folks. But, I still had a good time wandering around. As is my habit, I got lost a couple times. But, the grid-like layout of the area around my hotel meant that I was bound to run into a parallel or perpendicular streets that I recognized at some point. So I wasn't all that stressed out. Here are a couple of sites...

Emmanuel Lutheran Church.

I happened to be passing by just as the hour changed, bringing on a beautiful bell-chiming...

All around Pennsylvania were these sycamore trees. At first I thought they were some kind of birch. But, eventually I would truly get to know them, and would see just how large they would grow when I got to California... 

After losing and finding myself a few more times among the tightly spaced apartments and quaint businesses, I was able to find a McDonald's where I got online to check my location. I realized I was quite close to the straightaway that led to my hotel. I took it and was back at my room just as the sun went down. 

I knew this was to be my last night near the East Coast. On the morrow I would be going to the train station and buying an Amtrak ticket for Pittsburgh. I had originally planned to walk across the state, but that notion seemed ridiculous to me now. It would have taken at least three weeks and I would have spent most of my time in the wilderness, broke, unable to communicate with the outside world, and not able to meet new people.

I noticed my laundry was dry, so I folded it up and reorganized the pack for my Midwest leg of the Journey. Then it was just a matter of relaxing...   

 I turned in at about 11:00 pm and slept peacefully that night.