Manifest Destiny: America from the Bottom Up - Day 10 - Kingstown, RI to Charlestown, RI - Halloween

I woke up right before the watch alarm. Pack up was a little longer, since I had used the tarp and needed to fold it up after stowing the sleeping bag. It was still dark out, and clouds had moved in preventing me from being able to tell where the sun was when it finally did come up.

I started back down Route 2 and had gone about 1,000 feet when I caught sight of a bump near the side of the road. As I approached, I saw what it was. Someone's pet dog had been hit. It was a Benji type dog. He had no visible sign of injury, but he was dead. He looked like he was asleep. Because he was in the middle of the lane, I picked him up and brought him over to the grass by the shoulder. He had a collar, but there were no tags or name on it. I removed the collar and laid it respectfully across his belly. There were no houses around, so I didn't have anyone to alert. I walked on...

It was a much easier walk to Charlestown with a good night's sleep under my belt. The food and drink made all the difference. I had energy again. After nearly 5 hours I strolled into Charlestown utterly exhausted, but feeling a bit triumphant. I'd walked to the coast of Rhode Island all the way from Boston in 10 days.

It was really cold out. I was tired and pretty hungry. I thought this would be more of a seaside resort filled with cheap motels and sunbathed beauties--or maybe the other way around? But instead it was a cold, mostly deserted place, clouding up and ready for rain.

The first thing I did was find the library. After a few false starts I made it to the Cross Mills Public Library. I was well ahead of schedule, having arrived right at around noon. I had a lot of people to reply to...

Cross Mills Public Library.

Google Street View.

I'd walked an average of about 15 miles a day, spent the first night standing in a rainy doorway in Boston, and eight more nights in the woods. I was going to try to treat myself to a motel room, shower, and laundry, but I decided to save my money. It would have been completely depleted by such an extravagance.

At the library I posted a bunch of photos. I was still smarting from losing my Samsung Android way back in Easton, Massachusetts, but the Kodak was working fairly well. I was quite thrilled to tell people about the friends I was meeting along the way. And, I tried to catch the blog up as best I could. Each of these new friends didn't know me, but chose to give me food and drinks without me asking for help. Even when I declined, not wanting to put them out, they insisted. I also received directions, maps and a lot of wonderful companionship while I journeyed through this part of our great land. I will never forget these people and I hope we will always stay in touch.

One of the librarians was putting books back on the shelf, while I typed furiously. She inquired about all my stuff, and I told her my story. She was quite interested and asked me to go up to the front desk with her so that I could tell another woman about it. The three of us had a nice talk and I wrote down the blog address for them both, hoping they would stay in touch. Then I left to find the Dunkin Donuts.

I took a left and was headed east back on Old Post Road, which was also Route 1A. It was a bit of a hike to the stores in town. I finally found Dunkin Donuts though and set up my laptop...

Charlestown Dunkin Donuts.

Google Street View

It was Halloween and kids were coming in every now and then. Some older high school kids came in, obviously drunk. When the manager went into the back room they gave their friend, the cashier, a tab of LSD and he took it, knowing he'd be out of work in a half hour. Kids today! Ha!

While I was online, my friend, Jeff Poulin contacted me and we made arrangements to meet there at the Dunkin Donuts the next day. He had a little time off from work and made the amazing offer to drive all the way down from New Hampshire to reconnect. He also offered to drive me into Connecticut. We'd not seen each other in many years. I was looking forward to it.

There was rain predicted but it never really came. I left Dunkin Donuts at about 9:00 pm to find a nesting place. Sure enough, further down Route 1A was a gated street. I slipped in around the gate and found a field with mid-sized pine trees along the edge. There was one really good place behind a large bump, with enough smaller trees to conceal the blue of my sleeping bag. I pulled out the bag and the little towel and made a “bed.” The sky kept threatening rain but only a few drops fell. I finished up the other half of my half pint of vodka and then fell into a dreamless sleep.

Charlestown Sleeping Place