A Living Magazine - Day 228 - Homecoming - Gastonia: One More Night

Wasn't a bad sleep. Only woke up once. I shuffled into the bathroom (which was also where the sink and coffee maker were. There was a decaf and a regular coffee. Since there is never enough flavor in the regular, I decided to brew them both. When I opened the top of the coffee maker to add the packets I found...something (gonna have to wait for the book!). It would turn out to be an even better day...

A shot down the side of the motel.

After my thoughts on a new urban camping line of products the day before, the idea struck me to make a short video on how the tent is disassembled and bagged... 

Disassembling the tent video.

I also decided to buy another night and sacrificed my ability to eat properly for the next couple of days. It seemed worth it at the time, but now I wonder about the wisdom of it as I sit here with no money four days later.

I spent most of the day inside writing and processing pictures. I was able to publish another blog post, and kept my eye on the email. Finally, Diane (the Gaston Gazette reporter) emailed me and said that the article should be posted online that afternoon and be in print the next day. I was truly psyched. After working all day, I bought a bologna sandwich at the gas station as my meal. Then I took some shots of the sunset around the motel...

I had no idea how I would eat for the following days. This always happens when I'm about to do a long distance walk--no money. I knew the reason, but the anxiety of having to beg online for scraps again stayed in the back of my mind for the whole night. Wanting to get a jump on things so I wouldn't be in a rush the next moring, I cleaned out the pack and reorganized things...

To fill the pack (L->R): Big pocket--clothes, tent, tarp/fly, poles under-tarp;

middle pocket--blue shirt, wipes, medkit, business cards, etc...;

small pockets--cords, pens, multitool, binoculars, etc...

The sleeping bag was already in its pocket.

Fay and I waited for the online publication of the article, but it never went up. I knew it would be in print the next day, but still wanted to see it ahead of time. It was okay. It gave us something to look forward to in the morning. I watched a documentary about the Arctic, then went to bed.

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From her page...

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