“Hey!” I heard through the dark. I was walking a dead end frontage road east of exit 116 on Interstate 10, having avoided the freeway entrance and cop with driver pulled over. It was dark, I was nearly 25 miles into the day’s still-to-be completed walk, and after mistaking a baa-ing lamb for a human voice just ten minutes earlier, I decided to not respond to what I may or may not have been hearing. Then I heard more: “Hello!”
I was walking by a small group of mobile homes– some of the only homes I’d seen all day. This human voice coming from one of them sounded very welcoming. I approached the chain link fence to say hi to the silhouette across from me.
“How’s it going? Why are you walking out here?” an inquisitive man named Adam was very friendly with his questions.
I delivered him my standard answer.
“Well, you want some water? You want something to eat? Heck, we could probably put you up for the night!”
Score! Another excellent family met, more new friends made! Adam is the grown son of Rick & Stacy, who live in a very cozy home here, close to homes of fellow relatives. Adam invited me inside his parents’ house, then called his soon-to-be-home parents to inform them.
I haven’t showered since before leaving Deming, and now, nearly forty warm miles later, my nearly exhausted human engine was sooo happy to suddenly get invited in by this nice, generous family who proceeded to make me dinner and set me up in their guest bedroom before we really even got a chance to start a conversation and get to know each other.
Adam was on his way to bed when he caught site of me (good thing I stood for a few moments to admire the beautiful pink backdrop behind the distant, rocky desert picks–spiky yuccas in the foreground– or I may have missed him!). He went to bed shortly after joining me for my dinner.
Rick and I stayed up chatting a while longer. He was born and raised on just the other side of what is now I-10. He’s lived all over the US, and he has many interesting stories to tell– especially about life in the desert Southwest.
He set me up with fresh towels for a shower and internet access before turning in for the night, and I stop to shake my head in utter satisfaction of how great things can work out– how lovely life can be… My alternative was to head to the Border Patrol checkpoint, a few miles down the road yet, and stop in, ask for water, and ask to camp nearby. No need for that anymore…
25 miles down for today, and tomorrow should be just over 25 to reach central Las Cruces. I’m told it’s slightly downhill to get there, and as I’ve heard many great things about the town and its people, I’m excited that Las Cruces is my next rest stop. I’ve been invited in by a couple of different people there; I’ll be meeting Allyson, my first host, when she gets off work tomorrow evening at 8:30. I’ll stay two nights at her place just before she flies off to Italy and the U.K. (pending Icelandic ash approval). She’s lined up a friend of hers to host me on Friday.
In the middle of back-to-back 25-mile days, a comfortable bed, hot shower and fresh food are at least as welcome as cool sunshine to the bride and groom on the day of their outdoor wedding.