The Midnight Goose to Gander

Upon leaving the J.R. Smallwood Hall of fame i made for the local gas station to pick up supplies. A couple cans of chef, 2 cans of Redbull, and a pack of smokes. then i struck out for the trail. the rain picked up a bit but i didn't care. I was soaring from the 4 cups of coffee the Joanne had poured for me. I walked for 14 kms straight no breaks. singing all the way. then i stopped for a can of the Chef. That was at Butt's pond which looks remarkably unlike a butt or owned by a butt, and more like a lake. There were a few cabins out there but i didn't stop long enough to see if anyone was home i kept on.

Half way to Benton i pounded a can of Redbull. Walked straight through Benton and on into the dusk. The trail wound up a long hill just past benton and the sky started to clear some what. I Briefly saw the shimmer of a couple of stars or planets. Another can of redbull. At the top of the hill the trail straightened right out. I could see the lights of Gander International Airport staining the sky. I walked, and walked, and walked even more. The lights never seemed to get closer. Its like driving to Winnipeg at night you see the lights of the city from 4 hours away. they never seem to get closer. Mind you if i were in a car it would be a 20 minute drive and not seem like eternity. I wasn't discouraged. It was probably all the caffine. literally flying over the stones and up the slight hills. I sang extremely loud to warn any late night travellers of my presence.

I believe i was rocking out to some Jethro Tull at the time

STONES

The trail flattened out for the last 10 kms just like the prairies. As I crossed the flat bog plain, my feetzez started to hurt quite horribly. It felt as if the arches of my feet had broken and i had become flat footed. Now that was disheartening, but i loped on. determined to make my goal. ever so slowly the lights seperated into individual blinkers. some red, some yellow, and a whole lotta white. eventually i was walking past it. Man airports are big eh? real long a couple of kms at least. I was about to collapse when a slight bend straightened and i could see the high pressure sodium light ball of a lampost. Glorious victory! i made it a total of 62 Kms in one day or something close to it. I collapsed on the porch of a building at the edge of town. I figured no one would mind as it had a for rent sign in the window. To tell you the truth i really didn't care. There was no way i was going to make it anywhere else, not that night in anycase. I had absolutely no energy left to find a secure little cubby-hole on the trail.

I was awoken at around 3 by a security guard. I explained my situation to her, and she was extremely sympathetic. I assured her that i wouldn't break any windows or steal anything. I slept ueasily on the hard wood and i had searing pain knawing at my knees but i was happy. Doing what I love to do, and that is adventure without gas.

I woke this morning at about 5 or so. I peaked in the window of the warehouse to see what the security guard was protecting. As humour would have it, the place was filled with cheezey christmas ornaments. Ranging from reindeer and santa clause, to a complete nativity including ducks. All stuff that would be extremely hard to conceal, or act nonchalant about stealing. I don't think i could stuff Jesus into my pants even though they are baggy.

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