It gets harder every time I have to say goodbye to her.

On her breaks from teaching math full time, Rocio has caught up to me in numerous places since I left on foot from her Atlanta home, and our relationship has blossomed beautifully as we’ve spent ample time with one another across the miles.
She just spent nine wonderful days of her spring break with me, walking with me from Durham to Henderson. She has class tomorrow, so she had to go back to Atlanta today.

Had it not been for Road Angel Sejal Patel (driver seat), Rocio would have had to return yesterday. Sejal and her husband hosted us for a pair of nights at their inn in Creedmoor, and she offered to pick Rocio up this morning and drive her to Durham, to catch the first of her two buses back to Georgia. The extra day was so valuable to us!!

I cherish every moment with Rocio, and taking pictures when she left actually helped minimize the tears in my eyes, as I partially put myself into “work” mode, documenting the goodbye, instead of feeling the full ripping sensations of the separation.

I ♥ U, Rocío Sotomayor!!!

“But it’s probably OK if we walk through early enough, don’t ya think?” I asked.

Especially when told “stay away from that part of town,” and it appears I have to walk through anyway, I shop for the answers I need. Rocio & I were warned to stay away from Andrews Avenue, in Henderson– told of all sorts of violent crimes that happen there. That said, given that there was no easy way around, and given that ironically I seem to be most fascinated by the idea of spending time in such areas, I seek a window of opportunity to make it through anyway. And for Andrews Avenue, I found it!

“Go early– don’t be caught there after 2 PM. Go early, don’t get off the main road, and you should be fine.”
We followed the advice we were given, and though we definitely did find some painful small-city urban scars on our 2-mile stretch of Andrews Avenue, we also met some friendly locals, in a part of town which can use extra smiles.
Mission accomplished.

More to come…

I spent a very busy day speaking to groups of sixth, seventh and eighth graders at Mary Potter Middle School in Oxford, NC. Rocio & I walked three miles to connect the steps to downtown Oxford. I was plucked off the route to speak to the Girls on The Run group (grades 3-5) in nearby Stovall, and at the end of the day, I spoke to a group of pre-teens at Oxford’s Boys and Girls Club. Busy day– somewhat exhausting– but ironically, empowering as well– I love it!!

The Oxford Bed & Breakfast at the Olde Parsonage

Breakfast is served at The Oxford Bed & Breakfast at the Olde Parsonage

Eddie & Pam Dalton, owners of The Oxford Bed & Breakfast at the Olde Parsonage, are treating Rocio & me to a pair of nights at their FABULOUS inn– delicious breakfast included!!!

Speaking to the outstanding students of Mary Potter Middle School

Speaking to the outstanding students of Mary Potter Middle School

Well, I can’t expect them all to like it!
I eat a lot of different trail mixes on the road, leaning heavily toward raw, and without any added sugars or salts.
This afternoon, when the sixth-graders at Oxford’s Mary Potter Middle School asked me what I eat, in the interest of satisfying all senses, I decided to go ahead and allow them to pass around, open, examine and smell a unique packet of trail mix I was carrying. The combo of goldenberries, goji mulberries and cacao nibs were quite foreign to them– and I LOVED the reactions they gave me!!

8th graders at Mary Potter Middle School– they’re AWESOME!!

Across the miles, I’ve learned that K-12 students–especially as they grow older–don’t simply want to be preached to or lectured, they want to be entertained. Entertaining them while simultaneously making the effort to do something educational and inspirational is much easier said than done. That said, I feel like each extra group I speak to, I learn a little bit more, making more progress in the process. As a result, after first speaking to 6th and 7th grades yesterday, I feel 8th grade (shown here), at the end of the day, was the most effective interaction of them all. Especially given that the 8th grade group was about three times the size of the 6th grade group, this made for a perfect progression of yesterday’s appearances at Oxford’s Mary Potter Middle School.

Speaking to the outstanding students of Mary Potter Middle School

Coach is a very inspiring man who has been guiding kids well for 30 years now. He’s about to retire on to the next phase of life .

Speaking to the outstanding students of Mary Potter Middle School

Wonderful teachers at Mary Potter Middle School– I so enjoyed speaking to all of your classes!

Among a handful of personalized pics with students

Among a handful of personalized pics with students

Among a handful of personalized pics with students

Among a handful of personalized pics with students

Walking through Oxford, NC

Walking through Oxford, NC

The Girls on the Run club of neighboring Stovall.

Students from the Girls on the Run club ask for personalized written messages. I had barely enough time (a couple of hours) to fill out personalized messages (Strength! Peace! Light! Love!) to each of them.

Boys & Girls Club of Oxford

Boys & Girls Club of Oxford

Dinner with Lovely Rocio.
We’re arm wrestling over something– I forget exactly what– LOL!

Mayor Jackie Sergent sits down to dinner with us, after a long day on the road to Oxford, NC. We’re being hosted for a pair of nights at The Oxford Bed & Breakfast at the Olde Parsonage.
A very fun, high-energy woman, Jackie had lots of enthusiastic questions, which led to a very scintillating conversation as innkeepers Eddie & Pam joined us as well. Within quite little time, Jackie has lined up speaking appearances all day at the middle school, in addition to a local running club afterward. I look forward to a fun & busy Oxford experience!!

When Rocio & I awoke yesterday, we faced the prospect of not only sixteen miles to Creedmoor, but also a whole week’s worth of walking and NO invitations anywhere. That was how the day began– as we began accumulating the day’s first miles, however, prospects brightened immediately. Toni Anne Wheeler of the South Granville County Chamber, in Creedmoor, learned of the Walk when she arrived to the Chamber yesterday morning, on what was supposed to be a day off for her. (I’d written a letter of inquiry to the Chamber.)
“I read the e-mail, and just felt I needed to do something,” Toni Anne told me.
Toni Anne did more than “just something.” She contacted the pastor of her First Baptist Church of Creedmoor, and the church provided us with a night’s stay at The Inn at Creedmoor. The Patel family, of India, owners of The Inn at Creedmoor, learned of the story and offered us a second night’s stay. Toni Anne contacted Creedmoor Mayor Darryl Moss, who asked her if we could speak to the community at their Monday night Town Hall meeting, which Rocio & I ended up arriving just in time for. Toni Anne also organized a dinner meeting with the mayor of neighboring community Butner as well.
I met Toni Anne early this afternoon, and she brought along her friend Faicia, who not only ensured we had a place to stay in Oxford (the next town up), she also brought us a “basket of basics,” which included: toothbrush, toothpaste, razors, basic first-aid kit, moisturizing cream, comb, shampoo, mouthwash, deodorant, sanitizer, and more– even a bit of candy! . Faicia then took us out to lunch, which ended up being an abundance of salad + more to last us through dinner as well. Faicia has invited me to speak to her church this weekend, which I’ll be more than happy to do.
When we awoke yesterday, Rocio and I were mentally prepared to spend the week’s worth of cold nights sleeping outside of churches, abandoned buildings, or whatever else to safely make it through the week’s miles together. By day’s end, it appeared unlikely that we’ll spend any frigid night outdoors this week.
I just love the magic of the Road Angels of the Universe!!! ♥ ♥ ♥

Though spring is less than 48 hours away, the cold, gray weather had winter written all over it.

…

…

The less traveled the roads, the more beautiful they are, generally

…Mi Amor!

…Forging across Falls Lake

…Despite the cold and gray day, one cannot help but be awed by nature’s boundless beauty!!!

… We’re here! But: still, a handful of miles awaits us…

…Mayor Darryl Moss invites me to speak to the Creedmoor Monday night Town Hall meeting.

…Creedmoor resident Dr. Cheryl Hanly, a local chiropractor, describes a 2,200 mile walk she’s about to embark on, up the entire Appalachian Trail, to broadcast a loud message against bullying. Our encounter was totally unplanned and serendipitous!!! Her website: www.learningtoliveoutloud.com

Meeting Toni Anne & Faicia at The Inn at Creedmoor, Creedmoor, NC.

Here is the map of the day’s walking route:

View Larger Map

From today’s edition of The Chapel Hill News:

Setting an example one step at a time

Today’s miles are a tiny handful. Tomorrow’s miles are expected total at least 14, to Creedmoor.

This tiny community church isn’t situated within the most economically prosperous corner of town, with protective bars on its windows, etc. That said, I find myself fascinated with the thought of what a Sunday or other weekday service must be like here– for even if it’s the greatest sermon in the world, we know that given that this is not big, fancy and glassy church, the cover of this book alone would keep many from being interested in attending. And some of the greatest pearls emerge from the crustiest of shells…

Thank You Jermaine and (son) David, for stopping me on the side of the road today, and ensuring I had enough water by going in and getting some for me!

Tuan Le invited me into his restaurant, Basil and Lime, for my first-ever bowl of Vietnamese pho soup. I absolutely loved it, and if I were to live in the Research Triangle, I would definitely return again and again. That said, as I already have a penchant for foods from afar, I look forward to eating Vietnamese many more times throughout my remaining years…

Delicious Vietnamese Pho soup! Thanks, Tuan!!

At the end of Thursday night’s walk, almost all the way back to the home of hosts Steve & Phil, I spotted a man with a large backpack and a dog, half a block ahead of me.
Homeless youths can be found everywhere USA– they often carry large backpacks, and many times pit bulls and/or other dogs as well. Sadly, the dingy, dirty homeless young adults that we often see roaming the streets carry the pain of drug addiction in their eyes as well as their footsteps. The man in front of me exhibited none of this pain, however, and I was extra-curious about his story, so I caught up to him for a friendly evening chat.
His name is Cory, and Cory’s long beard and welcoming smile remind me of my friend and former host, filmmaker Daniel McCord. Cory is in his 30′s and has been living “on the road” since he was 18. He doesn’t drink, and his appearance and energetic visage make his words very easy to believe. He has friends in many parts of the country, many of whom invite him in when he’s in town, and he often works as well. Nonetheless, he’s chosen to not permanently settle anywhere. When on the road, he avoids places that have a high concentration of homeless, as he knows that the intra-homeless world can be a very dangerously Darwinian one.
He’d recently arrived from the Carolina coast, and was looking to hitchhike or “catch” a train to Asheville.
Cory’s life appeared to be one of awesome adventures– a life that I’m sure would be fascinating to accompany for a few weeks. Hmmm… maybe someday I join such a person for a few weeks to simply get a glimpse of what living such a life is like..?
I wish him well on his path…

More to come…

“I was just getting tired of writing prescriptions…” Dr. Michael Sharp explains to me this morning, when asked of why he decided several years ago to expand his practice well beyond what he’d learned as a graduate of Harvard Medical School, and as a professor at the UNC School of Medicine.

Years ago, many of Dr. Sharp’s patients came to him reporting positive results from a number of other approaches they’d been trying, including naturopathy, Chinese medicine, and a variety of other “alternative” approaches to medicine. So, Dr. Sharp decided to begin studying these approaches to medicine as well, and ultimately discovered that the standard American MD approach is a very limited and restricted window through which health care can be practiced.
He now believes in a variety of other approaches, rarely prescribes drugs, examines a patient’s diet, activities, stress load and more to get a much broader picture of a patient’s life, rather than just treating the symptoms themselves.
Recently, I’ve been taking the time to contact and interview a number of health care professionals who practice well beyond the limited window of everyday “sick care” which so many of us have come to know as “health care” in America. I’ve been learning many fascinating things; and, after the Walk, I plan to work on interviewing, editing and sharing more from currently practicing “integrative” health care professionals
After interviewing Dr. Sharp at his home-based office, I had and was able to take advantage of a spur-of-the-moment opportunity to spend time with and interview Kathleen, his health coach wife, and healthy-promoting friends of hers as well.

They ended up inviting me to a delicious home-cooked meal before returning me to hosts Steve & Phil.

What great people! Thank You, Dr. Sharp, Kathleen, Beth and Patricia for your time!

What a wonderful experience of speaking to nine distinct groups of classes throughout today at Carrboro’s Frank Porter Graham Elementary School. Over a week ago, learning that host Phil Son works for Chapel Hill and Carrboro public schools, I invited him to forward my information to local schools. He did, and Nurse Janice Anderson of Frank Porter Graham Elementary invited me in, organizing nine distinct groupings of classes for me to speak to throughout the day. This resulted in one of the most fun and filling day’s worth of school speaking appearances yet, as I spent the entire day speaking to all grades, from kindergarten through fifth grade. Mrs. Robinson’s second-grade class even followed up by drawing me pictures and writing me thank you letters– WOW!!!

What a magical experience!!!

Andrea & Tommy, who hosted me in High Point, had told me that they’d like to catch up with me before I leave North Carolina. As they’re both from Florida, they also both wanted to visit North Carolina’s Research Triangle, so today is the day the slated to come and visit me in the Durham-Chapel Hill area.  We’ll be meeting up slightly outside the Triangle, and I really look forward to it!

Tomorrow, I speak to nine separate groups of kids at Carrboro’s Frank Porter Graham Elementary School. I’ll likely be exhausted by day’s end, but nonetheless, I’m really looking forward to meeting and speaking to all the kids and the school staff!!