Covington, VA

I last Blogged in Charleston. A long time ago and a lot has happened since then so I will try to give you as much information as I can but I have a time limit on the computer I am on so I may not be able to get everything in that I would like to put in. Since arriving in Charleston, WV a lot has happened so bear with me as we speed through a lot of info. Ok I stayed at the shelter for three nights. I was only going to stay two but I lost my phone so I ended up staying an extra found my phone and one of the guys that worked at the shelter gave me a Black and Tan Coon Hound. I named her Priss because she is a jealous little Priss. But that night while I was hiking out of Charleston I met two homeless guys who walked with me for a while then they split directions. A little while later one of them caught up with me and tells me that his buddy is planning on robbing me that night and that he wanted to protect me. Well we went up and stayed under a bridge as you are leaving Charleston, through certain events I was able to tell him of Jesus’ saving sacrifice and willingness to forgive. He called me a couple of weeks ago and told me that he was attending church again I continue to pray that the Lord will guide him towards his will.

The next morning I got up and we parted ways. I hiked through the day receiving many donations of food and money. One lady told me that I was to come to her restaurant and order anything that I wanted off her menu. I continued hiking that night to a place just between two small towns where I found a good place to camp for the night. The next day I got up and moved down the road where a gentleman stopped and asked me if I needed anything I told him what I was doing and that I was pretty well off a that moment well I stayed on his mind for the rest of the day and finally he calls me up and tells me that when I get to Gauley Bridge that the Funeral Home where he worked was going to put me up for a night in their local hotel. Not only did he do that but he also took me up the road and fed me at Applebee. Then to top that off he let me stick around for a week. While there in Gauley Bridge I sent a check home for $114.67 (making the total to send 426.92 unfortunately $80 was lost in the mail so I only got to send 346.92) the gentleman then took me back to Charleston where I caught a ride home so that I could see my baby sister Graduate from high school.

What was supposed to be a weekend visit home ended up being about 8 weeks because the original ride I lined up fell through then I got a summer job which allowed me to get some new equipment such as a Dutch Oven, and an audio bible player. When summer camp ended I returned to Gauley Bridge and the next morning resumed hiking. Priss and I did not make but about 5 miles that day (as opposed to the twenty we had been doing) because of the heat and we managed to bend two wheels which were replaced relatively quickly. That night I stayed in some small town in the backyard of a gentleman who the next day after morning church service I was hiking and not but a mile down the road I had another bent wheel because I rolled my cart somehow. Well he helped me get back to his house and then ended up taking me all the way back to Charleston to find a new wheel which the donations I had received just covered. Praise God. I learned at that bike shop that I needed Double walled wheels that cost almost $75 dollars a piece (hope to get enough on down the road). After we got the right wheel on my cart the gentleman and his wife wanted to get me off of Route 39 because they were afraid I was going to get run over by a coal truck. So they took me all the way to Covington, VA where when I was trying to get back on track I made a wrong turn and about the time that I figured out I was a mile the wrong way from where I started and I turned around a lady pulled in and told me she wanted to give me a ride because she was afraid I was going to get run over by a logging truck. Well she ends up putting me up with another lady who helps her fix Ferrell cats through an organization called the Allegany Alley Cat Angels. The next day they were making a run to Roanoke with several cats. And I offered to help them out by going with the lady and just being an extra set of arms. Well I ended up being that and more the next day it was really cool being able to help with everything the way I did. Well when they found out that Priss was not yet fixed they decided they needed to help me get my dog fixed so I have been camping nearby at The Buckhorne with another gentleman who has been making sure I have been fed everyday and just let me stay there for free. So I am getting Priss fixed today and I will be back on the Road after she is healed up.

That is all I have for now will try and make sure I get the next blog up a little faster. And again if this is the first you are reading make sure you check out the rest of my story below. And thank you to everyone who has been keeping me in there prayers.