A map for the future

Happy Memorial Day. Valda & I thought we would be in Indiana by now and having a bar-b-que with brothers and sisters-in-laws this weekend, but alas, it is not to be. We are still in Tullahoma, TN and will be for about 3 more weeks or so. There is a rumor afloat now that has us going to Dalton, GA to work after Tullahoma, so don't even know if IN is in our future or not this year. I guess I should know better than to mention something before it is etched in stone. Oh well.

Got letters off to Etonic Worldwide (Etonic shoes, which I've worn for the last 15 years) soliciting shoes for the walk. Will know something in a week or so. Also, will post a map of my route. Hope it looks okay. I've played with a Streets & Trips program and scanned a route map in, so we'll see in a few moments if it works or not.

Went off one morning this week without my billfold. About three hours later, I missed it. Called Valda, and sure enough it was in my drawer. Normally, Valda sort of goes through a check list each morning and asks if I have everything, but this morning she wasn't too awake and so didn't ask me if I had my billfold. So...I'm blaming her.

Got to see our son Chris on Friday the 25th in Bowling Green, KY for a couple of hours. He drove down from Louisville and we drove up and met for breakfast. Hadn't seen him since Disney World last January a year ago. He looks good, and it was good seeing him (see photo). Will keep you posted on progress with sponsors. Hope the map posting makes sense.

Some answers/some thanks

Okay, to answer some comments. Bonnie in Washington State: We will be walking from Bodega Bay, CA to Coney Island in New York. I probably won't detour the several hundred miles north to walk through your state. I'll have to leave that for another time to visit you and Paul. Wayne & Illene: The name is pronounced Pop Eye, like the sailor man who eats spinach and chases around a tall ugly girl. A funny add to about this. When my daughter Syndi was a very little girl, she had some trouble pronouncing certain words. Popeye was one of them. She pronounced it Pie Pie. Then later when she had kids, her oldest Nicolas (he likes to be called Nic now) started calling me Popeye when he first learned to talk. Quite strange how that all came about.

Rich and Patti: I don't know about the cost of George Dickel whiskey. It is a pretty small operation compared to Jack Daniels (one tenth the size), so you are probably right. By the way, the infamous dog Stump is no relation to you guys (Rich & Patti Stump are very good friends).

Now, I want to thank two people for signing on and helping me out on my upcoming walk. First, my brother Ron Hammersley has offered to underwrite the cost of my shirts and the printing of logos, etc. He owns the Beech Grove Bowl in Indiana, and is the only bowling establishment in the Indianapolis area open 24 hours. You can go to his website at http://www.bgbowl.com/ . If you live in Indy and like to bowl, give his place a shot. Great for families of all ages. Next, I want to thank my good friend David Sease of Sease, Gerig Associates in Indianapolis. He is the Vice-Chairman of a public relations firm in Indy and has given me valuable insight as I start contacting firms pursuant to my walk. If you need services in his field, please check out his website at http://www.seasegerig.com/id17.html .

This is a lengthy blog, so I'll close for now.

Summer in Tennessee

Well, not much going on today. Valda & I spent the morning visiting the only two distillers in Tennessee. Jack Daniels and George Dickel are both about 12 miles from where we are working and living here in Tullahoma. We went to Lynchburg, TN and walked around the small town. Lots of places to spend your money, but charming. It's interesting, but both these distilleries are in dry counties, and they cannot sell their product where it is made. Taking the day and doing emails and blogs. Typical hot, humid weather here in Tennessee. More later.

Eleven months and counting

Happy Cinco de Mayo. Okay, as promised: two or three weeks ago, while I was working in the Chattanooga area, three East Ridge, TN squad cars pulled up behind me as I was checking a gas leak on a gas main beside the road. This was a little bit unusual to say the least. I thought for a moment they were there because I was parked in the road, and was working in the road, and they were there to offer some sort of protection. WRONG!! Someone had called the cops on me. I have to snoop around houses, hunting gas meters on homes I have never been to before. The gas company provides us no information whatsoever, so I have to check out every house myself. Well...someone didn't like me in their yard I guess, so here comes the cavalry. It all turned out okay though. I showed them my ID and they called the gas company. Five minutes of a little tension (no guns were drawn, but they all had one) and they were on their way. It wasn't really that big a deal, but it was the first time more than one squad car had shown up to check me out.

Movin' on. We are in Tullahoma, TN. We came here on Friday the fourth. Someday we are supposed to go to Indiana, but who knows when. The walking regime has resumed. We have had a bit of a setback, but things are improving and Valda & I are looking ahead. By the way, once everything is set in motion, we will be offering opportunities to sponsor me on my walk across America. Hopefully we will have information where you can pledge so much per mile to either the Cancer Society or the Diabetes Society. There will also be opportunities to direct sponsor me if you want. More later as things progress.