???

Well I have all but lost track of how many days it has been... something like 55 or 56... so I will just pick up where I left off!

From Overbrooke we made our way southwest to the small town of Scranton.

Upon arrival we knew immediately that two travelers with luggage in tow were not welcome, especially just minutes before sunset. Being in no hurry to find trouble, we walked quickly through to the other side of town and sat off the shoulder to scarf down a quick sup before continuing a few miles further down the road in search of a clump of trees to pitch tents in.

Just before hauling our tired selves to our feet, a biker pulled up and offered us his place for the night, from one traveler to another.

Toad, as was his name, is a Booze Fighter, and represented his biker brothers quite well. If we ever run into anymore of them, we know we will be in good hands. He made us feel quite at home for the night, and when we all hit the road in the morning, him to Texas and us just a days walk west, we did so in very good spirits.

After Scranton came Bowlimgame for lunch. A bright and welcoming town with a wide brick main street, it turned out being one of the friendliest places that we have visited so far.

We stopped at the Santa Fe Trail Cafe and were treated to a free lunch by the wonderful management. The whole staff was extremely pleasant, and the customers provided enough entertainment to make any TV sitting in the corner rather obsolete.

We were bewildered when we discovered who else was eating their at the very same time we were...

Another cross country walker, hailing from Delaware and making for Colorado!

What are the chances that we would both be in the same cafe, on the same day, at the same time, in a small town far from any major interstate? I don't know, but I figured they were too slim to be counted amongst possible outcomes for the day. You never know on the road...

We ended that day in Osage City, where we stayed behind the police station and slept quite uninterrupted, go figure...

Another full day of walking brought us to Reading, a town that on a map may not look like match, but that sure contains some powerful stories.

Again, right at sunset, right as we were about to walk past the city limit, some kindness was offered to us by a family in the form of coffee, water, and a bite to eat!

We sat on their front porch and learned a little about how the town had been ravished by a tornado a few years prior, and had been left as almost nothing.

Despite the hardship, the town was well on its way towards reconstruction, and the mother even had plans to open a store on the lot where her house once stood. We were humbled by other stories of her kindness, and the whole experience only went to further prove that there are certainly some really great people out there. And it just so happens that Kansas holds many of them!

We continued walking that night, determined to make it another ten or so miles before retiring for the night, when we were met by two sets of flashing red and blue lights. I have never been more happy to see the police than I have been these last few weeks. In many cases, as in this one, they mean a ride to the nearest town and a safe place to sleep.

Upon waking up in a park in Emporia, we hurried out of the cold and into a Huddle House.

Then it snowed.

Woah.

It definitely caught us off guard, and after further looking at the forecast and seeing below freezing temperatures throughout the next week, we resolved to take a bus into the South West, and out of the Midwest.

Thanks to my grandparents, we secured a ride to somewhere in far West Texas.

Where?

Well its a mystery of course! I'll let you know once we arrive, and I'll post pictures every few hours tomorrow of the surrounding landscape and see how well you all know your geography!