Latest Update from Karla

Subj: Gorham, New Hampshire
Date: 7/23/02 8:50:56 AM Pacific Daylight Time
From: kbwalk@mailstation.com
Sender: kbwalk@mailstation.com

Howdy Everyone!
  It's been a busy week. Last friday I found the
campground that I had contacted outside of Hanover, ME.
Stony Brook Recreation let me camp there for free.
After I had set up my tent, the couple in the RV parked
next to my lot introduced themselves as Marion & Pat,
originally from Kansas. They're from a little tiny
town near Tonganoxie, so we had a lot to talk about.
They work part-time at the campground, and after they
got off work we all went to town to eat. They're a
retired couple, and full time RV-ers.
  That night while I was camping out it rained and
rained and rained, but the next morning I woke up to a
beautiful clear-blue sky. Marion & Pat invited me to
their place for breakfast, and Pat fixed bacon & eggs.
Saturday was also Mollyocket day in Bethel, the next
town over. I wanted to get there early enough to enjoy
the parade and all the festivities going on, so I
headed out early. Marion & Pat were also going to the
fair, so they hauled my cart.
  Alex & Adam Adler let me stay at their beautiful B&B
for free, the L'Auberge Country Inn. It's located
right across from the park where all the events were
taking place, so that was pretty neat. Marion & Pat &
I spent the day enjoying the parade, checking out all
the booths and arts & crafts, and trying out all the
corndogs, hamburgers, funnel cakes & cotton candy. We
also enjoyed the fiddlers contest in the evening, and
after dark the great fireworks display.
  While we were watching the parade, we noticed a fire
truck from Gilead, the next town I was going to.
Afterwards, we found the people from the Gilead fire
dept and asked if it would be possible for me to stay
there tomorrow. They said sure, but also offered me a
place to stay at someones house, so that sounded great.

  On sunday morning, Marion & Pat came by and picked
me up and we all went to church in the morning. After
that we had lunch, and then I was on my way. They had
also offered to haul my cart that day, so after church
we loaded up my cart and I hit the road. They then
headed back to the campground, planning on catching up
with me a few hours later.
  What happened next was really unbelievable. It is
probably one of the most bizarre events that's happened
so far on this trip. The more I think about it, the
more unbelievable it seems. EVERYTHING had to line up
perfectly for this to happen. Here's the story:
  As I was walking to Gilead, I got about 4 miles down
the road to West Bethel and was walking past a motel.
The owner was sitting out on his front porch, watching
the world go by. He hollered out to me "It's pretty
hot out to be walking."
  "Yeah" I said, "How much farther to Gilead?"
  "About 6 or 7 miles. Y'want something to drink?"
  "SURE!"
  "C'mon in."
So I went inside, and he handed me a frosted mug and a
can of Pepsi. Remember those mugs you got when you
went to A&W and how the ice kindof chips off the sides
and floats in the pop? Well this was just like it, and
it was blissfully wonderful to be drinking a frosted
glass of Pepsi.
  Dave commented about my shirt and said his
grandmother had died from having a seizure, so I told
him my story. He was really impressed and said I could
stay at his motel for free if I'd like. That's an
offer I rarely turn down, but the fact is I wanted to
get farther down the road that day. He said to go
ahead and walk, and then try and find a ride back. I
thought that maybe when Marion & Pat brought my cart, I
could catch a ride back with them, so I said I'd
probably be back and then left.
  Meanwhile, while I was drinking the pop, there was
another fellow who stopped and asked if he could pay to
just take a shower and then leave. He was on a
motorcycle and also traveling around the USA. After I
was gone, and after he was done with his shower, Dave
the motel owner told him that a lady had just stopped
in who was walking across America. He immediately
asked who it was, because someone from his hometown in
Oregon was also doing that, and Dave showed him my
brochure. Danny couldn't believe it!
  We are from the same hometown of Scio, Oregon -- a
teensy weensy little tiny town that hardly anyone knows
about. We were in the same class, the same age, and
went to school together from 4th grade on though high
school. Right after school I left home, and have been
in Kansas for the last 20 yrs. He moved to Texas and
now lives in Virginia. We haven't seen each other in
21 years, and now, out on the back roads of Maine, we
meet up.
  After Dave showed Danny the brochure, he jumped on
his motorcycle and headed down the road looking for me.
Meanwhile, as I was walking along, minding my own
business, this motorcycle pulled over up ahead and this
man got off, crossed the street, and started walking
toward me. I was wondering if he was a reporter, or if
he was going to offer me a ride, or what -- when he
spoke up and asked "Are you Karla Brown from Scio
Oregon?" I was so suprised that all I could say was
"WHO ARE YOU?" and he introduced himself as Danny Gali.
  He found the situation hillarious, and I was in
total disbelief. I told him I was going to be staying
back at the motel tonight, so he headed right back to
get himself a room there. We had a lot of catching up
to do.
  I continued walking to Gilead, and Marion & Pat
caught back up with me a couple miles before I got into
town. Pat was in her shorts & walking shoes, and
brought her backpack to join me for the last 2 miles,
so that was great. Boy did I have a lot to tell her
about! Marion then drove the 2 miles on into town, and
being the small town that it was, the locals were
watching out for me to arrive and started visiting with
him. He told them all about the grand reunion that had
just taken place, and by the time Pat & I arrived, all
the news had gotten to town before we did! Then Danny
arrived on his motorcycle, and we were all busy talking.
  We dropped my cart off at an auto body shop owned by
one of the fire men, and Marion & Pat & I plus Danny
were all heading back for the motel. They dropped me
off and headed home, and Dave gave us each a room for
free. A family from Gilead had invited us back in the
evening for ribs.
  While I was walking, he had time to update his
website, and while I was taking a shower he was busy
creating a webpage for me. He had also been at our 20
year high school reunion awhile back, and he had a
bunch of pictures on his computer that I could see.
Everyone looked so different!! It made me laugh.
Surely I haven't changed a bit. I had several photos
that I have taken lately, and he was able to scan those
and put them all online, so now you'll be able to see
some of the places I've been. To get to his page and
mine, go to www.dannygalixy.com. Then scroll down to
the bottom (after reading his info, of course ;) ) and
click on "Walking For Epilepsy" and you should be able
to find quite a bit of info about my walk. You'll have
to click on each icon for each picture, but hey, it
works. We'll add where each picture is when we get
more time to do it.
  That evening we headed back to Gilead, and Scott &
Cheryl took us out for a drive, high up in the
mountains. The scenery was beautiful, and they were
taking us to a lake area where we might be able to see
some moose. There weren't any when we got there, and
after driving around some more, we stopped by again but
still didn't see any. We got several great pictures,
including one of a swinging bridge that you'll be able
to see. It was 10pm before we got back to their house,
and they started grilling the ribs. We got back to the
motel around midnight, and stayed up till 3am visiting.
Around 9am we went out for breakfast, and that is
where we parted. He is now back on his 20,000 mile, 3
month trek riding a motorcycle, and I am back on my
9,000 mile, 2.5 yr trek walking across America. What a
great adventure this walk is!
  Take care and have a great day, and remember to
check out this website: www.dannygalixy.com then click
on Walking For Epilepsy. Later! KB

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