LA PAZ, IN

I departed the hotel with a commitment of staying in a minimum of hotels (dependant on the situation) for the remainder of the trip. This idea was spurned on by the Discovery Channel's "The Colony" Marathon which was aired today. If you are not aware of this program, it is an experiment with a group of people from diverse backgrounds and "former" occupations that are put into a simulated environment replicating what the world would be like after a massive worldwide catastrophe; they represent the survivors of this holocaust. They come from diverse backgrounds and are presented with numerous scenarios during each episode that challenge their physical, mental, and social abilities. Anyway, I observed them doing more with less and I now should try to aspire to this ideal to thoroughly make this journey what it is meant to be.That said, all appears to be falling into place. First, within the first 5 miles into IN, a nice lady pulls over in front of me on Hwy 31 and asks if I need a ride. She apologizes upfront that she is only going 20 miles. I thank her and tell her I am not going that far today and prefer to walk. She wishes me luck and departs.

The weather today is overcast and humid, but not too hot; mid 70's. The problem with weather in this region is if the weather is remotely close to developing into any precipitation, the wind completely dies out. Needless to say, today was a warm one.

I thought I could make it all the way into Plymouth, IN today (19 miles), but realized because of the weather, I was losing steam and would have to find an alternate place for the evening.

I went thru several towns. The first town was Lakeville where I met Duane and Emmerich, the owner of Cheri's Coffee Café, and had a nice conversation with them about my journey and the business. He second was La Paz, IN where I decided to stop and ask a few questions about the area, so I walked into Pat's Pub and met the owner, Tom (pictured) and he asked if I was headed for the Alps with all the gear I had. I explained my purpose and he immediately offered the backyard next to his pub. To Tom, I extend many thanks for getting me back on track with my journey.

Now, after setting up my gear, it is time to clean up. This is a little more difficult than it sounds because there isn't a shower available. I first ask if I can use the restroom in the establishment I have been allowed to make "home" and if they approve (which they all have) I then enter, lay down numerous papertowels from the dispenser, undress, wash thoroughly with my neckerchief (greatest piece of gear I own), dry off with my camp towel (similar to a Sham-wow), redress with fresh clothes, and then clean up the restroom. My dirty clothes go into a small trashbag, I use my hygiene gear (deodorant) to freshen up some more, and then I leave the premises ensuring I leave it cleaner than I found it and in a minimal amount of time (8-10 minutes) so as not to disturb the patronage.

So, tonite, after a meal and a couple of beers, I bed down nice and clean in another backyard and look forward to another exciting day in Indiana.