I have real bad reception in the desert. A lot has happened the past couple of days. When I left Ludlow, a white Suzuki Samurai drove past me and stopped. The driver got out of his vehicle, looked in the sand then got back in his vehicle and drove of. He did this about five times. I finally caught up with him and asked if he was a surveyor. He wasn’t. He was doing geocaching.
Factoid #1. The man advised there were about 800 geocaching sites in the area we were at on Route 66.
I ended up walking 20 miles and slept off the road a bit in Baghdad.
I got up and started walking to Amboy. A truck pulled over in front of me and a young woman got out. Her name was Sedona. She is a tortoise biologist working with a natural gas company on a pipeline. She handed me a V8 and a sparkling water. We talked for awhile and I learned some interesting information about tortoises.
Factoid #2. Tortoises obtain water from the plants they eat. They store about a years worth of water in their bladder. When someone picks up a tortoise and man handles it, it will express its bladder and dehydrate. So if you have to pick up a tortoise to help it cross a busy street, be careful.
I made it to Amboy and had an enjoyable lunch of mini ravioli and peanut butter. As I sat and read for awhile, a woman, Sandra came up and asked me where I was walking. After telling her, she asked if I was going thru Albuquerque? I am. She said she would like to have me over to her house for dinner and I can set up my tent in her backyard. She lives across from two nuns who would love to her about my travels. We exchanged information and I hope to be there around the end of June. Before she left she gave me a bag of grapes.
As I continued on Route 66, there were notifications that the roads were closed to thru traffic. I decided I would not follow the signs and continue walking on Route 66. The roads were a mess and bridges were partially gone, but I was able to make it.
I spent the night near Danby. Since the road was closed, I only saw two vehicles. They knew they could drive around the washed out bridges. As I was having breakfast on one of the bridges, a man, Mike, drove on the go around road. He saw me and asked if I was ok? I told him I was having breakfast and relaxing. He asked if I wanted any water. I did have enough to get me where I am going, but I have learned not to turn down a gift like this. He gave me four bottles of water. I am set for the day. Onward to Fenner.