Day Fourteen; Adrmore, Oklahoma

Well, yesterday marked thirteen days since I've been living in an RV...so now I know that it takes exactly thirteen days before I officially start cracking up. It's not that I don't like the RV, but the heat down here is so unbearable that I have been hibernating in the air-conditioning here nearly 24/7. I'm climbing the freakin' walls!

We reached the Ardmore, OK campground yesterday morning, and at 1:15pm we drove into the town to work with kids at the Ardmore YMCA. The session went well (forty five 6-8 year olds!) but as we were driving out of town back towards our campsite I just couldn't TAKE it anymore. Somewhere in the middle of town I jumped out of the RV (thankfully, Gunnar was driving) and told him I was off in search of a nail salon. I said I would find my own way home.

He just stared at me for a moment, his mind searching for any part of this that made sense to him...and then did a combination headshake-eyeroll and drove off.

I no longer cared about the 105 degree afternoon heat or the blazing Oklahoma sun, I was determined to find a salon that took walk-in appointments if it was the last thing I did. It wasn't easy and I had to try two locations to find a place, then walk more than three miles to get back to the campsite...and I probably lost four pounds in sweat, but it was worth it. Sometimes there's just nothing like a new full set.

On another positive note, I stopped by Beane's Western Wear store on the walk home and bought a cool new cowboy hat. If you're ever in Ardmore, OK and in the market for western apparel, stop in. They have a great selection.

***

Gunnar and I have been working hard to keep our spirits up today because the once steady stream of donations has pretty much dried up. It's been many days since we've had any support. Of course, we still truly believe in everything we are doing, and no matter what we will forge ahead until we reach our goal, but I admit it can be an emotional struggle. We have all the programs designed and the partners in place. All we need is the money.

Every morning, Gunnar puts in 15-20 miles of walking. Our afternoons are spent hammering away on our computers, and in the evenings we now watch inspirational movies to help us stay focused.

Last night it was "Rocky."

Tonight it's "Rudy."

We are fighters, too...but we do need support.



July 12, 2009


Today we offically left Texas and crossed over into Oklahoma. One state down, five to go!

On our route, the two states are separated by a big lake and a tiny bridge, so I had to drive Gunnar across the border to get him there safely. After reaching the Oklahoma side, I looked for a good place to drop him off to keep walking...but apparently some of the folks in this neighborhood didn't get the memo that the Civil War had ended, so I kept driving until I found a place that a nice North Dakota boy like Gunnar would be safe.

***

So far, the Oklahoma landscape doesn't seem too different from Texas. The people here are really friendly as well, however, I confess the Oklahoma accent makes me feel like I am in a foreign country. I only understand about thirty percent of the spoken language, and when asked a question, I usually just pause, smile and say 'yes.'

So far that has worked out okay.

***

This afternoon, we stopped for lunch at a little restaurant in Madill, OK called Hobo Joe's. After our meal, Gunnar gave our waitress an ASM4P flier and told her about the project. Without hesitation, she and another waitress who overheard reached into their aprons and pulled out their own tip money to donate to the cause. It may not have been a lot of money, but that is an example of why this walk is important. We know that there are people all across the country that wish they had a way to do something--anything--to support both the kids, as well as the troops that are dealing with the war. This cause is important to all Americans. Even the waitresses of Madill, Oklahoma.

Keep walking, Gunnar. We'll get there!


I'll check back in later. Stay tuned...
Love, Dina