Shortly after I fell asleep, Leanne woke me to warn me that it was going to rain and that maybe I should properly attach my rainfly. I was too sleepy and lazy to do so. So this morning, I had several puddles in my tent and my sleeping bag was super soggy. It was my own fault for not doing anything about it earlier, so I just laughed and sponged the tent out, and hope that my sleeping bag will re-fluff itself a bit before nightfall.
There were 2 people drunkenly arguing last night at the pavilion, so we just quietly set up our tents on the edge of the forest, a few hundred feet away, armed ourselves with our bear mace and didn’t bother them. Soon after we went to bed, the man left and the woman fell asleep on the picnic table. We were glad there was some construction going on at the railroad, blocking the entrance to the landing to most people.
This morning, the woman was sitting on the picnic table by herself, just looking out over the river. I went up to her, offered her a couple packets of oatmeal and some water, and we chatted a bit. She thanked me for the oatmeal, as she was super hungry, and explained that she often goes down there to calm her mind when she’s kicked out, but that this was the first time she ever had to sleep down there. Apparently she moved up here from Arkansas for her fiancé, but it’s not working out so well. I felt bad for her and was glad I could offer her at least a bit of sustenance as so many people have helped us out along this trip. She was fascinated by our story and said she was glad we were there last night—that it made her feel safer. “You didn’t know eachother!? That’s so cool. If I had a boat, I’d join you two.” She was really sweet. She was also very pretty but it was clear she hadn’t had great dental care in her life. I thought about how even though I have been poor for most of my adult life (often living below the poverty line), and am currently unemployed and technically homeless, I am grateful for and so SO lucky to have had a good start in life. My teeth are clean and strong, I know how to eat healthily, I have healthy mental habits for dealing with strife, I have a solid base of friends and family for support. Is it my privilege that allows me to do this trip? Would I have the confidence to do it if I hadn’t grown up with such awesome examples around me?
Leanne and I spent the day using wifi, working, eating a buffet lunch, and watching the rain pass outside. Cruddy day, glad it coincided with a day of work indoors.
indoors.
There were 2 people drunkenly arguing last night at the pavilion, so we just quietly set up our tents on the edge of the forest, a few hundred feet away, armed ourselves with our bear mace and didn’t bother them. Soon after we went to bed, the man left and the woman fell asleep on the picnic table. We were glad there was some construction going on at the railroad, blocking the entrance to the landing to most people.
This morning, the woman was sitting on the picnic table by herself, just looking out over the river. I went up to her, offered her a couple packets of oatmeal and some water, and we chatted a bit. She thanked me for the oatmeal, as she was super hungry, and explained that she often goes down there to calm her mind when she’s kicked out, but that this was the first time she ever had to sleep down there. Apparently she moved up here from Arkansas for her fiancé, but it’s not working out so well. I felt bad for her and was glad I could offer her at least a bit of sustenance as so many people have helped us out along this trip. She was fascinated by our story and said she was glad we were there last night—that it made her feel safer. “You didn’t know eachother!? That’s so cool. If I had a boat, I’d join you two.” She was really sweet. She was also very pretty but it was clear she hadn’t had great dental care in her life. I thought about how even though I have been poor for most of my adult life (often living below the poverty line), and am currently unemployed and technically homeless, I am grateful for and so SO lucky to have had a good start in life. My teeth are clean and strong, I know how to eat healthily, I have healthy mental habits for dealing with strife, I have a solid base of friends and family for support. Is it my privilege that allows me to do this trip? Would I have the confidence to do it if I hadn’t grown up with such awesome examples around me?
Leanne and I spent the day using wifi, working, eating a buffet lunch, and watching the rain pass outside. Cruddy day, glad it coincided with a day of work indoors.
indoors.