CHECK THE TREK!

http://www.causes.com/causes/585301-trek-for-hope?m=525c9925&recruiter_id=84134864

Paste this web address into your browser to check out the new Trek For Hope causes page on FB!

CHECK THE TREK!!!

Looking to the west...

Tomorrow is the day. The Trek carries from Atlanta and we head west. No more guaranteed stopping points and the farther west I go beyond the mighty Mississippi river the more barren the land will become... Or so it would seem based upon pictures. I'm looking forward to it.
So I will leave the parents house in the morning and walk down to US 78 and take it west towards Birmingham Alabama. Anyone have friends or family in Birmingham?

Mom and I drove back to Atlanta today. I really haven't done much at all the past few days since I arrived here and I notice that I am not as sore this morning. Normally when I wake up every morning it takes a little bit in order for me to function fully.
Well, there really isn't much else to say atthis point except follow the Trek as always and anticipate great things. I did start a causes page for Trek For Hope on FB so check that out.

Have a good night and I will get with you tomorrow night. Check out YouTube for video updates as well under TrekForHope2011

Update...

I will be leaving for Alabama on tues now instead of mon. The weather forecast for mon in Atlanta is thunderstorms for the majority of the day so I guess one more day will not throw the Trek off by that much. Actually, it all worked out for the best anyways.....mom needed a little help moving her stuff up from Quitman ga to Atlanta so I was able to ride down with dad and help load the Uhaul trailer. It was interesting to see all the road signs along the interstate for all the cities I had walked through and to realize just how long a trip this really is. When you whiz by at 80 mph you can not fully appreciate what it is to travel at such a speed. Walking at 2-3 mph is a constant reminder of how convenient the automobile is and how one might take it for granted.
Mom and I will be heading back to Atlanta in the AM and I will prep for the first step west on tues morn......


Please pass the Trek to your friends and family. It is truly important to reach as many people with this cause as we can. Please remember also that this walk is sponsored by the generosity of people I meet on the street and through these electronic medias. People need to be made aware so that the Trek can continue and so that its purpose will be fulfilled. Anyone may give as they see fit..... there is the online donation site at firstgiving.com/jacobparrish1 which sends all of your gifts to the Foundation. On the opposite end there is me and the Trek itself. The only way I am able to do what I do... walk across the US, raise awareness, meet people and create avenues of financial support for children, etc.... is by a minimum level of financial support from all of you out there.
Just so that everyone knows how I work things on the road let me tell you this.....
People will give me donations when they see me on the road. I try to offer them both avenues of giving when I meet them so they can give how they feel comfortable. Most everyone that desires to give right then usually will give me cash money of varying amounts. Most of the time I am told to keep it for myself or to use it as I see fit. What I have been doing is dividing the daily donations in half and keeping one half for food and water along with the other various necessities and then giving the other half to the Foundation. If you go to the online donations page you can see the donations listed in order and you will see sporadically T4H-Road Donations... This is where I have collected those donations and deposited them into a bank account and then gone online to donate them. This gives you the ability to see what is being given on the road. Typically I will gather an amount over several days and then go online to make the donation.
So, thats just a little insight into how it works out there.....
Anyways, Im going to head to bed now. Ill get you all updated on the upcoming route tomorrow night.

I now have the iPhone 4 with Verizon service!

I dare my new phone to autocorrect me now!!! So, I bought the newest gen of the iPhone today and I bought it at Verizon so I am counting on consistent service as I move across the USA. I am already impressed with the speed and functionality of the phone and it's so nice to see more bars in more places if you know what I mean.
I'll keep you updated on the new phone and how service is as I progress. If Verizon would pick up the Trek i could give a real world commercial in a few months.... Hmmmmm

At the parents house in Atl.

As I am writing this installment it is currently 1030 on 26FEB. I am on dad's laptop so I dare my phone to autocorrect this! Read the previous posts if you want to know why I am saying this.
I will write this kinda in reverse order..... starting with now and going back in time.
I woke up this morning feeling good. My knees were a little stiff and my feet a bit sore but, that's to be expected. Since I have started this Trek over a month ago now, that seems to be the morning situation.... everything is stiff.... stretch, bend, move and loosen the body for an hour to get moving. Once the temperature warms up and I am in the mid-west, I plan on cutting more weight from my pack specifically my sleeping bag which is about 8-9 total pounds. It is the layered military version and is surprisingly heavy. I will opt for a sleep mat and blanket for the warmer climates. Doing so will allow me to carry more water which will be neccessary once I reach Texas, Arizona, New Mexico etc. There are longer distances between towns and it will be very warm during the mid day. I have even considered sleeping thru the day and walking very early in the morning and late in the evening just so I can miss the noon heat. More on this later in the Trek.

Yesterday morning I went to 104.7 The Fish which is the christian radio station here in Atlanta. I went on the air live with the morning show crew Kevin and Taylor in the morning. They were great to work with and very encouraging. We took 2 pics which you can see on their FB page and also on the T4H FB page. The station was up on the 7th floor of the Buckhead Centre building here in the Buckhead section of Atlanta so in the middle of talking I grabbed a quick look around and it was gorgeous from up there. Kevin and Taylor spoke with me in between songs and we had a fun time in the studio and mom even called in to say a few words as well. I was told that they would edit the interview of the songs and make it one uniterrupted piece and it will be emailed to me so we can put it up on the FB page for everyone to listen to. The station also gave me tickets to the Atlanta Thrashers hockey game against the Florida Panthers last night at Philips Arena. Dad, me and one of my sisters went..... I tried to find a 4th since I had four tix but it was kinda last minute. The game was awesome and it was really an experience to be in the arena and "feel" the game. The lights, sounds and vibrations..... you miss so much by watching it on TV.
Lets see... thursday night I rolled into Atlanta. I made it to around the I-20 area at 10pm and called dad for a ride. I will follow the I-20 corridor west to L.A. so I made it to my marker. Dad found me and bought me a meal from Steak N Shake and brought me to the house. I certainly slept good that night.
Thursday morning 2 gentlemen found my campsite in the woods and stopped by with supplies for the trip. Kevin rode up on his bike and gave me food and water and said many kind things. Clyde gave me food and a few objects to make the trip easier. Its always a treat for me when ppl find me on the road.
I also met the Firefighters of station 9 in Clayton Co. They saw me walking along the road and stopped right in the middle of it to ask me my story. Big firetruck on a 2 lane road.....lights on....talking to me. Well, they offered me a cold drink at the station which was 20 feet up the sidewalk so I said yes. They have a great place which is nearly brand new.. well it certainly felt new. We all sat around the dinner table and told stories for an hour or so and then I had to leave. It was a much needed break and Im glad it was spent with them.
All throughout the day I met many people and passed out many cards. Even the Forest Park police stopped me to check on me and I passed out my card to them and told them my story. Thursday was a good day for sure and Friday certainly followed suit.
My plan now is to wait here till monday morning and then head west to Alabama.... Brmingham is the next big city. Make sure you stay tuned for all the big adventures coming our way. Dont forget to tell your friends and family about the Trek. Awareness is half the mission here so spread the word.
Hoping everyone has a good Saturday and a great weekend. Until next time....

CORRECTION!!!

I can't scroll through my blogs and edit them after I post them. My most recent post... The one previous to this post needs a correction. Apparently my phone replaced the word "hungry" with the word "horny" near the end of my last blog. My phone is a prankster. My phone is mean. Hopefully no one is offended. I have disciplined my phone accordingly. What can i say?

In the woods between Lovebutnojoy and Jonseys....

I am in my trusty tent once again deep in the woods of Georgia. The wildlife is rushing by at a mere 60 mph not more than 40 feet away. I don't have an electrical outlet tonight but I have a fair amount of battery power between all my sources so I will update you all on today.
Yesterdays blog was not as eloquent as usual I know and I hope you all can look past those days when I am physically and mentally drained to the point of producing a less than stellar piece.
Today wasa good day overall. I left the hotel room that Gene bought for me having had a good rest though my feet were noticeably sore. I did walk about twenty miles in 7 hrs yesterday which may not sound that fast but please remember my 50-60 lb pack on my back and that i was traveling at an almost nonstop pace. it's nice to be near a big city... So many stores and eateries every mile or so which is very different from the periodic store sighting in the country.
I met the father of a Marine CPL today. He was an airforce vet himself with a second son having joined the navy. The Cpl was wounded in Afghanistan and is paralyzed from the waist down. He ended up having a one year stay in the Hospital before returning to his home recently. His father was a man small in stature yet as he spoke of his sons he grew to be a man of enormous proportions. He was very proud of his sons and at the same time you could see the sadness in his eyes for his injured child. I offer thanks to you CPL for giving your body for all of us.
Crystal found me walking today. She worked in Afghanistan as a contractor and her husband is in the military. She jumped out and grabbed a pic as soon as I told her what was going on. She said she was gonna post it on FB which she did and work towards getting donations forthe cause. I love it!
Three gentlemen from Griffin motor Cpany stopped me as I was walking by today. They stopped me to find out why I was walking an I of course gave them the story. I gave them one card and explained I was running low on cards and the owner Jon Mattox told me to come inside and make more on his copier which I did. Joe Strickland the sales Manager helped me cut them out after they printed and Kelvin Hopper the Service Manager caught me outside as I was leaving to offer me a donation from his pocket. Right before I left they said a prayer over me a set me on with many well wishes.
I passed Atlanta Motor Speedway today but didn't really see to much of it. It was a bit far off. I grabbed a pic of the sign out front an posted it to FB.
Several people have stopped today periodically to check me out an offer rides. I politely refuse and then tell my cause while giving out a card or two. It's great to meet so many caring people.
I met Joel today. A specialist inthe National Guard. He passed me an turned around to check on me and so I gave the card and the story. He shook my hand and said he was going to follow the trek. He said he had just got back from overseas and I believe it. His boots were worn out and his uniform disheveled not out of disrespect but from the wear and tear that mine endured while I was deployed. I looked the same way when I came back.

Well, I'm sleepy and horny so I'm gonna eat and call it a night. Atlanta is right around the corner and I'll be taking a two day break at the parents place.
All right kiddie.... Goodnight.
Until next time...

firstgiving.com/jacobparrish1

Please visit the donation page if you have not done so already. Stop by firstgiving.com/jacobparrish1 and give a gift to the hurting families of our military. Many of you have families of your own... Just stop and think for a moment about what your life would be like once you were told that your husband, wife, son or daughter had been killed in a far off country.....

firstgiving.com/jacobparrish1

firstgiving.com/jacobparrish1

firstgiving.com/jacobparrish1

Griffin Ga.... Tired.

So I do realize it's been a few days since my last update... I am scolded from time to time on the gaps in my blogs but try to remember that I find myself in areas where the service is not so great. In Barnesville today I found myself without any service at all which can make it difficult to even text.
Well, it has been a long day. So many details over the past couple days. I'm tired right now do I doubt this will be one of my better blogs... I'll touch the high points.
Forsyth- Met Greg Head and his family. They found me in downtown Forsyth and took meto lunch at DQ. After lunch they took me back to their place where we ended up shooting his SKS. I went with Greg and fam to their church thT night and met many great ppl and also agreed to meet with te owner of te local paper who also went to the church. After church they put me up in their RV forthe night an then fed me a huge breakfast the next morn and Greg bouht me some much needed supplies. The Head family was definitely a Godsend and I am grateful for everything they did for me.
Barnesville- Arrived in town late in the day. Walked around and took picture for a bit an then started on my way out of town. Passes by a soup kitchen run by Ken Page. I was brought inside and introduced to everyone. Jenny owns Rumble Seat Bed and Breakfast in town and agreed to put me up forthe night. Ken dropped me off so I could get some sleep. This morning I went with Ken to te soup kitchen which is really his ministry called Impact Ministries. I gave a small motivational message and then met Gene who is the Co Chairman of the ministry. We all rode over to Thomaston where I did a radio interview. We drove back to Barnesville and ate at a local buffet where I met with the Lamar Co Sheriff. Sheriff Waller talked with us for a while and we wet outside where they bid me farewell. About this time my friend Mark called. He was driving thru Barnesville and wanted to see me in action. We talkedfor a while and we parted. Itwas about 2:30 in the afternoon at this point. I still needed to make it to griffin for Tonights goal. I humped it. I made it to my hotel just past 9:30 tonight. I even jogged a small portion of the mileage. Yes. I Forrest Gumped it. Anyways, Gene bought me a place at the hotel for the night and I am grateful for him and for the room. Both he and Ken have been awesome the past two days.
I don't know where I will make it to tomorrow. Checkout isn't until 11..... I may sleep in till 8...

Back in my tent south of Forsyth Ga

I have had a good run with housing the past 4 days but tonight I find myself back in my tent and to be honest, I kinda missed her. While the amenities of a house are wonderful and of course necessary, I have found the freedom and independence of the tent to be equally exciting. No worries, if I am offered a roof, bed and food for the night I won't be turning it down just to stay in my tent.
Well after leaving my cousins an her husbands house in centerville I walked to Macon which is where I stayed last night. When I was on the south end of Macon I met a woman whose son had served and was killed in Iraq. His name was Jason and he was Airforce and apparently he was part of a special ops group. I didn't quite catch whether he was an operator or with the support units but really, does it matter? He was killed on 23 June 2007. thank you Jason for giving your all for all of us.
Once I made it into Macon my friend Jenna picked me up and carried me to her apartment for the night. I slept on the couch which was so comfortable I didn't get up till 1030! So I slept in on a sat in honor of the weekend. I found a few things in the pantry and fixed us pancakes and grits for brunch which were not that great to me but she said they were good so... I guess they were good. I left her place around 1200 and Jenna walked with me about a mile down the road tothe Kroger store so I could load up on supplies. After I checked out she walked with me to the street corner and we said our goodbyes. I headed north...
The walk to Boilingbroke was peaceful with limited interruption. I spoke with Michael while I was taking a break on the side of the road. He stopped to inquire about my situation and I told him my mission and gave him a card. We shook hands and he went on.
Once I arrived in Boilingbroke I found a great place to eat. The name is Twila Fayes Tea Room and it was delightful. I posted a pic of the interior on the facebook page. It was very much antiquated in appearance and had several pieces of memorabilia from several wars. A husband and wife owned the place and had forthe past ten years. The husband was. Former Army Captain and veteran of Vietnam. I enjoyed talkin politics with him as our views lined up. I also found him to be a strong Christian man and we quickly became kindred spirits if you will. I was treated to a meal of chicken salad sandwiches and I was given a second sandwich for theroad. It was a great meal and a great atmosphere. To bad I won't see many of these places again during the return trip. I won't be this far north when I head back to Tampa.
So like I said I'm in my tent and ready for bed. I'm getting up early tomorrow to make up some miles from today and I need my Sleep so this is it. Goodnight everyone.... Until next time...

PS... As I was leaving Boilingbroke I passed a gas station where a man an his son were fueling up their truck. The son asked me what I was doing and so I told him and his father. The dad came over and took my card and shook my hand and then gave me a few encouraging words along with a few dollars. I thanked them and kept walking only to have them fond a little ways down the road and hand me a Gatorade. His son wanted to get one for me and I thought it was a great gesture of compassion and kindness from a young man. Ok, now I'm done.

Centerville Ga

I left the Bridges house this morning with a full belly and good memories. Rodney, the husband, gave a donation to the cause this morning and wished me well. He and his family were accommodating on the highest level and I greatly appreciate what they did for me.
Once I left thier house I was only 10 miles away from my cousin and her husbands house here in Centerville. I walked most nearly half way when Jessica called me and wanted to meet up for pictures. Jessica is a staff reporter with the Houston Home Journal and heard about the Trek through the grapevine. We actually spoke over the phone last night and she wanted to grab a few pictures for her article. We met up at macros pizza where we had several slices of pie with banana peppers. We spoke about the walk and the people I get to meet along the way. As we were finishing our meal Sandra Sallee and two of her friends came up to greet us. They have been following the Trek and Sandra goes way back with my family. She and her friends talked with us for a bit and grabbed a few pics and wet about their way. Jessica then watched me "suit up" and she captured a few pics of me walking. We said our goodbyes and that was that.
I walked to my cousins house from there. She and her HUBBY were working so I ended up on the back porch with Brooke, their outside dog. Yes, there is an inside dog also. So Brooke and I sat in the backyard for about 4 hours and I tossed the ball and she brought it back. Pretty much went like that for those 4 hours. Laura came home and gave me the tour of their small mansion. My "lil" cuz has done well for herself I must say. Her husband Jarod was in the Airforce for several years and now works as a civilian on the airbase nearby. They are both great people and I am honored to be here.
Well, that's it for the day. I'm gonna go see what's for supper. Until next time...

Stayin' under the Bridges...

Last night I stayed with Clyde and Mary Layman. They heard about the Trek through friends who follow the progress. Apparently they heard about me staying in a cotton field the previous night and wanted to make sure I had a warm bed last night. Mary has a son Alex. Alex and Clyde were out logging a few trees that day and on the way home Mary called them and told them to be on the lookout for a soldier walking on 41 and if they saw me to pick me up. Alex and Clyde found me on 41 and did just that. They brought me to the house and fed me hamburgers and gave me a hot shower and a bed far from the cold ground in that cotton field. Alex is a master guitar player and has played with Blues Traveler in the past so once he found out I played, we had a quick jam session. Later that night Alex lent me his laptop so I could watch the movie Faster which is The Rock's new movie. This morning I said my goodbyes to Mary. Alex and Clyde took me to breakfast and then we stopped in the Trico Cotton Gin on the north side of town to see some of their friends and to let me explain my Trek. After, they bid me farewell in front of the cotton gin and I headed north once again. I walked to the Henderson Village which is a resort at the corner of 41 and SR 26. I stopped in and inquired about the resort and went arounf the property taking pictures which I posted on FB. The resort has fine dining and 20 plus guest rooms. It has original slave houses on the property as well. A german business man owns the resort. This idea started back when the American soldiers came to his town during the war and he would watch American movies with large white houses and nice people. He built his resort around those movies images he had seen as a boy. I found it to be relaxing and beautiful. It might be worth checking out in the future.
I met an Airforce Vet today in Perry. His name is Jordan and he was a younger man. He served in Afghanistan for a period of time and has since seved his active duty time and moved on. He called me over from across the road and asked me "Whats the deal?" I told him quickly about the Trek and tghe Foundation. He was visually moved by the idea of the Trek and dug out a donation both for the cause and for my needs on the walk. He said I inspired him, I hope he will help spread the word. I think he will. I gave him a handful of cards and he seemed happy to help.
Previous to meeting Jordan, I saw the KTM motocross team's tractor and trailer by 41. I walked up and met Donnie. He was a little curious about me at first but quickly warmed up to the idea of what I was doing and became appreciative. He told me about the team and its riders and how they were at a track test driving the new bikes for the season. He gave me a tour of the rig and let me take pictures of everything. As I was leaving he gave me a couple hats for the trip. It was a really cool experience.
As I was leaving the north side of Perry around 5pm tonight, a woman stopped me and asked me what I was doing. Her name was T.J. and she lived about a mile away from where I was and once she learned what I was doing and that I needed a place to sleep tonight she quickly offered her house. I ended up walking the 1.3 miles to her and her husband Rodney's beautiful house. The subdivision where they live has a large amount of military families living here. I enjoyed a wonderful meal of homemade burritos and sweet tea. I met neighbors and some of the local kids and ended up playing basket ball with about 15 of them. Its been a good day today and I believe tomorrow will be equally as good.
I am about 9.5 miles from my next stop so it will be an easy walk tomorrow. I am looking forward to the pressure free walk of tomorrow.... knowing that I have less than 10 miles to cover and all day to walk that length. Im going to call it a night. Until next time...

OK OK, here is the real blog for tonight. I'm still in a cotton field.

So really, it was uneventful all the way to Vienna today. I took it easy and didn't push myself to hard. Once I arrived in the city I quickly found out that there were way more banks than places to eat. I found a Piggly Wiggly on the north side of town and went in to buy a late lunch. I shopped for a few minutes and was stopped by a male employee that was curious about what I was doing. We talked for a bit about the Trek and he made many heartfelt comments about our troops. He went on to say that my groceries were on him and to get what I needed. I did just that. I grabbed lunch and several boxes of granola bars and went to the cashier where he paid just as he said. I had spoken to the cashier just as walked in earlier. Her som is in the Navy and she told me about family day and touring a submarine. Well as I finished checking out she stopped me and gave a little donation to the cause and to my next meal. Seems to me I found a proud Navy mom and a patriotic man inside Piggly Wiggly. I went outside and across the street to eat in the shade. After some time I got up and headed towards Pinehurst. The walk towards Pinehurst was again uneventful except for one thing. Middlebrook. Vietnam Army vet Middlebrook stopped to say hello and wish me well. He was an older black man with a slightly stooped posture but he had a twinkle in his eye that said he had been places and seen things I would never know. He had a hat with a Combat Infantry Badge emblem. He was an infantryman in the war and had spent time with 25th I.D. We talked about politics and war and troops Nd then we wished each other well on our paths in life. The greatest part about our meeting was when we first walked up to each other. We hugged. It was if two worlds collided. Not black and white but then and now. His war and my war were so very different. I was called a hero when I returned from my war but he was hated. Spit on. What a change in our attitude as a country and I am thankful for it.

Well here I am in my tent in a cotton field. This is it for tonight. Happy Valentines day to those that have someone. If you don't have anyone then Happy Singles Awareness Day to you. Until next time...

In a cotton field south of Pinehurst.

I walked from Cordele to Vienna without a single incident to speak about. Nothing happened. The End.

Hangin with the boys in Cordele Ga.

I know it's been a few days since my last blog. Circumstances AKA excuses did not permit me to write before now. Here, let me explain.... I left the Dormans house and headed north. Tift county was in my sights. About a mile before the county line a young woman stopped by the name of Kala and said I met her BF Brian earlier and we spoke for a few minutes before traffic forced us to part company but she gave me some lunch money before she left me. Not five minutes later the morning show guy from WTIF in tifton, Kyle, showed up and wanted to do an interview for the radio. I of course said yes so he parked in a driveway and we spoke personally about the walk and a few details and then we recorded the interview by phone which he said they would edit and play Monday morning most likely. After that we said our goodbyes and I headed to and crossed into Tift county. Maybe 3-4 miles south of downtown Tifton my two friends Jason and JP from Valdosta surprised me onthe road and took me to lunch at La Cabana in town. We had a good meal and a few good laughs and they dropped me off where they found me. I kept on going and saw a National Guard building which I just had to stop in and hand out my cards. I spoke to a SSG for a while about all things Army and we wished each other well.
My mom happened to be in Tifton that day seeing a client and we met up so we could go tothe library and print off about 100 cheap cards since I was most nearly out. After that she took me to GNC so that I could buy glucosamime and chondroitin for my joints. Yes they do take a pounding and they hurt at night and every morning when I wake up. I have put a few miles on them already... More still to come. So she dropped me off where she found me and I was able to make a connection with a friend I didn't know was in the area till earlier thatday. Will and his GF Devin live in Tifton and put me up for the night and cooked porkchops for dinner and cooked breakfast but the kicker..... The French Press. We had coffee out of Will's French press and it was good! Anyways, I left their place that morning and headed north again. I passed thru Chula and appearantly once a month they have an auction for farm equipment... I passed through on that day and I thought the fair was in town. Now I know where all the 4door 4x4 diesel trucks with 36" or taller tires go. On the north side of Chula I heard alot of gunfire. As I walked past the woods on the side of the road I looked left to see a pond with a tiki hut and several ppl out on the dock shooting a few rifles. We all waved at each other and the owner ,Chris, hailed me down. I met him at the front gate and we talked about the walk and patriotism and then he gave me a few dollars and invited me in to com sit on the dock with his friends andfanily. I went in and met everyone. Chris owns a sign business named TyTy Signs. Seems he can do whatever you wanna do with a sign and then some. Before I left his wife made me two sandwiches for the road. I thanked them all for the good time and moves on. I headed to Ashburn and arrived at. Ight. I found a wooded area to pitch the tent and I bundled up for the cold night. It was cold. I did not enjoy it. I got up this morning and headed to Cordele. It was a very uneventful day. Alot of walking and little interaction. Probably cuz it's Sunday. So I made it to the south of Cordele and my good friend from Valdosta who lives in Corsele came and picked me and took me to his house for the night. Barrett and Tucker are roomies and I have known them for many years now. I was roomies with Tuckers older brother Tanner years ago in Valdosta. Barrette GF Lindsey is down here from Cummings GA for the weekend. It was good getting to see them all again.
My ankle is still sore but much more useable now compares to 3 daysago. It should be good in a day or two I think.
Ok it's bedtime.... I'm checking out. Until next time...

Lenox GA

Ok. Last night was the worst night I have had yet. I made it to Cecil Ga about 4:30 and decided that I should camp there for the night based on mileage for the next day. I found a wooded spot on the north end of town near the railroad tracks. I had no idea that after dark the trains ride that track every two hours.... I dis not sleep well last night. It was raining all last night as well. So,I'm up most of the night due to trains and now I have to start walking tired and with no coffee. To make matters worse it's cold and my pants are wet from rolling up the tent an stowing my gear.... Not happy at this point and worse still the blows dead in my face for nearly two hours straight. You can imagine my joyful attitude and the sweet words of love and endearment I placed upon the world this morning.... I really had to say a prayer of forgiveness after my attitude this morning. I ended up waiting about 2 good hours to say that prayer.. Somehow I thought complaining would change my situation. Anyways, as soon as I accept the weather and my situation and pray... It magically changes. A man buys me food at the Smokehouse BBQ place in Adel. Great food and awesome ppl work there and come to find out, the owner is a marine. Well, former marine but any marine will tell ya "Omce a Marine always a Marine!" I ended up passing out a few cards an one guy that was there promised a significant donation if I came to see him on the return trip. I may just swing thru. After my lunch I moved on thru town and met several ppl and passed out several cards. As I was leaving a man at a bait shop yelled at me to come get a drink out of his store. I went in and grab a few goodies and started talking to the guy and found out he was a military man as well. We talked for a bit about different things and then in walks a cook county deputy and he joins on the conversation and come to find out... Yep, former military as well. I wanna say that he was Navy. Well, the store owner ended up giving a significant donation to me and the cause. That really brought my spirits up from the doldrums I was in this morning. I left a little while later and a man that had spoken to me earlier that day found me again and gave me a significant contribution to both the foundation and myself which matched the previous donation by the store owner. Can you say excited?! This guy was a Valdosta Fireman and really a good guy, a genuine guy. We had talked for a while earlier that Fay about many different things in life.
I ended up making it to Lenox ga tonight but that's as far as I made it. I rolled my right ankle twice yesterday to go along with everything else wonderful and it really started hurting me this afternoon. I'm pretty sure it's a mild sprain and I'm gonna give it the night and see how it feels in the morning. I'm praying forthe best. There is a Wonderful couple north of Lenox that offered me a room for te night. They are friends of my moms friend and contacted me thru a chain of people that all know each other it seems. Facebook saves the day again haha or at least helps the day thts for sure. After last night I didn't wanna see my tent at all tonight. So I'm here in the extra bedroom all warm and safe. No trains nextto me. I'll sleep well tonight.
Tommy, the husband, is a master woodcarver it seems. He has a number of wood carvings that will take your breath away and some have won awards as well. He really is gifted. Wilda, the wife, is a sweet spirit and very much a wonderful host. I sat with them awhile after dinner and talked with them about the Trek and several things in thier lives. This has turned out to be a good day afterall. I wouldn't have it would be so good this morning.
My hosts have guaranteed me coffee and breakfast in the morning so I dare say that tomorrow will at the least start of better than today!
Goodnight "Trekkies"!!! Until next time...

T4H is Charlie Mike at this time.

Charlie Mike is military lingo for "continuing mission" which is something my unit said alot when we were out on a mission. So, yes, Trek for Hope is continuing it's mission of spreading awareness and raising funds for SOWF. All you "Trekkies" are part of that mission as well. (thanks Linda, sorry Star Trek)
Today was a relatively easy day. I walked around 16 miles and ended up finding a spot on the north side of Cecil. My plan is to walk about 16 miles again tomorrow and end up outside Lenox. Tomorrow will take me thru Adel and then Sparks followed by Lenox.
I did receive a few donations today. Some for me and some for the foundation. Early this morning I stopped by Daylight Donuts and ordered a coffee with a shot of espresso. I believe the man that took my order was the owner. He ended up giving me my beverage for free which was a nice surprise but even better was a gesture of generosity I caught by him miners earlier. A family were in front of me placing thier order to him. He was working on filling that order and one of the items was this pig-n-a-blanket breakfast sausage. They ordered six of them and when he was filling the bag he realized he had a few extra ones in the display case... He had almost closes the door but then reached back in a gave them the rest. He thought no one saw him haha but I did. Anyways, I saw all that to say thy the man is genuine in his giving. He has a good heart for sure. Several other people stopped me to inquire about my cause and here and there I would pick up a few donations... A dollar or two.. Five bucks maybe... That's ok with me. Every dollar counts towards the bigger picture and it's fun to watch the number on the donations page grow little by little. I did a phone interview with Teresa from the Thomasville Times today. I enjoyed our conversation and her south Georgia accent was sweet to the ear. The story will hopefully make into tomorrows paper or maybe by the next days.
That's about all for today. I am looking forward totomorrow.... Hoping for big things! Until next time...

Mission prep/Refit

It's tues night ppl! Time to get on the trail again tomm and continue the Trek For Hope! So New Balance contacted me over the weekend and offered a pair of shoes for the Trek which is huge.... I of course said yes, please when they offered. They sent me a pair of 993's from the Heritage Collection that have US Army embroidered in gold on the tounge along with the Flag and Army Star. On the back is the Flag with USA across it. So very cool. I don't want to wear them they are so pretty lol. No worries, I'm gonna wear them out!
A wonderful couple that my family has known for years took my mom and I out to eat tonight at the Smokin Pig here in Valdosta. That's good southern BBQ in case you couldn't tell from the name. Bill is a LtCol here at Moody AFB and he will be working with me in order to spreadthe word about the Trek through the various air bases Public Affairs offices. This will be a great opportunity for me to spread the cause to members of the Air Force.
So, the plan for tomm is to leave Valdosta and travel up 41 to and then thru Hahira and then on to Cecil for the night stop. I'll eventually go thru Tifton and Macon and on to Atlanta where I will head west to Birminham by paralleling I-20. Don't forget to check out FB, Twitter and the firstgiving.com/jacobparrish1 pages.

Until next time...

New Balance has my feet covered on the Trek!

I just received a pair of New Balance 993's from the Heritage Collection just minutes ago! Big THANKS to NB for this generous donation. I'll update my plans for tomm and my route a little bit later.

Here it comes!

We are just days away from stepping out onto the next leg of the TREK. The blisters have healed nicely and I plan on leaving Wed morning to head to Atlanta. Many people have emailed me about wanting to invest in the TREK in many ways. If this is your desire then please contact me directly at 813-505-0492. I can save your name, number and city in my phone and when I am close to your location I'll be able to contact you easily.
There are a few big possibilities inthe works and as they progress and turn into something more solid I will post them here so you can check them out.
I am so ready to get back out there. I truly enjoy what I am doing. This has been an amazing experience thus far and I have high expectations for the rest of the TREK.
Get ready ppl.... Wed is coming fast!
Until next time...

FYI

If you have given or are planning to give to the cause thru the firstgiving.com website then you will be eased to know that firstgiving sent a rebate check to SOWF for part of the admin fees it charges to handle the donations. Pretty cool huh?

I would like to apologize for my phones behavior. We argue at times as to how Senecas and words should be in my blog. You can see that my phone wins those arguments from time to time. I think it's time Apple donates a new phone to the cause.

I made it to Ga today!!!

So last blog I left you with I was staying in White Springs Fl. I didn't tell you about my motel room though. So after I paid the owner for the room, it was apparent that they did not have a ready room. It looked as though there around 10 rooms open at this place yet the owner and another man were severely perplexed as to which room they could put me in for the night. I sat on the curb and waited forthem to sort out the situation. Finally, room 10 it is. So I go to the unlocked door of 10 and go inside. I see 2 beds, a full size fridge from 1988 behind the door, restaurant style linoleum vinyl floor, dark wood paneling and a 1990 zenith TV in the corner. So I go to the bathroom and flip the light on and a few roaches run from the light. The shower only has a working hot side knob.. The cold didn't exist but lucky for me the water didn't get hot enough to burn me. No shower curtain so the water went everywhere. The fan in the room was drooping and dusty and the ac unit was not the right size foe the hole in the wall so I could see the outside around the edge. I felt like a murder flick was just waiting to be made and I was gonna be the star. But, all in all, I'd stay there again. It served my purpose quite well actually. So that's that. I ended up walking around town and taking pics of some old houses with great architecture. I posted them to the T4H Facebook page. So from White Springs to Jasper...on this leg of the Trek there wasn't much to experience. As I was getting closer to Jasper, different story. Apparently at some point I scared a motorist and they called the sheriff dept on me. Hamilton county sent a deputy out to check me out and he was very professional and quite respectful as I hoped I was to him. Deputy Burke talked to me about the mission I was on and took a card from me and said he would help pass the word. This was the first of several instances with the Hamilton County Deputies. So I walked on and met Mary Ann Hughes. Now, Mary Ann was an experience all by herself. This lady was driving a bright red Jeep Cherokee and let me say that her personality and spirit outshone even that vehicle. She pulled off the road and asked me if I needed a ride. Of course I said no but I gave her a card and explained my mission to her. I can't remember if she said she heard me on the radio or not...well, she was excited to meet me and this wasn't just an excitement like you found 2 dollars in your pants pocket. No. This was a jump out the car and do a dance kinda excitement. So, she leaves. She leaves and says she is gonna go check out the websites. I left it at that pretty much. I kept walking. A bit later another deputy from Hamilton County pulls up beside me and asks me what I'm doing. So I explain. He gives me his last pack of gummy fruit snacks and a donation to the cause and tells me to remain aware on the roads as they are dangerous at tomes especially with the high traffic from big rig log trucks and dump trucks. I say thank you and promise to be safe and he moves and so do I. A little while later guess who I see? That's right. I see a bright red Jeep coming my way and right behind her Jeep... Deputy Griffin! Deputy Griffin hands me a pile of granola bars and says "Be safe and enjoy" and then drives off to continue his mission. Then Mary Ann comes up more excited than before. She gives me a donation and tells me how she checked out the blog and facebook and told a couple hundred friends and how her moms wanted to buy me dinner and that her and her momma own M and H Transport and they transport patients back and forth Anne ... Whew.. That woman can talk 100 miles an hour! Well, about this time she had coaxed me into riding down to Rickys BBQ in Jennings and she bought me what musta been 10 pounds of BBQ. It was like a lead weight in my hand the plate was. Well we went back to her place and she introduced me to her mom and friends and she gave me some of her mommas sweet tea which was awesome. Eventually after I finished eating she took me to a store and bout me some drinks and then put me out on the road where she found me. Let me say that I have met many generous ppl but none so absolutely excited to do for someone else. She truly was overjoyed and she truly touched me. Thank you Mary Ann. After that I walked on into town and met several other people at a gas station. One was Chauncey. I passed out a few cards in the gas station and he took one a gave me a few dollars as I was making my way to the door. He found me a short time later walking and gave me another donation. We talked for a minute and both of us wished each other well. I spotted a Bank Of America and was making my way over to deposit the donations when a you g lady stopped me and said she was being obedient to God by giving me a donation. She was halfway out of town and felt as though she was supposed to come back and find me which she did. She said times were rough but God provides and her car payment was late but it was more important to obey God. Young lady I have no doubt that God will bless you for your obedience to him. Just before this a man and his wife fromthe store drove up and gave me a donation as well. They were a fine couple and seemed genuine and loving. That's about it for yesterday. Today started out great. I woke up from my slumber and went next door to Hardee where I ordered coffee and a biscuit. As I was eating a man came up and introduced himself Nd asked about my mission. I explained and he said he saw me yesterday but didn't stop to talk but wished he had. He was sitting at a table of 10 or so ppl when I came in and he invited me over to sit with them. Come to find out they were veterans themselves and were from different branches. Some of them had their wives with them Nd I ended up spending my morning there with them. They were a great group with lots of stories and life about them. I enjoyed talking with them. After Hardees came another deputy with Hamilton county. He inquired about my mission and so I explained. We talked for a bit and he offered a ride and I declined but he did give me lunch money for when I found a place. I never did get his name though but he was in a Dodge Charger. As far as Law Enforcement agencies are concerned... Hamilton County Deputies have certainly placed themselves on the map of giving. The deputies have given generously, shown respect and courtesy and have gone out of their way for me. Thank you Hamilton County Deputies. Besides this there isn't much tell. I did cross into GA today. My first state line and certainly not the last. I met up with my Aunt Karen and she took me to a Mexican restaurant and bought me dinner. I'm staying at my Gparents house in Dasher tonight and I'll head into Valdosta tomorrow. The blisters are maintaining... Not better and not worse. I'll stay in Valdosta for a week and let them heal up and move on again. Well it's Kate and I
Falling asleep o. The keyboard. Time to go to bed. Goodnight everyone. Until next time...