Day 16 - Michigan City, Indiana

Day 14, 15 & 16, Michigan City, Indiana

Yeah! I found a new cover for these walking posts. I didn't do a whole lot of walking this past weekend, Saturday and Sunday combined for just under 2 miles. The pathetic thing is that's more than a lot of my weekends.

I haven't completely decided where I'm walking yet but I did play around on Google maps for awhile last night. Looking at certain places and such so I have a vague idea, just not positive. I do know the foreseeable future as far as where I'm going just not any further.

Monday I went back to work but I've been doing quite a bit on the forklift so I haven't been getting really good mileage. To bad driving didn't count for miles, then I'd be crushing it.

43.4 Miles

As you can tell, I'm taking some back roads around Michigan City just so you all can see the view from the lake. I found a road that follows it for a bit so I'm hoping I can get some good shots for you. I'll also go by, pretty much the only thing I go to Michigan City for and show you that but that's a few days away, maybe a week at how slow I'm going.

Closer to Death

I made it to another weekend. As much as some of my work days drag right now, the work week seems to fly right by which believe me, I'm grateful for that, but I always go to that thought that I'm a lot older now and if I'm not subconciously realizing that. So my days tend to fly by now because I'm closer to death. You know, in the way that young people can't wait to get older and it seems like forever. Sounds like a mid-life crisis to me. I've also had that thought a few times of when I'm gone, it's just over, which I guess means I now officially know what I believe as far as the afterlife goes. Don't worry, I'm not dwelling on these thoughts, they've popped in my head here and there. Luckily, I'm to broke to go buy a convertible or motorcycle and I'm to much in love to get a younger wife.

I've also had some weird dreams as of late. Is that a sign of getting older that I missed? The other night I dreamed that my mom had disappeared. Last night, I had a dream where our whole family was sitting outside a bar/restaurant trying to get my aunt and uncle out of it. I couldn't tell you the last time I've ever seen them drink, let alone drunk, but here we were. My mom sent me in with a few dollars just to put on their table as a tip and to let them know we were outside. Like an intervention or something. Really weird, even weirder if you knew the aunt and uncle.

Day 13, LaPorte, IN

I took the time to check out how far I've walked so far up through yesterday. I've gone 38.2 miles since the first of the year.

I was sure to add the corner of that screen cap up there, that's Lake Michigan. I might alter my route some and go right up to the lake. I don't know, it'll probably depend on what kind of photos Google maps has for those roads, if they even have street shots. It might be kind of cool to see. I also might change my destination and just kind of wonder around the states and look at touristy places. I haven't decided yet. I also need to get a new cover picture before the walking stuff.

Here's where I would have stayed last night. I'm still on the highway but I'll be heading into a city soon so I'll have better screen caps.

We are going car shopping today so I should get more than my usual 1000 steps that I tend to get on the weekends.

Flooded

On the road that my job is on, there is a spot a couple of businesses down that floods anytime we get any kind of precipitation. Yesterday, we had a ton of rain, I'm not sure if even rained last night or not but when I went to work, it was still flooded. Now when I say flooded, I don't mean a little puddle of water. I mean, the kind where you drive in the middle of the road, slowly, so you don't end up flooding the bottom of your car. Anyways, I went to work and since I'm a little more intelligent then most, I drove through the middle and when I got to the other side, I tried to accelerate just a little bit since I crawl through the flood only it was solid ice from where cars fly through and drag the water out. Did I mention it was in the mid 20's this morning. I drove to work and parked. I generally park towards the end of the lot near the road and I get to work about 20 minutes until I have to be there and I sit, relax and listen to music. This morning however, I didn't put my head back and close my eyes, I sat and watched all the idiots fly past work. I watched all my fellow employees try to stop to turn in only to slide right past the entrance. The closer it got to 6, the funnier it got. I even saw one car fly completely past. Then about a minute later, they came back to it, in reverse.

I just found it really funny because from where the flooded part ends to the entrance at work, it really isn't that far, really no need to accelerate much at all, but most people do. I see this all the time on the roads. The light ahead will be red and people keep accelerating like they are going to get somewhere. I just don't see the point other than wasting your gas.

Day 10, Rolling Prairie, IN

I added another 4.9 miles today and I'm really getting in the middle of nowhere.

While I enjoy checking the map to see where I'm at and even enjoy checking the area for a place to sleep. The whole zombie thing isn't really much of the story line so I'm debating on continuing that. I'll still do the updates and check where I'm at, just don't know about the story part of it. We'll see. I'll probably definitely lean that way when I end up in these rural areas where nothing is around.

Still going

I did a whole lot of nothing this past weekend. How much is a whole lot of nothing? I walked just over 2,000 steps, both days combined. Basically on Saturday, the only thing I did was drive my daughter and her 2 friends back and forth to the mall. Sunday, I rarely left my recliner. Which is why I didn't bother posting my miles that I walked. Or should I say l, the less than a mile that I walked. I did work yesterday, so there is that.

Day 7, 8 & 9, New Carlisle, IN

3 days and only 5 miles. I had to hole up here just outside New Carlisle as a horde of zombies came strolling down US 2. I assume it followed me out of South Bend. Not necessarily followed me but more traveled the same route. I do envy that they just keep going even though they are falling apart, quite literally. I have troubling going to far without my knees or legs hurting. Anyways, I waited them out and decided it was safe to leave this afternoon. I got around 5 miles but I'm still on the outskirts of New Carlisle. I found a pretty great place to hole up for tonight. It's a decent sized house but what makes it great is there is little around and it's a little ways off the road in case another horde comes through.

 

Sunday funnies

Wow! Who would have guessed I'd start the year off posting every day for a whole week. This is just a quick post to let you know what's going on over at this blogs Facebook page. Part of the reason I wasn't blogging much is because I didn't have much to say or at least at length that I thought it would make a good blog post. Not that my blog posts are always that interesting but you know what I mean. So I'm trying to post my short blog post type stuff there and maybe get some interaction. It's been slow going so far but I'm making the effort. Here's what you missed this past week.

You people scare me

How much do I hate people? More than I like driving fast.

I'm a lead foot, I drive faster than most others on the road. However, I'm not aggressive, if I get behind someone going slower, I usually just slow down and get behind them. Even on 4 lane roads, if my next turn is a right turn, I get in the right lane and stay in it, even if I'm not turning for awhile and there isn't much traffic. Now I won't if they are ridiculously slow, but you know, around speed limit slow I do.

Today, I was driving my daughter and her 2 friends to the mall (which you would already know if you followed my Facebook page). The route there, I took the faster route. It was snowing, roads were a little slick at places but not real bad. I didn't enjoy my ride there at all. I just don't trust people, especially when conditions are getting bad. People are stupid and become even more dumb behind the wheel of a car. I've been in accidents and I know how I react, I trust my driving. Or maybe it has to do with my oldest being in a car accident yesterday, but I just didn't feel all that comfortable.

So on the way home (and there and back, when I picked them up), I took the slow route. Speed limit is between 30-40 and it is probably the most direct route. It's 2 lanes all the way up until the road the mall is on. Now remember where I said it was snowing and roads were a little slick. The faster route is pretty well traveled and also straight so the roads were decent where as the slower route is less traveled and curvy. Did I mention it's curvy because it follows the river?

The slower route was much more comfortable, despite all that. Why? Less people. I didn't feel like my head had to be on a swivel because I didn't have to watch as many people driving.

Maybe it's my old age, maybe not, all I know is how I felt driving today.

Day #6, New Carlisle, IN

I did make it another 3.48 miles yesterday. I ended up having to stay at a flea market. It was the only thing there, things are starting to get rural outside South Bend. It's considered New Carlisle but technically, the town is North of the highway I'm on. Which is good as far as the zombies are concerned, there is getting less and less of them.

I might take a couple of days out here just for a nice break (in the real world, it's the weekend and it's freezing out so I probably won't walk much).

So much for perfect attendance

My morning started off like any other morning. My alarm went off, I laid there for a minute before the cat started bothering me. I got up and did my usual morning routine, hopped in the car and drove to work. As I pull into the parking lot, I'm thinking "why is everyone here already?" I glance down at the clock, and it read 6:18. Um, I'm supposed to be at work at 6:00.

I have 2 alarms set on my phone. One at 5:15, which is the one I get up with, and one at 5:56 which is the one that I shut off the radio in the car and head into the building. I get to work around 5:40-5:45 and hang out in the car, slouch down, put my head back and shut my eyes and listen to music, until the alarm goes off. Then I head in and clock in at 2 minutes till. What I'm guessing happened this morning is my first alarm never went off (the cat would have woke me up if it had and I fell back asleep,) and when my second one did, I thought it was my first.

When I walked into work, my boss walked up and said "oh good, you're here." I explained what happened and then told her "I would have text you and let you know I was coming if I had actually realized I was running late."

Oops.

I don't know if it will affect perfect attendance or not since I did show up and still worked 8 hours. We have new owners so I don't know how they keep track. I had perfect attendance last year, I did call in once but they let me use a vacation day for it so technically, it wasn't a call in. The new owners don't allow that, you have to have 48 hour notice on vacation days.

Day #5, South Bend

I hit up the Goodwill this morning before I left. Changing my clothes which was nice after a few days.  I passed a supermarket on the way so I was able to stock up on some supplies. I had some trouble going under the bridge where the bypass goes over the road I was on. There was a big pile up and all kinds of zombies. I went up the exit and came back down on the other side. I was able to avoid most of them that way but I still had to dodge quite a few. When there is that many around I try to avoid rather than taking the time to kill one. All that dodging and running wore me out and I stopped for the night not real far after that crossing. I'm staying at a vet clinic. Luckily the animals were still alive as were only 5 days in but they didn't look good. I let most of them out of their cages and they took off. There was a small living quarter upstairs so at least I'll get a bed again.

Day #4 - South Bend, IN

It was a rough day today, I went through South Bend but I stayed more to the South of town so it wasn't as bad as it could have been. I crossed some railroad tracks and debated on following them but decided to stick with the road. While I'm not real familiar with South Bend, I'm more familiar with the roads than the tracks, obviously. I found a plasma donation place to stay at tonight. I was hoping for a bed here but there aren't beds but more of a reclining chair. Oh well, it'll have to do. It didn't take real long to clear it out. The front door was open so there was only a straggler or 2 and they are in some offices at the front of the building while I'm hanging out in the back. I chose this building because it sits a ways from the road. There's a Goodwill next door that I'm going to hit at first light to see if there is anything I can use. I'm definitely going to be changing some clothes.

Total steps so far = 19,574

Total mileage so far = 12.62

Miles to go = 1503.38

Day #3 - Indiana

Woo Hoo! I've actually posted a few days in a row. So even if I stay fat, I've at least accomplished that. It hasn't really motivated me to walk a whole lot more but I am enjoying looking at the map and seeing where I'm at the next day. The only "extra" walking I'm doing right now is when I fill up my propane tank at work, instead of standing there for 15 minutes, I walk while it's filling up. Nobody has caught me doing it yet as it's in the back of the building. When it gets warmer, it'll be obvious because garage doors will be open and more people will be outside. Right now, it's cold and everybody (except the smokers) avoids the cold. That's my excuse for not walking when I get home, it's to cold. It's probably going to take me over a year to get to Salt Lake.

As for yesterday, I walked 3.46 miles so definitely better than the last few. I walked all the way through the neighboring town without stopping. It was probably a mistake as the road I was taking took me right through downtown. It was definitely a good idea to take the ax because there were a lot of them swarming about. I stuck to the sidewalk and for the most part, they didn't see me between the cars parallel parked and the buildings. Once I got out of town, I followed the river so I really only had to watch out one side of the road. Tomorrow will be a rough day as I will be hitting the biggest city in this area but with a decent page, I may be able to get all the way through time.

Here's the cozy house I stayed in last night.

Day #2 - Indiana

I went 2.13 miles yesterday, which isn't bad for a non work day. I did take Milo for a walk again but it was a little shorter. I tried to get a quick walk in before I had to go pick up my son from his friends house which ended up being a good thing as it started to rain on my way to get him.

So at a little more than 2 more miles, I still haven't made it out of the neighboring town on my way to SLC. I guess that's why it plans on being a years journey. I found a small house with no one home this time, so I didn't have to use the small axe that I found at the previous stop. I still have my gun and some ammo but as I said yesterday, I needed something quieter. The house next door I could hear banging so I'm guessing the previous occupants are trapped inside. The other side of the house had a creek so I really only have to keep an eye out towards the front and the one side.

I went back to work today, so I promise tomorrow will be more than 2 miles. It was raining when I got home as well so I didn't add to that, at least that's the excuse I'm using. It's certainly not because after 4 days off and sleeping in that I couldn't go to sleep last night until about 1:30 in the morning and had to get up at 5:15 this morning. Which caused me to nap in the recliner once I got home and showered. Definitely not that.

I've been saving the stuff I've been posting on this blogs Facebook page and I got way behind on posting them here because I've been slacking. So since right now, I'm posting daily, I'll post some at the bottom of these posts.