On Minor Detours and the Rule of Thumbin'

I forgot to mention the change of course in my last post, so it may come as a surprise to most of you that I have crossed two more state lines and am writing this blog from Round Hill, Virginia.

In God's amazing provision, he has even taken into account my homesickness. And, whereas I'm not exactly back on the shores of Ruth Lake, I am staying with the nearest thing to family this side of the midwest; my second cousin - once removed - by marriage.

Oddly enough, this is not the first time that God has used this wonderful young family in the same capacity.

I had never known of their existance until my second residence in California. When I moved to Yorba Linda, my family suddenly realized that I was living not far from this extended relative. So I looked them up.

They soon became somewhat of a surrogate family for me during my stay in California.. That is, until they moved.

I had lost all contact with them for two years but reconnected just two weeks ago to realize that they were too close to pass up.

Goodbyes were hard at Emmaus. There were a few tears and long drawn out sighs, but the heaviest part of this farewell was not just the leaving, but not knowing when, if at all, we would ever see each other again. But I have a sneaking suspicion that a reunion will come sooner than we think.

Given that my southbound sidetrack was not in the original route, I felt more liberty to explore alternate forms of vagabonding.

I left at nearly 10:30 and planned to walk as far as Thurmont, Maryland without seeking assistance. My feet were already upset by the time I saw the city and I stopped to eat and rest at the Shamrock lounge.

I talked with a young man who had just finished boot camp for a branch of the military. He was awaiting his placement, that was to be decided by the powers that be, and mused about the peace in a situation where he has no control over those major decisions. I related well on that topic.

From Thurmont, I had nearly 75 miles yet to go before I would enter Leesburg (the nearest town to Round Hill). And here's where I grew a thumb.

Though the act of hitchhiking is not dissimilar from my current traveling style, it comes with different expectations. On most of my walking days, rides are just a blessing and a needed distraction from long days on the road. But while walking backwards holding my thumb out in the air, rides are my goal.

I did not get picked up as quickly as I'd hoped, and there was still a good deal of walking to come, but soon enough I was in the passenger seat of a contract landscapers pickup.

A little rough around the edges but a christian with a kind heart nonetheless, he began to tell me the story of the summer after his junior year.

He and his friend had left home each holding $100 to their name. Their goal was Florida and a season of freedom. I could tell as he reminiced that he often looks back on that summer and sees nothing but freedom.

My second ride came just south of Fredrick Maryland and has the face of a 19 year old on his way to worship band practice. I struggled to fit my pack in the back of his minivan trying to fit it around the bike that laid over the seats. When I asked if he was an avid biker, he said "only when the van breaks down."

The van ran like a champ and brought me within 20 miles of my goal where I was soon picked up by two South American mechanics. I walked up to their moving van style truck and heard the passengers beautiful accent as he said "We'll have to share the seat." And crammed inside this tiny cabin, we talked of God and homes and the spanish word for hitchhiker (which I've already forgoten).

After a quick stop by the farmers market to stock up on watermelon we soon found ourselves saying goodbyes in Leesburg.

From there I called my long lost family and sat in a coffeehouse to await the shirttail reunion.

We reconnected with hugs and exclamations and they brought me to rest in their beautiful ranch style home in the lazy sticks of Virgina and at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This is the stuff of the South.

The people that I will be connecting with in Philladelphia are leaving town for a short trip untill the 19th. So I can't very well arrive before then. I will stay here several days but soon I must begin to plan my route back to lovely Pennsylvania.

Lovin' and missin' you all!

Christopher Andrew.