Natalie on the IAT: Rock County isssssss... Awesome. Gushing about people. Mile 810ish

Road road road... 20.1 miles of road was what greeted me July 5th. Really not an exciting hiking day... It was smoggy-looking outside so I took a few photos of it and when eating lunch I saw there is a weather alert out for air quality. I thought - too many fireworks! But turns out its from wildfires in Canada. I ignored those warnings (sorry lungs) and kept walking.

Road walking... In the haze

Higher than thith by the fifth.... The knee high saying doesn't work this year for corn... It's crazy tall.

I did have something to look forward to once I got to my destination though... a place to stay for the night! The Rock County Ice Age Trail Alliance (IATA) chapter head had reached out to me and offered to let me stay with him. Which was great since Rock County does not yet have legal camping locations. I had the pleasure of meeting Dennis and Gena. I was welcomed into their home that evening and after eating about 5000 calories from delicious but fatty fair food, I was treated to a grilled chicken salad, fruit salad and corn on the cob. I felt better about myself immediately after eating that.

I brought out my air mattress to see if the patch work I had done was successful and that the mattress would hold air, I found out the answer was no. I was promptly given a new-to-me air mattress from their stash of hiking gear!?!! WHAT? "I'm always looking for an excuse to get new gear anyway." Is the response I got from Dennis when attempting to say it was too much.

Amazing people that ensured my time in Rock County was extremely welcoming!

Dennis is a veteran and their son is also in the Army. Between military and camping stories, the night's conversation flew by. Dennis had also reached out to other Ice Age Trail Alliance members for a nights stay the following night! Talk about "quality service!" The next morning I had some breakfast and was back on the trail. I walked through an Arboretum, and then onto the 'Devil's Staircase" which is a geological feature, but because there are quite a few stairs (thank you trail builders!) many think the devil's staircase are the stairs you hike. Anyway, I was munching on cherries that Gena sent with me and I was looking at the river when I got a text asking if I was getting rained on. I wasn't, but it made me look at the weather. I was going to get rained on if I stayed so I started on my way.

I got to the Riverside park while it was still not raining and I passed up a shelter thinking I had 20 minutes according to Accu-weather to make it about a half mile to the next shelter. Accu-weather lived up to its previous experiences, because in 10 minutes, I was also not being lightly sprinkled on, I was being torrential down-poured on. I had made a bad life decision. I had tried to hide under a tree by the road and as the cars passed, I must have looked like a wet dog, but staying under the tree was prolonging the inevitable so I walked out into the rain and made it to the second shelter just as the rain was starting to lighten up.

If I had stayed at the first shelter I would have stayed dry and would have waited out the 30 minutes of rain. Now I was drenched and still had to walk that day. Don't mind the clothes, but squishy feet are aweful.

Sigh...

Well, I was sitting in the shelter, soaking wet and I got a phone call. It was Bob and he wanted to walk with me for a bit and he literally lived in a house down the road on the trail. I changed my socks and put my shoes back on and my pack back together. Bob, a decorated Vietnam veteran and I walked to downtown Janesville together talking up a storm. When we got near the library I had originally thought I might stop in. So we walked that way and all of a sudden he asks if I wanted to go to the newspaper just up the road. He had talked to them about a month ago about me and wanted to see if they would do a story. Next thing I know, I was being interviewed and then later on I got a few photos snapped on the most southern portion of the trail. Pretty cool. Bob walked a bit further with me before turning and walking back.

The street Bob helped name

Not too long afterwards, I sat down and changed into another pair of socks, ate some almonds and thought, "Its almost 5pm, I am just not going to get all that far today, and that's okay. I am going to call the people Dennis had arranged for me to stay with and be done with walking today." I called Jim. A few short minutes later I was on my way to their house. I was once again greeted by some extremely nice and amazingly interesting people. I got to shower and get out of my still-wet from the rain clothes - which promptly went into the wash. Carol cooked a fantastic and healthy supper which once again was such a treat. Over the meal I learned about their accomplishments and journey's in life. It is so very interesting to me to hear about the paths people take in their lives and how sometimes coincidences occur in others lives and not just mine ;)

Yet more amazing people! So lucky people take in smelly strangers!

I have loved getting to meet and talk with such diverse people along this trip, each one seemingly contains a lesson about life. At first I met great people and thought - oh - that's a great person. But now, after literally being bombarded every week with great people the trend cannot be ignored. The world is full of wonderful people! I don't think I had a pessimistic view about people to begin with, its just so much more than I ever could have imagined. One person doing one thing is just that... but when 100 people do just one thing... its 100 positive and great things! I have been the recipient to seemingly so many of those 'one things'. Beyond that, it really makes me want to start doing nice things... It's contagious and I am catching it!

The next morning, after a rain-filled night I did not have to sleep outside in, the newspaper had already published the article... speedy! I clipped it from the paper and sent it home in the mail thanks to Carol providing and envelope and stamp. She dropped me off back at the trail and it was great to get an early start on a cool, nice day. From there I was stopped by a runner who recognized me from the paper. And then I walked into the Walmart to re-stock my food supply for the next four days and was stopped by a lady who recognized me from the paper! Whoa! Not used to that! After Walmart I called about my air mattress... the company will send me a new one, but it will take a week to get to me.

I continued onto the trail and I saw a lady walking toward me. Carla came out to walk with me for a little bit. She's a member of the Rock County IATA and had seen my photo in the paper! About three minutes after she met me, we saw two more people walking our way.... the first thru-hikers I have met on the trail! So exciting and they totally put me to shame. It was such a thrill to see them, so young and going after it. They also do more miles than me a day as they has to be done by the end of August to start school. Go them!

First thru-hikers I've met in person!!

Carla from the IATA met me out on the trail for a bit!

What this all boils down to is... Rock County, your IATA chapter is amazing. The people are extremely welcoming and the signage through the trails and especially through the town and road portions is the best I've seen. Thank you for a wonderful section.