DAY 7:

A well deserved rest for Reba. While she rested, I recorded my mission and posted it in Facebook for the online folks. I worked in a historic hotel located up the street from my camp  (with wifi, see following post). And it is worth remembering that no one knew I was coming, but many came forward, and on seeing that I was on a mission for rural and small town America; they wanted to help but asked for nothing in return.
 



The Historic Hotel Josephine is restored and maintained NOT by an investment group or a corporation but by a local Holton family; a husband and wife with their two sons and daughter invested their blood, sweat, and tears, and in the process, helped to restore that special kind of goodness that belongs to small town America (something that big money from big outsiders cannot do). I love old architecture and design, and took this photo in early morning light. My “office” was located in that corner window on the second floor, in a commons room provided free by the owners (very impressed with the neat-and-cleanness of the place). If rural and small town America is to survive, places like the Hotel Josephine must have our support!
 

Returning to camp to make lunch, I saw this little boy eyeing Reba from a distance, so I waved him over and told him to go and get his parents if he wanted a ride. He ran away all excited but returned in tears and said his mother didn’t want to ride. Fearing a loss in translation, I went with him to a house so dilapidated, it hurt the heart to look on (the neighbor-hood was not like that). I knocked on the door, removed my hat and spoke with the boy’s mother who was very nice. Then we all went to my camp and the little boy got to ride Reba. I didn't get a picture of Glen while he was on Reba, but man-oh-man how he did smile (in fact he just kept smiling after that)!





Text Post: DAY 7: WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT to Tony & Nicole who were my neighbors while camped in Holton, they made me feel welcome, gave me anytime access to their water spigot, and baked and brought me delicious fresh brownies. Thank you Tony and Nicole! Also, I would like to thank whoever it was that left the sack of apples for Reba in my camp at Holton, Reba really enjoyed them (she had stopped eating apples because she'd had so many being as it's the season for them, but she liked them and ate them all. And I would like to thank the people of Holton in general for being so friendly!