On the Road Again 2013 # 3

I did not sleep well. Part of the problem was that the spot I had chosen was on a bit of a slope. Just a small slope but it was enough to cause me to slide down to the end of my sleeping bag and the bivy sack. Having my legs scrunched always wakes me up. But there were also other distractions.There were at least two other people in the part all night. One of them walked quite close to me. There was also a skunk who walked closer to me than I would have chosen. Neither the four legged or the two legged mammals paid me any attention. I was happy with them ignoring me.

I was up and getting my stuff together by 5:00 am. It was getting light and I was pretty sure that the city fathers (and mothers) did not want folks sleeping in the park. I am quite sure that there would have been no consequence if I had been seen but there was no point in looking for trouble when I could avoid it. As well that silly skunk was rooting amongst the flowers just across the path from me. Again it is better to avoid trouble as opposed to fixing it. And finally it was starting to rain and I would much prefer to pack my stuff when it was nearly dry as opposed to it being soaking wet. So up I got, not feeling particularly well rested but happy to be moving again.

There was not much happening in the area. There was a guy sitting in the bus shelter who when I asked him the  time ( I had neglected to set my watch to Pacific time the previous night) answered rather grumpy that he didn't know and a lady with two well behaved but large dogs who told me that she had missed the last ferry and had spent the night walking around. She apologized if she had stepped on me in the dark. I don't think she did but I wondered if the dogs padding by had been one of the things that had awoken me.

I bought my ticket as soon as the terminal opened and shortly after 6:00 was on the ferry. I used the bathroom to clean up a bit, saw and talked to Michael for a bit and then had some breakfast. People complain that ferry food is lousy - I personally like their scrambled eggs and it was nice to have a cup of tea after my long and somewhat uncomfortable night. By 8:00 I was in Naniamo, I got a city bus to the Greyhound Terminal and five minutes later I was on to a bus to Duncan.

I was at my son's house by around 10:30.

Not the most eventful trip out west by any measurement. It was in fact probably the eaiest. While I am not complaining, it was not at all what I had envisioned as I lay in my bed during the sometimes cold and frequently dreary days of winter but then it does no good to complain about what the gods of hitchhiking send us. Whatever happens - I need to be thankful. And I am.