May 8, 2014

Monday, I awoke pretty early. 4am to be exact. I had stayed the night at my friend Pat's, who happened to live in Surprise AZ. He works morning shifts at the hospital, so we headed down the road, to a point on highway 60 I had previously passed. From there I headed towards Lake Pleasant at the top of Peoria. It looked a bit out of the way from my original route, but google maps highlighted a shortcut to bypass the extra 11 miles. I hadn't exactly realized what that entailed, until I was faced with a "road closed" sign. Apparently this shortcut was a service road for the dam. I knew it was to good to be true, though was determined to make my way across. I found an entrance point, and crossed it without hesitation. About halfway through I realized this really wasn't a place for public access. On one side you had the actual lake, full of boats and marina restaurants. On the other side was the huge drop and buildings I assume generated power. I  was exposed the whole time, but managed to cross without detection. Once I reached the campground I faced another predicament. Since I had not gone through the front gate, I did not have a camping pass. The office was 3 miles away. Luckily after a brief conversation with the grounds keeper, who was confused as to how I'd got there, I was directed to a site "off the grid". Tuesday morning came fast, and after eating breakfast provided to me by a kind soul, I set off to see if maybe the service road was open. 

"You're not crossing that. Screw Google. If you're caught you'll be arrested for being a terrorist" said the man at the visitors office. 

When I asked about how I was supposed to get to the other side, he responded with "the way you came in". He meant through the front gate. 

Defeated, I headed towards the main entrance. When I passed it, I realized it was 1pm. After the 11 mile trek back to my original starting point, it'd be getting dark. I turned around, and headed back to the gates. 

One thing I forgot to mention, of all the wildlife I figured I'd encounter, never did I expect feral donkeys. More than 100 years ago, after the mining had ceased to be profitable, all the donkeys were released into the wild. That didn't stop them, and now there are hundreds of them throughout the area. It's quite bizarre seeing them trot by or make noise throughout the night. 

While I did hear them Tuesday night, they were not the source of my restlessness. I had received word that a letter from the department if the Navy had arrived at my parents. It was the ruling on my discharge upgrade. 7 months waiting for a response, and now I know why they moved so quickly. 

I was denied. 

The part that gets me was their ruling was based on reasons I'd addressed in my submitted paperwork. It's like they didn't even look at what I submitted. The basis for the majority of their decisions were found to be incorrect through my research and noted paperwork. There was a separate page with information on challenging their decision. I will definitely be following up on that. One option was appearing in front of a panel in Washington DC. How convenient. 

I eventually fell asleep, feeling more rejuvenated than ever. This is exactly why I am walking across this country. To be the voice for those who are ignored and pushed aside. No matter the outcome of my own plight, I will continue walking. 

Wednesday I made it to New River, and today I finished a grueling hike to Black Canyon KOA. I can't believe how fast time is going, and how far I continue to push myself. It's an incredible experience, and I thank you for allowing me to continue through you support and belief in the cause.