Day 6 June 10 2009, Hazen to Little Rock (49mi)

Whenever I hit 40+ miles I start to really feel the exhaustion. My shins send shivers through my body when touched. My back has marks like being lashed from the bungee cord holding my sleeping pad to bag. Upper back pain like a motherfucker.

The day started out earlier than usual, 545 because the Marshall said he would pick me up from Mammoth Pond Park at 600. I waited until 640. He never showed up. Besides that I also found out one of my tent pole frames broke. Fuck. I was stressin for the rest of the day I was left to skate the extra 3 miles back to Hazen. I got there at 700 and most of the town was still asleep. I didn't stop, 9 miles to Carlisle. I got there at about 830 but even that morning the wind was blowing 10 miles.hour from the southwest. I knew it was only going to get worse as the day progressed so the faster I got to my destinations the easier my life would be.

Carlisle didn't have any gas stations on 70 but i saw a locol grocery store which I walked into. The first aisle I walked into looking for Gatorade a hardcore redneck stared me down with a dirty look. His eyes followed me until I passed him and he still turned his head and kept staring at me. I walked through looking for the cold drinks, but there was none so as I walking towards the exit, I saw the same guy getting rung up. I was walking towards him to ask another cashier where the public library was when I heard him mutter to his cashier "Watch this guy, he is trying to steal something"
"Im not trying to steal shit, I have never stolen anything"
"Well I don't know" he looked down, not expecting me to say anything back
"Well if you dont know, then dont acuse me as if you do"
He said nothing
As I was asking another cashier where the library was he said as he was leaving "Sorry man I didn't mean anything by it"
"Peace man, its all good"
I went to the public library which still had 1 minutes to open and just relaxed. When it didnt open almost every site was blocked including my blog, facebook, and couchsurfing.com
Fuck that. I left at 915 and headed to Lonoke
I stopped at the public library there where I updated the blog again, relaxed and got something to eat at Arkansas' local pizza place, Pizza Pro. Chicken Bacon Ranch, it was pretty good. Nothing exciting really happened at Lonoke and I decided I would make it Little Rock today. I would make it there 2 days earlier than scheduled because first it was a complete extra day of rest at hosts house inside a building and on a comfortable couch/bed. Second because the tent pole broke I didnt want to be camping. I would take this time to repair it. I also found out I lost my good knife. I know I had to commit to Little Rock. It would be long, windy and very exhausting.

I commited and left Lonoke at 206. The ride was looong. 27 more miles to Little Rock. However at two different points in time two different cars drove next to me and handed me water as I was still skating like I was in a marathon. It lifted my spirits. Halfway through there was some road construction and I talked to David who was holding a Slow/Stop sign.
"Where da fuck is Rhode Island?"
He asked if I needed some food even though he was abroke man still living with his mom as he put it. 12 more miles
I finally got the outside of North Little Rock when I decided to take the interstate hoping a cop would stop me and give me a ride to downtown. I was so exhausted. Instead I got a Mexican. He was cool and had to pick his brother in law (who spoke no English) up before dropping me off. I got to 3rd street in Downtown Little Rock at 530 and called my host Eric, but he didn't answer. I figured he was at work. At 730 he called me back while I was laying underneath a bridge and I met him on 7th street and Chester in a pizza spot called Vino's where he bought me beer and a large Margarita Pizza we shared with his roommate Sam. They were cool motherfuckers and Im glad they were hosting me. My night ended with a smoke to sleep.

Aaaah my first main checkpoint, Little Rock. Iam here for the next 3 days. Life is good