I’m ahead of schedule. There has been no traffic yet. I’ve stopped at a Waffle House for lunch about 350 miles to go. At this pace I’ll be at the Hiker Hostel by 8.

The waitress took my order of a ‘Texas bacon cheesesteak.’ mmmm. I got an iced tea too which was sweetened with way too much sugar. When she brought the sandwich she said ‘ain’t that pertty? Ain’t it nice lookin’? I made it all nice. Ain’t it nice?’ she stood there and I was certain she was waiting for me to say ’sure is.’ So I did.

The sandwich was pretty much what you’d expect. A steak’um with melted American cheese, bacon and diced onions on white toast. It was delicious.

While I ate she grabbed a broom and chatted with the old man sitting at the counter smoking while she swept. ‘I hate this place. Soon I’m gonna get out of here and go to the beach.’