MAY 7TH 2010 DAY FIVE

Ready? Here we go. Day five started out by me answering my hotel door, and yes I said hotel. I am taking advantage of the occasional hotel why I can. Anyways, two of my friends came to say goodbye and take me to breakfast. Wondering how they found me? Spot of course, he cant keep a secret and he makes me paranoid that someone is watching me. So, needless to say, it was a late start but I appreciated the fact they came all the way out from Laguna to say goodbye. First stop was a seven eleven where I bought water, Gatorade and baby powder(its a sore subject). After going outside and sighting the only shade I would see all day at the side of the building, I decided to fill my water blivet and pack everything away. Three minutes into this, Corona California's finest rolls up on me and parks his patrol car in front of me. I was on the phone and ignored him until he grabbed my walking stick off of the wall and began to talk to me. I hung up and asked what I could do for him and he replied with, "walking stick, huh?" to this I could only come up with, "yes." Original wasn't it? He asked where it was I was walking to, which I immediately translated to, what are you doing scaring the locals you homeless vagrant? I thought that the GPS (Spot) on my shoulder strap or the I pod in my arm band or the blue tooth in my ear or the cell phone in my hand, would ease his mind of me being of me being a threat. He is lucky Spot doesn't bite. After explaining what it was I was doing, I could see that he understood the situation and was very respectful. He then entered the store while I stretched and came back out within two minutes with nothing in his hands. This tells me that the family of eight manning the store must have called him after I spent 45 seconds in their store and giving them my business. The bottom line here is that I guess I am going have to get used to being considered a vagrant or a threat. Officer Martinez shook my hand(shook not cuffed) and wished me luck. He is a young, professional officer and Corona Ca is in good hands. The 909 area code was "Africa" hot today and it didn't help that it was all streets for the route. I was stopped along the way by two teenagers that wanted to know if I was the guy from the news. I told them I was and I was excited to hear they knew the story and why I was doing it. I couldn't believe that kids about the age of what Kenzie would have been, knew, remembered and recognized me. That tells me what were doing is already getting the attention of young drivers and I couldn't be happier. Shortly after, I ran into one of my best friends from when I was younger, he somehow knew where I was and found me on his way home from work. In between the time i saw him and walked to a restaurant to join him for dinner, the worst thing so far on our journey happened. My walking stick broke into two pieces without even striking the ground. As it broke, so did my spirit and motivation. That stick was taken from a wooded area in Seattle on one of my walks while visiting there five weeks ago. I had hoped it would hold up the entire journey, as it had up to today. My friend Jeff put some serious time in carving Mackenzie's website and name on it as well as cord hand grip etc. I just had the hardest time letting it go but I did. I gave it to my friend to take back to the OC for another one of my friends kids I told could have it when it was over. Now what am I going to fight the mountain lions with tomorrow? I guess I am going to have to let Spot off his leash if there is any trouble. I really am disappointed and sad that the stick is gone. I no longer cared how far I had come or how far I had left to go today, I was done for the day. That brings me to where I am now, but with a better attitude. I once again want to thank ALL of you for having me and Kenzie's back and listening to me whine about, what must seem trivial things. I also want to say what no paper would print or interviewer would air, for whatever reason, and that is, that this IS and ALWAYS has been about Mackenzie and has nothing to do with me. I ask that when you picture this journey in your mind, that you picture her and not me. Thank you for being part of day five.

*Mackenzie had ten pillows on her bed when she was with me at my house and we had a ritual every night of lining them up and having her pick what pillows she would use that night. I would stand over her while she said her prayers and sneak back in later to watch her sleep. It was my favorite thing to do and it is what I miss the most.