November 1, 2006
Mom called Gary at 6 AM to discuss his plan for the day. Gary was still managing the details of his transit back to our walking route. As it turned out Gary was delayed by cumbersome travel logistics, so his day and our day started independently. I walked the 5 miles to the west edge of Elk City then took a break at Rebecca’s Coffee Shop on Main Street to await Gary’s arrival when we would resume our walk together through town. I was particularly motivated to introduce Gary to a local merchant we met yesterday, Karen Harless, who owns Renee’s Interior Designs and Antique Market. When we talked yesterday, Karen offered the perspective that the Fast-5 lifestyle is a logical approach to nutritional management and seemed eager to share the information with her family. I was looking forward to talking with her again.
I took the opportunity during the down-time to type a little bit in my journal while Mom and I visited with Rebecca and a few of the patrons that came into her coffee shop. We met Luke Higgins, an out-of-town visitor who had come to Elk City for business. We talked with Luke about some common ground places like Assateague, Chincoteague, and Washington D.C. We talked about camping and hiking and our Fast-5 journey to educate the nation about the benefits of the short-term fasting lifestyle. Luke was a slender, fit-appearing man who expressed an interest in the health and potential longevity benefits of the lifestyle so I gave him a copy of the Fast-5 book to read and to share. After Luke left for his meeting, we continued talking with Rebecca about business in general and the Elk City culture. We talked about how the location of a business can be one of the key factors in its success or failure.
At noon, Mom called Gary to get an update regarding his estimated arrival time. They agreed to meet at the Wal Mart store on the east side of Elk City. Gary said he would call when he arrived. We continued to visit with Rebecca. She has an engaging personality and a warm spirit that she shares generously with her patrons including regulars and the frequent out-of-towners. We shared ideas about sub-letting her unused business space. Gary called and said he and Teresa were at the Elk City Wal Mart. Mom and I said good-bye to Rebecca, we all exchanged well wishes then we left.
We drove to the Wal Mart to join Gary and to meet Teresa. Teresa shared some details of her Fast-5 experience over the past 2 days and I offered her some encouragement. We said our good-byes then Gary went into the store to buy some smaller underwear. When Gary finished his errand we began walking on Old Route 66 eastward. We stopped at Renee’s Interior Designs and Antique Market to introduce Gary to Karen, the owner. Karen told us she had read the Fast-5 book that morning and was on day 1 of the Fast-5 lifestyle. Her enthusiasm for the common sense approach to dietary management was exciting to share. We told her about our “Johnny Appleseed” approach to teaching the nation about the lifestyle. She said to Gary, “Well you manage Missouri and I’ll take on Oklahoma.” I was moved by her spirit and her optimism that by dividing and conquering the task, one person at a time we can change culture to benefit the nation. Gary said, “When I started this walk it was to lose weight. Well, it’s not about the walk anymore. Now I’m walking everyday to help teach the nation about the Fast-5 lifestyle.” Gary asked Karen to hand the items in her hand to my Mom so he could show her something. Karen gave Mom a business card and camera. Gary asked Karen to put her hands together in front of her as if she were holding an object to present to an observer. Gary put his hands in the same position, as he said to Karen, “You are going to find yourself in this position frequently in the future. I find myself doing this a lot now. What you are going to be saying is this. ‘I have in my hands an important tool to help solve the obesity epidemic and I am passing it onto you. Now you, too, can pass it on and be a part of the solution.’ I’m telling you this, Karen, because that is what I will do from now on and I am confident that you will too. This Fast-5 lifestyle is going to work for you and you won’t be able to help yourself but to pass it on to others.” I had to smile as I felt the sincerity with which Gary conveyed his thoughts. The shared passion in this small group of new acquaintances to try to help make a difference in our world was powerful. It recharged my hope that our nation is ready for this simple, effective solution.
We visited for a while longer then Karen took our picture for the local paper. She said she was the substitute photographer for the paper in the absence of the formal newspaper staff. She invited us to stop by the offices of her son and son-in-law a short distance east of her shop to say hello. We all said our good-byes then walked on. Gary and I each made a brief stop in the offices of Karen’s family to say hello then continued on to the Love’s Truck stop on the east side of town. That was our stopping place for the day making our total walking distance 9 miles. We will start there tomorrow and set a goal of 25 miles daily to catch up with our projected timeline.
Mom was waiting at the truck stop. I arrived first and joined Mom at a table to wait for Gary. We had a diet soda and talked about the day and the task ahead as we work to catch up on our timeline. Mom and I discussed the milestones to date and the continued goals for this project. Gary has committed that he will not walk under the Gateway Arch until his weight is less than 200 pounds. He is well on his way to achieving that goal and will reach it soon. Our Fast-5 team has committed to teaching Gary the Fast-5 lifestyle and helping him to adapt to it fully. He is there. He knows the Fast-5 lifestyle inside and out. His mental and physical adaptation to the lifestyle has helped restore him to good health. During the times when he has been entirely independent of the rest of the team, he has lived the lifestyle and reinforced his confidence that he controls his food choices. He no longer buckles under the focused food marketing pressures rampant in our culture. That self-control is part of the power of the Fast-5 lifestyle. It has been our team’s privilege to teach one man, Gary Long, about the Fast-5 lifestyle. That work is done.
The Fast-5 team also committed to walking with Gary back to St. Louis. We will reach that goal in the next 30 - 35 days. If the timing is such that Gary has a few more pounds to lose before he reaches his personal weight loss goal then Gary will keep walking and “Fast-5ing” independently on the outskirts of St. Louis while the Fast-5 team continues its mission to teach the nation about the benefits of the short-term, fasting lifestyle. Mom and I discussed the possibility of walking on to Chicago in the next phase of this mission. After Gary reaches his personal weight loss goal, we could join him again to walk the final miles from the outskirts of St. Louis, where we temporarily “divided and conquered” our tasks to maximize the mission’s efficiency, through the Gateway Arch in celebration of Gary’s grand accomplishment.
Gary finished his walk and joined us inside the truck stop. We talked for a few minutes about his activities over the last 5 days. We went to the car and drove to Lake Elk City where Gary set up his tent and Mom and I started trying to heat the camper. We settled into the camp pretty quickly. Mom prepared break-fast and we ate it gratefully. I think we all felt some comfort in returning to a more established team routine. We are ready to tackle the remaining days of this journey. Gary thanked Mom for preparing the meal and told her it was tasty. I did the same. Mom talked to Dad. I talked to Bert. I’m guessing Gary talked to Cheryl. The patterns were returning to the usual journey rhythm and with all of its quirkiness, there is comfort in predictability. Gary’s tent is now quiet. I’m guessing he is asleep. Mom is in her bunk snoozing away. I am happy to be actually finishing a journal entry for a change. I, too, am a creature of habit and the turbulence over the last few days has taken its toll on my personal productivity. With a little tenacity, I’ll begin to catch up with the journaling over the next week or so.
I will settle in to sleep now in the quiet world of Lake Elk City. I hear an airplane flying over, the electric heater humming and the sound of my keyboard clicking. Soon those sounds will give way to the sound of ducks on the lake, the breeze moving the leaves in the trees and crickets. The relationship of our planet’s natural rhythm with the technical machinery of our modern world is not a simple one. I can’t help but to see the parallel in the relationship of the ancient rhythm of our bodies recaptured by the Fast-5 lifestyle with the fuel overload introduced by the pressures of the modern marketing machinery. It is something for me to ponder as I let the day’s work go and accept sleep as the renewal required to continue the journey tomorrow. I am excited about the opportunities that await us as we carry our important message forward.