Good morning friends,

Greeting this fifth day of January from snowy Boulder, Colorado where the temperature outside is -4 degrees. I hope all are doing well and are warmer than I am at this moment. I’m still here in the area working on another remodeling project earning money to able to move forward with my tour,  grateful that I’m working inside in these extreme conditions.

I apologize for my delay with an update but this project as was the last one I helped in Denver came with a deadline which means long hours in the night. I’m happy for the opportunity to work but unfortunately for me I don’t get paid on a daily basis like I have been for most of the tour. I took it because it pays better than most and seeing the job situation up north in Wyoming I decided to stay a few more days to get ahead a bit with my bills. But living day to day as I have been makes it very difficult to survive on the road as I wait for my payday to arrive, making renting a room in this severe cold unattainable. I’ve been sleeping in the Sapp Brothers parking lot since the 26^th of December and only last night when 12 inches of snow fell and the forecast called for minus zero temps did I ask the boss for a small advance to be able to rent a room for the night. He reluctantly agreed, not caring too much about my personal situation, which made it even more humiliating for me.

That is all part of the survival aspect of my journey I guess and I don’t expect anyone or everyone to treat me with any special consideration because of my adventure. I said it over and over that this is why I dreaded the winter to fall upon me, not so much for the working conditions but for the lodging situation, which makes me appreciate more the family, friends and also the good people who have opened their homes for me along the way. I really don’t mind sleeping in my truck too much but freezing to death is not part of the plan in order to complete my journey.  I have to rush off to work now and hope to be on the road to Wyoming by Monday of next week. We’ll see what awaits me there!

Thanks for your support and patience as the tour seemed to hit a snag, and now you know why. Be safe wherever you may be!  #Yo-Ga-Fla

Juanjohn

Hello friends,

I hope all are well this last day of 2016, I write you from the Sam Gary library in Denver. I’m still hanging around the area trying to pick up extra work before I head out to my next stops next week. It has slowed down here also as the year comes to an end in Colorado. I haven’t worked the last three days and I don’t think I will find anything until Monday when the hangovers subside.

Looking back to May, I didn’t think that I would be posting from Denver on New Year’s Day or from anywhere on the road for that matter. I thought I would be home by now putting together the book about my exploits. Some of the plans I made haven’t gone the way I imagined but overall most of the journey has been everything I thought it could be and so much more! I still worry about my next few states I have coming up next but I could see the end of the road on the horizon.

I’m so grateful for all the support and well wishes I receive from you and all the wonderful new friends and followers that have joined the adventure the last eight months. Your comments and emails help far more than you can imagine especially when dealing with the down time and daily stress of finding work, they fuel me and pick me up when I feel frustrated, blue or homesick. A kind or encouraging word can be so timely and soothing to people when they’re facing trying situations weather at home or on the road, as in my case. What really has warmed my heart thus far has been the amount of people who have helped me along the way, a few I knew but the vast majority were strangers and had no cause to get involved or share their goodwill with me. That says something about the quality of people we have living all over this country. Some with a room and board, others with clothing and shoes, fine dining or homemade meals, supplies and gasoline. Some with spiritual encouragement as well as physical needs and some with all the above mentioned. I withheld names and places for the purpose of going more into detail when I finally sit down to write them in my book, one state at a time!

Speaking of writing, I’ve kept busy touching up my two other manuscripts when I can. I finally wrote in a synopsis with my other writings which I hope to publish next year. I get asked about them often since I devoted a page to them on this site. I also started my third novel titled ‘Chiclets’ that will be finished sometime in the spring. If you have a minute click on my books page and read the introductions, I believe if you enjoy my writing style you’ll enjoy my fiction stories! I hope.

Well folks enjoy your last day of 2016 weather at home or on the town but please be safe and responsible. Thanks for checking in and being a huge part of my success in 2016!   #Yo-Ga-Fla

Juanjohn