The Winding Northward Road

by Rambling Writer

Day 16

Reached Baltimare mid-evening today. The ponies at the supermarket were pleased to get their cherries ahead of time and supposedly paid nicely. I actually got some of the money myself; I almost turned it down, saying I didn’t work for Cherry Hill Ranch and volunteered and didn’t deserve any money, but hey, bits are bits. Didn’t try to haggle the amount, but it seemed good.

Didn’t stay around to see Baltimare; I’ll do that at the Crystal Empire. Said my goodbyes to the coach team. They said thanks, and I should see them if I stop in Dodge Junction again sometime. Unlikely, but we’ll see. I used the remaining sunlight to leave Baltimare following some train tracks. Camping out far enough away from them that the trains won’t make too much noise. Baltimare’s still bright, though; might find a place with better cover.

Looking at Nutberry’s map (she let me keep it), wondering where I should go next. Fillydelphia’s almost directly north of here, kind of northeast , and I want to get all the way north eventually, but there’s so many other places I could go. Baltimare’s almost a hub of sorts. Plenty of nearby towns and landmarks to the north. Could go to Plymouth, for example.

Actually, no. I won’t go to Fillydelphia. Not just that, I’ll try to stay away from cities if it’s reasonable. There’s a place not too far from here (relatively speaking) on my map called “Rambling Rock Ridge”. It’s a lot more more west than north, but I’m in no hurry. Looks to be fairly simple; follow the train tracks for a few days, keeping heading west when they turn north at Maretinsburg. Shouldn’t be too hard. (And now that I’ve said that…)

According to the map, there’s a town called Accident near here. Why would you name a town Accident? Was the town itself an accident? How do you “accidentally” found a town? Maybe I’ll stop there, just to find out.

Decided not to get food or hobo pie makers when leaving Baltimare, but I’m missing them already. Also forgot how lonely it could get out here. Nopony else to talk to seems a lot more empty all of a sudden. Did I get that used to Ann and the rest? Maybe I SHOULD consider visiting them in Dodge Junction when it’s all said and done.

All alone again.

Friends for briefly, but I miss them. you.

See you ag

Hope to

Hope: see you later.

Gah. Haiku’s getting hard again.