Darmesh and Darshana are the managers of the Lakeview Inn where we stayed last night in Lake Providence. They were able to offer us discounted rooms and they treated us very kindly, giving us whatever they could to make our stay comfortable.

After a bit of grocery shopping this morning so we could make lunches for everyone, we went across the street to visit Don and Linda Boyett at their café called Jehovah Java. They have been very kind to us in past years and today was no exception. Don immediately recognized us and without hesitation offered us whatever we wanted to eat. Even though I do not drink coffee very often I just had to get a decaf cappuccino there, as Don makes some very good freshly ground coffee. Linda had just baked some blueberry muffins as well as other delicious items.

Choosing what to get at this very beautiful café was difficult but we managed to happily enjoy the offer they so kindly bestowed upon us.

Staying there for almost an hour, we got to meet some very nice customers.

One family, Vonda and Ron Danielson and their daughter Beka, were traveling south to New Orleans from northern Minnesota. Beka, only 12 years old, has already been in 46 of our 50 states.

Taking a photo of them with the torch, I thought we could ask Beka to run through the remaining four states to complete her journey. She did run with the torch although it was just a few meters in the parking lot for our photo. They were a very nice family who had another four children I believe, but Beka was the lucky one to get out of school and travel the length of the country with her mom and dad. Perhaps someday she will see the 50 states on foot, carrying a torch for world harmony.

Arpan

The morning was cool and overcast, just the way we like it to run. We were first team out today. Our run was beautiful as we ran along the shore of Lake Providence and up to Eudora Arkansas. The shoulders were wide and the traffic was light. We really couldn't ask for better conditions.

At the end of one of our 2-mile stretches, two very nice sisters, Jean Williams and Ida Perkins from Mississippi, stopped by to see what we were up to. They were delighted with our intentions and very kindly made an offering. We hope they enjoy the rest of their "sister trip"!

A little farther up the road we met three nice ladies taking a short break from work. Lena, Mabelene, and Denise all from Arkansas told us "you take good care of those legs, now!"

Just before going to City Hall in Eudora, our layover put us right in front of a retirement home, where we met Queen and one of the residents. They enjoyed hearing about some of our experiences and wished us god-speed.

We finally made it to our team's destination, Eudora City Hall, to be greeted by Mayor William Stanton, Alder Polly Davis, Mary Turner, Kim Love, and a little later Sam Jones.

The Mayor offered a very nice proclamation of World Harmony Run Day.

We then proceeded to chat awhile, while waiting for the local press, The Eudora Enterprise, to come cover our story as well as the arrival of State Representative Robert S. Moore, Jr. He just happened to be coming today to offer the City of Eudora a very nice check to acquire two new police cars.

Reprentative Moore really understood our project as he himself was a runner "back in the day".

He is a committed power-walker these days and it definately showed. We really enjoyed the time we had to chat and felt quite proud to meet such a sincere and dedicated public servant.

Atulya

The women's team spent the morning running against a strong headwind, making for slow going. Things got more interesting as the day went on though.

The car reached the 1 1/2 mile bridge across the Mississipi River after our runner, Surya, and she had already started across. There wasn't really a walkway across, just a narrow metal raised ledge, but undeterred she had started anyway. Since there are big signs saying "No stopping on bridge" we couldn't stop to pick her up, and she was quite happy, so she just ran the whole way across enjoying the views of this famous river.

Becky also had an interesting run today. She suddenly found herself mid-run facing a cameraman from DTV News who was waiting at the roadside to interview her.

Next it was Kshetragna, who found herself stopped by a local newspaper reporter brandishing a notebook.

And then finally, in Greenville, we were stopped by WABGTV6, and the reporter actually climbed into the car to interview us so as to get out of the wind. Then they dashed off to get some action footage of Becky running with the torch.

Our other really nice meeting of the day was with local man Billy Smith - thank-you, Billy, for stopping to give us your support and hold the torch.

At another changeover point a man stopped his car to ask us what we were doing. He told us that he had just lost his job a few days ago, but that meeting us had given him new hope.

And finally we reached our stopping point, just as our team-mates in another vehicle arrived with our lunch, at a perfect spot for a picnic.

We retired for the night along the Mississippi River at the Great River Road Park and Campground in Rosedale, Mississippi, of 'Crossroads' fame. 'Going down to Rosedale' was a line in a famous song of the late Robert Johnson, who wrote about hitch hiking south from the Clarkesdale Crossroads to stay by the Mississippi River in Rosedale.

It was an ideal, scenic spot for a peaceful and restful evening meal, campfire and sleep.

Kokila

– Arpan, Atulya and Kokila

Distance: 111 miles

Team Members:
Arpan DeAngelo (New York), Atulya Lee Berube (San Diego), Mark Collison (England), Kshetragna Ulanova (Russia), Surya Smolennikova (Russia), Vladimir Salnicov (Moldova), Kokila Chamberlin (England), Salil Wilson (Australia), Vajra Henderson (New York), Drsalu Gruenstaeudl (Austria), Becky Xerri (Wales)

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