Day 11. Pretty Lake Golf Club, Plymouth to Potato Creek State Park, North Liberty: Family

Tuesday, August 24

Walk: 15.3 miles

Ox Cart: 2 miles

70 degrees

It was a little alarming when I couldn't eat more than a few bites at breakfast. Because they'd told me nausea was one of the symptoms to watch out for, I spoke with the Prompt women assigned to us that morning. As a precaution, they gave me a shot of Zofran. I was slightly discouraged since I'd woken up feeling better, hoping to be at peak performance. Instead, I reminded myself that paying attention to my health was more important than how much of the Trail I covered. After all, I wanted to be able to walk with incoming family on the last day.

Walking wasn't quite the struggle as the two previous days. The shot allowed me to keep fueling my body and the cool weather helped prevent overheating. However, pit stops were becoming less useful. Time was precious, the stops not really providing rest. We rushed to use facilities, grab food and drink, reapply sunscreen. I was not changing socks regularly.

The result was that I felt stronger but a hot spot on my right foot became worrisome. That's when I rode two more miles on Gold Ox. One mile from each of the last two stops, to remove my boot and give that toe a break.

The three-day pilgrims joined the Trail and it was quite a sight--a river of people filling the right lane from behind the lead car to in front of Gold Ox. What a procession we will make with Blue and Gold combined, along with the one-day pilgrims on Saturday.

Family-style dinner served at St. Joe Farm.

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Day 13. Howard Park, South Bend to University of Notre Dame: Hope

Saturday, August 26 Walk: 3 miles Ox Cart: 0 Temperature? Who knows! It was a fine day. What can I say? It was a pilgrim party, a huge pilgrim party that started with photos and music and speeches at Howard Park. It became a parade, spanning about a mile and including marching band, through town. There was a somber period as we prayed at the graves of Father Sorin and the brothers who traveled with him from Vincennes to South Bend. It was pretty much contained chaos, especially so when we arrived on campus. Mass was followed by a huge picnic on South Quad. Although the school and community celebrated around us, it was a bittersweet day for the core pilgrims. I realize posts have been on the dry side (just the facts, ma'am) and skeletal. I had intended meatier recaps of each day but the Trail became bigger than I had ever imagined. Even if I had retained more, had more time to pass it on to you, I don't believ...

Day 2. Photos

August 15 Sunrise over the fields. Guerin Hall (This photo decided to separate the animals. 😒) Cows give us "I'm watching you" eyes, while any horses prance around, pose, or show off for us. Dessert!

Day 5. Freedom Church, Crawfordsville to Stidham United Methodist Church, West Lafayette : Humility

Friday, August 18 Walk: 13 miles Bike: 28 miles Ox Cart: 0 (woo hoo!) Didn't get any numbers but it was definitely cooler and less humid! Maybe it was the nicer weather, maybe it was having that 20-mile rest yesterday, but I felt strong walking. I was mostly among the middlers, but a couple times found that I powered up to the front. Until I got told that the lead car wanted me to slow down. Foolish, yes, to admit that I felt confused and ashamed, as though I'd committed some flaming faux pas. I didn't understand and didn't want to be a trouble-maker; I slipped to nearly the back of the pack, hugging the white line. As with any group of people, there is some drama. I don't want to be the cause of any; I try to stay invisible. I'd unintentionally broken out of stealth mode and hoped this would put me back in it. Meanwhile, Jim was still struggling, on and off the ox cart. His feet...there are healing blisters, developing one...

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