Tuesday, August 15
Walk: 18 miles
Bike: 11 miles
Ox Cart: 10 miles
83 degrees; Real Feel 96
No, that's not a typo. This is officially Day 2. What I called Day 1, the Trail has named "Launch." I've been off by a day. Better to correct that now, especially if anyone is also following Notre Dame Trail on Facebook or the official Trail blog (trail.nd.edu). They have photos, recaps, and more.
Another note about using the app. I've discovered that it likes to stack additional photos at the top of the page rather than where I put the cursor. I tried adding photos last to first, which worked well...until it didn't. Photos got positioned randomly. Forget about trying to embed them between text blocks. Tonight my approach is to post text then another with the day's photos.
So here goes..
Crispy early at 5 a.m., we delivered baggage to the bus for producers (Trail staff) to load and we boarded with bagged breakfast. At Morris Chapel, we stretched, said a prayer, and huddled.
The Trail was more country lanes through farms and fields under a sweltering sun. Again plagued by stretches of gravel road--I did mention how I detest them? Jim's feet worsened on this surface. He has open blisters and developing ones. He's been working with the Prompt medical crew to alleviate and care for them.
After the first pit stop, Jim powered up near the front of the package (police jargon for a group they escort). His feet have been slowing him down, producers tried to convince him to board the ox cart, but he was not ready to call it quits. So he pushed forward. It compelled me to push myself.
I paced myself off the lead car until the next rest stop. Then I did it again. It wasn't undoable, just unsustainable. I know I couldn't do it for 20 miles, day after day. I'm firmly middle-of-the-pack speed at my natural pace. So I was Hail Mary-ing the heck out of myself, trying to maintain the pace and come to terms with this.
An attitude adjustment was in order, I concluded. Since I couldn't change the Trail, I would have to change my concept of it. When Jim and I think of "pilgrimage," we think "whatever it takes" and that it will be hard. The producers concept is one of a "team sport." They say we'll get to the end together, that everyone will not cover every mile. Okay then.
After the lunch break, I decided to resume my regular pace and listen to my body. This was a good thing--2 miles later, it was time to bike.
In contrast to walking, the relative ease of covering distances in much less time is exhilarating. And the Trek bikes are smooth rides. And, cool!, we create our own breeze on the downhills. The uphills drop me back in the pack, but I regain whenever we level out. Just ebb and flow with my body is capable of.
Jim loves this part. He's a stronger biker than walker and holds his own at the front. I hung near the back at first because I was nervous about passing--I couldn't make my presence known. Then I tried sliding around in the wake of another biker making a pass. Although it worked, there were some drifters who didn't realize I was there. Still, I kept finding gaps to tuck myself into.
We cruised along, every now and then halting the front until the gaps tightened. Eventually, we cruised into the rest stop. Katherine had bad news for us. It was 3:20 and she was closing the course. We boarded the bus to finish the day's distance.
This put us behind arriving at and checking into our new hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn. We barely had time to get cleaned up and dressed for Mass and dinner.
On the way back to the hotel after dinner, Katherine announced that the next day's schedule had been changed to increase biking miles and decrease walking. That was greeted with cheers!
Walk: 18 miles
Bike: 11 miles
Ox Cart: 10 miles
83 degrees; Real Feel 96
No, that's not a typo. This is officially Day 2. What I called Day 1, the Trail has named "Launch." I've been off by a day. Better to correct that now, especially if anyone is also following Notre Dame Trail on Facebook or the official Trail blog (trail.nd.edu). They have photos, recaps, and more.
Another note about using the app. I've discovered that it likes to stack additional photos at the top of the page rather than where I put the cursor. I tried adding photos last to first, which worked well...until it didn't. Photos got positioned randomly. Forget about trying to embed them between text blocks. Tonight my approach is to post text then another with the day's photos.
So here goes..
Crispy early at 5 a.m., we delivered baggage to the bus for producers (Trail staff) to load and we boarded with bagged breakfast. At Morris Chapel, we stretched, said a prayer, and huddled.
The Trail was more country lanes through farms and fields under a sweltering sun. Again plagued by stretches of gravel road--I did mention how I detest them? Jim's feet worsened on this surface. He has open blisters and developing ones. He's been working with the Prompt medical crew to alleviate and care for them.
After the first pit stop, Jim powered up near the front of the package (police jargon for a group they escort). His feet have been slowing him down, producers tried to convince him to board the ox cart, but he was not ready to call it quits. So he pushed forward. It compelled me to push myself.
I paced myself off the lead car until the next rest stop. Then I did it again. It wasn't undoable, just unsustainable. I know I couldn't do it for 20 miles, day after day. I'm firmly middle-of-the-pack speed at my natural pace. So I was Hail Mary-ing the heck out of myself, trying to maintain the pace and come to terms with this.
An attitude adjustment was in order, I concluded. Since I couldn't change the Trail, I would have to change my concept of it. When Jim and I think of "pilgrimage," we think "whatever it takes" and that it will be hard. The producers concept is one of a "team sport." They say we'll get to the end together, that everyone will not cover every mile. Okay then.
After the lunch break, I decided to resume my regular pace and listen to my body. This was a good thing--2 miles later, it was time to bike.
In contrast to walking, the relative ease of covering distances in much less time is exhilarating. And the Trek bikes are smooth rides. And, cool!, we create our own breeze on the downhills. The uphills drop me back in the pack, but I regain whenever we level out. Just ebb and flow with my body is capable of.
Jim loves this part. He's a stronger biker than walker and holds his own at the front. I hung near the back at first because I was nervous about passing--I couldn't make my presence known. Then I tried sliding around in the wake of another biker making a pass. Although it worked, there were some drifters who didn't realize I was there. Still, I kept finding gaps to tuck myself into.
We cruised along, every now and then halting the front until the gaps tightened. Eventually, we cruised into the rest stop. Katherine had bad news for us. It was 3:20 and she was closing the course. We boarded the bus to finish the day's distance.
This put us behind arriving at and checking into our new hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn. We barely had time to get cleaned up and dressed for Mass and dinner.
On the way back to the hotel after dinner, Katherine announced that the next day's schedule had been changed to increase biking miles and decrease walking. That was greeted with cheers!
Ma, love the changes: stats, narrative and don't fight the crazy pictures UI, it's great! Also I could feel the breeze of biking in my mind's eye, thanks for the updates. A nice work, Dad!! Fight on and take care!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jimbo--working it!
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