Jenista Trails

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!

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 ...

Monday, August 14 Walk: 19.2 miles Quick apology for inconsistencies in font, chronology, etc.  It's frustrating to draft a post from the phone app.  In consideration of my need to sleep, I've given up on trying to get it "just right." Signs along the way offer food for thought--or discussion or prayer--on the day's theme.  But our favorite signs are the ones informing us the rest stop is one mile ahead.  😄 Gold Team (3-mile pace) Ready for first long walk. After stretching, we break from the huddle.

The Lead Car, Indiana State Police.  The "ox cart" (bus) brings up the rear.  BTW, gravel roads are a bear (ha! imagine another "b" word) to walk on for any extended distance.  If you're lucky, the road has two worn-smooth tire tracks that are not ruts.  These are relatively kinder to the soles (and souls?).  Between the long, long roads and the endless fields of corn and soy beans, I can't recall much else in the way of scenery. Dinner tonight at Red Skelton Museum and Performing Arts Center at Vincennes University. Dinner tonight onstage.  While we eat, ND alum Matt Goodrich "reads" the opening scene from Sorin: A Notre Dame Story. Just the start of an attractively presented and delicious meal.

Tuesday, August 15 Cannot seem to catch up.  The days are packed, very little downtime, and we've been falling into bed when we return to our room. Briefly, yesterday (Monday) we walked 19.2 miles in 83 degrees with real feel in the 90s. During training, Jim and I had wondered if altitude would compensate for humidity.  Answer: it didn't.  The heat was brutal.  But there were plenty of pit stops for potty visits; fluids and snacks; bug spray, sunscreen, iced neck cloths, foot care; and more.  A medical team is on hand as well. Today we walked 18 miles and were scheduled to bike 21.  Again, it was 80-something, real feel in the 90s.  Our group made it to the first biking rest stop around 3:20 so we got called because it was past time to close the course.  So Gold Team rode the oxcart to the end point for the day. Jim and I have survived so far but are not unscathed. He lost a toe nail and has some nasty blisters.  I have a heat rash th...

The quickest way to recap Sunday is probably through photos. 14-day pilgrims prepare to leave Notre Dame for Vincennes, Indiana. Jim about to board the "ox cart." Lovely box lunch on the road. St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Vincennes, the parish where Fr. Sorin began his career in America. Fr. Jenkins celebrated the pilgrim Mass, attended by Governor Eric Holcomb and Mayor Joe Yochum. Jim and Jerri outside St. Francis.  We each chose a stone of intention before Mass.  After Mass, Fr. Jenkins blessed our stones and we received our passports with the first stamp of the Trail. We walked the first 1.8 miles of the Trail, from the Cathedral to Kimmel Park at Vincennes University.  A fabulous dinner buffet and live music greeted us.  After speeches and blessings, Governor Holcomb stamps a lucky pilgrim's passport--Jim's!  Later, he was also gracious enough to sign it. Savory waffle cone with tuna tartare.  Just an exa...

Morning, Monday, August 14 I'm quickly discovering that time is in short supply.  Although I made notes about yesterday's activities and thoughts, I was totally out of steam last night.  Knowing we had a 4 a.m. alarm in our future, I skipped blogging.  Will try to make up for it tonight...if I'm still conscious.  Today we begin in earnest--19.2 miles followed by picnic lunch, short recovery time (aka "take a shower, stinky!"), Mass, and dinner event. Tired just thinking about it!