9/13/2012

It is Thursday evening, and I am sitting in my comfortable living room, watching the news and eating strawberry-rhubarb pie. If you haven't tried this pie, you must, as it has become my favorite pie. As I am no longer engaging in extensive exercise every day, I must cut my calorie intake, which is why the pie is not a la mode.

Yesterday, I left Harper's Ferry at 8:40 am, headed towards Georgetown in Washington, about 62 miles away. I started at a fast pace, as I had agreed to meet Sonia at Great Falls, just outside of Potomac, MD, at 1:30 in the afternoon. It was a beautiful day and it felt good to be alive, while racing down a rocky dusty path. I traveled past a few small towns such as Brunswick, and promised myself to pay a visit one day. The ride was tough as the C&O Canal path is very rocky, with deep ruts, making the surface feel very unsteady. I stopped at about 10:15 to have a light snack. Since I've given up Skittles, I switched to real fruit, and devoured a banana, along with a couple of peanut butter crackers. I can't describe how good that banana tasted.

I talked briefly with an older man who filled me in on his exercise routine, which included walking 1 hour a day. As he walked, he smoked a big cigar, and as I passed him, I reminded him that his walking would keep him alive for at least another 20 years. I kept up my reasonable pace, keeping in mind my goal of reaching Georgetown, and before I realized it, I was running over a 10 foot black snake! I instinctively pulled up my feet and YELLED! I have no idea why I yelled, except to say that it was my body trying to express FEAR. I had passed another snake a couple of days earlier, but as I passed him, his head was lifted in the air and he appeared to be directing traffic as I zoomed ahead. 

I reached Great Falls at about 1:00 pm, which was earlier than I had anticipated. Sonia arrived at about 1:20, a bit frustrated, as she had gotten lost and had a difficult time finding Great Falls. We shared a hot dog and a Coke, and I took off for Georgetown at 2 o'clock, realizing I had only 15 miles to go. At about 3:30 I arrived in Georgetown and was reminded why I like visiting Washington. A young, vibrant city with a Hershey ice cream store. I have never seen a Hershey ice cream store, which is similar to a Haagen Dazs store. Multiple different flavors, which I believe is the best ice cream, bar none!  I got in discussion with the proprietor about Hershey's ice cream. He was from Pakistan, but gave me the 153-year history of the Hershey company. As he talked, I thought "I should know this information".

Sonia and I headed towards Baltimore after eating our ice cream and later that evening, I found myself lying on the couch, watching the baseball game. All of a sudden, my body experienced a depth of exhaustion that I can honestly say I have never experienced. My breathing was deeper and slower than I remember it being in a long time. It felt good to be physically exhausted, as my parents and grandparents probably felt on a daily basis, as they toiled doing hard labor to support their families. I traveled a total of 339 miles and yes, it feels good to be alive and exhausted.

Rick 
Note from Jane: Rick plans to blog over the weekend, summarizing the highlights of his trip, so please check back next week for updates!