Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Distance: 5.6 Miles
After a great day through the District of Columbia I set out on a slow day. It was still raining at midday and I sought out a movie theater. I saw Battle: Los Angeles, I should have waited fifteen minutes for Sucker Punch - ideally I would have been able to wait three days for the premiere of Hanna. Spoiler Alert. The movie was decent war porn with terrible dialogue, clichéd exposition, a predictably triumphant conclusion, and incompletely visually-realized extraterrestrials. To its credit death reaped dispassionately with wide sweeps, and the audience's perspective and knowledge was sharply limited to that of the characters being followed. This created an intense dissection scene which was novel, high-stakes, and gripping. That acquisition of knowledge with the characters felt visceral, brutish, necessary, and life-saving.
After the movie, I resupplied at a Whole Foods. I bought Clif Bars, dried fruit, cheese, pepperoni, and bread. I linked up with US Route 50, which may end up being a significant portion of my way west.
At the end of the day I found myself in a bizarre scene at a McDonalds. A bearded, middle-aged, slightly-retarded gentleman was yelling through an amiable conversation with an elderly hetero- couple. Behind me was a homeless man lurking in and out of the rear exit sporting a poncho-shawl-survival suit made of garbage bags. This wasn't cute or absent-minded behavior; it was unsettling and purposeful with both feet firmly planted in the state of eery.
I retired to a motel for a day off.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Day Fourteen
Monday, April 4, 2011
Distance: 13.6 Miles
Walked into DC, past some famous churches, through the National Zoo, and onto Virginia. Pictures:
Flowering tree, found on most streets here.
Flower of rich purples, magentas, and white.
I had serious flashes of Assassin's Creed here.
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Find the tiger.
Find the lion.
Reptile Building.
National Cathedral.
Distance: 13.6 Miles
Walked into DC, past some famous churches, through the National Zoo, and onto Virginia. Pictures:
Flowering tree, found on most streets here.
Flower of rich purples, magentas, and white.
I had serious flashes of Assassin's Creed here.
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Find the tiger.
Find the lion.
Reptile Building.
National Cathedral.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Day Thirteen
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Distance: 10.6 Miles
I planned to stay this night with my good friend Goose. Goose and I played ultimate and lived together at Lehigh. He lives off-campus at the University of Maryland College Park. The trip down was leisurely and I spent some time on the UMD campus playing pickup ultimate with a lovely group of students. UMD is a big, grand campus.
Goose, his girlfriend Devvynnn [sic], and I played board games, ate snacks, watched TV, and then said goodnight. It was a wonderful to shower, launder, eat, sleep, and laugh at a friend's home. Thank you.
Distance: 10.6 Miles
I planned to stay this night with my good friend Goose. Goose and I played ultimate and lived together at Lehigh. He lives off-campus at the University of Maryland College Park. The trip down was leisurely and I spent some time on the UMD campus playing pickup ultimate with a lovely group of students. UMD is a big, grand campus.
Goose, his girlfriend Devvynnn [sic], and I played board games, ate snacks, watched TV, and then said goodnight. It was a wonderful to shower, launder, eat, sleep, and laugh at a friend's home. Thank you.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Day Twelve
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Distance: 17.2 Miles
A Baltimore Street
The weather was odd. I started around eleven and found the weather too warm for my wool base layer. I had to peel it off. Then a barely-there drizzle -- then partly-sunny -- then hail -- then partly-sunny -- then an ominous raging downpour, for ten minutes -- then beautiful billowy clouds set against the coming sunset. Setting down and changing gear every hour was annoying. Pack cover, rain jacket, rain pants, socks, and base layer all had to be done undone and redone. At one point I lost the sternum-strap buckle on my pack. This buckle was designed by someone who never thought about how it should properly function. The load is borne with its small arms, which can barely grab the shoulder strap webbing. When tightened the tension pulls the vertical strap into the area of the buckle least able to handle it. The strap bunches, and on releasing the sternum strap the buckle falls off or hangs on for dear life with one point of contact instead of four points. They designed it backwards. Other than that my gear is performing well.
I learned yesterday that my dog Cesca died. She had been quite ill with cancer in her brain and bladder as well as significant arthritis in both her rear knees. An onset of a series of seizures that left her floored and exhausted were enough. My parents had the vet kill her. She was born March 1996 and she lived to be fifteen. She was gentle, affectionate, and adorable. A favorite story of mine is that Cesca liked my friend Mike, a cat person of the highest order, and she became the first dog Mike learned to like.
I will make my way into the Beltway after leaving Baltimore to spend the night of the third with my good friend from college and ultimate, Goose.
Camden Yard
USS Constellation
Distance: 17.2 Miles
A Baltimore Street
The weather was odd. I started around eleven and found the weather too warm for my wool base layer. I had to peel it off. Then a barely-there drizzle -- then partly-sunny -- then hail -- then partly-sunny -- then an ominous raging downpour, for ten minutes -- then beautiful billowy clouds set against the coming sunset. Setting down and changing gear every hour was annoying. Pack cover, rain jacket, rain pants, socks, and base layer all had to be done undone and redone. At one point I lost the sternum-strap buckle on my pack. This buckle was designed by someone who never thought about how it should properly function. The load is borne with its small arms, which can barely grab the shoulder strap webbing. When tightened the tension pulls the vertical strap into the area of the buckle least able to handle it. The strap bunches, and on releasing the sternum strap the buckle falls off or hangs on for dear life with one point of contact instead of four points. They designed it backwards. Other than that my gear is performing well.
I learned yesterday that my dog Cesca died. She had been quite ill with cancer in her brain and bladder as well as significant arthritis in both her rear knees. An onset of a series of seizures that left her floored and exhausted were enough. My parents had the vet kill her. She was born March 1996 and she lived to be fifteen. She was gentle, affectionate, and adorable. A favorite story of mine is that Cesca liked my friend Mike, a cat person of the highest order, and she became the first dog Mike learned to like.
I will make my way into the Beltway after leaving Baltimore to spend the night of the third with my good friend from college and ultimate, Goose.
Camden Yard
USS Constellation
Friday, April 1, 2011
Day Eleven
Friday, April 1, 2011
Distance: 18.4 Miles
My paternal grandmother, Grammy, died on this day eight years ago - 2003. I loved her dearly. I've had passing sad thoughts about this anniversary through the day. She was mine and I was hers; I adored her.
The walking today started a little before nine, proceeding at a good clip with breaks every couple hours. I am realizing the key is to get as much walking in per day as possible. Obvious. Getting started at dawn becomes the crux of the dilemma. I cannot practically ratchet my pace up over a ten hour day without the threat of imminent harm - I am moving at my best non-emergency pace. The way to manufacture more miles is to find more daylight, which means I should be earlier to bed and early to rise. We will test this tonight and tomorrow. Hopefully I can make it to College Park, MD and Goose all tomorrow. In the words of Tommy Coughlin, "We'll see."
I ordered a short stack of chocolate chip pancakes and two eggs scrambled at a diner. Too much. I finished it of course but I have fixed to ordering in waves with the eggs first always, and more if necessary later. High absorption protein and fast turn-around in-and-out.
Baltimore. Baltimore is majestic and war-memorial adorned. I had no idea. I am quite impressed. Some pictures:
The last one is City Hall. The downtown is a flow of magnificently designed buildings creating canyons of traffic which are dotted and ornamented with monuments and sculpture. Impressive.
Distance: 18.4 Miles
My paternal grandmother, Grammy, died on this day eight years ago - 2003. I loved her dearly. I've had passing sad thoughts about this anniversary through the day. She was mine and I was hers; I adored her.
The walking today started a little before nine, proceeding at a good clip with breaks every couple hours. I am realizing the key is to get as much walking in per day as possible. Obvious. Getting started at dawn becomes the crux of the dilemma. I cannot practically ratchet my pace up over a ten hour day without the threat of imminent harm - I am moving at my best non-emergency pace. The way to manufacture more miles is to find more daylight, which means I should be earlier to bed and early to rise. We will test this tonight and tomorrow. Hopefully I can make it to College Park, MD and Goose all tomorrow. In the words of Tommy Coughlin, "We'll see."
I ordered a short stack of chocolate chip pancakes and two eggs scrambled at a diner. Too much. I finished it of course but I have fixed to ordering in waves with the eggs first always, and more if necessary later. High absorption protein and fast turn-around in-and-out.
Baltimore. Baltimore is majestic and war-memorial adorned. I had no idea. I am quite impressed. Some pictures:
The last one is City Hall. The downtown is a flow of magnificently designed buildings creating canyons of traffic which are dotted and ornamented with monuments and sculpture. Impressive.
New Balance 993
Size: 7.5 2E
I love these shoes. They are comfortable; they fit right; and they look good on my feet, much better than in photos. I was a little worried they wouldn't be as good as trail runners, but as New Balance's flagship shoe they are made of high quality materials and craftsmanship.
I love these shoes. They are comfortable; they fit right; and they look good on my feet, much better than in photos. I was a little worried they wouldn't be as good as trail runners, but as New Balance's flagship shoe they are made of high quality materials and craftsmanship.
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