Wednesday, February 16, 2011

The Bridge too far...

Early morning yesterday I was up before the dawn to prepare for the day. Still, it was eight o'clock when I hit the road. The day before I had made good time and traveled my ten mile goal quickly and was able to have some daylight, enough to make some nessesary repairs and touch up the paint on some of the canvas world. My mind was feeling confident, my body had issues. My heals' injury was taking longer than usual to loosen out which had me limping badly and breathing deliberately with each step. I was glad to be on the outskirts of Camden County with the cars speeding by on their way to work because the expression of pain on my face may have concerned someone had they stopped to talk. After nearly three miles, a couple bananas and some jerky' for protein I was feeling a bit better. I have realized I must eat well to keep from cramping as well as drinking a lot of water. We have to keep water going in to help filter our bodies! The first miles left my leg cramped or maybe it was from walking the steep roadside through the tall and dry grass while pushing the ball carrying a backpack and shoulder bag; oh, and then there is Nice (the dog) who had to have his play time.
Then the wind came. It is hard to describe the difference the wind makes. It simply can double or triple the time I take to travel a mile. The day prior I had walked ten miles in five hours, at the end of this day I had walked twelve in eight and a half. As hard as the wind had been I was surprised I made that distance.
I had help when I crossed over the first short bridge from a couple who stayed behind me in their car. The wind was strong and Nice was playing with the leash most of he wa across. I had help in the same way getting over the second bridge but it was much longer and the wind was just as strong. Twenty or more cars and big trucks were backed up waiting for me to edge over that bridge. During the day I met a young man who gave me his number who said he would transport me back to get my van if it wasn't too late to get to church in the evening. As I approached the long two lane bridge into Brunswich I was rolling into a Friendly Mart intent on getting help to go over the bridge. Pride to walk every inch would have caused a traffic jamb about a mile long and there by some grace was the man I had met earllier ready to give mme a ride. The boy working at the Friendly Mart watch over the world until I returned with the van. This was one of those situations where pride would have possibly gotten someone hurt.I let the airout of the world and got over the bridge which was six tenths of a mile from guardrail to guardrail. I made it safely to the firestation who allowed me to park out back just as it became dark; the world reinflated and my ego no worse for the wear.

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