Hey! Is this the way to California?

A

“Our attention, and what we do with it, is all we really have.”

-Rich Roll

Yesterday we had a small crisis, the first of the trip, when Julie became sad. She’d seen several photos of friends hanging out at Park Point, swimming, generally doing “summer stuff.” I noticed that she had been very quiet for several hours and asked her if she was okay. Apparently she’d already tried talking to me about it, but I had been distracted and didn’t hear her.

So, I felt bad on a couple of levels: first, that she was sad, and second, that I hadn’t been attentive.

She admitted to being a little homesick, and felt like summer was going by. She’d spent decades going to Lake Superior beaches, music festivals… stuff like that.

And now it’s just me, and hours of walking.

Yeah, I guess I’d be depressed too!

She’s better today, and we both put in a good day of walking, even though most of it was in a steady drizzle. But it got me thinking about things.

I’m fairly okay with being alone, or just with Julie and the dogs. I’m also motivated by the mileage, the daily “grind,” if you will, of the walk. I don’t like to take days off….

I have to try to remember that that isn’t Julie’s style, and try to make space and time for other forms of recreation than just trudging westward along the road.

We also need to get back to doing daily qigong in the morning.

A guest on the Rich Roll podcast (Roll is a former elite endurance athlete and has a very popular podcast in which he speaks with athletes, teachers, healers, health/diet experts, etc.) said, (and I paraphrase) “It’s inaccurate to say ‘I got up this morning, went to work, got fired, injured my back, and my wife left me…’ when what really happened was, you got up this morning.”

What he is saying is that we have to start our day with positive energy, whatever that means to you. Go for a run, do some stretching, some breathing, some meditation… and this will affect what happens the rest of the day.

I can’t speak for Julie, or what she should do or feel. But, I can try to be a better listener.

(I think Julie misses Timmy Marie and Itty Bitty)

I can also think about what this journey means to me. What I expect from it. I’ve been trying to be more open to having interaction with people I meet on the road and trails.

For example, I try to ask everyone I meet a question. From just asking, “how far you going?” to, “How do you pronounce the name of this town (Canajoharie!)” Sometimes it will lead to more conversation. Sometimes, it will even lead to a box of local beer being left on your camper steps! (Thanks again, Jill and Bub!!)

On a lighter note… we were sitting outside our camper yesterday, a rare sunny afternoon, our walking done, enjoying one of the above local beers, giving the dogs a much needed trim. And a guy walks over with his son and exclaims, “how about giving me a haircut too?”

Well, I’ve literally never given someone else a haircut, and told the fellow as much.

“I don’t care,” he said. “I’m not fussy!”

Okay… he took a seat at the picnic table and I attacked his head with a #3 attachment on the electric shaver, which pretty much skinned his head. I told him maybe it’s better not to do the top and he agreed. He and his kid wandered off happy. Well, maybe he was happy. His son said “You look OLD, dad!”

The next morning he walked back over and gave me a Herkimer diamond from the nearby mine.

Now, I’m thinking about going pro, and slapping a shingle on the camper as we cross America campground by campground. (Maybe paint one of those red and white barber candy canes on the side?)

Tomorrow we are headed down the road to camp along the Canal Way. Apparently you can camp at the locks for free. Something that sounds VERY GOOD to us right now, at least until my barbering business takes off.

(Looking sharp, neighbor!)

(Sure... I accept diamonds)

Other images....

(How can walking get any better?)

(Well, maybe if you put a port-a-potty along the route...)