Getting Back to Normality

I finally got some much needed rest this morning, and the routine has begun to reassert itself.  Three or four years ago, I would have probably chafed at bit at this sort of realization, but right now it feels pretty good.  I got in a little over twelve miles of pedestrian time, and "the Rat" even joined me for a couple.  I even managed to coax a couple of panoramic mash-ups out of Google.  This time they were of "the same" scene taken at two different times of day.  The act of creation in every moment really just doesn't get old to me if I'm manage to be mindful enough to observe what's going on.

Pusher Tug and Deck Barge at the Seawall near the corner of Turner Joy Road .. AM

When I took the shots that Google cobbled together, I was thinking that this was the early signs that the "Dark Ages" were going to start becoming an increasingly prominent feature of the walking environment. That's probably true, but my melancholy prediction was probably just a little premature.  The weather today was just about perfect.

Pusher Tug and Deck Barge near the corner of Turner Joy Road ... PM

Not quite the same perspective as this morning, but the return of the offshore regatta livened up the scene just a bit.  The clouds stuck around, but by this time the chill of the morning had been banished and the warmth of the sun had returned.  This may have been the last truly good boating weekend of the season, but we'll just have to wait and see how that plays out going forward.

End of the Week Sunsets

I'm tired.  I've been a little grouchy of late, and it's because I've been running on not enough sleep and too much activity.  Hopefully with the setting of the sun this evening, there will be a period of renewal to follow over the next couple of days.  In the interim, I leave you with nature's watercolor display.

Sunset with Washington Monument from the Capitol Reflecting Pool

I took this picture from just in front the statue of Ulysses S. Grant which proclaims him as "The Savior of the Union."  This triggered some thinking that I really don't know the first thing about the political climate and the very large issues that had to be addressed to reconstitute the United States following the Civil War.  I suspect that's a topic that may be worth a bit of study on my part.

Sunset over the Anacostia River

Once again, I was treated to another very different sunset over the Anacostia River in SE Washington, DC.  Although the scene is similar from yesterday, I really haven't gotten bored of this gorgeous view yet.

Wanderlust

Today, I finally had a good opportunity to capture a photo of Jeff Koons' stainless steel statue titled "Kiepenkerl" which is on display near the Jefferson Drive entrance to the Smithsonian Institution Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

Kiepenkerl by Jeff Koons

This statue is based on the Travelling Peddler statue in Munster, Germany which was originally cast in 1896, destroyed in 1945, and subsequently re-cast and on display contemporaneously.

I've always been struck by the way this sculpture seems to capture a bit of the wanderlust that my walking allows me to experience.  The historical peddler in northern Germany served as an intermediary between the city and the countryside bringing wares for sale in his pannier as well as letters and news from the surrounding countryside.

It actually took me quite a while to dig up any real information on this sculpture, and that surprised me a little.

I was also once again treated to a glorious sunset with the Anacostia River in the foreground.

Anacostia River Sunset

Today, the new residential building that is quickly rising out of the river plain across from Nationals Stadium appeared to be a raging conflagration or the collar on a brightly burning torch.  I remain in awe of the fact that (so far) no matter how many times I've been the witness to similar events in similar locations, I still find the differences and beauty of each of these moments compellingly moving.

And So Ends a Week on the Road

Sunset. Mobile Regional Airport

Putting yourself in the way of beauty is a very fulfilling way to live.  Tiring, yes, but definitely fulfilling.

WTF is Going On?

Today was an unsettled day for me.  It's not surprising given the fact that I've been on the road since last Thursday, and tomorrow will be a solid week of relatively nomadic existence.  Nevertheless, it's a bit disconcerting falling back into old habits that I had thought I gotten under wraps.

One of the reasons that I found the pastime of walking so compelling is that I felt it would force me to take life a little slower.  The very nature of the activity would make living in the moment or the surrounding one meter of space easier to accomplish.  One of the characteristics of my mental activity before commencing the practice of walking was to imagine what was going to happen far too far into the future.  In order to deal with that level of delusion and really fantasy, I was hatching schemes upon schemes in a futile attempt to manage the outcomes of whatever damn fool thing my imagination could invent.  That got pretty tiring.

Today, I found myself at various times during the day falling back into that habit of getting to far ahead of myself.  On my evening walk, which I really didn't want to do in the first place, I discovered that I did not have my identification on me.  I felt pretty certain that I'd had it when I struck out on my nocturnal pedestrianism, but halfway through I knew for sure I didn't have it.

For the next three miles I both retraced my steps and let my imagination roam relatively free about what had happened to my ID, what I was going to have to do next to get a new one, what personal financial risks had been incurred.  At the same time, I was searching the ground pretty diligently and imagining that I might know where I'd dropped it.  Of course that was about two miles from where I thought I'd discovered it missing.  This led to a level of impatience and imagination about how I'd feel if I found it in the location or how I'd cope with the mile remaining back to my rooms if I did not find it.  All the while, I was trying to keep my eyes and my mind in the present one meter to make sure I didn't miss the ID just in case I'd dropped it someplace else.

Turns out that it was in my work pants.

All of that anxiety meant nothing except it basically consumed three miles and almost 50 minutes of an activity designed to provide a relief from imagined future anxiety.  Crazy really.

It wasn't all undisciplined worrying.  I did notice that the Eastern Shore Trail sign that had been knocked over by a car several months ago at the intersection near my hotel had been restored to an upright and repaired position.

Restored Eastern Shore Trail Kiosk

This was the very first location that I'd encountered a sign (and the concept) of the Eastern Shore Trail which runs down the eastern shore of Mobile Bay.  This sign, or at least one like it in this location, is what prompted me to search for documentation on the trail and has led to some truly rewarding time in this little narrow section of Alabama.

Seeing this sign restored was like getting one of my guideposts or navigation markers back.  It was a waypoint that I'd not appreciated enough until it was damaged and then subsequently brought back into my consciousness by its renewal.

I've had an amazing last year, and this trail because of this sign has played a major role in bringing the fulfillment of the year to fruition.  

I should probably take my own advice, heed the rhythm of the walk, meet life as it unfolds and not a moment sooner, and stop fretting over just WTF is going on.

Bourbon Chase and Associated Road Trip Wrap Up

I've been in six states (MD, VA, WV, KY, NC, and AL) and the District of Columbia in the last five days, and the Bourbon Chase 200 mile relay took me on a road trip for the first time in a very long time.  The posting here has been sporadic, and for that I apologize, so I'll try to wrap up some of my thoughts and observations and get back into the standard drumbeat of once a day posting going forward.

My part of the 200 mile relay was only 15.3 miles in three segments.  I really didn't train to run the race other than putting in the miles in my usual pedestrian fashion.  As such, I wasn't really sure how things were going to turn out on the running front.  All in all, I was pretty pleased with the result of an overall pace for my distances coming in at 9' 33" per mile.  I had committed to the team captain to get my paced down to 10' miles, so overall, I returned about 7 minutes of usable time back to the team.  The walking was surprisingly effective at preparing me for this pace and distance, and I was pleased to be largely mobile on the couple of days following the race.  In fact, I put in about four miles of walking each of those days, and my muscle soreness is all but dissipated at this time.

The race itself was an fairly amusing experience, but I do find that I prefer the experience of walking over running.  This holds true for the road trip distances covered by van.  The walking pace compared to the driving pace and even the jogging pace provides a much more holistic experience of the environment.  I saw some great things while driving (actually being driven) and experienced even more while jogging, but that higher pace just doesn't allow me to take in all I've become accustomed to while walking.  The sounds are not as vibrant, the smells didn't even really register, the interaction with the air temperature and the road surface was a bit washed out by the higher paced activities.  I'm glad I did it, but I'll stick with walking.

I did manage to capture some of the more interesting moments when not running, and a few of them are pictured below.

Maker's Mark Distillery

Our first major exchange point occurred at the Maker's Mark Distillery.  This was about 33 miles into the race, and our van was scheduled to take over for the first van with the first six runners onboard.  Having put only car distance on the old body, I had a pretty good time exploring the distillery.  It is surprisingly small, but the continuous flow operation results in all the Maker's Mark Bourbon that you might find on a shelf at your local liquor establishment.  The whole area smelled like fresh baked bread as a result of the mash cooking, fermenting, and distilling process.  There were quite a few teams here as well as a band and a couple of barbeque trucks.  It was a festive environment where everyone still had the energy to channel into festivities.

Race Team Vans in the foreground with the Maker's Mark Distillery in the background

I ran my first race leg about three hours after this photo was taken and the hills, distance, and darkness began to abrade away some of my joviality.  As a whole our van kept things upbeat, but the social interaction really peaked overall at the Maker's Mark exchange.

Moving on from here we ran a series of legs that took us the rest of the way through the evening and into the following morning.  Those legs were defined by a dash of stiffness, a dearth of sleep, and some pretty cold weather.  The next morning, we ended up at another major team exchange at the Wild Turkey Bourbon Distillery.

Team Vans in the foreground and Bourbon Aging Warehouses in the background at the Wild Turkey Distillery

Wild Turkey was a much larger and more industrial distilleries that we passed.  It was also one of the most scenic although the pictures don't really quite capture the majesty of the countryside.  I'd finished my second leg of running at this point, and my photography was probably impacted a bit by fatigue.  It was clear and cold and beautiful, and it was a great relief to hand off to the other van at this point.

Wild Turkey Distillery

Unlike the smaller batch plant at Maker's Mark, the Wild Turkey Distillery was a much more industrial looking operation with what appeared to be significant advantages in economies of scale.

Wild Turkey Visitor Center

The Wild Turkey Visitor Center was completed last year and had an impressive display of the history of the brand and bourbon in general, and a modernity that was in keeping with the overall feel of the property.

View of the Kentucky River from the Wild Turkey Visitor Center

The view of the Kentucky River and the highway and railway trestles was particularly picturesque and impressive.

We wrapped up the run in Lexington, KY with a finisher's' party in the downtown area and a much needed rest at The Campbell House, and antebellum hotel with quite a bit of natural charm.

The Campbell House at departure the day after the race

Overall, it was a good experience and a welcome break from my usual walking routes and format.  That said, the experience solidified my resolve that covering the distance on foot and at a pace that allows me to become more of a part of the surroundings is a better and more fulfilling way of interacting with the world for me.