Five "Must Have" Items for Long Distance Walkers

Grind it out.  That's what today felt like, I captured no photos, and I find myself short on inspiring tales, so I'm reaching back to my 10 List of things to write about and pulling out something I know because it's easy to execute without a great deal of thought.

Five "Must Have" Items for Long Distance Walking

1.  Good Socks. I experimented with quite a variety of socks before I finally settled on a medium weight wool blend running sock for long distance walking. I even marched a little over six miles without socks, and that was the worst of my errors.  I've tried thick socks, thin socks, double socks, triple socks, toe socks, tube socks, socks for a particular foot, etc.  Some things I've learned. 

No socks is bad. Really bad.  By the time I realized I had a hot spot the blister was there. 

Avoid cotton. Soaking up moisture, this is the second worst sock error I made.

I recommend wool and synthetic blends in the 35% wool range. Also, I recommend a sized sock. When I finally got the material right, I chose medium socks to start with and this led to blisters between the toes. I thought the larges would bunch up, but a roomy toe box worked best for me.

2.  Technical running shirts.  The slick fabric of the technical running shirts allows your skin to breath, protect you from sun, keep you warm in the cold, and aid in evaporation in the heat.  Again, avoid cotton like the plague.

3.  Shoes. After some experimentation, I went to a competent running store and told them what I intended to do (walk long distances), and they fitted me for running shoes.  The lightweight materials and good cushioning make this a solid choice for my walking which is mostly on asphalt and concrete.  They even work well on prepared trails through the woods.  For serious hiking, more support might be required, but the running shoes are the right choice for distance walking in a suburban and urban environment.  It turns out that all those lawyers in athletic kicks and business suits/skirts were right after all.

4.  A good watch cap.  I prefer technical fabrics.  A good watch cap will be useful for about 8 months out of the year in the mid-Atlantic region. It will keep your head warm and dry and allow you to wear less clothing overall as the weather gets chillier.  I also like to sleep in mine from time to time.

5.  Lycra, form fitting, boxer underwear.  The longer legs and slick fabric keep the inner thigh chafing to a minimum, and if you wear them to the pool they can pass for an olympic style swim suit. I don't recommend that last part, but they might help you escape with a shred of dignity if you give it a try.

Till tomorrow reveals her true nature, adieu.

Fellow Travelers

Today, I connected with fellow travelers.

Fellow Travelers Boarding the Plane at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport

I that interaction with my fellow travelers is something that I really try to avoid, and I'm not really sure why I take that particular approach. Today, on the first flight leg, that proved to be impossible because one of the guys in my row enthusiastically exhibited his clearly extroverted tendencies and engaged the whole row in what turned out to be a relatively jolly and wide ranging discussion that covered topics of work and golf interspersed with oblique references to love-making. All this occurred while hurtling through the higher levels of the troposphere at a little over 400 knots.  In spite of my initial skepticism, the boisterous banter helped pass the time and proved to be a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Crawling out of the ashes of my first career over the last two days had left me in a place where I really needed that kind of fun-filled diversion from the slow smolder I'd allowed myself to stoke in my head. When I let it, the universe has a way of delivering just what I need at just the right time.

Before I left for the trip south, I attended to the daily practice of minimalism and parted ways with ten pair of worn out socks and five shirts. You're probably thinking, "Who the hell keeps ten pairs of worn out socks?"

Minimalism Day 15

This guy.

Today was a good day where the physical and mental baggage that I've managed to collect in the past (even the recent past) got a little bit lighter. I never would have thought that getting rid of material possessions would help me cope a little better with setbacks that aren't directly related to having too much shit in my closet that I don't need, but I believe that the last two weeks of moving on from my material past has had just that effect.

The practice of deliberately walking forward from material things that meant something to me at one time but have outlived their utility has led to a subtle shift in my mindset. I understand just a little bit better that I'm not so closely defined by the things or events or any number of outside circumstances that the universe puts in my path.  I truly believe that just two weeks of this practice positioned me better to cope with some disappointing, though not necessarily surprising circumstances.

People ask me how I'm doing, and I can honestly answer that I doing real well. Being able to say that and feel it has proven to be a great relief.

We'll see what tomorrow has in store, and I'm looking forward to whatever may come. It will be an adventure to say the least.

Great Blue at Canoe U.

Today, after catching up a little more on some sleep, I returned to my normal home base routine. Minimalization picked up at Day 9, and four shirts, one pair of tech underwear, two pair of shorts, one travel pillow, and a race jacket all made their way into a Planet Aid clothes donation bit out behind the Veteran's Center in West Annapolis.

Day 9 Victims of Minimalism

I really liked that NASA shirt, but when put to the test it just didn't make top billing in things that are truly important to me.  The other stuff basically fell into the category of "just in case," but as discussed, I've concluded that this "just in case" isn't all that useful for being able to live in the present. I always hated the red 5K fun run shirt. It was thick cotton and trapped heat, showed sweat, and the silk screen wasn't very comfortable. I didn't really want it when I got it, but I'd done the run so it represents the "identity" argument for keeping things I don't like. Anyway, it's all gone, and it was a good way to start of the walk this afternoon.

The spring weather was ideal if a little breezy. The cobalt blue sky was spectacular and the mid-70's temperatures kept the pep in my step heading down the trail.

College Creek Under a Cobalt Sky

Spring has sprung in the area and the forests are greening up nicely. The Dark Ages have been vanquished for another season, and there is real promise in the air.

Toward the end of my ramble, I stalked a Great Blue Heron from one end of the boathouse dock to the other trying to capture the perfect shot. The heron was sporting the dark plumage, and the bird carried a magnificence that proved difficult to ignore. After a few laps of pestering, I caught a passable shot as the heron broke free of our little round of shenanigans and moved on to better (or at least quieter) hunting grounds.

Great Blue at Canoe U.

Riding along the wavetops with graceful ease, there is a freedom to be envied as the heron goes about living day by day. He doesn't fret a mortgage or wonder about taxes, credit, retirement, or college funds. He stalks his prey and eats as he must, but let's be honest, I've never seen a heron carrying a bit too much weight around the middle.  He catches the sunrise and the sunset, and he even experiences the occasional rainstorm.

I'm going to try to adopt the way of the heron and be open to be surprised by what tomorrow may, or may not, have in store.

Donation Boxes

The clouds parted, the sun came out, and although the weather was still a little cool I shifted my focus today and started locating (or at least trying to locate) donation boxes. I'm coupling this foray into minimalism with at least two other aspects of my daily practice. If possible, I'm walking to the "excess stuff" drop off locations, and I'm spreading the wealth in a fit of exploration. I don't know if it will all work out, but it feels pretty righteous right now.

Today, the walk to the donation box took me a different direction primarily along one of my more familiar routes. Due to the foot, I haven't walked this one since the middle of January, and this afternoon proved to be quite a bit more pleasant than 28 degrees and a north wind.

College Creek Under a Spring Sky

The watershed around College Creek shows signs of awakening, and the cherry blossoms around the Maryland Statehouse are still in full bloom.

Cherry Blossoms on State Circle

The sky was clear and blue, and although the air was chilly the sidewalks and streets and businesses were crowded with more than a handful of people eager to get out of their dens and start sucking the marrow out of life again.

Maryland Statehouse on a Glorious Spring Day

All the people out milling around forced me to think a little about some of my habits. It occurred to me that while I'd walked past the Maryland Statehouse at least a hundred times, I had never walked up the hill to get up close and personal. The one time that I ventured off the sidewalk facing the street, I took a quick picture of a statue and beat a hasty retreat to my familiar trail. I walk to explore, but somehow, during the execution of my ambulatory affairs, I forget that spirit of new horizons and push my nose right back into the comforting grindstone. It's a peculiar lack of creativity during an activity specifically designed to break my mold and reintroduce me to a touch of artistry and wonder. Weird.

Maryland Statehouse and Some Sort of Red Tree

However it happened, today the mold cracked a little, and some new vistas caught my eye. They showed a curious mix of the routine coupled with a whole new perspective, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to mix things up just a bit.

Adding the challenge of offloading things that have bound me to my past has been a good exercise for the first four days of the journey. I look forward to sending five more books out into the wild tomorrow and seeing just what kind of adventure those relics of a time past its sell by date bring to bear in the present.