Another day of rest in the self-proclaimed Irish Capital of Nebraska - O’Neil.
Sidewalk Art - O’Neill, Nebraska
Got out on the town a little to test the foot. Apparently the town takes their claim seriously since these shamrocks were painted on the sidewalks at every intersection.
Foot feels better so....
Ready or not, back to the trail tomorrow.
No pictures today. It's hard to get snapshots of the inside of your eyelids.
Took a much needed day off to try to get ahead of a blister on the bottom of my left foot. I ended up sleeping till 1130, and that felt pretty good.
Today was another day of rest to let my right foot continue the recovery process. Dad and I spent most of the day reading which I thought was a pretty productive way to spend some down time.
Iowa Falls, IA seems to have a community wide focus on reading. There’s a local coffee shop called The Coffee Attic and Book Cellar which has used books in the basement (or Cellar if you will) for sale ranging in price from one to five dollars. It’s a great little coffee shop, and I really like the concept and execution of adding a used book store to the business model. Even the local Hy-Vee grocery store has a used bargain book section. Again, very affordable prices make reading accessible to just about anyone.
The Swing Bridge - Iowa Falls, Iowa
Later in the afternoon, we got out and explored “The Swing Bridge” which is a pedestrian suspension bridge over the Iowa River. Originally built in 1897, it was rebuilt in 1909, 1925, 1956, and finally restored again in 1989. The views of the river both upstream and downstream were pretty spectacular. The sun sinking toward the western horizon provided a golden yellow light to the cliffs lining the eastern bank, and a small waterfall from a creek on the western shoreline fell into the shadow of a bend in the river.
Purple martins live in the cliffs along the riverside, and they seem to enjoy taking a rest from their bug catching exploits along the inch and a half suspension wires that support the bridge.
It was good to get back outside, and we’re hoping to be back out on the road very shortly.
As is typical of rest days, there’s really not a lot to report today. Spent most of the day with my right leg elevated trying to get the combination of blister and bruise on the ball of my right foot to recover. Progress as of this evening is not what I would have hoped. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.
We did get out for some dinner, and caught this train sitting on the north end of the trestle across the Iowa River in Iowa Falls, Iowa. That’s a whole lotta Iowa’s all in one sentence.
Though forward progress was limited, it was a much needed day to recover. Anyway, hope you all had a good hump day
Dad Returns to the Road - Cedar Rapids, IA
Look who arrived in today from the south! He's still recovering, and for now he's going to play a logistics support role. I'm sure grateful to have him back.
Sunset of the Summer Solstice - Yorkville, IL
The Summer Solstice wrapped up today with a sunset befitting of the longest day of 2019. Though the weather here is still quite temperate, spring has come and gone, and we’re into the second season of our three season pilgrimage.
This passing of the torch from spring to summer is a good reminder that though we may resist the idea of change, it is one of the great constants that swirl around our every moment on this beautiful planet as part of this magical life.
To resist change is to resist the very nature of life itself, for without change, the great creativity of the powers of the Universe would cease to create. With change curtailed to nothingness, creativity and life itself would soon follow.
Sunsets serve as a stark reminder of this universal and immutable truth. Each one is unique, and though their themes may rhyme, the manifestation is much more like jazz than a scale. Theme and variation are part and parcel to the very fabric of life itself.
Change is always afoot, and it’s been good to sit back and take notice.
We're back on the road tomorrow, so hopefully this will be the last "cop out" post for a little bit.
This is the first two day rest period we've taken since leaving Rochester, NY, and though necessary to get a little rest and recovery, I'm ready to get back on the road.
I completed a job interview, which was both a good experience and a stark reminder that the time on the trek is limited and precious. I'm ready to get started again.
In the meantime, I'll leave you with another backward glance to week ten of the pilgrimage. I hope the opportunity for pictures will greatly improve tomorrow.
https://goo.gl/maps/WLx5mRvfQJJ4aSGRA
Sunset on a Restful Day - The Plaza Motel - Bryan, OH
Walking & Social Media Rest Day (W&SMRD), but it ended with a really nice sunset.
Back to the asphalt tomorrow.
