Canoe U. Morning Walk

Today the opportunity presented itself to make sure some of the morning routine that's normally not my responsibility got executed on schedule.  That little wrinkle in my calendar also allowed me to take a ramble through Canoe U.

Rickover and Alumni Halls and the Chapel from the other side of College Creek

This view shows the crucible in which toughness and resilience are taught.

USNA Columbarium from across the Water

This view is a reminder that we have limited time on this terrestrial plane, so we best use it wisely.

Today was busy and mostly productive. Tomorrow will bring a new series of experiences and adventures. Counterintuitively, I'm revelling in the uncertainty. Interesting.

Challenges

I'm engaged in a Fitbit Workweek Hustle, and for the second week in a row it looks as if I'm going to finish in a pretty strong second place.  There's one day left, so it's possible that it might all fall apart. The person in first place is quite a competitor, and I find it irksome that I've fallen so far behind. Be that as it may, the competition and the challenge of the event has been good for me. It got me out of my rut, and I visited the Capitol for the first time in quite awhile on my morning ambulations.

Capitol Hill - Spring Morning

Spring changes things, and I'm glad I made it out this morning to see the sights. I was better prepared for the doubling of my duties that came later in the day. Wait...how's that again....I don't get the promotion, but I get twice the work for at least the next quarter or so?

Color me confused, but there it is...the path that the universe has laid at my feet. I suppose there's really only one thing left to do with this situation, and that's to keep moving forward. Fuck these guys. I'm planning to bury them in success. 

I love a good challenge, and the upside of this one is that it would be difficult to make matters worse than they have already become. Tomorrow we lose two more folks out of a department of nine. That's on top of the two we lost earlier this year with no replacements on the horizon. I find myself in charge of production on two shipbuilding programs with five (including me) of nine staff remaining. Like I said, I love a good challenge. Time to work the problem.

There's no telling what tomorrow may hold, but I pretty certain it won't be boring.

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.