On the Road

Terrain: Road
Path: Loop in Glastonbury
Time: 97 minutes and change
Mileage: 3.9

Rachel came north this week so we made a plan to all walk together - the whole team: Jill, Becky, Rachel, and myself.

After many emails we decided to walk Gay City State Park early in the morning. Between Becky's crazy work schedule and Rachel's mother hosting a picnic we thought this would be a good place to sneak in a training walk.

Yet as life would have it no one runs on schedule and things happen. I got to Jill's a half hour late which made us arrive at our aunt's half hour later than planned too.


It was almost quarter of 10 when we finally got on the road. We were heading to Gay City for our walk until Jill's GPS popped up and estimated we had a 20 minute ride ahead of us.

We turned the car around, parked back at my aunt's house and took the to road by foot. Rachel knew a loop near the house.

What Rachel didn't mention was the hills, the direction, or the deer. It was my first walk on the road that involved hills. I've done some hills on the trails, but it's different on the pavement. Step by step.

For part of the walk, I felt we were just walking where ever the road lead. My sense of direction was completely off. I'm still not quite sure of where we were. Rachel knew where to turn and cross, but they were good long stretches.

And then there was the deer. It crossed out ahead of us and I wasn't a fan...The deer noticed and stopped in the road to look for the noise I had made. While Jill and Rachel were busy laughing at me, I was just hoping it would move off quickly before a car came.

We passed the section where he had trotted off and I kept checking over my shoulder and all around for a second deer. I never found another one, and picked up my pace.

Many orchards (deer food), tractors, and a brook that ran all over decorated our route. The orchards had pick-your-own signs and advertised homemade baked goods; my stomach grumbled. The gentleman on the working tractor passed us with a friendly hello. We also passed a few other people out running, biking, and gardening.


Our 4-mile loop was peaceful and quiet. It was just cool enough to keep us going, and just enough exercise for us to want naps before the family picnic.

Sat Out Sunday

Sunday’s walk didn’t happen. The intent was definitely there, but the timing and motivation to get-up-and-go were absent. 

The most I walked on Sunday was around Wilcox Park, on the outside for our Firemen’s Memorial Parade. I had my pedometer in my pocket, but forgot to turn it on. It was maybe ¾ of a mile. Maybe. 

But it was also pouring rain when we were the furthest from the station (starting and ending point). I think that figures in some bonus points, or bonus miles in this case.

Jill, Julie, and Russ all showed up for the parade and we enjoyed a full spread at my parents’ house after the parade. My father made quiches, ham, fruit         salad,  French toast casserole, and bacon. 

Between our full stomachs and Aunt Dot’s stories (who is 93 and sharper than most people I know), we were captivated. As time passed, the house emptied. 

Then Becky and baby pulled in. The idea was that after a short visit with my parents, Becky and I would walk a few miles in town or at the beach. 

It stayed an idea, and short turned into a few hours. As we had all been caught up in Dot’s stories earlier, we were now entertained by baby and all the things a 16-month old can discover and overcome.

I left just before 6pm to play in a softball game. Becky and baby were still there with my parents. While none of us got our walking in on Sunday, we all got moments that we wouldn’t trade.

Beach Logs

Path: Weekapaug to Watch Hill, back to Weekapaug
Terrain: Beach, road
Distance: 10 miles
Time: 4 hours 10 minutes

FIRST STEPS

My alarm went off just after 4:30 this morning.  It was still dark out and the moon was nowhere in sight. Jill said she’d be at my place just before 5am; I had to get up.

Early to rise meant early to bed. I felt well rested and ready to take on a long walk. I didn’t run yesterday for a few reasons, and my body was eager for activity.

After a few texts with Jill, I finally put my feet on the floor and got dressed. Being up early motivated me to also empty the garbage, and do the dishes - two chores I loathe and tend to put off. 4:30am could be good for me.

Jill arrived around 5:30am. I made a milkshake (NesQuik and dark chocolate almond milk), grabbed a protein bar and we were out the door. We took a quick caffeine trip to Bess Eaton and headed to the beach. 

Ideally, we were going to park at the Misquamicut State Beach  and walk toward Watch Hill. Access to drinks and toilets prompted this route.

However, the gates were down at the State Beach and the lot stood empty. We continued East and parked with the morning fishermen by the Weekapaug bridge.


The sky was still overcast and the sun was rising on the other side. Some of its color peaked through and created a watercolor above the jetties.

We debated over the tide. By the marks on the rocks, we could tell it wasn’t peak high tide. But we weren’t sure if the tide was coming or going. Apparently it was coming in, according to Jill, because the breachway water was moving toward the pond. I’m still skeptical.

THE WALK

The sand was cool and hard. It made the walking easier. The tide, whichever way it was traveling, left sea creatures along the way.  The birds were feasting breakfast. We passed a crab that was still alive and watched a wave pull it back home.

Growing up we spent our beach days on the Weekapaug side of Misquamicut. Often we’d walk with our mother, cousins, grandparents along the beach. A large flagpole stood in front of someone’s house and that was our turn-around spot. It was about ½ mile from our beach.


Today we laughed as we approached the State Beach (2 miles) about how far that flagpole seemed to us as youngings. A tractor was dragging the beach as it was still not open but thankfully they had port-a-johns.

Checking in at 2 ½ miles we decided to continue West toward Watch Hill. We passed the beach bars. They looked so desolate at 7 am; it took us a moment to get our bearings.

After we passed the Pleasant View and the random teepee, we were in piping plover territory. They were quite active and chirping away.

Eventually we made it to the Ocean House. Just past their beach we found a log to snack on. My pedometer read 4.9 miles, 124 minutes. Pretty good pace, but only half way.

My hands were yellow, purple, swollen, and stiff. I took the iPod from my hands and my hand stayed in the same form. I had trouble touching my thumb to my fingertips. Jill said it was because I wasn’t swinging my arms enough.

We began to head back. 5 miles and 2 hours to the car. Just as we left the log, the rain started. The waves turned choppy. The wind picked up and now we were walking into it. Long gone were the radiant colors we left the car with.

After passing the piping plovers and teepee again (and after Jill squatted in the teepee) we took to the road. Good choice. The wind was somewhat blocked and quieter. The pavement took some adjusting to, but I think it improved our pace.

It was about 8am and the beach world was coming to life. We began passing others out on their morning walks and bike rides. Jill commented on how we know we are out early when we greet the older folks on the road. I reminded her that early has passed as we were on our way back from our walk.

We made it to the State Beach again; this time they were open. I told Jill we could use flushing toilets, but she corrected me. Apparently the state went with some chemical thing that breaks down the waste and there is no flushing. For all the time I’ve spent at the beach, I guess I’ve never used their bathrooms.

The sidewalks in Misquamicut are bumpy and hilly. They are not wheelchair friendly. We didn’t have a wheelchair with us, but Jill has offered to host a training walk with the Greater New England Chapter. This would not be the place for it unfortunately.

On the walk back, I made a point to swing my arms more, and though the swelling didn’t change much, the color did. The mobility of my fingers also improved as I traded off holding my iPod, and kept exercising them.

The sun finally peaked out just a bit and welcomed us as we crossed the bridge at the breachway. It didn’t last long at all, but it was nice to see it briefly. The water under the bridge changed direction and I asked Jill if that meant the tide changed. She just shook her head at me.

LAST LEG

Jill noted that what we walked today would be what we’d walk in half a day in September - or 1/5 of the total walk. We will walk 20 miles on Friday and Saturday each, then 10 on Sunday. She said on the last day, the 10 miles feels like 50.

We made it back to the car in one piece and still moving. I was ready to sit and rest - in part due to the walk itself, but also due to waking up so early. Fortunately I didn’t feel completely done and beat. Jill also noted her physical level had increased because she too was not run down. The cooler weather helped.

As far as our feet went, we each had some hot spots. She wore socks and running sneakers for most of the walk, probably did a few miles on the beach sans shoes. I wore my Fit Flops the whole time. I think my spots were due to the band becoming wet a few times and rubbing.

So now we know we can do 10 miles well, what’s next? Tomorrow we might do a short walk with Becky (cousin & teammate) and Julie and Russ (cousins).