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.