PDY

Yesterday and today, this walk has nothing to do with reaching my destination. In fact, I’m actually farther from Central Park than I was on Friday, today being Sunday. But it wasn’t a mistake, it was a decision based on hotel room availability for less the $450 the night, being football Friday, impending weather, I was tired of walking against busy traffic, had my daughter Isabela’s bestie Lorena in neighboring Lexington (VA) who offered a ride to a decently priced hotel… decisions us road walkers must make.

So I took a detour yesterday, and instead of staying on a busy highway 25, I headed for the mountains. Lorena and I agreed to meet in Piney River at four, and off I went. It was nice to be on a quiet road again, and as I climbed, every mile got prettier. The main attraction was the foliage, the turning of the green to every shade of yellow, red and orange available. Yesterday and today were probably the best two days for color, for tonight it is raining. Again frustrated by the lack of descriptors, but it was absolutely spectacular. Also as I climbed, my road got narrower, and for three great miles it was a dirt road, quiet, birds and crickets, and incredible Fall colors every time you turned.

When I reached the intersection that was to take me to Piney River, the road had been closed. And there was no cell phone coverage, and no way to tell Lorena where to find me. Could have been a perfect “Isabela… I can’t find your Dad” call, but fortunately, there is really only one logical way to come out this way from Lexington, so I just walked along that road until I saw Lorena, who stopped after I waved and off we came to town. The mountains coming into the valley were unbelievably pretty. Virginia is definitely being a show off, but I think I can tolerate her little longer. I kinda like her…(don’t tell anyone :-)

I suppose I have driven past Lexington several times back in the horse days, maybe gotten gas here once or twice in the late 1980’s, but I’d never really been here before, and I learned more US history yesterday than I have in years! Again, I wish I knew more about the Civil War before I made this trip, for I will have walked through a large part of its stage, and would have loved to have been able to relate the places I’ve been with the events of the past. The Civil War wast just never on my radar screen, but it seems to be on everyone’s up here, especially in Lexington, home of Washington and Lee University. Yes, it’s the Washington and the Lee, and in Robert E. It was fascinating, The little I knew about General Lee, up until yesterday, was not altogether positive, but like everything, there are at least two sides to every story, and in this case, there are probably as many sides as there are people! Up here, it just all depends on who you talk to. I will learn more before forming any opinions… I dare not even try to write about this now, with my limited knowledge, but I’m thinking I could go on a Civil War binge and be ready for the next time I walk to the park, or something.

And funny the way things work, if you just let them… just last week I heard the news of ex=president Jimmy Carter’s fall while building a house for a Habitat for Humanity project. It was perhaps only a few seconds on the news, but all day I was thinking about how cool Habitat for Humanity really is, though again. knew very little. Fast forward a handful of days, and I had my own opportunity to work on a Habitat for Humanity house! It was awesome. Lorena and some friends had committed their Saturday morning to helping on a local project, and I happily joined them! I’m a fairly good handyman, but mostly applied my skills to maintenance, and it was a chore, a burden, but using those skills to help build a deck on the home that some very fortunate family will occupy was a totally different experience! I made sure every nail was secure and flush, thinking about the little barefoot kid that might run out there someday. Also painted part of a room. Was a great way to spend the morning, and I’ll do again for sure.

And now, rain having come and gone, it’s time to move on. You’ve probably guessed by now that I really don’t want this to come to an end, I really don’t want to get to New York right now. You’ve also probably realized that this trip has absolutely nothing to do with the destination. If I had really wanted to go to NYC, I could have hopped on a plane and been there in 4 hours. It’s all about the trip getting there, the journey, and I’ve spent a couple of the best months of my life making my way there… if I could, I’d walk up to Maine and then come back to the city, maybe.