walking in the drizzle

 Today was the volkssport walk in south Bethlehem. I feel shitty, didn’t sleep well, and I’m battle the UPS giant. I’m just getting too old for this shit. And my shit tolerance is getting lower and lower. Honestly I was hoping nobody showed up. After all it was drizzling.

But they did. Two old members who are in town from Colorado for their son’s wedding reception, (They got married in Iceland!) and two current members. 

We checked in at the Comfort Suites which was packed today. Apparently there was some sort of real estate conference. I had to park on the street. And then we headed up Brodhead. I stopped at least a dozen times. I was a good 1/2 block behind everyone else. Dave walked back to meet me and told me to take my time. The Coloradians were being filled in on a recent tragedy and they didn’t mind waiting. 

 Like always, we headed thru Lehigh’s campus. The last time I was on campus the UC was black, and covered in scafolding. It looked like they were pointing the bricks. Well they did, but they also power washed it. OMG the black was 100 years worth of steel dirt. And yes, I look silly in the pic.

We powered thru Lehigh—I kept the pace, and doubled back Packer at Zoellner. And at about Webster, I hit my limit. I said I’m not going any further. I hit a wall at the 1 mile walk.  (What Bonnie and I did in New England was more of a tourist saunter, than a walk for exercise.) We split at the Martindale Library. I think because we were on the other side of the street — construction — they noticed this sculpture for the first time.  I was a half block behind when they waved goodbye as they turned onto Morton.

I could choose to look at this as a failure, but I look at it as a success.

1) I showed up and I tried. Knowing full well that I have trouble with that hill even when I’m in shape.

2) I kept the pace of the in-shape walkers, for a while

3) I blogged about it the same day

4) Minutes after I got home it started to rain harder. It wasn’t a downpour, but it wasn’t light rain. I stayed dry. I wonder how wet they got? 

I am concerned a tiny bit that I could not walk in a straight line. If they were doing DUI tests I would have failed. Right now I’m blaming it on the cold. 

Miles/Steps:  Well it was a mile at Webster, and another 6 blocks back to the car, so I’d say a 1.5 miles
Weather:        54, drizzle, overcast 

Money found: 1 cent