Back to normal and ...

Monday August 24

Feeling much better and testing it with a walk in the neighborhood. 3.2 miles / 5.2 km.

Tuesday we got up very early and drove to Farmville. James had recently ordered a book about railroad trails in Virginia.
The High Bridge Rail Trail is about 30 miles long. We decided to park on the River Road parking lot close to Farmville and then walk towards Rice. You have to decide how far to walk because you have to walk that back again. It's not a loop.
First sign after we parked.

The bridge is quite impressive, about 1/2 mile long and very high.

There are two of these covered benches areas and one uncovered on the other side.

The Appomattox River.

The sign says: Dismount and Lead Horse Across Trestle. Ha-ha, I don't think anybody would need to tell me that.

The trail was for hikers, bikers and horses ... but a bit boring.

Except for this. Wow, was that snake fast. You blinked and had no idea where it went.

We made it to Rice and had a little snack (since we had left without having had breakfast).

Ok, time to go back.

Picnic lunch on top of the bridge.

Old railroad sign: 144 miles to Norfolk.

Another old sign: W means the ingeneur should pull the whistle.

Alltogether we did about 9 1/2 miles or 15 km. It was very good.

Thursday = Stitchers' day! I finally finished the logcabin quilt I had started before Nashville. The blogs were from my demonstration of the "German way" (see my quilt tutorial). Prepared the backing and the binding. Somebody else will do the quilting. I am quite happy with it.

In the afternoon we decided that we had to make another trip to the SSA office. I had applied as supposed to on October 1 because I turned 66 in December 2014 and became eligable. But after some frustrating telephone calls and then several visits to the SSA office things were still not clear. This time we are confident that things were really sorted out. We felt like celebrating!

Friday
Oh yes, James is getting me fit. Alarm at 6 again. Parked at the Pumphouse and walked the North Bank Trail. Hiked it before and took pictures too but there is always something new, something a little different.

The Nickel Bridge. See how low the water is?

Hate walking over the trestles. Have seen trains on this.

View from the Nickel Bridge.

Sunday. Church in the morning. Dash home for lunch. Back at the church at 2 for the ice cream social. Back home and leave for Sarah's at 4:30 with dinner. Sarah had to work this weekend and we had BBQ from a church fundraiser in our freezer. Took the sauce which came with it, my slow cooker with hash brown potatoes and salad with us. It was perfect.
Caleb was tired so he ate a little earlier. He saw the jar with the BBQ sauce and wanted some. Ok. I put some on his plate. He dipped his sausage in it and licked it.

Monday
James went to meet his hiking buddies at the James River. I had too much to do. I was already working several days on the church newsletter getting snagged left and right. This is the last day of the month so it has to go out today. When I came to a screeching halt again because I had to wait for an email I decided to use the time for a hike in the neighborhood.
I tried to walk the whole parameter of CR. when I was done I was shy of 6 miles.

Well, couldn't have that. So I went out again to walk around the block. See the extra little rectangle in the middle. So fun. I felt good and ready for our trip!!!

Finished the September Cloak (newsletter) and even managed to mail it from the church email. Gosh, I have to learn a lot.

Tuesday
The house is a bit of a disaster zone. We are trying to get ready. Helen asked me "when are you coming clean?" O.k. I am confessing: we trained because I would like to walk a bit of THE CAMINO too. James walked the Camino Frances in 2013 (500 miles). A wonderful experience ... for him and all of us who could read about it (here)! In 2014 he wanted to walk 600 miles on the Camino de la Plata starting in Seville but unfortunately broke his ankle on the third day.
In a few days we would like to walk a part of the Camino Portugese. I am excited. I am nervous. I am a bit scared. But mainly excited. I will be so out of my box carrying all I need for the time it takes. Got my sleeping bag because the plan is to do it the pelegrino (pilgrim) way and sleeping in alberges. I have faith that The Lord will be with us so what is there to worry? And a lot of my friends promised to pray for us.

Got my Camino haircut today!

 

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