On Which Chris Goes Walk-About

March 27 – I have found through the years that if I don’t get something done as soon as I would like, it takes a long time to catch up (if I ever do!) In the old days I tried to do my best to catch up, but that never did work very well. So, lately, when I’m trying to decide what to write about, I don’t argue with myself, but just get started on the present blog.

[ Parked by the road to get pictures ]

So here I am to talk about what I did last week on on foot, and then with Dale driving me over the route. So many memories that I didn’t plan on writing about, but others that pointed out the way from start to finish.

Some suggestions came from Dale who asked me from time to time, “Wanna take a pic of this? That would be interesting to somebody who never gets out to the country.’’

[ My Objective! ]

So – the next couple of blogposts will fill you in on why I chose to walk for FIVE MILES at one stretch when I haven’t done even one or two in a long, long time? Guess I just had to see if I could walk that far with no preparation or planning! I had just decided one evening that I would like to see if I could still walk that far without breaking down.

Now, to all of you walkers who try to get out every day, I think it is really great that you have chosen to do that. It’s good for both your heart and for your spirit. Dale and I were into walking for years when we lived back in Pennsylvania.

[ Some dogs along the way ]

When it came time for Dale to retire, he was wondering what he should do; continue to work or just enjoy the few hours we would have to walk all over the place as we used to say. Since I had the deciding vote, Dale retired and from a couple-mile walk three times each week, we finally went up through the five and then ten before walking a couple marathons.

When we decided to retire in Missouri with our son David nearby in Kansas and our daughter Biz in Missouri, we enjoyed walking all over the place, learning new things every day. We signed up to keep clean the two-mile stretch of road near our home and continued this job as long as we could. You would be surprised how many friends we made along the way!So now back to that five-mile walk. Some of you will probably be laughing and saying, “What’s FIVE miles! Anybody could do that!” But others, who read this blog, are saying, “Maybe not for everybody, including me!” Well rest assured. I had made up my mind that I would walk that five miles if it took me half the day. Of course, I didn’t use up quite that much time. I started out at 1:45pm in the afternoon and arrived home about 5:15pm. Not too bad for having not walked more than two miles in a number of years. I am stubborn and just wanted to find out how close I could come to the old record, or if I wouldn’t finish. (More tomorrow about the walk itself) – CHRIS