Now Adam and I are walking up on a fairly flat straight a way of the
road. A relief I tell you. Though we have only been an hour and a half
my hips were beginning to yell at me. No matter how far we walk on this
pilgrimage it always seems to tire us out significantly. Mainly blisters
and bone aches. Limping for a few days afterwards is par for the
course. We think its because we're flat landers. The elevation here is
6000 ft. High enough to notice in our breathing as we walk.
Maybe that's what tires us out. At this point in the journey we are good to go. Its early.
Darkness all around. The breeze continues but I still haven't put on my coat. Walking keeps me warm. Up ahead a few yards on the opposite side of the road from us we see bare bulbs lit edging a temporary tent infringing on the dark. Another pilgrim stop.
The beautiful moon exposes itself occasionally. The clouds are blown away from its face flooding silver light almost bright enough to read by upon us. I notice the distances on either side of the road and see crouching blue dark shapes. Clusters of pinon or juniper. The gray of rabbit brush clumps. It feels like walking in an O'Keefe painting. If she had made one about the night.
There are automobiles that do travel this road during the pilgrimage. At all hours. They are the locals or the curious coming and going. Orange reflective signs that read WALKERS AHEAD are at several points along the way warning the drivers to keep an eye out. Nevertheless there are accidents. Some pilgrim is struck by a car. Usually minimal injuries. But still. Emergency vehicles patrol this roadway all night. Their bright read and blue lights encroach upon our walking revery. We ignore the lights mostly.
Now Adam and I need something to drink. I could sure use a coffee. We look up the road and see no lights coming and we scramble across to the pilgrim stop. Nice people again. Coffee, tea and hot cider urns sit on a table. We grab steaming cups and move on thanking them as we leave. Now we settle into a good pace again. Adam announces "We have walked 10,000 steps so far" as he reads his electronic pedometer. I smile to myself recalling the familiar buddhist bromide about the beginning first step of any journey.
This is a good thing. I am alive. It is so wonderful to be here. The world falls away. I am not an artist. I am not an employee of anyone. I have no citizenship anywhere. I am walking. A simple thing done by all people for a million years. Thats what people do. We walk. Each life is a journey.
NEXT: LIGHTS ON THE ROAD
Maybe that's what tires us out. At this point in the journey we are good to go. Its early.
Darkness all around. The breeze continues but I still haven't put on my coat. Walking keeps me warm. Up ahead a few yards on the opposite side of the road from us we see bare bulbs lit edging a temporary tent infringing on the dark. Another pilgrim stop.
The beautiful moon exposes itself occasionally. The clouds are blown away from its face flooding silver light almost bright enough to read by upon us. I notice the distances on either side of the road and see crouching blue dark shapes. Clusters of pinon or juniper. The gray of rabbit brush clumps. It feels like walking in an O'Keefe painting. If she had made one about the night.
There are automobiles that do travel this road during the pilgrimage. At all hours. They are the locals or the curious coming and going. Orange reflective signs that read WALKERS AHEAD are at several points along the way warning the drivers to keep an eye out. Nevertheless there are accidents. Some pilgrim is struck by a car. Usually minimal injuries. But still. Emergency vehicles patrol this roadway all night. Their bright read and blue lights encroach upon our walking revery. We ignore the lights mostly.
Now Adam and I need something to drink. I could sure use a coffee. We look up the road and see no lights coming and we scramble across to the pilgrim stop. Nice people again. Coffee, tea and hot cider urns sit on a table. We grab steaming cups and move on thanking them as we leave. Now we settle into a good pace again. Adam announces "We have walked 10,000 steps so far" as he reads his electronic pedometer. I smile to myself recalling the familiar buddhist bromide about the beginning first step of any journey.
This is a good thing. I am alive. It is so wonderful to be here. The world falls away. I am not an artist. I am not an employee of anyone. I have no citizenship anywhere. I am walking. A simple thing done by all people for a million years. Thats what people do. We walk. Each life is a journey.
NEXT: LIGHTS ON THE ROAD
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