“Don’t walk in front of me… I may not follow
Don’t walk behind me… I may not lead
Walk beside me… just be my friend”
Albert Camus
Well, we did have a leader for this morning's 8+km hike. A wonderful leader, and a friend.
One of the things I love most about hiking with random club members and folks new to the club is having time to chat. When in your week do you chat with people you might not know well as you walk through the countryside?
This morning, I learned about a friend's upcoming trip to Australia.
I learned how another friend lost 20 lbs. He looks like a teenager now.
Hiking friends talked going through tunnels....
.... and pointed out a Great Blue Heron in a shallow pond next to the road. You'll need to imagine it. It was big.
Friends walked past fallen apples.....
.... and ditches filled with goldenrods and asters.
Despite the cooler temperatures, it was still humid this morning. My small water bottle was almost empty by the time we reached Lakeshore Road. Well, whadda ya know??!! It just happens to be the Terry Fox Run today. Water for anyone who needed it.
Hard to believe it's been 40 years. Marathon of Hope.
Lakeshore road is like stepping back in time. Old bank barns....
... and beautiful maple trees. This is one of our hiker's favourite tree. How can you not be friends with a person who has a favourite tree?
Pink Jewel Weeds grow in the Port Hope area. Lucky them.
Near the end of the hike, I was getting a little tired. I completely missed seeing this quirky window display. Thanks to the friend who pointed it out and...
... the adjacent even quirkier red & yellow lawn ornaments.
One of our hikers hiked yesterday's 5.6 km hike as well as today's one. Her arthritis was flaring up and she'd forgotten her pain medication. No problem! Another hiker just happened to live nearby and RAN to her house for the meds.
The rest of us held up stop signs and admired her running abilities.
And, there was an exchange of drugs on a street corner in Port Hope.
One of our conversations today was about the value of exercise as we age. And, how we adapt and continue on.
That's what we did today. Continued on.
Let's end with another Albert Camus quote:
“In the midst of winter,
I found there was,
within me,
an invincible summer.
And that makes me happy.
For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me,
within me,
there’s something stronger –
something better,
pushing right back.”
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