Final Practice Hike - 48 Hours to Departure

Harold and I headed out today at 9:45 for a hike from my place to Charlotte (8 miles), knowing that we would have to return that same distance. It was tough but we did it, and completing 16 miles was important psychologically to me, since several of my segments on the Via De La Plata will be that distance ( and a bit more).

It was quite the experience. For starters, we took a branch of the  Genesee Riverway Trail behind Riverside Cemetery. Unfortunately, the trail seemed to come to an end deep inside the cemetery. I was not too comfortable about taking a hole in the fence into Turning Point Park, but I had no desire at that point to double back. It worked out after finding a board put in place to ford a small creek.

Harold did quite well with his new companions for the month of April. He only got snippy once, and Beau put him in his place. Harold took a snack from Mercedes - always a good sign as he can be quite recalcitrant at interacting with people.

On the way home, Carlos (my son) and Josh (his good friend and co-worker) flagged me down. They were headed down St Paul and saw Harold and I headed south. It was great to stop and chat. My spirits were starting to flag at that point (about 14 miles at that point), and I needed a good jolt of encouragement to finish out the last two miles.

Boy, that was doable, and an accomplishment, and I'm ready for that distance, but it still was a tough hike to get under my belt - tough but necessary.

Less than 48 hours now till I board the plane for Spain ...

Harold	Me and Carlos