5/17/15

I am sitting on the deck and it is a beautiful morning.  The stream below us can be heard with its temporary  small rapids from all of the rain that happened while I was gone.

The jet lag is gone or at least I can no longer use it as an excuse. It is time to put some words to this last post on the Raw Challenge page.

I think that this experience from beginning to end will continue to stay with me and reveal more treasures that would not have been found without it.  I find the entirety of this adventure to be nothing short of a miracle.

Well for me, I don’t think it was so much courage to start as it was the abandonment of rationale that would normally have kept me in the mode where I knew it was not good timing, reminded me there was no way to write a daily blog (especially since I’m not a born writer), and that I’m not in the kind of shape to attempt an obstacle race.  Clearly this was something that pulled at my heart so strongly that I could not ignore it and just had to approach it as a possibility.

I have had the good fortune to experience so many aspects in these past few months that would not normally have come about otherwise.  I have connected with friends and family that I haven’t necessarily been in touch with.  I have worked some muscles that I haven’t necessarily been in touch with either.  I have been to another continent, hemisphere and seen sites truly amazing.  I have written more in a two month span than I probably ever have prior and found that I truly enjoyed it.

I have had several comments on how adventurous I was to set off alone each day and explore. I can say that I never once felt that I was alone.  You see, with all of the postings, comments – written and verbally expressed- over the past two months, knowing I was to be sharing my days with all of you, I sincerely felt accompanied at all times.

I would often type up some of the post on my phone while riding the train into the city or back to the burbs. I could take advantage of that down time to jot some thoughts if I didn’t get too distracted with watching the different areas stream past my window or get caught up watching fellow passengers.  People watching is pretty entertaining at times.

I was totally unencumbered by having to comply with anything someone else wanted to do and just let my days flow with a general idea of where I might be headed and mostly let each day evolve knowing that I was sharing it not with someone riding or walking next to me, but with the friends and family that would read about it the next day. I had Wilma, Pebbles and Poppy to share with in the evenings.  The few days that Wilma could be with me enhanced those days with laughter that I would mostly keep to myself when alone. I then too had that extra person that could laugh and make fun of the silly things that I tend to do.

Had I thought to write up what a perfect trip would be, I daresay I could not have done better.  Okay, I could have been lighter so that my feet didn’t scream of all the walking.

My Fitbit was always on Mountain Standard Time, so the daily walks were not recorded in full, but my report from the last week that included the last two days of mostly riding on a plane with no walking/standing/moving at all was:

It is obviously my new high water mark and a goal to see how it can be beat. So I have that to look forward to.

As for my blogging, I have decided that for now I will continue to share my thoughts and experiences.  I will keep this page separate and a available and start a new page as I feel there are stories to tell and stories to hear from you as well.  The posting regularity is sure to change, but I am not ready to give it up.

My only real question at this point is do I stay Betty for the blog or go back to my given name?  No last name – ever – as I need to keep it so my crazy customers over the years don’t find me.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to read and support the endeavor of the past few months.  It was a trip worth taking.

I’m not sorry.

Love Betty