Salt Path Schedule

Done

I'm in London now and done with the Path. It was raining and windy when I finished, and I was dizzy so I muffled the End of the Path monument shot. So instead, this is what it looks like looking back towards it from the ferry taking me away. The last week on the Path was mostly rainy, like all the rest of my time on the Path. In addition to the rain, and mud, and damp, and cold, I entertained my old friend vertigo. Friends that know me well are already aware of my 'condition', where I occasionally experience persistent mild to moderate dizziness. Not bad really, but bad enough that for the last week I walked inland as much as possible, on the South Devon Ridge Path to avoid walking along the tops of cliffs. Still, there were a few that were unavoidable. These stairs, when you're dizzy, are annoying. This vertigo thing I've had before, and it stays with me for about a month. I'd like to think it's brought on by overwork or physical exhaustion, but it's e...

Home and some Stats

It’s nearing the end of summer and I’ve been home and off the Salt Path for a week. I was driving Matt home from a friend’s house when he made this observation. “Hey, Dad. T hose first few weeks I spent with you in England seemed like they were way longer than the whole rest of my summer vacation.” “Sorry about that.” “No, I mean they felt longer in a good way. I think it seemed like it was longer because we slept in a different place every night or something. It was different. These last several weeks just flew by, and now summer vacation is about gone.” “I think it was the novelty of it,” I said. “People remember things they see and things they do, but they don’t really remember how many times they did them. So a couple weeks of doing strange things will make more memories than a couple months of doing familiar things. Other than England you had a good summer though, right?” “Oh yeah, especially when I was over in Eastern Washi...

Fifth Week

I went nowhere today and am feeling a bit guilty about it. One of the things I learned hiking the PCT, was how important zero days are for the long haul. You know, those occasional days you take off trail going nowhere, washing and drying your gear, resting your knees. My gear and my knees are thanking me, but I'm feeling restless. It will take me 20 more days to finish this trail if I follow the Southwest Coastal Path recommended schedule. My flight reservation has me boarding a Boeing 777 for home in 20 days. I can't fritter. I think I'll make it, though. The path's terrain seems to be getting more refined and less ridiculously rugged as it works it's way along the ocean back towards London. A bit smoother, a bit wider, and crossing fewer unnecessary contour lines. There's been less need to leave the main trail and travel inland to save my feet, but I do it anyway once in a while so I can visit cows. I escorted a retired fisherman through a herd tha...

Walking Cliffs & Coves

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