T Minus Ten

Ten days from now we’ll set off from Vancouver on our second mission; a six month, 1,700 mile trek to San Diego.  Since my first such – Austin to Boston, I’ve come to learn that there are three points to every journey: to, from, and for. 

And those points you can’t find on a map as they are neither finite nor geographical in nature.   

——–

Recently I was going through the archives from our first walk that are housed in a storage facility in Memphis to recycle gear and supplies that were donated back then and I came across a box of 2012 calendars.  The one of me carrying Murphy’s lifeless body the final few steps.  The one most didn’t want.  


They were water stained and moldy and my first thought was toss em. But I couldn’t stand the thought of them being in some landfill, dumped and disregarded so I took them out with us camping out last week at Shelby Forest to recycle them as kindling.  

It was a metaphorical moment for me as I watched the calendar burn and I couldn’t help but wonder if that’s one of the points of this walk.  

——–

I miss my Murphy and maybe that’s my to, from and for.  

THE RIPPLE: Easter 2008

Three weeks away from Vancouver launch, the final countdown begins and I can’t help but think of our first Easter on our first walk which was spent at Granger Lake outside of Taylor TX with a haunted bridge and two 12 year old psychic detectives. 
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Easter 2008.  Granger Park
The following excerpt is from a blog a wrote recounting that day…

“There is truth to the saying that a fire warms the soul of a traveler and Easter night, we were fortunate enough to find a site at Taylor Park and have our first campfire. It’s a small but pleasant place where we met some endearing characters including a pair of twelve year old paranormal detectives, Alice and Bella.

Hudson and Murphy took to them instantly and we joined them for some sightseeing. One of the most curious sights was Hoxie Bridge, cranky, completely out of place, and yet reputedly haunted by the headless ghost of a murdered convict who helped build it. 
Hudson peed on it.”
——–
I’ve Seen This Movie Before
Later that Easter Day after our spooky adventures, I made preparations for the following morning then sank into a long, lazy mid afternoon slumber.  My repose was abruptly interrupted however by a flurry of activity: vehicles slowly driving around the campground, searching eyes, whisperings, and accusatory glares. 
It was all a bit unnerving so I sought out the mother of Alice and Bella and asked about all the hubbub.  “Oh”, she remarked, “One of the families can’t find their eight…..” I could already hear the alarm bells clanging around in Yer Big Dog’s head, “…. year old son”.  
“Damn”, I shook my head, “I’ve seen this movie before and the drifter is always the first guy to get blamed.”
——–
The Journey Continues
With three weeks til launch I find myself filled with excitement with a small side of nerves for the upcoming walk.  But it feels good to take a few and reflect on the stories from the first that made our adventures warm and rich.  
Happy Easter…
——–
Yer Big Dog’s Notes 1:  They found the boy asleep under a tree not long after the search ensued and boy, was I relieved.  

YBD’s Notes 2:  Never found out what became of Alice and Bella but they should be 18 now and hopefully on their path to becoming psychic detectives…

YBD’s Notes 3:  As part of our final preparations, we’re tightening up phraseology and branding henceforth I’m doing away with ‘Walk 2’ and ‘West Coast Walk’ as we feel it just doesn’t convey the importance of this undertaking.  We’re going with ‘The Journey Continues’…. And so it does.  

In Memoriam

I like this Latin phrase because it means ‘Into Memory’.  Not ‘for the’ or ‘because of’…

It presupposes motion.

This is the reason I’ve bound Murphy’s and Malcolm’s ashes together for the necklace I’ll wear on Walk 2.  The Mobius Strip has been much on my mind and that’s the inspiration. 

The West Coast Walk will not only commemorate but commence with and memorialize our loved ones touched by cancer. Their story is this story.  Like the Austin to Boston Walk, I will wear a Memorial shirt though unlike it there will only be two shirts not six.  

According to Red, ‘When you make a $30 donation in honor of or in memory of a person or dog we will recognize your donation to them here on our Memorial Wall, add their name to the Memorial Shirt that Luke will wear on Walk 2.  We will also send you the 2 Million Dogs BLUE pack of Toki Poki Pet Trading Cards includes pets that have had or currently have cancer. The unique packaging includes a topper and heart-shaped confetti that are made of seeded paper. Use them to plant and grow wildflowers in honor or remembrance of someone touched by cancer.’

And if you make that donation by April 23rd, you’ll be on my first Memorial Shirt.  

——–
YBD’s Notes 1:  I want to thank all of those on my Memorial shirt in walk 1.  At the time of the final mile I think we had 500 or more.  We walked with angels.  

YBD’s Notes 2:  I’ve now got a Red and an Ed in my life and am awaiting a Fred or a Jed to complete the trifecta.  

Is This Thing On?

Over the course of the next three weeks I’ll be road testing some new technologies to incorporate and use to maximize interactivity with Walk 2: The West Coast.

This is our walk, all of our walk, and we’ll broadcast it to as many and as loudly we can…
CANCER.TOUCHES.EVERYONE.

WALK 2: Fluid Dynamics

Now that we’re out of the forest and training on the Memphis Greenline, our focus this week has shifted towards pacing.  So why is that important?  
With my average stride, I can walk 3.5 to 3.75 miles per hour bearing weight, a fairly fast pace for the fuzzybutts… almost a trot for them really.  But one of the rules of the road is one must walk their walk.  Which basically means, you must abide by nature’s design of you.  
So since I cannot quicken nor slow my pace for extended periods, nor they, me, most of our training comes down to figuring out how a Man-Pyr (that’s YBD), a French poet and existentialist (that’s Hudson), and a Moose (that’s, well, Moosey) reach a rhythm on the road.  
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The Problem is Pyrs

I always thought it was god’s greatest joke on me that I choose to go on great journeys with one the most notoriously “independent” breeds. That’s how wonderful rescues like the  National Great Pyrenees Rescue characterizes them anyway.  I have my own sobriquet for Pyrs, crasser and truer to my southern roots, and one that could and should equally apply to me, too.      
Such as it is, pacing is a partnership and that’s why it’s of paramount importance at this stage of training.  
——–
A Matter of Metrics
To attain our 25 week West Coast Walk, we must average a little over 12 miles per day. From our work last week and this, I now know that 6 miles per two hours is a comfortable pace for us.  That includes a 15-20 minute break halfway and a few ‘stop and sniffs’.  
But with a laggard and a leader… I’ll let you guess which is which… the science isn’t always that exact.  
A partnership presupposes many things, but what’s most important to its success is fluidity and I feel like Hudson-Indiana-Luke, our little Industrial Puppy Complex is making great strides towards…
——–
Yer Big Dog’s (YBD’s) Notes 1:  I am pleased with our progress and preparation over these past few weeks, although we’ve had a few hiccups throughout… More on that later.

YBD’s Notes 2:  This week is gear training and filming the Trailer.  

The Road

Is a curious thing.
It forgives and forgets

It punishes and at times,
Demands pay

Whether footsteps towards
Or footsteps away

No certainty
Not on any day

Those that step
Must accept

There are no manmade laws
Just the awe

Of living on The Road

——–

YBD’s Notes 1:  Happy Saint Patrick’s Day.  This poem was inspired by the Irish saying, ‘May the road rise to meet you.”.  

YBD’s Notes 2:  Bollocks.  

YBD’s Notes 3: The Road represents the path in life you take.  May YOU rise to meet The Road.    


WALK 2: The Route

WEST COAST WALK ROUTE

Launch Date:  May 10th, 2014

Launch Location:  Peace Arch Park Vancouver BC






Vancouver BC to Everett WA:

Route: 543 to Portal Way

            Vista to Hovander

            West Smith to Pacific Highway

            Northwest Ave to Samish Way

            Hwy 99 to Cedardale Rd

            Pacific Hwy to Hwy 99

Distance: 90 miles.  Estimated Week of Arrival (WOA): May 18th

Everett WA to Seattle WA

Route: Hwy 99

Distance: 30 miles.  Estimated WOA: May 18th

Seattle WA to Tacoma WA

Route: Hwy 99

Distance: 35 miles.  Estimated WOA: May 25th

Route Tacoma WA to Portland OR

Route: Hwy 7 to Hwy 507

Distance:  155 miles .  Estimated WOA: June 8th

Portland OR to Otis OR

Route: Hwy 99 W

Distance: 85 miles.  Estimated WOA: June 15th

Otis OR to Gardiner OR

Routes for Remainder of the Walk: Hwy 101 and Hwy 1

Distance:  100 miles.  Estimated WOA: June 22nd

Gardiner OR to North Bend OR

Distance 30 miles.  Estimated WOA: June 29th

North Bend to Brookings OR

Distance: 110 miles.  Estimated WOA: July 6th

Brookings OR to Eureka CA

Distance: 115 miles.  Estimated WOA: July 20th

Eureka CA to Loleta CA*

Distance: 15 miles.  Estimated WOA: July 27th

Loleta CA to Garberville CA*

Distance: 65 miles. Estimated WOA: August 3rd

Garberville CA to Fort Bragg CA*

Distance: 70 miles. Estimated WOA: August 10th

Fort Bragg CA to San Francisco

Distance: 175 miles. Estimated WOA: September 1st

San Francisco to Carmel

Distance: 120 miles. Estimated WOA: September 14th

Carmel to Santa Barbara CA

Distance: 230 miles. Estimated WOA: October 1st**

Santa Barbara CA to LA

Distance: 110 miles. Estimated WOA: October 12th**

LA to San Diego CA

Distance: 125 miles. Estimated WOA: October 26th

San Diego CA to Border

Distance: 15 miles.  Estimated Date for Arrival Party:  Weekend of November 1st

TOTAL ESTIMATED MILEAGE: 1,675 miles

*Some areas of Hwy 101 don’t seem to be open to pedestrians. Alternative route may be necessary

THE RIPPLE: Ablation

From Dictionary.com

ab·la·tion  [a-bley-shuhn]  noun

1. the removal, especially of organs, abnormal growths, or harmful substances, from the body by mechanical means, as by surgery.

2.the reduction in volume of glacial ice, snow, or névé by the combined processes of melting, evaporation, and calving. Compare alimentation

3. Aerospace. erosion of the protective outer surface (ablator)  of a spacecraft or missile due to the aerodynamic heating caused by travel at hypersonic speed during reentry through the atmosphere.

——–

Years ago, my ex HJ – Murphy’s Mum, and I were playing water volleyball in Lake Travis when I cut the hell outta the bottom of my foot – slashed open by a sliver of glass.  

Like some bad sci-fi feature, planter’s warts infested and infiltrated that wound, and grew weirdly into a cauliflower type colony that became crippling to the point that I could barely wear sandals.

I went to see a podiatrist in San Antonio and the news was not good.

Two treatments were available.  I chose the harsher but surer. Chemical ablation.  It took weeks and weeks to burn it down during which was a pain so severe. 

——–

Surprisingly, I only had two foot problems on the first walk: A corn that blistered up occasionally.  And a left phalange that when quashed down by the weight of my pack lost a toenail times two.   

——–

YBD’s Notes 1:  Still don’t know what the hell a corn is but it’ll travel with me on Walk 2.

YBD’s Notes 2:  It was an amateur’s mistake.  I carried so much weight on the first walk that my toes grew by a half inch.  My 11.5 became a 12.  

YBD’s Notes 3: There’s no shelter for love.  There are some things that just don’t burn down and love is one of them.  




Regarding Hudson

Even though we’re a few months away from the start of our Walk 2, there are already grumblings in the background.  Some of the planning and preparation aspects of the excursion are still underway and I can’t respond to them yet but the loudest one I can.   

Let me begin by saying thanks to all of those voicing their concern about Hudson’s health.  To me, that speaks to your love of my little boy and that you care enough to stand up for his safety.  Can’t thank you enough.  

In a few weeks time, on our way down south to start phase II of our training in warmer climates, Hudson will have a full evaluation of his health, physical condition, and road readiness by a vet.  Muscle strength, joints, tendons, pads, etc. will all be examined.  

But that won’t be the last evaluation.  As we train together, I’ll be assessing his weight bearing capacity and stamina amongst other things.  Keep in mind Murphy, too, was 7 years old when we left Austin and on a much bigger frame than Hudson.  
The second concern we’ve received is regarding Hudson’s cancer.  We got the best possible prognosis from his two path reports combined with wide margins and there’s a 95% chance of no recurrence within two years.

Everyone is going to have their own opinion about this understandably but getting The DX, diagnosis as I call it, shouldn’t automatically be a death sentence nor life limiting.

My route and start and finish dates have been finalized.  We’ll launch from Vancouver the weekend of May 10th and arrive in San Diego the weekend of November 1st.  That’s approximately 1,600 miles or roughly 65 miles a week of walking for the fuzzybutts and me.

Lil’ Nana will be fine.  Hell, it’ll be hard to get him to stop at 65.

But the question, it seems, is will that be too much and too taxing for Hudzers?   

——–  

My last thoughts for you in the wee hours of Wednesday morning is one of the main reasons Hudson and Murphy and I made it as far and as long on the road was because we weren’t hot dogging it out there.  Pun intended.  

I didn’t take unnecessary or uncalculated risks and, equally important, I had contingency plans in place.  My job was to get the fab fuzzybutts from point A to point B safely.  Walk 2 won’t be any different.

Phase II of training entails working with both boys separately and in tandem.   Even still, that probably won’t answer the question.  Nor will even the most skilled and learned veterinarian be able to say whether Walk 2 will increase the risk for a recurrence of cancer in Hudson.

——–

I must press ahead with reason, faith, and the love of my boys as my guide.  

THE RIPPLE: Chapter 1: Man Plans. God Laughs. Dogs Poop

In the first week of launching the Austin to Boston walk in 2008, the whole weight of universal forces bore down on us like the wrath; a swift and unforgiving maelstrom that tested our mettle absolutely.  
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First there was the crippling weight of my pack because I didn’t want to be caught on the road without some essential tool, doo-dad, device or sundry to assuage the uncertain world I had just thrown myself into.  
Though I made a pact with God to get me and my boys to Boston safely didn’t mean I didn’t have a backup plan. Or two.  
Hudson and Murphy’s safety was of paramount concern to me and I packed for it. Shit, I carried enough medical supplies to run triage in a war zone.  I had a secondary leash that could counter as a tourniquet, micro flasks of iodine and isopropyl alcohol, and gauze pads of all sizes and shapes.   
A NOAA radio, batteries of all flavors, my clunky Dell laptop, and a seven iron to ground against lightening strikes and guard us from gophers, golfers, or god knows what.  
I barely made it five miles the first two days and even though I was in supreme physical condition, the weight of my pack almost became walk ending.  My lower back was already badly damaged from a work injury and later a car wreck and the sheer act of lifting my overloaded 5500 cc Osprey tweaked it even further. 
——–
And then the skies unleashed their fury.
Scientists say that of all of the senses, smell has the longest memory.  For example, you’ll never forget the acrid, stinging stench of a skunk.  That’s true, but I’ll never forget two sounds.  
One of which is the shrilling of my NOAA radio warning followed by the voice of the Atari Man, the nom de plume I assigned to that analog version of a linesman casting weather forecasts like a Pong match.  
Tornado warning. Wind speeds up to 50 mph.  Freezing hail.  Flash flooding.   Seek shelter.  
And indeed, Atari Man called it right.  Lightening storms and unrelenting rain opened up all around us and it got so bad that we abandoned our $20 Walmart tent off the northbound side of 973 for the underbelly of a nearby bridge.  
Clearly, this wasn’t the way I planned it.  
And that was just for starters.  
Fire ants, crazy sponsors, a lost bag, forgotten antibiotics, bad burritos, and a mad cow man followed in that first week. 
——–
YBD’s Notes 1:  I have a good friend going through a tough patch and in her words, she’s in ‘Protection Mode’.  

There are some things in life for which there is no shelter and if it wasn’t for the proverbial kitchen sink being thrown at us the first week of our walk, we would have never made it.  

I remember with perfect clarity in the tent with my boys what made the difference.  

YBD’s Notes 2: Early on, I had to understand which weight to shoulder and which to shrug.  That wisdom carries forth to our second walk.  

YBD’s Notes 3:  Very few things are worse than being in a bad bad storm when your dogs gotta poop.
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