Four days to go -- Looking back

I've spent the last few days sick. Certainly not the flu again, but something that feels pretty awful regardless. It is pleasant being ill in a place that affords me a pillow to put my head, and regular opportunities to medicate however.

I've not been doing a massive amount of hiking since the first three days when I was camping and making circles around the city, or when I hiked to and from Slaton to visit my grandfather. Instead, I've spent this time going to places that hold pleasant memories -- places I've not seen in years.

Yesterday I visited the pool Chad, my cousin, and I used to spend most of our Summers at. Every year around the end of August there would be an event for the kids held there. The adults would dump in change from the deep end to the shallows, and kids would dive according to age group. The goal was not only to get the most change, but also to be the one that ended up with largest number of silver dollars, of which there were few.

Chad and I had a tendency to spend most of the time underwater trying to make the other surface. Beating one another up at the bottom of a pool is sort of difficult, but we managed. We had years of practice above water, after all.

There were other little events -- diving, races, etc, but the thing we looked forward to more than the rest, however...was the greased watermelon. Very simple, just like it sounds. Grease a watermelon, toss it in the deep end, and watch children try to drown one another until some poor, scratched, traumatized kiddo managed to get the thing over the lip of the pool edge and end the thing.

I think it was payback for parents. Why beat us for being heathens when we'd gladly do it to ourselves, and in as entertaining a way possible?

Chad and I, again, spent most of the time inflicting pain and embarrassement on one another while still keeping an eye on the prize. Honestly, this was ridiculous...because all you "won" was the watermelon. I mean, it was Summer -- there was watermelon at home. We had no excuse to punch each other without repercussion for the ungreased variety in the fridge though. See the logic? Neither do I...but I'm not fifteen anymore -- I just act like it from time to time.

Chad is a couple of years younger than me, but he came from tall stock via his father, and well...I didn't. He had the reach advantage. Still, after some time I'd developed myriad defenses.  Chad couldn't yank my shorts down if I tied my suit strings in a knot. Granted, neither of us had any shame, so it didn't REALLY matter if either of us managed to do so. If I didn't chew my nails, which I did (and do) habitually, I had a good chance of coming away with some skin if he pushed his luck.

It really was a sight, I'm sure. A dozen or so kids kicking, punching, screaming...and Chad and I in the middle of it all fish-hooking each other and trying to leave scars.

One of the two of us generally won, which in the end made the violence that much more pointless...because of course, we shared the spoils. I think we're both still pretty keen on beating each other up if given the opportunity, and there is absolutely nothing to gain of it these days...so perhaps we've regressed?

I dunno. It's still fun.

Other than being ill, I'm doing well. Four days from now I drop the pack and start looking at what the immediate future holds. I'll be updating much more often, as the site is far from going away. I knew it was very unlikely that I'd raise my goal amount for the American Cancer Society. This run/hike was really a gateway into the next event, the next plan. I've learned a lot about marketing myself, and gained a solid understanding of the time it takes to put something this big together and make it work as planned. Again...I'm thrilled with the way this turned out. I've met people that I'm very comfortable calling family. I've seen a lot of beauty, in people and in places. I've loved it. Absolutely loved it.

Thanks for sitting through a little story, completely unrelated to what I've been doing. I enjoyed sharing it -- hope you enjoyed reading.

All the best.

-Dustin