Monday, July 7, 2014

10.73 miles

83°/89°68% humidity

 

As we were leaving our neighborhood today, we saw the huge oak tree at the entrance to our subdivision had broken apart and fallen down.  Apparently it was rotten on the inside and could stand the weight of the huge limbs no longer.  We lost the oak tree on the other side of the street years ago during a hurricane.

 

We had already decided that today was to be a longer walk.  At one point Glen said, "I thought we would walk nine today."

 

My response was, "If we are going to nine, we might as well as do ten."

 

House at Government & Georgia

We walked through the neighborhoods until we reached Government Street.  We walked to Georgia Street and then decided to zigzag across the the downtown neighborhoods until we reached Dauphin Street.  From Dauphin Street we headed to Augusta Street.  We walked through Washington Square before heading to Cream & Sugar where we shared a cup of coffee.

Washington Square

I checked my hydration pack while at Cream & Sugar and there was still ice and water in it, plenty I thought.  I was wrong.  By mile 8, my pack was empty.  Thankfully, I was also carrying three 500mL water bottles.

 

For the return trip we took a little different route.  We walked back up to Broad Street and followed that to Virginia Street.  At the corner of Broad and Virginia is Pollman's Bakery.  Well, you can't go by Pollman's without stopping in.  Glen had some chocolate chip cookies, and I had brownies.

 

We ate our goodies as we continued walking.  We walked past Magnolia Cemetery and then to where Glen had lived as a boy, past the large tree where he had a tree-house and past the houses of his boyhood friends. 

 

Memorial Park

We also passed by Ladd-Peebles Stadium where we enjoy the University of South Alabama football games.  Walking in front of the stadium, totally devoid of shade, we decided to take a break when we reached the Memorial Park on Government Street.

 

Glen cooling his feet.

The shade at the park was welcome, but we had to sit on the edge of the fountain to enjoy it.  Glen took that opportunity to take off his shoes and cool his feet in the water.  With my history of blisters, I didn't dare risk putting wet feet back in my socks.

 

The walk home was hot, very hot.  I had my frozen Frogg-Togg and enjoyed the cold water I could squeeze from it on my arms, face and back.  Still, I was very glad to get home to the air conditioning.

 

Our route for this walk.