- Joined
- May 18, 1999
- Messages
- 15,395
Today was a first for me in a mighty long time. I wanted to see if the Rollator, a large wheel, 8" diameter, four wheeled walker would perform in the woods. (It did really well.)
So instead of stopping at the zoo this morning with its nice sidewalks and cool breezes we went on around the curve and down the road to Oxley Nature Center where I used to walk several years back.
We even had to get a map because of the length of time we hadn't been there.
Anyway we asked about the condition of the trails and got an all clear on most of them and mapped out our route.
Oh the sounds of the woods in my ears and on my heart once again. The chirping of the cicadas, rasping call of the crickets, a large bullfrog down in the swamp. The smells of the woods, fresh and green with an underlaying odor of old dead and rotting trees. The woods indeed do sing to my Soul!
It was like a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders!
It has been about 5 years since I've been in the woods and my heart and soul needed this badly!
The going was easy although bumpy in some places and rough, plenty damned rough, in others. The large exposed twisted roots, rocks being pushed from the breast of Mother Earth, a few muddy places that I had to take all of my weight off the walker so it wouldn't bog down all contributed to a really good workout!
We walked 1.85 miles there according to the gal's calculations!!
Then we left and drove over to the zoo where we got out and walked some more, another 4 tenths of a mile! Stopped and fed the carp and turtles at the bridge over Coal Creek, I think it is, and always enjoy the exclamation's of the kids watching us feed them.
So the Rollator has opened the way for me to walk in some semi wild places down a dirt road, two ruts, but clear and not any rougher than what we saw today. From there I can manage to get up the hill, leaving the walker behind, and visit the place I know where the Old Ones used to live. It will be a while yet before I'm ready to take on such an excursion but at least now I know the way is open for me to make it.
There is peace in my heart tonight from being able to hear the woods sing to my soul once again.
It has been much too long.
So instead of stopping at the zoo this morning with its nice sidewalks and cool breezes we went on around the curve and down the road to Oxley Nature Center where I used to walk several years back.
We even had to get a map because of the length of time we hadn't been there.
Anyway we asked about the condition of the trails and got an all clear on most of them and mapped out our route.
Oh the sounds of the woods in my ears and on my heart once again. The chirping of the cicadas, rasping call of the crickets, a large bullfrog down in the swamp. The smells of the woods, fresh and green with an underlaying odor of old dead and rotting trees. The woods indeed do sing to my Soul!
It was like a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders!
It has been about 5 years since I've been in the woods and my heart and soul needed this badly!
The going was easy although bumpy in some places and rough, plenty damned rough, in others. The large exposed twisted roots, rocks being pushed from the breast of Mother Earth, a few muddy places that I had to take all of my weight off the walker so it wouldn't bog down all contributed to a really good workout!
We walked 1.85 miles there according to the gal's calculations!!
Then we left and drove over to the zoo where we got out and walked some more, another 4 tenths of a mile! Stopped and fed the carp and turtles at the bridge over Coal Creek, I think it is, and always enjoy the exclamation's of the kids watching us feed them.
So the Rollator has opened the way for me to walk in some semi wild places down a dirt road, two ruts, but clear and not any rougher than what we saw today. From there I can manage to get up the hill, leaving the walker behind, and visit the place I know where the Old Ones used to live. It will be a while yet before I'm ready to take on such an excursion but at least now I know the way is open for me to make it.
There is peace in my heart tonight from being able to hear the woods sing to my soul once again.
It has been much too long.
