Day 75 mile 1013

I keep a close watch on this heart of mine.I keep my eyes wide open all the time. I keep the ends out for the tie that binds. Because  you’re mine, I walk the line.

       Johnny Cash ‘I walk the line’

I know that I’m 6miles from my goal. I know also that ‘counting your chickens before they are hatched’ can lead to unforeseen calamity . So I’m staying firmly humble today . 

I bid farewell to Drakesbad resort and cross a small stream , im a good ten minutes behind 30/30 , and am happy for the solitude of morning here in the vast towers of trees . I have only to trust the pathway today , to emerge at the end of line in a small town called Chester . 

I know that i will find there food and a shower , but something in me senses something else waiting at the close of business today . 

I catch up with 30/30 and we take a side track down to a sulphur spring called Boiling Lake . It lives up to its name . Its a lake that is boiling . A bit smelly too (like eggs) . 

boiling lake .. which is a bit smelly

Im keen to push on , I find myself making distance from 30/30 and wanting to be alone when i hit 1000. I have planned to mark that moment on the trail with a photograph . The path is easy to walk , criss crossing various other smaller tracks that lead to evocative and magical places such as ‘Swan lake’ and ‘Feather river’ . 

In no time I am stood with my camera and tripod , and I’m placing handfuls of giant pine cones down on the earth to spell out a grand and triumphant 1000 . 

1000 mile selfie

I take half an hour to sit down and enjoy the moment . My eye catches on a young fresh pine cone , that is ready to bud . I instinctively pick it up , and following my intuition , im digging a small hole with my poop trowel . I place the seed cone in the ground , i bless the abundance that has allowed me this privilege , i thank my family for believing in me , i thank my tribe for supporting me and i thank my friends both on and off the trail for their love power . I have been inspired , challenged , humbled and empowered in ways that I can never quantify . Most of all though, its been FUN . Really bleedin’ good fun! 

I stop before i leave and water the seed . 

Now , this is probably the best time to talk about this : 

I want to ask a favour my readers , i want to ask a real favour , and before you worry , No,its not money !

Id like you to do something for me , something small . Id like you to put down the mobile, the laptop, the ipad or the mouse , and turn this off . I mean just click me away for a brief moment , I promise i will be back tomorrow , after all I’ve got at least ten more days of adventure to share . But honest , i would just like you to go out and walk for one mile . Just one . Please . Outside that door is the Great Adventure . The wonderful unknown . The land behind the looking glass. Id be paying you a disservice if I claimed ownership of that place .Its not my place , its ours .

While your walking id like you to think about the adventures you had as a child , climbing trees , falling in ponds , hurtling down hills in the snow ,treading in dog shit.. (Laughing as others trod in dog shit ) .As long as those thoughts and memories  are wild and free and innocent , its all good . Just do the mile . 

 It doesn’t have to be right now , but it would help. To quote a Scottish Himalayan explorer called W.H.Murray  

“… Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way. I learned a deep respect for one of Goethe’s couplets:

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.

Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!  ”

June 17, 2016June 17, 2016 by iankbrown 3 Comments