C&O- The Different Journey

So this is why they call it Capitol Hill, I thought as I shifted to my lowest gear. Will was ahead and pulling away from me as I cranked up the incline of Southwest Dr. This minor road, that wraps around the southern side of the Capitol building and serves mainly as a parking lot, is not that steep, but after 42 miles of riding, it felt like a mountain. Apparent not to Will, but then he is almost 40 years younger. I suppose I should be happy that I can still ride 42 miles and live to tell about it. As the saying goes, “It’s not how well the elephant can dance, but that the elephant can dance at all.“

Those were my musings as Will and I returned from our trip out to Mt. Vernon on Monday, Day 1. Yes, we should have started on the C&O towpath that day, but, as you know, the weather the week before changed all that, washing away parts of the trail and turning other parts into a quagmire. Months of planning had to be tossed aside and a new plan, Plan B, evolved. And so I found myself not on the towpath, but riding up Capitol Hill on Day 1.

I will admit, I was disappointed when we finally realized the C&O was out. I had put a lot of time and effort and study into this endeavor (not to mention some cash) and then to have it snatched away at the last minute was disconcerting. But all my long distance hikes have taught me to be flexible. Things are always happening on the trail that require a pivot of some kind, and this was no different. Since I truly believe that the journey is the reward, then the loss of the C&O option just opened up the opportunity for something new. And the real reason for this trip was to spend time with my son, Will. That had not changed.

So, we decided to ride local bike paths on the good weather days and take in museums on the rainy days. Which is exactly what we did, and we had a great time. Possibly even better than if we had done the towpath. I will not lie; perusing the displays in the dry confines of the Natural History Museum was definitely nicer than riding along the muddy towpath in a downpour.

The highlight, though, was spending all the time with Will. Seeing your grown child, navigate the world with confidence, intelligence, thoughtfulness, and a sense of humor brings one joy. And Plan B changed the dynamics of the trip. Instead of my trip down the C&O, Will took over the planning of what we might do each day, and, it turned out there was a lot to do. Plan B also allowed me a glimpse into Will’s domestic life and to see how he and his amazing spouse, Sinclair, negotiate life together. (Quite well, it turns out.)

So, the hard stop on one adventure and a pivot to a different one, happened without a hitch. The unspoken hand off from my itinerary to Will being in charge, went smoothly. In fact, it was fun.

It often happens that your plans don’t work out and as my friend Dan mentioned rather profoundly, “Life is plan B and C…” I’m most grateful that Will and I managed the task of changing plans so easily, a process that could be fraught. This brings to mind a quote by Teddy Roosevelt. When dealing with problems large and small he succinctly clarified the actions to be taken saying, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

Thanks for following along on this journey. The blog will be taking a vacation until July 12th when I plan to do the Timberline Trail around Mt Hood here in Oregon. Cappuccino, Scatman, and Jolly Rancher may be joining me. See you then and Happy Trails…