Post # 25 After The Walk- My Initial Thoughts

I’m home

6 days

81.8 miles

172,763 steps later.

Here are 5 photos of my last 6 days walking in the footsteps of Lyman Dillon and Old Military Road from Iowa City to Dubuque….

 

Sunrise North of Solon on day 2

Picture of my footsteps looking back near Langworthy

Looking back at our house as I leave for Cascade.

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Walking in the drizzle on day 6

Mrs DM and I at the end of the road

      Here are just a few  highlights of the trip.

       While I am on my feet all day at work, I am not a “walker”, and yet, I did not get any blisters, my feet never hurt,  only  felt  stiff at the end of day 3 as I was coming down a long hill into Anamosa.

     I woke up refreshed every morning , 4 of the nights I stayed  in homes of people I didn’t (or barely) knew.

     It rained 2 of the 6 days, which only added to my sense of being on an  adventure.

     A couple of  you mused there  would be a spiritual component to this adventure and there definitely was.  I’ll probably write more about that later.

      My next goal (after writing thank you’s) is to contact the people I met in each town and work on my book “On The Trail Of Lyman Dillon“ 

      When I’ve mentioned writing a book,  I’ve  encountered a few  “Oh sure you are”  looks.    What the nay sayers don’t know is I already have 2 books in print.  I realize I probably sound a little testy  as I write this, but I have very little time for negative, pessimistic, people.   

  Here’s  a quote by Theodore Roosevelt which  comes to mind when I meet a nay sayer :

 

        “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

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 As a side note, this adventure made it in (7) different newspapers,  (1) TV clip (w/ a 2nd pending),   a chance to talk w/(4) High School history classes and (3) history groups while on the walk.  We finished the trip with a small reception in Dubuque @ Lot One- site of  Tim Fanning’s Log Tavern….it was a full week.

Post # 23 Retracing The Route From Solon To Monticello Today

   Today (May 18th 2008)  was a beautiful day for a ride in the car so we drove to Solon to try and firm up how far I would attempt to walk each day as well as places  to spend some of the nights. 

   note to self:  I need to get in touch with someone in Solon to see if there is a B and B locally or something similar  From Solon to Mt Vernon it is approx. 10.5 miles.  I already have an offer to spend the night in Mt Vernon by a friends’ mom.  If I leave Iowa City on Monday, that would put me in Mt Vernon Tuesday night.

From Mt Vernon to Martelle it is 6.9 miles.    We might have some type of small reception when I get to Martelle…If I left by 8 AM that should put me in Martelle by 10:30   Martelle has a historical marker for Dillon’s Furrow. 

     From Martelle to the East Edge of Anamosa  (through Fairvew)  it is 8.9 miles.  (That would be a Wednesday night)…I am thinking of staying @ the Super 8 motel that night….unless between now and September I find out about a B and B in Anamosa or stay with some friends that live in Anamosa…we’ll see….

    From Anamosa to the edge of Langworthy it is 6.2 Miles  Hannah B. who teaches an Alternative High School program locally, approached me last year about  having her class join me when I get to this point in the walk.  There is an original portion of Military road just East of Langworthy in a farmer’s pasture  It is also the  location where the husband and wife and infant got caught in a blizzard  (last name of Wade) leaving behind 10 children.

     If I get a good start Thursday morning from  Anamosa I could get to this point in the walk late morning, give a presentation to the class  and finish the day on the East side of Monticello…staying at a local B and B. (Thursday night) 

    If someone happens to read this before September 2008 and has any suggestions for lodging in the Solon area…please let me know. !  Thanks