Camino Le Puy Day 17
30 years ago, when I felt bulletproof, I embarked on a long road trip, driving 24 hours straight to Colorado for a skiing adventure. We skied all over the place, with Todd—a former U.S. ski team member—leading the way. He patiently guided me through the moguls and trees at Steamboat, teaching me to pick a line, look 3 to 4 moguls ahead, and just let it flow. I struggled to get past the first two moguls, constantly stopping. When I finally made it down to where he was waiting, I explained that I couldn’t look that far ahead. “What if I need to stop?” I asked. To which he replied, “Why would you need to stop?” Right?!
I thought of Todd and his lesson today as I ran down a narrow, rocky single-track trail in full control. Why? Because I knew I didn’t have to stop. I chose my line, looked several rocks ahead, knowing it’s easier to keep going than to keep stopping.
I’m sure it’s quite a spectacle to watch this short, stocky, old man running downhill. But I’m not doing it for show. It’s fun! It gets my heart rate up, and it’s mentally challenging to stay that alert.
Today was unexpectedly fun. The rain dampened the sound of everything and kept the bugs at bay. The smells were amazing.
I spent a long time reminiscing about the old days with Todd and my Seattle gang of friends. There were probably 30-40 of us—young working professionals with shared interests. Like many periods of my life, we had a lot of fun and made great memories.
Todd and I eventually drifted apart, both getting caught up in the next phase of life—marriage and kids. We both have ex-wives but are grateful for the kids. Todd’s new wife is an angel, and I’d be lucky to find someone like her. Today, I wondered if she would let him walk with me sometime… yes. And I bet she might even join us.
Here’s to you Todd, Erin, Jeff, Kristin, Raver, Pipes, Geary, Cara, Patty, Doug, Uncle Boo Boo (we miss you, bud), and the rest of the gang. What I would give to walk a Camino with you all…
Buen Camino!
