in Walla Walla at last

A quickie before I shower: I arrived at the Comfort Inn that sits on the western edge of Walla Walla at 8:30PM on the dot-- exactly as I thought I would. My walking speed was a gimpy 2.67mph; the distance, according to Chuck's odometer, was a little over 24 miles. I would never have made it without Chuck's help (he brought along my huge backpack, which I left at the hotel in the morning), my painkillers, and Chuck's knee brace. Take away any one of these factors and I would have been a quivering, weeping mass of Kev-jello. Instead, I moved along at a decent clip, was twice offered a ride into town, and even saw Marti (my massage therapist) and her hubby Merlin, who were heading west on Merlin's bike. Merlin struck me as a laid-back guy, and there did seem to be something of the wizard about him. In all, a good birthday. My thanks to everyone who sent in birthday wishes, as well as to the folks who called me while I was on the road.

Now I need a shower, and possibly some dinner, though as always I'm more thirsty than hungry.


_