front page of the local Joongang Ilbo!

I did a 40-minute interview with Park Jin-keol of the Washington Joongang Ilbo yesterday morning (about 10:20AM to 11AM). The very polite Mr. Park, who is roughly half my size, proved to be more knowledgeable than me about many religion-related topics (not surprising, given my boundless ignorance about most matters); maybe he should do this walk! He was a good sport about my taking his picture; we had a good time both reviewing the salient aspects of my upcoming walk and talking about Korean religion. Our interview was mostly in English, which Mr. Park speaks excellently; I don't trust myself to speak technically about religion with my broken Korean.

I found out today that the article is already out, and I'm apparently on the front page! This would be much more exciting if I actually had a copy of the Joongang in front of me, but I'll obtain one by the end of the day.

Big thanks to my mother, who has many connections within the DC-Metro Korean community, for arranging this interview. It's definitely a leg up, and if it leads some Korean Buddhist temples to open their doors for me, that'll be fantastic. And again, many thanks to Mr. Park for taking the time out to interview someone who hasn't even started his walk yet! Not many media outlets put their faith in mere promises.






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from Mile 8 to Mile 13

The following series of pictures (again, all from the May 15 thirty-miler) takes us from Mile 8, just past the Belle Haven picnic grounds, to the Mile 13 marker at the southern edge of National Airport. Mile 13 marks that day's turn-around point for the 30-mile walk. I say "that day's" because I walked straight through Old Town Alexandria to reach the marker a distance of less than five miles from the Mile 8 to the Mile 13 marker. On the way back home, however, I took the long route through Old Town (you'll see some of that in a subsequent post) and also took a detour to pick up a tent. This extra distance gave me my thirty miles. Were I to walk straight through Old Town again, I'd have to walk to Mile 14 to be sure I got all my miles in.

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between Miles 7 and 8

I have way too many photos of my 30-mile walk (May 15) to upload. Here are some more: pics from between Miles 7 and 8. I've done the Mount Vernon/Old Town gauntlet enough times to have memorized what special features I can find between the mile markers on the bike path.

Between Miles 0 and 1: The big downhill at the beginning. Nothing else very interesting happening except, of course, for the forest all around you. The woods are thin on your left; the parkway is plainly visible that way.

Between Miles 1 and 2: Riverside Park (it lies just beyond the Mile 1 marker).

Between Miles 2 and 3: Fort Hunt Park, whose entrance is at Mile 2.75. Pass the entrance and go uphill a bit, and you'll catch the Mile 3 marker while walking downhill into a wood. To reach the park, you have to walk through a tunnel that takes the bike path away from the river and puts it on the other side of the George Washington Parkway.

Between Miles 3 and 4: The bike path detour because of construction-- a new wooden bridge is being built. This is, to be honest, the most unpleasant section of the path for me. I'm not sure why. Maybe because it's the hilliest mile. (Whine, whine, whine.)

Between Miles 4 and 5: I call this the "golf course" section because it's so smooth, green, and bland, especially in comparison to the previous mile.

Between Miles 5 and 6: Just after Mile 5 is the stone bridge (Alexandria Avenue) that crosses over the GW Parkway, placing the bike path once again between the parkway and the Potomac River. This stretch also features that ritzy waterfront neighborhood, accessible only through some arcane back roads.

Between Miles 6 and 7: The main thrill here is the long wooden bridge. It's nice to walk over, but even cooler to bike over.

Between Miles 7 and 8: Belle Haven Park, which was until recently a temporary duck pond (as you'll see).

After that, you're pretty much in Old Town, and beyond Old Town, the path takes you past a large marina, past National Airport, and eventually up into Maryland, if I'm not mistaken. Theoretically, Georgetown University, which lies just across the river if you cross at Key Bridge, is walking distance from my parents' house. I might try that walk some day... but not this year.

And now: photos of Miles 7 to 8.

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