On Sunday morning, September 12, 2010 I was pondering Ken's recent suggestion... encouragement.... that I spend yet a third lunch break at the gym doing some aerobic exercise on the Elliptical. (Ken owns the gym.) I had just asked him why I couldn't seem to lose those 5 pounds I was dreaming about losing. Emphasis on "dreaming" not on "trying." I wanted magic, of course, I really do not want to do what he suggested. My breaks are precious. I love nothing more than to sit and read a good book over lunch, preferably in the sun on the Greenway at Rowes Wharf near work. I suppose I could listen to my book on tape while on the Elliptical as I stretch and strain those muscles toward good health. I would be stretching my brain muscle at the same time. It's a good compromise. It could be. But I really knew there was no way I would do it.
So back to my pondering: it occurred to me that Parker Hill Ave. is very close to home, very steep, and climbing up every weekend would be an awesome way to burn those extra calories. And to feel accomplished. I had climbed it before (long before) and surely it couldn't be as hard as I remembered now that I'm in such great shape since I joined the gym in May...
I was so excited with the idea that I thought I'd share it with a few friends. So I sent out some emails--you know who you are--and I got many positive responses. In fact, 10 minutes later Lynn called and said: I'll be right over!
Climb #1, Lynn (9/12): We brought our water bottles and fanny packs and set off. We wound our way along Muddy River and up Huntington Ave. until we reached The Hill. Energized, up we went. Conversation was lively...for the first block or so. Definitely steeper than I remembered. It went quickly and so did our energy and conversation soon lulled to make way for heavy breathing. But we didn't slow our pace. Huffing (not quite puffing) our way to the top. All three blocks of it behind us, we sat upon the low cement wall at the top to catch our breath. It was a lovely sunny day. When we'd had enough we turned toward home, stretching those other seldom-used muscles going downhill. The whole thing had taken about half an hour. Not as long a road up as I'd remembered or anticipated. But we did it!!
Climb #2, all alone (9/19): While I got lots of return emails from interested friends, no one was available this week. They all wanted to go next time hopefully. I made a list of preferred times for this friend and for that but I'm hoping not to get caught up in scheduling complications. The main thing is for me to go and not feel as though I'd created a monster. To be joined by a friend or two would be lovely. I followed the same route as last week, this time armed with my new MP3 player (birthday present from my dear husband) listening to People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (recommended by Judy and now by me--I loved it).
Climb #3, all alone again (9/26): Same route, same timing, same book, still enthusiastic. But wondering about the shortness of the big adventure. It really is a bit anti-climatic.
Climb #4, Hilda (10/3): Yay! Company again. And what company. We reached the top of the hill, sat down on Our Wall to rest. Then Hilda asked: What's up that way? I didn't know. We went to explore....up more, left half-way down again, back up The Hill to the top again, over that way again but further this time, next left down, back up again, over here, over there and after two hours of lively conversation and much more exercise than planned (Ken would have been pleased) we parted and back home, I collapsed. It was great! Thanks Hilda.
Climb #5, Harriet (10/9): It seems to be working really well with timing. Friends seem to want to join in but don't seem sorry if they can't mesh with plans I've already made. Same route to the top, rest on the wall, on the sidewalk, wherever we could get comfortable. Good conversation, hadn't spent time with Harriet other than in passing in a while so it was nice to catch up. Our kids used to overlap more in their lives but not so much anymore so now we have to work harder to get together ourselves.
Climb #6, Diane (10/17): I wouldn't mind walking alone and listening to my current book (The Women by T.C. Boyle a novel about the women in Frank Lloyd Wright's life, very well written and beautifully read aloud.) But I am loving catching up with a different friend each week. I see Diane in passing often at TOS but this time I had her all to myself. She was reluctant to push herself too much because she hadn't been walking enough since her loving dog passed away last spring. So we took it slow at first. I'm a fast walker by nature so I was surprised that it was possible to slow down, it had never occurred to me! So when we reached Our Wall we realized we didn't really need to sit down. No huffing or puffing at all. Wow. Since we still had some energy we followed some of Hilda's route up there, down here, back up and over and around. Sometimes I walked on ahead (missed the huffing). We were both feeling curious and found ourselves walking around the edge of the back parking lot of the Judge Baker Children's Center along the fence looking down over South Huntington to see if there wasn't another entrance from down below. There wasn't. Sure enough, I just Googled it and their main entrance is right up there on The Hill. In case you were wondering. And further along, more curiosity brought us up a small street with two nice houses both overlooking nothing but unattractive back yards. It was called Wait St. A few "Wait" St. jokes and a staircase-up later we found ourselves right back where we started. It was time to head home which we did with several red and yellow leaves in hand. Oh, I almost forgot the $20 we found. I considered ripping it in half so we could each take $10 but Diane suggested I treat my step-father to lunch at Rami's which was where I was headed next, so I did. He was thrilled to be treated. Thanks Diane.
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