As mentioned, I took the day off from lumbering on Wednesday so we could drop B at the airport in Detroit. That was pretty much a 5.5-hour round-trip drive in the rain that included 2 minutes of tearful hugs and goodbyes on the road outside his gate amongst the throngs of air travelers.
In other good news that no one but me and the blue side of North London care about: We made it back in town with an hour to spare before Spurs and Man U kicked off in the Europa League final. A match that was brutal to watch sometimes, but somehow, SOMEHOW, Spurs won 1-0 and finally won a gahdamn trophy after 17 years!!
“I always win things in my second year.” – Ange Postecoglou
How one of the worst teams in Tottenham’s history won a European trophy and will play Champions League football next season is beyond me. But they did it, and there was much rejoicing. Rejoicing that was one part: “My team just won a European Cup!” And one part the relief of “Holy shit, my boy is off to England for six weeks!”
Speaking of B in England, we got word from him around 4:40 AM (our time) that he was landing, and then while I was hiking, I got a text from him on his way to his flat that said, “Just passed Brentford’s stadium.”
B’s balcony in London.
Then, by the time I got home, Wifey had a chance to talk to him, and he said he was pretty overwhelmed by the size of the city and the logistics of getting to his flat in stop/start London traffic while stuffed in a van with other students he doesn’t know, but he also recognized that he’s running on like 2 hours of sleep in the last 24 hours. I’m sure he’ll be fine once he can sleep and think straight.
As for me, I got back in the woods on Thursday morning for a 6.15-mile hike that had 90% less rage than Tuesday’s.
The woods were dank and wet from 36 hours of rain, and I finally found some subjects to photograph. Nothing out of the ordinary, but who doesn’t love some dank wood swamp critters?
Right now, I have 20.56 miles in my feetz after 3 days of lumbering. If I want another 30-mile week, I’m gonna have to get out on Saturday morning for a few miles.
Later.