UPDATE AUGUST 4th: Yesterday, August 3rd, I did 6 miles, and now have my sights on, for later this week getting from my home near the CVS Pharmacy on 5th East in American Fork and State St, to the Lone Peak High School in Highland! Should be around 8 miles round trip. I feel incredibly blessed to so far keeping my numb legs awake and actually developing again muscle in my dead right leg and gratefully feeling soreness for the exercise I’m forcing on it!
My Thursday, August 5th, “walk” had me leaving home at about 10:30–a mistake to not having left earlier as it would get up to 97 degrees before I limped home. I followed my route north up 400 East to Art Dye Park. From there following the walking/bicycle path up the hill to what I call the “Highland bench.” After climbing out of Art Dye Park and up on the bench heading north, I could see my goal way to the north–the Lone Peak High School.
I came to the new (Murdock ) Canal road and got all tangled up in construction areas and wasted a ton of energy and finally had to go back to the Canal Road, and out to the North County highway to get to the Lone Peak High School, but finally made it and had my picnic lunch and rest.
Then decided to follow the Highway back home and along the way two policemen stopped saying someone called in about me–so I apparently didn’t look as good as I thought!!! They offered me a ride, but I said I was fine. Had a nice conversation with Officer Waite & Pablo who wanted my name and birth date–maybe so they could more easily identify the body! I told them to Google my name and they would learn about my HIGH UINTAS PROJECT.
Later a nice Latin girl in a Maverick convertible stopped to flirt with me. Both offered me rides so for sure In the first case I didn’t look very good, but in the second almost got kidnapped!
Now at Quail Cove park by the temple and my first shade for a while. Apparently after a bit of refreshment I fell asleep and shocked when I woke up to see it was 4:00!!! Down on the corner I found a handsome 15-year-old boy, helped by a little brother and tiny cute real little sister selling snow cones so couldn’t resist helping them and getting more refreshment and congratulated them for working and talked about when I was a 7 year old and started working–always with a job from then on and how it was a blessing in my life and will be in theirs too. I’ll drive back up there every day and hope to find them and be a steady customer. NOTE: I should have taken a photo, and will to insert later if I find them.
It got tough getting home. Along the way all of a sudden a fellow working in his yard stopped me asking if I was on the same walk he saw me on way up by the Murdock Canal road and I said it was and that from there I continued up to Lone Peak High School, and then back to where he stopped me. I told my story about wearing myself out with my UINTA Project and like 7 months ago couldn’t walk but now forcing my legs to keep awake and– like a baby–learning to walk again with my walker (thanks again to PAUL…your gift has changed my life!)…..I continued difficult maneuvering through the road and sidewalk construction down the high school road and…… Finally home by 5 having walked around 9 miles–I felt like I did a few years ago when finishing the International Half Marathon in Coban, Guatemala–that up to 2008 I had done 14 consecutive years competing with the Kenyans!!
My “home” is the tiny funky looking trailer hid behind my son Nephi’s nice trailer, both of us parked alongside my son Jesse’s home in American Fork.
It’s fascinating to notice how an old 85+ year old taking “BABY STEPS,” ACTUALLY BRAGS ABOUT THOSE “STEPS” — as 7 months ago I couldn’t even walk--now I find myself overwhelmed with gratitude to the Lord for those “steps” and for being able to increase my walking distances (with a walker)! It’s kind of ridiculous I guess, but I’m so thankful for even just a little progress–that for normal people is laughable–but I stopped being normal a long time ago. Maybe I’ve never been normal and rather the DUNDERHEAD & RODEO CLOWN, some called me and my kids related to my more than half century in the Mountains of the Maya–-labels about right…..and I LOVE THEM! See the new online book about my life among THE MAYANS where me and my kids were given those labels by “friendly fire” but which wasn’t friendly at all. Scroll down to see details, and learn how we turned the negative labels into fun titles we continue to enjoy–making fun of the critics!
So far I’ve learned that a rest day really sets back this old guy and has me feeling cruddy, so, like they say,
“NO REST FOR THE WEARY–or was it…….. FOR THE WICKED?”
I’LL PERSIST AS BEST I CAN “FAKING NOT BEING A CRIPPLE,” AND SEE HOW FAR THIS “COMEBACK” WILL TAKE ME – at least by next summer hoping to actually do a little hiking around the fringes of the High Uinta Wilderness.–NO BACKPACKING as my back can’t handle any weight. —
But, at least right now I feel so grateful that I’m actually feeling sore muscles in my legs–the right one especially as since last November it has been DEAD and A FEW MONTHS AGO THE MUSCLE HAD DISAPPEARED–as part of the 32 lbs. of weight loss during the period of the last two back surgeries– & HAD MY LEG REMINISCENT OF THE PICTURES OF THE HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS!!!!
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