Rockland, ME - Warren, ME : 9 miles
The weather : very fine!
This day I was late.
The meeting place was Penobscot School (Rockland, our home town) and we supposed to meet at around 10:30 AM, I think. (Because starting at 11:00AM)
Steve left the house earlier by the car to bring our luggage to school.
But, He forgot the green-colored banners, which is a tat big sign, when walking down from his neck, so that I grabed and hunged it on my shoulder.
On the way to, I stopped to my neighbors, Andrea’s family and Monica to say hello and we took pictures of the memorable day together.
At that time I was already late for the last minute. I started running towards the school.
Taken picture at the school parking lot.
Appeared all walkers for today.
Steve and I were almost up all night preparing for the final check of 16 days' walk. It was the morning of Departure when we finished packing what we need to trip.
So that,
you can guess easily what happen to us; we had forgotten many stuffs that it should be in the bags. During walking,
" Aaargh!" , "Eeek!", "Oh, my … "
We’d sighed many times front of the marching.
The above picture is walking Broadway St. after turn left from the Gay St. in front of the school, around after 5, 10 minutes.
I felt like my shoulders rather stiffed for strongly exciting. I had too much guts. We had just started and were so fresh!
'The basic walking is about 10 – 13 miles per day’: I was referring it from the experience.
Monday through Friday, we started out 8 am.
Saturday and Sunday, was around 10-11 am thinking people who attend church service after.
We took a break for a bathroom and taking hydration every three miles.
In the actual walking, I just concentrated on walking and entrusted to Jun-san and Steve about the matter how many miles we walked, or how many minutes to go until next point.
At the first or second day, I was obsessed with it what and how I take good communication with oncoming drivers and people in town. And how keep good condition of walkers through walking.
For me, long distance walking is the first time so that I thought it always in mind how takes distribution of walker’s condition. And it was important to walk safety, too.
Taking break before Thomaston.
We had lunch break the next town, Thomaston, where Ms. Nobuko and Kaoru’s sister’s house was offered for the resting place. They were waiting and preparing meals for us, which were easy-to-eat and good-to-digest meals, considering walkers. How generous!
When we looked at Japanese food rice balls, boiled eggs, vegetable sticks, and pledged ice cream from the neighbor, we squealed for delight and were happy.
Ms.Nobuko-san and Kaoru-san  At the end of World WarⅡ、they were in Manchuria. When she saw the footage of The Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11,2011, she was reminded strongly her childhood experience of Japan after the war. She didn’t tell so much of her painful history until then, though, she has actively supported us in this walk. When we returned from Boston, she told me more about her experience in Manchuria than ever before. Ms. Nobuko is an artist, she teaches chaligraphy and Japanese at the schools. Ms. Kaoru is a freelance layout-editor and has been working at the local newspappers. |
Now,
After about one hour break, left for Warren, where is tonight’s accomdation.
We walked Route. 1 mainly.
It was humide prety much that day, even September there were lots of mosqutoes! , thoguh we understood existances these bugs when Steve and I had experienced 5miles short walk before this walk.
They were coming from the roadside bush and yet stabbed over our socks marcilessly. If walking slowly we would get stung a lot so that had to be briskly.
I wonder, how could be so strong the mosquito's jaws?!
Here is the countryside, even said Route 1. There were fewer places to get water. When we walking with handed water bottle taking care of,
one car stopped and waving hands,
“Ahoy! Would you like to have water?”
“You can also stop by my house for the bathroom. Everyone, please come!”
Wow!
That was nice, wasn’t it?
There was his house and garden near by Route. 1. We absolutely stopped his house.
In his kitchen, Mr. Jason gave a cup of glass filled with cold water to each walker by his hand!
In the field, he showed us a great pumpkin.
Jason-san and walkers. V sign sitting on his big pumpkin! (Photo below)
Russell-san who is an artist and joining the walk with his wife, Akemi-san from Hancock, ME. (Akemi-san is Japanese.)
They brought handmade signboard for the walk, written in NO MORE FUKUSHIMAS. He flipped the board on the floor and filled new letters
NO NUKES!
We spent a nice break with Jason-san, it was really relaxed and heart-warming afternoon.
| "Is it ok, is it a real peace walk? " Such thought glanced my head, but, Why not? It maybe welcome like peaceful atmosphere around the walk. Smiling would have a power to appeal to the people. I felt like convinced faintly what I looking for in my walking. So, I was thankful of meeting Jason-san in very early time in the walk. |
Oh, how lovely he is!
Around 4:00 pm we arrived at Warren, or might be ahead of the schedule.
It was very good that we could have plenty of time to relax for tomorrow on the first evening. We stayed Steven Burke-san’s house that night. Three of them, coming from Peace pagoda (Jun-san, Alex, and Clara) used Sleeping bag and others used bed or couch.
It was still sunny day.
Steven-san put on the grill outside and we had a dinner surrounding big table. After dinner, we entered the house, we enjoyed conversation having he-made coffee and tea.
That was nice.
Steven-san He is a member of Midcoast Peace & Justice. All meals, bed-making for us were done by the heart. Yet he helped us organizing our schedule. He gave us lots of information and suggestion for the walking until late. It was very lucky for us that we stayed his house. Jun-san said also, it’s too much good treatment for peace walk. Really. We are really lucky, aren’t we? :) In 2008 when the Peace Walk passed through Rockland, Midcost Peace and Justice supported this walk. In that time, Jun-san was one of the walkers, so that we were linked through Jun-san.  |
 Taking photo with Monica-san. “Hi Cheese! “ “ Good luck!” “ Oh!” ) Ms. Monica is living in my neighborhood. She has multiple sclerosis (MS) long time. As I have similar illness, we are encouragement each other. | <><><><><><><><><><>/
