Me, Paula Yankauskas, Cynthia Needham, Margaret Haskins, Jennifer Kimmick
Farewell Vermont……..
You guessed it time to wrap up my final training week in Vermont, a 3 hour swim this morning and my goal for the week is complete, 38 miles , lucky for me I have some company today to clock up those final miles, as I swim the final laps in my home waters of the Green River Reservoir, I reflect on how familiar every shoreline, every tree and hill top has become, the taste of the water and the smell in the air have become like a comfortable old pair of slippers, through so many hours of swimming my senses have heightened throughout the course of this journey, I know exactly where I am in the lake just by the feel of the water, silky smooth around picnic island, a cool pocket of water where the cold springs are approaching Blueberry Island and finally there are the smells, not an odor, more like a presence in the air that I have become very in tuned too, a mossy earthy smell in Italy, a light playful smell around one tree, I savor these today, farewell Vermont lake, I linger the picture of my favorite spots in my mind…….
The cat and the duck take it in too……….
Here is One Tree, one of my favourites, Deb usually grabs plant life from the shallow waters as we go around one tree island, she thinks I don’t see her, but I do, then she throws it at me from the kayak, it usually hits me my back, or smack in my face, I always try to hide, but she always hits me and I always laugh.
Time for Goodbyes…..
You think next on the list would be a rest, not yet, my mind is in top gear, much to prepare in the way of final packing and logistics. Out comes my equipment list, feed list and crew supplies lists, I start ticking things off as they go into the bag, only thing left now is too muscle the bags shut and zip her up, there done.
That’s me, the one looking beat…….
Next up it is off to say goodbye to my some of fellow swimmers at The Swimming Hole, many of these swimmers helped keep me company through the long snowy Vermont Winter months when I was training indoors at The Swimming Hole…..
Time to head to the Airport
That’s me and my sister Robbin, we give each other an extra big hug……..
Then final goodbyes at the airport, I am thrilled to have family to send me off….
Wells Up time for this Vermont Kiwi to fly
The plane door closes, I can feel my heart thumping, I am closing in on the Channel, a mere overnight flight to the United Kingdom, a few hours driving after that and I will be in Dover and take my first ever look at English Channel, I am heading to Dover 5 days early to allow plenty of time to recover from the trip and to have a chance to size up the Channel before we meet I meet the Channel and the Channel meets me.
Will I see the White Cliffs of Dover tomorrow? I’ll keep you posted
Closing Thought: To reach your destination you have to keep moving
– Charlotte. J.Brynn