Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall

Richmond to Ingleby Cross Day 11 6 September 2013

“Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Today, as predicted, became one of Mr. Longfellow’s days.

Be careful for those things for what you wish. For days we, or at least I, have indicated a disappointment, we have not been able to experience the walking in the quintessential English weather, rain. After today, mission is accomplished. It rained heavy, light, and long. Today the walk covered 24 miles, the largest one day total. Leaving before eight walking to after six, we became intimately connected with ten hours of the quintessential English rain. Donning full rain gear, gaters, jackets, pants, pack covers and even an umbrella, not a single item remained dry.

The term ‘drowned rat’ became rather a desirable upgrade. Add the low fifty degree temperatures, a good time was had by all, or at least all, who did not walk today. Fortunately, the terrain was gentle, no climbs, limited slippy rocks. In full British understatement style, there was a bit of mud. Lois and I stopped, a mile short, since there was a beckoning pub. Chuck trudged through the final mile alone. We had a drink in his honor, perhaps two, perhaps more.

The best part of the day was the discovery of electric hand dryers in the pub rest rooms. Wainwright, disliked this section immensely, flat, boring farm land. We can only add, flat, boring and muddy farm land. We did receive some spectacularly good news in Richmond before we left. The disease killing all the rabbits is species specific, harmless to humans. We immediately contracted several local British school kids to collect the carcases, fill up fifty gallon drums and mail them to Albright in Montebello, providing him with unlimited amounts of volume for his parking lot stew.

Who needs skate. Forget about the apple butter, we have a new cheap source of ingredients. Rabbit jerky and rabbit smoothies could also be appearing soon in a store near you.