#187: A New Road

A first update with pics of my walk in the Channel Islands, the slow rhythm of the road, and the slower process of re-entering life at Pie Cottage.

Sep 14, 2023

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A first update with pics of my walk in the Channel Islands, the slow rhythm of the road, and the slower process of re-entering life at Pie Cottage. Today I’m in the garden readying the first bed for planting next year’s crop of garlic later in October. For me it’s a way to ground myself after travel time.

The Journey from Pie Cottage to the Island of Jersey

Car, ferries, trains, planes, boats are what it takes to get me from the north coast of Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula to the Balliwick of Jersey and for those of you who asked me to carry your name in my pack on the journey, Port Angeles is where we started. The journey’s first leg was to Southworth (on the Kitsap Peninsula west of Tacoma) for a ferry ride to Vashon Island. I spent the night at the home of my dear friend Bria who was also going on the walk.

We were up early the next morning to catch another ferry to Point Defiance near Tacoma.

We travelled by Lyft to SeaTac Airport and passed by The Antique Sandwich Company in Ruston where I worked for a summer in 1976. I still have vivid memories of serving sandwiches, smoothies, and pies there. We arrived at SeaTac early and when the British Airways desk opened we checked in, took the train to our terminal, and had a bite to eat before boarding our overnight flight to Heathrow.

Once we arrived, we navigated the maze of Heathrow to get to our next terminal where we would catch the flight to Jersey, but Mimosas were in order first, and we ordered some breakfast to accompany them.

We walked the terminal for a stretch of the leg, boarded our flight and less than an hour later we met up with Bruce, our walk leader and also Bria’s dad. After traveling 5,132 miles, I checked in to our lodging, met other walkers, and shared a first meal together. Then it was off to bed for a much needed slumber. In the morning, I enjoyed a full English breakfast of eggs, beans, bacon, sausage, grilled tomato and toast to fortify me for the first day’s walk.

It’s not often one sees a signpost cautioning swans on the road…

but indeed there were, along with ducks, hens, and roosters, too.

I have no idea if I saw Ellie, but I really appreciate her caretaker’s sense of humor.

A pleasant path led us through St Catherine’s Woods…

to a picnic lunch by the shore…

and walk past St Catherine’s White Tower in the distance in the photo below.

The name of this fortress below escapes me now so if you’ve been here and know it, please do share it in the comments.

Then it was on through more woods and, after an easy 12 miles shown on my phone app, we arrived back at our lodging for a shower and pilgrimage chat before dinner.

At each evening chat, we were asked to identify and share three gratitudes. Here are mine for Day 1.

Gratitudes of Day 1

One small beautiful thing I noticed—People are generally kind and helpful.
Something I was surprised by—As one who has travel anxiety, this journey was easy. Perhaps that was because of a good travel companion.
A moment of awe—The smile of a baby.

A Gratitude of Home

Tonight Duncan, Olivia, and I will share a first meal together since I returned. I am so grateful to have my beloved family so close by and GP’s wagging tail is never far from my sight.