On Memorial Day, Monday May 30th, Barb, as part of her 50th year celebration, walked the entire 30 mile length of the Wildwood trail in Forest Park. Rose and I join her. She also hopes to hike the Timberline trail around Mount Hood later in the year. Pictured is Rose leading and Barb following.
The day is perfect for hiking, not too hot and beautiful. The mud from the week before is gone. Rose and Barb's dogs join us from mile 9 to mile 16 dropped off by Rose's husband Steve and picked up by Jenny and her boyfriend. Barb got two huge blisters on each of her heals at about mile 4 and she feels them for the rest of the hike but keeps on walking.
Every quarter mile of Forest Park is marked by blue blazes. On the tree with the blazes is a mileage marker. Here is mile 28 3/4, a new longest distance walked in one day for Rose and getting close to the 30 mile end. We hiked faster than I hiked last week, averaging over 3 1/3 miles per hour. However our total time was closer to 3 miles per hour because we waited 20 minutes for the dogs to arrive and spent maybe 30 minutes visiting with Jenny and Barb placing mole skin on her feet at Saltzman Road.
Towards the end, Barb found it easier on her feet to jog. I joined her and we jogged quite a bit of the last 3 miles. Barb's husband hiked back the last half mile to meet us and shuttled us back to our cars at the zoo. We all had fun hiking. It was a new personal best for Barb and Rose. Barb is a big rower and cyclist and it was fun hearing about her rowing competitions and her experiences on Cycle Oregon.