Skip to main content

The Antietam Battlefield Tour


 The Antietam Battlefield Tour
 Hmmm…I have 2 hours.  Well, some people choose to watch a movie or go shopping, but I decided that today is a nice day for a tour of Antietam Battlefield Hiking trails.  So, I went to work. 
Checklist…
  •      Weather 
  •    Garmin 
  •    Balance Bar 
  •      Water 
  •    Money 
  •    Map 
  •    Cell phone charged 
  •     Cash 
  •    Road ID 

 I drove to the Antietam taking my “so-called short cut,” but my short cut turned out to be a long cut…Who knew there were two roads one is Alt. Rt.40 W and the other is Rt.40 W?  Oh well, I finally arrive.  Checked in with the park service. I tell them I will be back in 2 hours and off I went on my tour.
 Oh did I say that my tour was on foot.  I ran 10.5 miles up and down.  Let me repeat this again for emphasis....




t

 Up & Down

This is going to be interesting.  Here I am running through history sweating like a pig.  This is NOT pretty,  but I kept going. The hills got so ridiculous that at one point I figured well now is a good time for a picture or two while I catch my breath.  I plodded along as cars passed slowly, filled with smiling families waving as they drove up hill. 


Wait is that a mirage or is that a gas station?  Yippee, it is a gas station.  I ran in to get a bottled water and Skittles.  A few cyclists were there as well. I smiled and exchanged a few pleasantries with the cashier, a nice plainspoken woman.  She was probably thinking …” You guys are crazyyyyy…Get a car!”  I sent a text message so my friend would not send out an ABP:  “ I’m fine and have never been so happy to see a gas station in the middle of nowhere, “ the text read. 

Then I had to go back.  Well, there was no forgiveness in the elevation.  Just more of the same UPPPPP and Downnnn.  Then I came upon a historic bell tower.  There were a few young people  in the tower waving and yelling, “ You go girl, run, run, run!”  I waved back and they clapped.  They could not see it, but I smiled a lot.

Is that my car?  I think I see my car.  It IS my car.  Oh shucks.  I guess I can’t run across the battle field to get to my car so I have to keep running UPPPP and Downnnn to get to my car.  I looked at the Garmin 8.6 miles.  My car looked closer than that, but I had run that last 2 miles to actually get to the car.  As I kept running, I started thinking that I don’t remember all these turns and stuff.  My car should be right here!  Then I turned one more time and there was the Visitors Center and the car!  Yipppee. 

If you have two hours…Take the tour man…Take the tour.   



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fear, Feedback and Fuel

On Sunday, I started the Chicago Triathlon.  It was one of the largest in the United States.  The goal was to complete 1500m in Lake Michigan cycle 24.5 miles and run 6.2 miles in Chicago. I completed this race last year. It was both challenging and fun. This year the outcome was not what I had planned. I started the race surrounded by wonderful people, Some I knew while others were strangers. We all started the race together. Rough waters awaited. Lake Michigan looked menacing.  She churned and tossed us from the moment we entered the water. Here I am at the first bouy. My plan was slow and steady since I was not familiar with this type of water. So I swam. I remembered saying to myself, "Slow is fast". I focused on each stroke and thought of little else. I saw a friend swim by me. It made me feel great as I turned to the straightaway toward the finish. I could see the finish through my Rx goggles. I swam and swam. As I sighted for the tall buildings in the dis...
10 comments
Read more

Grit- Road to Chicago Olympic Triathlon

Definition  Grit in psychology is a positive, non-cognitive trait based on an individual's passion for a particular long-term goal or end state, coupled with a powerful motivation to achieve their respective objective. This perseverance of effort promotes the overcoming of obstacles or challenges that lie within a gritty individual's path to accomplishment, and serves as a driving force in achievement realization. Commonly associated concepts within the field of psychology include "perseverance", "hardiness", "resilience", "ambition", "need for achievement" and "conscientiousness".  This is who I am. Stacy the Grit.  Yes, I could spend a lot of time talking to you about my finish time and what I could improve upon yadda yadda yadda but anyone who reads my blog knows that I rarely focus on the outcome.  I focus on the process. I focus on how did I arrive at a specific point and time. I focus on the jour...
6 comments
Read more

First OWS Tri- Diamond in the Rough

Diamond in the Rough Triathlon Sprint Triathlon~Reflections If you have been reading my blog or know me personally then you know I love music. Music is medicine for me. It soothes me, comforts me and energizes me. It is my favorite wonder drug. With that said, my reflection of my triathlon shall have many musical references. Get Up by Mary Mary Layin' low, rest and pause Sleeping long, slow motion Gonna do, shoulda, coulda Woulda done, excuses What are you afraid of? Don't you know what you're made of? One of God's greatest creations Take this invitation now Get up, 'cause you can't stop Get up, got a lot to do 24 hours, almost gone Get up, don't sit back Get up, if you wanna get there Clocks don't stop and time won't wait I put this song on as I traveled to Perryville State Park where Diamond In The Rough Triathlon was held today. This is a song I have listen to for the past 2 yrs whenever I had doubts about swimming.  I sa...
2 comments
Read more