You're going Where?

Ever have one of those moments when you realize you're an adult? I have been having a few of those recently.  Take today for example: I was reheating second lunch and I spilled a bowl of green beans and tomatoes on the floor.  For a split second I thought "Meh I'm going to leave that there someone will clean it up.  I really don't feel like dealing with that" then I had a second thought "You live alone Katya, no one is here to clean up after you.  If you leave that there you will get bugs".  So I cleaned it up against my will.  At  that moment I realized...I do things I don't want to... I'm a grown up...I think it's official.

The other thing that had me deciding that I was a grown up was a self realization of the possession of certain character traits that I wasn't positive that I actually had.  Certain very grown up characteristics at that.  They are wherewithal and tenacity.  Simple enough words I suppose but have you ever FELT tenacity? have you ever HAD wherewithal? They are kind of a big deal turns out.

There is a certain level of crazy it takes to decide to ruck from Philadelphia to Washington DC.  I have in the past admittedly been capable of just that type of crazy.  The thing that gets me to sign up and or agree to these events is that I don't ever really think about what they are going to entail.  Much like getting a tattoo or random body parts pierced.  You don't think about the fact that it's going to hurt just that after its done your going to have an awesome permanent tiger on your rib cage!  This is the mentality I went into the USMC ULTRA RUCK ON, hereafter to be referred to as UURO for time and spelling conservation.   Keith approached me with the idea a while ago...long ago enough that I probably didn't really think it would happen as sometimes I am CONVINCED time stops...like on the step mill...time STOPS...anyways so I agreed to it.  I didn't know what I was getting into.

We all met up in Philly this past Sunday.  Half of us were already WASTED face by the time the group was coagulated (yea I decided I could use it in this instance go ahead and try to stop me...it's my blog).  We strolled a few blocks to the commemoration site of Tun Tavern, the birthplace of the Marine Corps, and set off from there on a VERY long walk.  Where we were headed? About 160 miles due north (as the crow flies...not as we ended up walking it) to the Iwo Jima memorial in Washington D.C.  It had never been done and with good reason.  It was not easy.  It was not comfortable.  It was not without hurdles.

We walked.  We walked for 86 hours.  We slept on the side of a highway, in Susquehanna State Park, on the table at a bar, in the sun at Patapsco State park.  We showered no place.  We ate EVERYTHING.  We walked.  We drank beer along the way.  We told stories.  We walked.  We inherited inside jokes "KATYMCCABE", "CHAP UP",  "JUST 1 more click", "NO, we are still in PA",  and more I'm sure that I can't think of right at this moment.  We were delirious.  We were in danger sometimes.  We were egged.  We were supported and rooted for and applauded along the way.  We were encouraged and we were motivated and we walked. 

We put in a lot of work.  We had the thankless support of Phil the whole way.  We didn't thank him enough for what he did and no one will ever truly understand how important a good support crew is unless they have had to completely rely on them.   Keith wasn't thanked enough either.  The logistics of an event like that are daunting and difficult and he pulled it together. 

NO one really knows why we did it except for us and we are all OK with that.  It was crazy but that awesome kind of crazy that people will be impressed by.  That's not what drove anyone.  Everyone had reasons but most were the same to say they had done what no one had done before in commemoration of the birth of an institution that is so very much a part of so many of us...and to in general be bad ass.

It was a good week...my feet will tell you otherwise, my sciatic nerve will agree with my feet.   But, as any of the guys can tell ya ...head phones and Volbeat will keep you moving despite the injuries, and nothing can stop awesome.  Tenacity keeps you moving.  Having the wherewithal to complete something you set out to complete despite every part of your body and mind wanting to stop.  They are good characteristics...just sayin'

Thanks for a good time guys...we you all again next time.

Happy Veterans day.