Newtown to River Glade   |   Campsite: 46.00215° N, 65.09584° W

I wake early and rise quickly. By 5:30 I am out walking. For the first few hours, this morning is wonderful: quiet, still, and cool, with a sky transitioning from navy into light blue over the horizon. Big vistas fill my view throughout this morning’s walk, all the way to the town of Pettitcodiac. When the sun rises into the sky by 10:00, however, walking through farmland without cover from trees producing shade becomes very hot very fast. I arrive in town by 11:30, chancing upon an interesting Baptist church. The architecture is contemporary with modernist formal references, completely clad with white siding. The fenestration is really nicely proportioned, the vertical glass producing beautiful relationships with the overall massing of the building. I enter to take a few photos, the space is empty and peaceful, and the aura of something ethereal is wonderfully captured and expressed by the architects and builders of the structure—great work overall! I make my way to the Foodland grocery store where I fill the three now-empty water bottles with apple and orange juice. I also enjoy some fruit. Corrine is a woman I met who was working the cash register. When she asked where I was going, she mentioned that she was from Fogo Island in Newfoundland. When I said I was going to walk fully to St. John’s, stay a week, and get screeched in, she recommended that I find the pub Turkey Joe’s on George Street. She also recommended Signal Hill as a place to explore, which is a site a couple recommended on my first day of the walk on a beach in Scarborough. She did mention that last year in July the province experienced only three days without rain! She wishes me good luck as I cross the street to the park to eat. A cool breeze helps me stay comfortable and cool as I eat and rehydrate. Along the walk this morning, I notice behind me a peak within the mountain range that I had been looking at for the past two days. In both approaching it and walking alongside it as I made my way northeast, it served as a landmark. Now, looking back at it, probably tens of kilometres in the distance, it feels very reaffirming to see distance being traveled from day to day, and how impressive these distances appear in actual scale. As I walk out of town, on my phone I find an affordable hotel in Moncton in a good location of town. I reserve a room for Friday and Saturday nights. Two nights should provide enough time for rest, recuperation, and exploration, not to mention cleaning all clothing and gear. As I am walking onto an exit ramp a man driving by asks if I have enough water. I assure him I do, thanks, and he drives away offering me a thumbs-up sign. In the heat of the afternoon, I walk to roughly 3:00, achieving 39.86 km for the day. I was really hoping for 45, but in the heat, I am willing to lighten the day. I spotted a good place to camp and decided to get out of the sun and off of my feet. I cool down once the tent is up, eat the rest of the fruit purchased earlier today, clean, write, read, and snack. Tomorrow, I have 27 km to walk to the motel. I should be able to arrive by 12:00. I will try to get out walking earlier in order to maximize the cool of the morning. As I was setting up the tent, a woman out walking asked about what I was doing. She lives in the area, and seemed to have a number of pointed questions: Where was I from? Where was I going? When would I be gone? I relax into the darkening evening. As I am settling into the end of the day, sometime around 5:00 a man appears at the door of my tent. He says his name is Stirling, he lives across the street, and he brought me a dinner plate! He invites me across the road into his home, where I meet his wife Florence. Stirling tells me that he is related to a prominent scientist (last name Goddard) who initially researched much of NASA’s technology for spacecraft and space flight. Stirling taught engineering for 33 years at the college in Moncton, and Florence supply-taught for 25 years. What a surprise it was to have some company for the evening after a full day moving through the world. A tough day followed by incredible grace.

Today’s distance walked: 39.86 km    |    Total distance walked: 1,830.12 km

“You have your own way of living your life, of dealing with problems, and of winning. Teaching is only demonstrating that it is possible. Learning is making it possible for yourself.” – Paulo Coelho, “The Pilgrimage,” p. 144.