THE TRIP (Part 1)

    Our cross-country trip started with a walk. Me with Riley and Jenn with her girls. Down to the corner to catch the school bus. We huddled in the cold and they each took turns hugging Riley and then hugging me. I had grown close to these three over the past few months and it was hard for me to say goodbye. We’d gone on adventures, taken fun hikes, played crazy games, and even had raucous dance parties at the drop of a hat. Although, if I’m being honest, when it was time to leave, they seemed much more broken up about seeing Riley off than saying goodbye to me. After a few more hugs for each of us they piled onto the bus and were on their way. And so were we.

    The first leg of our journey was an easy one. Down the Maine Turnpike to visit my mom and her side of the family at our favorite seaside guilty-pleasure restaurant, Markey’s. Perched on the marsh between Seabrook & Salisbury. Lobster, steamers, and piles of fried clams and French fries. I had no idea when I’d be back, so I gorged myself, while my family took turns telling Jenn embarrassing stories of my childhood. And gushing over how happy they were that she’d be joining me on my trip. I was worried that they might scare her away. Then I remembered Jenn is not the type who scares easily.

    Eventually, after way too much fried, we said a tearful goodbye and headed over to see my Dad. It was just a little after noon, but I was already exhausted. I don’t know if it was the stress of moving, the cholesterol catching up with me, or the emotional toll of seeing my family for the last time.  But I was absolutely spent. Our visit with Dad and Bubbe was a short one, but it was really good to see them both and have them meet Jenn for the first time. Little did we know, it would be quite some time before I would be able to visit them again.

    From Dad’s we made the quick trip over to Nashua to see, and stay with, my friend Steve. Halfway there I learned something new about Jenn, she was allergic to cats... and Steve actually had one! She assured me she’d be fine as long as we got her some allergy medication. A problem that was quickly remedied by a trip to the pharmacy. When we got to Steve’s, he let me in on a little surprise that he and some friends had been planning. A going away party at our friend Tom & Jen’s house.

    I was really touched by their thoughtfulness. Keep in mind, most of the people who attended were folks I hadn’t seen since the last time I went away. Five years earlier when the family and I had packed up and moved to Maine. And now I was moving away again. In the opposite direction and much, much further away. But still, they wanted to see me and say their goodbyes, once more. These were the kind of friends that I would have for a lifetime, no matter what corner of the world I found myself living in.

    As we sat and chatted, and drank most of Tom’s extensive micro-brew collection, the hours and my sleepiness just flew away. I told them of my troubles with J, what led me to leave, and how after five years of friendship Jenn and I had “found” each other. Needless to say, once I was done, they were almost as in love with Jenn as I was. No judgement or prejudice. No doubt or derision. I was happy, for the first time in a long time, and my friends could recognize it immediately. It was written all over my face.

    By nights end, it was like I had never left. But then I had to. Again. Some of them would be joining us for a group run the following morning at my old marathon training grounds in Hollis. Others hugged me hard and promised to come see me on the West Coast. But knowing full well that Washington was a lot harder to get to than Maine, I could only smile back weakly and say how much I looked forward to their eventual visit.

    The next morning brought another bittersweet reunion. Lots of friendly faces and miles of stories of racing seasons long gone by.  We capped off our run with a delicious and hard-earned breakfast. I had forgotten, somehow, how hilly Hollis was. If you can believe it! And after a few more hugs and a few more stories, Jenn and I were on our way south. But not before a stop at my favorite ice-cream shop, Haywards, for my favorite creamy treat. Coffee Heath Bar, in a waffle cone. The perfect pick-me-up for the next leg of our journey.

    Prior to leaving, I had arranged visits with a few of my old college roommates, and our first stop was Connecticut and Jimmy Hoagland’s house. Lots of great memories there. Keg parties, birthday parties and pig roasts. And even a few sad memories, too. Mostly involving the untimely passing of Jimmy’s wife Lisa. But, as always, Jimmy greeted us with a smile at the door and we were quickly transported back to our days at Syracuse. Complete with an SU basketball game on the television. We’d attended nearly every home game in the five seasons we were there. By senior year we managed to get within spitting distance of the sidelines. Not an easy task in a stadium that holds 50,000 people!

    After saying goodbye to Jimmy, we drove on through to New Jersey to visit, and stay with, Mark Sullivan (Sully!) and his family in Princeton. Mark set us up in his “guest” house, a garage turned playroom, and old man Riley thoroughly enjoyed “playing” with Mark’s energetic puppy Henry in his neatly fenced-in yard. Once Riley was settled, Mark and Jenn and I went out to dinner and eventually to meet up with one of my other college roommates Josh, and his wife Advah, for an after-dinner drink. And even more tall tales of yesteryear.

    I have to say, Jenn was a real champ, sitting through still more boring stories of glory days. But once we drove off out of New Jersey, and out of my past, only our future and the new adventures we’d have together awaited us. Just a little bit further down the road.