Day 5 – September 7, 2014

“On Saturday (March 4) the journey was long and tedious; we traveled with such speed that four women were tired and then slain by them who led them captive.” 42

42. These women were possibly Hepzibah Belding (c. 1650-1704), Hannah Carter (1674-1704), Mary Frary (c. 1640-1704) and Mehitable Nims *(1668-1704)

from Captive Histories p. 102 _ this book was quoted on a previous day

*Mehitable Nims was Abigail’s mother and my great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great- great-grandmother

The day my ancestress died was the fourth day of the march.  I wonder if she looked up at the sky before she died.  The people from Deerfield were Puritans and very devout.

Today was our fifth day of walking.  We got our first glimpse of the mountains of Vermont in the distance, a beautiful view.

I tried a new approach today.  I got my journal out and as I walked I jotted down sightings, thoughts, things to remember:

“Nous commençons à marcher de l’église St.-Georges de Henryville.

Le vent est frais; le soleil réchauffe mon bras gauche.

Nous suivons la direction des oiseaux migrateurs (étourneaux).

fesse gauche et mollets endoloris

une petite grenouille morte, la bedaine blanche en l’air

‘thé pour vous, madame’ (As Dean brought the car past, he let me have a sip of my Numi Green Jasmine tea I hadn’t had a chance to drink this morning.)

calme d’esprit

je fais des exercices pour détendre mon cou et mes épaules en attendant Pauline

cannette écrasée “Octane boisson énergie” au bord du chemin

papillon monarque qui vole juste devant le visage de Pauline

la paix_the feeling (I am experiencing)

corneilles qui croassent au loin

senteur de fumier

Buvaient-ils un breuvage à la chicorée en 1704?

“Are you Fleur-Ange?” a woman on a bike asks Pauline. Even though I knew a woman would be joining us along the walk, I hadn’t expected her to be riding a bicycle. One of today’s highlights was meeting with a friend of Dean’s Phyllis.  They used to hike together when she lived in Hamilton, ON 25 years ago. Phyllis moved to Vermont but they have kept in touch at Christmas every year since then. And Phyllis still likes to ride her bike.

Dean realized that he had an app with voice notes.  And checking my iPhone, he found I had it too.  Since my pencil was getting dull, I recorded a few of my thoughts as the other 3 walked ahead.

We did not stop anywhere to buy food.  But remember those beautiful carrots? We saw some handsome horses and Pauline fed at least three to them.

We stopped walking to the U.S. border at Clarenville, QC.  As soon we got past the customs office, Phyllis welcomed me to Vermont and gave me a pin of her state. It was a short walk of 14.6 kms that took us 3 hours to walk. Tonight we have a camp spot at Grand Isle State Park, the biggest of 3 islands on Lake Champlain. We will stay for the next 5 nights.  There is a lean-to that should keep us dry regardless of the weather. Before Phyllis left she gave us homemade brownies (egg-free, gluten-free, with black beans): delicious.  She also gave us tabouli & sauerkraut. A nice addition to our supper. Une bonne person.

It is the first time Dean has camped with an iPad! History is being made.

Here is Dean

with modern and traditional

equipment for camping!