Stop in the name of love

Cuz you are you such a burden
But you're the weight above my shoulders
And even though I'm hurtin'
It still feels like each time I'm growing
When I thought that we'd grow up and grow together at the same time
Guess I passed you by
At that old stop sign
At that old stop sign
Beyonce

The last day, the final time, the fat lady has sung and most likely hiked. The full camp Monday morning stop sign hike has come to an end. With a promise to the park service that starting April 1 no hike from the ridge would have more than 11 campers, the signature hike that has taken place every Monday since the start of Fitness Ridge, the hike that has made campers whimper and cry, and has brought joy and pain to every single camper who has ever gotten on those vans and headed to the park ceased to exist. You can still do the hike every day you are at the ridge, you just will never again get to do it with each and every fellow camp mate. So here are some pictures from us defeating that old lady one last time. It was a fun day. We dragged young Jennifer, from Nashville, on her 8th day at the ridge, all the way to the top.

Here we are 2.5 miles in to the hike at what is called the mini- stop sign. I remember the first time I made it here and getting my picture taken here. It seemed at the time like such a big deal and such an accomplishment and now getting here doesn't stress me in the least. I'm not going to lie, every step after the mini stop sign stresses me out but hey I'll take where I am now for sure.






Deb, the hiking guide extraordinaire, walking up the hill with a camper. Up to 190 marathons completed and a promise to be on the tri course inspiring me on Saturday.

Not something you see very often this high up the hill, but always nice to see smiling faces on the hike. Emily from NY and Nicole from LA
powering up the hill.

This picture gives you a decent perspective of the incline. And this isn't the steepest part of the hike. So to review: One 4.5 mile hike, add ridiculous inclines, and stir in some altitude and what you get is one obnoxious hike and one very sweaty, very miserable Jim. Until it's over then
nothing but satisfaction.

So I told Jennifer that she would surely be cussing me out before the hike was over and for the record that happened for the first time about a 1/4 mile on to the road. But to her credit I think she only cussed me out one time and that was more of a joke. Not sure it's the best way to spend the day before your 23rd birthday but it will make for a memorable day.

Let's start with the great stop sign pictures. Sara a girl after my heart with her Fear the Turtle shirt on. Just a couple of Terp fans hanging out by a stop sign in Utah. Sara is from Elkridge, Md. Home to BWI airport. And she is one of close to ten people here this week including a couple fro Silver Spring, a senior at Walt Whitman High in Bethesda, MD, and a lady who had the privilege of having the greatest banquet manager ever do her wedding, my mom, Joan Trudeau.

Lisa who was here earlier in my stay wasn't just happy enough that Michigan St eliminated my Terps, she figured she would rub a little salt in my wounds. If you click on the picture my reaction is more evident. Lisa came back to kick my ass in the triathlon as well. She is one of 9 current campers signed up for the event. Which goes hand and hand with my earlier post about people cussing me for talking them into to joining in my misery.

Jen with John, who joined the 60 minute club by getting to the top in 60 minutes.Quite a feat. Mix in that he owns candy and popcorn stores in Michigan and lets just say that when he finishes the tri on Saturday he should probably send a thank you package of of my kind of triathlon .......cheese, caramel, and butter flavored to Madison.

Lisa, Jen, and I. If you combine our times and divide them by 3 we all did pretty well. The 57 minute performance by Lisa helped the average immensely. The first 3 finishers on Monday are all signed up for the tri and will all get to wait a while for Jimbo to cross the finish line.

So there's lots of joy on Monday. It will never be the same here that is for sure. For a Tuesday I am pretty sore. Thank you stop sign, thank you circuit, thank you 18lb medicine ball, thank you pool but most of all thank you bike. I will be happy not to readjust on your seat for a while come Saturday at 9am. Have a great week. Peace, Jim