Long distance walking
Demands more than
An occasional rest day

For catching up
With myself
With my experiences
With family and friends

For planning
The next section
For thinking about
and preparing for
What comes after that
Transport
Accommodation
Food resupply
Contactability
Coordinating
Meeting times
And places
When our friend’s knees
Don’t allow her
To join us
On the trail

Today’s impromptu, quick
And smooth
Change in configuration
And plans
So each of us are
Not alone
Falls into perfect
Place and time
For all

Quiet relief about
The sudden change of pace
Announces my
Unacknowledged need
For an opportunity
To pause