DAYS 136-140 - Into Maryland - 2718 miles from home

We're now less than 150 miles from the Lincoln Memorial. My 2020 Chevy Bolt - without the upgraded battery - could get us there, and probably back - on a single charge. This is crazy, friends. How is this even possible? How did we make it this far?

I've been thinking about what it means to climb the big mountain. Compared to where we crossed the Cascades (McKenzie Pass, 5325 feet) - or where we crossed the Rockies (Togwotee Pass, 9658 feet) - the summit over Chestnut Ridge in the Allegheny Range of the Appalachians is bupkus. Just 2418 feet up Highway 40. But on Day 138 that half mile uphill felt as big as any challenge we've faced.

At least for me. Bob says: No biggie.

We had been hosted for two nights in extraordinary hospitality at Waynesburg University in Waynesburg, PA. With 1400 students and 70 undergraduate concentrations, Waynesburg is small but not tiny - a Christian university, coeducational since its inception in 1847, with a strong focus on ethics and service. Liberty Walks' mission of civic-minded connection seems to have resonated with the President's office - and Laura Lawrence, President Lee's administrative assistant, made sure we found delicious refuge in the historic Stone Guest House.

Oh my goodness. We were treated with such love and respect at Waynesburg. The Director of Public Safety, Robert Aberegg, met us on Sunday and helped us get settled - while also giving us a bit of history about the school and the area. He too is a traveler and an adventurer, and we talked about the route we'd taken - and his own treks across country. Later that evening, Shari and Brandy in the dining hall seemed to know about us - comped us our food and insisted we eat even more. We did. It was delicious (especially Shari's cakes). Laura came to say hello, and brought us a gift book: a beautiful pictoral history of the campus.

By this point we had been joined by a childhood friend of my husband - Eric Marchbein. Eric walked with us the next morning, into Masontown - getting a taste of the Way We Walk.

Eric is a lover of adventure and one who appreciates the quirky byways and backways of life. He is also no stranger to hills, living in Pittsburgh - where he walks and bikes every day. So when he balked about our plans for taking Highway 40 up to the summit, we listened. He pointed out that 40 was four lanes for much of the route, with very narrow shoulders... and that other much more scenic routes were possible.

Ultimately, however, we stuck with the original route. The more scenic road was longer, had greater elevation gains and a series of hairpin turns and switchbacks. It did not seem promising either for human pilgrims or for their vehicular companions - a.k.a. our creaky 22 foot girl Libby.

In the meanwhile, a family medical emergency seemed to be brewing at home; my older brother who grapples with longterm health issues seemed to have destabilized unexpectedly. Serious surgery might be imminent. The walk might need to be disrupted - or hastened to its conclusion - ....?

Bob and I conferred. If we put in a week's worth of 30-mile days, we could get to D.C. by Monday. Six days early. I could zip back to Eugene for my brother's surgery.

And so - we made our plan - and the next day we set out to hike our last big mountain.

We examined the map that our beloved trailblazer Dave Imus had created for us. The route up Chestnut Ridge included a brief scenic portion on the gorgeously named Lick Hollow Road. Lick Hollow parallels Highway 40 for about two miles up the hill. But we couldn't tell from Google whether the trail was intact or not.

Well, friends, the trail was not intact - as Bob soon found out. The last mile is nothing but underbrush. So in the end, Bob bushwacked up the side of Chestnut Ridge, scrambling through the brush, grabbing hold of vegetation as he pulled himself under branches, through thorn bushes. But - "no biggie" for my badass companion.

I rendezvous'd with Bob at the summit - to give him some relief after the scramble. He'd hiked nearly 8 miles at that point - and I went on to hike my 15... and then he hiked another 7 miles or so. By that time the rains had come. Bob was soaked through, muddy, tired, hungry - but in his usual bright spirits.

And then it was nightfall, and we were safely ensconced in a historic inn - also called Stone House (what is it with southwestern Pennsylvania and stone houses?) And we were joined once again by Elijah Reed, our documentarian and wearer of the best hats. (Check out his awesome ushanka below).

Day 139 brought better weather - and better news. My brother won't need surgery - at least not urgently. Bob and I won't need to hightail it to D.C. Reunited with Elijah, we could take our time, eat some fries and BLTs in historic inns, shoot the breeze, and saunter into Maryland.

What makes it possible to climb the big mountain? Somehow step after step, we've kept going on this trek. Admittedly, the road has been kind to us; the weather has been gentle and accommodating. A little snow in Columbus, some intermittent rain here and there, some hot-but-not-too-hot days in Idaho. But nothing has derailed us. We've been blessed with incredible hosts - and with generous donors back at home and across the country. We've had the means to boondock or camp or find an Airbnb when necessary. We've been warm and safe and well-fed for 140 days now. Our health, and the health of those whom we love, has been strong and stable enough for us to keep going.

And. But. Still. All of the blessings in the world only make it even more likely that one will have to face the big mountains now and again.

The blessings make it possible to do the hard things.

Indeed, the blessings may be what makes it necessary for us to do the hard things. Because we can, perhaps we must.

Climb safely, dear friends.

Robert Aberegg, Director of Public Safety, Waynesburg University. Waynesburg, PA.

Laura Lawrence, Executive Assistant to the President. Waynesburg University. Laura's standing in the magnificent Stone Guest House.

Brandy and Shari in the Benedum Dining Hall, Waynesburg University. (Shari's cakes are fantastic, by the way.)

A quintessential college view. Waynesburg University.

Bob and Eric Marchbein survey the route up to the summit of Chestnut Ridge.

Eric gets a taste of Liberty Walks. En route to Masontown, PA.

Waiting for Bob at the top of the big hill.

Elijah and Bob at breakfast. The Stone House Inn, Farmington, PA.

Elijah rocks his ushanka and a fabulous safety vest.

Maryland hills.