Along the path in the woods we continue on. Scarcely a trail; but our leader seems to know where to go. As it gets steeper my breaths come faster and my heart races audibly. Bending over becomes a trigger to giddiness. The old fitness [whatever there was of it] is sadly eroded. Walk, pause, look - walk, pause, look - walk, pause, look. But after all part of why we are here is the looking.

When walking the goal is to move easily, efficiently and safely. Place the foot to avoid the root or the unbalanced stone. Watch for whipping branches from the walker in front. Don't forget the person behind. So much attention merely to travel. I remember the stories from my boyhood of silent native travel. No twigs broken. Gliding invisibly along without trace. Not likely! And now we are out into more open ground.