The Not Cards Bridge Club

Right up the street from my neighborhood a new bridge was built for travelers to get to the beach.  It replaced the old draw bridge, and of course it was modernized to go way up in the sky so that no one would be inconvenienced anymore when boats needed to get through.  To add to the bridge and pacify those people on the water who opposed a huge bridge in the sky they added a secure walking lane on either side and a bike lane on the road.  Every time I go over the bridge there are runners, dog walkers, bikers, and walkers taking use of the bridge for exercise.  Every time I see them I think how beautiful it must be to use that bridge for exercise, looking out over the water.

I tried it once, but it was boring by myself and I never did it again.  I saw recently that in the evening women were parking in a strip mall lot not far from the bridge and joining each other in walking it.  I thought how I should join them.  I didn't, but I talked about it and finally Kelly agreed we should do it.  We planned and plotted and eventually we picked a day to walk the bridge.  Madison joined us.  We opted out of strip mall as it would have added distance and we weren't ready for that.  It is now our goal to get in shape enough to bypass the bridge parking cost and park in the strip mall.  We think it is a lofty, but worthy, goal.

As we started off up the bridge I thought we needed a name for our walking club.  Madison came up with The Not Cards Bridge Club.  We took a vote and it passed unanimously.  We are thinking of making up shirts.

We started off together, but ended up in a single file with Madison in the lead as we all have different strides, not to mention endurance.  So much for walking and talking.  We do meet up at the end of the bridge for stretching and picture taking and resting.

The first day we walked it was during a cool period we had in Florida for about three days.  We went at five thirty in the evening and had a great breeze as well as the sun.  I kept track of our time and distance via an app my SIS recommended.  We were not sore the next day.  The second day we went a half an hour later and had the same breeze, but not much sun.  The third time we went even later and the sun was just setting.  A nice picture indeed, but the darkness after brought more traffic and headlights in our eyes as we made the trip back up the bridge.

I try to speak to the people that we pass on the walkway.  Some ignore me.  Some respond.  The third day as I spoke to a woman walking up as I was walking down she stopped and threw out her arms yelling, "Hey!"  Turned out to be a woman I once knew from my days working at the pool.  Weird how I keep running into my past all of a sudden.  She remembered my name.  I remembered her and her business and where she once lived, but couldn't conjure up her name.  Barbara.  She owns a condo now by the bridge and tries to walk it for exercise.  We haven't seen each other since she drove down to see me after Madison was born, bringing me and the baby gifts.  She gave me her number and we parted ways, her going up and us going down.

We walk when we can.  Our schedules are hectic, but we are determined to keep at it.  We are starting this at the right time of the year weather wise with cooler temperatures usually heading our way.  One day we hope to make it all the way to the beach.  Hold our meeting of the Not Cards Bridge Club and then head back to our car parked in the strip mall.  Hmmm...wonder how far off that day will be?