#Longdistance trail

[origo-hike]

[bullet-prooflove]

LongDistance!Series - Part One: Melina - Manny x Reader

Tagging: @crazy4chickennuggets  @kmc1989  @withakindheartx  @darqchilddaydreamz @theesirenteller @wnbweasley @skyesthebomb @delightfulbelieverwerewolf@redpool @trublu2u @fleureeee @thiashazzywriting @lauraaan182 @hatersaremymotivators @fanfic-n-tabulous @ravennaortiz @just-a-throw-away @yousigned-upforthis @kabloswrld @keyweegirlie @katymae12344 @rampsen @@jaebae

In the months that follow more postcards appear on Manny’s fridge, almost more than he can count because you’re bouncing around from country to country, city to city documenting Tattoo Expos throughout Europe.

Barcelona, Lisbon, Munich, Berlin, Paris, Versailles, Vienna.

You’re getting busier and busier these days and Manny can’t help but wonder when you’ll eventually stop to take a breath.

The two of you have been together almost six months and speak daily over Whatsapp through messages, voice notes or video calls. You send the occasional care package from whichever country you’re visiting, beers from Germany, wine from Spain that he’d put aside for when you returned, a gourmet food hamper from France. He’d shared that with his daughter Melina, one evening. The two of them had dressed in striped shirts with matching berets when they sat down and sampled the delicacies.

“Where did this come from?” She’d asked him as he’d set the wicker basket it had arrived in on the kitchen table.

“My friend sent it.” He tells her as they sample some of the salted butter caramel. “She travels all over the world taking pictures of people’s bodyart. Sometimes she sends me things so I can get a taste of the country she’s in.”

“Can I meet her?” Melina had asked.

He’d paused then because although it’s been on his mind recently, but he hasn’t actually broached the topic. There hasn’t been a woman in his life since his ex-Samantha. He’s fucked other women, girls who hung out at the bar, but he’s never brought them home. The truth is he knows it’s not him that they want, it’s the patch. There’s prestige that comes with being acquainted with the President of the club; it gives a woman status. He doesn’t want to bring a person like that into Melina’s world. His daughter is the most precious thing in his life, he doesn’t want her to be tainted by the darker aspects of his existence. She needs better role models in her life than the women who hang around the club and fuck their way up the hierarchy.

“She’s very far away.” He tells her as he snags a handful of coconut popcorn. “Somewhere called Versailles in France.”

He’d hoped that was the end of it before Melina picked up his cellphone and reminded him how video chat worked. His daughter was too smart for her own good and for his.

It’s later that night when Melina’s gone home that he calls you. It’s past midnight in Yuma, which makes it eight am your time. You’re still in your pyjamas, a pretty silk set that he wishes he was there to help you take off. He imagines his fingertips trailing over the thin strap before he guides it down your shoulders.

“My daughter wants to meet you.” He tells you as he sits with his back against the headboard, the room illuminated by the light from his lamp.

“Is that what you want?” You ask him, cradling a mug of coffee to your chest.

He tips his head back against the wall for a second before considering his next words carefully.

“I think this…” He says gesturing between the phone and himself. “…would be a good introduction, a way of testing the waters moving forward. I’ve spoken to Sam and she’s cool with it.”

He’d had the conversation while Melina was packing up her stuff. Once she’d learned you weren’t one of the club girls she had warmed to the idea significantly, he’d shown her some of your pictures and a couple of your articles.

“The two of you getting serious?” She’d asked in that New York drawl of hers and he hadn’t been able to keep the edges of his mouth from twitching up.

Sam can read every single one of his tells. They’ve known each other for over a decade, she’s seen him at his worst and at his best. It’s the first time she’s seen that look on his face in a while and she’s glad that he’s finally focusing on something that isn’t the club or Melina, that he’s allowing himself to be happy.

“Well, she’s successful, she’s smart, she travels the world. I think you could do a lot worse.” She teases him before nudging his shoulder with her own. “At the very least Melina meets an interesting person.”

He’s taken that on board before he’d called you. Even if this thing between the two of you didn’t work out, you can give his daughter insight into another world, one that she won’t get to see here in Yuma.

“If Sam’s signed off and it’s cool with you then I would love to meet her.” You tell him with a smile before taking a sip from your coffee cup. “However, let’s actually schedule a call so that I’m wearing something a little more appropriate when I meet your daughter.”

“I don’t know Mami, that looks pretty appropriate to me right now.” He says, biting his lower lip as the silk clings to your chest. You aren’t wearing a bra, and he can see the dark shape of your nipples through the fabric. “Maybe you could show me a little more.”

You laugh before setting your coffee cup down on the nightstand. You put the phone in the little wooden stand you usually use for when your video calls with Manny get a little risqué.

“So, tell me Manny,” You say as your thumbs hook underneath the straps of your camisole, drawing them down just a little. “What would you like to see first?”

Love Manny? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

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[thewealthrace]

10 Best Long-Distance Hiking Trails in the U.S. to Escape Civilization

10 Best Long-Distance Hiking Trails in the U.S. to Escape Civilization

I’m always looking for ways to lead a healthier, happier life, whether it’s making sensible changes to my eating habits or finding time to fit a workout into my day. But I’m also a big believer in disconnecting from the daily grind occasionally, spending a few days, a week, or even longer away from the pressures and temptations of the modern world. One of the healthiest and most affordable ways…

[therunhome]

Sunday! Find your path and run it! (Actual pic of me running as fast as a herd of turtles!) . #runningasfastasaherdofturtles #findyourpath #travel #travelling #instapassport #citystreets #running #run #runner #instarunners #runners #instarun #instatraveling #tourist #travelingwhilewecan #path #trail #churchofthesundaylongrun #distancerunning #longdistance #runcation #marathontraining #longrun #longrunsunday https://www.instagram.com/p/CCQop4hHSNF/?igshid=1l1nnld80prh9

[earnyourbacon]

[:en]6:30 a.m. In semi-darkness I see a headlamp scurrying across the clearing. I am still lying cuddled up in my quilt, still unwilling to get up. I can’t and don’t want to keep up with the boys’ schedule anyway, as they want to leave at 7.30 a.m. already to take the cool morning hours with them. Because the bubble is pressing, I still feel myself outside ten minutes later and am happy about an enchanting sunrise over the Floridian prairie. Dense wafts of mist give the grass landscape between palm trees and bushes a mystical atmosphere.

  Together with Warren and Jason I enjoy the first and also last coffee of the day on the clammy wooden bench and hope that the tent will be dried by the sunrays. Because of the immensely high humidity everything is wet. While I am still wet in my pyjamas the boys pack their things. It is already far after half past seven when I notice “Oops, they’re probably waiting for me.” In no time at all I stuff the damp tent into the packsack, my household goods into the rucksack, disappear behind the next palm tree to get changed and am ready to leave within ten minutes. If only it were that easy in everyday life.

Our hope to still see the female alligator is unfortunately disappointed. Obviously she is a late riser. The way leads us from the campground into the open terrain, briefly into a beautiful oak forest, which, with its imposing, fern-covered oak trees, puts us directly into Avatar, and soon onto the next road. Even today the amount of asphalt is not insignificant and it gets hotter than yesterday. We take it with composure, because we can’t change it. Warren tries to make the alternative route to the original trail tasty for us with a small bistro. Alternative means: even more road instead of swamps. I wave my thanks and Jason also prefers to get wet feet rather than continuing to melt on the asphalt.

  Our high spirits are of course rewarded with mud wading. Ankle-deep we all sink into the brown mud and are happy about small ponds to wash off the dirt – only to sink back into the mud after five minutes. I somehow enjoy it, because it is my first swamp experience on the Florida Trail. The two men, however, have already done several miles and days in the black water.

  With muddy calves and shoes we arrive at our campground in the late afternoon. There is already a tent there and a caked hiker comes to greet us together with his happy dog. Scrarecrow and Oreo – his black and white dog – are real dropouts and have a ten-year plan to cover almost all trails in the USA. First he hands us a brownie and nobody says no. Except Warren, who is on low carb.

The four of us share the rickety camping bench, because the rust has probably gotten to the second one a long time ago. After I tested my dehydrated pumpkin soup yesterday, today the homemade ratatouille is on the table. The men look a little envious into my bowl, but in the end everyone is full and satisfied. At 7 p.m. it’s reading time again and we have also agreed for the next day: we will continue hiking together.

  Lemon and Orange Paradise

After an extensive breakfast with instant coffee and lemon cake, we say goodbye to Scarecrow and Oreo, because they take things very slowly and do just short milage a day. Why rush it, they have ten years time.

Not even five minutes on the trail I stomp through ankle-deep water in a dense palm forest. The shoes and socks from yesterday were not quite dry anyway.

  My schedule for the next few days is this: today about 14 miles, tomorrow 20, to get to the reserved campground with hot shower. 20 miles is not a cardboard handle for me in the current condition, because since my return from sabbatical I spent much more time at my desk instead of walking. Therefore I am thinking about hiking more today in order to have less remaining distance the next day.

The plan is nice, but it is even hotter today than the days before. We enjoy every shady section through the semi-tropical forests. And they sweeten the heat in a very unexpected way. At the side of the trail and partly over the trail, wild orange and lemon trees with fruits ripe for harvest rise up. Of course I can’t resist the temptation and carry two oranges and a lemon to the next resting place. The fruits are super juicy and rich in seeds. The lemons are not nearly as sour as the ones from the supermarket, the oranges on the other hand are quite close to the lemons citric acid. Delicious. The fruit juice has spread all over my hands and I try to shake it off. This causes my Garmin watch to squeak like mad, because it means: Accident detected! No shit.

The heat has become unbearable. Now of all times the trail follows a never ending stretch of a shadowless ditch. After I feel already half baked, I wait for Jason, who walks a little bit worn out behind me. Something stings me above my socks and when I look down I see dozens of little red ants scurrying over my feet. I have placed myself in the middle of an anthill. Like a madwoman I wipe the critters off my legs, triggering another accident report with my watch. In addition to the fifty or so mosquito bites I already got on the first day, there are now about thirty ants bites. Fantastic!

The rest of the day passes relatively uneventful. We get some water from a small creek and hope for a water cache near some of the roads we cross. Unfortunately without success. The last miles lead again over asphalt. In zombie mode we bear our fate, but I have already made the decision: I won’t go one step further today than originally planned. So 20 miles tomorrow it is. The weather forecast also promises a considerable cooling off over night. A heavy storm is announced. Pretty dehydrated we arrive at the campground and thank the trail angel “Waterboy”, who has cached a lot of water gallons here.

  In a porta-potty we find a huge bottle of disinfectant lotion and take a good bath with it. We move together with our tents under a gigantic oak tree, because this seems to be the best place to survive the thunderstorms. Tornados not excluded. I do feel a bit uncomfortable…

[:de]6.30 Uhr. Im Halbdunkel sehe ich eine Stirnlampe über die Lichtung huschen. Ich liege noch in meinen Quilt eingekuschelt im Zelt und bin unwillig, aufzustehen. Mit dem Zeitplan der Jungs kann und will ich sowieso nicht mithalten, denn die beiden wollen bereits um 7.30 Uhr losziehen, um die kühlen Morgenstunden mitzunehmen. Weil die Blase drückt, wühle ich mich dann doch zehn Minuten später nach draußen und freue mich über einen zauberhaften Sonnenaufgang über der floridianischen Prärie. Dichte Nebelschwaden geben der Graslandschaft zwischen Palmen und Sträuchern in eine mystische Atmosphäre.

Gemeinsam mit Warren und Jason genieße ich den ersten und auch letzten Kaffee des Tages auf der klammen Holzbank und hoffe, dass das Zelt von den Sonnenstrahlen getrocknet wird. Durch die immens hohe Luftfeuchtigkeit ist alles nass. Während ich noch im Schlafanzug vor mich hin sumpfe, packen die Jungs ihre Siebensachen. Es ist schon weit nach halb acht als ich merke:

„Ups, die beiden warten wohl auf mich.“ In Windeseile stopfe ich das feuchte Zelt in den Packsack, meinen Hausrat in den Rucksack, verschwinde mal eben zum Umziehen hinter der nächsten Palme und bin innerhalb von zehn Minuten aufbruchbereit. Wäre es nur im Alltag auch so schön einfach.

Unsere Hoffnung, das Alligatorweibchen noch zu sehen, wird leider enttäuscht. Offensichtlich ist sie Langschläferin. Der Weg führt uns vom Zeltplatz ins offene Gelände, kurz in einen herrlichen Eichenwald, der uns mit den imposanten, farnbewachsenen Eichenbäumen direkt in Avatar versetzt und alsbald auf die nächste Straße. Auch heute ist der Anteil an Asphalt nicht unerheblich und es wird heißer als gestern. Wir tragen es mit Fassung, denn ändern können wir’s ja nicht. Warren versucht, uns die Alternativroute zum Original Trail mit einem kleinen Bistro schmackhaft zu machen. Alternativ heißt: noch mehr Straße statt Sümpfe. Ich winke dankend ab und auch Jason kriegt lieber nasse Füße als weiterhin auf dem Asphalt zu schmelzen.

  Unser Übermut wird natürlich mit Schlammwaten belohnt. Knöcheltief versinken wir alle im braunen Modder und freuen uns über kleine Tümpel, um den Dreck abzuwaschen – nur um dann nach fünf Minuten wieder im Schlamm zu versinken. Mir macht das ja irgendwie Spaß, denn es ist mein erstes Sumpferlebnis auf dem Florida Trail. Die beiden Männer allerdings haben schon etliche Kilometer und Tage im schwarzen Wasser hinter sich.

Mit verschlammten Waden und Schuhen kommen wir am späten Nachmittag an unserem Campground an. Da steht bereits ein Zelt und ein schlacksiger Hiker kommt uns zusammen mit seinem fröhlichen Hund begrüßen. Scrarecrow und Oreo – sein schwarzweißer Hund – sind richtige Aussteiger und haben einen Zehnjahresplan, um quasi alle Trails der USA abzuklappern. Er reicht uns erstmal einen Brownie rüber und da sagt keiner von uns nein. Außer Warren, der auf Low Carb unterwegs ist.

Zu viert teilen wir uns die klapprige Campingbank, denn die zweite hat der Rost wohl schon vor langer Zeit hingerafft. Nachdem ich gestern meine selbst dehydrierte Kürbissuppe getestet hatte, kommt heute das selbstgemachte Ratatouille auf den Tisch. Die Männer gucken schon etwas neidisch in meine Schüssel, aber jeder ist am Ende satt und zufrieden. Um 19 Uhr ist wieder Lesestunde und wir haben uns für den nächsten Tag verständigt: wir wandern weiter zusammen. 

  Zitronen- und Orangen-Paradies

Nach einem ausgiebigen Frühstück mit Instant-Kaffee und Zitronenkuchen verabschieden wir uns von Scarecrow und Oreo, denn die beiden lassen alles sehr langsam angehen und machen wenige Tageskilometer. Warum auch überstürzen, sie haben ja zehn Jahre Zeit.

Keine fünf Minuten auf dem Trail stapfe ich in einem dichten Palmenwald schon wieder durch knöcheltiefes Wasser. Die Schuhe und Socken waren ja von gestern eh noch nicht ganz trocken.

  Mein Zeitplan sieht für die nächsten Tage so aus: heute rund 22 Kilometer, morgen 32, um zum reservierten Campingplatz mit heißer Dusche zu kommen. 32 Kilometer sind für mich im aktuellen Zustand kein Pappenstiel, denn seit meiner Rückkehr aus dem Sabbatical habe ich weit mehr Zeit am Schreibtisch statt auf Wanderschaft verbracht. Daher überlege ich, heute mehr zu wandern, um am nächsten Tag weniger Reststrecke zu haben.

Der Plan ist schön, allerdings ist es heute noch heißer als die Tage zuvor. Wir freuen uns über jeden schattigen Abschnitt durch die semi-tropischen Wälder. Und die versüßen uns die Hitze auf ganz unerwartete Weise. Am Wegesrand und teilweise über den Trail ragen wilde Orangen- und Zitronenbäume mit erntereifen Früchten. Natürlich kann ich der Verlockung nicht widerstehen und schon schleppe ich zwei Orangen und eine Zitrone zum nächsten Pausenplatz. Super saftig sind die Früchte und reich an Kernen. Die Zitronen sind nicht annähernd so sauer wie man es aus dem Supermarkt kennt, die Orangen dagegen kommen der Zitronensäure schon recht nah. Köstlich. Der Fruchtsaft hat sich jedoch überall auf meinen Händen verteilt und ich versuche ihn abzuschütteln. Das veranlasst meine Garmin-Uhr auf einmal wie wild zu quietschen, denn sie meint: Unfall erkannt! Ach was.

Die Hitze ist inzwischen unerträglich geworden. Ausgerechnet jetzt folgt der Trail auf einem nicht enden wollenden Stück einem schattenlosen Graben. Nachdem ich mich schon halb gebacken fühle, warte ich auf Jason, der ein wenig abgeschlagen hinter mir latscht. Irgendwas piekst mich oberhalb meiner Socken und als ich nach unten schaue, sehe ich dutzende kleine, rote Ameisen über meine Füße wuseln. Ich habe mich mitten in einen Ameisenhaufen gestellt. Wie eine Irre wische ich die Viecher von meinen Beinen und löse damit erneut eine Unfallmeldung mit der Uhr aus. Zu meinen schon rund fünfzig Mückenstichen vom ersten Tag gesellen sich nun noch etwa dreißig Ameisenbisse. Fantastisch!

Relativ vorfallsfrei geht der Rest des Tages vorbei. Wir bedienen uns an einem kleinen Bach und hoffen auf einen Wassercache in der Nähe einiger Straßen, die wir kreuzen. Leider vergeblich. Die letzten Kilometer führen wieder nur über Asphalt. Im Zombiemodus ertragen wir unser Schicksal, aber ich habe schon die Entscheidung getroffen: ich gehe heute keinen Schritt weiter als ursprünglich geplant. Dann sind’s halt morgen 32 Kilometer. Der Wetterbericht verspricht zudem eine erhebliche Abkühlung über Nacht. Heftiges Unwetter ist angesagt. Ziemlich dehydriert kommen wir am Campground an und danken dem Engel „Waterboy“, der hier jede Menge Wasser deponiert hat.

  Im Dixieklo finden wir eine riesige Flasche Desinfektionslotion und nehmen erstmal ein ordentliches Bad damit. Ziemlich dicht rücken wir mit unseren Zelten unter einem gigantischen Eichenbaum zusammen, denn das scheint der beste Platz für die angesagten Gewitterstürme zu sein. Tornados nicht ausgeschlossen. Ein wenig unwohl ist mir schon…

[:] [:en]Hiking the Florida Trail Day 2 & 3 – Accidentally[:de]Auf dem Florida Trail Tag 2 & 3 – Versumpft[:] [:en]6:30 a.m. In semi-darkness I see a headlamp scurrying across the clearing. I am still lying cuddled up in my quilt, still unwilling to get up.

[hemanchong]

#Sundays are for #walking #longdistances. I am trying to clock at least 20 km every time I #walk. I aspire to become a long distance #walker, and perhaps to #think around and through the #journey as a way of #rethinking #life. (at MacRitchie Nature Trail) https://www.instagram.com/p/CZXGllJpqxo/?utm_medium=tumblr

[cinqueterretrekking]

🇺🇸🏃‍♀️⛰New Arrivals: @scarpaspa Golden Gate ATR all terrain long distance trail running shoes. 🇮🇹🏃‍♂️⛰Nuovi arrivi: @scarpaspa Golden Gate ATR scarpe da trail running per lunghe distanze, per tutti i terreni. #goldengate #scarpa #trailrunningshoes #maxcushion #allterrain #longdistance #longrun #cinqueterretrekking #newarrivals (presso Cinque Terre Trekking) https://www.instagram.com/p/COvXxG6gVWa/?igshid=1hnm1wwuu7wyp

[tolivetotravel]

Here is the finale of our NDW hike this weekend. We did 93km over two days (61km in day one which is my longest ever!). Although this sign is actually the starting point of this route, but we did it backwards and only about a third of it. The whole route is 153 miles, from Farnham to Dover. Check out @chrisitlist who’s gonna be doing the whole of the trail soon! 💪 ::: #hiking #ndw #northdownsway #longdistance #nationaltrail #england (at Farnham, Surrey, UK) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFJjMq1HiNe/?igshid=1cisx1uc8ykjt

[tdarkreaperw]

A flashback to 2016, when I conquered the Offa's Dyke Path Walk (South to North - 177 miles in 12 days, whilst raising money for Macmillan) Offa's Dyke Path is a long-distance footpath following closely the Wales–England border. Opened in 1971, it is one of Britain's National Trails and draws walkers from throughout the world. {Source Wikipedia} #photo #fujifilm #offasdykepath #nationaltrails #walk #wikipedia #tonywisemanphotography #grass #green #cows #explore #discover #justwalk #longdistance #tree #grass #green #sky #clouds #blue #white #nest 25-09-16 - Offa's Dyke Path Day 6 - Knighton to Brompton Crossroads (at England) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBmvOqhFx0K/?igshid=w7ckvf5m3q2z

[origo-hike]

[gubatron]

Memorable 10 miler with my boo. Worldclass scenery trails and conditions #mountain #running #longdistance #summer2019 🇳🇴 (at Fløyen) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzyGW5MJEPXHrOuc07TE8sym16JF3Bh5h6EDxE0/?igshid=ofvuihdq4gmr

[therunhome]

Sunday! Find your path and run it! . #findyourpath #travel #travelling #instapassport #citystreets #running #run #runner #instarunners #runners #instarun #instatraveling #tourist #travelingwhilewecan #sunshine #path #trail #churchofthesundaylongrun #distancerunning #longdistance #runcation #marathon #marathontraining #longrun https://www.instagram.com/p/CBIgmvanSaF/?igshid=1ctnu80w8re4k

[moldbustersenvironmental]

Some last min ☠CDR☠ 20th Anniversary trail running. We do these runs for fun to keep our cardio in check 😆. Lotsa mud this year , YVR rain & hungry mosquitos kept things interesting. #canadiandeathrace #ultramarathon #altra #hoka #salomon #hydration #neardeathrace #marathon #trail #trailrunning #grandcache #alberta #longdistance #patagonia #run #cardio #deathrace #mountains #jasper #gothedistance #go #running #ohcanada #race #moldbusters #relive #britishcolumbia #gu #grandprairie #cardioblast (at Grande Cache) https://www.instagram.com/p/B0966lrhs-8/?igshid=130ggh612ohqz

[earnyourbacon]

[:en]Arizona Trail: the story[:de]Arizona Trail: Die Dokumentation[:]

[:en]

In 2019, I made my dream of the Arizona Trail thruhike come true. I hiked over 800 miles from the Mexican border to the Utah stateline. All my experiences, the good ones and, of course, the bad ones will be documented with blog posts and exciting episodes on my YouTube-Channel.

Have fun reading, watching, dreaming and planning!

Blogposts

Part 1 – Snowfields & the Hills of Death

Part 2 –…

[runsebrun]

Quelques cotes au parc de St Cloud avec @newbalancefrance pour la nouvelle Hierro V3 #NBHierroParis #NewBalance #hierro #trail #longdistance #freshfroam #StCloud #Paris . . . #uglow #uglowsport #uglowamb18 #teamcariocar #lesguepardsdebastille #takechargeparis #takechargebastille #run #running #runlife #runningaddict #trail #trailrunning #runwithfriend #strava #squadrunner #instarunfrance #instarunning #igrunners #runnercommunity #runnersworld #runstoppable (à Parc de Saint-Cloud)

[fiction-non-foto-blog]

Bull Run Run 50 mile Ultra Marathon, Clifton, VA, 2017. Pushing uphill in the final stretch of the race. . . . . #trail #race #longdistance #trails #trailrun #bullrunrun50 #ultrarunner #ultrarunning #ultramarathon #cliftonva #virginia #bw #blackandwhitephotography #documentary #documentaryphotography #runner #running #ultra #runners #athlete #action #endurance #sports #sport