for JW, it's now official

My buddy JW has now graduated:  today, he finally completed the last remaining segment of the 120-kilometer axis along the Four Rivers path from Incheon to Yangpyeong.  Over the past year or so, he and I have segment-hiked random portions of this axis, never once doing a full 30K stretch the way I might were I doing the trail over a four-day stretch.  While JW has never done a 30K hike, he has, at long last, put together all the pieces of the puzzle for one of my favorite 120K stretches.  This happened in a random, haphazard way, but it's done now.  JW's aware that he'll be receiving a hiking-related gift this Christmas, but he still has no idea what the gift will be.  I also plan on making tee shirts for him, his son, and his daughter, all of whom have proven to be troupers when it comes to hiking long stretches.

Today's segment went from Hanam City to Yangsu Station.  The route took us over the Paldang Bridge, past the Paldang Dam (the only dam not accessible to bikers and walkers from the north side of the river), through one tunnel, and along some quiet countryside past Neungnae Station and eventually across another bridge to Yangsu Station.  Total distance:  about 16 km since I got us a bit turned around at the beginning.  The confusion occurred partly because we got off the bus at a spot that didn't exactly connect the dots from where we'd left off last time, so to connect the dots, we had to walk a new path that I hadn't been on before.  It all worked out in the end, though, and only a little time was wasted.

The only pic I took today was of a huge, fat orb-weaver that we saw early on in the walk.  No pics of JW or his boy, alas.  Not to worry:  when I give JW his award plaque this coming Christmas, I'll be sure to take a pic of the happy moment.  As for today:  we celebrated JW's accomplishment by eating chadolbagi (marbled beef shaved paper-thin) at a meat restaurant across from Yangsu Station.  My treat.  JW and his son had to split fairly quickly after lunch:  today happens to be JW's dad's birthday, so the men in the family were to meet up with JW's wife to drive to JW's parents' place.  Alas, JW miscalculated the amount of time needed to train back to Seoul from outer Yangpyeong, so he knew he'd be in trouble after arriving thirty minutes late to the rendezvous with the Missus.  (I'm sure it all worked out.)  JW and his boy departed in a rush while I stayed behind to chill a bit.

It was an absolutely perfect day for a long walk, I have to say:  cool, breezy, bright, and beautiful.  Not long after we had crossed the Paldang Bridge, my American coworker—an avid biker—suddenly appeared and stopped to say hey.  He was on his way back home in the Jamshil neighborhood after having ridden most of the way to Yangpyeong; I'd put his total distance today at close to 100 km.  I wish I were that fit.  (Or do I?)

And now, alas, I find myself in the office, about to do some catch-up work.  The time I needed to prep and cook the baked ziti put me a bit behind with my current project (textbook content-creation, as per usual), so I'm here on a dang Saturday.  Sad Turd Day.

Tomorrow, I'll visit the Euljiro/Jongno district and see what it takes (and how much it costs) to get an award plaque made—assuming any of the plaque-making shops are open on Sunday.  I think I want something heavy and etched in glass as opposed to, say, engraved brass on stained wood.  I haven't come up with a design for the plaque yet, but I know it'll be a mixture of Korean, English, and Chinese (JW's full name).  I also need to work on tee designs for the three family members.  There's a lot to do between now and Christmas.