Walking in Circles

In my attempt to keep some frail momentum going in my 21 day challenge to work out every day, I got up early and walked the circular driveway that rings the front of the Sheraton Mahwah.  I’m not a runner.  Walking is my thing and I managed to get about 2 1/2 miles or 5000 steps in before I had to come back in to get ready for the day.

The show at 5 AM is unique, the darkness is different from the evening walks I take with Bodhi as you start to see a gradual brightening of the sky to the east (obviously) and the celestial show has shifted completely.  This March 6th sky in Mahwah brought the march of the planets, as Jupiter, the star Antares, Mars, Saturn and Pluto followed the moon from right to left across the Southeastern sky.  I’ve been guilty of geeking out over stars before, and this morning was no exception.

Thankfully there were no witnesses in the cold dark circle.  Well, except for three wild rabbits who glanced at my warily as I marched past them every ten minutes.  The Mahwah Sheraton sits in a bowl rings by hills, with I-287 cutting through the valley on one side and the Ramapo River doing it for a lot longer on the other side.  The hotel sits prominently in the valley, pointing towards the sky.  It’s a classic 1980’s hotel style; bold glass and steel that looks out of place in this beautiful valley.

Back on my walk, I run through my checklists of things to do today, take stock of a few aches and listen to the constant rumble of trucks and cars grunting along I-287.  The highlight was the march of the planets, gradually fading in the coming day.