september 28, 2001. Today I hiked 16 kms. No one is more surprised than me. It all started innocently enough. The sports rep on council organized a hike to Cape Split, which is a spectacular lookout onto the Bay of Fundy that can only be reached by an 8 km hike. This is something of an annual event, and I always regretted not going last year, because I knew that I'd never have the gumption to do it by myself. Hiking is very much against type for me, but it sounded really fun and besides, if I don't play against type once in awhile, it becomes far too easy to predict my movements. (As Scherezade said on my last Saturday night in town: "you're going to the Garden again? You really are a one-trick pony.") There were 6 or us altogether - 4 girls, 2 boys; 1 first-year, 5 second-years. I had expected a much larger group, but I was really glad that only a few hardcore showed up: without the pressure of a big group, the 4 hours on the trail was very intimate and calming. Besides, I'm Little Lola Last-Hiker, so it helped my self-esteem to only be behind 4 people (Liza stayed back with me. She's 5 feet nothing, so her little legs matched my out-of-shape lope - or at least that's what I tell myself. I kept asking her if she minded being so far back and she never did, or at least she never would admit to it. The two of us talked almost constantly, as there was little else to do but walk over roots, avoid puddles & complain that the people up ahead were leaving us behind. I learned a lot.) I'm so pleased that I did this. I spend so many days hunched over a keyboard that it's nice to get out & go - not to mention having a good reason for being cross-eyed tired at quarter to nine on a Friday night. I like going to bed knowing that I've made 5 more friends, and I like knowing that I saw something that cost 4 hours of effort. I like the multi-coloured leaves & twisted root shapes that dance behind my eyes when I blink. And I like playing against type. this time 4 years ago: what's it like, not having a sense of shame?