When I worked for Hitachi, I was always perplexed by their moto “Inspire the Next”. The next what??
With the end of Covid-19 appearing on the horizon I find that I need a next inspiration. To be truthful, I was not aware that I needed an inspiration. Then I opened an email from my high school alumni association. It was a notice for a virtual team event, the Bataan Memorial Death March. With a name like that, how could I resist? The actual event is a forced march in the White Sands Missile Range with packs. Fortunately for me this year will be a virtual event, I would not necessarily be slugging through deep sand, over high mountains, in desert conditions with a 35 pound pack, I may be nuts but I am not that crazy. I plan to do the “civilian light” version. Virtually hike in New England with no pack. I plan though, to do the 26.2 miles.
I joined my alumni team for the march. We had our first Zoom meeting this afternoon. Our team has participants from coast to coast. There is one guy who will be doing the march in Germany. So far I am the oldest, oldest by probably twenty years.
I plan to keep posting about my progress. When posting about my previous treks I have had the quandary of what to call it. A hike, a trek, a walk a footslog perhaps. March sounds good. If I am blessed to be able to do a future footslog, I will call it a march.
Backpacking Bill 
My orthodontist survived the actual Bataan Death March. He didn’t say anything to me as a kid, but my mom told me and told me how rare it was that he survived.
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My team is marching in memory of a survivor named Cash Skarda. Cash was a graduate of my high school and was a prominent banker in New Mexico after the war.
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