Exercising Excellence

I walk every day but some walks, like today's, are extra ordinary.

Wisely slathering on sunscreen because it was already seventy degrees by noon, we set out for the riverfront and the RVA Street Art Festival.

It's not like I hadn't been there just yesterday, but how could I resist seeing what progress had been made in the past 24 hours?

The result: a great deal. There was art being created everywhere.

Murals that were barely started when I visited Friday were now complete or nearly so.

New ones had been started and artists on lifts worked to the scent of spray paint and Jonathan the Juggler's incessant patter.

Barely an hour into today's festival and I saw a bustling crowd, including musicians (represented were Fight the Big Bull, Amazing Ghost, Now Sleepyhead, Jason Scott Quintet), artists and everyday people like me.

Perusing the Bizarre Market, I saw a favorite DJ in one of her vintage groovy 60s dresses, an artist selling faux antlers and an address book with a cover made from a Partridge Family album.

How could I possibly have forgotten to bring money?

When we finished with art, we moved on to nature.

A side trip to a nearby riverside trail, the Pipeline Walkway, allowed me to show a newbie why it's my favorite river walk.

And no wonder. Nests in the trees, fishermen flycasting in the river, a flock of geese cooling their webbed feet in the water, trains rattling overhead and rushing water surrounding us with every step.

It begins with a vertical ladder climb down and continues as the perfect spring walk.

Heading back up the hill towards J-Ward, we made a pit stop for lunch at a beer joint, notable for the fact that neither of us drink beer.

Capital Ale House was dark and not especially full and provided just what we needed.

A crab salad BLT and a duck salad gave us a chance to discuss all that we'd seen on our promenade.

Women at a street fest in four-inch heels. People too lazy afraid to walk the Pipeline and instead sipping a beer on the Pipeline Overview. Bimbos and edginess. Ryan Adams' theory, "That ain't a woman, that's a girl."

It's a hell of a difference.

But then so is my usual Grace Street stroll from what constituted today's walk.

Same mileage, but so much more for the eyes and ears.

And for a change, the compliments from behind came from someone I knew.

That's definitely out of the ordinary.