Dedication to the cause: "It Only Took A Day For The March To DC To Lose Nearly All Of The Marchers"
The March to DC from Charlottesville, Va., started with nearly 200 marchers Monday, but by Tuesday morning there were only 35 marchers. ...How far is it? Let's go to Google Maps:
The overnight rains were enough to keep all but “about 35” from marching Monday morning, the day after the pep talk when police escorted the group from Emancipation Park downtown Sunday.
The blue line is the route of the march, 117 miles. Planned for 10 days, it works put to just under 12 miles per day. Trained foot infantry do very well to march four miles per hour, but they are carrying all their stuff on their backs. As the article's photos show, the protest marchers are not carrying their own stuff: "the marchers will be provided with housing" along the way and motor vehicles transport bag and baggage.
But these are not trained marchers. They are not fit, at least not for a 100-plus miles march day after day (for that matter, neither am I, but as a retired Army officer, I was, for awhile, and I know what it takes). When they started, they would have done very well to make three miles per hour, and closer to two mph is more realistic. How many of them had ever walked 12 miles nonstop, or walked five to six hours straight?
About 35, maybe?
Well, it is a basically empty gesture that will change nothing anywhere, but will make the sponsors and participants feel good, I guess. I wonder how many will make it all the way. The first day is not the toughest. That will be day four, maybe five, when the joints and muscles below the waist scream in protest. That will be the real decision day for whomever is left. But I hope everyone stays safe and in good health.
The march's Twitter is here. I count 23 heads in their most recent group photo:
Update: This seems relevant:
The march's Twitter is here. I count 23 heads in their most recent group photo:
Update: This seems relevant:
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