[nabs-l] First solo trip under sleepshades

[Jim Reed]

Hey all, 

Well, my fear of going it alone undersleepshades lasted about 16 hours. Since I was going it alone, and entirly responsible for my safety, I was a bit jumpy and quick to take of the sleepshade at the first moment I felt something might not be right. More often than not, when I took off the blindfold, I was fairly well on target, and had I left the blindfold on, I probably would have figured it out. I should trust my instinct and cane more. I did however trip off a few curbs, wander out into the middle of a residential street via an extrodinaraly wide driveway, and I also had a few crooked street crossings. I am having a hard time determining where the round corners square off.

And of course I got lost. I have yet to not get lost when traveling under sunglases or sleepshades, and it is starting to piss me off. I know I can do this; its not that hard. I just can't figure out where or how I am getting turned around. For example, I went to the gym under sleepshades, the route requires me to go west several blocks, south a few blocks, and west a few more blocks. The streets running east-west are lettered (A, B, C), and the streets runing north south are numbered (8,8,10). There is no reason I should be getting lost on such a simple route, and with such a simple street name system. I walked for about 6-7 blocks and lifted my sleepshade to verify where I was, and I was somehow only two blocks from my house. Very frustrating indead. 

I had one kid ask me if I was wearing a sleepshade because I was pretending to be blind for a day; I breifly explained what I was doing as I walked. Of course some A-hole had to blast their horn for no reason as I was approaching an intersection that I knew was there, that scared the crap out of me. 

All and all, not to bad for my first time out alone.

Jimj

"From compromise and things half done, 
Keep me with stern and stubborn pride,
And when at last the fight is won, 
... Keep me still unsatisfied." --Louis Untermeyer