We arrived in Northampton at 10 to a cloudy but snow free sky. Will it really snow?

The morning began with all the adrenalin, chaos and excitement of an event that has been in planning for over 6 months. We fretted over last minute details. Should the registration desk be on the right or left? Will we remember to have the walkers to sign both sides of the green sheets? Questions. Solutions. Better solutions. More solutions - maybe not better. Finally no time for more solutions.

And then the walkers came, first slowly, but by 11:45 the Church was filled, and walkers, supporters, friends were still coming in. Snow was starting to fall, but only a flurry, the forecast could still be wrong.

And sometime after 12 we gathered in silence to begin, to begin the Send-off after so many months of planning. Rev. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas, Associate Priest Grace Episcopal Church, Amherst and Rev. Andrea Ayvazian, Pastor Haydenville Congregational Church members of the Planning Committee could barely contain their excitement as they opened the service.

In my words here I will not do justice to our speakers - it represents but a small sampling of the beautiful and inspirational words spoken. Rabbi Justin David of Congregation B'nai Israel in Northampton reminded us that the environmental disaster is a moral disaster. The Rt. Rev. Andrew Fairfield, Retired Bishop Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota spoke of hope as he reminded us of the forests in New England which have returned to areas cleared for farming years ago by the the early European settlers. Mohammed Abdelaal read from the Koran and translated to English ... 'to walk on the earth..not run, enjoy, eat. It is a blessing of the Lord.'

As we left the Church, the promised storm had arrived. Snow already covered the paths, but 131 walkers left the church. The wind was at our faces so we walked with our heads down following the boots in front of us. We met new friends as we bumped into each other during frequent stops to cross side roads. Conversation turned to laughter, offers of help to mothers with young children, and as Bill McKibben promised in his Reflection, time for 'real conversation' - no need to cut the conversation short as we typically do in a busy work day. Now we had time for reflection and talk.

Three miles into the walk we reached the first stop and warmth. I had to leave to get back to family life, but will rejoin on tomorrow...