Photo Doreen Birdsell
Priscilla and Morton Houliston in front of the Inn at Cook Street in Provincetown. |
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Bicyclists find Cape journey spiritually & physically fulfilling
Banner Daily Update posted Sat. June 2
By Derek Burritt
Banner Staff
EASTHAM — When Priscilla Houliston says “the milk of human kindness is flowing on Cape Cod,” she knows what she’s talking about.
Houliston, 44, along with her husband, Morton Houliston, 40, left Florida last January on a journey that will take them along the perimeter of the continental United States for more than 16,000 miles. Even though the couple will travel the entire trip under their own power (they started out walking and then later began bicycling), the real challenge for Priscilla was not on the road but within herself. She used to weigh more than 400 lbs. After her mother suffered a stroke last year, Priscilla took stock of herself and her life and decided, “I don’t want to be buried in a piano box, I want to live.”
Since setting out from Key West, Fla. six months ago, the couple has been documenting their journey on a website, littlechanges.com, where they blog about their daily adventures, correspond with observers through email and sell merchandise to fund their $400-a-month budget. In one of the earliest blog entries, back in December 2006 while still preparing for the huge endeavor, Priscilla writes that she’s worried their trip will be spotted with people saying derogatory things to them because she’s a “big, easy target.” However, just the opposite has happened, and now Priscilla, who is 140 lbs. lighter, is overwhelmed daily by the generosity of people.
By the time they arrived on Cape Cod, May 17, the couple had an unprecedented 700 emails from Cape residents offering their hospitality. Priscilla says this is truly a blessing to her and Morton because, while they try to average 30 miles a day, they don’t book hotels due both to their limited budget and they’re inability to plan ahead because of such variables as weather that may impede their progress. She says typically they have no idea where they’ll be spending the night as late as 5 p.m.
While visiting the Lower Cape, Priscilla and Morton stayed at The Inn at Cook Street in Provincetown, Sandbars in Truro and at the home of Kate Alpert in Eastham. The Banner caught up with the couple at a dinner party Alpert hosted in honor of her guests. When asked about their Cape Cod experience, Priscilla said, “It feels like a small community on a large stretch of land.” The couple praised the Cape Cod Rail Trail for providing the “best riding in 2,500 miles” that they’d traveled to date. But, Priscilla says, even though she began her journey excited about the places she’d see, now she gets more enjoyment from the people she meets.
“Especially on the Cape, you feel like you’re part of the family during the time you’re here,” Priscilla says.
She hopes the rest of their trip will live up to what they experienced on the Cape and Islands. They’re certainly leaving in better shape than they arrived, on two new bicycles, donated by Craig’s Bicycles on Martha’s Vineyard, that are outfitted with a set of new mirrors, from The Little Capistrano Bike Shop in Eastham, for staying clear of cars on terrain that isn’t as bike friendly as the Rail Trail. But even before Priscilla and Morton continued on their physical journey around the country to better health, the path of their spiritual journey is already leading them back here.
“We’re going to have to get back to see these people again. They’re too special not to,” Priscilla says.
dburritt@provincetownbanner.com
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May 31st, 2007