I bought it back in June 2001 at the end of our first and only trip to the United States. We were about to fly out of John F. Kennedy International Airport. I still had a few US dollars in my pocket and I was looking around for something to buy that would serve as a memento of our visit when I spotted it. I'm proud of the fact that it's the genuine article, not some cheap copy. It even has a label inside that says (although the words are difficult to make out now) "Genuine Merchandise", right above the label that says "Made in Macau".
Since then my Yankees cap has followed me around the world, to Australia and Japan, and to other more exotic locations like Bali, Java, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia. And of course it journeyed with me along the Nakasendo in 2007. It's been my number one backup hat, the hat I wear out in the evenings and at other times when style, not sun protection, is the primary consideration.But reluctantly, I've decided I won’t be taking it with me when I walk the Tokaido. Instead my backup hat will be a black Nike jogging cap Keiko bought me last year. It's incredibly light and made from one of those fancy fabrics that wicks perspiration. I'm not sure what I'll do with my old Yankees cap. It'll probably end up in the box in the cupboard where I keep all my other old hats. There's a story behind each one. The Hanshin Tigers baseball cap, the brown wool trilby hat I bought in Florence. In fact I feel another series coming on….
Distance walked today: 3km
Total distance walked since Tokaido training began: 82.9km
Days left until departure: 62
10 comments:
Makes me sad to see it go. I gotta rep my home team! I will certainly be wearing a Yankees hat on the Nakasendo.
Ah, so you'll be the second foreigner to walk the Nakasendo with a Yankees hat. That'll be music to the ears of my old walking buddy, Erik. He hates the Yankees (he's from Boston).
Of course, there may have been others before us. Entire phalanxes of Yankees cap-wearing foreigners, even. They just didn't blog about their experiences.
Maybe you could send the old hat to your brother in Bhutan?
Could do. He already has one of my old hats, though. And a pair of my shoes.
And Matthew and Keiko gave me a lovely pure wool black beanie thing with a silver fern. Made in NZ even (that must be rare now). Plus the green Pacifika hat that Matth gave me. He made me throw out my nice green one with sweat stains. There is a Fairydown balaclava too. I wear that on winter nights. Please send central heating instead of another hat.
Yea, I wonder if we could somehow get the Yankees to sponsor our walking expeditions?
I'm sure they could supply us with juice.
Actually, I'd settle for a new cap.
Love your blog!
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