Photoshop :: Stroking A Path?

I have an image open.

I choose the pen tool and then click a place on the image and then a second and a ‘line’ connects them. Two anchor points and a line between them.

I go to the Paths pallet and save this work so that the Paths layer says, “Path 1” and I've also tried doing it unsaved.

Then I try stroking it with the brush in any of the three ways you get to the stroke command i.e. right click, upper right arrow, etc.

The dialogue box comes up and I choose brush (having already chosen a 14 pix width and 100%) and it should stroke my line but all it strokes are the two (or more if I put them in) anchor points.

The funny thing is if I create my line with the pencil tool it will stroke it with no problem but not any line drawn with the pen tool.

I am simulating ropes so the pencil line is not smooth but all pixulated and I want to learn how to stroke with the pen tool.