7/8/2011
I’m back. I’m feeling strong and I’m ready to move forward. Amazing what a few extra hours of rest can do for you. I’m so glad I called the day early yesterday. I slipped into a mini funk but one hundred and fourty some exhausting days can do that to a person. I’m actually surprised I haven’t had a meltdown. Perhaps it’s the constant contact with the kids. Every time I see them, the focus comes back. The mission is clear.
My initial departure from Greenburg took me on a bit of a scenic route. I took a back road which led me to Latrobe. It was only about seven miles. The shoulder was small but the traffic was practically non-existant. So the run was nice. The path took me straight to the Dunkin Donuts of the town. I had an unsatisfying breakfast and found myself still hungry. So I stopped in and had my second breakfast of the day.
When I resumed running, my path took me back to Route 30 otherwise known as the Lincoln Highway. I feel as if it is the Eastern states answer to Route 66. There was no need to worry that the magic of my travels would be over when I reached the end of 66. There is still plenty to discover. Of course Route 30 doesn’t have an iconic song about it but, does a road that bears the name of one of our greatest presidents really need one?
When I travel these hills and these parts, I feel a different sensation from travelling the west. My images are of the battles that took place. I see the ghosts of civil war soldiers. When I’m sweating or even running through rains, I think about the young troops travelling these parts in their wool uniforms. That must have been dreary. My thoughts then drift to the outcome of the civil war and I try to picture what the United States would be today had the South won. This road has plenty of history on it. It even goes through Gettysburg the place where our country’s defining battle was fought. The battle where our country saw the most casualties. It was a time when we were divided. I would like to set foot there. I don’t want to do it to chase ghosts though. I want to experience yet another part of America. I want to set foot on a place that is responsible for my way of life.
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