8/25/2015
Our multiple loads of laundry carried us into the wee hours of the night. We washed our sheets, towels, bed covers, and of course clothes. While it was relaxing, it also consumed all of our time. Crystal and I found ourselves turning in at an odd hour of the night. It was a small price to pay for clean, fresh, folded laundry.
Crystal and I hit the dining room at 8:30 the next morning. There were many dining options available. It was the first time I saw a soda fountain available for guests. Folding the freshly laundered items took the rest of the morning. When I returned to my starting point, the winds were gusting. I saw one lady being pushed backwards by the wind. The city streets had very few pedestrians. Perhaps they were all at church on that blustery Sunday. I found it difficult to run against the high speed wind blowing against my body. I battled the elements on every step. The minutes seemed like hours and I prayed for the day to end. I wanted to quit but I knew that wasn’t in the cards. The only option was to keep pushing forward.
Outside of town a landfill provided birds with a place to play and it provided me with something other than a fresh scent. I stopped for a minute to witness birds flying backwards. The smart ones rode with the wind and glided effortlessly. I had the misfortune of heading westbound and could not follow their lead. Eventually I reached the small town of Casselton. Crystal had set up camp on the street, beside a church. The wind died down the moment I stepped into the trailer. The hard fought day had earned me a good night’s rest.
The next day more obstacles stood in our way. I couldn’t believe that we didn’t even get one step out of Casselton before a technical failure occurred. The screen on Crystal’s phone went crazy and began to flicker. The images looked like a funhouse mirror right before disappearing permanently. We tried our best to resuscitate the machine but it had passed on. We could have tried pushing forward without a communication device but we figured it was smarter to head back into the city and nip the problem in the bud. We were fortunate the phone broke down just outside of town. It was a more convenient place than if we were in the Rockies.
We left Crystal’s device with the technician at Sprint and had lunch at a Chipotle next door. We signed a book and gave some stickers in exchange for a burrito and a sofritas bowl. We kept our lunch time brief since we figured it was best to take care of a few other responsibilities while we were in a city. After a careful inspection of the phone, the Sprint store gave us the diagnosis. They said we would have to send the product to Samsung. They did however have a couple of guys in the store with phones for sale. We purchased a used phone with hardly any wear then headed down the street to replace one of the tires on the trailer. It had been looking a bit bald for a couple of weeks and it was asking to be put out of its misery. We had the oil changed while the tire was being replaced but the time continued to move at a rapid pace.
By the time we got back onto the road the sun had begun its descent. We managed to get a little over a dozen miles in before calling off the day in Buffalo. We knew we had a room waiting for us in the college town of Valley City so we rested up and prepared for a thirty mile trek.
I got up bright and early and made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It realized we had left our home to start this journey exactly one year ago. The idea gave power to my legs. I took off on the back roads to conquer another day of running. I could not believe how much farm land I had passed. On this day I ran through a corridor of sunflowers on one side and corn on the other. The stretch of road was adorned with funny cartoon characters made of hay. It was good to see the farmers had a sense of humor.
After we checked into the Wagon Wheel Inn, we ventured out to search for sustenance. We stumbled upon the Pizza Ranch. Crystal spoke with the owner and he was very friendly and glad to provide us with a meal. We didn’t realize it was a buffet and we filled our stomachs to the max. The best tasting treat was the dessert pizzas. The blueberry and peach flavored pastries were topped with sweet icing and left no room for any more food.
That night we made friends with the proprietor of the Wagon Wheel in the Tavern attached to the hotel. A festive group of people helped us celebrate our one year on the road. Greg was quick with a story about his experience in Taiwan after he discovered my lineage. We had a couple laughs before calling it the night. There were still plenty of miles before my feet. Rest was still vital to advancing.
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