9/1/2015
The night air had left the trailer chilly. Even the flies which had snuck in from the fields were motionless. I wasn’t fortunate enough to have fresh temperatures for long. The light fog that veiled my view of the dirt road did little to keep the muggy heat at bay. I consumed a thick peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast. I downed a cup of hot tea followed by a glass of water. I had enough nutrients to hit the road.
It took very little effort to find a groove. The traffic was practically non-existent. The only sounds I heard were the crunching of rocks under my shoes. The shoes on my feet had worn midway through the midsole. I was fortunate my road would be dirt for most of the day. I wasn’t sure my joints could take too much abuse. It had been several days since we had been in a town with strong free internet service. I discovered Crystal in the town of Steel and she had found a hotel which provided us with the opportunity to update our posts. I took a lengthy break at the location. As I documented our journey with the written word, Crystal got a notice from the only motel in the town of Sterling. Tops Motel had saved us a room and was happy to provide us with a place to rest our heads and wash up. The news gave me the extra incentive to finish my blog. I hit the keys of my keyboard with a feverish frequency but still managed to use an ample amount of time.
Crystal’s breakfast was my lunch. Scrambled eggs with vegetables had become my customary second meal. When I returned to the road, the geography once again began to change. My field of vision expanded to a vast expanse of prairie. The expedition had provided many moments where the universe made me feel like a tiny speck. The only option was to connect and become one with my surroundings or be consumed.
I gasped for air as I made my final climb towards the Tops Motel. There was a haze in the air that seemed to infiltrate my lungs. I walked into our motel room and immediately felt comfortable. It had a style that took me back to my journeys with my parents when I was a child. The decorations looked as if they were from the early eighties but it was not shabby. I enjoyed the throwback television station which aired all the hit programs from my youth as my body lounged like a lifeless rag doll.
The road to Bismarck started with a long incline. My legs liked the climb. I was happy to put wear on the front part of my shoes. Pair number 18 had practically disintegrated. I knew that meant I needed to rummage through my old pile of shoes. I just needed a sole with a little bit of padding to tie me over until we reached Crystal’s dad’s place. I knew we had a fresh stock of supplies waiting for us.
My road guided me directly to the Radisson Hotel in downtown Bismarck. Upon entering the city I spotted a Bob’s big boy. I thought those had gone extinct. It was funny because Crystal and I had a conversation about the iconic mascot just a couple days earlier. She had no idea what it was.
The accommodations were excellent. I stared out of the eighth floor window at the road I had taken into town. I enjoyed my birds’ eye view for a moment then readied myself for an early dinner. Crystal had arranged for us to dine at HuHot once again. We feasted on a cornucopia of veggies, tofu, nuts and spices. I threw together a curry bowl and let the grill masters perform. I made several trips to the grill and each time I became more creative with my mixture. My hand took liberty with the spices and eventually found lip had caught fire. The meal had fed my hunger many times over. The only thing left was to enjoy the evening.
I programmed a sleep number into the bed after a long soak in minerals and salt. I cracked open a book and let myself relax. As I neared the end of the story, my eyelids flickered as I tried to keep them propped open. My will to battle sleep was not as strong as my will to run around our country. I gave in and let the dark consume me.
The next morning didn’t allow me to sleep in. I had to prep my body for a television interview and a thirty-two mile run. I met with Cynthia in the moments before the reporter arrived. The general manager made me feel very welcome and I was happy we chose the Radisson for our lodging. Max Grossfeld arrived shortly. He shot a piece that would air on both Fox and NBC. The interview carried me into the afternoon.
The temperatures were surprisingly warm as I made my way out of the city. It didn’t take too long to reach the Mandan. That was the city across the river. After that, the population vanished. I didn’t see many crops on the route of the day. What I did see were wide open prairies and rolled hay that looked like giant tubes. We were optimistic about finding a place to stay in the town up ahead. New Salem didn’t have many choices but the one place in town gave us hope. Crystal noted that the manager of the Arrowhead Motel sounded very enthusiastic over the phone. She just needed a final OK from the owner.
Hills rolled all throughout the day. The haze was a thing of the past. The air tasted like fresh nothing and my lungs took in the clean oxygen with every breath. My legs received a great workout and they held up to the ups and downs of the hills. Eventually the outskirts of town became visible. The sunset was something to behold. The fiery sky looked as if it had been painted in front of me. Crystal found me by the local school and told me to hop into the truck. She was taking me to our accommodations.
Our room was furnished with a fifty inch flat screen television, two beds, and a brand new bathroom. I was surprised to find a brand new setup in the small town. The place even gave us tickets for a complimentary breakfast at the adjoining restaurant. North Dakota had shown us so much hospitality. Every day was another blessing.
Leave a reply