11/1/2014
The festivities of Halloween kept me up a little later than I had planned. A hot bonfire, in the center of the patio at the Burro, toasted my body while Noble and Alaine introduced us to some of the locals. Crystal made some new friends by giving away some of our stickers. We moved from conversation to conversation until Crystal reminded me I still had to run the next day. And just like that we were strolling back to Eve’s Garden B&B under the moon and stars. The king size bed in the Saphire room was so comfortable. It cradled me like a baby. The sheets were the softest we had slept on yet. With the tiny heater providing us warmth, we were out within minutes.
We woke up to the scent of pecans. Breakfast started with a high protein custard topped with an array of fruit and a flower garnish. This tasty treat slipped right down my throat. The French toast with currants and pecans followed. I put away about seven pieces of French toast possibly more but surely not less. There was plenty of conversation with Wayne and Shelly, a retired couple from San Antonio. Crystal and I made friends with them and hope to see them in the near future. With the food settling into my stomach I yawned, rubbed my eyes, and put my head on the pillow. When I opened my eyes several hours had passed and I hit the road. Crystal told me she would stay behind to clean the trailer since she had some extra time.
I ran for a little over an hour before Crystal showed up. Like Danny from Marfa had mentioned, the 90 past Marathon is a lonely road. I didn’t hear many animals, insects, or motor vehicles. What I did hear though, was the sound of air. The fierce whistling air pushed against my chest. I struggled to win my battle against the powerful gusts. I held my own and even broke a sweat in the cool environment. I breathed the crisp clean air at a rhythmic pace that matched my feet. The beauty of nature could be seen 360 degrees around me. I ran between hills that had been carved so that roads could run through. What I saw was an interesting symmetric pattern. The rocks were nature’s legos and they were stacked in rows.
Crystal found another deceased creature to de-feather. It was an owl in the middle of the road. How it landed there is a mystery. She was busy tending to the thing when I hit the picnic area. My body felt great until I sat down at a picnic area to wait for Crystal. The instant I stopped my sweat started to do its job. I grew cold and tried to huddle up behind a tiny wall. I looked at my phone and discovered zero reception. I froze for twenty minutes before hitting the road again. Of course I didn’t get very far. Crystal pulled up beside me and drove me back to the picnic area. Since Eve’s Garden had agreed to host us for another night, the decision to stop there was prompted by the fact that every mile I ran would be double the mileage for the truck.
We were very excited to return to the comfort of Eve’s Garden. I don’t think we were ready to leave. We grabbed a bite of pizza in town and the owner of the shop bought a set of books. Little by little this adventure of ours is becoming manifest. Maybe it is my manifest destiny.
Leave a reply