9/26/2015
My body had become accustomed to running every day, the absence of that activity felt a little strange. I didn’t mean that the day off wasn’t welcome. My muscles and my mind thanked me for the break. I wasn’t the only one that needed some rest. It seemed that Crystal had gotten a little run down. I didn’t know if it was the rough conditions or if she had come into contact with some germs. It was apparent that her body was battling the cold.
Brian at the Quality Inn gave us his full support. They gave us a large spacious suite for us to relax and unwind. With free time on our hands, Crystal and I wandered around a mall close by. We were searching for new running shoes. I was on my twenty-first pair and I wanted to have a new pair for backup. It was an irksome task which bared no fruit. All the shoes were overpriced and not to my liking. The search was a futile waste of time. Fortunately Red Lobster salvaged the day with a meal donation. Maria gave us wonderful service and they made sure we had plenty to eat. Crystal even remembered to save room for cheesecake.
I made sure Crystal returned to our room early to rest. She had been feeling better but the key to recovering quickly was plenty of rest and the consumption of ample fluids. The method of recovery sounded similar to my recovery from running. We both enjoyed a day of being motionless.
The next morning the bug had taken a turn for the worse. Crystal felt horrible despite a hot bath and plenty of vitamin c. She tried her best to rally but I could see it was taxing. When I went down to thank Brian for the lodging, he told us it wouldn’t be a problem for us to stay another day. That was good news for Crystal. I made sure she stayed tucked in bed while I busied myself on the computer. After finishing the morning crossword puzzle, I decided that I could run ahead and Crystal could stay in recuperation mode.
The sun sizzled. As my mouth dried I questioned whether or not summer had ended. The short jaunt to Laurel, Montana had left me parched. I was lucky enough to stop at a retail store with a cold water fountain. I slurped the cold water in ample amounts and then met up with Crystal. She had gotten out of bed to retrieve me. While doing so, we loaded up on some cough and cold medicines. At dinner time she had a small appetite. The HuHot restaurant was close by and they had given us some plenty of support. Crystal decided that was what she wanted to eat. They were expecting our arrival and were super pleased to have us dine at the establishment.
The spices Crystal added to her meal must have helped kill the germs. Her sniffles were gone and she had a little bit more energy. He heat continued on the way to Columbus. The landscape became more scenic with each step I took. Greenery sprouted on the mountains and along the river. I ran on winding roads and up mountain passes. At the end of the day I had made it to the small town of Columbus. I wandered onto the grounds of the Riverside Guest Cabins. They were cute little cabins that overlooked the river. Laurette was the smiling proprietor of the place. She spoke with a calm soothing voice. After we chose our room she returned to watch the Pope’s visit to America. I wiggled my toes and felt tiny grains. Plenty of dirt had penetrated my shoes and socks. I was left with brown speckles on my feet. I was glad to scrub them clean in the shower and hit the sack. I could tell I needed to power up for the changing terrain.
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