11/9/2015
The morning air was crisp and it had a bite. I had a soft glazed donut and fluffy scrambled eggs for breakfast. We were on a tight schedule and we needed to reach the Westin http://www.westinbellevuehotel.com before 10:00 AM. It meant Crystal would have to fight her way through morning traffic to get me there on time. Without a hotel at our destination city, Crystal decided at the last minute to see if the Manager of the hotel would let us stay another evening. She figured it was the most convenient option since it was on our route. We were very grateful to hear the answer come back yes.
Crystal maneuvered the truck from freeway to freeway. We were no longer accustomed to heavy city traffic. I knew she dreaded the congestion but she gritted her teeth and focused on the road. We entered the hotel with a couple minutes to spare. Over a dozen people had gathered to greet us and send us on our way. Runners at various levels took to the street and put one foot in front of the other. The light sprinkle kept us cool and the stop lights kept us in a group. The sidewalk transitioned into a trail and I had a grand view of the water for a large portion of the day. At the thirteen mile mark I found Crystal in the truck, sheltered from the rain. Of course I knew we would grab a quick bite before I finished off the day.
My skin thanked me for packing a set of dry clothes. I changed after my light lunch and returned to the busy city streets. The sounds of engines, sirens, and traffic travelled with me all the way to the Hampton Inn. I had not yet completed my day but I had enough time to take a short nap. It was the perfect pill to infuse me with a shot of energy. I woke up left Crystal and continued on the one road for five more miles. I happened to be the same street as the Bonney Watson memorial park I had visited the previous day. The sky was darkening with a hint of pink from the sunset. I felt strong and energetic but I reminded myself the last stage was all about enjoying my surroundings. I wouldn’t be able to do that effectively in the dark. However, I would get to enjoy my room at the Hampton Inn for one more night.
The next morning I headed towards Tacoma. I just had to follow International Blvd. for most of the way. It was all city running which meant I had to take on stoplight after stoplight. I eventually reached a rusted bridge that took me into Tacoma. I never figured the area to be hilly. I was wrong when I found myself on a slow climb up a steep rock. Once I reached the pinnacle, I turned south and headed to the town of Spanaway. Crystal had kept an eye out for cheap propane because she feared we would run out of the gas that provided us with warm in the trailer. After many years of harsh conditions my senses were numb to the elements. We took shelter in a parking lot and rented a movie to unwind.
The next day I found myself running in the rain. I could feel myself getting further and further away from human habitats. The towns diminished in population and area. The cold rain actually tasted clean. Liquid dripped from my eyelids as I ran into towns that boasted former Olympians as well as beauty queens. In one of those towns I took a break under a shoe tree. I had given away a couple pairs of footwear to people in the past. On this day I threw a pair into the air and watched the shoes wrap around a branch. As they swayed on the limb I imagined the length of time they might occupy that space.
I was quick to continue into the small town of Rainier. There Crystal and I discovered a tiny parking lot next to the Yelm-Tonino trail that I had taken. The rain continued on through the night and we stayed dry and warm in the trailer. We were thankful for many things but on that evening I was thankful that the price of propane was inexpensive in the area. 
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