11/15/2014
I recollect the way my body felt when I finished running across the United States. The memory was resurrected by my aching muscles. The physical strain combined with the extreme climate conditions took me back to everything I endured. At that time I told myself I would not take on another adventure. I couldn’t fathom putting such demands ever again. Of course when the aches and pains faded away, a restless energy surfaced. I had used my time for productive endeavors but, surging through my body was an appetite that needed to be satisfied.
The 90 had been pretty straight. I haven’t had to look at directions for most of Texas. I just stayed on one main road and it never steered me wrong. But the towns were a bit smaller. As I returned to a big city, it became necessary to check my route every so often. I had to meander through ghettos once again. What was a little strange was the amount of stray dogs I encountered. Some people left their fences open and their pets would bark at passers. It seemed as though the domesticated dogs ran with the tramps. The cold and the gloom did nothing to help me reach my destination. Even with a reflective yellow safety vest, motorists seemed to target the runner. I missed the easy going small towns immediately.
With the day’s mileage wrapped, I knew we had a couple of free days ahead. With that knowledge I asked Crystal if she wanted to have a night on the town. Surprisingly, she was reluctant at first. She had become accustomed to the routine of the road. The cold moisture outside did little to plead my case. It was only after I told her we would have a nice dinner and she could forget about cooking for an evening did she acquiesce. I convinced her to accompany me to San Antonio’s riverwalk. It was a place with plenty of shops and restaurants. I never knew the place was so beautiful. Gondola’s shuttled people on the water while horse drawn carriages trotted in the streets. The people were friendly and I remembered why I loved running from town to town. Because, in life, we will always face hardship in one form or another. It is the beauty we encounter that makes the hardship disappear.
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