11/23/2014
A downpour of biblical proportions kept me from running on day 84. Despite having a sunny morning, nature would not cooperate. Her temperamental behavior bordered on bipolar. I ducked into the trailer to throw on the running gear and when I reemerged the skies were dark. I still planned to run but after thanking Holly and her brother Jeremy for the wonderful stay the rain started. Crystal and I headed to Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant for an early lunch and to wait for our opening. The opening never arrived. The storm raged steady into the night. We even received a tornado warning from the national weather service.
The real treat of the day 84 came when we went to Frank’s Diner. The establishment was over 85 years old. A great black and white picture of Joan Crawford with the owners decorated one of the walls. It sat between photographs of the restaurant throughout the years. The dinner was great but the real treat was the present I received. In recent days’ past, I had been noticing a food item called Kolaches and I had been curious to find out what they were. I knew the area had a German and Czech presence. The streets had names like Engle and Jurek and the town was named Schulenburg. It was a town known for its many painted churches. So, the Kolaches were these baked goods similar to danishes. The pastries were softer than danishes though. The dough was thicker and the centers contained more filling. The fruit center was thicker than syrup but not chunky. It was the best pastry I had eaten in a very long time.
The lightning struck at a rapid and constant rate throughout the night. The flashes kept the sky from being completely obscure but I still drifted into a deep sleep. When I woke up I felt fresh but I was still stiff. This was no surprise. I figured my body would rebel until I my two week break. As I ran through Schulenburg, I noticed the natural surroundings. There were plenty of creeks and trees. The calming rustic colors indicated that fall had, in fact, arrived. On the outskirts of town there were plenty of pastures but it was interesting to see several Mercedes automobiles randomly parked at the residences. That had been a rare sight in the countryside. So the European influence was definitely alive and well.
Tiny towns lined the way to Columbus but because the day was Sunday, the towns were silent. Two companions did join me for a run today though. I figured they wouldn’t last but a couple of miles. To my surprise, one beautiful black puppy followed me for seven miles all the way to my hotel. He tripped me up every now and then and I had to scold him every time he ran into the street. Around his fourth mile I thought he was ready to pack it in. I stopped to tell him to go home and he slobbered all over my clothes. But, he rolled around in a puddle of rainwater, drank from the murky looking puddle, jumped up and started trotting. He tried to get me to play with him by jumping up onto me but that just muddied my clothes. I guess a short rest was enough to recharge.
Crystal had to drive the puppy back to the area where he began following me. The first house we tried looked like a meth lab. Broken toys were scattered around the front yard. Windows were covered with cardboard and aluminum foil. We were apprehensive about leaving him at that house. We discovered the house next to it was the one that had been taking care of my black puppy. It wasn’t much better. I couldn’t believe Crystal was going to knock on the door. The man of the house informed us that he had been caring for the dog but that it wasn’t his. He even offered the wonderful creature to us. We were sad we couldn’t keep him. Both Crystal and I said good bye to the pup and took off. It was dark and we were hungry.
I’m sure you guessed we found another Mexican restaurant. The place was fantastic. The atmosphere was lively and the parking lot was packed. Upon entering the scent of grilled onions, bell peppers, and fresh tortillas invaded my nose. The selection of vegetarian friendly food overwhelmed me. I couldn’t believe there was more than three items I could eat. I chose spinach enchiladas and it was the correct choice. The enchilada sauce tasted almost like an alfredo. It wasn’t soaked but it was enough for every bite of the enchilada. Crystal and I agreed the place would have been a gold mine if they had opened in California but then again they seemed to have more customers than the population of the town. So I guess Los Cabos Mexican Grill was the right choice. The best part was that it sat right next to our lodging of the night: La Quinta Inn & Suites Columbus Texas.
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