12/18/2014
Crystal parked our trailer on the side of the Hilton Hotel in downtown Baton Rouge. I walked through a hallway under renovation led by a pleasant scent of gingerbread. When I reached the lobby, I waited to check discovered the smell of gingerbread came from a gingerbread house replica of the hotel. I was ready for one full day of rest and relaxation. The Hilton provided us with a room on the eighth floor overlooking the Mississippi river. The black and white photos on the wall complimented the view of grey skies. I stayed off my feet for most of the day, except for when I walked to the river to get a closer look at some steamboats.
Full rest days have kept the body from completely shutting off. Every time my aches have increased intensity on this trip, we have stopped to recharge. The body is an amazing piece of work. It manages to return to action stronger after rest. I once again returned to the asphalt stronger.
As the sun continued to hide, I allowed my feet and legs to feel joy. They felt the joy of running. I ran through some rough areas of Baton Rouge as I headed east. Our destination was the town of Gonzales. Buildings replaced my tree lined streets. Of course, as with every city so far, the ghettos turned into suburbs. I didn’t see any swampland on this day of running and the only animals were the maniacs behind the wheel. However, having sidewalks and ample room on the road protected me from the crazy motorists.
The sun never showed and the overcast sky shortened the day. It was a good thing that my movement stayed fluid throughout the day. Crystal had found a mobile home/RV park that wanted to donate a space. The girl working there was very amicable and generous. I think she wanted to do something nice for our foundation but didn’t ask the boss if a space donation was OK. I wondered why the ladies at the desk looked at me like I was a lunatic. When Crystal began to park the RV, the girl that gave us the space came running out and asked, “Can you guys return in an hour after my boss leaves. I’m so sorry.” We were very thankful for the gesture despite the outcome. On the road, you never know what you will get.
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