3/2/2015
The sun emerged victorious from the seesaw battle with the rain. The tenacity of the precipitation was commendable but as always patience weathered the storm. If there was a prevalent theme on this trip is would be that steadiness can move mountains. Day 179 started at the Burger King parking lot in Fort Pierce. We had slept through another torrential downpour. On this occasion the water had drained by the time we got up. The humidity on our skins was like a weight that suppressed our energy. We decided on croissants and hash browns as our morning fuel. It saved us the trouble of cooking and doing dishes.
Before we hit the road, a grey haired gentleman from the local church struck up a conversation and contributed to our cause. It was a nice start to the day and we were grateful that fate decided to deal us a winning hand. The road before me continued to stay flat and sunny. The spots on my body where the sunblock was absent told me that the sun was out with a vengeance. The plants thrived under the nourishing rays. The leaves of the trees seemed to be plump and green while the fruits on the trees radiated bright colors. After sixteen miles I discovered Crystal and my mom casually parked in a small business complex. The businesses were all closed for Sunday so we were free to lounge there and have our lunch.
The scent of garlic and cream sauce filled the trailer. I had to sit outside and let the perspiration evaporate off my body. It wasn’t about to happen in the hotbox that was the trailer. When the lunch was ready we all decided an outside picnic was the best way to go. The pasta practically melted in my mouth. When my plate was empty my eyelids began to drop. I let myself doze off for a few minutes before tackling the last ten miles of the day.
The day ended at another parking lot. After using wet wipes to clean myself over a couple of damp days, I needed to run water down my body. I took a water bottle with a sport top into the shower in the trailer and rinsed away several days of hardship. It made me feel like a new man but I still looked forward to the rest we would receive in Melbourne.
The fact that we were going to the Tuckaway Shores Resort in Indiatlantic, Florida my body was slow to start. I walked the first five miles trying to will my body to do its thing. I realized that I hadn’t consumed my usual amount of protein or calories. I was like a high performance vehicle running on fumes. When I reached Crystal I asked for a few eggs and plenty of bread. The food did the trick. I added some hydration to the recipe and I was off. After I crossed a bridge two miles away, the scenery transformed before my eyes. I was next to the water and life was a beach. I drifted into my zen running zone and the miles just melted away. We reached Melbourne relatively early.
The Tuckaway Shores was another one of those fantastic hidden gems that I would have never discovered had I not been on this journey. The Indiatlantic stretch of land was filled with stretches of beach. When I opened the back door of the room I heard the waves crashing. I looked around the room to find wonderful nautical embellishments everywhere. The place was cozy and the bed was so comfortable. Comfort, convenience, and entertainment were all at hand. The best part of the place was the people. We met so many friendly people taking refuge from the torment of the cold northern states. We were provided with plenty of conversation and we went to dinner a little bit late. We made sure to leave as we didn’t want to miss the dinner that had been arranged. We were very thankful the Doubletree wanted to keep us fueled and running.
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