3/7/2015
Not a peep was heard while we rested at the Cape Kennedy KOA. We rose from our slumber around the time the tire shops began to open. While Crystal cleaned and organized the trailer, I spent the greater part of the morning calling places to see if they had our trailer tires in stock. After a dozen phone calls and a comparison of prices we settled on a shop a few miles away. The dilemma was that the tires wouldn’t be waiting at the shop. They were to be delivered and there was a possibility that the tires wouldn’t be delivered until three. The only option was to go in opposite directions. Crystal dropped me back to where I ended the previous day and she returned to the tire shop.
I wore shorts but ran with a sweatshirt. The grey sky kept the temperature chilly. I found myself at a brisk pace trying to keep my blood pumping. The recent streak of warm weather had come to an end. Of course my blood was thinner because of it and I paid the price. The towns I passed were all very small. I’d see signs for the city limits but I missed the residents that accompanied them. The cold and damp day provided a very peaceful run. I felt a drop of water or two over the course of twenty miles after that point the precipitation began. I pulled the hood over my head and focused on each step. I didn’t want to slip and I didn’t want to get hit by a car or motorcycle. I could barely make out a sign in the distance but I knew I was close to civilization.
A covered patio at the Edgewater Sports Pub and Grille called out to me. It said, “Come here and take shelter.” There I struck up a conversation with two guys Twinkie and Sean. The tires had been replaced with a new heavy duty set and Crystal was making her way towards me. I told her my location and she said she would arrive shortly. While I chatted with the fellas, I asked them if they could recommend a good auto shop. Crystal had said, “The guys at the tire shop said that the bearings are a bit wobbly. If we don’t get them fixed the tires could fall off.”
They got on their phones and started calling some of the shops in town. Twinkie offered to let us park in his lot until we found a mechanic or shot that could look at our trailer. I entered the bar and grill and asked for an order of their house fries. When my mom and Crystal pulled up to the place Twinkie made sure to take care of them. He made my mom a special soup that wasn’t on the menu. On this journey, she had tried many times to order a soup with a simple clear broth. The chefs always tried to make her something fancy. On this day she got just what she wanted. The signs clearly pointed towards staying in the ESPG parking lot. It felt good to be warm and out of the rain.
The cold weather induced a deep sleep. I woke up at nine the next morning. We tried our best to find a shop that would look at our bearings. In the end Doug Raulerson came to our rescue. He had several jobs before us so I decided to run ahead so that I didn’t get too far behind schedule. There was still a flight my mom was waiting to catch in Savannah. I reached eleven miles in the dark gloomy weather before our white Ford F250 pulled up beside me and informed me that Doug was on the way to our trailer. He was a very honest businessman. After a thorough inspection of the bearings and springs he told us that we just needed to get rid of some of the weight in the trailer.
That night we celebrated in ESPG. Crystal wore a tight black top that caught the attention of this old world war two vet. He started dancing with her and we thought that it was possible that she would cause him a heart attack. Luckily he slowed down. We did too. When we returned to the trailer, it was practically midnight. I didn’t know how we had lost so much time. I just knew my daily average of miles I needed to log was increasing with every mishap. I guess I just needed to take it in stride.
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