3/19/2015
Scrambled eggs with veggies and toasted croissants filled the trailer with a buttery scent. We took the time to enjoy our last breakfast then we helped my mom pack her items. The airport was a minute away from where we parked. The airport had only a few airline terminals and a small lobby. I hugged my mom and walked with her until the security check. We were sad to see her go.
After escorting my mom to the departure terminal, Crystal and I began to make our way back to the spot we left off. There were festivities in the city and a parade for St. Patrick’s Day but after all the thirty mile day, we both just wanted to rest and relax. We rented a couple videos from a redbox and stayed in the trailer vegging out. There was no excitement to report, no adventure, and definitely no running. There was a lot of sleeping, massaging of leg muscles, and watching
Day 196 came too quickly. I took off from the parking lot early and made my way forward. The terrain was uneven and muddy. Crystal had passed me early and had planned to make phone calls from a place with an internet signal. After a few miles under my feet I received a call from her. I expected to hear good news. She said, “Dennis, we got a flat tire.” I couldn’t believe my ears. Didn’t we just replace the tires? A few moments later I rounded a corner and there she was in the parking lot. She had already taken off the tire and it was ready to be patched. I looked at the thing and right before my very eyes a sharp shiny nail had punctured our brand new tire. Arrrrrg! We were lucky there was a tire shop practically in the same shopping center where she had parked. Or maybe were weren’t that lucky. The tire shop said they couldn’t patch the thing. After running around the area, and purchasing a few items to fix our tire, we found a place that agreed to plug the tire. JJ’s tire shop spent a couple minute on the job and had the thing good as new. We paid them ten bucks, threw the tire into the truckbed and started to roll out.
Before we made it out of the parking lot a guy approached us and asked if we wanted to make a quick ten bucks. At first Crystal thought he was asking for money but, from the way he was dressed and the large diamond earrings embedded in his ears I knew that wasn’t the case. He just wanted a ride to his parent’s house and he didn’t feel like waiting for the bus. The house was just a couple miles away. Crystal and I didn’t want to take his money for such a short ride but, he was happy to contribute to our cause anyway. I guess everything has a way of working out. I took the events of the day as a sign to stay off my feet a little longer. We rented a couple more redbox movies and passed a second day without heavy miles.
Large drops of water could be heard pounding the trailer on the morning of day 197. Puddles were everywhere and the sky was dark. I told myself it would eventually clear. When the elements provided me with a window I would seize the opportunity. This happened around noon time. I fought the chilly day and maneuvered around the large puddles. The clean air helped me maintain a brisk pace. My shoes collected drops of water from the communities of grass visited by my feet. The tiny drops of water began to get together and moisten my socks. My clothes clung to my skin from collecting the mist in the air. As I approached the Georgia/South Carolina border, the downpour began. I took cover at the first sight of a covered area. I had plenty in the tank, but this day was rained out. Crystal and I would seek a shower at a nearby YMCA.
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