7/30/2015
I had a good stretch where my days started before the heat began. I knew from experience that, if I started running at noon time, I’d be on a slippery slope. Crystal and I took the time to have breakfast at Harry’s restaurant. The place was a local institution. The food was prepared by one lady on the grill and she managed to make all breakfast items with a deft touch. I couldn’t believe with all the orders and people in the place how she didn’t burn a thing. Our French toast came out entirely cooked yet not charred and the hash browns were light and crisp.
Right after breakfast we rushed over to the Ozaukee Press to give an interview to the local paper. The reporter, Carol, was very thorough and covered my story in detail. I took a moment between the interview and the photograph to massage my muscles and put on my gear. After the quick photo shoot I hit the road. The noon sun sat directly above and I was lucky to run under some shady trees. Of course I hit a hill first thing out of the gate but after conquering those steps it was smooth sailing. The interurban trail was a nice flat run. I had heard plenty about bugs in the area but I found the day very comfortable. The farms I ran past were not as expansive as the ones in earlier states but the crops seemed bigger. The only thing that kept me cool was a light breeze.
The trail weaved in and out of tiny towns but I ultimately ended up in Sheboygan. There we were greeted by a large room at the Grand Stay hotel. I soaked my body once again then prepared myself for dinner at The Highland House Restaurant. The staff made us feel very warm and welcome. I ordered spinach artichoke dip as an appetizer before my spinach enchiladas. As I munched on the bread and chips I consumed cup after cup of iced tea. I realized I hadn’t hydrated much on the trail. The sunset on the dock put me in a relaxed state so I fell to sleep right after dinner.
When I woke up, my body felt great. I took some photos with the ladies at the Grand Stay before resuming the trek. I basically had one direct but slightly curved road to Manitowoc. It was called the LL. Just outside of the town, the PGA was preparing for a big golf tournament. I think Tiger Woods was supposed to be competing. As I ran past the course, I spotted a wild turkey in the ditch next to me. It was a mother. I knew this because, when I turned around to photograph it, a bunch of little baby turkeys took to flight.
We took a lunch break at Hika Park; a tiny patch next to the lake. The water was clear and blue and the air was breezy. There was a fountain with cold clean water so I filled all our water jugs. I enjoyed the cool air and strong winds. Just as I got comfortable, Crystal brought me the latest scoop. We would be staying at the Village Inn campground just past Manitowoc, by Two Rivers, I kicked into gear because Crystal wanted to organize the trailer. Really I knew that meant that we would get to the road around noon the next day. As I ran, I passed plenty of large estates. The homes were majestic and they overlooked the water. I could hardly believe there were so many structures, and they were all for sale.
We had to pick up some food before reaching the campground since our supplies were running low. We arrived at our immaculate site after sunset. They had great facilities, a swimming pool, and a game room. The moonlight glistened off the water and our neighbors were quiet. Crystal had received a free movie from the redbox so our evening was spent relaxing. Wisconsin was filled with beautiful places and beautiful people.
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