8/10/2015
The day started off on the wrong foot. I missed a turn and lost my way for a couple of miles. I was lucky to hit a road that connected me back to my route. My bliss lasted for another couple of minutes until I felt little drops of water cooling my engine. These drops were followed by a cold wind; which I thought came from the dark clouds in the distance. I continued forward and took the refreshing droplets as a blessing. That was until the gusts grew stronger. Out of nowhere the precipitation became denser. My field of vision seemed to look like a very dark grey. I fled for the nearest awning I could find. A furniture store which was closed for Sunday was my salvation and shelter. They had plastic patio furniture sitting outside, on display. I tried to wait out the storm but there seemed to be no end in sight.
Crystal eventually pulled up to the shop. I had to fight my way to the trailer. Even though she parked a couple feet away from my shelter, my clothes got drenched. As I continued to wait my eyelids succumbed to sleep. I must have been tired because I couldn’t even keep my eyes open for lunch. When I woke up, it was five o’clock and I had twenty miles of road ahead of me. I had to reach the AmericInn Suites if I wanted a hot soak. I quickly gobbled up the eggs that Crystal had prepared, guzzled a bunch of water, left a note, and then headed towards my destination. I kept a light pace even though I wanted to reach the hotel before dark. I didn’t want to work my legs too hard because I had runners which had committed to joining me for most of the days this week.
The scenery had been pretty much the same as all the other farmland but the hills continued to roll. I checked into the hotel around eight and immediately took advantage of the tub. Steam rose from the healing solution and I submerged my body in seek of a magical recovery. The methol scent invaded my nose and my pores. The combination of mint sports alcohol and Epsom salt left my body limp and relaxed. I gingerly stepped out of the tub as my skin experienced a cool tingling sensation. I would be ok for the next day. The same could not be said for all the little bugs that had hit my chest while running. They made my tub look like I had dumped a packet of pepper into the water. Funny, I had never noticed them splattering against my skin.
Morning came quickly. I had a huge breakfast with sweet strawberries on top of my waffles. Just after my meal I received a text from Heidi informing me that she and Jake were on their way. I kicked myself into gear and started another soak. Little did I know, Jake and Heidi would arrive a tad early. I scrambled to get ready so I didn’t keep my friends waiting too long.
We got on the road and chatted while we ran. I couldn’t believe how good the state of Wisconsin had been to me and Crystal. We had places to stay and great company. Jake and I became fast friends. I enjoyed our steady pace. We laughed a lot and even goofed around on the route. When we reached the signs that measured the speed of vehicles we decided to clock ourselves. Of course the sign was located on an incline. We quickly realized that there was much more climbing in our future. Once again the hills rolled. They even progressively grew steeper and longer. Despite it all we finished strong by the Hudson library. It overlooked the St. Croix. At that point, I sent a message to my friend Pa Der and informed her that everything was on schedule. She was happy to hear that I had survived another day safe and sound. She had invited Crystal and me to dinner that evening so we were very excited.
Of course, the first order of business was lunch. Crystal and Heidi zoomed back to us from Minnesota. Everyone was starving at that point. We relaxed at a place that overlooked the water. It was an outdoor seat with plenty of shade and a nice breeze. I ordered a vegetarian bowl of course. It was packed with quinoa, edamame, and lots of greens. We followed the meal with a trip to ice cream shop. We had run through the heart of dairyland without consuming an ice cream. That was a no no. Heidi made sure we had a rich cold tasty ice cream cone before we finished off the state. My blueberry waffle ice cream topped off Wisconsin. I could say without hesitation it had proved to be one of my favorite states to date.
Pa Der and her husband had graciously invited us to stay at their house. We were so honored that they would open their home to us. We had thought that it was going to be a night in the trailer. Instead it was dinner with friends at a delicious Indian restaurant. I got to meet an entirely new group of running friends that would continue to propel my feet forward. I let Crystal order our favorite Indian dishes. I laughed a lot with my friends from the Hmong marathon runners group. I was excited to hit the road with them the next day. But for that moment I was content to enjoy great conversation and another tasty meal. There wasn’t anything I could think of that would make the day more perfect.
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