8/11/2015
Crystal and I woke up to a wonderful breakfast of champions. Our hosts Oceany and Pa Der had prepared a nutrition packed breakfast. The scent of scrambled eggs kick started my salivary glands. I began my meal with some almonds and fruit. It was a nice combination of pure protein and a dose of sweetness. I ate a large portion of scrambled eggs and several English muffins to put fuel in my tank. I had the feeling that we wouldn’t have too many breaks on this day.
We departed for Hudson early to resume the journey. We met up with Victor in front of the library. He came sprinting up to us with boundless energy. Victor was a nineteen year old college student but he looked as if he were still in high school. We shot a quick video before setting our legs in motion. We ran along the St. Croix river until we hit the bridge that connected Wisconsin and Minnesota. Electricity ran through my body as my two running buddies ushered me into the twenty-seventh state of this journey. Wow!! What a feeling. We ran in sync as a tight unit. But more importantly we ran with smiles. Oceany and Crystal were on the bridge ahead of us documenting the moment.
Farmland and countryside provided us with vast views. Only a couple clouds wafted in the light blue sky. The even temperature inched upward just like we inched upward on the hills. There were once again a couple of hills before us. We ran in the zone for a while and stopped at the halfway point for a hydration break. Pa Der had a hydration pack that she filled with ice cubes. At that moment I thought of how wonderful it would be to have on me a constant supply of cool water. Ahhh.
The sides of the street narrowed every so often and we would fall into a single file formation. Each of us took turns in front. After a few more miles Victor wished us well for the rest of the day. We said good bye at a public library and I grabbed another couple sips of water before Pa Der and I got back onto the road. We were close to St. Paul and our surroundings had become suburban.
As we closed in on the end point, Pa Der’s energy level found another gear. Her stride seemed to lengthen and her pace seemed to quicken. It was awesome to see her finish the day so strong. A few blocks before our destination Oceany passed us in the car with their daughter Alexi and her friend Maddy. The girls waved and cheered us on. In between the shouts of encouragement, Alexi snapped photos and shot video. Before we knew it, we were standing at Mears Park in the heart of St. Paul. Nineteen miles finished, twenty-seven states under my feet, and a great group of new friends. Nothing could have been better.
We finished pretty early in the day and my midday hunger had already set in. We hurried back to the house and heated the left over Indian dishes. Pa Der had also prepared a refreshing kale salad with a light flavorful dressing made from just oil and vinegar. The vegetation included cranberries, nuts, and feta cheese for texture and taste. After we finished lunch I began to settle into bed. Just as I closed my eyes, Mitch and Mindy arrived from Hmong News 3. I began my interview with droopy eyes but quickly overcame the sandman. We had stepped outside to tape the interview on the patio and the scent of the grass woke me up. I was ready to chat.
After the interview, we had the special treat of going to the Hmong Village. It was dinner time already. It was funny the way time just flew. Where did it go? We had all kinds of treats to try. Sofia, Maddy’s mom, had bought sweet creamy iced drinks with tapioca. At the same time Ocean and Pa Der were such great hosts. I watched them hunt down vegetarian food for me to eat. The Chinese broccoli was crunchy and the red rice seemed to have a heartier taste than white. I had taro root bread with pickled green veggies that crunched in my mouth. The place reminded me of places I frequented in Taiwan and Singapore. It felt familiar and homey. I was content and sleep would be great.
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