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6/5/2011

Rain washed out the entire morning. So much for starting my new early morning routine. I was planning to take a day off anyway so perhaps this was my opportunity. I relaxed until one o’clock. Then the rain stopped and my wandering spirit began to nag at me. I listened to that little gypsy voice in my head, I packed my things and I took off. The conditions were fair but there was humidity in the air. Since I was supposed to take the day off I chose to casually walk around and see if I could find a campsite.

What I found on this day was everything Lincoln. How fabulous! We learn things about him in school and we know he emancipated the slaves but, to be here brings me closer to the spirit of the man. He becomes so real...

6/5/2011

The previous day’s sun drained me of all my energy. It was ninety degrees today, two degrees cooler than yesterday. It didn’t feel like it. Again ran through miles and miles of cornfields. Illinois is the state of Lincoln. I wonder if the landscape has changed all that much since his day. I mean the fields. Clearly the cities are much more developed and there is urban sprawl. But, for the most part, as I run past the old country homes, I could picture a young Abe Lincoln running around in the fields. I imagine a happy childhood of the man who would emancipate the slaves.

Punching out the first nine miles to Divernon was cake. But, my days go through many stages. Upon arrival of this little town, I discovered the gas stations where I planned to refill my refreshments were closed...

6/3/2011

Woke up from a great sleep and called my mom to wish her a happy birthday. I always thought we would be celebrating her birthday together on the road. Unfortunately it didn’t get to happen this year. After chatting for a good portion of the morning, I was ready to take off. I had a plan sketched out in my head but I was winging it partly as well. I was either going to run twenty-two miles or thrity-one.

When I stepped outside and felt the humidity I wanted to run right back into the room and turn the AC on. But I pushed forward as always. The day seemed to pass pretty quickly. I ran from the bottom of one bridge to another. I had to take shade as often as possible because it was a scorcher...