Day and Night 77 - Loving this!

As I start my 77th day on the road, it is 3 am, and I'm with my sister, Sheryl. We start early, mostly due to the fact it's going to be 99 degrees today, and at least 40 miles is on the agenda. It's well worth the lack of sleep to move down the road : 1) with less traffic, 2) being able to be on the road (because there's no shoulder for the first 15-20 miles, and 3) no sun beating down. We will head towards Williamsburg, with the final destination as Newport News.
As we begin, it's quiet outside. Very few cars. The likelihood of someone calling the police is lessened. We enjoy being on the road. There's multiple times we hear rumbling in the trees/woods to the side of us. It's probably just deer, but you can't help but wonder? We are going to get as many miles in, at a decent pace, before traffic - and the heat - get to us. We are chatting, and enjoying the moment. How many times in life does this happen?! I would tell you it's cool outside, but it's not. It's warm, muggy and humid. That's okay, as I'm a fan of hot weather.
As we come in Williamsburg, we are able to get on the sidewalk, for some of the time. (Williamsburg is such a cute town! I really love the "look" of it. It receives a high rating from me.....clean, well-kept). I'm always happy when I'm in a town, and there's decent sidewalks. It's safe, and the morning traffic is not disrupted. It's a win-win. We move on towards Newport News. To my surprise, Newport News is only 5-7 miles down the road. The interesting thing is the city is almost 20 miles long down US60! So, I'm in it quick, but in it for most of my miles today. Best part? Lots of sidewalks AND shade!! I'm loving this. After yesterday's ordeal of being in the grass for miles, this day is a breeze. As we come into Newport News, the temperature is ramping up fast. Sheryl decides to cool down in the car with David, as I keep moving. Great job, Sheryl! That was well more than a marathon. Awesome job!!
The sidewalk continues, shade off and on, I have plenty to drink, and I move. I have my "cadence" music going to keep me consistent in this blazing heat. I'm feeling great, my feet are cooperating (no new rubbing spots!), and I'm just moving through Newport News easily. I'm so excited to be there. I just need to keep going through the city as much as possible. While I'm out there, David and Sheryl go on down toward Virginia Beach, to check the route out. There's a tunnel that I'm not allowed to go through on foot. Both John and I will each have to ride through it. That's just the way it is. Like the bridge back across the Mississippi River. Some areas are off limits to pedestrians, and options are nill. It's not the end of the world, as we have come to accept the things we can't control. After the tunnel issue, I will be back out on the road, and onto US60 heading to Virginia Beach, tomorrow!
So, while David and Sheryl are out scoping the course, I'm moving down US60 through Newport News. After about a total of 40 miles, I call it a day, today. We are staying at the Key West Motel here. Yes, it's hopefully, the last motel I will be in for awhile. (I'm hoping to stay in a hotel tomorrow night!!!). That will leave around 35-ish miles tomorrow.
If your thinking what I'm thinking, it's surreal that tomorrow is the final day. I'm excited, I'm sad, I'm happy, and I'm relieved. My emotions are all over the map. I know my husband will be glad it's all over, as his worrying can cease. He never dreamed I would be alone, out here, for so much of this trek. It's shown me I have the ability to care for myself, to face my fears, to trust the process, how deep my faith is, and the ever-lasting good nature of people. What I thought this trek was going to "be like", has been far from that. Reality is shocking. I learned that I'm stronger than I ever imagined. And I don't just mean strong-smelling.
I'm relaxed tonight, as I prepare mentally for tomorrow. I'm physically ready, after 77 days, my body is well trained for the miles. Our bodies are machines. As long as our mind says we can do it, we can do it. I'm preparing my mind to accept that this adventure is ending. That will be a process in itself. And on-going. I love it so much, it's going to be hard to let go of this trip.
Hygiene report:
The Key West Motel has laundry facilities! I wash my running clothes.....for the last time. They have a stintch to them that will never wash out. I will have to discard them after tomorrow. My running shoes are horribly smelly, as well. And my right pinky toe has wore a hole right through the shoe. There's a hole in my shoe. They just need to make it one more day. I'm on my last pair of socks. How did I do that?! This will be the last time I apply multiple band aids to my feet in the morning. I showered in a shower, standing on a towel, for fear of who-knows-what, for the last time. My who-knows-how-this-coffee-will-taste question will no longer be a daily question. Drinking warm drinks will become a thing of the past. And wearing the same thing for 78 days will cease.
But what about my cart? I'm not planning on taking it back to Texas. It now has approximately 3100 miles on it. Will someone on Virginia Beach want it?
Many things to consider!
It won't surprise you to know I'm going to start early in the morning, again. This time, I will go out this motel door at 2:30am. I will have mixed emotions. Mostly, excitement, though. I'll think about the days, the miles, and how fast it has gone by. I'll be thinking about all the people I met, and how everyone has helped me, and supported me, in a trek that seems unconventional by most. The question of "Why?" may never have a definitive answer. And that's okay.

I'm happy to have family here to see me through this. I need them. They fuel me. And the day will be a special one. I'll never forget it, I feel sure. But it's going to be the journey that stays in my heart.

See you tomorrow,
Cyndi