The big issue was the weather. It was due to get up to 31 degrees for the high. But when I left the house at 1:00 p.m., it was far from being that warm. How would I keep my liquids from freezing while making the several hour ambulation from our delta residence to my father-in-law's home in the hills. Consequently, I asked my old friend, Lynn Watts, how much anti-freeze I needed to add to my Gatorade to keep it from freezing. He said, "Fifty/fifty ought to be about right." After looking around the house and finding no ani-freeze, I decided to chance it.
It was 21 degrees out when I began my journey. I made it down the street, over the bridge, out Grenada Blvd, down Bowie Lane, and across Highway 82. Not far out Humphrey's Highway, a small car pulled out from a side street. The passenger's window came down and an African-American female, threw a hand up and yelled, "Hey Dr. Hodge." Obviously, she was a former student, but only getting a glimps of her, I didn't know how former: last semester? a year ago? five years ago? This is one reason I love my job. These brief interactions that I have from time to time, remind my that my job is important, that my life touches people, that I am having an impact.
I shuffled on down the highway. Not much later, a black pickup truck passed. An arm shot out the window in a wave. He turned onto a side road and yelled out ". . . Hodge . . . ." That's all my mind could decipher from his words. Another former student, no doubt.
I shuffled on occasionally stopping to pee, or take a Gu, and just walk for a bit. I stopped my watch when I wasn't running, recording only the running distance. Making it to the big hill, I wondered if I could make it up without stopping. Last time out here, I did. This time out here, I did. But like every other time, it hurt. We should call it Pain Hill because if you go up it on foot, you will feel it for sure. Instead of turning onto County Road 231, however, I kept straight on what they now call Highway 23, going on to what we used to call the Stone Road. Now I think they call it County Road 177.
It was getting dark when I made it to 177, a gravel road we used to own land on. I saw some animal on the road up ahead. I never was sure what it was. A deer, a pig, a dog? I shuffled on. It grew dark, but not too dark for me to recognize part of the old Hodge Ski Lodge. This 40 acres was the last part of our land we sold. I was surprised to see a trailer on it. The new owner lives on the coast, a hunting camp, I presume.
Shortly after passing part of the old Ski Lodge, I hit County Road 231 and turned back towards Hillbilly Heaven. It was getting colder now, but I was close, going to survive one more run from Greenwood to here. Only minutes later, I turned into the driveway at HBH and turned off my watch for the last time that day. I had shuffled 13.28 miles and walked probably another three maybe four more miles. It was nice to get inside and instead of cool down, warm up. It was then time for family and food. Life is good.
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