july 16
day 68
27 miles
total 1,781
can anything top running under a moonless sky far from anywhere?
one thing can.
sharing the experience with someone who has lived their entire life in the city.
imagine getting to share the first sight of the milky way, the big dipper, shooting stars, and the astonishing density of a billion pinpricks of light as a backdrop for the bigger stars.
it was one of the biggest treats of a trip filled with treats.
towards the end of the day we limped thru o’neill, a city founded by irish immigrants led by general john o’neill in the 1870’s.
despite the dubious reputation and record of o’neill, his namesake city proudly proclaims itself the “irish capital of nebraska”.
the streets, sidewalks, and buildings are emblazoned with shamrocks
and as you would naturally expect
the high school athletic teams are called…..
the eagles?
i finished off my day with a totally unique taste sensation;
an irish quesadilla from a food truck.
that was about the only choice,
since o’neill is closed on mondays.
my 27 miles was a little disappointing,
but i was an hour late starting due to the recurring stomach issues
and just did not move as well as i had hoped.
all i can do is get showered and in bed as quickly as possible
and try to do better tomorrow.
at least i am pretty sure i am over halfway now.
and i ought to pass 1800 miles tomorrow.
that ought to lend some credibility to the attempt.
because, as the old saying goes, “if you ain’t done 1800, you ain’t done nothing.”
laz