39 Miles of Uncertainty, Kindness, and a Rollercoaster of Sleep Plans

I woke up before 6 AM, determined to be packed and ready by 6:30. Andres, my host's son from last night, had prepared breakfast for me—complete with a piece of pie. A sweet start for what I knew would be a long day on the road.

Just after 7 AM, I set off, still carrying some nervous energy about the wildfire situation. As I ran out of Cerro Alto, I had to pass through thick, smoldering smoke. I wasn’t sure what the dark clouds ahead meant—should I stop and ask someone? At mile 6, a police car pulled up beside me. The two officers inside were friendly and reassured me that I was safe to continue in this direction. That was exactly what I needed to hear.

Further along, a man at a gas station saw me coming and ran alongside me. When I stopped, he introduced himself as someone working for a TV station, but I told him I had to keep going. Other than that, there weren’t many interactions today—just me, the open road, and a temperature that was perfectly cool for running. I stopped now and then for some food and photos but mostly ran straight through.

When I finally arrived in San Ramon, my chosen destination, I asked at a small minimercado if they knew of a place to sleep. No luck. So I moved on to a cafeteria, where the ladies working there were incredibly kind. They helped me immediately and offered me a room. Relieved, I unpacked all my things and settled in. I even started tackling some of the to-dos on my list.

Then came the twist. A knock on the door. One of the girls informed me that the room was actually reserved for someone else, but I could camp beside the house instead. I sighed, packed up my things again, and moved outside. I recharged some devices, went grocery shopping for tomorrow, and checked where the wind would be least strong before setting up my tent. I was almost done when the owner of the house came out and told me I couldn’t camp there after all.

At that point, exhaustion and frustration started to creep in. After 40 miles of running, thinking I had a room, then setting up camp in vain, I felt a bit pissed, to be honest. The lady first said someone would help me find another place, but I decided to take matters into my own hands. I went back into town, asking at a panadería. A kind couple told me about some cabañas, but when I got there, they were closed.

I wandered back and forth, unsure where to go. I asked a few more people along the way, then finally stopped at a place where three young people were sitting in a car. Matthias, sitting in the back, spoke some English right away. I asked him, quite directly, if I could camp in his garden. He said he lived with his mom and would ask her.

Yes! A place to sleep!

I pitched my tent, put everything inside, and was then invited to dinner. We talked using Google Translate, and I enjoyed the food immensely. Before I could take a shower, they handed me a towel, soap, and explained to me how to use the warm water. Then, just as I was getting ready to settle in for the night, they offered me a bed inside. At first, I declined since I had already set up my tent, but they insisted. So, for the second time today, I took my tent down again.

They prepared a beautiful, cozy bed for me, and I couldn’t have been more grateful. Thank you, Matthias, Daniella, Margarita, Nebliana, Ninja the puppy cat, Domingo and Mono the dogs, and all the chickens and the rooster outside. Once again, I was treated with more kindness than I ever could have asked for.

Now, it's time to sleep. Tomorrow, I think I’ll be facing some big hills. Good night!