What do you do before your morning coffee at 5am?  Unpack your backpack and see what else you can cut!  Then a check on temps – 45 degrees – a grab of my beloved puffy coat and out to watch the colors of the sky change as the sun comes up.  What a beautiful and peaceful place.  The sounds of the town stray dogs crowing (or rather barking), the crisp air, and the smells of fireplaces lingering from the night before.  It looks to be a good day!

My rookie move for this race is gorilla gluing my gaiters to my running sneakers last night (as opposed to having them stitched).  What did I know when i realized that i could no longer feel my fingertips as the glue sweat right through the adhesive as i held it on for dear life.  Last night was a mad search online for hints as to how to remove —- nope, no nail polish remover with me – sorry —— file it off, wow, that takes fingerprints too, right?  A bit of alcohol, some mad washing with warm water and soap and loads of lotion and I think i may be normal by another day or so.  Who knew that an iPhone touch screen wont log your swipes or types when you have super glue on your finger tips?   Oh the things you learn when you try new things!  I just have to laugh.  And say thank you for a Bluetooth separate keyboard for my phone to keep me running.

I see more race patches, friendly waves, and hellos as people arrive.  I was thrilled to run in to Karen from Australia last night when I took a stroll to town.  We immediately recognized each other from the Patagonia race last year and she shared with me that we are in the same tent!  Fabulous!  We have 8 in our tent – Karen and I being 2 of 3 ladies.  Limited conversations with the evening staff at the Hotel led to chats of how much the love NY and how we have so much great music.  The town is like something from the old Wild West — dusty dirt roads, flat abode buildings, doorways opening to small shops of trinkets, groceries and Internet cafes.  Lots of old 1980’s tunes playing from the local restaurants and bars intermixed with a church congregation singing hymns loudly —— everyone’s doors and windows opening releasing the beautiful cacophony in to the desert air.  A very full moon hanging above lighting the eyes and faces of stray dogs about, faces friendly, tails wagging, although many just taking a snooze anywhere they wish.  I cant wait to see it all by day today. 

I am including a video of sunrise and barking dogs and hoping the WiFi will whisk it up to you here….. the day ahead is to finalize packing, make sure those gaiters will stick, and an info session from Ash, a runner who has done the Atacama route many many times.  I would bet knowledge and advice will ping me to repack yet once again. You all must think me crazy.  #29 signing off for now…..