Second to last day in Mississippi, and it was definitely a memorable one. We picked up right where we left off, just outside Belzoni. We got moving at a real good pace. I know we've been saying this a lot, but I'd say today was the best we've all felt on the same day. The last three days or so have been a real struggle for me. I've been having trouble catching my breathe and have had no energy. Today, however, I felt just about 100% for the first time in a while.
We pushed on for about 11 miles until we got to a crossroad just outside Hollandale. The GPS suggested we take Tribbett Road, a small dirt road with an old gate at the end of it. We had a quick team meeting and decided we'd go for the dirt road. We were all pretty unsure, but our thirst for adventure helped us push on. The further we got down the road, the less of a road it became. It started as a well maintained dirt road, and eventually became a path mostly covered in grass. After about 5 miles, we ran into the most interesting part of the day. It seems Tribbett Road has been a road less traveled for a few years now. We found ourselves surrounded by thick brush and turning around was not an option. We had to make it through pricker bushes and deep mud, down a steep incline, and forge a creek all while carrying the jogger. It was an interesting and unforgettable challenge. We eventually made it across with a few losses. Our front tire was flat, and we're pretty sure Ken's water-proof pants are no longer water-proof and now resemble Swiss cheese. We had a few more miles on Tribbett, which went by pretty quick since it was much more of a road than it had been the first few miles. We made it to the end and headed down route 438 where we met back up with my parents. Papa D had such a great time yesterday he decided he'd join us again. The 4 of us headed down the road with about 5 miles to go. The forecast had called for scattered thunderstorms all day, but we hadn't seen a drop. We asked Papa D if he thought it would rain and he assured us it wouldn't. Sure enough a few minutes later a cold rain started to drop on us. We all scurried around for our raincoats and by the time we were all prepared for the rain it had stopped.
We finished up in Arcola, a bit ahead of our original stopping point we had planned. The last few days we've been running a bit extra in an effort to gain an extra day off. If all goes to planned we'll make it to Crossett on Monday, and take our third day off on Tuesday. This way we'll have a day to play around with and still be on schedule for our May 26th date with The Pacific. With an extra day we'll be able to rest up if we're sore/sick, enjoy more time if we happen to meet some great people, or split one of our 40+ days into two days.
Tomorrow we plan on crossing The Mighty Mississippi River (a day ahead of schedule). We'll have 3 states down, and be 1/4 of the way done with our total mileage for the trip. I personally don't like thinking about things this way, but I know Ken loves it.
Keep moving,
-Durkin
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Day 28
Greetings from Belzoni, Mississippi - the Catfish Capital of the world! We are currently back at the hotel in Indianola, about 30 miles North of today's stopping point, thanks to the Durkin's and resting comfortably. They picked us up after covering about 25 miles in just under 5 hours earlier this afternoon. More on that in a minute but let me first start with our morning.
Our alarm went off at the usual time of 7am and it seemed we were less than excited to get moving. I checked on the photos that we updated last night as Matt and Ken got a few more minutes of sleep. If our days aren't busy enough trying to run, walk or hobble through the running portion of it, we also have to type up the blog and get our photos uploaded in a timely manner in order to please our ever growing audience. At times it can be stressful trying to get everything done during the day but when we read emails or view the guestbook, I know it is all worth the extra effort. Keep up the support and we'll keep the photos coming.
Once we got moving, we headed over to the continental breakfast to see what she had to offer. A great little meal awaited us and waffles were on the menu. Ken read the paper and Matt drank as much orange juice as he could stomach in hopes to fight off his recent head cold. Mini Cini's were also plentiful as they had alluded us days before at Burger King. It was rewarding getting the last laugh on these delicious little treats.
We finally got the van packed up and were on the road just after 8. It was an hour drive back to Tchula where we left off the day before and the drive gave us a great preview of what was in store for the day. Nothing but open-flat roads with wide shoulder. We were dropped off by Papa and Mama D and started running at 9:15. It was a later start than we are use to but with our food and housing taken care of for the day it took a lot of pressure off us. All we had to do was run 25 miles and call it a day. No searching for places to eat or begging to put a tent in someones yard.
The weather was only 40 degrees when we got going but it quickly rose to the low 60s by the end of the day. It was a perfect day to run with a perfect road awaiting us. Traffic was minimal the entire day and we were able to enjoy our time out on the road. We didn't have to jump into the grass or push the cart up a hill trying to avoid traffic.
We ran parallel with a railroad track for the first 6 miles of the day and both the road and tracks stretched out as far as the eye could see. We eventually turned right and continued to follow route 12 that took us through a number of cotton fields and catfish ponds (what a combination). Ken had brought along his iPod and with Matt's speaker we were able to enjoy some music on the empty, lonely road - that brought us another mile closer to our goal. Ken made up a rule that you could only change the song we were listening to if you were pushing the jogger. It all worked out nicely until it was my turn to push and an O.A.R. song came on. O.A.R. is my favorite band but Ken and Matt have different musical tastes. I felt bad and after a few minutes changed the song. The music was a nice change of pace, especially on such a deserted road and it gave Ken a second bounce to his step. He was the most animated on the day and later told me that this was the best he has EVER felt on a run in his entire life. It made me laugh to watch him jump around and dance in the middle of the road as a song that he particularly liked came on. Just seeing how good he felt made me smile.
Although Matt is still fighting a head cold and had trouble catching his breath from time to time, today's run was by far the best we have had so far as a group. Everyone was feeling good and at times I felt as if I was sprinting in order to keep up with the guys. There was not much to see today as everything looked the same. However, we did see two crop dusting planes flying across the road and over head. One landed in an open field only a few hundred feet away from us.
Over the last couple of days Durkin and I have been working out the rules to a rock throwing game that we "invented". I use the word invented quite loosely because if you have ever thrown a rock into water before than you too have invented this game. Well anyways, the game goes like this: You throw a rock into any body of water (pond, lake, river, stream, puddle, etc) and if it lands cleanly into that body of water you earn a point. However, you are not allowed to throw two rocks into the same body of water and expect to gain additional points. If you shot but miss you are automatically back to zero and must start again. Whoever has the most points at the end of the day is declared the winner. There is also a challenge rule. Once you have earned 5 points you are able to challenge the other person to a shot they must attempt, regardless of how difficult it might be. If that person misses the shot they are set back to zero. If the person being challenged makes the shot, the person who challenged is reset back to zero. I hope these rules are not very difficult to follow because the game itself is fairly primitive.
Ken refuses to participate in this game as he calls it childish. Instead, he see how many times in a row he can throw a rock at Durkin without missing. He is currently up to 7.
We arrived on the outskirts of Belzoni just after 1:30 where Papa D joined us for the last 3 miles of the day. This was our third guest appearance of the trip after Scott in Savannah and the gang from Columbus, GA. I'm not sure if Ken said anything about it yesterday in his blog but it was refreshing to see a couple of familiar faces on the road. The four of us jogged down route 12 heading to Hollandale, our destination for tomorrow. After only a few minutes, Papa D exclaimed "Move over boys and let me get a crack at the buggy". He then pushed the jogger for close to 10 minutes which didn't bother us in the least. It felt like we just started running with him before we saw the van parked a few feet up the road. Mama D was walking toward us as she too didn't want to miss out on the fun. For the last few minutes she pushed the jogger back to the van. We finished strong as a group and I hope its the sign we are on an upswing physically.
The rest of the night we lounged around, resting and filling out stomach's. Matt and Ken took an afternoon nap (nothing new here) before we got a pizza for dinner. We just heard on the news that it is suppose to rain tomorrow but will still be in the low 60s. I hope we can get on the road early and avoid anything that might be coming our way. We have another 25 miles to travel and are getting closer and closer to the end of Mississippi.
Thanks for reading.
-Andy
PS: Just in case anyone didn't know, tomorrow is a leap day. We were talking about this a few weeks ago and discussed how we accidentally gained an extra day of travel because of it. Ken proclaimed to us that he would be having a kid on this day sometime in the distant future. We all wish you luck Ken!
Our alarm went off at the usual time of 7am and it seemed we were less than excited to get moving. I checked on the photos that we updated last night as Matt and Ken got a few more minutes of sleep. If our days aren't busy enough trying to run, walk or hobble through the running portion of it, we also have to type up the blog and get our photos uploaded in a timely manner in order to please our ever growing audience. At times it can be stressful trying to get everything done during the day but when we read emails or view the guestbook, I know it is all worth the extra effort. Keep up the support and we'll keep the photos coming.
Once we got moving, we headed over to the continental breakfast to see what she had to offer. A great little meal awaited us and waffles were on the menu. Ken read the paper and Matt drank as much orange juice as he could stomach in hopes to fight off his recent head cold. Mini Cini's were also plentiful as they had alluded us days before at Burger King. It was rewarding getting the last laugh on these delicious little treats.
We finally got the van packed up and were on the road just after 8. It was an hour drive back to Tchula where we left off the day before and the drive gave us a great preview of what was in store for the day. Nothing but open-flat roads with wide shoulder. We were dropped off by Papa and Mama D and started running at 9:15. It was a later start than we are use to but with our food and housing taken care of for the day it took a lot of pressure off us. All we had to do was run 25 miles and call it a day. No searching for places to eat or begging to put a tent in someones yard.
The weather was only 40 degrees when we got going but it quickly rose to the low 60s by the end of the day. It was a perfect day to run with a perfect road awaiting us. Traffic was minimal the entire day and we were able to enjoy our time out on the road. We didn't have to jump into the grass or push the cart up a hill trying to avoid traffic.
We ran parallel with a railroad track for the first 6 miles of the day and both the road and tracks stretched out as far as the eye could see. We eventually turned right and continued to follow route 12 that took us through a number of cotton fields and catfish ponds (what a combination). Ken had brought along his iPod and with Matt's speaker we were able to enjoy some music on the empty, lonely road - that brought us another mile closer to our goal. Ken made up a rule that you could only change the song we were listening to if you were pushing the jogger. It all worked out nicely until it was my turn to push and an O.A.R. song came on. O.A.R. is my favorite band but Ken and Matt have different musical tastes. I felt bad and after a few minutes changed the song. The music was a nice change of pace, especially on such a deserted road and it gave Ken a second bounce to his step. He was the most animated on the day and later told me that this was the best he has EVER felt on a run in his entire life. It made me laugh to watch him jump around and dance in the middle of the road as a song that he particularly liked came on. Just seeing how good he felt made me smile.
Although Matt is still fighting a head cold and had trouble catching his breath from time to time, today's run was by far the best we have had so far as a group. Everyone was feeling good and at times I felt as if I was sprinting in order to keep up with the guys. There was not much to see today as everything looked the same. However, we did see two crop dusting planes flying across the road and over head. One landed in an open field only a few hundred feet away from us.
Over the last couple of days Durkin and I have been working out the rules to a rock throwing game that we "invented". I use the word invented quite loosely because if you have ever thrown a rock into water before than you too have invented this game. Well anyways, the game goes like this: You throw a rock into any body of water (pond, lake, river, stream, puddle, etc) and if it lands cleanly into that body of water you earn a point. However, you are not allowed to throw two rocks into the same body of water and expect to gain additional points. If you shot but miss you are automatically back to zero and must start again. Whoever has the most points at the end of the day is declared the winner. There is also a challenge rule. Once you have earned 5 points you are able to challenge the other person to a shot they must attempt, regardless of how difficult it might be. If that person misses the shot they are set back to zero. If the person being challenged makes the shot, the person who challenged is reset back to zero. I hope these rules are not very difficult to follow because the game itself is fairly primitive.
Ken refuses to participate in this game as he calls it childish. Instead, he see how many times in a row he can throw a rock at Durkin without missing. He is currently up to 7.
We arrived on the outskirts of Belzoni just after 1:30 where Papa D joined us for the last 3 miles of the day. This was our third guest appearance of the trip after Scott in Savannah and the gang from Columbus, GA. I'm not sure if Ken said anything about it yesterday in his blog but it was refreshing to see a couple of familiar faces on the road. The four of us jogged down route 12 heading to Hollandale, our destination for tomorrow. After only a few minutes, Papa D exclaimed "Move over boys and let me get a crack at the buggy". He then pushed the jogger for close to 10 minutes which didn't bother us in the least. It felt like we just started running with him before we saw the van parked a few feet up the road. Mama D was walking toward us as she too didn't want to miss out on the fun. For the last few minutes she pushed the jogger back to the van. We finished strong as a group and I hope its the sign we are on an upswing physically.
The rest of the night we lounged around, resting and filling out stomach's. Matt and Ken took an afternoon nap (nothing new here) before we got a pizza for dinner. We just heard on the news that it is suppose to rain tomorrow but will still be in the low 60s. I hope we can get on the road early and avoid anything that might be coming our way. We have another 25 miles to travel and are getting closer and closer to the end of Mississippi.
Thanks for reading.
-Andy
PS: Just in case anyone didn't know, tomorrow is a leap day. We were talking about this a few weeks ago and discussed how we accidentally gained an extra day of travel because of it. Ken proclaimed to us that he would be having a kid on this day sometime in the distant future. We all wish you luck Ken!
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Day 27
I guess it's getting a bit late for an update, but alas...It is your all-time favorite blogger..Ken! We've been updating photos for a while now...so I guess we could give you all what you want, our daily update.
Our alarm clock went off at a nice and early 7am. Andy and Matt awoke very quickly...but I, however, wasn't so easily moved. I was up all hours of the night in our motel due to loud talking and the more frequent than occasional dog bark last night. I did not get to sleep until around 2:30 this morning. I eventually pulled myself from the bed and we got underway for the day.
Upon our exit from the motel room, we noticed that the air was still ridiculously cold from the night before, and Durkin pointed out that all the puddles around the area were frozen over....ICE....something that almost seemed foreign to us at this point. 3 guys from upstate New York, probably the ice capital of the universe, you would think we wouldn't be surprised, but we were fascinated!!
So we got moving at a little after 8am...we stopped at a gas station near the interstate about 3 miles down the road. The 3 employees all knew who we were by way of the news broadcast the night before!! We all loaded up on danishes, pop tarts, and gatorade, and ate outside in the warm sun until we were about ready to go.
Durkin was feeling 1 billion percent better today, so we were all happy about that. It was painful to watch him yesterday struggle through the sickness. We've all been there, sick in bed...not wanting to get up..but durkin being the absolute MAN he is, got up out of that bed yesterday and tackled the 17 miles like a pro. But anyways, he was good to go today! Andy's shins have still been giving him some problems, but are getting better, and my lower quad has been inching ever so much closer to being cured. In short, all of us seem to be getting to the point where we are all at full strength. We're not there yet, but I can feel it coming. I would say, give us a week and we will be feeling like kings.
We ran about 9 miles past the gas station and got lunch at Subway. I went with the Baja Chicken, and so did Durkin. Andy had his Steak and Cheese on the Three Herb and Cheese bread...he chose not to have it toasted, whereas Durkin and I went to toast-town. It was glorious.
The weather today was really clear, but very chilly and windy. The sun was shining all day...but it was definately not shorts and shirtless weather. Our pants and long sleeves were kept on all day. The terrain was extremely hilly as well. We went up and down all day, but it wasn't horrible, we got through it without any complaints. The terrain, in my opinion, was actually quite beautiful. There were rolling hills all around us, many times with goats and other such livestock roaming for as far as the eye could see. Countless times I thought to myself how incredibly lucky I was to be where I was at that exact moment. All three of us can say that we are extremely gifted to be given this opportunity to live out our dream to the fullest that we always wanted to. Each day we run to a place that we have never been to before. We meet new people that change our lives in the littlest, and even sometimes the biggest of ways. Every day we have new challenges, new jokes, new opportunities, and new sights that amaze and excite us. The horizon is the only direction we look to and we never look back. I love every minute out here.
Back to our day!! Boy, do I get off topic easily on this thing. Probably the most important part of our day was when Durkin's parents (we call them Momma and Papa Durkin) picked us up as we ended our day's run at a solid 25 miles. They flew down here today, rented a big red Mini-Van and came and picked us up. They're staying until Sunday, when we will cross the Mississippi River. Well, they picked us up, gave us some gatorades and homemade cookies, and then also brought us out to dinner. We went to the Lost Dog Cafe. All 5 of us ordered the Chicken Alfredo plate with a Sweet Tea. I polished it off in a mere minute and 58 seconds. It took the other rookies almost 10 minutes....they're pretty soft. But we were completely filled up curtousy of the Durkin's and they took us to the Best Western down the road...where I sit at this very moment.
Tomorrow, we're heading back to Tchula, and we will run 25 miles and hopefully end a couple miles past Belzoni, MS. All of us are on a real upswing I can feel it. We will be graced by the presence of greatness tomorrow as Papa Durkin will be running with us for a good portion of our run tomorrow. We are all very excited about that. It's always nice to run with someone else, but to run with someone so close to us is a real treat. We will definately be getting some good photos of all of us running together.
I just want to quickly give a quick out shout to some people who are very dear to my heart. My girlfriend Claire: you're encouragement is probably the reason I've made it this far, I love you. My Family...My neice Samantha and my nephew Nick: I miss and love you and I can't wait to see you :) Megret and Dad, Michelle, Colleen, Bill & Billy, Megan & Chris: miss you all! I also miss Terps...my dance company at Oneonta..GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU!!
All of you are now famous because you have been blogged on Nationrun.com!!
Sorry for blogging so late tonight! But thanks to all of you who check up on us regularly. It's nice to know we are so closely watched by all of those who we love so much.
Ken
Our alarm clock went off at a nice and early 7am. Andy and Matt awoke very quickly...but I, however, wasn't so easily moved. I was up all hours of the night in our motel due to loud talking and the more frequent than occasional dog bark last night. I did not get to sleep until around 2:30 this morning. I eventually pulled myself from the bed and we got underway for the day.
Upon our exit from the motel room, we noticed that the air was still ridiculously cold from the night before, and Durkin pointed out that all the puddles around the area were frozen over....ICE....something that almost seemed foreign to us at this point. 3 guys from upstate New York, probably the ice capital of the universe, you would think we wouldn't be surprised, but we were fascinated!!
So we got moving at a little after 8am...we stopped at a gas station near the interstate about 3 miles down the road. The 3 employees all knew who we were by way of the news broadcast the night before!! We all loaded up on danishes, pop tarts, and gatorade, and ate outside in the warm sun until we were about ready to go.
Durkin was feeling 1 billion percent better today, so we were all happy about that. It was painful to watch him yesterday struggle through the sickness. We've all been there, sick in bed...not wanting to get up..but durkin being the absolute MAN he is, got up out of that bed yesterday and tackled the 17 miles like a pro. But anyways, he was good to go today! Andy's shins have still been giving him some problems, but are getting better, and my lower quad has been inching ever so much closer to being cured. In short, all of us seem to be getting to the point where we are all at full strength. We're not there yet, but I can feel it coming. I would say, give us a week and we will be feeling like kings.
We ran about 9 miles past the gas station and got lunch at Subway. I went with the Baja Chicken, and so did Durkin. Andy had his Steak and Cheese on the Three Herb and Cheese bread...he chose not to have it toasted, whereas Durkin and I went to toast-town. It was glorious.
The weather today was really clear, but very chilly and windy. The sun was shining all day...but it was definately not shorts and shirtless weather. Our pants and long sleeves were kept on all day. The terrain was extremely hilly as well. We went up and down all day, but it wasn't horrible, we got through it without any complaints. The terrain, in my opinion, was actually quite beautiful. There were rolling hills all around us, many times with goats and other such livestock roaming for as far as the eye could see. Countless times I thought to myself how incredibly lucky I was to be where I was at that exact moment. All three of us can say that we are extremely gifted to be given this opportunity to live out our dream to the fullest that we always wanted to. Each day we run to a place that we have never been to before. We meet new people that change our lives in the littlest, and even sometimes the biggest of ways. Every day we have new challenges, new jokes, new opportunities, and new sights that amaze and excite us. The horizon is the only direction we look to and we never look back. I love every minute out here.
Back to our day!! Boy, do I get off topic easily on this thing. Probably the most important part of our day was when Durkin's parents (we call them Momma and Papa Durkin) picked us up as we ended our day's run at a solid 25 miles. They flew down here today, rented a big red Mini-Van and came and picked us up. They're staying until Sunday, when we will cross the Mississippi River. Well, they picked us up, gave us some gatorades and homemade cookies, and then also brought us out to dinner. We went to the Lost Dog Cafe. All 5 of us ordered the Chicken Alfredo plate with a Sweet Tea. I polished it off in a mere minute and 58 seconds. It took the other rookies almost 10 minutes....they're pretty soft. But we were completely filled up curtousy of the Durkin's and they took us to the Best Western down the road...where I sit at this very moment.
Tomorrow, we're heading back to Tchula, and we will run 25 miles and hopefully end a couple miles past Belzoni, MS. All of us are on a real upswing I can feel it. We will be graced by the presence of greatness tomorrow as Papa Durkin will be running with us for a good portion of our run tomorrow. We are all very excited about that. It's always nice to run with someone else, but to run with someone so close to us is a real treat. We will definately be getting some good photos of all of us running together.
I just want to quickly give a quick out shout to some people who are very dear to my heart. My girlfriend Claire: you're encouragement is probably the reason I've made it this far, I love you. My Family...My neice Samantha and my nephew Nick: I miss and love you and I can't wait to see you :) Megret and Dad, Michelle, Colleen, Bill & Billy, Megan & Chris: miss you all! I also miss Terps...my dance company at Oneonta..GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU!!
All of you are now famous because you have been blogged on Nationrun.com!!
Sorry for blogging so late tonight! But thanks to all of you who check up on us regularly. It's nice to know we are so closely watched by all of those who we love so much.
Ken
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Day 26
Last night the guys stayed in a motel and when they awoke this morning Matt and Andy felt the worst they have all trip. Andy said his muscles, joints shins and feet were all sore. Matt is sore as well, and on top of that he is now battling a cold. They went to go find breakfast and as they walked out the door they were greeted with windy, cold and rainy weather-in the low 40s. Not the greatest weather when you are already feeling terrible.
Sonic fast food establishments are not located in upstate New York, but they always see the commercials, so they have been dying to visit one. They found one down the road but were let down when they were refused service because they didn't have a car. (You were served by pulling your car up to the 'ports' and press the service button and order.) Sonic alludes them once again! So they had to settle on BK. Matt wasn't able to eat as his stomach was off. After breakfast Ken and Matt went to CVS to look for some drugs for Matt. Andy was very disappointed in the King as he did not provide any cinnamon buns as the menu promises.
9:30am arrived and they got started. All were relieved to the fact that they only had 18 miles to do today. Around mile 6 they came upon an old army tank. Of course it had to be explored. Andy was able to even lift the hatch and climb inside. They got some pictures that will surely be great.
A Jackson Mississippi news station contacted the guys and stayed with them for about an hour today filming and interviewing. We will hopefully post that story soon.
They arrived in town around 2PM and got to the local post office to send out some mail. After that they went to one of the only two places to eat in town; a pizza shop. The plan was to camp out tonight, but with Matt feeling sick and the weather predicted to dip into the high 20s, they decided to stay at a hotel-the only one in town.
Tonight they ate dinner with Matt's brother's friend; Tony and his girlfriend Brooke. They ate at El Sombero, a Mexican place. Tony and Brooke drove up from Jackson, about an hour drive. The meal was, 'el fantastico.'
Matt's Mom and Dad; Mamma D and Papa D, are traveling from Albany to provide some support for the next couple of days starting tomorrow. It will be a welcomed change and will be nice to see some family members.
Sonic fast food establishments are not located in upstate New York, but they always see the commercials, so they have been dying to visit one. They found one down the road but were let down when they were refused service because they didn't have a car. (You were served by pulling your car up to the 'ports' and press the service button and order.) Sonic alludes them once again! So they had to settle on BK. Matt wasn't able to eat as his stomach was off. After breakfast Ken and Matt went to CVS to look for some drugs for Matt. Andy was very disappointed in the King as he did not provide any cinnamon buns as the menu promises.
9:30am arrived and they got started. All were relieved to the fact that they only had 18 miles to do today. Around mile 6 they came upon an old army tank. Of course it had to be explored. Andy was able to even lift the hatch and climb inside. They got some pictures that will surely be great.
A Jackson Mississippi news station contacted the guys and stayed with them for about an hour today filming and interviewing. We will hopefully post that story soon.
They arrived in town around 2PM and got to the local post office to send out some mail. After that they went to one of the only two places to eat in town; a pizza shop. The plan was to camp out tonight, but with Matt feeling sick and the weather predicted to dip into the high 20s, they decided to stay at a hotel-the only one in town.
Tonight they ate dinner with Matt's brother's friend; Tony and his girlfriend Brooke. They ate at El Sombero, a Mexican place. Tony and Brooke drove up from Jackson, about an hour drive. The meal was, 'el fantastico.'
Matt's Mom and Dad; Mamma D and Papa D, are traveling from Albany to provide some support for the next couple of days starting tomorrow. It will be a welcomed change and will be nice to see some family members.
Day 25-Day of Questions
Being out on the open road brings about a lot of free time; time to discuss life, goals, girlfriends and dreams. It also brings about a lot of questions. A few days ago the guys started playing, “Question of the Day.”
Today’s question was, “If given a million dollars, would you stop the run-and never have the option to attempt it ever again?”
Without a doubt Andy, Ken and Matt all said no-they are living a dream that a mere million dollars can’t take away. What would you do?
I apologize for posting today on yesterday’s events.
The guys awoke this morning and were picked up by Robby, who they had dinner with last night and went to a local biscuit shop for breakfast. They all dined on ‘egg McMuffin’ type of sandwiches before hitting the road at 8:00am. One note about the breakfast place was that you could write on the walls and leave messages-the guys definitely tagged the place with NationRun.
The day was to top out at 32 miles and the mood was slightly hindered as all the guys are battling minor injuries and overall soreness. Andy’s shin is still bothering him, Ken’s knee is slightly sore and Matt’s foot was giving him some trouble-the toll of being on the road for almost a month is catching up with them. The weather was awesome all day-in the upper 60s. By the end of the day all were shirtless.
About 5 miles into it they came upon an old abandoned car shop. There were pieces of rusted cars everywhere and the most exciting item of ‘lawn furniture’ was a car that had been tipped up horizontal, with its front end slightly buried into the ground. The guys all got a kick out of it, climbing in and around it, taking pictures.
With 16 miles left in the day they stopped for a short packed lunch on the side of RT. 14. Andy noted that RT 14 didn’t feel like a road, but more like a trail. It was lined heavily with tall, overgrown trees. It was really cool looking.
As you would guess there are a lot of dogs on the road and today was no different. The dogs they encounter are well trained; when they see the guys passing by they run at full force right up to their property line, but stop abruptly and bark at them. Often times the guys joke that they are soldiers and have been ordered to ‘hold the lines’ and ‘stand at attention.’ Today there must have been a whole battalion because as they passed by a house, 5 dogs, all of different sizes, charged at them. But like always they stopped at the edge of their property and barked. For some reason Ken thought this site and sound was hilarious. He stopped and grabbed his camera to video record the dogs. He said that the ‘different pitches of barking,’ made him laugh.
With no definite place to stay the night the guys decided to push beyond the planned 32 and go about 35 to make it to Kosciusko MS-which they last found out is the home town of Oprah. Their first duty was to find dinner. They found a small place called, ‘Rib Alley’ and enjoyed hamburgers and a salad bar. After dinner the local newspaper interviewed the guys and then it was off to find the local police station in order to secure a place to stay. As they walked around they noticed that the town had a real ‘All American’ feeling. It was not too big or small, but comprised of everything a person could ever need. In the center of the town was a small historical building, which was circled by a road with shops that lined it. (Think Columbus Circle in New York City, but on a much smaller scale).
They found the police station ad it was huge. They thought they would have no problem staying there. Matt even said, “if they don’t let us stay here tonight, what can we do to get in here?” Jokingly implying that he wanted to commit a small crime to get locked up for the night. But the police officers could do better; a free room at the hotel down the street.
Tomorrow they head back out on RT 14 headed to Durant MS. It will be a short day, about 18 miles which all are looking forward to.
Before hanging up with Andy I asked him what if it was $20 million dollars. All he replied with was, “DONESO!”
-Dan
Today’s question was, “If given a million dollars, would you stop the run-and never have the option to attempt it ever again?”
Without a doubt Andy, Ken and Matt all said no-they are living a dream that a mere million dollars can’t take away. What would you do?
I apologize for posting today on yesterday’s events.
The guys awoke this morning and were picked up by Robby, who they had dinner with last night and went to a local biscuit shop for breakfast. They all dined on ‘egg McMuffin’ type of sandwiches before hitting the road at 8:00am. One note about the breakfast place was that you could write on the walls and leave messages-the guys definitely tagged the place with NationRun.
The day was to top out at 32 miles and the mood was slightly hindered as all the guys are battling minor injuries and overall soreness. Andy’s shin is still bothering him, Ken’s knee is slightly sore and Matt’s foot was giving him some trouble-the toll of being on the road for almost a month is catching up with them. The weather was awesome all day-in the upper 60s. By the end of the day all were shirtless.
About 5 miles into it they came upon an old abandoned car shop. There were pieces of rusted cars everywhere and the most exciting item of ‘lawn furniture’ was a car that had been tipped up horizontal, with its front end slightly buried into the ground. The guys all got a kick out of it, climbing in and around it, taking pictures.
With 16 miles left in the day they stopped for a short packed lunch on the side of RT. 14. Andy noted that RT 14 didn’t feel like a road, but more like a trail. It was lined heavily with tall, overgrown trees. It was really cool looking.
As you would guess there are a lot of dogs on the road and today was no different. The dogs they encounter are well trained; when they see the guys passing by they run at full force right up to their property line, but stop abruptly and bark at them. Often times the guys joke that they are soldiers and have been ordered to ‘hold the lines’ and ‘stand at attention.’ Today there must have been a whole battalion because as they passed by a house, 5 dogs, all of different sizes, charged at them. But like always they stopped at the edge of their property and barked. For some reason Ken thought this site and sound was hilarious. He stopped and grabbed his camera to video record the dogs. He said that the ‘different pitches of barking,’ made him laugh.
With no definite place to stay the night the guys decided to push beyond the planned 32 and go about 35 to make it to Kosciusko MS-which they last found out is the home town of Oprah. Their first duty was to find dinner. They found a small place called, ‘Rib Alley’ and enjoyed hamburgers and a salad bar. After dinner the local newspaper interviewed the guys and then it was off to find the local police station in order to secure a place to stay. As they walked around they noticed that the town had a real ‘All American’ feeling. It was not too big or small, but comprised of everything a person could ever need. In the center of the town was a small historical building, which was circled by a road with shops that lined it. (Think Columbus Circle in New York City, but on a much smaller scale).
They found the police station ad it was huge. They thought they would have no problem staying there. Matt even said, “if they don’t let us stay here tonight, what can we do to get in here?” Jokingly implying that he wanted to commit a small crime to get locked up for the night. But the police officers could do better; a free room at the hotel down the street.
Tomorrow they head back out on RT 14 headed to Durant MS. It will be a short day, about 18 miles which all are looking forward to.
Before hanging up with Andy I asked him what if it was $20 million dollars. All he replied with was, “DONESO!”
-Dan
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Day 24
30 more miles on a beat up pair of running shoes. Today was a pretty big challenge for myself and the rest of the crew.
The day started off very nicely, Greg and Debra made us some delicious breakfast and got us back to where we finished up yesterday. We picked up some drinks at the gas station and got on our way towards Louisville. Ken and Andy have been hurting pretty bad the last few days so we got a slow start on the day, running 10 minutes and walking for 5 or so. The first couple days after a day off are usually the toughest for me, especially when its a 30 miler. It seems as soon as we get into the rotation of running every day we get a day off and then have trouble getting back into it, but that's just how it goes.
We slowly made our way down the road making jokes and checking out the sites. Over the last couple days we started a question of the day. Todays was an interesting one. We hadn't said a word to each other for about 20 minutes and Ken broke the silence with "Who do you guys think would win in a fight, The Incredible Hulk or a trillion ants?". Andy and I were unsure, The Hulk is pretty unstoppable, but a trillion of anything is a lot. We got some input from an authority on the topic, Phil Holden. Before we could even fully explain the scenario he shot back with "The Hulk! I know so much about The Incredible Hulk you have no idea!". Phil went on to explain to us how The Hulk has "that sonic clap" which would paralyze "most" of the ants. After Phil's testimonial Andy and I were pretty convinced The Hulk would wind up victorious, but Ken still supported the trillion ants.
For those interested, my moustache is growing in stronger and stronger every day. Give it a couple weeks and you might be able to notice it in pictures.
We eventually made it into town where we met up with Robby and Janice who showed us the way to our room for the night. We've been rolling on a domino effect of kindness that started with our friends back in Columbus, GA. They got us in touch with people all across Alabama including the folks at HERO in Greensboro, who got us in touch with folks in Eutaw who got us in touch with folks in Aliceville who got us in touch with folks in Macon who got us set up for today in Louisville. We can't stress enough how much we appreciate everyone who has helped us along the way. From people who take us into their homes to people who call us crazy and wish us good luck, this run wouldn't be the same without you! Sorry I got sidetracked there, anyways, Robby and Janice showed us where we were staying and brought us back to their place for some delicious steaks and mashed potatoes.
After that we made it back to our place at Lake Tiak-O'Khata. Teresa, the owner of this fine establishment was kind enough to put us up for the night. We're enjoying the lake front view and wireless Internet.
Tomorrow is a 32 miler followed by a string of shorter days and the arrival of Momma and Papa D.
I'd also like to congratulate the Oneonta State Track & Field team for their performances yesterday, I'm really proud of all of you guys!
Keep movin',
-Durkin
Today was kind of a weird day for me on the road. It was one of the longest days that we have had so far, taking us close to 8 hours to complete and it really gave me a lot of time to think about things. I am not going to get too emotional or personal because that's not the type of person I am but I will share some of my thoughts that I have had over the past few days. As Matt has already explained we have been blessed by some amazing people so far during our travels. They have welcomed us into their homes and have provided us with anything we might need or want and I do not believe this is by accident or chance. I recently have been thinking a lot about my grandparents and my cousin Philip. I know they are watching over us and helping us move across the country. They, along with every ones prayers, are keeping us safe while on the road and at night. We have been fortunate enough that so many kind strangers opened their homes to us and friended us in only a matter of hours. I was optimistic from the start of this trip that everything we might need will be shown to us. However, even I am blown away by the generosity that has already been shown to us. It is an amazing feeling to know so many people from all across the country are now rooting for us and following our journey daily. I said today was a weird day for me. Today was my cousin Philip's 21st birthday. He was in my thoughts and on my mind a lot today. Happy Birthday Phil. I know you are watching over me.
-Andy
The day started off very nicely, Greg and Debra made us some delicious breakfast and got us back to where we finished up yesterday. We picked up some drinks at the gas station and got on our way towards Louisville. Ken and Andy have been hurting pretty bad the last few days so we got a slow start on the day, running 10 minutes and walking for 5 or so. The first couple days after a day off are usually the toughest for me, especially when its a 30 miler. It seems as soon as we get into the rotation of running every day we get a day off and then have trouble getting back into it, but that's just how it goes.
We slowly made our way down the road making jokes and checking out the sites. Over the last couple days we started a question of the day. Todays was an interesting one. We hadn't said a word to each other for about 20 minutes and Ken broke the silence with "Who do you guys think would win in a fight, The Incredible Hulk or a trillion ants?". Andy and I were unsure, The Hulk is pretty unstoppable, but a trillion of anything is a lot. We got some input from an authority on the topic, Phil Holden. Before we could even fully explain the scenario he shot back with "The Hulk! I know so much about The Incredible Hulk you have no idea!". Phil went on to explain to us how The Hulk has "that sonic clap" which would paralyze "most" of the ants. After Phil's testimonial Andy and I were pretty convinced The Hulk would wind up victorious, but Ken still supported the trillion ants.
For those interested, my moustache is growing in stronger and stronger every day. Give it a couple weeks and you might be able to notice it in pictures.
We eventually made it into town where we met up with Robby and Janice who showed us the way to our room for the night. We've been rolling on a domino effect of kindness that started with our friends back in Columbus, GA. They got us in touch with people all across Alabama including the folks at HERO in Greensboro, who got us in touch with folks in Eutaw who got us in touch with folks in Aliceville who got us in touch with folks in Macon who got us set up for today in Louisville. We can't stress enough how much we appreciate everyone who has helped us along the way. From people who take us into their homes to people who call us crazy and wish us good luck, this run wouldn't be the same without you! Sorry I got sidetracked there, anyways, Robby and Janice showed us where we were staying and brought us back to their place for some delicious steaks and mashed potatoes.
After that we made it back to our place at Lake Tiak-O'Khata. Teresa, the owner of this fine establishment was kind enough to put us up for the night. We're enjoying the lake front view and wireless Internet.
Tomorrow is a 32 miler followed by a string of shorter days and the arrival of Momma and Papa D.
I'd also like to congratulate the Oneonta State Track & Field team for their performances yesterday, I'm really proud of all of you guys!
Keep movin',
-Durkin
Today was kind of a weird day for me on the road. It was one of the longest days that we have had so far, taking us close to 8 hours to complete and it really gave me a lot of time to think about things. I am not going to get too emotional or personal because that's not the type of person I am but I will share some of my thoughts that I have had over the past few days. As Matt has already explained we have been blessed by some amazing people so far during our travels. They have welcomed us into their homes and have provided us with anything we might need or want and I do not believe this is by accident or chance. I recently have been thinking a lot about my grandparents and my cousin Philip. I know they are watching over us and helping us move across the country. They, along with every ones prayers, are keeping us safe while on the road and at night. We have been fortunate enough that so many kind strangers opened their homes to us and friended us in only a matter of hours. I was optimistic from the start of this trip that everything we might need will be shown to us. However, even I am blown away by the generosity that has already been shown to us. It is an amazing feeling to know so many people from all across the country are now rooting for us and following our journey daily. I said today was a weird day for me. Today was my cousin Philip's 21st birthday. He was in my thoughts and on my mind a lot today. Happy Birthday Phil. I know you are watching over me.
-Andy
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Day 23
We have officially made it across two states! It's hard to believe but we are currently typing this up in Mississippi. We are staying with a lovely couple that was introduced to us by Lawrence and Tricia Lavender, whom we ate dinner with last night. Let me start with that.
Yesterday afternoon we left the library and returned to our motel room for the rest of the night...at least we thought. However, around 5:30 Lawrence and Tricia called our room and wanted to treat us to dinner. They had heard about us from their friends Rip and Ellen in Eutaw. It still amazes me that people are going out of their way in order to spend a few hours with us and listen to our story. This one was especially special considering they hunted us down in a motel room. Lawrence picked us up and we took a quick tour of his shop. He runs a steel business with his brother (Lavender, Inc.) right in downtown Aliceville. We drove around town before eventually heading over to his house, where we meet his wife and two other couples.
Lawrence had not known about our trip prior to that afternoon and his story of first spotting us was funny-at best. On Thursday we ran from Eutaw to Aliceville in a pretty hard rain storm. It didn't let up the entire day and we were soaked from head to toe by the time we finished. A few miles outside of town Lawrence told us he saw three "crazy women" pushing their babies in the rain. He didn't know what to think as he drove by us and headed home for the day. It was only later that he discovered it was us. Everyone had a good laugh at dinner and it was nice to break the ice.
Joining us for dinner were Irvin and Virginia Eatman and Tom and Connie Kay. For dinner we had steaks the size of our plates with beans, salad and garlic bread. The meal was delicious as we got to eat our first steaks of the trip. For dessert we sang an early happy birthday to Tom and enjoyed a double chocolate cake. After the meal we sat around the living room and talked for about an hour. It was truly enjoyable to casually chat about sports, our futures, as well as hearing personal stories from our new friends. Tom was a true character. Although he lives in the South, and has for his entire life, he is a New York Giant and New York Mets fan (my kind of guy).
Quick side note: I don't know if we have already mentioned this but we have two main goals for this trip. We brought it up to Tom last night as he seemed to know a great deal of people all across the country. First, we of course would like to finish the run and all be standing when we reach San Diego. Second, and perhaps most important, we would like to throw out the first pitch at a major league baseball game in the San Diego area. If anyone reading this has any connections and thinks they might be able to make this happen feel free to email us. Also, Ken wants a BMW.
We returned to the motel for some sleep ready to tackle another state in the morning. We were on the road by 8 and once again the weather was less than ideal. Much like the first days in GA and AL, today was cloudy, windy and cold. Matt and I were joking during the first part of the run that it's almost as if each state is testing us and trying to keep us out. The morning was fairly uneventful. We stopped for a few minutes to film a large group of cows and our second crop dusting plane of the trip.
Around 11pm we approached the MS state line and started to get excited. Unlike crossing into AL, the road we were traveling on was very light with traffic and we were all looking forward to stopping and taking pictures with the Welcome to Mississippi sign. As we continued to run, we could see in the distance that no such sign existed. We entered MS with nothing more than a change in the pavement and a small Noxubee County MS. sign greeting us. We were disappointed but made the best of it as I did push ups in the middle of the road, half my body in AL and half in MS as Matt took a quick nap in both states.
As soon as we crossed into MS the scenery changed from a sea of trees to flat open fields. We could see half a mile down the road and it was a nice preview for what to expect as we continue to get further west. We pushed on the next 14 miles with little excitement or surprises. With about 8 miles to go we ran into Paul, a professional road biker. We chatted with him for a bit before continuing on.
Like most days on the road we started to get strung out a bit with about 5 miles left in the day. Matt usually pushes the pace and takes the lead, I jog along the best I can in the middle and Ken is slightly behind. I wasn't feeling that great with the weather being gloomy and my shin bothering me a bit and I decided to put on my Ipod for the first time all trip. I had not listened to music since we flew into Savannah over three weeks ago and really wanted to hear something familiar. As soon as the first song came on it was like a breath of fresh air. My mood had changed dramatically and I suddenly realized why I was out here. It was just the thing I needed to regroup and continue on with our journey.
We finally made it into Macon around 3 and found our first drive-in restaurant of our trip. We ordered enough food for 6 people at Bumpers before being picked up by Debra and Greg Duncan. This great couple will be our host for the night, as they had only heard about our trip a few hours before. We were taken to their home where we showered before being taken out to dinner. Their house sits right on the river and has that outdoor-cabin feeling to it. It’s truly a beautiful house with a spectacular view. Once again the kindness of strangers stepped up when we least expected it to.
Tomorrow we are heading to Louisville, a good 30 miles away. We might have a family to stay with once again but if not its back to the tent for us. Whatever happens, I am looking forward to it and remain open-minded. Thanks for reading and for everyone’s continuous support.
-Andy
Yesterday afternoon we left the library and returned to our motel room for the rest of the night...at least we thought. However, around 5:30 Lawrence and Tricia called our room and wanted to treat us to dinner. They had heard about us from their friends Rip and Ellen in Eutaw. It still amazes me that people are going out of their way in order to spend a few hours with us and listen to our story. This one was especially special considering they hunted us down in a motel room. Lawrence picked us up and we took a quick tour of his shop. He runs a steel business with his brother (Lavender, Inc.) right in downtown Aliceville. We drove around town before eventually heading over to his house, where we meet his wife and two other couples.
Lawrence had not known about our trip prior to that afternoon and his story of first spotting us was funny-at best. On Thursday we ran from Eutaw to Aliceville in a pretty hard rain storm. It didn't let up the entire day and we were soaked from head to toe by the time we finished. A few miles outside of town Lawrence told us he saw three "crazy women" pushing their babies in the rain. He didn't know what to think as he drove by us and headed home for the day. It was only later that he discovered it was us. Everyone had a good laugh at dinner and it was nice to break the ice.
Joining us for dinner were Irvin and Virginia Eatman and Tom and Connie Kay. For dinner we had steaks the size of our plates with beans, salad and garlic bread. The meal was delicious as we got to eat our first steaks of the trip. For dessert we sang an early happy birthday to Tom and enjoyed a double chocolate cake. After the meal we sat around the living room and talked for about an hour. It was truly enjoyable to casually chat about sports, our futures, as well as hearing personal stories from our new friends. Tom was a true character. Although he lives in the South, and has for his entire life, he is a New York Giant and New York Mets fan (my kind of guy).
Quick side note: I don't know if we have already mentioned this but we have two main goals for this trip. We brought it up to Tom last night as he seemed to know a great deal of people all across the country. First, we of course would like to finish the run and all be standing when we reach San Diego. Second, and perhaps most important, we would like to throw out the first pitch at a major league baseball game in the San Diego area. If anyone reading this has any connections and thinks they might be able to make this happen feel free to email us. Also, Ken wants a BMW.
We returned to the motel for some sleep ready to tackle another state in the morning. We were on the road by 8 and once again the weather was less than ideal. Much like the first days in GA and AL, today was cloudy, windy and cold. Matt and I were joking during the first part of the run that it's almost as if each state is testing us and trying to keep us out. The morning was fairly uneventful. We stopped for a few minutes to film a large group of cows and our second crop dusting plane of the trip.
Around 11pm we approached the MS state line and started to get excited. Unlike crossing into AL, the road we were traveling on was very light with traffic and we were all looking forward to stopping and taking pictures with the Welcome to Mississippi sign. As we continued to run, we could see in the distance that no such sign existed. We entered MS with nothing more than a change in the pavement and a small Noxubee County MS. sign greeting us. We were disappointed but made the best of it as I did push ups in the middle of the road, half my body in AL and half in MS as Matt took a quick nap in both states.
As soon as we crossed into MS the scenery changed from a sea of trees to flat open fields. We could see half a mile down the road and it was a nice preview for what to expect as we continue to get further west. We pushed on the next 14 miles with little excitement or surprises. With about 8 miles to go we ran into Paul, a professional road biker. We chatted with him for a bit before continuing on.
Like most days on the road we started to get strung out a bit with about 5 miles left in the day. Matt usually pushes the pace and takes the lead, I jog along the best I can in the middle and Ken is slightly behind. I wasn't feeling that great with the weather being gloomy and my shin bothering me a bit and I decided to put on my Ipod for the first time all trip. I had not listened to music since we flew into Savannah over three weeks ago and really wanted to hear something familiar. As soon as the first song came on it was like a breath of fresh air. My mood had changed dramatically and I suddenly realized why I was out here. It was just the thing I needed to regroup and continue on with our journey.
We finally made it into Macon around 3 and found our first drive-in restaurant of our trip. We ordered enough food for 6 people at Bumpers before being picked up by Debra and Greg Duncan. This great couple will be our host for the night, as they had only heard about our trip a few hours before. We were taken to their home where we showered before being taken out to dinner. Their house sits right on the river and has that outdoor-cabin feeling to it. It’s truly a beautiful house with a spectacular view. Once again the kindness of strangers stepped up when we least expected it to.
Tomorrow we are heading to Louisville, a good 30 miles away. We might have a family to stay with once again but if not its back to the tent for us. Whatever happens, I am looking forward to it and remain open-minded. Thanks for reading and for everyone’s continuous support.
-Andy
Friday, February 22, 2008
Day 22
So incase you haven't been around us the last 24 hours you haven't missed all that much. We're making the most of this off day and totally relaxing. There have still been some pretty cool things happening, so I'll fill you in.
Last night after the library we all took some alone time for about 20 minutes. Andy went to CVS to pick up some soap and look for post-cards, I went to Jacks for a frosty cookies and cream milkshake, and Ken made his way back to the motel. We met back up at the motel and pretended to watch the Democratic Debate. It took about 20 seconds for Andy to figure out how things worked, one person says something and people clap, then someone else says something and everyone claps. It really didn't matter what they said, there were a few times people clapped when the candidates didn't even make points, it was completely inappropriate. After that we flipped around and iced our injuries.
This morning we woke up to a call from the motel management, telling us if we needed new towels we had to bring them our used ones. We were all in bed and none of us wanted to get up, Kens first words of the day were "Durkin you do it you're the fastest", I swear its a curse some times. Soon after that we were all up and found The Butterfly Effect on FX. It was my first time seeing it, it was alright. I'm bothered by the fact that it doesn't really have a moral or anything (if it does please explain it to me).
We then made our way back to Pearsons for lunch. Some of the locals who were there yesterday were there again and we talked to them about the history of Aliceville.
After another delicious meal we made our way back to the same library as yesterday. It was then I was told I had to write an update about a day where nothing really happened.
I got an e-mail from my college coach that said we're on the front page of www.letsrun.com which is pretty cool.
Other than that I've been e-mailing and trying to figure out my future. I really want to start coaching at a college somewhere starting in the fall, or get a graduate degree, or volunteer somewhere abroad, or become a pirate, who knows.
Also Ken wants a BMW waiting for him when we get to San Diego, we figure some one reading this Blog can make that happen, I dare you to!
That’s all for now, see ya'll in Mississippi!!
-Durkin
Last night after the library we all took some alone time for about 20 minutes. Andy went to CVS to pick up some soap and look for post-cards, I went to Jacks for a frosty cookies and cream milkshake, and Ken made his way back to the motel. We met back up at the motel and pretended to watch the Democratic Debate. It took about 20 seconds for Andy to figure out how things worked, one person says something and people clap, then someone else says something and everyone claps. It really didn't matter what they said, there were a few times people clapped when the candidates didn't even make points, it was completely inappropriate. After that we flipped around and iced our injuries.
This morning we woke up to a call from the motel management, telling us if we needed new towels we had to bring them our used ones. We were all in bed and none of us wanted to get up, Kens first words of the day were "Durkin you do it you're the fastest", I swear its a curse some times. Soon after that we were all up and found The Butterfly Effect on FX. It was my first time seeing it, it was alright. I'm bothered by the fact that it doesn't really have a moral or anything (if it does please explain it to me).
We then made our way back to Pearsons for lunch. Some of the locals who were there yesterday were there again and we talked to them about the history of Aliceville.
After another delicious meal we made our way back to the same library as yesterday. It was then I was told I had to write an update about a day where nothing really happened.
I got an e-mail from my college coach that said we're on the front page of www.letsrun.com which is pretty cool.
Other than that I've been e-mailing and trying to figure out my future. I really want to start coaching at a college somewhere starting in the fall, or get a graduate degree, or volunteer somewhere abroad, or become a pirate, who knows.
Also Ken wants a BMW waiting for him when we get to San Diego, we figure some one reading this Blog can make that happen, I dare you to!
That’s all for now, see ya'll in Mississippi!!
-Durkin
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Day 21
Ken here, comin' at'chya from Aliceville, Alabama, our last stop in our second state. We have no cell phone reception, so we have been forced into the world renowned Aliceville Public Library to bring you our 21st day recap. I sit amongst literally...thousands of books just waiting to be read...but alas we haven’t the time or desire to do so. So here goes Day 21:
We awoke this morning at a bright and early 6:45 in Eutaw, Alabama. Most of our stuff was still down at the Independent newspaper office, so getting ready this morning took no more than 15 minutes and we were ready to go by around 7. As we exited the beautiful house we had stayed in last night, we found the conditions to be less than desirable. It was raining and cold. Two things that do not usually add up to happy runners...especially 5-6 hour runners. Yet, as much of a shock the weather gave us, we decided we would prepare ourselves for the day.
Before that though, Rip Banks brought us to a local breakfast diner to fill our tanks for the day. I ordered a fried bacon, egg and cheese sandwich with 2 pancakes and I was good to go. Rip really grilled us, me in particular, on the subject of politics and world affairs...needless to say I was not as versed as he was in the happenings of the world. But we enjoyed the breakfast and the company. Rip then took us over and bought us some Gatorade for the day. After that, we headed back to the Independent to get ready for our 27 mile day in the rain.
We began at around 8:45. The rain was coming down pretty hard, so we all had our rainproof gear on head to foot. Andy's shin has been bothering him for the last couple of days, so we were expecting a pretty slow day from the beginning, but Andy really pushed through the pain and we were all together for the first 4-5 hours. At one point during the day I figured we were moving at exactly 5 miles an hour. Upon further investigation, I timed a certain 5 mile segment, and believe it or not, it was 5 mph to THE SECOND!! Yes, we get bored sometimes out on the open road and these are the things we do...well I do, to keep entertained.
So the day was dragging on, and the rain was relentless. Andy and I were getting more sore by the minute out there today. We were not as smart as we could have been as far as hydration and eating were concerned on this particular day. Fluids and foods were not our main priority, as it took a back seat to warmth and dryness. That, as we found out, was a big mistake. Our muscles and bodies were completely drained after about 23 miles. We walked/ran/limped into Aliceville after a very long and wet day on the road.
We eventually made our water-logged selves to the local Motel in town. We set up shop in room 115! Our new home for the next two nights. We all took amazingly warm and needed showers. Durkin told us that he tried something new in the shower that he had never done before...which consisted of eating a candy bar...he said it was very rewarding!
We then sought out food in the tiny little town. We found our way over a long bridge(once again, in the rain) to Pearson's Diner located on Broad Street. We all had ourselves the BBQ dinner plate, Andy and I also tacked on a Bacon Cheeseburger to start. After all the non-eating that took place, it was nice to play catch up. The employees at the diner were very impressed with our story, we basically were talking to them the entire hour or so that we were there.
From there, you will find our story ending here at the Public Library, which is where I sit as I type this very web update! I am at computer #4! I am without cell phone service, I cannot sign onto Instant Messenger to tell anyone I am alive, and I can't even sign onto facebook :( Oh well. I guess you will all find out that we are all alive and well with this update. We will soon head back to the motel for the night where we will rest and recover for the next day and a half. We have a scheduled day off tomorrow, so we will all be resting up for Saturday, when we will finish our march westward and cross into Mississippi!
Today was a real challenge if you could not tell from my words. The rain did not let up, and even with rainproof pants and coats, you will eventually find water on the inside. After about the 4 hour mark, we started getting colder, but once again we are safe underneath a roof. Our spirits are still high. I mean, when you look at the past 3 weeks of our journey...and you can only find one instance in which we had to battle the harsh rain...you could say that we're doing alright.
That's all the Kenster has for you today. It was a long one, but definitely an unforgettable one. A trip like this will always present us with new challenges from every angle imaginable...but we are all prepared for everything and we will face them with a determined spirit.
Thanks for checking up on us...please feel free to leave us voicemails so that when we have cell phone reception again...whenever that is, we'll have nice happy friends and family wishing us good luck! And sorry for everyone who might have been expecting a phone call tonight that probably won't get one. We still love you all.
-Ken
We awoke this morning at a bright and early 6:45 in Eutaw, Alabama. Most of our stuff was still down at the Independent newspaper office, so getting ready this morning took no more than 15 minutes and we were ready to go by around 7. As we exited the beautiful house we had stayed in last night, we found the conditions to be less than desirable. It was raining and cold. Two things that do not usually add up to happy runners...especially 5-6 hour runners. Yet, as much of a shock the weather gave us, we decided we would prepare ourselves for the day.
Before that though, Rip Banks brought us to a local breakfast diner to fill our tanks for the day. I ordered a fried bacon, egg and cheese sandwich with 2 pancakes and I was good to go. Rip really grilled us, me in particular, on the subject of politics and world affairs...needless to say I was not as versed as he was in the happenings of the world. But we enjoyed the breakfast and the company. Rip then took us over and bought us some Gatorade for the day. After that, we headed back to the Independent to get ready for our 27 mile day in the rain.
We began at around 8:45. The rain was coming down pretty hard, so we all had our rainproof gear on head to foot. Andy's shin has been bothering him for the last couple of days, so we were expecting a pretty slow day from the beginning, but Andy really pushed through the pain and we were all together for the first 4-5 hours. At one point during the day I figured we were moving at exactly 5 miles an hour. Upon further investigation, I timed a certain 5 mile segment, and believe it or not, it was 5 mph to THE SECOND!! Yes, we get bored sometimes out on the open road and these are the things we do...well I do, to keep entertained.
So the day was dragging on, and the rain was relentless. Andy and I were getting more sore by the minute out there today. We were not as smart as we could have been as far as hydration and eating were concerned on this particular day. Fluids and foods were not our main priority, as it took a back seat to warmth and dryness. That, as we found out, was a big mistake. Our muscles and bodies were completely drained after about 23 miles. We walked/ran/limped into Aliceville after a very long and wet day on the road.
We eventually made our water-logged selves to the local Motel in town. We set up shop in room 115! Our new home for the next two nights. We all took amazingly warm and needed showers. Durkin told us that he tried something new in the shower that he had never done before...which consisted of eating a candy bar...he said it was very rewarding!
We then sought out food in the tiny little town. We found our way over a long bridge(once again, in the rain) to Pearson's Diner located on Broad Street. We all had ourselves the BBQ dinner plate, Andy and I also tacked on a Bacon Cheeseburger to start. After all the non-eating that took place, it was nice to play catch up. The employees at the diner were very impressed with our story, we basically were talking to them the entire hour or so that we were there.
From there, you will find our story ending here at the Public Library, which is where I sit as I type this very web update! I am at computer #4! I am without cell phone service, I cannot sign onto Instant Messenger to tell anyone I am alive, and I can't even sign onto facebook :( Oh well. I guess you will all find out that we are all alive and well with this update. We will soon head back to the motel for the night where we will rest and recover for the next day and a half. We have a scheduled day off tomorrow, so we will all be resting up for Saturday, when we will finish our march westward and cross into Mississippi!
Today was a real challenge if you could not tell from my words. The rain did not let up, and even with rainproof pants and coats, you will eventually find water on the inside. After about the 4 hour mark, we started getting colder, but once again we are safe underneath a roof. Our spirits are still high. I mean, when you look at the past 3 weeks of our journey...and you can only find one instance in which we had to battle the harsh rain...you could say that we're doing alright.
That's all the Kenster has for you today. It was a long one, but definitely an unforgettable one. A trip like this will always present us with new challenges from every angle imaginable...but we are all prepared for everything and we will face them with a determined spirit.
Thanks for checking up on us...please feel free to leave us voicemails so that when we have cell phone reception again...whenever that is, we'll have nice happy friends and family wishing us good luck! And sorry for everyone who might have been expecting a phone call tonight that probably won't get one. We still love you all.
-Ken
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Day 20
Greetings from Eutaw, AL! It's been an interesting last few days without Internet or cell service but we made it. Today started with a delicious breakfast care of the folks down at HERO and got on our way. As we headed out of town we stopped at the local gas station for some supplies. HERO told us to put whatever we wanted on their tab and thats exactly what we did. Thanks for everything guys.
Today was a beautiful day, mid 60s, partly cloudy and a light breeze. We were moving at a pretty good pace for most of the day. Ken is finally running totally pain-free, he was a real champ today. He even pushed the jogger for the first time in days! I on the other hand am starting to move in the other direction. For the past couple of days I have been having problems with my shins. It's nothing to get worried about yet but I am going to keep a close eye on it.
We made it to Eutaw around 2pm without really knowing what we were going to do for the night. HERO was working on finding us a place to stay as well as Seth making calls to Mayor Steele. We finally caught some cell service for the first time in days and got a couple different voice mails with promising places to stay. We opted to stay with the Banks family and spend the day with their close friends while they were out of town until 9pm.
We stopped at a local pizza place for a late lunch and were interviewed by one of the local weekly newspapers just as we were finishing up. It was interesting to learn that a town of this size had two separate newspapers. I guess news of our magnitude deserves a second paper.
Our new friend Billy picked us up downtown in her BMW and drove us around town, showing us all that it had to offer. She immediately reminded me of my Aunt Char and I could tell she was excited to meet us. We saw the Civic Center (where we originally were going to stay for the night), both high schools in town, the Kirkwood Mansion and finally ended at Billy's house. It's always great when people take the time out of their day to show us (drive us) around town. It might not seem like much to the people we meet but all three of us truly appreciate the adventure of the drive. Without their help we would never be able to experience as much as we have already seen on this trip.
As we were preparing to leave Billy's house and head over to the Banks resident to get cleaned up Billy asked "Does anyone want to drive my car?" Excuse me, I said to myself. We literally just met her and she was offering up her BMW to us. Without hesitation Ken grabbed the keys and we were off. After a few minutes of Ken driving I informed Billy that Ken has already totalled 3 cars in his life. She was less than impressed when I told her I was only joking a few minutes later. Thanks for the great memory Billy. I know I will never forget it.
We quickly got cleaned up and got ready to eat again. If you haven't figured it out already, we only do two things during our day, eat and run. I prefer the eating over the running but both have their perks. Our new friends Monk, Jennifer and her husband, Katie, and Kimberly took us out to eat to the local BBQ house. It was this neat little place out of the way that was truly one of a kind. The walls were covered with people that signed their names over the years. It was a shame to learn that over the next few months it was going to be shut down for good.
The meal was delicious (complete with our new favorite drink, sweet tea) but the company was even better. As much as we all like to talk about ourselves (especially Durkin - just kidding buddy) it's always so enjoyable to just casually talk to people we meet. I like hearing their stories and finding out interesting facts about the town we are currently in. Jennifer had grown up and lived in the area her whole life so it was great to talk to her about the area and the HERO projects that we just learned about.
After our meal, Monk, Katie and Kimberly drove us out to the most "Pimptastically" house we have ever seen. If we were running past this house it would have taken us a good 10 minutes to clear the property. Complete with a main house, workout house, cabin on the lake, workshop, apartment and a fourth house that had recently burned down-this place was amazing. We drove around back and got out to take a look at the indoor pool. Our attention was immediately drawn to something else, an outdoor bed swing. Ken, Matt and myself climbed on and tested it for ourselves. It was NationRun worthy.
We drove even deeper into the woods and had a look at the cabin that once stood where the main house currently sits. It was cut down the middle with a chain saw and moved as two separate pieces. Being so far out in the country there were no lights to obstruct our view of the sky, and what a site it was. This night was extra special because a lunar eclipse was taking place. The view was amazing. The night sky got all of us excited and anxious to get further west and for the weather to get warmer at night. Earlier in the day Ken and Matt were talking about sleeping under the stars without a tent. I can't wait for those days to come.
As we were heading back to the Banks' Monk took us to one more stop. The Bamboo Guy was something we could not miss. This man made almost everything he owned out of Bamboo. It was hard to see at night but from what they described him as I was already impressed. We were finally dropped off close to 10pm and got ready for another day on the road.
Tomorrow Mr Banks is taking us out to breakfast before we get started. With one more day before we take our second day off its hard to believe that three weeks are already here and gone. After tomorrow we will be 1/6 of a way across the country. It seems like only yesterday that I was telling Ken 2 more miles and we will be in the double digits for total miles. It was a long time ago since that cold and windy day on Tybee Island and we have seen so much so far. I am excited to see what is around the next corner.
Thanks for reading and we hope to see you on the road.
-Andy
Today was a beautiful day, mid 60s, partly cloudy and a light breeze. We were moving at a pretty good pace for most of the day. Ken is finally running totally pain-free, he was a real champ today. He even pushed the jogger for the first time in days! I on the other hand am starting to move in the other direction. For the past couple of days I have been having problems with my shins. It's nothing to get worried about yet but I am going to keep a close eye on it.
We made it to Eutaw around 2pm without really knowing what we were going to do for the night. HERO was working on finding us a place to stay as well as Seth making calls to Mayor Steele. We finally caught some cell service for the first time in days and got a couple different voice mails with promising places to stay. We opted to stay with the Banks family and spend the day with their close friends while they were out of town until 9pm.
We stopped at a local pizza place for a late lunch and were interviewed by one of the local weekly newspapers just as we were finishing up. It was interesting to learn that a town of this size had two separate newspapers. I guess news of our magnitude deserves a second paper.
Our new friend Billy picked us up downtown in her BMW and drove us around town, showing us all that it had to offer. She immediately reminded me of my Aunt Char and I could tell she was excited to meet us. We saw the Civic Center (where we originally were going to stay for the night), both high schools in town, the Kirkwood Mansion and finally ended at Billy's house. It's always great when people take the time out of their day to show us (drive us) around town. It might not seem like much to the people we meet but all three of us truly appreciate the adventure of the drive. Without their help we would never be able to experience as much as we have already seen on this trip.
As we were preparing to leave Billy's house and head over to the Banks resident to get cleaned up Billy asked "Does anyone want to drive my car?" Excuse me, I said to myself. We literally just met her and she was offering up her BMW to us. Without hesitation Ken grabbed the keys and we were off. After a few minutes of Ken driving I informed Billy that Ken has already totalled 3 cars in his life. She was less than impressed when I told her I was only joking a few minutes later. Thanks for the great memory Billy. I know I will never forget it.
We quickly got cleaned up and got ready to eat again. If you haven't figured it out already, we only do two things during our day, eat and run. I prefer the eating over the running but both have their perks. Our new friends Monk, Jennifer and her husband, Katie, and Kimberly took us out to eat to the local BBQ house. It was this neat little place out of the way that was truly one of a kind. The walls were covered with people that signed their names over the years. It was a shame to learn that over the next few months it was going to be shut down for good.
The meal was delicious (complete with our new favorite drink, sweet tea) but the company was even better. As much as we all like to talk about ourselves (especially Durkin - just kidding buddy) it's always so enjoyable to just casually talk to people we meet. I like hearing their stories and finding out interesting facts about the town we are currently in. Jennifer had grown up and lived in the area her whole life so it was great to talk to her about the area and the HERO projects that we just learned about.
After our meal, Monk, Katie and Kimberly drove us out to the most "Pimptastically" house we have ever seen. If we were running past this house it would have taken us a good 10 minutes to clear the property. Complete with a main house, workout house, cabin on the lake, workshop, apartment and a fourth house that had recently burned down-this place was amazing. We drove around back and got out to take a look at the indoor pool. Our attention was immediately drawn to something else, an outdoor bed swing. Ken, Matt and myself climbed on and tested it for ourselves. It was NationRun worthy.
We drove even deeper into the woods and had a look at the cabin that once stood where the main house currently sits. It was cut down the middle with a chain saw and moved as two separate pieces. Being so far out in the country there were no lights to obstruct our view of the sky, and what a site it was. This night was extra special because a lunar eclipse was taking place. The view was amazing. The night sky got all of us excited and anxious to get further west and for the weather to get warmer at night. Earlier in the day Ken and Matt were talking about sleeping under the stars without a tent. I can't wait for those days to come.
As we were heading back to the Banks' Monk took us to one more stop. The Bamboo Guy was something we could not miss. This man made almost everything he owned out of Bamboo. It was hard to see at night but from what they described him as I was already impressed. We were finally dropped off close to 10pm and got ready for another day on the road.
Tomorrow Mr Banks is taking us out to breakfast before we get started. With one more day before we take our second day off its hard to believe that three weeks are already here and gone. After tomorrow we will be 1/6 of a way across the country. It seems like only yesterday that I was telling Ken 2 more miles and we will be in the double digits for total miles. It was a long time ago since that cold and windy day on Tybee Island and we have seen so much so far. I am excited to see what is around the next corner.
Thanks for reading and we hope to see you on the road.
-Andy
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Day 19
The guys finished in Greensboro AL with a total of 25 miles. It was an overall great day for all.
They found out this morning that they had ended up spending the night at the Superintendent's home of the Marion School district, which they all thought was a neat surprise.
They packed up their gear and visited a gas station to grab a light snack before they headed out. Because it was family owned and operated they sold fresh squeezed orange juice-which was a nice treat. Nine o’clock arrived and they hit the road. The weather was extremely nice; in the low 60s and sunny.
They traveled about an hour and stopped at Hardee’s for a full breakfast. Andy and Matt were starving, so they both ordered the ‘Monster.’ This breakfast sandwich consisted of eggs, ham, bacon, sausage and cheese on a huge biscuit. Not a sandwich for the weak or faint of heart. They also dominated some blue berry cinnamon roles. Ken’s stomach was not feeling well, so he could not partake in all the glory Hardee’s had to offer.
After breakfast they continued traveling west until about 1:30 to stop for lunch and a quick rest. They had only 6 miles left in the day and they were looking forward to being done at a reasonable time.
The HERO Housing project, lead by Pam Door, is a nonprofit corporation that assists in the development of both single and multi-family homes for working low-income rural families. The HERO group utlizes a unqiue manufacturing style called ‘rammed earth homes’(To learn more visit http://www.ruralhome.org/pressreleasesview.php?id=179). Pam had heard about the guys' trip and had contacted us to offer them a place to stay for the night. Pam also arranged a big welcome; a crowd of 25 HERO workers cheered them on as they entered town. Thanks for the warm welcome Pam and HERO.
After they arrived they dropped off their stuff at one of the HERO houses and Willy, a Bard College student volunteering for HERO, and Betsy, a native of Buffalo, NY, took them on a tour of Greensboro. They learned that Greensboro is the Cat Fish capital of AL. The guys even had some catfish tonight for dinner, along with pasta, salad and parfaits all courtesy of HERO.
Today was also a very special day for another reason. This was the first day the guys would be receiving packages from home. Ken and Andy needed a second pair of shoes and Greensboro, AL would be where they would be picking them up. The three walked down Main Street anxiously awaiting their small gifts from home. Andy was shocked to find out that 3 boxes awaited him. One from his parents, one from Kaitlyn and a third from Mr. & Mrs. Skelley. Each box was filled with trail mix, candy bars, valentine's cards and of course the ever important shoes. It was like Christmas for the guys! Unfortunately, Rick did not send Ken's shoes to Greensboro but instead shipped them to Aliceville a few days later. Andy was on top of the world as they left the post office and let Ken know it all the way back to the Hero headquarters. The guys would like to thank the Wahila and Skelley families for their delicious treats. They will be eating good for the next few days.
After dinner, Betsy, Willy, and another HERO worker and new friend Joey took the three to a weekly architecture lecture held at a house about 10 miles outside of Greensboro. The Lecture is part of the Auburn University architecture program called Rural Studio. The lecture was put on by a man who had built intricately designed ice fishing lures. There were about 30 students from Auburn who attended. After the lecture, the students were all interested in the guys' trip and were asking a million questions. The guys were all happy to answer their questions. Everyone was invited to "Taco Tuesday" but they declined the offer as it was getting a bit late.
When everything was all done, the guys all returned to their "Rammed Earth" home. The home is made of mostly dirt and some cement. The accomodations were very good; warm water, electricity, a roof over their heads...the guys were really roughing it.
Earlier in the night, one of the guys asked Betsy how long of a drive it was to Savannah, Georgia...remember that place where the guys started their run 3 weeks ago? She responded with "It's an 8 hour drive!" What an incredible distance these guys have covered in such little time.
The most notable item of the day was Ken. He had an amazing day of running. His legs were free from soreness and they were not tight at all. He was able to keep up with Andy and Matt the entire day without any trouble. We are so proud of you Ken. Andy’s shin was still bothering him today, but didn’t stop him from pounding out the 25 miles.
Tomorrow they head to Eutaw, AL; an easy 22 miles for the day. They will spend 2 more days in AL before crossing into Mississippi.
Have a great night!
-Dan
They found out this morning that they had ended up spending the night at the Superintendent's home of the Marion School district, which they all thought was a neat surprise.
They packed up their gear and visited a gas station to grab a light snack before they headed out. Because it was family owned and operated they sold fresh squeezed orange juice-which was a nice treat. Nine o’clock arrived and they hit the road. The weather was extremely nice; in the low 60s and sunny.
They traveled about an hour and stopped at Hardee’s for a full breakfast. Andy and Matt were starving, so they both ordered the ‘Monster.’ This breakfast sandwich consisted of eggs, ham, bacon, sausage and cheese on a huge biscuit. Not a sandwich for the weak or faint of heart. They also dominated some blue berry cinnamon roles. Ken’s stomach was not feeling well, so he could not partake in all the glory Hardee’s had to offer.
After breakfast they continued traveling west until about 1:30 to stop for lunch and a quick rest. They had only 6 miles left in the day and they were looking forward to being done at a reasonable time.
The HERO Housing project, lead by Pam Door, is a nonprofit corporation that assists in the development of both single and multi-family homes for working low-income rural families. The HERO group utlizes a unqiue manufacturing style called ‘rammed earth homes’(To learn more visit http://www.ruralhome.org/pressreleasesview.php?id=179). Pam had heard about the guys' trip and had contacted us to offer them a place to stay for the night. Pam also arranged a big welcome; a crowd of 25 HERO workers cheered them on as they entered town. Thanks for the warm welcome Pam and HERO.
After they arrived they dropped off their stuff at one of the HERO houses and Willy, a Bard College student volunteering for HERO, and Betsy, a native of Buffalo, NY, took them on a tour of Greensboro. They learned that Greensboro is the Cat Fish capital of AL. The guys even had some catfish tonight for dinner, along with pasta, salad and parfaits all courtesy of HERO.
Today was also a very special day for another reason. This was the first day the guys would be receiving packages from home. Ken and Andy needed a second pair of shoes and Greensboro, AL would be where they would be picking them up. The three walked down Main Street anxiously awaiting their small gifts from home. Andy was shocked to find out that 3 boxes awaited him. One from his parents, one from Kaitlyn and a third from Mr. & Mrs. Skelley. Each box was filled with trail mix, candy bars, valentine's cards and of course the ever important shoes. It was like Christmas for the guys! Unfortunately, Rick did not send Ken's shoes to Greensboro but instead shipped them to Aliceville a few days later. Andy was on top of the world as they left the post office and let Ken know it all the way back to the Hero headquarters. The guys would like to thank the Wahila and Skelley families for their delicious treats. They will be eating good for the next few days.
After dinner, Betsy, Willy, and another HERO worker and new friend Joey took the three to a weekly architecture lecture held at a house about 10 miles outside of Greensboro. The Lecture is part of the Auburn University architecture program called Rural Studio. The lecture was put on by a man who had built intricately designed ice fishing lures. There were about 30 students from Auburn who attended. After the lecture, the students were all interested in the guys' trip and were asking a million questions. The guys were all happy to answer their questions. Everyone was invited to "Taco Tuesday" but they declined the offer as it was getting a bit late.
When everything was all done, the guys all returned to their "Rammed Earth" home. The home is made of mostly dirt and some cement. The accomodations were very good; warm water, electricity, a roof over their heads...the guys were really roughing it.
Earlier in the night, one of the guys asked Betsy how long of a drive it was to Savannah, Georgia...remember that place where the guys started their run 3 weeks ago? She responded with "It's an 8 hour drive!" What an incredible distance these guys have covered in such little time.
The most notable item of the day was Ken. He had an amazing day of running. His legs were free from soreness and they were not tight at all. He was able to keep up with Andy and Matt the entire day without any trouble. We are so proud of you Ken. Andy’s shin was still bothering him today, but didn’t stop him from pounding out the 25 miles.
Tomorrow they head to Eutaw, AL; an easy 22 miles for the day. They will spend 2 more days in AL before crossing into Mississippi.
Have a great night!
-Dan
Monday, February 18, 2008
Day 18
Today started with a filling meal that consisted of eggs, bacon and biscuits, courtesy of Lisa. As they ate breakfast they read the newspaper that reported over 200 homes had been destroyed in yesterday’s tornados. They had not realized that the storms had been so damaging. They luckily were never caught in any of the bad weather.
Mr. Pennell once again picked the guys up to drop them off. They got to the mile marker around 9:00 and hit the road headed west again on RT 14. The road today was narrow and there was not a large shoulder to run on. The sky was sunny but windy, so the temperature was slightly cool; no going shirtless today. The guys knew they had to cover about 56 miles today and tomorrow so the plan was to go as far as they could and then set up camp for the night.
Andy’s jogger gave him some trouble this morning, as it kept pulling to the left extremely hard. After an hour fighting to fix the wheel it finally got better and Andy could focus on running.
Selma AL was about 12 miles in front of them and they decided that they would take a rest break for lunch there. They reached Selma at 12:30 and had lunch at Subway. Half of their subs were eaten there and they saved the other half for a snack for later. At 2:30 they stopped again and had the rest of their subs and a short break. After the snack they hit the road again. They turned onto RT 6 which was as Matt said was filled with ‘classic Alabama scenery.’
It was a small dirt road with swamps that littered the sides. They are hoping to see an alligator on the trip and they had hoped today would be the day, but not one showed its face. The last turn for the day was onto RT. 45 where the guys decided to stop running and push ahead walking as far as they could until they found a good spot to set up for the night.
31 miles were covered for the day and around 5 they found a nice family who let them set up camp for the night. Tonight would be the first night they would spend in the three-man tent recently donated by John Teeples from Columbus. Thanks John!
Today was the strongest day yet of running, especially for Ken. Ken was able to do longer segments of running today and the tightness and soreness in his leg had lightened. He just kicked out the miles and it is looking like everyday is getting better for him. Andy experienced some soreness in his shin today that had him a bit frustrated.
On the open road the conversations meander from subject to subject and today Andy and Matt found themselves talking about what distance would be optimal for them to have a ‘show down.’ Andy has always been good at the longer, slower paced distances, while Matt has always been blazing fast on the track and shorter distances. In Utica NY the annual Boilermaker is held in early July, and they decided that Boilermaker 09’ would be when they faced off. It is a 15K so a good middle ground; good luck fellas. They would also like to invite all of the runners they have met and will continue to meet along the way, especially the fellas from Columbus, GA. We'll be waiting for you John, Reynold and the rest of the Columbus track club!
Tomorrow they head to Greensboro AL with an "easy" 25 miles ahead of them. They hope to make good time and are looking forward to meeting everyone from the Hero Housing Resource Center.
Thanks for checking in!
-Dan
Mr. Pennell once again picked the guys up to drop them off. They got to the mile marker around 9:00 and hit the road headed west again on RT 14. The road today was narrow and there was not a large shoulder to run on. The sky was sunny but windy, so the temperature was slightly cool; no going shirtless today. The guys knew they had to cover about 56 miles today and tomorrow so the plan was to go as far as they could and then set up camp for the night.
Andy’s jogger gave him some trouble this morning, as it kept pulling to the left extremely hard. After an hour fighting to fix the wheel it finally got better and Andy could focus on running.
Selma AL was about 12 miles in front of them and they decided that they would take a rest break for lunch there. They reached Selma at 12:30 and had lunch at Subway. Half of their subs were eaten there and they saved the other half for a snack for later. At 2:30 they stopped again and had the rest of their subs and a short break. After the snack they hit the road again. They turned onto RT 6 which was as Matt said was filled with ‘classic Alabama scenery.’
It was a small dirt road with swamps that littered the sides. They are hoping to see an alligator on the trip and they had hoped today would be the day, but not one showed its face. The last turn for the day was onto RT. 45 where the guys decided to stop running and push ahead walking as far as they could until they found a good spot to set up for the night.
31 miles were covered for the day and around 5 they found a nice family who let them set up camp for the night. Tonight would be the first night they would spend in the three-man tent recently donated by John Teeples from Columbus. Thanks John!
Today was the strongest day yet of running, especially for Ken. Ken was able to do longer segments of running today and the tightness and soreness in his leg had lightened. He just kicked out the miles and it is looking like everyday is getting better for him. Andy experienced some soreness in his shin today that had him a bit frustrated.
On the open road the conversations meander from subject to subject and today Andy and Matt found themselves talking about what distance would be optimal for them to have a ‘show down.’ Andy has always been good at the longer, slower paced distances, while Matt has always been blazing fast on the track and shorter distances. In Utica NY the annual Boilermaker is held in early July, and they decided that Boilermaker 09’ would be when they faced off. It is a 15K so a good middle ground; good luck fellas. They would also like to invite all of the runners they have met and will continue to meet along the way, especially the fellas from Columbus, GA. We'll be waiting for you John, Reynold and the rest of the Columbus track club!
Tomorrow they head to Greensboro AL with an "easy" 25 miles ahead of them. They hope to make good time and are looking forward to meeting everyone from the Hero Housing Resource Center.
Thanks for checking in!
-Dan
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Day 17
As the guys went to bed last night a severe thunder storm warning had been announced that would stretch into the next day and the guys decided to get an early start to try to minimize their time spent in the bad weather. However when the guys awoke and got on the road at 7:30, the weather was surprisingly nice. The sky was filled with swirling clouds, but the temperature was in the 60s. All three were even able to go shirtless for two hours from 9:30 to 11:30.
The headed towards Burnsville AL on RT. 14 and the day had a different feeling than the other days. Andy said that it felt like he was home and he was just out for a nice long run. They would be staying with Lisa again tonight and would head back to where they started the run. Though they would be dropped off tomorrow where they left off today, it felt like they were not accomplishing anything.
But the guys did accomplish a lot today as they covered about 25 miles in about 5 hours. They followed the same strategy as previous days starting off the run with some walking for about a mile. They would run about 1.5 miles and walk for about a half a mile, they moved along at a good pace; and were able to cover about 5 miles per hour.
I have never seen strength and will like that of Ken’s on this trip. Ken’s leg movement is restricted due to the stiffness and muscle soreness he is experiencing. Today he covered the 25 miles with a 15, 13 and 12-minute segments of running filled with brisk walking in between. Though he had to shuffle like an old man for most of the day, he did it. Keep moving ahead Ken, we know you can do it.
Today was not without it’s spoils as the guys found some tremendous ‘gold’ on the side of the road. Two teddy bears, one which will be sent to Ken’s girlfriend Claire, a toy matchbox car for Andy’s nephew Mark Tony and a Bill Cosby type sweater that Ken immediately threw on. They still hope to find two more AL license plates so the whole team can have one.
They were not scheduled to be picked up until they had completed the whole 28 planned miles by the Pennell family, (Though they were staying with Lisa again she could not fit the guys and their gear in her car and a generous Mr. Pennell volunteered to pick them up) but as 12:30 approached the clear sunny skies had turned dark and the a light mist began to fill the air. Mr. Pennell decided that he would pick them up a little earlier than planned. The guys didn't want to cut the day short, as that meant doing more tomorrow, but it was a good thing they did. The rain started coming down and the wind began to pick up.
After they were picked up they went to RYAN's Buffet for lunch that was in one word, "spectacular." (I asked Andy why he liked eating at so many buffets and he said you get a lot for next to nothing). After lunch they got dropped off at Lisa's and rested for the rest of the day. They were glad to be protected from the elements, as the weather got increasingly worse as the day went on. In fact two tornados touched down in the area, one in the plaza where they had lunch just a few hours previously. RYAN's Buffet made it out fine, but a Wal-Mart, Circuit City and some other shops were not so lucky. When I spoke with the guys there was still no power, phone or internet available and cell phone service was terrible-we kept getting cut off from one another.
We are thankful that the guys didn't have to fair any of the bad weather, and that they are staying safely in a warm house tonight. They are headed to Vilula, AL tomorrow where it has been reported a tornado touched down just 8 miles from the town-hopefully the people of Vilula are safe and there is not too much damage.
Thanks for your continued support and keep checking back. I apologize for such a late post.
-Dan
The headed towards Burnsville AL on RT. 14 and the day had a different feeling than the other days. Andy said that it felt like he was home and he was just out for a nice long run. They would be staying with Lisa again tonight and would head back to where they started the run. Though they would be dropped off tomorrow where they left off today, it felt like they were not accomplishing anything.
But the guys did accomplish a lot today as they covered about 25 miles in about 5 hours. They followed the same strategy as previous days starting off the run with some walking for about a mile. They would run about 1.5 miles and walk for about a half a mile, they moved along at a good pace; and were able to cover about 5 miles per hour.
I have never seen strength and will like that of Ken’s on this trip. Ken’s leg movement is restricted due to the stiffness and muscle soreness he is experiencing. Today he covered the 25 miles with a 15, 13 and 12-minute segments of running filled with brisk walking in between. Though he had to shuffle like an old man for most of the day, he did it. Keep moving ahead Ken, we know you can do it.
Today was not without it’s spoils as the guys found some tremendous ‘gold’ on the side of the road. Two teddy bears, one which will be sent to Ken’s girlfriend Claire, a toy matchbox car for Andy’s nephew Mark Tony and a Bill Cosby type sweater that Ken immediately threw on. They still hope to find two more AL license plates so the whole team can have one.
They were not scheduled to be picked up until they had completed the whole 28 planned miles by the Pennell family, (Though they were staying with Lisa again she could not fit the guys and their gear in her car and a generous Mr. Pennell volunteered to pick them up) but as 12:30 approached the clear sunny skies had turned dark and the a light mist began to fill the air. Mr. Pennell decided that he would pick them up a little earlier than planned. The guys didn't want to cut the day short, as that meant doing more tomorrow, but it was a good thing they did. The rain started coming down and the wind began to pick up.
After they were picked up they went to RYAN's Buffet for lunch that was in one word, "spectacular." (I asked Andy why he liked eating at so many buffets and he said you get a lot for next to nothing). After lunch they got dropped off at Lisa's and rested for the rest of the day. They were glad to be protected from the elements, as the weather got increasingly worse as the day went on. In fact two tornados touched down in the area, one in the plaza where they had lunch just a few hours previously. RYAN's Buffet made it out fine, but a Wal-Mart, Circuit City and some other shops were not so lucky. When I spoke with the guys there was still no power, phone or internet available and cell phone service was terrible-we kept getting cut off from one another.
We are thankful that the guys didn't have to fair any of the bad weather, and that they are staying safely in a warm house tonight. They are headed to Vilula, AL tomorrow where it has been reported a tornado touched down just 8 miles from the town-hopefully the people of Vilula are safe and there is not too much damage.
Thanks for your continued support and keep checking back. I apologize for such a late post.
-Dan
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Day 16
So Ken just wrote an excellent Blog, I proof-read it and tryed to publish it, and some how or another its gone. I'll try to re-create it as best I can, but I'm no Ken "Ken Stannard" Stannard. Here goes nothing.
I'm Ken and I'm really good at dancing, I'm also really good at giving high fives and setting trends!
Seriously though...
Today started off with a delicious breakfast prepared for us by Mr. Pennell. We had eggs, toast, fruit, bacon and all sorts of other goodies (even ice cream!).
As soon as we got started with our run Kyle Montgomery (ironically a reporter IN Montgomery) got in touch with us and hunted us down for an interview. Right away we knew Kyle was our kind of guy, he was joking around with us and we felt he was legitimately interested in what we're doing. Its always nice to talk to people who are into what we're doing, some people just go through the motions of asking us "Why are you doing it? Is it hard?". We talked with him for a while and then got on our way down Atlanta Highway. This road was pretty busy, and pretty shoulder-less, but we still found a way to muscle our way through it.
Around 2pm we met back up with The Pennell's. They pulled up to us near an old abandoned restaurant and brought us some delicious chicken burgers, fries and a coke for each of us. They're timing couldn't have been better as we were all feeling a bit "grungry" at the time.
Feeling recharged we made our way following our trusty GPS. The handy tool had us running down Poplar Rd. a road that goes through the Montgomery Air Force base. We made our way down the road and through the base and ended up in a remote part of the base. We were pretty confused since the road we were looking for didn't exist, and we were surrounded by barbed wire fences. I decided to call Mr. Pennell for some advice and he told us to hang tight and he'd help us out. The Pennell family was quickly on the scene and escorted us back to where we entered the base and we got on our way to Prattville.
The remainder of the run went by very quickly. For the first time in days Ken ran totally pain free and we were all very happy for him. This kid has shown so much heart these last two weeks, I respect him and Andy more and more every day out here.
We eventually made it to our destination, the home of Lisa Carswell, a friend and co-worker of Mr. Pennell. Lisa gave us a warm welcome and took Ken and I to a shopping plaza to pick up some gear. Ken picked up a new pair of running shoes and I picked up some snacks and drinks for tomorrows 27+ day. After our errands we picked up Andy and headed to Fat Boy's. Fat Boy's is a popular Prattville BBQ joint started by a former trucker about 10 years ago. We all enjoyed another hearty southern meal with plenty of sweet tea.
I feel real bad for losing Ken's post, he worked on it for almost an hour. Hopefully he can fill you all in on whats going on with his mind, body and soul with our next post. Until then, follow your heart and be the best you you can possibly be!
<3 Durkin
I'm Ken and I'm really good at dancing, I'm also really good at giving high fives and setting trends!
Seriously though...
Today started off with a delicious breakfast prepared for us by Mr. Pennell. We had eggs, toast, fruit, bacon and all sorts of other goodies (even ice cream!).
As soon as we got started with our run Kyle Montgomery (ironically a reporter IN Montgomery) got in touch with us and hunted us down for an interview. Right away we knew Kyle was our kind of guy, he was joking around with us and we felt he was legitimately interested in what we're doing. Its always nice to talk to people who are into what we're doing, some people just go through the motions of asking us "Why are you doing it? Is it hard?". We talked with him for a while and then got on our way down Atlanta Highway. This road was pretty busy, and pretty shoulder-less, but we still found a way to muscle our way through it.
Around 2pm we met back up with The Pennell's. They pulled up to us near an old abandoned restaurant and brought us some delicious chicken burgers, fries and a coke for each of us. They're timing couldn't have been better as we were all feeling a bit "grungry" at the time.
Feeling recharged we made our way following our trusty GPS. The handy tool had us running down Poplar Rd. a road that goes through the Montgomery Air Force base. We made our way down the road and through the base and ended up in a remote part of the base. We were pretty confused since the road we were looking for didn't exist, and we were surrounded by barbed wire fences. I decided to call Mr. Pennell for some advice and he told us to hang tight and he'd help us out. The Pennell family was quickly on the scene and escorted us back to where we entered the base and we got on our way to Prattville.
The remainder of the run went by very quickly. For the first time in days Ken ran totally pain free and we were all very happy for him. This kid has shown so much heart these last two weeks, I respect him and Andy more and more every day out here.
We eventually made it to our destination, the home of Lisa Carswell, a friend and co-worker of Mr. Pennell. Lisa gave us a warm welcome and took Ken and I to a shopping plaza to pick up some gear. Ken picked up a new pair of running shoes and I picked up some snacks and drinks for tomorrows 27+ day. After our errands we picked up Andy and headed to Fat Boy's. Fat Boy's is a popular Prattville BBQ joint started by a former trucker about 10 years ago. We all enjoyed another hearty southern meal with plenty of sweet tea.
I feel real bad for losing Ken's post, he worked on it for almost an hour. Hopefully he can fill you all in on whats going on with his mind, body and soul with our next post. Until then, follow your heart and be the best you you can possibly be!
<3 Durkin
Friday, February 15, 2008
Day 15
Greetings from the Pennell residence in Montgomery, Alabama! This morning we left historic Tuskegee and continued our trip west. We got moving around 8am, and got onto route 80. It was a pretty uneventful day running wise. We made our way down the road about 15 miles before getting to Jeter's Diner. We got a pretty nice meal of eggs, pancakes and corn bread for next to a steal. After the meal we got going on the second half of our run. It was early on in the second half where I found our first Alabama license plate! Andy and I were both very excited, but we still need to get at least 2 more before we cross into Mississippi. We were stopped a few times by locals wondering what we were doing. They were all very supportive and wished us good luck.
We eventually finished our day of 29 miles and made our way to Arrowhead, about 8 miles outsie of Montgomery. Before we knew it we were picked up by the legondary Mr. Pennell! We've heard about this man for years but none of us had ever had the opportunity to meet him. He rolled up, helped us get our joggers into his truck and had large bottles of Gatorade waiting for each of us. We made our way to their house and enjoyed our first experience with Mellow Mushroom pizza. I'd heard nothing but great things about the place, and it definetly delivered. After dinner we hung out with the family, and swapped embaressing stories about Pennell.
We really appreciate the help we've gotten all throughout Alabama so far. We haven't had a chance to personally do the Blog over the past few days so I'd like to thank Big Red and his family, Prof. Daniels, Liz, and The Pennell's for all they've done for us over the last few days.
-Durkin
I don't have much to add today since Durkin did a great job, but I would like to briefly share my thoughts about yesterday's stop in Tuskegee. Before we entered the town it was just another stop on the map, as far as we were concerned. We knew very little of the town or the rich history that it held. Only after spending a few hours walking around and talking to people we were all very moved. We would like to especially thank Professor Daniels and Mrs. Sims for taking the time out of their day (especially on Valentine's Day) and giving us a tour of the city. The campus was beautiful and the history surrounding it was visible everywhere. I am thankful that we were given the opportunity to meet such wonderful people and to be shown a small part of their world. I wish we had more time to explore the town and see all that it hard to offer. Please check out Mrs. Sims website and the work she is currently invested in. www.shilohcommfound.com Thanks.
-Andy
We eventually finished our day of 29 miles and made our way to Arrowhead, about 8 miles outsie of Montgomery. Before we knew it we were picked up by the legondary Mr. Pennell! We've heard about this man for years but none of us had ever had the opportunity to meet him. He rolled up, helped us get our joggers into his truck and had large bottles of Gatorade waiting for each of us. We made our way to their house and enjoyed our first experience with Mellow Mushroom pizza. I'd heard nothing but great things about the place, and it definetly delivered. After dinner we hung out with the family, and swapped embaressing stories about Pennell.
We really appreciate the help we've gotten all throughout Alabama so far. We haven't had a chance to personally do the Blog over the past few days so I'd like to thank Big Red and his family, Prof. Daniels, Liz, and The Pennell's for all they've done for us over the last few days.
-Durkin
I don't have much to add today since Durkin did a great job, but I would like to briefly share my thoughts about yesterday's stop in Tuskegee. Before we entered the town it was just another stop on the map, as far as we were concerned. We knew very little of the town or the rich history that it held. Only after spending a few hours walking around and talking to people we were all very moved. We would like to especially thank Professor Daniels and Mrs. Sims for taking the time out of their day (especially on Valentine's Day) and giving us a tour of the city. The campus was beautiful and the history surrounding it was visible everywhere. I am thankful that we were given the opportunity to meet such wonderful people and to be shown a small part of their world. I wish we had more time to explore the town and see all that it hard to offer. Please check out Mrs. Sims website and the work she is currently invested in. www.shilohcommfound.com Thanks.
-Andy
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Day 14
The second day in Alabama was another good one for the guys. They began the day with some cereal and muffins that Red and Chris's family had given them the night before. Red then brought them to the mile marker they had left off at the previous day. Red, after taking the joggers off the back of the truck, took one running down the road, getting really into the whole idea. The guys had such a great time with his family and were sad to have to go. They said their good-byes, and set off down the road. The cool thing about the day's start was the start time. Today, the guys woke up at 8 am, and were picked up at around 8:30. They got to the starting point at around 8:45, and then began running at what would have been 9 am. However, the guys crossed the time zone line again, so they actually began their journey at 8 am!
Today was a good day, although really uneventful during the traveling portion. The team was trying something new today. They ran a mile, walked a couple minutes, then ran to the next mile marker. They said it really kept the pace easy, and didn't put a strain on the guys legs. Andy said that everyone felt good and ready to go. Ken, who had been nursing a sore ankle, said he felt the best today of the entire trip. They made it about 22 miles in about 4.5 hours. They stopped periodically to get something to drink, have some food, and then move on. The guys made it into Tuskegee, AL at about 12:30.
When they got into Tuskegee, they sat down for a nice buffet lunch, which they absolutely rocked. The guys ate until they could eat no more. After lunch, the team relaxed in a park in downtown Tuskegee. They spent most of the afternoon here just relaxing. They were awaiting a phone call from a professor at Tuskegee University. Around 6, the guys got the call from Professor Kwesi Daniels. He came to the park and talked with the guys for some time. He told them he would get them a room at the hotel on campus. The guys and Professor Daniels then walked about a mile to campus. While walking, Professor Daniels gave the team a tour of Tuskegee. Andy said he had no idea that Tuskegee held so much history, and was entranced in all that Professor Daniels had to offer. He indicated that the bricks that made up the building on campus were actually made by students of the past in order to pay their tuition. What a remarkable way to build a college! These students were able to learn and create something that would last long past their tenure at Tuskegee University.
After Professor Daniels got the guys a room, he made a phone call to a friend of his. Elizabeth Sims came to meet the guys next. She took them out to a free dinner, and gave them even more information about historic Tuskegee. Andy said she was so into the city, and he wished that he had more time there to explore and learn about all that he was introduced to during the tour.
Tomorrow's travel looks to be around 28 miles. The last couple days have been a little shorter for the guys, so they will be ready to go. Thank you to all who have been checking in on the team, your support is greatly appreciated!
NATION!!
- Rick
Today was a good day, although really uneventful during the traveling portion. The team was trying something new today. They ran a mile, walked a couple minutes, then ran to the next mile marker. They said it really kept the pace easy, and didn't put a strain on the guys legs. Andy said that everyone felt good and ready to go. Ken, who had been nursing a sore ankle, said he felt the best today of the entire trip. They made it about 22 miles in about 4.5 hours. They stopped periodically to get something to drink, have some food, and then move on. The guys made it into Tuskegee, AL at about 12:30.
When they got into Tuskegee, they sat down for a nice buffet lunch, which they absolutely rocked. The guys ate until they could eat no more. After lunch, the team relaxed in a park in downtown Tuskegee. They spent most of the afternoon here just relaxing. They were awaiting a phone call from a professor at Tuskegee University. Around 6, the guys got the call from Professor Kwesi Daniels. He came to the park and talked with the guys for some time. He told them he would get them a room at the hotel on campus. The guys and Professor Daniels then walked about a mile to campus. While walking, Professor Daniels gave the team a tour of Tuskegee. Andy said he had no idea that Tuskegee held so much history, and was entranced in all that Professor Daniels had to offer. He indicated that the bricks that made up the building on campus were actually made by students of the past in order to pay their tuition. What a remarkable way to build a college! These students were able to learn and create something that would last long past their tenure at Tuskegee University.
After Professor Daniels got the guys a room, he made a phone call to a friend of his. Elizabeth Sims came to meet the guys next. She took them out to a free dinner, and gave them even more information about historic Tuskegee. Andy said she was so into the city, and he wished that he had more time there to explore and learn about all that he was introduced to during the tour.
Tomorrow's travel looks to be around 28 miles. The last couple days have been a little shorter for the guys, so they will be ready to go. Thank you to all who have been checking in on the team, your support is greatly appreciated!
NATION!!
- Rick
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Day 13
One state down, 7 to go! Today the team crossed the Georgia state line into Crimson Tide country. They will be running in Alabama for the next several days. They started the day at 5:30 this morning. Reynold and John participate in a men's group, and the guys joined them this morning. Reynold led the discussion at the group, including the guys in a good part of it. After, they had breakfast at McDonald's courtesy of John. After finishing up the food, they all headed over to the Civic Center to begin their next journey.
When John and the guys arrived at the Civic Center, Kellye and Andy Sparks were there waiting to wish them farewell. The guys said their good-byes and thanks, and headed out on the open road. The beginning of the trip into Alabama was just about the same as the beginning of the trip through Georgia, Durkin said. They crossed the bridge into Alabama over the Chattahoochee River. The guys later wished they had thrown the disc across the state line, but you can bet they will make that right at the end of Alabama.
Like mentioned before, the trip into Alabama had the same feeling as the beginning of this great nation. The guys left the love and care of some new life-long friendships to the open road of the unknown. The weather was also less than desirable; temperature in the low 40s, very windy, and raining. The guys had their rain gear on, and tarps covering the two joggers. All of the guys admitted that it was tough to start today, both mentally and physically. But there is nothing that will stop them from achieving the goal of conquering this great nation. Andy, with his newly refreshed energy from driving The Rambler, Durkin, with his new favorite flat-brim from Columbus Baseball, and Ken, with fresh off some superior PT and new orthodics, were on their way once again.
The guys walked the first 3 miles on RT 280, letting their legs loosen up for the remainder of the day's mileage. They then turned on to RT 280, which had no shoulder at all. The guys had to move the next three miles walking in the grass next to the road. About 3 miles more down the road, the shoulder opened up, and the team started to really move. They received many honks and waves from people driving by in support of their dream. One nice lady pulled up beside them and gave them $10 and some oranges. She had seen them on the news, and wanted to do her part to help them along! Thank you! The day finished out at 21 miles, when John once again picked them up to bring them to his friend Red's hunting house. The guys also crossed into another time zone!
The guys would like to take a minute to thank John for all he has done for them. They would also like to let him know they are pulling for him, as he awaits word to see if he will be accepted to run the Badwater Ultra Marathon. Good luck, we are all pulling for you!
When the guys arrived at Red's, Andy jumped in the shower. Ken and Durkin jumped into a couch and bed for a nap. A little while later, the team had dinner with Red, Donna, Chris, Lori, and River. This delicious southern meal included corn bread, sweet corn, black eyed peas, potatoes and pork chops. The guys also had their first run in with sweet tea, and loved it! Durkin jammed out with River on Guitar Hero, and a little while later they had strawberry shortcake with fresh strawberries from Louisiana. Andy said it was such a nice night, and the folks were so generous. They were really into the whole idea, and rallying behind the team's mission.
One final note...some may have noticed that Dewey has not been in the media coverage, blog updates, or pictures the last couple days. Unfortunately, Dewey has called it a trip, heading back to Albany, NY. He said he had some personal reasons for stopping, and this trip just wasn't for him. The guys were sad to see him go, but wanted what was best for Dewey. They will now travel with two joggers and no bike support. They want to thank Dewey for attempting this trip with them, and all of the help he gave while with the team.
Keep checking back on the trio to see how the state of Alabama treats them!
- Rick
When John and the guys arrived at the Civic Center, Kellye and Andy Sparks were there waiting to wish them farewell. The guys said their good-byes and thanks, and headed out on the open road. The beginning of the trip into Alabama was just about the same as the beginning of the trip through Georgia, Durkin said. They crossed the bridge into Alabama over the Chattahoochee River. The guys later wished they had thrown the disc across the state line, but you can bet they will make that right at the end of Alabama.
Like mentioned before, the trip into Alabama had the same feeling as the beginning of this great nation. The guys left the love and care of some new life-long friendships to the open road of the unknown. The weather was also less than desirable; temperature in the low 40s, very windy, and raining. The guys had their rain gear on, and tarps covering the two joggers. All of the guys admitted that it was tough to start today, both mentally and physically. But there is nothing that will stop them from achieving the goal of conquering this great nation. Andy, with his newly refreshed energy from driving The Rambler, Durkin, with his new favorite flat-brim from Columbus Baseball, and Ken, with fresh off some superior PT and new orthodics, were on their way once again.
The guys walked the first 3 miles on RT 280, letting their legs loosen up for the remainder of the day's mileage. They then turned on to RT 280, which had no shoulder at all. The guys had to move the next three miles walking in the grass next to the road. About 3 miles more down the road, the shoulder opened up, and the team started to really move. They received many honks and waves from people driving by in support of their dream. One nice lady pulled up beside them and gave them $10 and some oranges. She had seen them on the news, and wanted to do her part to help them along! Thank you! The day finished out at 21 miles, when John once again picked them up to bring them to his friend Red's hunting house. The guys also crossed into another time zone!
The guys would like to take a minute to thank John for all he has done for them. They would also like to let him know they are pulling for him, as he awaits word to see if he will be accepted to run the Badwater Ultra Marathon. Good luck, we are all pulling for you!
When the guys arrived at Red's, Andy jumped in the shower. Ken and Durkin jumped into a couch and bed for a nap. A little while later, the team had dinner with Red, Donna, Chris, Lori, and River. This delicious southern meal included corn bread, sweet corn, black eyed peas, potatoes and pork chops. The guys also had their first run in with sweet tea, and loved it! Durkin jammed out with River on Guitar Hero, and a little while later they had strawberry shortcake with fresh strawberries from Louisiana. Andy said it was such a nice night, and the folks were so generous. They were really into the whole idea, and rallying behind the team's mission.
One final note...some may have noticed that Dewey has not been in the media coverage, blog updates, or pictures the last couple days. Unfortunately, Dewey has called it a trip, heading back to Albany, NY. He said he had some personal reasons for stopping, and this trip just wasn't for him. The guys were sad to see him go, but wanted what was best for Dewey. They will now travel with two joggers and no bike support. They want to thank Dewey for attempting this trip with them, and all of the help he gave while with the team.
Keep checking back on the trio to see how the state of Alabama treats them!
- Rick
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Day 12 (The Rambler)
Today we felt the raw power of The Rambler! Our new friend Reynold hooked us up with his classic Ford pick-up truck for the day which allowed us to get a lot done on our first day off.
The day began with Ken taking a trip to a physical therapy appointment he got through our buddy Troy. It's incredable how helpful people have been in this city, what are the odds we would run with a pediatrist and a generous man with an extra truck. After Ken's appointment we picked up some supplies and ran some errands around town for a bit. We then made our way to meet up with the Columbus High School baseball team. We discussed the importance of following your dreams and being mentally tough with the guys. Hopefully they'll credit us when they take down their next state championship. After our talk we got hooked up with some very stylish flat brimed orange fitted hats sporting the Columbus C on them, we'll definetly wear them with pride.
After our pep talk with the guys we made our way back to meet up with the Sparks. We took some pictures and had some delicious doughnuts before Ramblin' our way over to The Atlanta Bread Company to meet up with the Columbus Road Runners. The group consisted of runners of all ages and skill types. It was great to talk to runners about this journey. They all seemed to share our spirit of adventure, and most wished they could join us for the rest of the trip. We experienced even more generosity from the club, in the form of a free meal, club singlets, bars, drinks and more!
After dinner I finally got a chance behind the wheel of The Rambler. Similar to running 20+ miles day in, day out, its an experience that can only be fully understood and appreciated by those who have been there first hand. We made it back to Reynold's house and met up with the rest of The Counts family. We talked for a bit and then decided we had to re-organize the joggers. Andy and I came up with a fool-proof game plan, he would pack everything, and I would play wii with Bennett and Bailey. I feel this is the plan Andy and I were put on earth to accomplish. After showing the boys a trick or two in Super Mario Galaxy it was time to take pictures and sign our first autographs.
I know I said the same thing yesterday but I can't stress enough how much we've enjoyed our time in Georgia. Every minute of every day has been a pleasure. From the sands of Tybee to the edge of the border in Columbus we have all loved every step so far.
See ya'll in Alabama!
-Durkin
The day began with Ken taking a trip to a physical therapy appointment he got through our buddy Troy. It's incredable how helpful people have been in this city, what are the odds we would run with a pediatrist and a generous man with an extra truck. After Ken's appointment we picked up some supplies and ran some errands around town for a bit. We then made our way to meet up with the Columbus High School baseball team. We discussed the importance of following your dreams and being mentally tough with the guys. Hopefully they'll credit us when they take down their next state championship. After our talk we got hooked up with some very stylish flat brimed orange fitted hats sporting the Columbus C on them, we'll definetly wear them with pride.
After our pep talk with the guys we made our way back to meet up with the Sparks. We took some pictures and had some delicious doughnuts before Ramblin' our way over to The Atlanta Bread Company to meet up with the Columbus Road Runners. The group consisted of runners of all ages and skill types. It was great to talk to runners about this journey. They all seemed to share our spirit of adventure, and most wished they could join us for the rest of the trip. We experienced even more generosity from the club, in the form of a free meal, club singlets, bars, drinks and more!
After dinner I finally got a chance behind the wheel of The Rambler. Similar to running 20+ miles day in, day out, its an experience that can only be fully understood and appreciated by those who have been there first hand. We made it back to Reynold's house and met up with the rest of The Counts family. We talked for a bit and then decided we had to re-organize the joggers. Andy and I came up with a fool-proof game plan, he would pack everything, and I would play wii with Bennett and Bailey. I feel this is the plan Andy and I were put on earth to accomplish. After showing the boys a trick or two in Super Mario Galaxy it was time to take pictures and sign our first autographs.
I know I said the same thing yesterday but I can't stress enough how much we've enjoyed our time in Georgia. Every minute of every day has been a pleasure. From the sands of Tybee to the edge of the border in Columbus we have all loved every step so far.
See ya'll in Alabama!
-Durkin
Monday, February 11, 2008
Day 11
Today began at 6:30am about 30 miles outside of Columbus, GA. We woke up and began packing our gear in the frigid 35 degree morning air. Our tents and gear had frosted over the outside which made packing up extra difficult. We started the run at 7:15, heading off towards Columbus. Columbus meant a lot to us today, it meant a day off, a place to stay, and most importantly a shower. We made it about 45 minutes before meeting up with our new friends Reynold and John. The two found out about us through our website, and saw running with us as a great oppurtunity they couldn't afford to miss (who could blame 'em?!). We immeditatly hit it off with them, possibly because we were all big distance runners, or possibly because they brought us breakfast, who knows?
It was nice to run with other people for a change. John and I pushed ahead for a while trading running stories and advice. About 8 miles into our run we came upon Four Winds Restaurant, home of the famous "Ranger Burger" in Cusseta, GA. Reynold told us whenever famous people come through town they stop into Four Winds which is also a popular spot for Army Rangers training in near-by Fort-Benning. We walked in just to check things out and when the employees found out what we were doing we were offered breakfast on the house. We happily accepted and enjoyed some good 'ol fashion southern breakfast (minus the grits). It was a great meal, Andy and I agreed that this had been the kind of breakfast we'd been looking for the whole trip. While at breakfast John and Reynold gave us some of the best training advice we've heard so far "Walk before you're tired, eat before you're hungry and drink before you're thirsty" definetly words to live by on this trip. As we left the waitresses brought out a bunch of snack food, crackers, cookies, cinnamon buns and more for us to take with us on our journey, we barely had enough room, but we can always make room for extra food.
We hit the road again with about 20 miles to go. Along the run we were stopped a few times for interviews which can be found on our website. I think we're all getting better at interviews, we all agree we look and sound more natural. We eventually made it back onto route 280. Route 280 takes the cake at this point as the worst road so far. There was a lot of traffic and a small shoulder with rumble strips along the side. We eventually met up with Dean, Dave and Troy, more great runners from the Columbus area. For the first time on the run we had a crew and it was a great feeling. We had so much in common with these guys it seemed like we'd known them for years. We joked around for a bit and even gave the guys a chance to try pushing the baby jogger! About 4 miles after they joined us we made it to "The River Walk", a paved path that follows the Chattahoochee. For those slacking on their Geography studies, the Chattahoochee is the natural border between Georgia and Alabama. We made it to the end of Georgia!
We continued on another two and a half miels, getting a jogging tour of historic Columbus. We saw an old brick baking oven, the house Coke was invented in, and the home of the Columbus Catfish. We finished up the run right at the bridge to Alabama, we were welcomed by other members of the running club who weren't lucky enough to get the afternoon off to run with us. They had a spread of Gatorade, bananas and cookies waiting for us at the end which was greatly appreciated! After our little picnic and photo-op we made our way to the Cannon Brewpub, a local favorite. We had a huge meal and some great locally brewed beer*. It was nice to talk to the guys in a relaxed, non-running atmosphere, everyone had their own stories and advice for us which we really enjoyed. The owner found out about our run and personally came out to meet us. He wished us all good luck and told us lunch was on the house, music to our ears.
After all was said and done we piled into Troy's truck and headed off to our new home, The Sparks' residence. We experienced an immediate welcoming feeling from the family, Andy and Kellye are going out of their way to make this feel like home. We experienced our first shower in over 2 days, I can't remember the last time I've felt this fresh! Kellye made us a delicious lasagna, I told her it was second to only my mom's and I stand by that. We made it across our first state and to our first day off. I can't explain how happy I am with this trip so far, we've met so many amazing people. Georgia has set the bar, it'll be tough for the next seven states to compare, I wish them all luck.
We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow considering its a day off, Ken has physical therapy, we're meeting up with a local baseball team, and having dinner with the local track club. Luckily for us we'll have the legendary power of "The Rambler". Reynold was kind enough to donate his pick up truck to us for the day, under the condition we give it "some blog time". Check in tomorrow for our ghost riding adventures!
-Durkin
*I got a pink lemonade.
I don't have much to add on the day as Matt did a great job walking you through what Columbus has shown us so far. However, I would like to mention how awesome it was that John and Reynold took a day off from work in order to run with us. They went out of their way and rearranged their plans just to be on the road for one day with us (at least Reynold did, John was on his phone more than I could count...just kidding John). I could tell right from the start the reason they did so. They were true adventurers just like we are and some of their stories they had confirmed that. We all hit it off immediately and joked around about a number of things. I think it is true with any serious runner. Their heart and minds are always in the same place as mine and I could tell they truly appreciated what we were doing each and every day. I look forward to meeting more people like Reynold and John along the route, but it's going to be hard to top their killer attitudes as well as their adventurous spirit.
-Andy
It was nice to run with other people for a change. John and I pushed ahead for a while trading running stories and advice. About 8 miles into our run we came upon Four Winds Restaurant, home of the famous "Ranger Burger" in Cusseta, GA. Reynold told us whenever famous people come through town they stop into Four Winds which is also a popular spot for Army Rangers training in near-by Fort-Benning. We walked in just to check things out and when the employees found out what we were doing we were offered breakfast on the house. We happily accepted and enjoyed some good 'ol fashion southern breakfast (minus the grits). It was a great meal, Andy and I agreed that this had been the kind of breakfast we'd been looking for the whole trip. While at breakfast John and Reynold gave us some of the best training advice we've heard so far "Walk before you're tired, eat before you're hungry and drink before you're thirsty" definetly words to live by on this trip. As we left the waitresses brought out a bunch of snack food, crackers, cookies, cinnamon buns and more for us to take with us on our journey, we barely had enough room, but we can always make room for extra food.
We hit the road again with about 20 miles to go. Along the run we were stopped a few times for interviews which can be found on our website. I think we're all getting better at interviews, we all agree we look and sound more natural. We eventually made it back onto route 280. Route 280 takes the cake at this point as the worst road so far. There was a lot of traffic and a small shoulder with rumble strips along the side. We eventually met up with Dean, Dave and Troy, more great runners from the Columbus area. For the first time on the run we had a crew and it was a great feeling. We had so much in common with these guys it seemed like we'd known them for years. We joked around for a bit and even gave the guys a chance to try pushing the baby jogger! About 4 miles after they joined us we made it to "The River Walk", a paved path that follows the Chattahoochee. For those slacking on their Geography studies, the Chattahoochee is the natural border between Georgia and Alabama. We made it to the end of Georgia!
We continued on another two and a half miels, getting a jogging tour of historic Columbus. We saw an old brick baking oven, the house Coke was invented in, and the home of the Columbus Catfish. We finished up the run right at the bridge to Alabama, we were welcomed by other members of the running club who weren't lucky enough to get the afternoon off to run with us. They had a spread of Gatorade, bananas and cookies waiting for us at the end which was greatly appreciated! After our little picnic and photo-op we made our way to the Cannon Brewpub, a local favorite. We had a huge meal and some great locally brewed beer*. It was nice to talk to the guys in a relaxed, non-running atmosphere, everyone had their own stories and advice for us which we really enjoyed. The owner found out about our run and personally came out to meet us. He wished us all good luck and told us lunch was on the house, music to our ears.
After all was said and done we piled into Troy's truck and headed off to our new home, The Sparks' residence. We experienced an immediate welcoming feeling from the family, Andy and Kellye are going out of their way to make this feel like home. We experienced our first shower in over 2 days, I can't remember the last time I've felt this fresh! Kellye made us a delicious lasagna, I told her it was second to only my mom's and I stand by that. We made it across our first state and to our first day off. I can't explain how happy I am with this trip so far, we've met so many amazing people. Georgia has set the bar, it'll be tough for the next seven states to compare, I wish them all luck.
We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow considering its a day off, Ken has physical therapy, we're meeting up with a local baseball team, and having dinner with the local track club. Luckily for us we'll have the legendary power of "The Rambler". Reynold was kind enough to donate his pick up truck to us for the day, under the condition we give it "some blog time". Check in tomorrow for our ghost riding adventures!
-Durkin
*I got a pink lemonade.
I don't have much to add on the day as Matt did a great job walking you through what Columbus has shown us so far. However, I would like to mention how awesome it was that John and Reynold took a day off from work in order to run with us. They went out of their way and rearranged their plans just to be on the road for one day with us (at least Reynold did, John was on his phone more than I could count...just kidding John). I could tell right from the start the reason they did so. They were true adventurers just like we are and some of their stories they had confirmed that. We all hit it off immediately and joked around about a number of things. I think it is true with any serious runner. Their heart and minds are always in the same place as mine and I could tell they truly appreciated what we were doing each and every day. I look forward to meeting more people like Reynold and John along the route, but it's going to be hard to top their killer attitudes as well as their adventurous spirit.
-Andy
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Day 10
Though today was largely uneventful, it was as Durkin stated, "... quick and successful."
They were able to sleep in knowing that there was only 14 miles of road ahead of them. They left Ellaville, GA around 10 AM after having breakfast. The weather was pleasantly warm and it took the team about 2 and a half hours to cover the distance to Buena Vista GA; their resting place for the evening. They arrived around 12:30 and although it is February, it felt like November because lunch was like a Thanksgiving feast! Turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, rice and gravy. It was a 'balln' meal.
After lunch, Durkin went to the local Police station to see if they could spend the night there. However after an apologetic no from the officer, they had two decisions; either go two miles out of the way to a campsite, or push ahead towards the next town until they found a good place to set up camp. They decided to move ahead and since today was a short day anyways, doing a few extra miles was not a big deal.
Just before departure they stocked up on some supplies at a local gas station. The kindness of strangers continues here as the gas station owner; Dave Perry, had heard about the guys on the news and gave them $40 stating, "lunch was on him."
The guys walked about 4 miles until they came upon a house that looked good to spend the might. The generous owner offered up his lawn and they will spend the night there before heading to Columbus GA tomorrow. Though it was an easy milage day, they still are extremely tired and will most likely go 'sub seven' tonight.
Earlier in the week Mike from Columbus, GA contacted the guys stating that he and some others wanted to join them on their run on Monday. They will complete the entire 33 miles with them and when they arrive will have dinner with Mike's Cross Country/Track team. In another generous act of kindness a couple from Columbus are opening their home for the guys to spend the night. They will spend Monday and Tuesday night with the family. Tuesday will be a rest day so it will be great to have a roof over their head and a bed to sleep in.
It's been a great first week and half so far-keep checking back!
-Dan
They were able to sleep in knowing that there was only 14 miles of road ahead of them. They left Ellaville, GA around 10 AM after having breakfast. The weather was pleasantly warm and it took the team about 2 and a half hours to cover the distance to Buena Vista GA; their resting place for the evening. They arrived around 12:30 and although it is February, it felt like November because lunch was like a Thanksgiving feast! Turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, rice and gravy. It was a 'balln' meal.
After lunch, Durkin went to the local Police station to see if they could spend the night there. However after an apologetic no from the officer, they had two decisions; either go two miles out of the way to a campsite, or push ahead towards the next town until they found a good place to set up camp. They decided to move ahead and since today was a short day anyways, doing a few extra miles was not a big deal.
Just before departure they stocked up on some supplies at a local gas station. The kindness of strangers continues here as the gas station owner; Dave Perry, had heard about the guys on the news and gave them $40 stating, "lunch was on him."
The guys walked about 4 miles until they came upon a house that looked good to spend the might. The generous owner offered up his lawn and they will spend the night there before heading to Columbus GA tomorrow. Though it was an easy milage day, they still are extremely tired and will most likely go 'sub seven' tonight.
Earlier in the week Mike from Columbus, GA contacted the guys stating that he and some others wanted to join them on their run on Monday. They will complete the entire 33 miles with them and when they arrive will have dinner with Mike's Cross Country/Track team. In another generous act of kindness a couple from Columbus are opening their home for the guys to spend the night. They will spend Monday and Tuesday night with the family. Tuesday will be a rest day so it will be great to have a roof over their head and a bed to sleep in.
It's been a great first week and half so far-keep checking back!
-Dan
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Day 9
Today began in Unadilla at the Scottish Inn where the team stayed for free. The day's travel was expected to be around 22-23 miles to a town called Oglethorpe. The guys gathered their gear, strapping wet, washed clothes to the front of the jogger in hopes that they would be dry when they got to the next town. The left Unadilla shortly after 8 am.
About 20 miles into the journey, they arrived in the town of Montezuma, GA. The guys sat down at the local Huddle House for some impressive burger and chicken platters. After a short stay to eat and rest a bit, the team set out for the final 3 miles of the day's mileage. The team's GPS sent them a bit out of the way, and the team ended up about 3 miles from Oglethorpe. The team finally strolled into Oglethorpe, and found that nothing was open. There were few people in sight. The fire department and police station were both locked. The guys sat down and began to contemplate what they should do. After a long discussion the guys decided to keep the joggers moving and get as far as they could that day. The next town was Ellaville, and it was about 17 miles down the road. Looking at the GPS there were two ways to get to Ellaville. The first was down a road with a sign that pointed to Ellaville. The second was a different road marked by the GPS. The team decided to give the GPS one more shot, and followed its directions.
About 3-4 miles later, the team passed a sign that read "Pavement Ends." The road ahead was dirt, and showing no signs of civilization. This is where the trip became exciting for the guys. This unmarked road may either lead them to Ellaville or even further out of the way. Fears aside, the crew kept running. When I spoke with Durkin and Andy, they both barely had the words to describe the scenery they saw. Words like amazing, awesome, and incredible were all used. The guys said they had some awesome pictures to post including video of a crop duster, and they couldn't wait until they could find some internet access. Be on the lookout for them! Andy also set the first "Ghost Ride" record of 28 seconds! Ghost Riding consists of letting the Baby Jogger go unattended while the driver dances beside it. Durkin compared this dirt track to that of Coco Island on Super Mario Kart.
The guys made it off the dirt road about 3 miles later, and had about 10 to go until Ellaville. It was on this road that Durkin trumped Andy's 28 second record with a Ghost Ride of 1 minute and 3 seconds while singing "Ghost Ride It" by Mistah Fab! Around 5:30, the team strolled into Ellaville after a much unexpected 38 mile day. When they got into town, Andy spoke with a Police Officer about where they could set up for the night. He indicated that a small park down the street would be fine with him. The team then entered "The Pizza Place" for dinner. After talking with Ervin and Janiece Bauder, the couple offered up their grandson's backyard for the team to pitch their tents. They got their food, and even a free pizza!
The big story of the day was Mr. Ken Stannard. Ken has been real sore the last couple days, but all described him as a champ today. He was still sore, but was letting nothing stop him. On their way to Ellaville, he was quoted as saying, "We're getting to Ellaville, even if my bones crack!" Thanks to Ken's relentless high spirits, the team is resting happily in Ellaville tonight.
Tomorrow's mileage to Buena Vista is only expected to be around 14 miles. This will be a welcomed low mileage day after the monster day today. Check out the news links on the site for some more articles from Albany, NY and Macon, GA! Thanks for all the support, and keep checking back on the team!
- Rick
About 20 miles into the journey, they arrived in the town of Montezuma, GA. The guys sat down at the local Huddle House for some impressive burger and chicken platters. After a short stay to eat and rest a bit, the team set out for the final 3 miles of the day's mileage. The team's GPS sent them a bit out of the way, and the team ended up about 3 miles from Oglethorpe. The team finally strolled into Oglethorpe, and found that nothing was open. There were few people in sight. The fire department and police station were both locked. The guys sat down and began to contemplate what they should do. After a long discussion the guys decided to keep the joggers moving and get as far as they could that day. The next town was Ellaville, and it was about 17 miles down the road. Looking at the GPS there were two ways to get to Ellaville. The first was down a road with a sign that pointed to Ellaville. The second was a different road marked by the GPS. The team decided to give the GPS one more shot, and followed its directions.
About 3-4 miles later, the team passed a sign that read "Pavement Ends." The road ahead was dirt, and showing no signs of civilization. This is where the trip became exciting for the guys. This unmarked road may either lead them to Ellaville or even further out of the way. Fears aside, the crew kept running. When I spoke with Durkin and Andy, they both barely had the words to describe the scenery they saw. Words like amazing, awesome, and incredible were all used. The guys said they had some awesome pictures to post including video of a crop duster, and they couldn't wait until they could find some internet access. Be on the lookout for them! Andy also set the first "Ghost Ride" record of 28 seconds! Ghost Riding consists of letting the Baby Jogger go unattended while the driver dances beside it. Durkin compared this dirt track to that of Coco Island on Super Mario Kart.
The guys made it off the dirt road about 3 miles later, and had about 10 to go until Ellaville. It was on this road that Durkin trumped Andy's 28 second record with a Ghost Ride of 1 minute and 3 seconds while singing "Ghost Ride It" by Mistah Fab! Around 5:30, the team strolled into Ellaville after a much unexpected 38 mile day. When they got into town, Andy spoke with a Police Officer about where they could set up for the night. He indicated that a small park down the street would be fine with him. The team then entered "The Pizza Place" for dinner. After talking with Ervin and Janiece Bauder, the couple offered up their grandson's backyard for the team to pitch their tents. They got their food, and even a free pizza!
The big story of the day was Mr. Ken Stannard. Ken has been real sore the last couple days, but all described him as a champ today. He was still sore, but was letting nothing stop him. On their way to Ellaville, he was quoted as saying, "We're getting to Ellaville, even if my bones crack!" Thanks to Ken's relentless high spirits, the team is resting happily in Ellaville tonight.
Tomorrow's mileage to Buena Vista is only expected to be around 14 miles. This will be a welcomed low mileage day after the monster day today. Check out the news links on the site for some more articles from Albany, NY and Macon, GA! Thanks for all the support, and keep checking back on the team!
- Rick
Friday, February 8, 2008
Day 8
The four started today from the friendly confines of Hawkinsville. Sherry gave the team "Good Luck Nuts" or buckeye nuts to wish them well on the rest of their trip. The four also took some pictures with Chuck before they left. They were originally headed to Henderson, GA today, however they were told there was "nothing more than a 4-way intersection." After examining a map, they decided to head a little south on RT 230 to Unadilla, GA. This was about the same distance from Hawkinsville, and would give the group a chance to grab some food and put up their tent. A little after 8 am, they set out for Unadilla, but not before stopping at the local gas station to pick up some Pop Tarts. Much to their surprise, it was a mere 33 degrees to begin the travel. The foursome put on some layers, and headed out for the open road. It was an interesting morning, as they did not expect to be able to see their breath while traveling.
By 10 am, the weather had warmed, and the guys were now traveling in shorts and t-shirts. Andy predicted it to be around 50 degrees, and perfect cool running weather. They continued to travel until about 11 am, when Seth O'Dell called with another media update. He had arranged for two news stations from Macon, GA to travel down to Unadilla and pick up the story on the guys! The FOX and ABC affiliates from Macon would be the stations interviewing them in just a little while. Macon is the second largest media hub in Georgia, only behind Atlanta. This is some good press, thanks Seth!
The team strolled into Unadilla at about Noon today, and found themselves at the Rail Side Cafe just as it was starting to get pretty warm outside. As they were eating and relaxing, the 4 talked to many about their journey, including the Courtney Anderson and John Daw who were in charge of the cafe. FOX was the first to show up, and conducted a short interview with the guys. A few minutes later ABC came and completed an extensive Q & A with the team, including shooting some video footage. Ken was the first to go, and the other 3 followed. After the interview, Eric Lee from ABC handed the team $20! The news teams began to leave, and the guys hung around a little while longer to recover from the day's travel. They spoke with Courtney and John a little more about the trip, and at the conclusion of the conversation they told the guys that lunch was on them. More great Southern hospitality!
Just when you think the afternoon could not get any better, Police Chief Ernest Dennard came into the cafe, and began playing the piano. Andy said that he was jammin' out! He was a terrific player, and Ken showed his appreciation by jammin' out himself! The news crews heard the immense applause and came in to film the officer and Ken while he jammed out!
After Chief Dennard finished playing, Durkin approached him to inquire about putting up the tent. He said he would be happy to help them out in any way he could. The guys later left, and went to the Police Station. They waited a few minutes until Chief Dennard arrived. He asked if they would rather stay in a room. The team obliged, and he left to check out the scene. Ten minutes later, Chief Dennard came back telling the team he had them all set up in the Scottish Inn down the road for the night. When the team got to the Inn, they found out that the entire town had pitched in so they could stay for free! Thank you Chief Dennard and Unadilla! The four spent the rest of the night icing and downing Subway sandwiches. Ken dominated two foot-long subs all by himself!
The adventure continues to become more and more exciting with each stop the guys make. Thank you to all who have helped them along the way so far. You are greatly appreciated! Keep checking back to see how the trip unfolds! Thank you again for all of your support!
One final note! The guys wish to congratulate their very close friend Kyle "Los" Walcott on receiving a position at Second Nature Entrada in Utah! Congrats Spain!
-Rick
By 10 am, the weather had warmed, and the guys were now traveling in shorts and t-shirts. Andy predicted it to be around 50 degrees, and perfect cool running weather. They continued to travel until about 11 am, when Seth O'Dell called with another media update. He had arranged for two news stations from Macon, GA to travel down to Unadilla and pick up the story on the guys! The FOX and ABC affiliates from Macon would be the stations interviewing them in just a little while. Macon is the second largest media hub in Georgia, only behind Atlanta. This is some good press, thanks Seth!
The team strolled into Unadilla at about Noon today, and found themselves at the Rail Side Cafe just as it was starting to get pretty warm outside. As they were eating and relaxing, the 4 talked to many about their journey, including the Courtney Anderson and John Daw who were in charge of the cafe. FOX was the first to show up, and conducted a short interview with the guys. A few minutes later ABC came and completed an extensive Q & A with the team, including shooting some video footage. Ken was the first to go, and the other 3 followed. After the interview, Eric Lee from ABC handed the team $20! The news teams began to leave, and the guys hung around a little while longer to recover from the day's travel. They spoke with Courtney and John a little more about the trip, and at the conclusion of the conversation they told the guys that lunch was on them. More great Southern hospitality!
Just when you think the afternoon could not get any better, Police Chief Ernest Dennard came into the cafe, and began playing the piano. Andy said that he was jammin' out! He was a terrific player, and Ken showed his appreciation by jammin' out himself! The news crews heard the immense applause and came in to film the officer and Ken while he jammed out!
After Chief Dennard finished playing, Durkin approached him to inquire about putting up the tent. He said he would be happy to help them out in any way he could. The guys later left, and went to the Police Station. They waited a few minutes until Chief Dennard arrived. He asked if they would rather stay in a room. The team obliged, and he left to check out the scene. Ten minutes later, Chief Dennard came back telling the team he had them all set up in the Scottish Inn down the road for the night. When the team got to the Inn, they found out that the entire town had pitched in so they could stay for free! Thank you Chief Dennard and Unadilla! The four spent the rest of the night icing and downing Subway sandwiches. Ken dominated two foot-long subs all by himself!
The adventure continues to become more and more exciting with each stop the guys make. Thank you to all who have helped them along the way so far. You are greatly appreciated! Keep checking back to see how the trip unfolds! Thank you again for all of your support!
One final note! The guys wish to congratulate their very close friend Kyle "Los" Walcott on receiving a position at Second Nature Entrada in Utah! Congrats Spain!
-Rick
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Day 7
Today began oddly enough where yesterday ended, Eastman, GA. We woke up around 7am and packed up our gear, which as always found a way to explode around the room we stayed in. We got everything together and headed off to the continental breakfast. The spread was impressive consisting of waffles, french toast, muffins, fruit and much much more. We then set off towards Hawkinsville, our projected destination for the day. The day had originally called for about 24 miles, but since we ran extra yesterday it was a mere 20 miles. It's incredable that 20 miles is an easy, joke of a day for us now. There were no places to stop to eat on the way, so we decided to man up and get the day done in one shot without a mid-day break like we've been doing. Dewey picked up some supplies at a Wal-Mart and Ken, Andy and I trekked down the road singing our battle song "I don't care... that this really hurts". We made it about 8 or 9 miles before getting stopped by Vicki, a women who writes for a paper in Eastman. After taking some lovely mid-run photos and talking about the run we got back on our way.
Shortly after we recieved a phone call from our new friend Chuck who asked us when we would be getting into town, and if we'd mind talking to a group of middle school XC runners. Needless to say we were very excited about this opportunity. We continued to run on until we made it to Hawkinsville. We arrived in town at noon, we were all very happy with this accomplishment. We met up with Chuck and his wife Sherry who brought us on a tour of the town. He showed us around The Hawkinsville Dispatch and News, an office supply store/newspaper headquarters. He then took us to lunch at A.B.'s Barbacue, hands down the greatest meal of the trip so far. The crew at A.B.'s told us we could get whatever we wanted free of charge, big mistake. Andy, Ken and I got "Durkin's Meal" which consisted of a half bbq chicken, fries, potatoe salad, and a delicious cheeseburger. Words can't describe how good this meal was, it's gonna be a tough one to beat. To top the meal off after we sat down a waitress came over and gave Ken his own personal pitcher of Pibb!
After lunch we hopped in Chuck's truck and took a tour of the town. Hawkinsville is the Harness Horse Capital of Georgia and we got an up-close look at the training facility. We then made our way to the Hawkinsville Middle School. We rolled in and an announcment went over the PA "Will the Cross Country team please come down to the main office" . The kids had no idea what was going on, all they knew was they were getting out of class. We then made our way to a classroom where Chuck and the XC coach introduced us and we told the team about the run so far. The kids asked all sorts of questions and we had all sorts of answers, overall I think it went pretty well. One girl asked if we'd remember Hawkinsville when we were famous, we told her we'd definetly remember Hawkinsville but we can't make any guarantee about becoming famous. After handing out some cards, high fives we were on our way. Our next stop was The Hawkinsville Opera House. The Opera House had an amazing history and had recently undergone a renovation costing over a million dollars.
After the Opera House we made our way back to Chuck's house. They gave us beds to sleep in, warm showeres for the night, two home cooked meals, and even washed our clothes for us. Chuck and Sherry have been gracious enough to take us into their home for the night and we couldn't be more greatful. We've encountered so much generosity on this trip and we couldn't be happier.
-Durkin
Shortly after we recieved a phone call from our new friend Chuck who asked us when we would be getting into town, and if we'd mind talking to a group of middle school XC runners. Needless to say we were very excited about this opportunity. We continued to run on until we made it to Hawkinsville. We arrived in town at noon, we were all very happy with this accomplishment. We met up with Chuck and his wife Sherry who brought us on a tour of the town. He showed us around The Hawkinsville Dispatch and News, an office supply store/newspaper headquarters. He then took us to lunch at A.B.'s Barbacue, hands down the greatest meal of the trip so far. The crew at A.B.'s told us we could get whatever we wanted free of charge, big mistake. Andy, Ken and I got "Durkin's Meal" which consisted of a half bbq chicken, fries, potatoe salad, and a delicious cheeseburger. Words can't describe how good this meal was, it's gonna be a tough one to beat. To top the meal off after we sat down a waitress came over and gave Ken his own personal pitcher of Pibb!
After lunch we hopped in Chuck's truck and took a tour of the town. Hawkinsville is the Harness Horse Capital of Georgia and we got an up-close look at the training facility. We then made our way to the Hawkinsville Middle School. We rolled in and an announcment went over the PA "Will the Cross Country team please come down to the main office" . The kids had no idea what was going on, all they knew was they were getting out of class. We then made our way to a classroom where Chuck and the XC coach introduced us and we told the team about the run so far. The kids asked all sorts of questions and we had all sorts of answers, overall I think it went pretty well. One girl asked if we'd remember Hawkinsville when we were famous, we told her we'd definetly remember Hawkinsville but we can't make any guarantee about becoming famous. After handing out some cards, high fives we were on our way. Our next stop was The Hawkinsville Opera House. The Opera House had an amazing history and had recently undergone a renovation costing over a million dollars.
After the Opera House we made our way back to Chuck's house. They gave us beds to sleep in, warm showeres for the night, two home cooked meals, and even washed our clothes for us. Chuck and Sherry have been gracious enough to take us into their home for the night and we couldn't be more greatful. We've encountered so much generosity on this trip and we couldn't be happier.
-Durkin
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Day 6
We woke up this morning around 7. Andy was missing from where he orginally fell asleep and we all assumed that the hard floor was to much for him. We felt he climbed into the cab of the fire truck for a softer bed. It turned out that he moved his bedding into the kitchen of the fire house because the time card machine was driving him nuts. Every minute it would produce a sonic boom - first a softer ticking sound then a giant BOOM!
After packing all our gear up and eating a few power bars we were on the road by 8. Our plan was to travel 10 miles to McRae and fine something to eat. Matt and Andy ran together for most of the morning as Dewey went ahead to scout out a diner to eat. Ken, still sore from all the miles, lagged close behind. He called us maybe 20minutes into the run to tell us two guys from Alamo stopped him and donated a $5 bill and a bag full of coins. They had saw Ken's nationrun.com t-shirt the night before and looked us up online. In total Mat Rainey and Victor Villegas donated close to $14 toward our run. Thanks for the breakfast fellas.
At 9:30 we reached the outskirts of town and waited for Ken. As soon as he arrived we found a place to rest as well as eat. We all had breakfast and for the first time in our lives ordered grits with our meal. It looked a lot like oatmeal and none of us took more than a bite before calling it a night. After about an hour we started out again for another 10 miles and our next pit stop, a small gas station in Chauncey GA. "Don't blink or ya'll miss it" we were told. The town had a post office, a church, and the ever important gas station where we refueled until we reached our final destination for the day in Eastman.
The weather was cloudy and windy all day but up until that point it had not rained. It was looking darker and darker in the distance and with 8 miles to go before we ended our day we wanted to beat the incoming storm. Dewey and Matt pushed ahead while Andy waited for Ken to catch up. Matt and Dewey arrived at the hotel right around 2pm. Unfortunately, Ken and Andy were unable to get in before the storm hit. For the last 5 minutes of their day, rain pelted them from every direction. They stumbled into the hotel just before 3 screaming NATION at the top of their lungs.
At night Dewey biked into town and picked up 4 pizzas for everyone. He hand delivered them using the baby jogger as a carrying bag. The next few days are going to be short in comparision to the last few, only covering about 20 miles per day. Seth was able to get us another interview with the local paper in Hawkinsville and the news reporter offered to put us up for the night. It's going to be a great feeling heading out tomorrow knowing we have only 20 miles to cover and to have a roof over our heads.
Sidenote: After only 6 days of running the roads of GA we have found 4 license plates as well as a custom Georgetown plate.
After packing all our gear up and eating a few power bars we were on the road by 8. Our plan was to travel 10 miles to McRae and fine something to eat. Matt and Andy ran together for most of the morning as Dewey went ahead to scout out a diner to eat. Ken, still sore from all the miles, lagged close behind. He called us maybe 20minutes into the run to tell us two guys from Alamo stopped him and donated a $5 bill and a bag full of coins. They had saw Ken's nationrun.com t-shirt the night before and looked us up online. In total Mat Rainey and Victor Villegas donated close to $14 toward our run. Thanks for the breakfast fellas.
At 9:30 we reached the outskirts of town and waited for Ken. As soon as he arrived we found a place to rest as well as eat. We all had breakfast and for the first time in our lives ordered grits with our meal. It looked a lot like oatmeal and none of us took more than a bite before calling it a night. After about an hour we started out again for another 10 miles and our next pit stop, a small gas station in Chauncey GA. "Don't blink or ya'll miss it" we were told. The town had a post office, a church, and the ever important gas station where we refueled until we reached our final destination for the day in Eastman.
The weather was cloudy and windy all day but up until that point it had not rained. It was looking darker and darker in the distance and with 8 miles to go before we ended our day we wanted to beat the incoming storm. Dewey and Matt pushed ahead while Andy waited for Ken to catch up. Matt and Dewey arrived at the hotel right around 2pm. Unfortunately, Ken and Andy were unable to get in before the storm hit. For the last 5 minutes of their day, rain pelted them from every direction. They stumbled into the hotel just before 3 screaming NATION at the top of their lungs.
At night Dewey biked into town and picked up 4 pizzas for everyone. He hand delivered them using the baby jogger as a carrying bag. The next few days are going to be short in comparision to the last few, only covering about 20 miles per day. Seth was able to get us another interview with the local paper in Hawkinsville and the news reporter offered to put us up for the night. It's going to be a great feeling heading out tomorrow knowing we have only 20 miles to cover and to have a roof over our heads.
Sidenote: After only 6 days of running the roads of GA we have found 4 license plates as well as a custom Georgetown plate.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Day 5
Day 5 and the foursome is well over 100 miles. Tonight they will be in Alamo, GA. They were able to get plenty of sleep the night before and were well rested for the first time. They got up at about 7 am, and Ken headed out first.
Ken was fairly sore, so he wanted to get a jump on the day. Andy, Matt and Dewey followed about an hour later. Along the way, Andy said they found different items layed out on the curb. Ken had found various items while running and placed them up along the road, partly for fun, and partly to let the others know he was OK and still ahead of them. The one that was kept, and named the new mascot, was a small purple dinosaur which they named Natie (nae-chie).
The four met up in Mount Vernon, GA at a Dairy Queen for lunch. Ken said lunch was amazing. They ate 1/2 pound burgers, and a couple of Blizzards. After spending about an hour to eat and recuperate, the team continued on their trek toward Alamo. Ken said that he was again feeling sore, and that he fell behind a bit. However, after his food settled, he got a second wind and caught the group with less than a mile left in the day. When he caught and passed them, he exclaimed, "Kenny's the greatest!" Andy said that it was a really good day, and agreed that Ken was a monster finishing up the day's mileage.
Dewey said he got another flat today. He had to change it a couple times because apparently it wasn't holding air well. He says he is running out of tubes, so he will have to get some at some point in the trip. He also said that there was a little dog running around that he wanted to adopt for the trip! Dewey said he feels great, although his legs are a little tired. Today's travel was fairly hilly, and that will take a toll on your legs.
Durkin said that he and Andy came up on a pond during the run. When they saw it, they immediately thought, "Yeah, that's happening," meaning that looked like a great place to take a quick bath. The two got about knee deep in the pond before realizing that the pond did not smell so great and it was actually tracked more mud onto themselves than they were washing off. Though ti didn't get them clean, it was a good for cooling off from the hot weather and traveling.
The team arrived in Alamo, GA early this afternoon and went straight to City Hall to ask where they might be able to put up their tent. The police officer there directed them to a small playground with some open area. After a few minutes, the group found a good place to set up shop for the night. Before they were able to do so, the police chief pulled up in his patrol car and told them they would actually be able to stay in the town fire department. "We got a hose out back, no one will bother you!" It was a free place to stay and they did not hesitate. So tonight, the guys showered with a hose in back of the fire department and will be eating dinner at Sharky's Restaurant. The firehouse was a great place to explore; they checked out the fire truck, explored the kitchen and other areas of the firehouse.
Seth O'Dell, who is handling PR, was able to secure another interview with a reporter from the Times Union Newspaper in Albany. The reporter interviewed Matt and told him that they would be doing weekly check ins with the team.
Thank you again for all of your support! Keep coming back and checking on the team!
- Rick
Ken was fairly sore, so he wanted to get a jump on the day. Andy, Matt and Dewey followed about an hour later. Along the way, Andy said they found different items layed out on the curb. Ken had found various items while running and placed them up along the road, partly for fun, and partly to let the others know he was OK and still ahead of them. The one that was kept, and named the new mascot, was a small purple dinosaur which they named Natie (nae-chie).
The four met up in Mount Vernon, GA at a Dairy Queen for lunch. Ken said lunch was amazing. They ate 1/2 pound burgers, and a couple of Blizzards. After spending about an hour to eat and recuperate, the team continued on their trek toward Alamo. Ken said that he was again feeling sore, and that he fell behind a bit. However, after his food settled, he got a second wind and caught the group with less than a mile left in the day. When he caught and passed them, he exclaimed, "Kenny's the greatest!" Andy said that it was a really good day, and agreed that Ken was a monster finishing up the day's mileage.
Dewey said he got another flat today. He had to change it a couple times because apparently it wasn't holding air well. He says he is running out of tubes, so he will have to get some at some point in the trip. He also said that there was a little dog running around that he wanted to adopt for the trip! Dewey said he feels great, although his legs are a little tired. Today's travel was fairly hilly, and that will take a toll on your legs.
Durkin said that he and Andy came up on a pond during the run. When they saw it, they immediately thought, "Yeah, that's happening," meaning that looked like a great place to take a quick bath. The two got about knee deep in the pond before realizing that the pond did not smell so great and it was actually tracked more mud onto themselves than they were washing off. Though ti didn't get them clean, it was a good for cooling off from the hot weather and traveling.
The team arrived in Alamo, GA early this afternoon and went straight to City Hall to ask where they might be able to put up their tent. The police officer there directed them to a small playground with some open area. After a few minutes, the group found a good place to set up shop for the night. Before they were able to do so, the police chief pulled up in his patrol car and told them they would actually be able to stay in the town fire department. "We got a hose out back, no one will bother you!" It was a free place to stay and they did not hesitate. So tonight, the guys showered with a hose in back of the fire department and will be eating dinner at Sharky's Restaurant. The firehouse was a great place to explore; they checked out the fire truck, explored the kitchen and other areas of the firehouse.
Seth O'Dell, who is handling PR, was able to secure another interview with a reporter from the Times Union Newspaper in Albany. The reporter interviewed Matt and told him that they would be doing weekly check ins with the team.
Thank you again for all of your support! Keep coming back and checking on the team!
- Rick
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