Day 80

Hey guys, this is Travis Visco, AKA Travis Visco writing for the guys today. Now, the fact that I have been given the honor and responsibility of writing this can only mean two things. First, they clearly don't have access to Internet, or they would be doing it themselves. The second thing is that absolutely no one else was available. So it has come down to me. Just so everyone knows, I am a blog noob, so I will try my best.

The guys woke up around 7 am today and enjoyed a nice continental breakfast. Soon after, they would head out for their last day in New Mexico. After leaving the town of Gallup, the guys endured some pretty heavy traffic for the first several miles. Once they got onto Route 264 the traffic cleared and they had plenty of open road to run on. They guys said they all felt absolutely great today. After taking the much needed rest day, the guys are ready for what lies ahead. The past few weeks had been especially difficult, and they are excited to have some easy weeks for a change.

Today marked a big day as the team crossed yet another state line. As usual, the guys made up another game, this time seeing who crosses the state line first. Before today, the score was Ken 2, Andy 2, and Durkin a mere 1. Durkin isn't too upset however, because he is confident he will be the first one into the ocean. As the guys were a few miles from entering Arizona, Durkin thought he would take a picture of the scenery. In the short time it took him to reach into his bag for his camera, Andy and Ken had abruptly dropped him, as they increased the pace towards the state line! With no intent of engaging in a footrace, Durkin wisely let them go. As they put distance between themselves and Durkin, they randomly stopped. Unaware of the reason behind this, Durkin caught back up to where the guys were standing. What had made them stop? A massive stampede like a scene from Jumanji!! Actually that was a lie. But there were four cows walking aimlessly through the streets of a small town! These cows, apparently on their own, were just walking around town, blocking traffic and creating a scene. Durkin described them as, "cows just walking the Earth". While some people were bothered by this natural traffic block, the guys loved every bit of it. Maybe it reminded them of college when cows would be walking all throughout campus! Either way, it was the high point of the day.

After being held up by the cows, the guys made their way to the state line. Filled with determination, Ken took off sprinting for the line. Ken was so caught in the moment that he kept up his sprint even after he had crossed the barrier. Good job Kenny, you now have 3 points, and are guaranteed at least a tie for first! As the guys made it inside Arizona, they headed to a really cool town called Window Rock. Durkin said the town was visually amazing, with numerous natural rock formations. As they made their way into town, the guys looked for a place to stay for the night. They first headed to the police station, where they met some supportive and enthusiastic officers. However, the setup wasn't ideal and there was no food nearby so they decided to search elsewhere. A little further down the road, they decided to enjoy a nutritious and delicious meal at Taco Bell. Ken and Durkin got the "Big Bell Value Box", also known as the Pampers special. This bountiful feast included: a chicken club chalupa, hard taco, bean burrito, cinnamin twist, and a large drink for just $4.99! Other notable events at the Bell included Andy and Ken enjoying a Mountain Dew Baja Blast, which they said is only available at Taco Bell.

After the meal, the team headed a little further down the road into a town called St. Michaels. Here they found a church and asked if they could spend the night. The folks here were more than generous in offering them a place to stay as well as shower! However, they warned it might be a little crowded because tonight was Bingo night. Upon hearing this, the guys became super excited to join in on the Bingo game. Apparently this is quite a large event, with a jackpot of $1500!!!! With the motto of "go big or go home", the guys went big, and bought the admission pack for $22, which has 18 boards. They guys have a conflict of interest concerning the event. On one hand, they want to meet tons of people. On the other, they want the crowd to be small, and in turn up their chances at victory. Ken and Durkin have already decided what they will do with their share of the winnings. A seven hour mule ride through the Grand Canyon that will cost $150 is at the top of their list. Andy wants no part of it. Either way, they guys are confident they will come out on top. Best of luck!

As I was talking to them, the guys were enjoying a nice meal at Denny's, getting ready for the Bingo fiasco ahead. The 28 mile day was an easy, enjoyable day for the team. The expect many more days like today as they continue their push westward. Keep it up guys!!

-Travy

Additional Points:
-Happy Birthday Lauren Fennessy
-The Mets are losing in the 5th inning
-I hope my spelling and grammar was better than my roommate's
-Ken, Durkin, and Andy are my heroes
-My roommates/teammates all enjoy the various educational videos the guys have been sending us