if that was how we were going to treat the athletes right out of the gate,what were we going to do to them later?.meanwhile,i took a walking tour of rogersville.rogersville is one of tennessee’s real gemsand any time you are visiting someplace,putting in your miles and finding the hidden stuff off the main road go hand in hand…the mileage total was not impressive,but i got in good bit of time on my feet(more important than Read more
at 0830 local time, our 31 intrepid adventurers left the parking lot of the hoot n hollar cafe, leaving behind someone’s lonely banana,marched through downtown alumwell (pictured below) and started the climb to little war gap….no need for preliminaries,lets just get right to business!.the forest is lush and green,and while the road has no shoulder,traffic is light,,,,and the scenery breathtaking..22 miles to the first opportunity to resupply.whoever left their banana at the start line is Read more
so we are here relaxing before our last supper feast.the last annual third circle of hell begins tomorrow morning..this is such a different experience.three vans and a truck filled with hardened veteransabout to take on the journey of a lifetime!!no jittery virgins.just experienced, seasoned warriorsstarring it on real good for what is about to come.they arent afraid because they dont know what is coming.they are afraid because they do!.27 named passes.420 miles with 420 adventures..31 Read more
insane weather continues..at least they are not too hot.it did get warm instantly if the sun came out at all between rainstorms.but most of the 4th day was spent watching the sky turn darkand unleash torrential rainsbefore lightening up and dwindling to a mere sprinkle.and then doing it again!.luck played a big part in how much and how oftenbut i dont believe it is possible anyone managed to duck every rainstorm today..i actually went online Read more
the three day window is closed.the check ins are coming slow this morning.for many in the long line of battered runners this is a time of reflection.the finish has receded from sight.the call of the rock is a faint echo,drowned out by the more immediate concerns ofblistered feetexhausted legshungerthirstand a weariness that they never imagined was possible..they have been baked in the sunand battered by fierce storms.the bravado and determination of the ferryhave been replaced Read more
dont even try to guess what’s coming next!.the morning heated up just like what the forecast said,dropping 4 more hopefulsbringing the number of fallen to 21,and leaving 115 of the original 136 to continue the long trek to the rock..it was looking like the afternoon would turn into a bloodbath,when the sky darkened with cloudsand yet another round of violent thunderstorms swept in before runners could take refuge,or road angels could secure their tents..this has Read more
scratch relying on the weather forecast.altho the vol staters left scattered along the road might have preferred to get the more thunderstorms they were promised….instead they saw the temperature barely dip below 80 (27c) justbefore dawn…..the heat index never got below 90..oprah relentlessly mowed down the trailing runners overnight.altho none of then had to be begged to take a ride in the meat wagon after she took them down.i dont think any of the survivors Read more
there is a special relationship that has developed over the yearsbetween the vol state runnersand the people who live along the course..what began with spontaneous gifts;things like a bottle of wateror a cold peach,offered when people saw a vol stater traipsing down the roadcooking in the hot sun,changed when the people who live along the course found out what was happening.when they discovered the reasonfor the annual migration of the homeless..one year there were a Read more