one (August 5)

The trail today, from someone who knows

So Wolf just desribed for me the trail Karl is running today, between VA 601 and TN 91:

"It's about 39 miles. It's relatively flat, very mild. There's real good footing. It's not rocky. There are not very many views, it's pretty well wooded the whole way, except for the mile before the road where he's going to end. That's a reroute that they've done in the last four years, and it's real nice."

That's right. Karl's in Tennessee now.

He's going for a much longer day tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Without JJ, you'd have no pictures.

I couldn't upload images earlier because my USB cord wasn't working. It was frustrating. I told JJ that I was having trouble with it and he actually offered to drive into Abingdon, 9 miles down the road, completely out of his way, to see if he could find me a replacement. He did. Then he came back into town and found Billy in the RV, and the two of them drove out to find me. I was on a run out towards our next crew stop for Karl. Billy went on to be there for Karl and JJ drove me back into Damascus, to Mojoe's, so that I could upload all the images and videos from yesterday and today.

It's going to be another good day.

Yesterday when I woke up, I looked at Billy and said, "It's going to be a good day, I can feel it." It was.

When we got up today, I said the same thing. Billy, a little hungover, said, "Oh god. I don't know if I can handle another good day."

We woke again at 4:30 and after the usual routine, Karl set off at 6:15.

Bookends

Yesterday was hands down the funnest day on the trail so far. Billy and I agree, but when we were talking about it this morning, Karl said, "They're all the same."

"Karl," I said, "Maybe you need to start judging your days by the bookends."

6-8-10-12, the yellow bikini and JJ

6-8-10-12. We've seen Karl every two hours today on the dot. His segments have varied in distance between 6.8 and 8.4 miles, over open fields and through tall, dense and lush hardwood forests. The day is bluebird, with temps in the low 70s, sunshine, clear skies and fresh air. It's a gift-of-a-day for Karl as he runs through some of the most beautiful sections of this trail: Grayson Highlands and Mt. Rogers. He is loving it! Every time we see him, he tells us how great it is out there.

6am start today

This just in via phone text-Karl got up and out the door by 6 this morning, and did the first 7.9 miles in 2 hours.  He is looking good and is in a great mood.  He was actually was doing a little air guitar, Pete Townsend style as he came in for his first stop.    He also just just did another 6.8 miles and is now headed to Mt Rodgers- it is a warm, sunny beatiful fall day, the kind you read about.  I mean, this is what it is all about, taking it all in.  Marit and Billy are doing awesome!

New pics and vids

I posted new stuff on the Flickr Stream. Check it out.

On-the-trail status, Day 44

Karl's first crew stop today was high up on Sharon Springs road -- which is a snakey, steep, windy thing right through the heart of some of the most beautiful country I've ever seen. On the way to the AT, we passed through collections of cabins, a.k.a. hunting camps (villages?) where, it seems, news of the outside world would be unknown and irrelevant.

Lance what?

This morning among the excuses, before he even got out of bed, Karl said:

“They have rest days in the Tour de France!”

6:31 and out the door

Slow morning today.

Billy and I overslept a bit. He woke me up a little before 5, apologetic for oversleeping. We kicked into gear fast, boiling water for coffee, starting breakfast, waking Karl.