Phil's Blog
Final Thoughts
It's been two weeks since I finished and sometimes I think this whole adventure was just a dream. The sheer magnitude of things certainly helps it seem like a dream. 3300 miles, 96 days, pushing 50-110 pounds in a stroller with 10 more pounds on my back, 11 pairs of shoes, deserts, mountains, windy plains - could I really have done that? Shouldn't I be limping, tired and in pain? Am I Superman? Well, I'm certainly not Superman. I know other runners have done it faster and many others could if they tried. In fact, I could have done it faster myself. But, this was never about setting records, instead it was all about the journey. I saw the country, met the people, challenged myself, became more self-reliant and self-confident, helped a deserving charity and took in the beauty of America & Route 66. I just happened to do it while putting one foot in front of the other.
While my journey is technically described as a solo (by myself), unsupported (no crew) transcontinental run, the truth is I had lots of help. The kindness of many people helped me complete the trip. It may have been a place to stay, a free meal, a bottle of water, directions when I was lost, the 3-4 days I had someone running with me, the nearly 700 encouraging e-mails I received from people all over the world or just one of the many pleasant conversations I had with a stranger...it all helped me keep going physically and emotionally. Those are the things that I will think about when I look back on my journey.
A. I am HAPPY to hear from people who found my journey entertaining. Reading the stories, seeing the pictures, meeting the people and the places through my eyes. I am glad people could be entertained from the comfort of their own computer.
B. I am HAPPIER to hear that people learned something. Maybe they learned about US geography, the role that Route 66 played in our shaping the USA's culture and demographics, or even the types of roadkill I saw and how it changed from region to region. I hope people learned just how kind and generous the average American is. Unfortunately, it surprises many people to hear that of the two or three thousand people I met, I only came across one crazy person and no evil people.
C. I am HAPPIEST to hear that I inspired people. I received countless e-mails saying not just that I inspired them, but how and to what. I want people to know that their only limits are those that they have placed onto themselves. My favorite ultrarunning quote is "You can do more than you think you can, you are capable of more than you think you are." Challenge yourself, try something new, take that trip you've thought about forever. Your goals and dreams won't just achieve themselves - it is up to you to go chase them down.
I hope you find yourself in one of the above categories.
And, don't ask me "What's next, Phil?" I DON'T KNOW. I've got some ideas job-wise that I'm exploring, but I'm still having a hard time thinking in terms longer than today. That mentality was necessary for me to survive the LONG journey, but it's not helping me decide what to do with my life.
I've attached my new favorite picture of myself. It was taken on November 16th, 2008 on the beach at Atlantic City.
Phil
November 16
Only 12 miles today. And, again I had to go slow so as to not finish before people arrived. Bill was again helpful in supplying people with directions and organizing things. He even got NBC to come down and film it. I got to the beach shortly after 11am and went straight to the water before greeting anyone. The water was only about 50 degrees, but since the air was cooler and windier, it didn't feel bad at all. That was it. All done. The stroller did not go into the ocean. I'm just happy to never have to touch it again. The whole trip went much better than planned and all my goals were accomplished except for figuring out what to do when I grow up. Anyway, I will not run back to try to figure that out. I'm thinking about trying to work that stuff out from the comfort of a sofa.
That's it, folks. 96 days. On Sunday, I went for a swim in the Atlantic Ocean. Now, I'm no longer an eccentric semi-celebrity running across the country. Now, I am just unemployed and homeless. There will be one more note to follow this with some final remarks.
Phil's Current Location: New Jersey
Estimated Miles Run: 3300
Miles Remaining: 0
November 15
I really only walked today because if I ran I would finish too soon. It was 60 degrees again today and also kind of moist. About 3 miles away from Mays Landing I met up with Atlantic City Bill. He's a diehard Penguins fan and had heard about me and was eager to help. Soon afterwards, I put the stroller in his truck so that I could run the last 3 miles of the day through a heavy traffic section free of the beast. While running those miles, I was stopped by a car. The driver and his wife had seen me on the Penguins game a week ago. Denice works in the Borgata and arranged for me, Bill, Bill's friend Dan and Dan's daughter to get the VIP treatment at their buffet. It was wonderful and we all enjoyed it to the point that walking out was a bit difficult. I think there were a whole lot of people watching the Penguins game when I was on it. And somehow they all remembered me and recognized me even a week later. Luck doesn't even begin to describe it.
November 14
It was moist or wet all day long, but at least it was warm. Not like the 40 degrees of yesterday, but actually up into the 60's. I made great time to get to Newport, Delaware and then soon found myself on 295 North headed to the Delaware Memorial Bridge. I got some help from the police and a Public Service Aide in getting over the bridge and into New Jersey. This was the third time in my journey that I ran in three states on the same day. Not long after entering NJ, I arrived in Woodstown. While there, I took a picture of the stroller with a Giant Cowboy (attached). We all know how much I enjoy taking pictures of the stroller with Giants. I was actually forced to walk most of the rest of the journey in order to not finish before my friends would arrive in Atlantic City. I had told them Sunday morning, but was again trending ahead of schedule. I did about 40 miles today and made it into Malega leaving about 40 miles left.
November 13
Today was a day of heavy rain and cold winds. It was not much fun. But, some of the clothes Alisa lent me helped keep me warm. Plus, I knew I had a warm, dry home to sleep in tonight. That makes all the difference in the world. But, still in weather this awful, can someone please explain to me why I would take 5 minutes to stop and pick up a penny? I had to take off the wet gloves with my teeth, pick up the penny, unzip two jackets, put the penny away and then zip up the jackets and put the gloves back on with my teeth. All while the cold rain was pouring down on me. There are multiple things seriously wrong with me. I ended about 4 miles south of Avondale on route 41. I stayed with another ultrarunner Bill and his wonderful family. Bill and I have a bunch of mutual friends in the ultrarunning world. And, ultrarunners look out for each other.
November 12
I just didn't have the spark today. There were no aches, no pains; just a lack of power. It was probably due to having slept only 3 hours last night - I had to get the second-to-last update out :) I was on route 30 from York to Hallam, but then got kicked off by the police. At least this time I was put onto a road that 1) was actually going where I wanted and 2) had a shoulder for me to run on. Most times I get kicked off a highway, I get put on more dangerous roads that aren't exactly going where I want them to. I only made it 30-32 miles today getting into Lancaster. Lancaster has a really cool looking prison (looks like a castle) right in town. Actually, it's fittingly located opposite the tenements.
I also took a couple of pictures of the stroller with a Mufflerman and a pair of beautiful twin redheads (both are attached). Tonight I stayed with Doctors Chris and Steffie and their wonderful family in their pool house. The pool house had its own kitchen, bedroom, laundry and full bathroom. Oh yeah, the hot tub was right outside my door. If they didn't already have 6 children I would have asked them to adopt me! Tonight I got a great voice message from Nancy - 1) Do NOT throw the stroller into the ocean when I finish and 2) Mario Lemieux had been asking about me. If I had only got that message earlier I might have been inspired to run further today.
November 11
This will be the second-to-last update you get from me. Why? Because I will be finishing in the next 5 days. I am thinking a Sunday finish in Atlantic City would be nice. The weekend finish will allow some friends to get there to join in the celebration.
Phil's current location: York, PA
Miles run so far: let's just call it 3150 miles
Miles remaining: just under 150 miles
Alisa dropped me off where she picked me up last night, but this time I had the stroller. I moved slowly since I was sore and tired from all the recent miles. I made it through Gettysburg (on this Veteran's Day) and then another 10 miles before meeting my friends Dave and Gary who drove up from Virginia. We packed the stroller into Gary's truck and then Dave & I ran the rest of the afternoon. I felt so much better without that stroller. Big Surprise, I know. Anyway, it was great seeing them again and we made it to the edge of York before going out to dinner. Gary and Dave really just wanted to see me eat, since they know me as a healthy eater and anything but the pig I've turned into. After dinner, they dropped me off at Drew's parents' home just north of York. 40 miles again today. For those counting, that's five straight days. It's been tough, but if it means a weekend finish, I'll suffer. I am good at suffering after all.
November 10
I ran 40 miles again today. That's 4 days in a row now - my legs can feel it now. I was pretty sore all day long and really struggled in the afternoon. In the morning, I went over a few more mountains where it was snowing on top. It's much easier without the stroller (left behind at Alisa's place) going up a mountain. Going down is where it hurt the most. After that it was flat, but the winds made it seem colder than the 35 degrees the thermometers kept saying. I finished the day in Caledonia tired, sore and freezing cold. Alisa came and got me and we went back to her place. We had dinner with her students and fellow faculty and I enjoyed their company as much as they claimed to enjoy meeting me.
November 9
I left Schellsburg feeling a bit sore from all the recent miles and the hills, but I still made good time getting into Bedford where I met up with Alisa and her friends Sue and Peter. I spent all day running without the stroller, but with two people while the third waited five miles ahead for us. It was weird to run with other people, but I really enjoyed the company and made good time running a steady pace all day. We finished the day about 13 miles east of Breezewood. By running without the stroller and the hydration vest, I was able to finish the day with more than 40 miles once again - third day in a row. I spent the night with Alisa in her apartment in Mercersburg.
November 8
The temperature today was 49 degrees to start and then never got any higher. Part of that is due to the amount of time I spent climbing a few mountains today. Though they were only 2900 feet high, it still isn't easy pushing that stroller up them. The day was dark and cold, but never rained too hard. In the afternoon, I went by the memorial for Flight 93. It was 3 miles off the road, but I decided not to run there and back and thus do an extra 6 miles. I'm still debating whether I should have gone. Today I also took a picture of one of the more beautiful Lincoln Highway (Route 30) murals.
I ran about 40 miles again today and ended up getting into Schellsburg just as it got dark. When entering town, I stopped to take a picture of my stroller with another giant. This time it was a giant toy boy playing a bugle. Tomorrow morning I will meet my friend Alisa who will take my stroller in her SUV and spend the day running with me!!
November 7
The whirlwind ends today as I started running again. Drew and I met up with Dan, who was going to put me up in his house tonight, early in the day and he took my stroller in his car. So I ran free!! What a wonderful feeling to run without pushing that hideous beast. I stopped in Greensburg for a free milkshake around noon because they recognized me from the tv. "Free milkshake" is one of the world's best phrases. I never would have made it to Greensburg without Dan's help by taking the stroller from me. The shoulder came and went often and all the traffic would have been within inches of hitting me had I been out there with that stroller. I then made great time in running to Latrobe where I stopped for a final radio interview. I made it to the edge of Laughlintown before stopping for the night. Over dinner Dan again gave me tips on what to expect for the next two days worth of running. I think I may have run 40 miles today.
November 6
WAY TOO MUCH happened today to recap. It started early with a few drive-time radio interviews at the radio stations. Then, Nancy, Drew and I went to Mt. Washington and took a few pictures of me with the city as a backdrop. And we went down and up the Duquesne Incline. The Penguins' morning practice was next, though I hardly saw any of it. I gave a few more interviews and met a few former Penguins who are now announcing games. And I met the current best player in the world - Sidney Crosby. And also Kris Letang and Max Talbot (who promised to score a goal for me in the game later that night...which he did!!). We went to lunch at Primanti's - where they stuff the french fries and coleslaw into the giant sandwiches. I had two sandwiches. I did another interview in the afternoon before going back to the Arena for dinner at the Igloo Club.
Ten minutes into the first period they had a very nice ceremony with a video tribute to me on the jumbotron where I was presented with a couple of gifts. I received a proclamation from the mayor of Pittsburgh that November 6th, 2008 was Official Phil Rosenstein Day for the city. And I got an autographed, authentic Mario Lemieux jersey. I will be buried in this jersey. And, IF I should be able to trick a woman to fall in love with me I will be married in it as well. Then there was another interview. Then there was the first period intermission interview with Fox Sports Pittsburgh. After that, we went up to the owner's box where I got to meet the owner himself - Mario Lemieux. What more can I say?? Attached are pictures of me with Mario and Iceburgh (since I didn't see any giants today, he had to do) in the owner's box. I barely saw the game at all with all the moving around and interviews and stuff.
November 5
The morning started with a tour of the Children's Home of Pittsburgh. The crowd in the lobby (staff and media) waiting for me to arrive was a bit overwhelming initially. It's very surreal for such a big deal to be made just for me. I don't think I ever really got used to it, but everyone said I was fine. I was just wondering whether I would EVER get used to things like that. The TV piece ran on the 6pm news, but I missed it. Later in the afternoon, a photographer from a newspaper came by to take a few pictures. I had to deal with the stroller for the first time in 24 hours. The moment my hands touched it, I was overcome with dread. I just cannot wait to never have to touch it again. Although tomorrow would be a BIG day, I stayted up to watch the 11pm news to see if they would re-air the piece on me, but they didn't. I actually watched 35 minutes of local news ... 35 minutes of my life I will never get back.
November 4
I arrived in Pittsburgh this afternoon. Actually, just outside it in Bridgeville at the Mario Lemieux Foundation offices. With plenty of time to spare for Thursday's Pittsburgh Penguins game. The next two days look to be busy for "rest days". Interviews, tour of the Children's Home of Pittsburgh (http://www.childrenshomepgh.org/), hockey game, etc... And, of course, the usual stuff: laundry, shower, charge phone, eating.
Just a quick 20 miles today and I took it real easy. Most of the morning I had no shoulder, so I was on the grass, but aside from that it wasn't too tough and I certainly wasn't going fast despite being a downhill day. Here's an oddity - I found enough money on the side of the road today to get a free milkshake. In a state that starts with a consonant! Now, to get ready for a couple days of activities and fun before finishing this crazy adventure off.
Phil's Current Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Miles run so far: About 2950
Miles remaining: About 350
November 3
Today I found a bunch of money on the side of the road. Even for a state beginning with a vowel. I had been having a hard time distinguishing the real coins from all the fake ones I had been seeing in Ohio. The fake ones are the same size, shape and color of real coins but are completely smooth. I have no idea what they are used for or where they come from, but they have been all over the place in Ohio. Beautiful weather once again today. I took a picture of a couple of signs on the bridge from Ohio into West Virginia. The signs confused me and I hope you as well. I think they only make sense to bureaucrats. Anyway, I then did the best crossing-the-state-line dance I can do while on a bridge with virtually no shoulder. A few miles later I stopped at a 50's diner for a hot fudge sundae. They had seen me earlier and asked what I was doing. They liked it so much the sundae was free. Nice! Up and down one more hill and I had the chance to do the proper crossing-the-state-line dance as I crossed into Pennsylvania! I slept in a nice couple's yard for the night looking up at the stars.
November 2
Downtown Canton and the neighboring community were quite depressed. It was a good thing it was so cold out and early on a Sunday morning - I think the junkies were too cold or too tired to bother with me. 5 miles later and then the weather and the locations were wonderful. I am real glad I decided to take 172 East here. The hills were tough, but the beauty of the region was something else. Plus, almost no traffic to deal with. It was just a pleasure to run today and it made me realize once again just how lucky I am to be able to spend my day running through the countryside. I stopped for a bit and finished off the pancakes leftover from breakfast and the pasta we cooked the night before. I took this picture of a horse I was talking with for a bit near Guilford Lake. He didn't say much but we enjoyed each others' company. 35 miles today to get to Lisbon. I ate a huge dinner at an all-you-can-eat pizza buffet before sleeping at the county fairgrounds. I slept up on the main stage.
November 1
I only ran a quick 30 miles today into Canton, Ohio. I met Nancy from the Mario Lemieux Foundation there and she took me to her parent's house in Wadsworth for the night. Before that, we loaded the stroller into her SUV and I had the chance to run 3 miles without it. It felt so nice. I can't wait to run in a race again without having to push this thing around anymore. It was nice to wash my clothes with actual detergent and a washing machine for the first time since Chicago. The clothes smell much nicer than just rinsing them out in a sink and letting them air dry.
October 31
There were lots of hills today. Nothing too steep, just long and steady. I was once again feeling tired and struggled for a while. The MP3 player picked me up once again. After a cool morning, it warmed up nicely. By noon, I was running in just a t-shirt and shorts for the first time since central Illinois. I ran 28 miles into Wooster where I ate dinner and then a few more miles to East Union where I slept behind a church for the night.
October 30
I got stopped by the police today less than 10 minutes into my running. That's a new record. My first words to the officer were "Well, THAT didn't take long today!" The Ohio fields were actually kind of pretty as I finally got to see them in the sunlight. The temperature got up to 55 degrees but it never felt that warm because of the strong, cold wind blowing into my face. I think the wind and the recent heavy mileage lead to me feeling slow and tired for the afternoon's journey from Bucyrus to Galion. The short 12 miles actually took forever to run. I laid down on the side of the highway for a bit to rest and eat peanut butter. Then, I put on the MP3 player. I've very rarely put it on during the day, but I think it helped pick up my mood and then my pace as I made decent time into Mansfield. A total of 43 miles today to get to the Rest Area. But I slept outside this time, since the caretaker was there later than I wanted to wait to claim the unisex bathroom as mine for the night. At least it was a beautiful night outside.
October 30
I'm still on schedule to be in Pittsburgh for the November 6th Penguins game. I should even get in at least a day early. Other than that, I've got the finish in my sights. I believe I can get to the Atlantic Ocean at Atlantic City, NJ before my 100th day. It won't be easy, it never has, but I believe. And believing has gotten me this far.
Phil's Location: Upper Sandusky, Ohio
Miles run so far: About 2650
Miles remaining: About 550
October 29
Nicer weather, but still cool. However, after 6 miles, I took off the blue jeans and the socks and returned to running. Another day without towns or even gas stations, just farmlands. I spoke with the charity again today and it turns out I've got a place to stay Saturday night near Massillon/Canton. That's good news. And, plans are starting to come together for me in Pittsburgh. I've got a few more truckers honking for me after going a week without hearing them. That was also nice. I'm not sure about all the cars honking for me now though. Some have heard about what I'm doing from the Lincoln Highway Association, I'm sure. But, I'm starting to get suspicious that the rest are the same people who are calling the police on me. Who can tell?
October 28
The weather isn't nearly as awful as predicted. It was far from good, though. It was funny when I got pulled over by two different police officers within three minutes. (In their defense, the first one was a County cop, the second one was a State cop). Apparently, I was on a section of Route 30 that doesn't allow pedestrians. I explained what I was doing and why and talked them into allowing me to remain instead of going to the more dangerous old route 30 like they wanted. In the afternoon, the rain returned and I found a new use for what may be my new favorite invention ever - the plastic bag (my old favorite invention ever was ice). I already use them to sort my running clothes from cold-weather clothes from street clothes and separate my salty foods from my sugar foods and my lights and so on. Now, I've taken to putting one on my head on top of my wool beanie (which does a great job of keeping my head and ears warm). The beanie wouldn't do so well if it was cold and wet from the rain, so I wear the plastic bag on top of it and keep it dry and my head even warmer. Combined with the socks on the hands, I hardly even was bothered by the weather. In fact, I even laughed when the strong gusts were pushing me around. After 30 miles I stopped for the day in the comfort of a Rest Area. I ate and dried off and grabbed a map of Ohio. Then I went in the Unisex bathroom and closed the door and locked it and turned out the lights and went to bed. As good as a hotel room, except free.
October 27
It sure looks bleak out there. I thought momentarily about not even going out. But, that would really put me behind the 8 ball in getting to Pittsburgh in time for November 6th. I spent the entire day wearing my blue jeans on top of my tights and shorts for warmth and comfort. I knew I wouldn't be able to run nearly as fast with them on, but my only goal was to survive these two days. I was wearing almost all my clothes including a pair of socks on top of the gloves on my hands for additional warmth. Near Arcola, Indiana I took the attached picture of my stroller with a giant Hayman (Haywoman?) during a brief break in the rain. I had totally messed up on the distance between Fort Wayne, IN and Van Wert, OH and thought they were closer than they actually are. I ended up getting caught in the middle of nowhere as darkness came. Combine that with being wet, cold and hungry and I was not a happy camper. I started asking for a barn to sleep in when I found out that I was only 9 miles away from Van Wert. So, I sucked it up and suffered some more for two more hours before getting a motel room. Then I gorged myself at the Chinese buffet and shopped at Wal-Mart. Back at the hotel room, I almost threw up from eating so much food. Over 40 miles today, but not many of them were fast or fun. On the bright side, only one more day of this crappy weather to survive.
October 26
It wasn't as cold as I expected it to be this morning. I ate a nice breakfast, but I'll never again try to run after eating scrambled eggs for breakfast. I had thought in the previous cases it was the volume of food I ate, but this time I confirmed it is not just volume of food, but just the eggs all by themselves is not a good idea. While I was walking the breakfast off, the weather turned in my favor! The cold, dark, windy rain had turned into a cool, but beautiful dry, sunny day. I made great time and then stopped in Warsaw for what I thought would be a quick bite to eat. While there, I had what basically turned into another press conference as a bunch of really nice people asked a lot of questions. I really enjoyed meeting them all and talking with them about what I'm doing and why. I almost flew into Columbia City as I was running extremely fast. It felt so easy and so natural that this would be another 40+ mile day at a record pace. I must be some kind of superhuman. Or, maybe it was just the strong wind at my back!! Woo-hoo! That sure helped a lot in making me feel like a runner. The forecast is looking REAL UGLY for the next two days: high temperatures in the upper 30's, 20mph winds, rain, sleet. I'll just have to battle and survive until the nicer weather returns.
October 25
I had a good start to the day. It was cold and dark, but still dry-ish. I made great time to get to Hamlet (another small town) where I ate a hot dog I got for free. It didn't sit well in my stomach, so I slowed down. Then, I got caught in a weird time warp where some parts of Indiana are on Central time and other parts are on Eastern time. I went back and forth and back and forth again. Combine that with the slow pace and the different distances on the signs for Plymouth and I spent a lot of time wondering if I would ever get to Plymouth and what time it would get dark. All that confusion and wondering can really weigh on a tired runner's mind. Once again, I gambled and went past a decent sized town to get a few more miles in. Unfortunately, Bourbon was more than the 6 miles away than I thought it was. It was closer to 14. I thought it would never come as the darkness came and the cold day became a colder night. I got there only to find out it was in fact another tiny town. No motel, no police, no fire department. I was lucky to sleep in a nice couple's barn that night. I never caught their names, but they even treated me to breakfast in the morning.
October 24
I was really not looking forward to running in this weather. I knew it would be like this some days and the forecast had a lot of days like this for the rest of the week. I got to Route 30 and then spent a moment saying to myself "So. This is going to be my new home for the next month? Let's make the best of it and be friends." After a few unpleasant miles of no shoulder plus lots of traffic, a nice wide shoulder appeared. It was almost as wide as the ones I ran on with the major interstates (I40 and I44). I can live with this!! I felt comfortable and made good time to Valparaiso. I went past it to a small town called Wanatah where I was told there would be a cheap motel. There was not. Not even a police department. I got really lucky once more as I found the volunteer fire department just as a man was leaving. It turns out Craig had seen me earlier in the day and he let me stay in the fire department. Being dry at night when it's cold and rainy is simply wonderful. I slept from 7:30 pm to 7 am.
October 23
I slept until about 8:30 or so before getting down to the usual stuff when I have the pleasant luxury of a place to stay: laundry, e-mail, eating, showering, etc. I managed to eat a pound of spaghetti for breakfast/lunch. I enjoyed spending the day with a couple of dogs and not running at all. Later, my hosts Johnny & Kathy kindly drove me to dinner in downtown Chicago with my friends Gozde and Juli. I hadn't seen either of them in almost a year. Juli dropped me back off at Johnny & Kathy's home afterwords. Then Johnny took me to a store for a little shopping. $60 doesn't buy a lot of runner's food at Chicago prices. I'm really not looking forward to running in the cold, wind and rain. I really enjoyed being warm and dry today. Maybe I'm getting soft.
October 23
Today I am resting for the first day since Holbrook, AZ. I'll be doing laundry and normal stuff like that. Dinner will be with a few other friends in downtown Chicago. Tomorrow I'll start heading east. The weather for the next few days looks pretty bleak, but I hope to survive.
Route 66 has been finished and I'll miss it for the next few weeks while I finish my journey. But I'll never forget my two months on the Mother Road. The highs, the lows, the people, the sights will be with me forever.
Phil is in: Chicago, Illinois
Miles so far: Over 2400 miles
Miles remaining: 785 miles
Well, there you have it. Route 66 - been there, done that. From Santa Monica with one foot in the ocean to Chicago, I've seen the sights and taken in the people and country along the most famous road in the nation. Sometimes it was at a snail's pace and sometimes I was miserable, but overall, I've had a blast and I feel great. I still have a ways to go, but I'll get there.
October 22
I felt good all day if not cold. Karl's directions were perfect and today's run went much better than I had expected. It was much safer to run with either sidewalks or wide shoulders for most of the time. And the neighborhood I had been warned about ["You had better get a police escort to go through there. Or run very, very fast with a phone in your hand and the 911 operator on the other end of the line the whole time") wasn't as awful as I had feared. While certainly bad, I would actually say it was better than being lost in East St. Louis. Trust me, I know. After I reached the Buckingham Fountains in Chicago and finished Route 66, I made a few phone calls and relaxed while waiting for my Chicago host to pick me up. Later, my hosts Kathy and Johnny took me out to dinner with Cathie and Marty and we all talked about Route 66.
October 21
In the morning I took a picture of the Gemini Giant in Wilmington with my stroller. A few miles later the front axle broke again. This time I jury-rigged it to work for a bit. Then, the rear wheel fell off again. The same problem as when I was in the Mojave desert. I knew how to fix it, but didn't have the right tool for it. I got moving again and then was stopped by a cop in between Joliet and Elwood (notice the Blues Brothers connections??). She was nice and may have actually hit on me, but I'm certainly not an expert so I wouldn't take my word for it. Luckily both wheels lasted until I got to Joliet where I found a bike shop. The best part about the new front axle - it won't lead to the alignment problems I had been having because it is all one piece. The trip from Joliet to Romeoville was fun for a while before losing the shoulder to run on. Combine no shoulder with no sidewalk and lots of traffic and you get an extremely unenjoyable experience. It really frightened me that the next day into Chicago would be even worse and for a full 35 miles. I ate dinner with Lulu, a wonderful Route 66 fanatic with a whole bunch of contacts. She had paved the way for me in Illinois to the point that when I entered a few places, I heard within seconds "You must be Lulu's friend. I heard you'd be coming." We ate at a nice pizza joint where I had a Double Decker pizza. I'd already had Chicago deep dish pizza and loved it, but had never had this before. Imagine two pizzas on top of each other. Brilliant. Also, Lulu had an expert (Karl) on Route 66 in Illinois call me with the safest possible route to follow into Chicago tomorrow. Karl gave me directions and I felt a little better about tomorrow's journey into Chicago.
October 20
I felt good and moved well right from the start. I was flying along at a good pace right into the afternoon, when the cold rain came down. At the same time, my front axle broke. Very luckily, I was 20 feet away from a hardware store in Gardner when it happened. More proof that someone is looking out for me. It didn't happen in the middle of nowhere, but just down the sidewalk from a couple of bikers who run the only hardware store for miles. They jury-rigged something that would last me until I got to a bike store. A dozen miles later I ate dinner at the Polk-A-Dot Diner in Braidwood. I slept in a barely adequate motel in the cold, wet night.
October 19
We woke up early for an early start. I felt strong physically all morning, though my stomach did the occasional somersault for unknown reasons. I made good time and enjoyed Brian's company and his help. Oh, and the help of the notable wind blowing at my back!! Poor Brian would drive ahead and then run into the wind to meet me. I had been shooting to reach Pontiac by 2pm on Sunday afternoon for a few days now in order to meet the Illinois Route 66 Association's general meeting. I arrived just at 2pm and I'm really glad I did. There was a big round of embarrassing applause as I entered the room. I eventually spoke for a few minutes about what I was doing, what I had seen and why I was doing it. I answered a few questions. Most importantly, I met and talked to a lot of really nice people and even lined up a few more dinners and places to stay thanks to their generosity. At dinner, I surprised many people by eating a large 16" pizza and an order of french fries. And then by asking for the dessert menu. I slept that night in the Pontiac Fire Department in the bunks. Nice. And I even got a tour of the trucks and equipment. Yeah, another wonderful day in the books.
October 18
It was flat and straight from Lincoln to Atlanta as I ran all morning with the interstate on my right and the train tracks on my left. In Atlanta, I had my picture taken with the Bunyon Giant (one of three giants in Illinois) and then continued moving at a steady pace all day. I made it through Bloomington and went past Normal (though, as we all know, I've always been well past normal) and then got to Towanda. I was prepared to spend the night at the old Original Route 66 Rest Stop park there. I would have enjoyed looking up at all the stars while laying in my sleeping bag by the pond with the sounds of the interstate just a few hundred feet away. But, Noooooo! My friend Brian just had to go and ruin it all. He borrowed a friend's truck, drove for an hour to rent a hotel room with me and eat dinner with me, just so he could spend the next morning helping me exactly as Tracy had done. Some people can just be so selfish!
October 17
I had only gone about 5 miles by the time I met up with my friend Tracy at a truck stop in Williamsville. Though I had met many wonderful people during my journey, I hadn't seen a friend in over two months. It was beyond fantastic. Sheer happiness. I love my sport of ultra running for many reasons, but the people are at the top of the list. For an elite athlete like Tracy to drive an hour and spend the day helping little old me, crewing for me, running with me was amazing. We put the stroller in the back of her truck and she'd drive forward a few miles, then run back to meet me and run with me to the truck. I must say how weird it was to run without the stroller. At first I felt a little off balance, but soon reveled in the luxury of just running. Spending the day with Tracy was one of the best days of the entire run. We got to the outside of Lincoln, when she dropped me off at the hotel where Mike had got me a room. I took a shower and then spent the evening with Mike and his family eating dinner at a buffet. Lots of good food and even more laughs and smiles as we swapped stories. I ran well all day and then smiled all night. Does it get any better than that?
October 16
I got a late start today due to another interview. Front Page again! I really enjoyed my stay with Emily and her parents' Lee and Mary, but once again I ate way too much for breakfast. The food was terrific, but eating so much in the morning slowed me down for most of the day. The stiff wind in my face didn't help either. It was the worst I'd been through since Texas. At least in Oklahoma the wind was swirling and was not just steadily pushing my face in. Autumn might not be official yet, but seeing as I spent the day smelling burning leaves and trying to catch falling leaves in the cool, crisp air, I declared the season to be upon us. It was almost all frontage roads during the day. There was a brief stretch of 2 miles where I was supposed to get on the interstate, but Illinois won't let me on the highway. I figured I could get away with it, but I wasn't more than twenty feet off the onramp, when a cop pulled me over. She made me run an extra 6 miles instead of allowing me on the shoulder of the highway. I really HATE doing extra miles. As I got a snack to eat in Auburn, the winds died down and I started to pick up steam. I kept going through dusk as I apporached Springfield, where I was once again kicked off the highway. Instead of moving forward 2 miles on that stretch of highway, I was forced to go around a lake for a 10-12 mile detour. Wonderful. At least, it wasn't dangerous and it would have been pretty if it were daylight. I got phone calls from my Illinois ultrarunning friends Tracy, Mike and Brian as we tried to coordinate my visits. The calls also boosted my spirits. I finally moved through Springfield around 8-10pm and thus missed rush hour, so the traffic wasn't too scary. I slept behind a gas station in Sherman. I ran over 45 miles today, but didn't move forward nearly that far considering the two detours I had to do.
October 15
Today was supposed to be a short day to get into Waggoner. It turned out to be quite an adventure. It started off very serenely with a nice morning jog of 10 miles through beautiful fields to get to Litchfield. Then a wonderful piece of pie at Ariston's Cafe - a Route 66 landmark. Nick, the owner, apparently was expecting me because as soon as I entered he said "You must be Phil - the guy who is running Route 66". The service was great, the pie was amazing and free. What more can I say? Then, leaving Litchfield, the massive rain came down hard. So hard I couldn't see a turn I missed. By the time I realized, I could either backtrack which I absolutely hate or continue off of 66 and catch up to it later. I ended up running an extra 9-10 miles in a torrential rain. At least it was pretty countryside. Then the cold and wind really kicked in and it went from fun to not fun. I finally made it to the "Our Lady of the Highways" shrine. I paid my respects and gave my thanks for all the miles I've run safely so far and wished for more of the same. Another 1/2 mile and I was at Lee & Mary's home for another fantastic meal and good company. And a dry, warm place to sleep on a cold, wet night.
I'm still moving along well. No aches, No pains, No blisters. Just some muscle fatigue. The stroller is working adequately. I'm just cranking out the mileage and I'm eager to finish. Or at least take a day or two off in Chicago to celebrate the end of Route 66. And, also to take a day or two off in Pittsburgh. I'm just trying to make my schedule match the Pittsburgh Penguins schedule.
Location: Waggoner, Illinois
Miles run so far: About 2200
Remaining Miles: About 1100
PS - Early 2009 Prediction: Armadillos are placed on the Endangered Species List. That is, if there are any left.
October 14
I also ran more than 40 miles today. It was overcast all day with only a few drops of rain. It was very humid and everyone knew there was rain coming. Sometime. I was moving well and feeling good all day despite the wrong turn that took me 4 miles out of my way into Troy. Oh yeah, the wind was also back in my face all day today. All I could do was laugh. I ran hard to get to Henry's Ra66it Ranch (www.henrysroute66.com). I spent about an hour with Rich Henry and his rabbits - both the kind with the floppy ears and the types with diesel engines. I left there and made the next 5 miles finishing in the dark at the Route 66 Crossroads Cafe in Mount Olive. After eating my pancakes and milkshake for dinner, I went to sleep behind the cafe. After an hour, I woke up when a drop of water hit me on the head...Rain? Dew? Hard to say, but I knew the rain was coming and I decided to move to the cafe (recently closed) to sleep under their overhang. As I'm packing up, Brooke (my waitress for dinner) came back to the diner with her mother and family friend to see if they could get me a hotel room to keep me out of the rain. They talked me into it and they took me back to Staunton for the night. Her father even volunteered to pick me up in the morning and take me back to Mount Olive. If this type of generosity hadn't happened to me before, I wouldn't have imagined that people could be so nice. Americans truly are an amazingly kind and generous people.
October 13
I spent the entire morning smelling Kaori's rice balls she made for me. I couldn't wait past lunch for them with a milkshake. Even in the rain, I was moving along nicely. I was just eager to get out of St. Louis in one piece. It turned out to not be as bad and dangerous as I had feared. It certainly wasn't a piece of cake though. I was so excited to finally leave the state and cross into Illinois that I nearly forgot to do my state-crossing dance. It probably looked quite ridiculous considering I was wearing a trash bag and my desert hat to protect me from the rain. And nearly as soon as I get into Illinois I started finding coins on the ground again. This observation of mine (places starting with a vowel have more coins on the road) has moved beyond theory into fact and now might even be tied in to the Universal Theorem or the Meaning of Life. I spent the night at the Knights of Columbus in Collinsville, Illinois. They had a picnic area with a roof that would come in handy with all the rain that was due.
October 12
David took the attached picture of me before we started for the day. This is fairly descriptive of most of my Missouri running. On a frontage road within feet of the actual interstate. David then ran with me for a mile or so. It was the first time all trip that anyone had run with me. The temporary boost got me off to a fast start but my power faded as the hills got steeper and the wind got stronger. Later in the day, I turned it on for a while. Enough to make my overall time a bit more respectable. After 25 miles, I reached Aaron. Aaron and his wife Kaori opened their home last month to Aaron's cousin Chris and my buddy Joe (from www.peak.com) while they were riding their bicycles across the country. Aaron had my new shoes and socks waiting for me. And then plenty of excellent food. I'm starting to get some places to stay in Illinois. One from the Route 66 community and one from an ultrarunner pal.
October 11
I was scared beyond belief last night at 11pm. A police officer woke me up again. I really hate that. They shine their unimaginably bright light in your face and speak loudly at you. He said it wasn't ok for me to sleep there and that I should move back on the road for another 6-7 miles to find another place. Apparently it also wasn't safe for me to sleep there either because a truck could run over me. I convinced him that putting me back on the dark, curvy roads with no shoulders and no street lights and 65 mph speed limits wasn't really safe for me either. And, since I clearly wasn't hurting anyone maybe I could just stay where I was. Before agreeing, he wanted to search my stroller for weapons, drugs or tools. He was really interested in the giant plastic bag of white powder (actually the protein drink Recoverite). When the sun came up, I spent the morning on frontage roads to Sullivan where I stopped for a milkshake. Then, for the afternoon, I moved the 20 feet over to the interstate for safey reasons (it has a shoulder). A cop pulled me over and like usual wished me well and let me go. Then, 40 minutes later, I came across an injured dog in the ditch along the side of the highway. I think he had fallen off the embankment above and broken one of his front legs. He didn't show any signs of pain, but was clearly in shock. I spent the next 90-120 minutes with him giving him my food and water while waiting for the police or animal control to come. Turns out they don't even have animal control. And the police will "euthanize" animals that are injured. It was a Major Bummer and temporarily ruined my day. Just before finishing for the day in St. Clair, I got hit on by a 36 year old gay man. He said I was "cute as he**". Kind of flattering, actually. I'm still waiting for a woman to hit on me. 1100 miles left. Anyone care to bet? I spent the night with fellow ultrarunner David and his family. I ate 3 steaks for dinner and then we went to Dairy Queen. It was a good night.
October 10
I got a late start today due to a newspaper interview. http://www.therolladailynews.com/news/x502299388/Run-against-cancer is the resulting article. I made good time getting into Cuba, Missouri by early afternoon. I first saw Bob's Gasoline Alley (somebody's massive collection of old gas station signs in his yard). Then I had a smoothie and a milkshake while touring some of the ctiy's famous murals (http://www.crawfordco.com/murals). I only found two pennies today and both of those came in the last mile of the day. I stopped for the day at a gas station in Bourbon. It's not quite a truck stop because it closes at 10pm, but it's got a convenience store and trucks sleeping in the back. Close enough for me.
October 9
I got a great night of sleep in the parking lot of the truck stop. Then, I had the biggest cinnamon roll of my life for breakfast. It was more like a cake than a roll. I used a knife and fork. I felt strong all morning and rocked out 19 miles before lunch. There were lots of trees and lots and lots of hills today. I worked out my new delivery location for my new shoes with Brooks today. Having conversations on the side of the highway is not easy and involves lots of yelling. It's a good thing Brooks worked out the order or I was on the verge of declaring myself a Free Agent after another delay. It's amazing how even the tiniest little annoyance can set me off. Part of those pesky mood swings and very little tolerance for minor nuisances. But, I topped 40 miles today and that was a big psychological boost. I made it into Rolla, Missouri today and took advantage of www.peak.com 's generosity and went to a hotel to wash off the spider webs and give my legs a good soaking. But, first I went to Shoney's and put on an eating display at their buffet.
October 8
Great. I now have to re-run the last 5 miles from yesterday just to get back to my stroller in the Visitor's Center. At least the rain had stopped and it was a nice, yet chilly morning. I then made great time getting into Lebanon 12 miles down the road well before lunch time. That didn't stop me from eating both a second breakfast and a lunch while there. I also checked my e-mail at the library and took a tour of the Route 66 museum in the library. Good news! Not even five hundred miles into Chicago from here. But the real big news and Great News it truly is...the wind was at my back today!!!! That makes one full day and two afternoons of enjoying the wind at my back during the entire trip. Versus 12-13 full day's worth of wind in my face. But, who's really counting? I finished the day at Hazelgreen at the Oasis truck stop for 32 miles today, but only 27 moved me forward.
October 7
I didn't really sleep well with all the lights and the truckers walking around me, but I still felt good in the morning while running down the frontage roads. Unfortunately for me, I stayed on the nothern frontage road a little too long and it ended up going way out of my way. I ended up doing an extra 6-7 miles in the hills of Missouri. In the rain. At least it was really pretty where I was. In many ways it reminded me of where I used to ride my bike in Wisconsin when I was doing Ironman races. Lately I've been taking pictures of roadkill with my cellphone and sending them to friends. It really cracks me up to think of them all derssed up, stuck in an office all day working on a computer, on a teleconference and getting a message from me only to find some gruesome roadkill picture!! I laugh hysterically all day while doing this. It's weird I know. Anyway, it helps keep me in a good mood and that's important. To me. Not sure what my friends have to say about it since they no longer return my calls. At the end of the day I made it into Phillipsburg in a chilly rain as the night came. I asked the people in the visitor's center if there was a police department I could ask where a good place to lay my sleeping bag down. A few phone calls later and they found a room at a motel 5 miles back in Conway that a local church would put me up in for the night. More great luck. And they gave me a ride back there while I left my stroller in the visitor's center. It would just mean that I'd have to go back and re-run the last 5 miles again in the morning. A good trade for a dry room on a wet night.
Miles run so far: well over 1900
Miles to Finish: about 1300 give or take.
October 6
It's getting harder to leave the sleeping bag in the morning. Tired? Sore? Yeah a little. And it's getting colder in the mornings as well. I saw a beautiful sunrise this morning and then ate cinnamon toast and two cinnamon rolls at the truck stop. I like cinnamon. A lot. Another day when I felt good right from the start. It's happening a lot lately. Especially if I have a lot to eat for dinner the night before. The heavy rains came today. On and off all day. I'm glad I saved that trash bag from Seligman, AZ for occasions just like these. The rain was coming down just as I get a text message that the Penguins lost last night. Wonderful. The wind was in my face most of the day again as well. Not much fun today and not much of interest to see. Just plodding along and cranking out the miles. I stopped for the night in Strafford at a truck stop. The rain was going to come harder and for the whole night too, so I figured I'd stop early with some guaranteed shelter rather than risk going on. Turns out the assistant manager of the truck stop had seen me earlier and liked what I was doing. He let me stay in the truckers lounge all night and gave me my dinner for free. Further proof that SOMEONE is looking out for me. I slept under some tables in the lounge on the floor.
October 5
I finished the quick 3 miles to get to Avilla (very, very tiny community) after talking with the suddenly friendly old guy who let me sleep in his yard. I felt good all day today. I saw a turtle on the road to Plew and had to take its picture. It's so rare that I see a living animal on the road amongst all the death. Plew is a Mennonite community - but you can only really tell by all the signs from the Old Testament everywhere. They're very reclusive so you almost never see them, but that's their area. Soon after I saw a chunk of meat in the middle of the road. Obviously some kind of roadkill, but there was no body, no blood smear, no shredded tires. Just the chunk of meat in the middle of the road. For some reason it made me laugh the rest of the day. Perhaps, I'm going road crazy. Towards the end of the day, I saw a Adopt-a-highway sign (attached) that also made me laugh for a long time. In the bottom of the picture is another sign in the distance for Hoods' Truck Stop - that's where I slept. It's about 4 miles past Halltown. I was starting to think the truckers had missed me.
October 4
Boy am I glad I was in a hotel room last night. Massive thunderstorms in the night and early morning. I waited until they stopped to start running for the day. While moving slowly in the Joplin traffic, a couple stopped me to talk after seeing the article in the paper. I hate being spotted while moving slowly, but it was nice talking with them. I usually move slowly in the cities - weird sidewalks that start/stop, closeby cars, no shoulders, traffic lights, etc... I eventually made it up to Webb City and saw the giant Praying Hands statue again. It wasn't until after Carterville that I started moving faster again when I was back out on the country roads. I am just so much more comfortable out in the country roads, frontage roads and interstate. In Carthage, I stopped at Sonic for my first time ever. The manager liked what I was doing so he gave me my milkshake and smoothie and sundae for free. I found out the upcoming section is known as Tornado Alley and also as the Meth capital of Missouri. Super. It seemed pretty enough as I went by Kellogg Lake and its beautiful parks, but I quickly lost steam as the sun started to fade and fell about 3 miles short of Avilla. I eventually got the courage to just knock on a door and ask for their permission to sleep in their yard. They weren't very happy but they allowed me. PS - The Pittsburgh Penguins season started tonight. I can't believe I won't be able to watch them play. This really stinks.
October 3
I didn't sleep too well in the hotel last night. Barely slept at all in fact. I think it was the distinct lack of trucks and trains passing by. I'm really going to need to get a "Sounds of the Highway" cd to get to sleep in the future. I ate breakfast at a diner for a change this morning. and sat next to a guy who is like a cross of the guys from Slingblade and Forrest Gump. After a few miles in the morning, I made it into Commerce, OK (the boyhood home of Mickey Mantle). I spent nearly an hour talking to Bobby at his Route 66 museum in a half-gas station there. Then went next door to get some free ice cream from another route 66 buff. They were combining for a Cruisin' Night tonight - old cars, old music, ice cream on a Summer's Friday night in the Midwest. Doesn't get much better than that. Unfortunately, I'd be a few states away by then, so I'd miss it. While leaving Commerce, I found out that Paul McCartney and his new girlfriend had gone through a month earlier while they were driving Route 66 from Chicago to LA. I probably passed them somewhere in New Mexico. Later, on my way to Quapaw for a milkshake, I went by Picher, OK. Picher was best known for being one of the largest Superfund sites in the country. Until this summer, when a tornado destroyed the town. In the afternoon, I hurried through Kansas' 13 miles of Route 66 in an effort to get to www.4womenontheroute.com's place before closing time. This is the Home of "Tow Tater" from the movie "Cars". I might be the only person who hasn't seen the movie. Apparently, the creators went to extraordinary lengths to base the characters and places on actual Route 66 icons. Melba from the store helped me get a cheap motel room in Joplin, MO for the night. I would be missing out on their own Cruisin' Night the following night. Drats! PS - I only found one penny in all of Kansas.
October 2
15 miles into the wind to get to Afton. Laurel (my host from Tulsa) runs a museum in Afton. I had lunch with her and Ron at the museum. She's got about 6-8 Packards (60-70 year old cars) on show there. They sure don't make cars like that anymore. Wonderful to see. Leaving there, on my way to Miami, I realized the Great Armadillo Holocaust of Oklahoma had gained full steam. A few dozen more dead armadillos in just 15 miles. With some more birds thrown in for good measure, including another owl. The road kill carnage continues. I got into Miami around 5:15pm only to find it's almost a ghost town. Main Street and all its buildings were empty of people. I'm staying tonight in a hotel in Miami thanks to www.Peak.com. I need to rest and save my strength for the big day of three states tomorrow.
Although I am still in OK, it won't be for much longer. Tomorrow I plan on leaving OK, entering KS, leaving KS and then entering MO. Sounds tough, but it's really just the usual 30 miles or so.
Completed Miles so far: over 1800
Remaining miles: about 1400
October 1
Don (see Sept. 30 entry) surprised me in the morning and treated me to breakfast before taking a few more pictures of me in Foyil. And then a few pictures at the Totem Pole Park just up the road. I must have had about a dozen people stop me today to say they had read about me in the newspaper and really enjoyed the article. It was a nice feeling to see how much goodwill was out there. Even the wind picking back up in the afternoon wouldn't ruin my mood today. Plus, I felt great again. For all 35 miles. I made it into Vinita which is a neat little mid-western town. Just the right size for me. Plus a lot of friendly people. The cops woke me up at 3:30am when they were surprised to see someone sleeping in a park near the trees. They quickly apologized when they realized I was that guy in the newspaper. Fame has its privileges.
September 30
I got a late start today because the photographer for the newspaper had to take a few pictures for the piece. I left Laurel's house around 11am and made good time for a change. I got to Catoosa for lunch and then went to the Blue Whale. My picture was taken by Don, a professional photographer who just happened to be waiting there. Don also agreed to take my picture in 17 miles ahead in Foyil, if I made it there by sunset. I ran like my life depended on it and just barely made it there. You'll see these pictures later in a separate, special e-mail. I think it was about 38-40 miles. I slept behind a church tonight.
September 29
Just a quick 20 miles into Tulsa today. Then a full day of being treated fantastically by my host Laurel (a route 66 buff). A few showers, a few terrific meals, some laundry and relaxing really does a body well. I even gave my sleeping bag a Febreeze bath to try to remove some of the stink. (It worked.) I even did a few interviews that were arranged by her friend Ron. The largest radio station in town (KMRG 740am) did a piece on me and the only newspaper in town (Tulsa World) did a big interview. The article is here:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20081001_11_A8_Pioese914182September 28
I struggled in the morning again. A trend has developed there now. Then the heat came back. It was over 90 degrees again today. I'm really thinking about taking a full day off in Tulsa. That's three days in a row that I spend a lot of time thinking about this. I started to see a lot more dead birds on the side of the road in addition to the usual critters. Kind of odd. Even saw two dead owls. Despite not feeling great, I still managed another 40 mile day and slept just outside the Sapulpa police station. A couple of cops who were just showing up for their shifts in the morning were surprised to see me there and woke me up with a bunch of questions. Great, scared again. People keep asking me if I'm ever scared. Not really. Not until I'm forced to run for my life near OKC and the cops wake me up at 5am in Sapulpa.
September 27
I'm moving along at a decent pace, but I just feel weak and sluggish. The 11 miles into Chandler were a little more fun because they had a foot and a half shoulder. It's not as wide as I'm used to, but it was nice to be able to look around and enjoy the environment. I went through Chandler, Davenport, Stroud and Milfay despite not moving too fast. After Milfay, I came across a European guy biking with a bunch of bags all over his bike. Turns out he's riding across the country. It was a really tough conversation, because he didn't speak English. I tried to warn him about the Mojave desert. I sure hope my message got through to him. I made it into Depew just as dusk fell and ate a large pizza to celebrate another 40 mile day. I ended up sleeping on a very old alignment of Route 66 just off the road I had been running on all day long.
September 26
I slept last night in a park in Yukon behind the library. I tried going to a cheap motel, but they refused me. I think I smelled too bad. I also looked homeless. Either way, I spent the night in a beautiful park by a pond looking up at a million stars. I'm fine with that. I woke up early and ran into Bethany to get some breakfast at Route 66 Donuts. 4 donuts is a good way to start the day. And, I got a few free ones to go, because they liked what I'm doing so much. Nice. Most of the next few hours won't be spoken about. Oklahoma City apparently doesn't believe in shoulders on roads or sidewalks either. I spent the next few hours praying for my life as more than a thousand cars came within three inches of me. I didn't feel even slightly safe until I got to Arcadia. And, my mood picked up when I saw Pops! (www.pops66.com) old time soda fountain joint. After that came the Round Barn, which I just don't get at all. There were bunches of tourists all lined up to take pictures, so they seemed to enjoy it. I slept behind a church near the interstate exit a few hours up the road. Overall, this is a day I'd like to forget. It wasn't fun fearing for my life for such a long time.
Other things I've noticed in OK so far:
1 - I find a lot more coins on the road in places that start with a vowel (Arizona, Albuquerque, Amarillo, Oklahoma, OKC) than I do in places that start with a consonant. I offer no explanation, but will eaagerly listen to others' ideas.
2 - The "Oklahoma Wave" consists of just lifting one finger off the steering wheel. Not in a dirty way, either. It's only seen in Oklahoma.
3 - The drivers in this part of the country seem to be proud of the dirt on their cars/trucks. It's so complete that you can't even tell what the real color of the car is. Sometimes, I even think it might be applied to the car manually.
September 25
I am not really in Oklahoma City yet technically, but close enough. I am actually in Yukon, OK but it will all be residential and retail neighborhoods for me until I get to the other side of OKC and start heading north. That should happen tomorrow. I had thought I'd get there on October 19th, but will instead make it 23 days earlier.
Approximate mileage so far: over 1500 miles
Approximate mileage left to Chicago: 860
Approximate mileage left to Atlantic City: about 1700
I had a tough day getting into El Reno. 12 miles of dead legs and a seriously fatigued body. But while there letting my lunchtime milkshakes (yes, plural) digest, I spent some time in the library. I was talking with the librarian about what I was doing and she let me 'go in back' and review the private collection of materials on the 1928 Bunion Derby. It really turned my day around and I ran strong after that. It's amazing these wild mood swings I'm going through and how they impact my running. They're far more severe than the 'civilian mood swings' I go through during a 100 mile or 150 mile running race. I spent most of today running through Canadian County before ending in Yukon. Canadian County, Yukon, were we invaded by Canada finally? Did they win? This is what happens when I don't follow the news for a month! I've been seeing a whole lot of dead armadilloes on the side of the roads here lately. Hundreds of them. Sometimes I feel like the way they look.
I'm due for a day off any day now. I haven't had one since the edge of Arizona and that was 8-900 miles ago. The legs have been begging me for a few days, but they will do what I say for now. And, I'd really like to make it to Tulsa before relaxing any. Probably just a 24 hour break like in the past where I arrive around noon and then leave the next day around noon. Instead of a full day off, I'm still making some progress each day, and getting a bit of a break. I've got a place to stay in Tulsa with an active Route 66 member, so I'm really hoping my body will make it until I get there (probably Monday).
In the meantime, here are two pictures taken of me at the largest cross in the western hemisphere in Groom, Texas by Jeff (I mentioned these in the last update). I was probably standing over 100 feet away to give you an idea of the scale. Simply huge. A really neat place to visit if you get the chance. Enjoy!
September 24
The first 12 miles into Weatherford were really tough. My body just didn't have it. My legs were sore and tired right from the start. Route 66 then runs about a mile north of the interstate and I did the next 28 miles taking in the scenery and running through the farmlands and little towns of Hydro, Bridgeport and Geary. They've all since been bypassed by the interstate and the sands of time. It was real pretty, but my body struggled badly until I decided I could make it to a restaurant up ahead before dark if I just hurried. I cranked out the last 10 miles averaging 10 minutes per mile. Those were miles 30-40 for the day, while wearing a 10 pound backpack and pushing a 50 pound stroller. And after 1500 miles in the last 30 something days. I actually impressed myself. I got to the restaurant just before dark and rewarded myself. I had been thinking about a steak all day, but they had an all-you-can-eat chicken dinner for half the price of the steak. The waitress was utterly shocked when I proceeded to eat 3 full plates of chicken, french fries, green beans and rolls. Then ordered a milkshake for dessert. A solid 40 miles today.
September 23
I felt great right from the start. Taking the original Route 66 through more farmfields all day long. I breezed through the small towns of Canute and Foss which must have been really nice places to live back in the days before the highway came through. Then, just past Foss, I came across one person I wished I hadn't talked to. He was a delusional, paranoid parolee who seemed so nice when he invited me in to his home for watermelon and fresh water. I signed his door like the Fat Man Walking did a few years ago and all the other passersby he had fed and cared for. Then he told me about the police busting him for his drugs and guns, but insisted they were framing him. He became very animated while talking with me and telling me how the police, lawyers, politicians and judges were all out to get him just like they got his grandfather and his mother and... The whole time I was thanking him for the watermelon and saying I had better go. I am really glad I got out of there. I quickly ran away from his place and into Clinton, OK. I saw the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum which is really nice and then stopped right next door to the highway patrol to explain that they might be getting calls about a lunatic on the highway with a baby stroller. I explained that I was really just a lunatic running Route 66 with no baby in the baby stroller. 34 miles total for the day before sleeping at a truck stop again.
September 22
I left Erick, OK a little late after eating two breakfasts and then stopping by the Oklahoma Welcome Center for a few more maps. I needed to mark up the appropriate rest areas and truck stop locations to help plan my days ahead. My legs were still dead despite a short day of only 23 miles the day before, but I had more overall strength from the rest and moved well despite them. The first 15 miles today were all on the interstate, before hopping onto the frontage roads and original Route 66 roads for almost the rest of Oklahoma. I got a lot of help from the first OK police officer I dealt with. He drove ahead and identified which of the frontage roads came to a dead end and how to avoid them. That was a big help. As I know from the past, those pesky dead ends can lead to some truly horrible decisions to make:
1 - return the 4-5 miles to the last exit and then head over to the frontage road on the other side of the highway. That's an extra 10 miles and countless hours of wasted effort.
2 - take stuff out of stroller; place stroller on highway side of barbed wire fence; place stuff on highway side; find a way to get your self across; put stuff back in stroller; go across the two lanes of traffic and the median and then the two other lanes of traffic; repeat the process to get over the other barbed wire fence; then proceed down that frontage road. It is really as awful and unappealing as it sounds.
or
3 - almost same as two, except that you just head on down the highway when you get on it, instead of going all the way over to the other frontage road.
Anyway, 5 hours later, as I was approaching Elk City from the beautiful original Route 66 road, the police officer drove by with a Powerbar for me and said he was just checking in on me to make sure I was still ok. Elk City is an honest-to-goodness city. I did some shopping and stopped by the National Route 66 Museum before finding a nice place to sleep under some trees in a park.
September 21
Phil is (and is in) OK!
I got into Erick, Oklahoma today. I just love crossing state lines! I do a little dance every time that must look real goofy to the passing motorists. I figure I've run more than 1400 miles since I started, and I'm thinking the final total will be between 3200 and 3300 miles when I reach the Atlantic Ocean. I'm still shy of 50%, but I've made a good dent in things.
September 21
Right from the start, I was doomed. I was originally thinking of going to Sayre for the night which would be 40 miles, but felt a little tired and started to think that I haven't had a day under 25 miles in a few weeks and I should probably just stop at Erick and get a motel to clean my clothes, eat a lot, charge my phone and just rest in general. So I talked myself in stopping after 23 miles. I still struggled most of the day until I got near the border with Oklahoma and then my mood picked up. Plus, shortly after crossing the border, a very nice guy stopped on his Harley to wish me well and take a few pictures of me. I always enjoy those moments. I eventually struggled into the motel and just finished eating a large pizza and I'm already thinking about dessert.
Overall, I'm still waaaaaay ahead of schedule. I didn't think I get here until October 13th, so that's encouraging. Plus, I don't have any aches or pains and the stroller is holding up well. Just a bit of fatigue from time to time. So far, so good!
September 20
The first 14 miles today were on frontage roads that overlooked the beautiful green valleys on both sides of the highway. It was sensational watching the sunrise over these valleys. Words can't describe. Plus, I felt great again today. These were some of the most beautiful miles I've run since the Indian Reservations near Peach Springs, AZ. Yes, that nice. Then another 20 miles on frontage roads to get into Shamrock, Texas which was the first town of significant size since Amarillo, though still small. I faded a bit in the end, which could have been due to the winds. I had originally hoped to get to a picnic area nine miles further, but called it a day when I got to Shamrock and instead ate a huge dinner. I slept at an abandoned gas station. 38 mostly strong miles for the day.
September 19
I went the 1 mile south to get back to the county road that used to be Route 66 and then spent the entire morning in the middle of farm fields away from the interstate. All 17 miles were like that until getting to Groom, Texas. Groom is famous for having the largest cross in the western hemisphere. I could see it from seven miles away today, though there are places that can see it from twenty miles. A nice truck driver who had seen me in Arizona a few weeks ago took some pictures of me that I will e-mail next time. A mile east of town is the Leaning Water Tower (exactly as it sounds). Then, I ran 17 more miles to get to the Rest Area I had hoped to get to. In Texas, they have Rest Areas and Picnic Areas. The PAs only offer a picnic table, a bit of shelter and a trash can. All good, but the RAs also have restrooms with running water and significantly more shelter (in other words, like the RAs in AZ and NM). I slept on a picnic table because I saw more tarantulas today as well as a hundred posters in the RA warning about the rattlesnakes in the area. 35 miles total for the day and they all felt pretty good.
September 18
I left Amarillo a little late. Probably after noon. I had a lot of things to take care of at the hotel in the morning. Laundry, check e-mail, shower again, shave. Then a bit of shopping to prepare for the nothingness east of Amarillo. The first 7 miles were along the frontage road in a highly retail district, so I could shop for food easily as I left town. Then seven miles on the interstate up a slight hill. I really enjoyed the last 14 miles on the original route 66 which is now a county road that goes through farmlands a few miles off the interstate for an extended time. Very serene and quiet (except for the roaring, swirling winds). I saw five more tarantulas here. That was enough to scare me away from my original plan of sleeping in an empty field past Conway (only consists of a grain company, three houses and a motel that may/may not be open). Instead, I went a mile north of Conway to get back to the interstate and sleep at the safety of the truck stop. 28 solid miles today.
September 18
Phil in Amarillo
I'm now in Amarillo, Texas, after a week of mostly strong running. I'm guessing between 1250 and 1300 miles total run so far and less than two thousand to go. I'll work out the exact numbers as I get closer to the finish.
September 17
Went through Vega while it was still asleep. Just east of the town, while I was staring at the many windmills going full speed, I was interrupted by my first honk of the day from a trucker. I've been telling every trucker I talk to to honk if they see me again. I get 4-5 per day now. Then, I saw this tarantula the size of my hand in the middle of the road just crawling around. I'm attaching the picture for you. For scale I put my card down and it crawled right over it. I did the first 17 miles in 3:30. I felt strong in the afternoon as well, despite more wind in my face. I stopped at the Cadillac Ranch (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Ranch) just outside of Amarillo. I was planning on being there for just two minutes, but so many people wanted to talk to me and take my picture, and ask me if I was crazy. It basically turned into a media appearance for 40 minutes. It was fun though, and I did enjoy meeting all the people. 44 total miles today and felt great the whole time.
I'm still ripping through the miles, and the days seem to blend together sometimes, but I'm still having fun mostly. And, I'm still basically injury free and pain free. All quite positive really. But, still a long way to go.
September 16
I felt week and aimless for the first 12 miles of interstate in Texas. No pain, just a lack of energy. I stopped at Picnic Area for lunch and got some strength for the long hill known as Caprock Climb. Six miles long. Then you get to the top at Exit 18 for the frontage road and realize you're looking out at what is probably The Flattest Place on Earth. Then six more miles into Adrian, which claims to be the midpoint between Chicago and LA for a few pieces of pie and a few stickers for my stroller. 34 total miles today before sleeping at another Picnic Area. Felt great all afternoon.
September 15
I felt great from the start. I did some shopping in town to prepare for the next nothingness until Amarillo. I stopped outside of the town of Lesbia to eat some fruit someone had given me before we/it went bad in the heat. Then it was up a long hill to San Jon. I saw a mile long stretch of fence posts on each side of the frontage road that had shoes nailed to them. Modern Art. If only I had saved my horrible shoes instead of thrown them in the trash. I wonder which would have been more fitting. A few miles before San Jon, I came across a couple of British fans who had heard about me before starting their route 66 trip and were hoping to meet me. After taking pictures and telling stories I went on my way with more energy. The map screwed up and said there was a rest are where there was none. As a result I ended up doing 43 total miles today with the last eight in the dark. I slept at the NM Welcome Center 500 feet from the border with Texas and the Central Time Zone. Felt great all day.
September 14
The first 10 miles of the day were into a strong wind yet again!! The construction on the Interstate made the next 10 miles fairly miserable. Then a cop came by and helped me to a frontage road that had just appeared to my side. He helped me lift the stroller to the other side of the barbed wire fence and then held it down so I could crawl through it. A few miles later he reappeared with a cold gallon of water for me. Nice guy. I ate way too much for lunch (4000 calories) and had a hard time getting into Tucumcari because of it. Tucumcari is, by the way, my favorite name for a city on the Route 66. 32 total miles today.
September 13
Partly cloudy all day today. I got a late start because I knew I was only going to run 25 miles today. I felt fairly lethargic today until I took the second bottle of "Electrifire" that the bike shop in Albuquerque gave me to try out. I'm starting to think that stuff may work for real. Both times I've tried it now, it's worked for me. The downsides are that it is $4 for a two ounce bottle and tastes quite awful. But, it did help me get moving into the wind and uphill again. I'm really starting to hate the people who told me the wind would be at my back going from west to east. At least the train tracks were back in view again. I like looking at them while I run. I did NOT pick up a single coin today. That's the first time in weeks. I've been using the coins I find to pay for my milkshake habit. I still get a little creeped out by being the tallest thing in sight in any direction for so long. I'm not getting used to that. It makes me feel small, insignificant and lonely. 25 miles today to get to a rest area to sleep.
September 12
Over a Thousand Miles Done, Many More to Go
Now in Santa Rosa, New Mexico
Number of Days: 31
Estimated Miles So Far: 1110
Estimated Final Total: 3250
I got into Santa Rosa this afternoon 16 days ahead of when I had planned. And I still feel pretty decent overall, sometimes even downright good. Go figure.
September 12
Overcast all morning. I felt great all day today. I am surprised how well I still feel after all these miles and cold nights. More of the same beautiful scenery today. I haven't mentioned the names of the towns in the last few days, because there haven't been any. Just miles and miles of green fields and the occasional herd of cattle. I arrived in Santa Rosa about 1pm and picked up my package from the post office. My Brooks shoes! Finally! The other not-to-be-named shoes will be thrown away promptly into the garbage can where they belong. I also went to the supermarket and got some more food, but have proceeded to eat most of it in my cheap motel room for the night. I'll just have to get more tomorrow morning before heading out for Tucumcari. 26 miles today. I love these short days!
Why do I like Truck Stops?
They are open 24 hours, have several sets of bathrooms, sinks and soap for cleaning myself, running water to refill my jugs, convenience stores, arcades (ie. electrical outlets to recharge my phone), a fast food joint, and a regular sit-down restaurant. They have showers for a few dollars, but I haven't used them yet. The nice ones have tv lounges too. When I sleep there, I sleep out in back where the trucks are parked (with their drivers sleeping in them).
Why do I like Rest Areas?
They have 24 hour bathrooms, sinks and soap for cleaning myself, running water to refill my jugs, and a sheltered area to sleep under in bad weather.
September 11
It was overcast with a few drops of rain in the morning. I felt Very, Very Strong all morning. Some of my best miles yet. I felt that good. It took less than three and a hlaf hours to go the 17 miles to eat lunch (mashed potatoes) at another truck stop. Same beautiful scenery as the last few days. It never gets old looking at so much green grass and green bushes. The afternoon was a bit tougher as I let a bunch of little things really annoy me - terrible shoes, stroller alignment, etc... And of course the ever present in-your-face wind. The only difference with this afternoon's wind was the cold rain it was blowing in my face. I had to break out the trash bag to try to stay dry. What a sight that must have been - some idiot running down the interstate wearing a giant trash bag pushing a baby stroller in the rain! But, I managed to reach my goal for the day. A Rest Area that was 34 miles away from where I started. Shelter for a rainy night!!
September 10
I left the Auto Body shop by 7:30 am and felt good. I ran the six miles into Edgewood and ate a second breakfast. Then 12 more miles into Moriarty where I had hopes of someone being able to fix the stroller's alignment, but they were dashed. Route 333 East (what Route 66 is called now) ended here and I was forced back onto the interstate. A lot of rolling hills of green grass and green trees as far as the eye could see. There was a sign that said "This is Cattle Country." It sure isn't People Country, because I didn't see any people. The 21 miles on the interstate went by fast. I took a brief stop at a Rest Area for some more water and ended up talking to two more truckers who had seen me the week before in Arizona. More and more of that is happening. I stopped for the night at the Clines Corners Truck Stop which is supposed to be famous and great, but really wasn't nearly as great as the billboards had led me to believe. A sign there said 1250 miles to Chicago. I laid in the sleeping bag tonight looking up at the stars and clouds overhead thinking that I will definitely finish this whole trip. And, probably do it faster than I had thought. 38 total miles today.
September 9
I felt really sad to leave the Albuquerque Hilton today. I was treated like a rockstar while there and everything was SO nice. Sure, I have low standards (and they've only gotten lower being on the road for a month), but this is a nice hotel. All the food was outstanding and I ate a lot. In fact, I ate myself sick at the breakfast buffet and had to walk most of the day as a result of eating so much. I can't thank Aaron and the staff there enough for their great care. I stopped at a bike shop on the way out of town to have the stroller looked at again. They did a lot of good things and gave me more free stuff, but somehow they disrupted the alignment. I've tried a number of times to fix it without luck. So, I'll just have to put up with it until Amarillo when I see the next bike shop.
I also got a ride today. But before anyone thinks I gave up: it was only for two miles and I made them up after the ride. Also, I didn't have a choice. It was in a police car. All the state highway patrol officers know what I'm doing and they are all ok with it (and even check in every so often to make sure I'm ok). But, this was a county cop and he was very uncomfortable with me being on the interstate leaving town - it's all uphill, has lots of traffic and has some turns to it. He refused to let me go the next two miles to get to the exit where I knew the frontage road started. He insisted on giving me and my stroller a ride ahead. After taking the stroller apart to cram it into the back of the SUV, I was frisked and searched and then told to get in the back seat. After he let me off and I reassembled the stroller, I went back a mile on a side street and then returned to where he let me off before continuing forward. He was even more confused with me doing that than he was with the whole cross country running thing. So, the bottom line is I made up the two miles I was forced to be driven.
I finished with 24 miles after the late start and the visit at the bike shop. I slept under a trailer (for protection from a light rain) at an Auto Body shop in Sedillo that was closed for the evening.
September 9
Phil Made it to Albuquerque!
Now in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Number of Days: 27
Estimated Miles So Far: 970
Estimated Final Total: 3250
I got into Albuquerque this afternoon 13 days ahead of when I had planned. I didn't feel good getting here, but an afternoon of resting and eating has helped a lot.
September 8
I was reduced to a walk all day for the 21 miles into Albuquerque. That pain in the lower, front right leg reappeared today and kept me from running. That and the shortness of breath that I'm still experiencing. The first five miles were all uphill and were probably some of my toughest moments yet. I stopped at the top and lay by the side of the road hoping someone would offer me a ride. Luckily, no one did. I got my act together and walked the rest of the way into Albuquerque swearing that I would take tomorrow off to rest. Well, thanks to my hotel connection, Aaron, I have come back to life and plan on running out of town tomorrow. I met Aaron at a truck stop in Navajo, Arizona last week. I arrived to a hero's welcome at the Albuquerque Hilton and was treated like a celebrity right away. A luxurious afternoon of eating a great lunch, showering, cleaning clothes and charging my phone, drastically improved my mood. Then I had a nice dinner with Sean (a local ultrarunner) and his friend Aaron. Back to the hotel for the hot tub, more food and sending this message. Tomorrow morning I'll stuff myself at the breakfast buffet, take yet another shower and then hit the road!
For those following the map, I've decided for several reasons to go with the newest alignment of Route 66 leaving Albuquerque. I will NOT be heading up to do the Santa Fe loop (1926-1937??), but will instead go straight to Santa Rosa (1937-). First off, my lungs have been through an awful lot in the last year and I really don't need to go back up over 8000 feet above sea level again and spend some more cold nights there. Secondly, my directions for that loop got me lost repeatedly while driving the Route and I don't want to get lost up there while on foot. The newer, straighter alignment I'll be following will get me to Santa Rosa in 108 fewer miles, I won't get lost, and I won't have to go back up over 6000 feet above sea level. All reasons to make me happy and more likely to be successful, while still on Route 66.
Have I been eating more? In case you haven't noticed, YES! For more proof:
- In Gallup I ate a large pizza with pineapple topping all by myself. Then ordered a cinnamon pie type of dessert.
- At the Sky City Casino buffet, I ate 3 big plates full of meat, potatoes, vegetables and pasta. Then, for dessert I ate 4 servings of pudding, 3 of jello, 2 pieces of pie and a piece of cake.
- Last night I ate 12 ounces of Peanut Butter, a hot fudge sundae, two hot dogs and a milkshake.
- Today ever since arriving at the hotel I've been eating and eating and eating.
I know I'll need to be eating more like this for the rest of the trip. For a week now, I've been thinking about Amarillo, Texas where they have the "eat a 72 ounce steak in an hour and it's free" deal. I wonder if they've ever seen anyone with a 2% body fat win that?
September 7
A great start to the day saw me going 12 miles in less than 2.5 hours as I was moving along very well on the frontage roads. I stopped at Laguna for a second breakfast. I felt ok most of the afternoon despite being in a bad mood. I stayed about a half mile in front of a monsoon for most of the afternoon. There's nothing like a black sky with torrential rains to spur you on. Later, I got stopped by a police officer who had been getting reports about an idiot running on the highway with a baby in a stroller. The last few hours were downhill into the strongest, worst wind I've faced yet. It must have been about 30mph into my face and it was pushing me and my stroller back up the hill. It was strong enough and lasted long enough to make me curse and nearly made me cry. I'm still waiting for those tailwinds I've heard about for the West-to-East transcontinental runners. 41 total miles today as well before sleeping at another casino's truck stop.
September 6
After a breakfast at the truck stop, I ran the five miles into Grants, checked my e-mail briefly and did some more shopping to prepare for the long stretches without towns coming up. I only did about 24 miles today, with 23 of those being walked. I couldn't run because of shortness of breath. I'm still attributing it to the altitude, though it may be due to general fatigue. It was a tough day and I felt miserable for most of it. I really hate these shoes. At least today was all on frontage roads. I went by the small town of Anzac, which should be of interest to my friends Down Under. I have no idea when or how it got it's name, but I'm guessing it has nothing to do with World War One. I made it to the Sky City Casino for their buffet and then slept at the Rest Area across the street.
September 5
After breakfast with Doug and his family, I got back onto I-40 for eight more uphill miles, before reaching the Continental Divide (7725 feet above sea level) and had a second breakfast. It's all downhill from here!! Piece of Cake! I had the same nice views all day again: red mesas on the left, then the train tracks, then me, then the interstate, then the green fields to the right. After the second breakfast I had a nice 33 mile gentle downhill to get to Milan, New Mexico (a small suburb of Grants). I just barely made it into the truck stop before sunset that I had pegged earlier as the goal for the day. Maybe I'm finally getting into peak shape? At the truck stop, a truck driver asked me how far I had been running from, because he saw me a week or so earlier out in California. He's a super nice guy that simply had to take my picture and have his picture taken with me. He thinks we'll see each other again a few more times since we share the same basic route. I really, really don't like the new shoes.
September 4
Was shopping in Gallup until about noon. Got my new socks at the Post Office and then picked up one of the very few pairs of running shoes in my size in town. I don't like them, but they can get me to Santa Rosa where my favorite shoes are now being sent. On my way out of town, I stopped in at the NM Highway Patrol office to ask about my being on the interstate and frontage road conditions and such. Apparently, they follow the same rules as Arizona: illegal, but never ticketed. They wished me luck and said they'd be around if I needed help. This bit of good news eliminated the last two detours I had sketched out. Today's travels offered plenty of nice views of red mesas to the north and green fields to the south of me as I traveled down the frontage road most of the day. I did have to get back onto the interstate for about three miles at the end of the day. Just as I was planning to stop for the day at the truck stop just ahead, a man on a bicycle came up alongside me. Within two minutes, he had offered me dinner and a place to stay. It turns out Biker Doug had biked across country five or six times and averages 15,000 miles per year. We had a lot of common things to talk about: nutrition, equipment, training, adventure stories, love of dogs etc... Totaled only 24 miles today.
September 3
There is an awful lot of nothingness in Northeastern Arizona and combine it with the holiday weekend closing libraries and there is a whole week worth of updating to do.
I am attaching a picture of me and my stroller taken by my wonderful hosts in Flagstaff. Many of you have been asking what it looks like. It's still holding up surprisingly well for over 800 miles in three weeks.
September 3
More uphill today as I got back up to 6800 feet above sea level. At least that means it will be a bit cooler. As I'm now in New Mexico, I'll happily return to the frontage roads instead of the highway. I only did 24 miles today as I got to Gallup. I found a cheapish motel room and will spend today eating, showering, catching up on e-mail, doing laundry and picking up my new socks which are waiting for me at the post office. Tomorrow morning I'll hit a grocery store to resupply my food stocks and then a Foot Locker to get some holdover shoes until I reach Santa Rosa. Brooks is transitioning their shipping systems management and some orders have been delayed so my new shoes won't be at the post office waiting for me. Even being a Brooks-sponsored athlete couldn't get them to me faster (and I really did hate playing the 'Do you know who I am?' card when they called me to work out another delivery location). Since my current shoes are in no shape to get to Santa Rosa, I've got to get something that will get me there. I hate trying out new shoes; wish me luck!
I am now 11 days ahead of schedule (due mostly to all the days of 35 -45 miles, but also partly to not having to take a few detours to avoid being on the highway). And, I'm still feeling pretty good overall. Occasionally my legs are dead or I may get tired after 30 or so miles, but I'm still moving well. I'm also doing much better in getting a few thousand calories every night after running and cramming more in during the day as well. I might be getting close to 6000 calories a day, though I should be eating even more than that.
September 2
Into the wind and uphill most of the day. I didn't run very well today, but continued to walk very well. Most of the day was spent on frontage roads and I finished with 35 miles total. I slept outside the Arizona Welcome Center/Rest Area just a half mile shy of the border with New Mexico.
September 1
What a difference a day makes. My legs felt much better and I felt pretty strong all day. It was partly cloudy all day long which was wonderful - no actual rain, no sun bearing down on me. The clouds even made the otherwise bleak landscape look somewhat interesting with their shadows moving across it. I stopped for lunch in the Petrified National Forest Park today. 44 total miles today (all on the I40) and I felt great. I could have run further but I came across a nice truck stop in Navajo to sleep outside of and decided to call it a day. I also think I scored a nice hotel room when I get to Albuquerque!! Imagine a room without insects! Air conditioning! A hot breakfast!
August 31
Not feeling good in the morning at all. My legs felt deader than dead. Combined with the thunderstorms this had the looks of a very miserable day. I only made it a mile before checking into a cheap motel for a full day off. Lots of eating, resting and watching tv.
August 30
This was a tough day all day long. Another day of going into a stiff headwind in 90 degree weather. At least most of it was on a frontage road as opposed to the interstate. About 20 miles into today's run, as I was approaching Joseph City, I came across a five foot long snake in the middle of the road. After a brief, but exciting, showdown, he slithered off into the bushes. Then came Joseph City, which I first thought was a Ghost Town, but is actually just a very depressed, small town. Otherwise, the third straight day of a lot of nothing, a lot of brown dirt and a lot of brown grass. I struggled into Holbrook for a very tough 32 miles today.
August 29
10 very easy miles to a Rest Area where I ate breakfast filled up on water. Got a check-in by a different police officer. He said they're all pulling for me. As I get down to 5000 feet above sea level, the temperature is cranking back up. Up over 90 degrees again. Going into the wind doesn't help either. Went through Winslow today - most famous from the Eagles' song 'Take it Easy'...'I was standin' on a corner in Winslow Arizona...' Only did 30 miles today and then stopped to sleep outside a truck stop after a late afternoon monsoon.
August 28
Leaving Flagstaff on I40, I was going to take today very easy, but I felt great and had a slight downhill for many miles and the wind was at my back. I started around 11 am and still squeezed in about 30 miles easily. I got pulled over by the Arizona police again in the afternoon, but he was just as nice as the CA police. It turns out that it is NOT legal for pedestrians to be on the highway, but the police only look for hitchhikers and only ticket those who are intoxicated or belligerent. He said they usually see 1-2 people running or biking each year for charity and they never ticket them. In fact, they go out of their way to make sure you're ok and check in from time to time to see how you're doing. Slept a few hundred feet off the highway by a pile of gravel and a bulldozer and got to see a fantastic lighting display in the distance. The best part was it never came close to me.
August 27
A relatively short day of only 20 miles as I continued along I-40 to Flagstaff where another ultrarunner has parents who live there and arranged for me to spend the day/night there. Though a muscle in my lower right leg was giving me twinges of discomfort all day, I was still done running by 10 am. I spent the rest of the day eating, showering, doing laundry, eating, shopping, eating, checking e-mail, charging my cell phone, ordering shoes/socks to be delivered ahead to Gallup New Mexico, etc... It's truly a wonderful break from sleeping under overpasses and in fields.
I've traveled 595 miles in the past 15 days now. I'm still well ahead of schedule and having a mostly fun time. I'm planning on taking it easy for a little while. I'd rather let this muscle heal than become a real problem. So a few days of only 20-25 miles per day seems to be in order. Especially because as I had down to lower elevations the heat can come back into play.
August 26
After waking up and getting dressed, the first thing I did was merge onto I-40. The signs say no walking/hitchhiking, but bicycles are allowed. I figured I'd give it a shot and if I was told to leave, I'd try to follow one of my predetermined detours. Luckily for me, I was never stopped. My detours have the potential of turning into giant mistakes. It's not really fun running on an interstate highway. But it wasn't as dangerous as you'd think. I'm wearing a reflective vest and a flashing red light even during the day. And, the shoulders are all paved and usually over 10 feet wide from the rumble strip to the grass. So, there's actually plenty of room to run while the trucks go cruising by at 80mph. I did another 38 miles uphill at a pretty decent pace today and even had time for a lunch at a diner in Williams before getting hit by another monsoon. I remembered that I don't run well at altitude today when I was out of breath very easily as I spent most of the day between 7000 and 7800 feet above sea level. I slept at the rest area just past Parks.
August 25
I finally started seeing the "Burma Shave" signs along the roadside today. These are a series of signs about one tenth of a mile apart with only a few words on each sign. Over the course of a mile, they form a PSA style phrase about not speeding, not falling asleep while driving, etc... They help pass the time and are a well-known feature of Route 66. I ran an easy, but fast, 25 miles to get to Seligman for lunch before getting hammered by a monsoon. Apparently it's the end of monsoon season here in this part of Arizona. A heavy thunderstorm comes across in the late afternoon nearly every day. It's a good thing I had an extra trash bag to use as a raincoat for the next 17 miles to Ash Fork. Setting up a tarp over and under a sleeping bag in the dark and rain wasn't much fun, but it did keep me almost completely dry through the whole night.
August 24
Well, since the last update my stroller has received a clean bill of health and some upgrades from Bicycle Outfitters in Kingman AZ. The alignment has been fixed so I can now let go of the stroller for short periods. The wheel locks have been fixed and most important of all, the handlebars have been raised making it easier to run with. I also got in a strong 40 miles on Saturday before sleeping on the front porch of the Hackberry General Store. I had been warned about the large populations of snakes and tarantulas in the area, so sleeping on the side of the road wouldn't be a good idea. Still over 100 degrees.
Today, I got in a strong 37 miles to get to a motel 12 miles east of Peach Springs, AZ. All day the sunflowers on the side of the road were beautiful to look at and almost stole the scene from the gorgeous mountain views and prairie vistas. I should also mention that all 37 miles were uphill and into a stiff wind. And a bit of rain for the last 12 miles. Most of the day was spent in the beautiful Hualapai Indian Reservation. Everybody has been so nice to me on this entire journey, but these people were so kind and so concerned. I spent at least an hour today talking with 4-5 different cars that stopped to offer help/rides/food/water. (Sure could have used them back in the Mojave Desert!!) They all promised to donate to my charity and help spread the word. In fact, the last car went so far as to reserve a room at this motel for me!! Best of all, the high temperature for the day probably only hit 90 degrees. What a relief. More cooling in store for me as the next three days into Flagstaff are all uphill. Uphill isn't easy pushing a stroller into the wind, but it's a welcome change from the extreme heat.
August 23
I'm now in Kingman AZ. Since the last update it's still been hot. I took my first scheduled detour heading out of Needles. There are 12 miles on I-40, but I'm not allowed there. So, I found my detour route and checked it with the locals and everyone agreed it would work, but add 15 extra miles. Well, those 15 extra miles came on a dirt trail (pushing a cart on a dirt trail is not easy) which is where the oldest original alignment of Route 66 was located. It hasn't been used in over 60 years. Or cared for either. Well, to make things worse, when it got me to the end of I40, I was 200 feet below it. Making a long story short, I had to make five trips up and down a 60 degree grade of a cliff to get my stuff up there. One of the hardest things I've ever done. And, to think this was the one scheduled detour I created that I felt most comfortable with. That has me worried, especially since there are four more detours in Arizona that I've sketched out.
Anyway, I eventually got into Oatman Arizona. It was 25 miles uphill to get there. At least it was pretty and the people in that ghost town/tourist town were very nice to me as I ate a terrific breakfast. Continued up and over Sitgreaves Pass at 3500 feet and then down into Kingman.
I hope to be about 20 miles East of Kingman by the end of the day. First I've got to stop by a bike shop for a safety check on my stroller. On the plus side, everyone keeps telling me that it will get cooler once I get past Kingman. I can't wait much longer!
Next time, I hope to include some answers to questions I'm being asked all the time by the people I meet (and you all, of course).
August 20
I arrived in Needles last night in some pretty sad shape, but I'm still alive.
Since the last Update: I finished the 14th in Devore, CA. Despite two flat tires, a four mile detour to a bike shop and a two mile wrong way excursion, I still managed to go 25-30 miles for the day. I slept at a fire department that night and the guys there really treated me great. Also, a special thanks to the guys at Don's Bike Shop in Rialto who hooked me up with heavy duty tubes for all my tires and a couple of spares.
August 18-19
Ludlow to Essex (65 miles) to Needles (another 30 miles). Same basic plan as the days before. I loaded up with 9 gallons of water and enough food for two days. I knew there was not a single source of water or life even for the stretch to Essex. I won't recount the events of the trip other than for two hours I didn't see a single sign (other than the road I was on) that humans ever existed. No trains, No cars, No buildings, No signs, No planes in the air. Nothing at all. It gave me a strong sense of being alternately the dumbest man alive and the bravest man alive. I barely made it to Essex (which consists of a single gas station) before running out of water and food. Reloaded and got a move on it to get to Needles and out of the desert. 95 more miles in 38 hours.
I treated myself to a motel for last night and a full day off. I earned it for surviving the two toughest stretches of the entire journey back-to-back. The locals all say it will still be hot for the next week or so, but eventually it will cool off as I climb in altitude. From here to Kingman is also kind of desolate, but nowhere near as bad as the last few days. After that, I'll have much more frequent access to e-mail and cell phone coverage.
August 18
Brian for Phil
Hi everybody,
This is Phil's cousin Brian reporting in on behalf of Phil. So far, so good. Phil called me tonight from scenic Ludlow, CA, and asked me to let everyone know that he is doing well. Apparently it's hot out there. Really hot. Phil can't stress this enough. Hot.
He appears to be about three days ahead of schedule already, and says the upcoming stretch out of the desert looks to be the toughest of the trip. He's taking lots of water with him and going slow. Amazingly, there was cell phone reception tonight but he doesn't think he'll be able to check email again for a while. Perhaps the bustling metropolis of Kingman, AZ, might hold a computer.
Phil says he really appreciates all the voicemail and emails that everyone has been sending. When he's able to, he prints out the emails to read when he rests. I think it really keeps his spirits up, so keep them coming.
I'd love to tell you some of Phil's tales from the road, but it feels wrong to steal his thunder. Amazing stuff already, and I'm jealous. Hopefully Phil will be able to check in soon, but if not, I'll send updates out for him when he calls.
August 16-17
From Victorville to Barstow (34 miles) to Ludlow (another 58 miles). I ran pretty strong for the first 20 miles despite the heat. I think the night in the hotel helped. I stopped briefly in a cafe along the way. The looks on the faces made it all worthwhile (only to be repeated later in Ludlow and Essex). The small cafe holds about 20 people and is basically the only thing on the way. They see a tired, hot, sweaty guy enter and just had to start asking questions. I had a blast talking to them all and even signed an autograph. A lot more attention for the charity. But, there was one old guy I talked to a lot. About 75 or so. He talked about he drove a moped across the country in the '50s and how things have changed since then. He also had the funniest line of the day when describing what was coming up for me the next few days when I entered the desert: "It's so hot out there, if you dig a hole, fire will come out!". The heat did wear me out the rest of the way to Barstow. I finally arrived around 5 pm severely dehydrated (despite drinking three and a half gallons of water) and with mild heat exhaustion. It was there I decided that the safest thing to do would be to go into the desert at night when it was cooler (only 85-100 degrees). So I recovered and resupplied in Barstow and headed off into the desert. The first three miles out of Barstow on Route 66 are actually now I-40. Wonderful, the highway again. Sure enough, I got pulled over by the police with the flashing lights and megahorn. It turned out to be legal for me to be there, but they had gotten so many calls they just had to see what was going on. They were great and we really hit it off. I spent a lot of time laughing that night at the absurdity of being pulled over while pushing a baby jogger.
I moved well most of the first 30 miles at night in the full moon with very little traffic (maybe one or two cars per hour) and a warm breeze. But early on the 17th, the road turned awful. cracks and potholes don't describe it, more like canyons and craters. They actually broke a wheel. As a result I moved even slower. I felt really down about things, until near daybreak I saw a guy walking down the road towards me. Turns out he had started walking in NJ in March and was almost done with his cross country walk! (I think his website is www.paintatlas.com) What are the odds on that? In the middle of absolute nowhere. We had a very surreal conversation and traded notes on what was about to come for the other person. After 94 miles in 29 hours, I finally struggled into Ludlow. Ludlow has three buildings: a gas station, Dairy Queen and a new 6-room motel. Again, after all I had been through, I chose the motel.
August 15
From Devore to Victorville. It was over 100 degrees again today. I was on I-15 for about a mile before the frontage road started. Twice, I was stopped by a lady in a pickup truck. I thought they were going to offer me rides or help. Nope, just wanted to yell at me for endangering a child. When I clarified that there was no baby in the stroller, they basically said if I wanted to kill just myself that's ok. In just one mile, yelled at by two different people. Anyway, I was glad to get to the frontage road. Except four miles later, the road (which was dirt - not fun pushing a heavy stroller through dirt in the heat) just ended. No other choice but to return four miles and get back on I-15 again. The next 10 miles were no fun at all, but at least nobody hit me or yelled at me. Finally ended in Victorville at treated myself to a night in a motel.
August 14
Hi all -
I started Tuesday at noon with my feet in the Pacific Ocean at the Santa Monica Pier. Then a few stops at REI and a supermarket for supplies and off I went. Good for a quick 30 miles or so despite a late start.
On Wednesday, I was feeling good and moved forward another 40 miles. All day I had real pretty views of the mountains and canyons just to the north. Mountains are sure pretty when you don't have to run up them. I ended up in Upland and slept behind a church.
Today has been some slow going. Uphill most of the day so far and some real intense heat. I just fixed my first flat tire. Glad I had a spare tube. Felt pretty good until I noticed another tire that's looking low on air and might be a flat. I hope I come across a Bike store soon. I'm now in Rialto, California.
I've been getting a lot of attention from two groups
1 - homeless guys. They are very curious as to where I found my stroller since it looks much nicer than theirs. They're also wondering who gave me the right to invade their territory. The really sad thing is we actually have a lot common. The main difference is the containers in my stroller are all filled with water. Theirs...not so much.
2 - women. They all want to see the cute baby hiding in my stroller. You should see their faces when they realize it's mostly just some sweaty clothes and water.
If I keep this pace up, I might be looking at my first real test starting this weekend - the Mojave desert. If it's this hot here, the desert will remind me of Death Valley from a few weeks ago. Only this time I'll be all alone instead of with a trusty crew's support. I'll try to email once more before the desert and then after I get through (about 3-4 days later).
Thanks for all your e-mails. I've printed them all and will read them tonight. I might not be able to respond to each one, but I will definitely read them and certainly appreciate them.
August 10 - The Adventure Begins
Hello everyone! After several years of scheming/dreaming about this and six very frustrating months earlier this year, I'm finally about to embark on my solo, cross-country run. If nothing else, it will be quite the adventure!!
Work is currently being done on my website - www.runphilrun.com - though there are still a few updates to make. I'm hoping to post adventure updates a few times per week, but that will depend on when I come across internet access. It's likely that at least the first few updates will have to be done via e-mail rather than the website, but I'll make it a point to keep you all informed.
My route/schedule is located on my website. However, the schedule might change if I move along faster (yeah, right) or, more realistically, slower than projected.
All of my running this year will be supporting the charity of The Mario Lemieux Foundation which does great work in cancer research and supporting families affected by cancer. Please visit their site to learn more about their fine efforts.
Wish me Luck!
Phil
Message from Phil
I will be alone on this journey, and I am prepared to do it on my own every step of the way. But, this run will go much easier with a little help from a few people along the way. Here are some ways you could help :
1) Lodging – I am going to be running through a lot of towns on my way across America. Close to two hundred towns are actually on my route. I am fully prepared to spend every night sleeping outside under a tree, in a park or open field. However, if I am coming through your part of the country and you wouldn't mind housing a runner for a night…I would be much obliged. I am an ultrarunner and therefore can endure less-than-ideal conditions. I'll sleep in the barn, in the garage, on the floor, your backyard or whatever is easiest for you. I'll also help you out washing the dishes or taking out the trash. If you are interested in housing me for a night, take a look at the list of towns I am running through. If you live within a couple miles of historic Route 66, I'll run there. Just e-mail me at philrosenstein@hotmail.com and include your contact info and a good time to be reached.
2) Aid Station - In ultramarathons, there are “Aid Stations” every few fours or so. These offer runners a chance to get more water, a bite to eat and a rest break. If someone could offer me a place to recharge my cell phone, a shower, a chance to do some laundry and internet access (to update this website). You'd be surprised how much I could get done in an hour and how helpful it would be to me.
3) Pass along my website to everyone you know – www.runphilrun.com - Family, friends, co-workers, your brothers best friend's sister, your softball team, your book club, your church group, your running club, your college friends, your local media. This would be a huge help. The more people that know about my run the better. It will help me and it will help the Mario Lemieux Foundation.
4) Donations – One reason for my run is to raise awareness and funds for the Mario Lemieux Foundation. You can learn more and donate by clicking here. All donations will go straight to the charity and are tax-deductible. No funds will go to myself.
I will send periodic updates to the MLF to post on this blog. Stay tuned for more information as I get closer to Pittsburgh and the finish of my journey in Atlantic City, NJ. Wish me luck!
Hello America! I am running the entire Route 66 from Santa Monica, CA to Chicago, IL and then continuing on to Atlantic City, NJ to complete the transcontinental run, raising awareness and funds for the Mario Lemieux Foundation along the way. I will post blog entries as often as I can – please check back daily for updates.