So there I was realizing that once again my knee was failing and
there was still better then half the distance to cover in order to make the
40 mile outing. As I limped my way into the next rest area I asked part of
my trusty personal support crew-Sunday Park- to see if she couldn't secure
me some "motivational beverages".
I had a real tough time dropping out of the race at Leadville, as
I've never been a quitter, but in the recent past it had seemed like it was
just easier to quit than to finish. It was something that I'd always seen
in the mentality of people who lost, and then expected to lost. Injury or
not I was finishing!! Even if it took all day and night and even if no one
would wait for me I didn't care. So I changed my "strategy" a bit and
figured that if I spent very little time at the "transition"/support areas I
might still make fairly decent time.
So when I hit the next area I didn't even stop, just asked if the
trail went a particular way, and kept on limping my way to the finish. It
would be much cooler to say that I was just so tough, but the truth of the
matter is that I think I'm just that dumb sometimes. Fortunately for me I
had a very supportive allbeit "illegal" support crew. As I hobbled past a
farmhouse a sweet black lab came out to defend her turf. Ended up that she
would not be satiated with a simple pat and "go home". Against my will she
stayed with me for the next 12 or 15 miles until Sunday and Peter's wife Jen
took her home for me. What a great pacer:)

Somehow I managed to limp my way out ahead of the pack for the rest
of the day. And then the fun began. When I reached the end of the Ice Age
trail it spit me out onto a gravel road. I had though that I should see
Peter's parents by some mysterious park?? I thought that I was supposed to
see them prior to the end of the trail, so when I got to the road and found
a sign that didn't show any park anywhere near the trail or the end of it, I
decided to keep moving. For those of you that know me well enough, it is
truly a measure of my will to backtrack, so of course I did not. I instead
hobbled in one direction to see if I could see anything further, and then
back, and forth in a short little pace. Then I decided that the way to
Peter and Jen's-the final destination-had to be to the left.

After about an hour of going what I found out to be the wrong way I
found myself at a little church. There was a light on and I figured at the
very least someone could tell me where I was. It was my luck that there had
been some cooking function there just prior and the ladies of the church
were tidying up. One particular woman caught my glance and obvious need for
help and came over with the best of intentions and said, "can I help you
sweetie?" I said to her, "I'm not sure where I am." To which she kindly
replied, "well I'm not sure where you are either." I have to admit that I
was a bit thrown off by the comment, but she quickly explained that she
wasn't from the area and that someone else would most likely be able to help
me.
A second woman came to my aid, and wanted to help as best she could.
I of course didn't know Peter and Jen's precise address and she, having
lived in the area for quite some time was more of a mind to decipher my
distance from destination with a game of "I know "x"". I told her I was
trying to get to Peter and Jen Grimes place. To which she replied, well I
don't know them, was it possible that I knew Bart and Mildred Smith, and
where they lived comparatively. After a minute or two of that and the both
of us chuckling about it she paired me up with yet another woman.
On my third attempt I had greater success as I said that I was
trying to get to 120th in Frederic Wisconsin. She said, "I do know where
that is, and honey you are about 5 and a half miles past that. You came off
of the Ice Age Trail right? You probably should have gone right..."
Thankfully they did have a phone that they allowed me to use. With
that phone I called and caught Sunday to come and pick me up. Most
importantly I made the mileage. Which of course Peter was quick to give me
a hard time about "overachieving" on his Birthday outing. We followed up
the evening with a great meal and our personal accounts of the day. What a
great event. I look forward to it later this year. After Leadville of
course!!
Keep on living the Dream!! B Block