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1.31.09 Ruidoso, NM
Daren’s Blog:
 The Day: Today was quite the scenery change… This morning I walked out of Alamogordo, NM and it was desert… then after lunch with Bryan I climbed for 12 miles straight! But since I climbed to around 8,000 ft I felt like I was in Maine all over again… There was nothing but Pine trees! I loved it! The 2nd half of the day was walking through an Indian reservation filled with about 3 casino’s! I know that this oasis of trees will last for about another day for Bryan and I will be heading into Roswell, NM tomorrow. We have a contact there that we are going to watch the Super bowl with! We are pretty pumped about that!
Dead Animals: I saw more dead animals today than any other day. I think I saw 6 dead dogs, 4 cats, and a few coyotes. One was quite the experience..As I was walking out of Alamogordo I saw a dog that looked like it jumped out of the back of the truck going about 150 mph. The dog was all twisted for about 100 yards (no kidding) was the line of blood that it left when it got hit and dragged. As I kept walking I am pretty sure I saw the heart…then I walked a few more yards to see a piece of the jaw and teeth… then some other auxiliary chunks I couldn’t make out. It was pretty disgusting. I thought I should share that bit of my day with you J
50 Mile Day: Today was a record day for Bryan and I . Together we were able to do 50 miles between Alamogordo and Ruidoso downs. We felt good about it.
Hotel Room: tonight Bryan and I were blessed! One of Bryan’s friends donated a hotel stay tonight! We were excited considering that slept in a Wal-Mart Parking lot last night and when we woke up this morning it was below freezing! It is sooo nice to sleep in a bed! They also had a hot tub! Glorious!
“Life to the Fullest” Daren@theearthexpedition.com
Bryan’s Blog
I am officially a member of the nasty blister club. I got one about four days ago and it has progressively gotten worse. Luckily it doesn’t hurt, so I’m not going to pop it but it looks gross. Hahaha.
We slept in the Walmart parking lot in
Alamogordo, NM last night. We were nice and cozy all night long but the worst part is getting up in the morning and having to get ready to walk in the freezing cold after being warm all night. But that’s why we have Walmart! So we ran in and got dressed in the bathroom. I know, its pretty white trash of us. But its free!
Today was our first 50 mile day through the
Apache
Mountains . We were in desert and then all of a sudden we walked into this mountain range. Complete change of scenery. It was crazy. This was our longest day so far. But that’s going to be our norm from now on.
 The coolest thing happened to us tonight. My dear friend Lisa Rodgers was trying to get us a place to stay here in Ruidoso with her sister or some friends. Well she couldn’t find anyone to let us stay with them so she decided along with a group of other lovely ladies to pitch in and buy us a hotel room! What a generous offer! I was so shocked. It was the perfect night for it too because the elevation is higher here and it is already freezing. We would have been miserable in the car. What a blessing. Thank you so much ladies!!!
Anyway, 25 miles of walking makes me tired so I’m going to sleep early. Goodnight everyone!
Album of the Day – “Much Afraid” by Jars of Clay
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Bryan’s Blog
So our radiator is leaking like my Jewish nose on a cold day. We’ve been filling it up with coolant every time it looks low but we still have a way to go to
Georgia and we don’t want it breaking down on us. That would be devastating and would ultimately delay our finish date. So pray for that please J.
We made it to
Roswell today though it wasn’t incredibly easy. I have an enormous blister on my right pinky toe. It looks like I have a pinky toe on my pinky toe. I will get a picture of it soon. But it has been hurting all day, yet I still have to walk on it. This is when the expedition starts to get really hard, when you have to keep walking even when it feels like you can’t. But after five miles the pain went away, thank God. But also the wind was back again. Man I hate that wind. It sucks all the life out of you!!!! I hate it…unless I’m in the middle of the ocean on a sailboat.
 I have friends that live here in
Roswell (Tim and Denise Arlet) who are letting us stay here for the next two nights. What a blessing. We got here just in time to watch the Superbowl. I’m just mad that the Steelers won. That means they now have more Superbowl wins than the Cowboys. NOOOOOO!!!! But this family is so much fun. I love ‘em. Five kids (four boys between ages 2 and 8, one girl who is 14) and three dogs = a rowdy house. These kids are so much fun. The two oldest boys are actually wrestling in front of me right now as I type this. We’re going to be sleeping in the boys’ beds on Superman and Spiderman sheets. What a night. I love these experiences. I’ve had a lot of fun just watching this family interact. Anyway, as I finish for the night I would like to say, “Another day, another dog biscuit!”
Album of the Day – “Sincerity is an Easy Disguise In This Business” by Evergreen Terrace
1.2.09 Roswell, NM
Daren’s Blog:
Another 50: Wow… I sure am glad that we had a place to stay last night for this morning was 25 degrees outside! Thanks to a contact that Bryan had from the previous year we were able to crash at a house! I started off the morning about 15 miles west of Roswell. I ran some of the morning for I wanted to get some running in to alleviate some of the walking muscles…. The morning went fast and before I knew it the 12.5 miles were over and there was the Blazer! I loved the I-pod this morning. I decided to surprise Bryan for lunch with some McDonalds! Hey… I was craving it all morning! So we rocked some chicken snack wraps and Bryan had chicken Selects and a Big mac… we also ate some stuff from our food bag as per usual we set up on the side of the road eating about 4 feet from the semi’s and cars that were flying past us… We are so used to it now it doesn’t even bother us but I am sure that people thing we are stupid.
Trooper: I got pulled over by a state trooper today! I didn’t even realize he was there until I heard the door slam. I had my earphones in and looked over my shoulder and there he was. He asked “What are you doing out here?” He is referring to the vast wasteland I was entering into…. There is literally nothing for hundreds of miles. I told him what I was doing and told him that I had a teammate about 12 miles ahead. He looked at me and laughed….he said “You have a beard” “yeah” I said…. He replied “We got called and it was reported that a 16-17 year old kid was out running on 380” “nice” I said.. He was really nice and said to be careful out here because the sun is in the drivers eyes and I wouldn’t want then to strike you” I said thanks he commended what I was doing and told me that he was a runner himself. We shook hands and departed.
Shoes: Well my feet feel great but because I am coming up on around 500 miles on them I have ran the rubber sole off the bottom. She shoe still looks new and has held together like magic. I just have put so many miles on them that the sole is disappearing. It is all right though. Merrell had sent me a few pair so I have others in the Blazer!
 Another Place to Stay: Bryan and I have been blessed the past few days. People have been taking us in or have donated a stay in a hotel. Tonight we are with Nancy and Tom. They picked us up in Roswell and cooked us burgers as well as prepared a foot soak for our feet! The conversation was great and they have a fantastic house. I am laying in bed right now and my body is telling me to stop typing and drift away in the flannel sheets. I think I am going to give in……….
Bryan’s Blog
I will no longer be frustrated for spending long hours in a car on a long distance trip because of this trip. The fact that I walk all day long and only advance a distance that a car takes half an hour to drive is…primitive. So from now on I am happy to drive anywhere in a car even if it takes forever to get there. I like cars…
I have another friend walking every step of the way with me…this time it’s on my left foot. Yes, another blister. But it’s okay because the people we are staying with tonight are letting us soak our feet in Epson salts! These people are amazing! They’re names are Tom and Nancy Finkbeiner. They are members of the church of the pastor we stayed with last night. They fed us a great dinner and let us stay in our own beds! They have a great house.
Tomorrow we will be in
Texas . This pleases me. Glory be to God that we are so close to the American Promised Land. But I need sleep. Goodnight.
Album of the Day – “Light Grenades” by Incubus
1.3.09 Lubbock, TX
Daren’s Blog:
Nurse Nancy and Tom: This morning Bryan and I woke up early because we had to drive back out to the place where we had to start. The great thing is that there was Bacon, Eggs, and Coffee made up for us when we woke up! Such a blessing! The (Nurse Nancy) We love you! Took care of us and gave a ton of medical supplies for the road! You guys were awesome!
 The Flu: I have something and it is kicking my butt! Today after the first 12.5 miles Bryan and I was talking and had a bad morning mentally…..we decided to cut our day short by 5 miles. It actally set us up for better places to stay for the next few days and we didn’t feel like doing the last five. The back of my neck was achy as well as my lower back. It is a awful feeling not to be able to stop and just rest on the couch at your home when you are sick.
Texas!: Bryan and I are now in Texas! We crossed the border this morning and I have to say that it is just as depressing as the rest of the desert. But I have noticed that we are kind of out of the desert now….at least on our way… there is a lot more farming where we are now. But I can see for miles and miles and not see a single tree. What I can see it oilfields! I stopped to count the pumps for a minute and within a 360 degree turn I counted 44 oil pumps. I am definitely in Texas!
People: I have noticed that the second I walked into Texas Bryan and I have collectively been asked a total of 4 times if we needed a ride or any assistance. We have only been in Texas for less than 24 hours!
Golden Corral: Wow…Bryan and I went to the Golden Corral last night to eat!. My appetite is now voracious and I am starting to eat a ton. None-the-less as Bryan and I were eating we noticed something….and that something was that we were the skinniest people in the restaurant! Geez! It was kind of unbelievable!
Julie Muskgrave: Bryan’s High School friend Julie is a reporter for the news station here in Lubbock, TX. She let us stay the night last night at her apartment. She is super cool and tomorrow is actually doing a story on The Earth Expedition. I know that Bryan and I are going to take a day off tomorrow to heal up but I think that we are going to stay here again the next night! Good times!
Exhausted: Once again I am exhausted. The Theraflu that I took 1 hour ago is starting to kick in and I am about to pass out. Thanks for following! “Life to the Fullest” Daren@theearthexpedition.com
Bryan’s Blog
Today was the worst day for me mentally. I don’t know what it was because I have had to walk through high winds before, and these blisters have been killing my feet for a few days now, and I am used to walking in complete isolation, but it just hit me today. I was thinking of all the ways I could possibly quit or get around having to walk the mileage or why even decided to do this in the first place. I was feeling this way all morning. I felt like I regretted doing this and that it was too difficult and how bad it sucked. It was nothing but negative thoughts flowing through my weak mind. But I kept pushing and by the time I got to lunch I felt better. I got a break, I ate lunch and we only had eight miles each to go for the day. We finished a little short to make the future days line up with the towns that we are staying in. So we did a 40 mile day still which is good.
 Then we went into
Lubbock to meet up with my friend Julie Musgrave who is a reporter for the news station up here. But she wasn’t finished with work yet so we hung out, once again, at our home base, Starbucks. And yet again the employees were very nice to us, they gave us more free drinks, and we got to talk to many people in the store about the Expedition. One guy that we met there named Bryan Simpson wants to take us out to eat tomorrow night and talk about it more. What a cool night! So that was really fun.
We met up with Julie back her place and just relaxed for a little bit. I went to high school with her and I haven’t seen her since then. So we got caught up and did that whole “did hear about so and so” conversation for like two hours. It was great. But tomorrow is the big day. We are going on to be on the news tomorrow night because Julie wants to use our story! This is so incredible! I can’t wait. So have a great night everyone!
Album of the Day – “Beyond the Neighbourhood” by Athlete
1.4.09 Lubbock Texas (Day Off)
Daren’s Blog:
Slept in!: Wow… Bryan and I slept in until 10:00! That is awesome considering that we usually wake up at 7:00! We have just been updating website stuff as well as our Facebook. Then Julie asked us to go out to lunch and once Bryan and I ate everything that we ordered! I never do that!
Interview: Now we are waiting for Julie to call us so we will know where to meet her for the interview. The after that I am pretty sure that we will go to Starbucks again. We were there last night and got to talking to all of the people in Starbucks… and before we know it we have an audience. I was on the with Amie from The Earth Expedition and I have to say that I was proud of Bryan. He sounded like an old pro presenting the facts about what we were doing and the plight of the African people. I smiled as I knew that when I stop walking in GA that the expedition is going to be in good hands. We continued to talk to the girls behind the counter. We asked them to sign the guitar and then one of the girls grabbed it and started to play it! Then right as we were about to leave the manager came out and handed us free drink cards! Awesome! That is the third time that has happened!
Feeling better: I am feeling much better today… I have been taking a bunch of stuff that is supposed to help so I think it is working!
Chicago Marathon: I am now officially signed up for the Chicago Marathon! I will be running for Active:Water (Active:Water is a Non-profit that we are starting that uses athletic campaigns and non-athletic campaigns to raise awareness and funds for the International water Crisis) We are looking for Marathon runners or hopefuls that may be interested in running the Chicago for Active:Water. If you are interested then contact me at Daren@theearthexpedition.com
The Marathon is October 11th and the signup fee for the Marathon is $125 Active:Water will be making Jerseys as well as providing Personal fundraising pages for its runners!
“Life to the Fullest” Daren@theearthexpedition.com
Bryan’s Blog
 We did the TV interview today! It was fun. This will be the first time for me to ever be on TV. I am excited to see what it will do for building awareness in the
Lubbock area. That would be amazing if people started campaigns all over
Lubbock to raise money for this!
So today was an off day. We got to relax and rest our bodies from the
New Mexico beating. Daren has had a sore throat and fever and I have horrible blisters so this is the perfect time for us to take a day off, especially when Julie is being so kind to let us stay at her place. It’s been great. So other than the interview today, nothing much happened. We try and take it easy on the days we don’t walk. Wouldn’t you? J Anyway, time to relax some more. Tomorrow, another 50 miler. Good night guys.
Album of the Day – “The Campfire Headphase” by Boards of
Canada
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