Though not expecting to hear from Kent during the first couple of days of the race, I awakened last night around 11:40 to the sound of my cell phone and his voice. He passed through the first checkpoint at Elkford at 11;16 and was camping a few miles past there. He is really enjoying the ride, describing the scenery as "stunning" and "beautiful." And apparently his "Bear Magnet" persona, dormant for several years, is kicking in, as he got to see another bear on the trail yesterday.
Kent is taking lots of pictures (about 200 so far), which will eventually make their way to Mark and onto the blog so we can all marvel along with him at the wonders he is seeing. If anything slows him down, it will be the longing to capture every incredible vista along the way on camera. He said that if there were a category that allowed for subtracting a minute from your finishing time for every picture you took along the way, he might actually be able to finish before he started. And, perhaps, be back before he left, which would be rather weird but just fine with me.
As of a few minutes ago, he was about 94 miles from the border.
Thanks for the post Christine. When you talk to Kent again I'm sure you'll pass along my well wishes and those of all of us following his tour. My thoughts have literally been with him all day. Godspeed to you and Kent.
ReplyDeleteWith love, his old friend David.