Day 3 - 32 miles logged! 1369.5 to go!

Midday break time near mile marker 59 on Hwy 52

A two-part entry today:
1) an update on the day then 2) a note from my brother-in-law, Andy Miller, who crewed for me yesterday.

Got in 32 miles today! Woohoo! Joe crewed and would drive ahead a mile or two then run back to me. It worked out well. His first run-back was aborted when the two meanest dogs he's ever met chased him back to the car. He hopped in said car, drove back to me, and said "we're going to break the rules - you're getting in the car to get past those dogs". OK. (Later in the day we had to do it again - but because there were two overly friendly dogs who wouldn't quit following Joe and we didn't want them to end up in Michigan.)

Tidbits from the day:

• morning: 4 hours 38 minutes, 19.2 miles, head & cross wind and delightfully cool; afternoon: 3 hours 11 minutes, 12.8 miles, tail wind and quite toasty. The split of heavier mileage in the a.m. seemed to work well. It hadn't been planned but the original midday point put me at the bottom of a ~3 mile hill and I just couldn't see myself starting the afternoon with that hill.
• speaking of hills: Joe referred to the terrain as undulating. I told him the fields may be undulating but the road was mountainous. The hilliness certainly caught us both by surprise.
• speaking of fields: the wave action in the emerald fields was spectacular. Actually, the scenery overall was quite stunning in its serenity. It was truly a delight to be out in the middle of the high plains where cars pass maybe once every 5-10 minutes, those that did pass by gave us the full lane, only two planes passed overhead all day, people waved as you passed by, bird calls made up most of the sound of the day. This is a lovely lovely country we live in.
• we discovered tumbleweed heaven - or at least a spot where zillions of tumbleweeds apparently went to rest.
• A quote from Joe on the way back to Boulder after finishing for the day near Wiggins, Colorado: "You know it's faster if you drive it....just suggesting...in case you want to rethink this" ;-)
• I'm now too far east to see the mountains!
• Assessment as of the end of day 3: blisters on pinky and big toe of left foot, major chafing on left arm pit, bruised and chafed on left rib where my cell phone clip rested all day the first day. Hmmmm...what's with this left side of my body anyhoo? Carrying as little as possible is definitely the way to go - today I just carried a tiny waist pack with a cell phone, the world's loudest whistle (dog deterrent) and ginger chews and counted on Joe for fluids every mile or two. We'll have to get a similar system going when we launch with the motorhome - which is tomorrow!

Now for a word from Andy Miller (husband Kendall's brother):

Maintenance Manual for Paula Vaughan Miller,

Woman "training for a marathon" (as close as the normal human being can come to understanding the challenge accepted by Wonder Woman)

I had the honor of running support for Paula on the second day of her cross country run. I have come to understand a few things which should happen as Paula completes her run cross country.

First though, why should any human being expect the level of service needed to complete this gargantuan task? I assume the support crew (Paul, you da man) know and love this lady, but by about day 26 (or maybe day 4) many might wonder how deeply this love goes.

Remember too then the years of work which went in to gaining the opportunity to be the center of attention for so long, and so many miles. You’ve depended on Paula for your daily bread (and generous portions of love) for more miles than she could run in ten lifetimes. The rewards of this summer will be nearly as great as the rewards of the past 20 years.

So pedal madly back toward where she is floating through 12 minute miles. Offer water, goop comprised of formulas understood only by olympic trainers, and the affection needed to keep her grinning through the miles. Don’t make her carry anything heavier than a cell phone and a pesky toe. Guess her needs (they come on a schedule) before she asks for them to be filled. And if you can’t get the damn car started, and she has disapeared off into a raging great plains gale alone and without a pesky cell phone (or more likely out of range) check the damn jumper cables before you give it up and get her back.

Get ‘er on instead. Not get her done, get ‘er on. On and on and on. Rub the feet, keep her rested through the rest times and as brother Kendall says, remember the summer is about fun after all.

Good Luck Vaughan Millers, you all have earned this summer!!

Love Uncle Andrew.