Nuclear Free Future Run - 2004
Day 5, To Oak Ridge, TN
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PeaceHq |
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Nuclear Free Future Run - 2004 |
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Thursday, August 5th, 2004 We held our final circle in Kentucky for this run just 5 miles from the gap where Jim's crew would start their miles for the day. The lineup remained the same with the Jim's van going first and our wagon taking the last section of miles. With the cooler weather and getting somewhat used to the grind of the miles, 
It seemed like everyone wanted to stretch out their distances for the day. This strategy would leave a short day for the last mileage section, and allow us to regain some energy for the activities of the weekend. Our run officially ended when we linked up with Denise and Utsumi and their walking group from the Temple in Atlanta on friday the 12th of August, 2004 in front of the main gate to the Y 12 complex. My personal goal for the day was to break my own record of 10 miles for one day in a Footprints for Peace event, I had done more miles in a day in another event. Our route for the day took us down HWY 25E into Tennessee to HWY 63 and then southwest towards La Follette where we got on HWY 25W. Where 25W joined interstate 75 we had to follow an access road to Lake city to regain 25W, which we followed to Clinton, Tenn. where we headed southwest again on HWY 61 that went on into Oak Ridge. The group was intending to try to cover 80 plus miles for the day, but sometimes you have to just go as far as you feel comfortable with.
My first section of miles for the day was past LaFollette on HWY 25W. I had a good four lane section that brought back some memories, because I walked right past Cove Lake State Park, where we had overnighted on the 2002 Run for Freedom. This was especially significant to me as my youngest son Will had accompanied me on that run, and I had spent the whole time so proud I was about to explode with joy. Amongst the great rewards of these events are the indelibly etched memories of the shared sacrifice and effort of moving "down the road!" with your allies and compadres on these special sacred journeys. As I walked along I noticed the little pizza parlor where Will , Arato (a Japanese runner), and I had stopped to eat at the end of our days miles in 2002. Needless to say, a portion of the days prayers were directed toward my son Will, working on his degree in education at the University of Kentucky up in Lexington. His schedule hasn't allowed him to rejoin the run for any of our events lately, but I still have hope that he will someday return to this compelling process. Cool weather and nearness to our goal stimulated good positive feelings among the runners for this day and we were literally eating up the miles. Terry remarked several times that he felt like he could run forever! John had dialed into a pace and style he was comfortable with, and the runners in the van had youth to sustain them. In the wagon, because of the attempt at long miles, we had broken our mileages up into 3 sections to somewhat ease the strain on aching bones and muscles, that and the massive quantities of advil in our systems had us confident of success. My second 4 mile section came again on Hwy 25W between Lake City and Clinton, where we turned towards the finish in Oak Ridge. Unfortunately, the overcast that had been threatening us all day with storms finally cut loose and within minutes I was completely drenched to the bone, shoes and all, but just like the Postal service, once accepting a challange, we never stop! Maybe because of my nordic genes the rain was a welcome change from the 90 degree - 90 % humidity we had been enduring on the prior days. I really didn't find the water to be that much of a distraction and I greatly appreciated avoiding feeling like my brain fluids were beginning to boil! As it turned out I wasn't the only one enjoying the rain. I was passing through a rural, country neighborhood, scattered houses along the main highway, when I saw a man standing by the road in front of one of the houses. He was in his mid-thirties and definitely not dressed for the rain, no jacket, no hat, and water just dripping off his nose as he stood there in the deluge. As I passed him, I smiled and said "think it will rain?", with a complete deadpan he replied "supposed to be a chance". I chuckled about that example of country humor the whole rest of the day, in fact I still chuckle a little every time I think of that man just standing out there in the rain! Why he was out there in a downpour I'll never know, but truth be known he probably wondered what ever possessed me to be walking down that road right at that time also! The only answer I know is sometimes you just have to do what you have to do! I finally arrived at my final section for the day on HWY 61 headed for Oak Ridge. Sometimes it is hard not to go to fast when you approach the end of your miles and pace yourself properly, and I suppose that quality goes for the group as a whole as well. I got lucky again on this section and part of it meandered along the Clinch river, a particularly green and beautiful mountain stream. I was greatly enjoying the panorama of this body of water and wondering about the fortunate folk who inhabited the houses along the other side of the river, it served to keep me focused on my healing Footprayers and to keep my mind off of the general pain that seemed to radiate from all parts of my body. At this point in the mileage, stage in the consecutive running/walking days, and chronological age, pain seems to become the price of admission for participating in the events. A price that still seems to me to be worthwhile paying! I happened to pass a small park along the river with a boat launching ramp and picnic area, so I took a short - cut through it. When I passed the boat ramp I noticed a sign by the waters edge and I walked over to read it. My cheerful mood was somewhat chilled by what I read on that sign - WARNING, DO NOT EAT FISH CAUGHT IN THESE WATERS AS THEY REPRESENT A CONTAMINATION HAZARD! I stood there dazedly wondering what the contamination was in this seemingly pristine clear river. We were getting close to Oak Ridge, but I hoped that the contamination was not from the nuclear activities there. I was to see another example of this type of freightening signage on the sixth running day tommorrow. John's last section of his mileage for the day ended 3 miles past the Welcome to Oak Ridge sign on the entrance to town and left us with only 4 miles to go the next day. The efforts of the group for the day (we had covered 80 miles, our best total so far - Jim 15, Jon 15, Mark 15, Terry 16, John 7.5, and Larry 11.5) had been successful in nearly reaching our goal. Tommorrow would be a short day, but since we would link up with the Buddist group from Atlanta at the main gate of the Y 12 facility a significant day. Jim and his crew caught up with us just on the outskirts of Oak Ridge and we headed for the place we would stay for the weekend. Our destination was the home in Knoxville of our hosts for the rest of our stay here, Ralph and Lissa and their children. They are long standing activists in the OREPA organization and had graciously offered to open and share their home with us until we would leave for home on sunday. Once we had found our destination, gotten dry and warm with showers and dry clothes, several members of the OREPA group, who had come to the house to work on preparations for the weekend events, shared their supper with us. We were very appreciative of our first home cooked meal since we left Jimmy and Che's home in Portsmouth, Ohio 5 days ago, so there were very few leftovers to clean up. After supper preparations continued with peace cranes being folded, banners and signs being lettered, and a trial assembly of the mock-up missle that would be the center peice of the skit to be performed at Y 12. This activity was to go on until late into the night, but John and I, being the eldest members of the group, probably the most tired and sharing a sleeping room took our leave fairly early to do a recap conversation of the days events and get some well earned rest. On to the gates tommorrow! TIL THE AM! |
Participants Jim Toren John Toren Jon Blickenstaff Jon Burkindine Larry Crane Mark Porter-Webb Terry Stagman Day 4 Day 6 Home |