Day 68 of the run across the USA 2025

There’s no such thing as a decent nights sleep on this tour. The evening of day 67 was no exception. Another tremendous storm hit the overnight stop outside an old post office in Coolidge just after 11pm. This continued through the night at times that I was too weary to remember. It was like being in really bad turbulence at 37,000ft at times in the RV. It was great. Poor Deb got an absolute soaking when she had to close the main door. Thomas just slept through the whole thing. Neither of them heard the train at goodness knows what time. I’m going to miss storms and trains when this is all over. 

As I got ready I inspected my feet. My left one had taken on new damage. There was a spectacular flap of skin right across my mid foot. “That’s going to cause some issues soon” I thought. 

Taking advantage of the new time zone (mountain time) the team had me fed and driven to the start line by 0545. That was very good considering I’d managed just a little over 5 hours sleep. 

The tunes were in full flow during those early miles. I felt like I was in a really good place. Self talk and looking forward to a new state helped massively. As did the tunes featuring Johnny Cash and the like.  

Quite a lot of cyclists, all wearing the same kit, went past me as I made my way towards Coolidge. 

There wasn’t much to see in Coolidge. This mural did make me smirk however. 

Sadly, I passed a deer that had been knocked over at the 7.5 mile point. It was a beautiful creature. I paid my respects with my now customary “Sorry Bow Wow” and a nod of the head. Such a shame but that’s life I suppose. I later found out that Deb and Thomas had driven past it before me. They saw it and thought I might have a bit of a breakdown (as per 2 days ago with Brownie). Deb tried to talk Thomas into dragging the poor animal off the west bound hard shoulder. Jokingly I think. They need not have worried.  

After a little over 8 miles, I made it to the end of my time in Kansas. I’d been in this state since the end of the day of June 19th. It was approximately 440 miles from Drexel in the east to the Colorado state line in the west. That’s quite an epic. 

There was just time for a quick photo then off I went again. 

I’ve seen huge flocks of birds on a couple of occasions today. They hang out around bridges that run over a creek. It’s brilliant to be in amongst them. 

I got to Holly, Colorado at mile 12 and saw further evidence that I was in state number 10 on this tour.  

I met the team in Holly just after they’d finished in the laundromat. Thomas made me one of his amazing wraps. I had hoped to take a picture of him serving it but he was having a bad hair day. His words not mine. You’ll have to make do with a picture of the wrap. 

As I left Holly I spotted a ranch entrance. I haven’t seen a decent one for days. 

I met the team at mile 20.5 for some cold tuna/pasta. It went down much better than yesterday’s hot effort. I had a 20 minute tactical snooze. It consisted of 10 minutes of snooze and 10 minutes of checking how much snooze time I had left. 

I got back out and spotted an unusual sight at the side of the road. 

A little further on I spotted something at the side of the road. It was a plastic Nemo fish. I immediately messaged the team and told them “I’ve caught a fish”. 

I said that it will go well with wedges and medicinal peas (remember them?!). 

I asked Thomas “Can I do a facebook live of me handing you the fish? You close your eyes and I drop it in your open hands?”. An absolute “no” was his reply. Because of that response and also his bad hair day we’ll just have to rely on AI to show us “what I could have won”. 

Meanwhile, Deb and Thomas had managed to get a free waste dump and water refill at End Of The Line RV park in Granada, Colorado. That meant that they could have a shower. To say they use the water in the RV sparingly is an understatement. Mind you, if I knew they were going to be so good at finding water then I’d have longer showers myself. 

I met the team at the 27 mile point. It was just for a water refill. I went over to the RV to give Thomas the “fish”. It was in my clenched fist. The look of horror on his face was a picture. He was in the passenger seat and when he saw me approaching, he locked the doors. Hilarious. I slowly revealed the plastic Nemo fish to him and his eyes just rolled. I fell about in hysterics. Oh how I laughed. 

At mile 29.5 I needed a bit of a reset. My left foot was hurting badly. I got in the RV, took my shoes off and elevated my feet for 10 minutes. 

The small break worked a treat. That, together with the incentive of avoiding some nasty weather kept me going. I was in all kinds of pain in both feet. I just had to push forward however. 

And push forward I did. At mile 34, I received a message from Deb asking if I wanted a burger for tea. “Hell yeah” was my reply. As a result, mile 35 was the second quickest of the day. 

I finished the day on 35.2 miles. It was a new tour best. From a fitness point of view, it was very straightforward. Mentally, it was quite a challenge from mile 20-30. My poor feet really felt it. There’s a load of new damage. Several blisters. Flaps of skin ready to come off. All of the usual good stuff. 

We ended up having a tremendous burger and fries. It was at a place called BJs in Lamar, Colorado. We didn’t know how to order initially. Then we were told to use the telephone on our table. It was like deal or no deal with Thomas acting as Noel Edmonds to phone our order in. 

I had to get Thomas to help me get back to the RV after we left the burger place. Goodness only knows how my feet are going to recover in time for tomorrow’s effort. 

TUNE OF THE DAY (1): The Gambler - Kenny Rogers (2) Hurt - Johnny Cash (3) Devil's right hand - Johnny Cash 

Continued thanks for the donations for St Benedict's Hospice. If you think my efforts are worthy of a donation as I travel across the USA, please visit my JustGiving page:

 https://www.justgiving.com/page/rungeordierun2025

Day 67 of the run across the USA 2025

“Can we park the RV in a direction so the breeze is coming through my window?” is a question I ask the team every night. Well let me tell you, Deb’s precise parking doesn’t disappoint. Last night (Saturday) saw the most violent storm to date in the small hours of the morning. The RV was rattling and shaking and I did wonder if we were going to end up in the land of Oz at one point. The image below was taken slightly earlier as the storm approached. The lightning lit up the pitch black sky. 

After only 5.5 hours sleep, I woke up with a headache. This meant a 45 minute delay to the day while I drank water and waited for the paracetamol to work. 

We drove to the start point, to the west of Lakin, and I got the day started at 06:59. The morning called for tracksuit bottoms and a base layer top. That was to combat the flies. That amount of clothing is uncomfortable in the heat. It’s worth it though. 

There were dark clouds ahead at the start. The road was straight but very up and down during those early miles. 

I met the team at the 7.5 mile point. Thomas cooked a “breakfast wrap”. It was delicious and arguably the best one he’s done. 

I got back out onto Highway 50 also known as the 400. As per usual the heat had cranked up a notch. The flies and mozzies were out in force too. 

At mile 10 I crossed into a new time zone. It was a case of goodbye central time and hello to mountain time. I was unsure how to use this to our advantage. My first thought had been to stick to central time to make use of the extra daylight at the end of the day. It’s too complicated however. Mountain Time it is.  

I passed an odd looking bull a little further down the road. Together with his companions, they simply stared at me. I get that a lot! 

That sentiment was echoed on NUFC.com. The constant coverage on the site has been brilliant. 

I met the team for a water refill at 18 miles. Deb asked if I wanted to eat at that point. I said that would push on. 

We arranged to meet in Syracuse which was 3.25 miles down the highway. I went past a couple of feed yards. The smell was horrendous. 

I met the RV at the 21.25 mile point. Thomas had cooked some pasta. It’s not my favourite but very good for getting the carbs in before the final session of the day. We spoke later in the day about this meal. I’ve asked for cold pasta with tuna and mayo in future. 

When I got back out, I noticed a painting on a wall in Syracuse. The dog in the picture reminded me of Brownie. 

When I spoke to Donna earlier in the day, she said that I should not dwell on yesterday’s events with Brownie. I did do for today’s morning session but no longer after our discussion. The focus shifted on getting to the end point and getting home to Órlaith. 

I got to the 24 mile point and my right foot was in a considerable amount of pain. Instead of ending the day there and then (as has been the case in the past) I got into the RV and took my socks and shoes off. I climbed onto the bed and got my feet elevated. 

One hour later and I was back out, determined to hit 30 miles. I managed to do exactly that just as the sun was about to set. 

TUNE OF THE DAY: Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd 

I’ll leave Kansas early tomorrow. There is just time for one final overnight storm. I suspect it’ll be a case of “you want a breeze! You’ve got a breeze”. 

Brilliantly the charity fund for St Benedict's Hospice has now broken the £23,00 barrier. Thank you to those that donated today (and of course to those of you in the last 66 days too). If you haven't yet donated, please visit my JustGiving page - all donations no matter how big or small do make a massive difference. 

https://www.justgiving.com/page/rungeordierun2025

Day 66 of the run across the USA 2025

The Walmart parking lot was a very decent overnight spot. I fell asleep to the sound of July 4th fireworks.  

Day 66 got underway just after 0600 on the outskirts of Garden City, Kansas. It was overcast and cool at the start but it didn’t last. 

I made it to Holcomb and passed a swimming pool. If only! There were a few rabbits roaming around including this domestic looking one. 

At mile 9 I found myself surrounded by hundreds of flies. I dumped my walking poles and sent a message to the team regarding their location. I then picked up the pace considerably. It worked. The flies couldn’t keep up. 

I met the team at the 14 mile point. They were at an RV park called Deerfield Beach campground. I had a quick wrap and was on my way again. 

As I left the park, owners Dianne and Tim arrived in their car. I told them about my journey and they offered free use of the facilities. They went on to see Thomas and Deb. It was such a bonus to be able to dump waste and refill the water. 

It was just after the 14.5 mile point where I made a navigation choice which was going to add 4 miles to the route. Obviously, I didn’t know that at the time. 

I ended up on a stoney road. Not only that but it turned into an under maintained road. Further analysis by the team plus Thomas asking a passing car, revealed that that way involved crossing the Arkansas river. The alternative was to continue on the stoney road and then do a large U shaped route. I was on stones for 5 miles. 

I had to call the team back to get my tracksuit bottoms. I was being eaten alive by flies. On the plus side, the miles until they got to me were some of the quickest of the day. 

I reached the road and could see a storm approaching. There was a rumble of thunder almost immediately. I wasn’t concerned and pushed on.   

I went past what I think was a farm. I looked around and a dog approached me. It joined me on the road. Its tongue was hanging out and it looked parched. I gave it some of my water. I think it was just after a bit of attention and affection. I started to stroke its head just like I would to Órlaith back home. To have that connection with a dog again felt very special. I half jokingly said “are you coming to California with me?”. 

It didn’t return to its home. It was just me and her (as I half guessed) on the road for now. 

I kept asking her to “go home”. It continued to follow me. 

The thunder was rumbling by now and it started to rain. The dog was on the road with me and I had to gesture to numerous cars to slow down. Being the big softie that I am, I found the situation distressing. At the same time, I was enjoying the company of man’s best friend. That was short lived as we were now on a busy road to Lakin. She simply led the way, almost as if she knew my route. 

The tears were streaming down my face as I kept telling her “you need to go home”. That’s a phrase that I could have been telling myself under the circumstances. 

As luck would have it, I flagged down a passing police car. I told the lovely police officer, Sheila, about my journey and the current predicament with the dog. Officer Sheila was absolutely lovely. She radioed for assistance because the dog could not go in the police car. 

We talked some more and officer Sheila responded to the dogs request for a belly rub. 

“I wonder what her name is?” I asked. Officer Sheila named her “Brownie” right there and then. When I was happy that Brownie was in good hands, I continued on the road to Lakin. 

I sobbed buckets. Despite the briefest of encounters I will miss Brownie. It’s got a lot to do with the fact I’m missing Órlaith back home. Also, those eyes staring up at me, just wanting some love and affection. That’s an image that will stay in my mind for a long time. 

I saw the team in Lakin at the 26 mile point talking to the lovely police officer and her wife. They reassured me that Brownie had been taken back to her farm. 

As the sun dipped in the sky, I headed due west from Lakin and climbed a few more hundred feet in the process. 

There were plenty more tears during those last 7 miles. There was also a moment of laughter when I realised that my costly navigation error had led me to have a brief encounter with a lovely dog. I’ve ran almost 5000 miles across the USA (2011 and now). This was the best experience I’d had with a dog. I’ve spent many a time running away from them. 

I’ve got to admit, today has made me feel homesick for the first time. In 2016 and 2018 while running across Europe, it hit me really bad. Knowing that I’d be in the USA for a decent spell, I’ve worked on it over recent years. It helps that I speak to Donna every day too. We’ve had it under control really well on this tour. 

Today’s 33 mile effort was really pleasing. Thomas, Deb and I have found a good formula and schedule. As I said on day 63’s blog “I simply must find a way to dig even deeper”. Trust me. I am. And there’s more of that to come. 

TUNE OF THE DAY: I will always love you- Dolly Parton 

If you think my efforts over the last 66 days are worthy of a donation, please visit my JustGiving page: 

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Day 65 of the run across the USA 2025

There was a fantastic breeze at the overnight spot. The Cimarron golf club was on a hill and we benefited greatly from the elevated position. 

At 0300 things got very breezy. I also got a good soaking because my window was open. The rain stopped almost immediately. On closer inspection, Deb discovered that it wasn’t actually rain. We were parked next to the 18th green. It was a sprinkler!! Deb moved the RV elsewhere in the car park. However, the breeze was still blowing the water into the RV. One final move and all was ok. About an hour later a distant train sounded its horn. The sound carried in the wind and was loud and distorted. So after 5.5 hours sleep the alarm went off and it was time for porridge. 

We drove the short distance to the start point. I’d drawn an image in the sand at the roadside where I finished yesterday. I set off from the exact point as per the previous 64 days. There was complete cloud cover and just a slight breeze as I, once again, made my way along Highway 50.

I got a fly bite within the first mile. That’s never good for morale. 

A little further down the road was Ingalls Feed Yard. To my untrained eyes it looked like an industrial sized last stop before the abattoir for thousands upon thousands of cattle. The stench was unreal. There was a massive pile of grain which the cows looked to be enjoying in their respective troughs.  

I met the team for food at mile 7. Thankfully they’d parked away from the feed yard. 

 

The route continued to be lined with sunflowers. They are the state flower of Kansas as well as St. Benedict’s Hospice. 

Other than long straight roads, there wasn’t an awful lot to see. There were plenty of cows grazing in fields. Obviously, that’s what they must do before going to the feed yard. 

A police car pulled over at mile 15 to check if I was ok. When I explained what my journey was, he gave me a sticker (to add to my ever growing collection). Thank you to Officer Josh for checking in on me.  

I continued on my way with a spring in my step. Which was just as well as I’d felt very tired up to that point. 

I met the team at Garden City airport for something to eat and a tactical snooze at the 20.5 mile point. The snooze was counter productive due to the RV being so warm. I felt very groggy when I woke up. 

I made it to the outskirts of Garden City after 27 miles. I spotted some of the wind farm components on some wagons. I’ve seen a lot of these on Highway 50 this last week. 

The shoulder into Garden City was terrible. It was full of small stones. The pain in my right foot was getting worse as a result. 

I made it to a bus stop at the 31 mile point. I waited for the team to pick me up after restocking at Walmart in Garden City. I had hoped for a couple of more miles but the pain was unbearable. The good news is that my tolerance / perseverance for that one spot on my right foot is increasing. The days of low miles are over. 

I’m typing this blog from the Garden City Walmart car park. while a lighting storm rages outside. 

The main immediate issue we now face is when Thomas leaves the team next week. We will be near La Junta, Colorado with no obvious transit options to Denver (where Thomas flies out of on Friday morning). The big question is - how can we get him there without causing too much disruption to the run. That’s tonight’s dreams sorted out! 

TUNE OF THE DAY: Make it on your own - Stereophonics 

Continued thanks for the donations and words of encouragement. If you think my efforts over the last 65 days are worthy of a donation, please visit my JustGiving page: 

https://www.justgiving.com/page/rungeordierun2025