Category: Relay 2008
The Pacifist
The early morning stretch is the staple of the beginning of the day. It is always there, unlike my roommates’ ability to wake up on time (although we always do move fast once we do get up), a good full size complimentary breakfast, or a sunny morning. It is during these stretches that the team gets together and shares their aches and pains with one another. During one of my stretches though, I looked up and saw a cute cat standing in the middle of a gravel parking lot. Jacob, Kiet, and I decided to swarm and blitzkrieg the cat to see if we could catch it. The problem with all of this is that the cat kinda wanted us to. Oh, of course Kitty went into the defensive stance as it saw us surrounding it. But once we were within attack range, it did the one thing it thought acceptable for the situation it was in. Kitty rolled over. And we were stunned. What a brilliant defensive maneuver: psych out the predators by acting like you’re theirs already. This trick would have worked if we didn’t feel like having cat in the morning. But we did. So we started to pet, rub, and pick up Kit the kitty (not to be confused with Ron and Nancy Burt’s Kit–considering this Kit v2). Kit did cause us to lose our stretch time, but it was well worth it.
Uncalled For Blessing
We didn’t ask for it. Or maybe we did. We didn’t call any media. Or maybe our previous calls did it for us. It just kinda happened. Nathan and Adam had just finished their six-mile run when a man walked up behind the two. He did all the talking, as he told them he was a reporter for the local newspaper and had heard through the grapevine about our relay coming through his part of the country. This man did what no other press organization had done outside of Kansas: he took down notes and listened to our tale of wanting to make the term “genocide” more mainstream to the public. Not only that, but he also promised to have the story in the next day’s paper and said he would contact other media outlets along the way to DC. I don’t know his name. I do know that he drove a Ford Focus, and a nice one at that. I don’t know exactly what paper he worked for. I do know that he was sincere in promise to spread the word about us. And I know that if only more people were like him, then maybe this relay wouldn’t be necessary, as the atrocities in Darfur would possibly have already been handled.
Victorian Flare
The small towns that litter the sides of U.S. 40 are those left in time. After I70 took over as the main artery in the U.S. transportion network, the old national highway began to be forgotten. And so were the citizens who lived near it. Some of the towns these people lived in died along with the highway. But towns like Greenwood, Ohio were able to weather the storm of a lack of vistors. This town today has stood the test of time, and in more ways than one. Not one building that the vans passed by on our way through the city was recently built. That’s not to say they were run down buildings. Not at all. These edifices showed their victorian roots, proudly displaying their tall windows and pillars. It’s towns like these that make taking the scenic route worth it. The next time you’re thinking about traveling by car across the country, try out U.S. 40.
Text Only
For our faithful followers, you might have noticed that after the first few blogs, the pictures have been noticeably….nonexistent. Don’t worry. Collectively, over 700 photos have been taken on this trip, and they are all being held captive on Matt’s computer. The reason behind the lack of pictures correlates with the lack of time and the lack of upload speed. Matt just can’t upload the pictures to the server in the time we have at the hotel every night. Instead, the time we spend mulling around in D.C. will be dedicated somewhat to getting pictures up of every day that has transpired. Stay with us. We promise we have some good, great, and amazing shots to share with you all!
Dining Diversity
Today is the tenth day of our journey across the country. So, as luck would have it, it is also the tenth day of delicious Subway sandwiches! I can only hope that the rest of the journey brings one of eight delicious subs (we can only choose between eight because that’s where our budget lies) every day at the crack of noon!
Hello, Ohio State!
We’ve reached Columbus, OH safely today: home of the Ohio State Buckeyes! We drove through the city and through the campus a little bit and it was the epitome of a college town. Big campus, a kickin’ downtown and, of course…collegiate cuties.
The Central Ohio Darfur Solidarity Network
When Matthew told me we were coming to Columbus and said that we’d be meeting with a group of anti-genocide activists I was extremely excited. In my mind I envisioned a big reception with around a hundred people cheering and coming together for the cause. Matthew kind of designated me as a keynote speaker for the group so I naturally prepared a little ten minute speech for the event. I was excited.
However, to my surprise, the arrival was not quite as I had pictured it. We walked into the church where the event was being held and there were only about 16 people in the room…12 of them being us.
We proceeded to grab some seats and commence the awkward silence that comes so naturally in a group of unknowns for about ten minutes. Then I finally stood up and met a gentleman who I believe is named Glenn (I’m so sorry if that’s wrong). Anyway, he was incredibly knowledgeable and very personable.
It gets better…promise
So as we began to eat a potluck thrown by CODSN (the group’s chosen acronym), more and more people began to show up. About 22 people were sitting around eating.
And then it happened…
Like a prayer was answered from the boys who’ve been together for two weeks, ten girls from Columbus School for Girls walked into the meeting. It was a sight to be seen. Not the girls, but all the guys to my left and right looking across the room like they’d just been stricken blind, deaf and dumb. Hilarious.
And then Adrian had the brilliant idea to mix and mingle…and so every guy proceeded to run to one of the girls and initiate conversation. Huge laughs… anyway, on to the meeting.
A brilliant, insightful evening
To my great surprise and appreciation, three Darfuri refugees had come to the meeting that evening. I was so happy because I would finally get to hear some real life accounts.
Khamese and Halima
I first met Khamese when we were putting up tables for some more guests. He didn’t speak English very well at all but he was the nicest man I’ve never really spoken to. He spoke first with his beautiful wife Halima.
Khamese and Halima spent four years in a refugee camp in Ghana. They spoke of how the Janjaweed destroyed their village and displaced thousands of people. When they tried to flee into Chad, they were turned right back over to the Sudanese government and thrown right back into Darfur.
After this, they ran into the mountains and hid for two months with their family and friends. When they decided to go back to the village for a fresh start, within days, the Janjaweed attacked again…but in a fiercer fashion.
Halima spoke of how she was separated from her children in the raid. She had to run so fast to get away from the Janjaweed that she couldn’t even turn around to find her children… Halima and her husband escaped through Nigeria and spent their time in Ghana until finding their way to the United States.
Khamese and Halima have four children. To this day, they have no idea where they are…
Salah Eldin
Salah escaped Darfur into Egypt when the problems in the region became severe. When he reached Egypt he expected to find a refugee camp. He did not. Instead, he found a group of thousands of Darfurians huddled in an area. No real humanitarian aid. They acted as a herd of nomads trying to survive together. The “refugees” had no identification, therefore, did not really exist.
Salah and the others organized a protest outside the U.N. embassy in Egypt in order to receive the care and attention they desperately needed. After 100 days, the U.N. responded.
25,000 Egyptian soldiers surrounded the Darfurians and proceeded to hose them down with hot water hoses. They threw glass bottles into the crowd. They systematically harassed them physically and mentally.
Salah still has a scar from a glass bottle breaking on the top of his head.
After the riot, Salah was arrested and imprisoned for two years, being tortured regularly and sometimes blindfolded for 24 hours at a time. Two years.
Salah was eventually released from prison, and with no idea of what was going on around him, he arrived in Columbus, OH ten days ago.
Brave students…
Only a week ago, a news report came over NPR about some students from a prestigious Sudanese university. The students protested the Khartoum government for allowing the Janjaweed to administer such terror across Sudan. You’ll never guess what the government’s response was….
The students’ hotel rooms on the fourth floor were set ablaze and the students were tossed from the four story windows, falling to the ground. The students were beaten with lead pipes and physically incapacitated.
The government has refused to give these students medical attention.
Katie Brown was one of the girls I met from the school in Columbus. I sat next to her through the presentations. I saw her eyes divert several times when something shocking was said. She even buried her head in her hands at one point.
She looked up at me and said, “I had no idea…”
It was so sad hearing her say this only because I knew that there are so many inadvertantly naive people in the world who really just don’t know. But there is a certain optimism to find in her reaction. She was so affected by the stories that it just reminds me that I believe most people hear about what is happening and know in their hearts that it is just so wrong.
We’ve all heard stories like these in some form or another. But to hear them directly from those affected makes the tragedy even more real.
We’ve met the faces behind these stories and let me say…it is eternally heartbreaking to imagine these sweet, dear people having to go through that.
We’re doing this for Khamese, Halima and Salah. We’re doing this for the brave students who spoke up against something that’s morally wrong. We’re doing this for the thousands, for the millions with stories like those we heard tonight. We may never be able to cure the wounds deeply engraved in these wonderful people, but together, we can be sure to help ease the pain and provide a happy ending for these horrific tales.
Up and at ‘em
The team got off to a late start today. After our day off in Indianapolis we woke up around 6:00 to get ready to go, but then went back to sleep and finally left our motel at 9:00. Although we were set back a few hours it was a welcome opportunity to get some more sleep.
The Buckeye State
Back on the road again, each of us put in more miles than we had on any day so far. Most of us ran 13 miles as we crossed from Indiana into Ohio. Unfortunately we were not able to actually run across the border due to traffic, and we had to settle for driving across.
Never Ignore the Monotony
Other than running it was a relatively uneventful day. The roads were straight and the land was flat. This did not make for very interesting running, but we enjoyed it while we could, knowing that we would soon have plenty of hills and winding roads to make it more difficult. Those of us riding in the van driven by Larry Heck passed the time in the car by watching the always entertaining Transformers. A moment of silence was held for Jazz, who was brutally ripped in two by Megatron during combat. At lunch time we decided to go back to our routine of eating at Subway, instead of making another White Castle run.
124 Miles Later
In the evening we arrived in Dayton, Ohio, where we would stop for the night. Driving through downtown, we enjoyed the buildings and especially the massive fountains in the river. Unfortunately the fountains were shut off right after we found them, so we could only get one picture. For dinner we ate at Marion’s Pizza, which we had heard had the best pizza in the world. The team devoured a total of eight pizzas, mostly pepperoni and a few of Marion’s Super Cheese Pizzas. It was quite delicious, but we were hesitant to dub it the “best pizza on in the world.” After dinner we went back to the motel and Day 9 of our quest came to a close.
Reflections on the Past
Looking back at my life a year ago, I would never have believed somebody who told me “In a year, you’ll be sitting in a hotel in Indianapolis at the halfway point between Wichita, Kansas and Washington DC.” So many things have changed between then and now that it is difficult to qualify just how this relay has changed me and my perception of the world.
First of all, I have been extremely pleased with the warmth people have shown us up to this point in our journey. In Wichita, anybody we asked would listen. Dozens upon dozens donated to our cause whatever they could give–whether it was $20 or $2,000. Slowly, but surely, the idea took flight and flew into the realm of reality. From there, people along the way offered discounts; Subways said they would give us free sandwiches sometimes and Super 8s offered us discounts on their normal prices. Unfortunately, not everything has been as easy as would be the case in an ideal world and far too many people are entirely apathetic.
The Not-So-Good
I’m disheartened by the lack of media attention. It’s not that I want to be on TV or that I enjoy seeing my name in print, but I don’t understand how people can ignore us. Perhaps the most discouraging aspect was the response we received from the Kansas City Star; it wasn’t, “we don’t have time to cover your event” or “you should have notified us earlier,” but rather, “we don’t cover events like this.” Maybe it’s vanity on my part, but I couldn’t help but wonder, “how many passionate teenagers run through your city each day trying to change the world?”
I have a hard time understanding how anybody can classify this relay so generically.
A Break From The Madness
This day in Indianapolis was a pleasant break from the normally chaotic schedule we follow. A typical day consists of a wake up call around 6 a.m., a quick breakfast in the Super 8 lobby, loading the cars around 6:30, and on the road to our starting place by 6:45. We’ll run until sometime between 12 and 2 depending on when we hit a town big enough for a Subway. We’ll spend maybe 45 minutes eating and then head off on the road again until between 6 and 8 pm. By the time we eat, it’s usually around 9:30-10, and then on a good night we might go to sleep before midnight. Now, repeat this for about two weeks and you can get a brief understanding of just how welcoming a little extra sleep was.
I woke up around 8:30 today because I could hardly sleep any longer. It’s a bit sad that I’ve been conditioned to that point, but I had a reason to be excited. Brief detour: the morning of the relay send-off, my laptop decided to die on me and I had no way to fix it. After a bit of research, I settled on a MacBook as a good replacement for my dead laptop and looked for a good chance to buy one. Luckily, Indianapolis had an Apple Store convenient. So, now, I’m writing this blog on my newly-purchased MacBook and doubt that novelty will ever wear off.
In addition to my exciting purchase, I would confidently speak for the rest of the team when I say it was good to be able to eat somewhere that wasn’t Subway for a change. Don’t get me wrong, Subway is delicious, but 8 days straight of the Spicy Italian on Italian herbs and cheese bread with pepper jack cheese, lettuce, and a nice smattering of ranch gets old. For some reason, I never thought of mixing that up.
Adventures at Trader Joe’s
Having lived in SoCal for several years, my parents loved the specialty grocery store called Trader Joe’s. They had already figured out that Indianapolis was the only place with one along our course, so they figured we had to stop. Nobody was opposed and we quickly found our odd little foods, candies, beverages, and other organic delights at the store. As we were checking out, the sunny Indianapolis sky took a drastic change for the worse.
In a matter of five minutes, the bright blue sky changed to a near pitch black and the sun rays pouring from the sky turned into torrential rain. I watched in dismay as a small whirlpool formed in our parking lot and quickly pulled out my trusty new laptop to search for a wifi network and check the weather. We sat there for 20 minutes in the car hoping to wait out the storm. Fortunately, it died down enough for us to make our escape back to the hotel, but we lost all chances of playing some Frisbee or swimming that one glorious rest night. I didn’t waste too much time in self-pity and took to introducing myself to my Mac. Everybody else generally went crazy and enjoyed their remaining few hours in their own ways. I was content, and I’m pretty sure everybody else was too.
But having the day of rest didn’t change our sleeping schedule at all. Everybody is dozing off right now as I finish this entry. It’s past midnight. Not too surprising really.
Forwards and Onwards!
With only about a week left of this amazing journey, I feel like I have to thank some people who have made it possible for us to get this far. First of all, there are the numerous people who believed in us enough to take a risk in supporting us. Second of all, there are the people who donated or helped us in some other way even though they weren’t sure if we could follow through with our end. Both of those groups were essential to our success thus far. Whether or not they thought we could pull this off, they still put some faith in our ability and, most importantly, proved to us that there are those who are not apathetic.
I would love to keep this list short, but I know I can’t:
To Darham Rogers – the coach who was crazy enough to agree to come along for the ride;
To my eight fellow runners – the guys who were crazy enough to believe this could happen;
To Mrs. Kellerby, Mrs. Fry, Mr. Davis, and Mr. Marshall – the teachers who constantly asked for updates, bought t-shirts, and offered their words of wisdom when times were troubling;
To John Bagwell, the Genocide Intervention Network, and STAND – the wonderful organization that took a risk on a bunch of high schoolers trying to change the world;
To Julie VanMater – the designer of our website and tshirts;
To Davis-Moore Auto-Groups – the company that made our trip financially possible;
To Jim at Kalamazoo Sports Wear – the great guy who prints our t-shirts for us and ships them;
To Senator Betts and Lisa Reiss – both of you have been inspirational to us all and have helped us with aspects of this trip that we couldn’t approach alone;
To Kim Thi Tran – our representative in STAND, who played an instrumental role in supporting us;
To my parents who never thought this would happen;
To the hundreds who donated, bought t-shirts, or both;
To everybody at East who believed in us;
To everybody else who helped us;
And to everybody following us right now along our journey:
Thank you.
