Broken Ankle

What I thought was a bad sprain has turned out to be a pretty bad break. It wasn't getting any better so I went and got it x-rayed yesterday and it is broke. Surgery next thursday and in a cast for 6-8 weeks. I hate the fact that I broke my ankle but I love the pills they gave me.

It's all good. I was due for something like this, I've been too lucky for too long.

Peace to all,

Gimp

3 Days of Sylamo Trail Runs

This years version of 3 Days was AWESOME........although I didn't get to run any of the races, (some of the volunteers Steve was counting on cancelled at the last minute so I opted to help a friend in need) I had a great time with all the runners, my dog, jasper, and my son, Max.

I ended up working the aid station at 15 miles during the first days 50k, worked the 22.5, 27.5 mile aid station at saturdays 50mile and nursed a severly sprained ankle on sunday. between working aid stations i just helped steve and chef cal as a general lacky. got some fishing in with my son and got to watch him be a great volunteer at this event. it does a daddy proud to see his son step up and serve.

Lots of talent this year with ty drainy/wyoming, matt heart,seattle,josh and ashley nordell/california,previous defending champs david wakefield and paul shoenlab all toed the line for the 3 day stage along with a host of regional talent. a total of 12 states represented. you can check out the results on the 3 day website.

i'm keepintg this brief but the 50miler was epic from all accounts. 16,000 feet of vertical, 100% singletrac, it took the leaders 5 hours to get to the turnaround. this thing was gnarly. i'll be planing a trip over to run that course before hardrock this year.

everybody i talked to said they would be back next year. it's that kind of run. camping, hanging out in a pristine place like blanchard springs for 3 days, eating great post race food provided for the 4th year by cal hill, listening to sweet bluegrass after the runs and just being part of a great ultra-running community. it's what the sport is all about.

race director steve kirk has put together a gem that is starting to attract a national crowd. it won't surprise me a bit to see this race grow in depth and talen year after year.

highly encourage you to put this on your calendar for next year, but if you are weak at heart, you should probably stay home or better yet, come volunteer, steve can use all the help he can get.

peace....billy

Hell, It's Only a Few Damn Trees

Sometimes I just shake my head and want to cry. I bitch alot about Memphis, quite frankly I bitch about alot of things. The only reason I get away without being dismissed as a total crackpot is that I get involved in the causes I believe in and it's hard to totally dismiss a guy if he's out there on the line speaking his mind and holding a sign, even if he's wrong. What I bitch about the most is apathy. I bitch about people who are against the war, but don't do anything about it. I just generally bitch about people who talk alot, but never take action. I hate to say it, but I know alot of people like that. I know alot of people that have alot of money. That's probably why most of them walk on egg shells and are afraid to act, biting off the hand that feeds them, you know what I'm sayin'. I'm glad I quit work and I'm poor, I can pretty much say what I want to and do what I want to and not worry about it.

Here is the latest on Memphis and you'll understand what I'm talkin' about. We have this great urban park called Overton Park. It's 347 acres of which 140 are an old growth forest. The other 207 acres are developed as recreation areas and it is where our zoo, The Memphis Zoo is located. Last week, the zoo brought a bulldozer in and leveled about 4 acres of the old growth forrest to build a new exhibit, Teton Trek, which will try to duplicat the ecosystem of the Tetons. Yep, they are gonna squeeze the Teton's into 4 acres. Should be very realistic. They are however going to capture and re-locate grizzlies and timber wolves to the area to range in the expanse. They should feel right at home this summer here in Memphis when it's 100 degrees and the humidity is in the 90's. Yep all in the name of conservation.

Back to the forest. The 140, oops, 136 acres, of old growth forest are the last remaining in shelby county. Some of the last remaining in the southeast. There can never, ever be new, old growth forest. Once it's cut, it's cut. Done, end of story. The Zoo also has an option to develope another 17.5 acres of old forest and they plan to do it.

Here is the rub. They just did it, no thought, no community input, bulldozer, wham, done deal. Old growth forest been there a million years, gone.

Luckily this has gotten' some local press. Some people, like me are truly pissed off and we aim to ensure the remaining 136 acres of old forest are protected from developement. It's gonna stop here. It's like, fight like hell, get lawyers, stand around with signs, monkey wrench if we have to, but damn. This stuff is gonna end on my watch. I don't want my kids thinking their dad stood around while our land is destroyed for the sake of "progress". I want my kids showing pictures of me to their kids, me on the front row, throwing rocks at the bulldozers and my grandkids hearing, "yep, that was your grandpa, some people thought he was a crackpot, but he helped save the trees."

My dear friends, find your cause and act, I know alot of good people out there that do, but I know alot more good people out there that don't.

Ask yourself, What would Ed Abbey do?

If you are interested in this cause, saving the Old Forest in Overton Park, go to www.overtonparkforever.org.......this group of people will get things done.

Let's Go Hiking!!!!

Well, i am convinced I have TB. Tried to run Sunday and got 12 miles into it and it felt like I was at 14,000 feet going verticle. Could not process oxygen. Sucked. But, I will survive and will learn to run on one lung if need be.

Besides that, does anybody want to go for a backpacking trip in Arkansas? Mike Burke, here is your chance! Warm up for the PCT in '09. I am planning on doing the Ozark Highlands Trail the first or second week of April. It's 165 miles of Ozark splendor. Should be a 6 or 7 day trip with one resuply. I need some trail time. With all the insanity in America, I gotta go bury my head and get my mind right. Southern mountains, creeks, waterfalls and alot of peace and quiet. Pack your pack, let's go! Flight are cheap, let's go!

Sue Johnston is in Arkansas backpacking as we speak and I want to be like her. I hear she is ducking a big storm tonight at a lodge somewhere.


Peace to all.......Billy Frank