April 10th

Today it got up to 80 degrees quick, my time was slow and Dave was at the 27 mile mark and I wanted to stop for the day but Noooo. I must like pain. Water bottles were 80 degrees as they sat on the road for 5 to 7 hours, I drank the hot water because I was thirsty. Lost a lot of fluids today. Fred Lowe, a newspaper photographer/reporter came out and he definitely gets the award for the most motivated. He kept pace for two miles then two miles back to his car, he also had church and baseball game to cover. He also runs some and he wanted picture of me passing the lake so he did some miles to get the shot. Thanks, Fred Lowe, it was nice talking to you. Well 120 miles in 4 days and I feel it, but it really moves you along on a map. Finished today in Gepp, Arkansas.

April 11th

It rained hard all day, windy, dark, cold. I only ran 27 miles today as I had a easterly wind right in my face. We moved our hotel ahead to Hardy, Arkansas. It is 21 miles farther than where I finished today. Very hilly. Tough day.

April 12th

It didn't rain today, so I did a 30 miler today. It was only 60 degrees and I had a good, fast pace today over some tough hills. These hills would kill me if I wasn't in shape. Lots of trees and streams and always something to look at here in Arkansas. Lots of rain and rivers flooding and creeks were high. We had three inches of rain yesterday, felt like 4 inches. I won't soon forget that run. My stopping point today was about 10 mile past Hardy, Arkansas today. We will move our motel ahead tomorrow, I don't know where yet. I think I will make it to Missouri by Friday. So far 1873 miles in 71 days. In the race across the United States that I supported two years in a row they finished in 71 days!! My hats off to those Pros. That web site is www.runacrossamerica2002.com (NOTE: the weblink is no longer valid).

April 13th

We moved motels from Hardy, Arkansas to Paragould, Arkansas. I stopped about 25 miles short of Paragould today. So we will have a 25 mile drive to start in morning. Ran through a bunch of small towns today, Ravenden, Imboden, Black Rock, Portia, and Walnut Ridge. Thats a lot of good small town viewing. I like to look at the small towns. I think 3 or 4 newspaper reporters from four different towns came out on the road today to interview me. I also got a call from the Jonesboro Television News Station and they will come out tomorrow. I will have to wear my last good pair of socks. Went through 14 pairs of socks and 9 pair of running shoes, so far. It rained for 15 miles then stopped, so I figured let's do 30 miles again. I have 1903 miles so far in 72 days. Arkansas is as friendly as it is hilly. Yes, they are real friendly here.

April 14th

Well, it looks like I can finely stop complaining about the cold and start complaining about the heat. It was so hot today and we went from freezing to hot. We have a refrigerator at this motel so we can freeze water bottles and they are somewhat cool when I get to them. We will move ahead tomorrow to somewhere near the Mississippi River so Dave can fish. Ran through Paragould today, a large town of 22,000 people that has everything. The TV Station from Jonesboro, an ABC affiliate came out today, it was fun and it lasted for a long time, right in town. I will watch at 6:00 PM tonight. They found it interesting I had to cut sides of my shoes. My feet are bad but I am not worried. I ran a 30 miler again today. On the road 73 days 1933 miles so far. No pictures today, lots of City running and road construction today. I will hit Missouri in 4 1/2 miles tomorrow.

April 15th

Tough day physically and mentally. I had planned on taking Route164 across the bottom of Missouri which would of been about 20 miles shorter than running 15 miles north to stay on Route 412, but when Dave got to the end of Route 164 it stopped!!!! No bridge across Mississippi River. So out of the 30 miles I ran, I only got 15 miles east. I didn't think swimming would count and the Mississippi is wide, fast moving, and deep now. I looked at just plowed fields today, flat, no hills and a 6 ft shoulder. Ran to Kennett and just out of town. I will hit Tennessee in 27 miles and a huge steel bridge at least 1/2 mile long. That will be something. I think Dave will be fishing there when I pass. We are staying in Dyersberg, Tennessee now, as Dave wants to get fishing, his 3 day license ran out in Arkansas and now he has a full year permit in Tennessee and he will use it everyday. I was going to run more than 30 miles today but I didn't because I just got scared too right now, I don't know. No pictures, nothing to see but fields.

April 16th

Today the road was like a carpenter's dream, flat as a board. It was hot again but I had an 8 ft shoulder and that was comfortable. I crossed the mighty Mississippi River into Tennessee today! At the 27 mile mark I ran across a giant steel bridge that said ; No Pedestrians, and was welcomed by a big sign that said Tennessee! Well only two states left. I ran 30 miles today at a good pace. Arkansas measured 218 miles straight across, but with all the hills and curves it came out to 265 miles, roughly 50 miles extra.