Since it was the second hottest summer on record in America, cattle were dying and streams were dried up. Heat radiated off of the pavement, making the road shimmer in the hot sun. I had run for countless miles without seeing anyone, without seeing any man-made structures, and without seeing any trees. In fact, I would run for two hours without seeing one car. However, there was a gentleman who stopped that day and handed me some carrots and a bottle of water, just to show his support. Encounters like that were very rare in eastern Montana.
I was nearly 1,000 miles into my 3,260-mile run across the country when on that very hot day in early August I saw something I had been craving to see in that barren countryside. I saw a grove of trees just off of the roadway to my left... up in the distance. I figured the trees were about a mile ahead, and I was determined to get there and to rest in some shade. I put my head down and pushed my support stroller with determination as the sweat dripped down my face -- my running cap completely soaked and salty from my perspiration. I ran for a few minutes, nearly mesmerized by the white line on the road's edge that I was following, and then looked up to see that the grove of trees was no closer!
My reasoning at the time was that the trees must be farther away than I had thought, and that I may be moving slowly due to how fatigued I was feeling. I put my head down and pressed on. I remember looking up again and seeing nothing but barren, dry land. There were no trees in sight! I looked behind me, thinking that perhaps I had run past them while not paying attention. No... there were no trees anywhere in sight. I immediately became scared! What had happened?! I knew that something had happened mentally and it truly shook me to the core. I stopped right there and took out a tarp I had on the stroller to make a lean-to in order to 'create' shade. I sat next to the stroller under my makeshift lean-to in order to pull myself together. I drank water and ate a PowerBar. I laid down on a thin mat that I had and tried to relax. No cars came along as I was laying there and all I could hear were grasshoppers in the weeds next to me. There was no wind... no sign of life... nothing -- but intense heat.
After about 20 minutes, I got up on my feet and continued on. I never had an experience like that again. In the online journal I maintained while running across America, I didn't mention this hallucination in the entry for August 2, 2006. The reason is that I didn't want to alarm my family and friends who were following my progress each day. However, the moment is forever etched into my memory.
By the way, after that 40-mile day with the hallucination experience, I ran 35 miles the next day in 100-degree heat -- having logged 75 miles within 36 hours. It was quite an adventure across 15 states!
From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),
Paul J. Staso
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Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek
Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos:
- United States in 2006 (3,260 miles solo in 108 days at age 41)
- Montana in 2008 (620 miles solo in 20 days at age 43)
- Alaska in 2009 (500 miles solo in 18 days at age 44)
- Germany in 2010 (500 miles solo in 21 days at age 45)
- The Mojave Desert in 2011 (506 miles solo in 17 days at age 46)
- Various Photos From Mileposts Gone By
- Students Worldwide Who Ran With Me Virtually
- Roadside Sights From My Running Adventures
- Some Cycling Moments From The Past
