Club members enjoy a scenic lunch break while awaiting the replacement bus (Front: Sally Statom, Sarah Hackney, David Kjelby, Tom Hackney, Kim Elkins; Back: Ralph Mullins, Scott Weisenbach, Mike Lesshafft, Mary Lesshafft)

by Mike Lesshafft

May 2009

BLUEgrass Runners’ trip to the Biltmore for the 5K & 15K races seemed to be a chance for a nice quiet weekend with friends.  There were 23 of us on the trip.  Club member Rana Johnson had reserved a bus, made the hotel arrangements, and scheduled two opportunities to tour the Biltmore Estate.  In addition, there was a beautiful course for either a 5K or 15K, your choice.  What more could you want out of a weekend trip?  Well Rana had a few surprises for the group.

When we arrived at the starting point of our journey the bus was ready to go.  It was a small bus but well suited for our needs (at least that is what we thought).  We piled in, got situated, and we were off on our journey.  For the first few hours of our trip it was what you would expect from a runners bus trip.  Lots of talking, Rana had some great games for us to play to pass the time and the usual dialogue on injuries that would keep each of us from performing our best the next day.

Apparently, Rana had decided that this was not enough of a team building experience, so she rigged the bus’ engine to overheat and we had to stop on the side of the interstate, about 100 feet from an exit that had absolutely nothing to offer.  Fortunately, Rana had planned ahead with a cooler of water.  So we waited for the engine to cool down so we could add some water.  Did I mention that this bus did not have a bathroom?  Well it did not.  All this talk of water, and the fact we were all hydrating the day before a big race, all the women had to go to the bathroom (and most of the men).  After a quick lesson on what poison ivy looked like, Rana (again the ever prepared girl scout) pulled out a box of handy wipes and a roll of toilet paper.  So we watched as a  parade of women from our bus hiked up the interstate to the exit ramp in search of  a secluded bush.  By this time, the engine cooled down and water was poured into the radiator and then immediately flowed out the blown hose at the bottom.   The bus driver called ahead for a new bus which could arrive within two hours.  However, we needed to get to the next exit (which was 4 miles away) to meet the new bus.  So we reloaded the bus and chugged along the emergency lane at about 10 miles per hour.  We were very fortunate that the weather was beautiful.  Very comfortable temperatures with sun and no rain.

We had progressed about two miles when the bus stopped again.  This time at a very narrow emergency lane with a guard rail.  Apparently some of us had watched “cops” on TV (plus we had two with us on the trip) and realized we had not stopped at the safest location.  We quickly exited the bus.  It reminded me of the starting line at a race that does not have chip timing.  Everyone was pushing to the front, but still keeping things orderly.  We jumped over the guard rail and realized we were on a steep hillside.  Rana’s plan for team building was working to perfection.  Somehow she must have thrown a pair of men’s boxer shorts next to the guard rail.  Scott (Mary Stebbins’ brother, at least he was before this trip, not sure if he is still claimed) quickly rallied the troops by finding a long stick, placing the pair of underwear on the stick, posting it in the ground, and proclaiming this location as Camp Underwear.  It was a moment from a reality TV show.  All those in attendance (actually there were only 3 of us standing anywhere near Scott) were touched by the moment.  The other 20 were up the road a little bit and completely ignored us.  But we knew deep in their hearts they were impressed.  The bus engine cooled down and we eventually made it to the next exit to await our replacement bus.

Little did we know what Rana had planned for us there.  First, there were actually bathrooms at this exit and a wonderful little restaurant with an outdoor deck that overlooked the rapids of a small stream.  It was shady, cool, and very nice.  We ate there as we watched several rafting groups go by.  It was very enjoyable.  Then our replacement bus arrived right on queue.  Another surprise from Rana.  This was a large touring bus with a bathroom.  And it just so happened the new bus driver was an expert on the Asheville area.  He pointed out various sights as we drove into the city.  He was very informative and a nice touch in Rana’s grand plan.

Although we were running a few hours behind schedule, we got to the Biltmore just before the ticket office closed.  We were able to tour the majestic palace, and it was wonderful.  Rana had reservations at a lovely Italian restaurant.  The food was terrific and very reasonably priced.  Then it was back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep.

Club members Marta Roller, Rana Johnson, and Mary Stebbins show off their hard-earned awards after conquering the challenging Biltmore 15K course.

The next morning our original bus was ready to take us to the race.  The radiator hose had been replaced.  We got there in time to get a wonderful parking place near the toilets.  Prime spot for most of us.  The weather was great, overcast and cool.  Very nice for a run.  The race started on schedule.  The course meanders through the estate and is very picturesque.  We learned quickly that when the course is said to be “rolling,” in North Carolina that means you are running either up a mountain or down a mountain.  One uphill section was 1.3 miles long.  But the challenge apparently wasn’t too much for the BLUEgrass Runners, since several of our group brought home medals.

Although the ride back did not take as long as the ride there, it was not as exciting.  Rana had plenty of games for us to play and prizes for the winners.  We also took up a collection to establish a trust fund to maintain Camp Underwear.  Unfortunately most of us must have spent our money on food or memorabilia because we only got energy bar wrappers, some wet wipes, other discarded items, and two pennies.  I guess they were not as impressed by Camp Underwear as I thought.

All in all, it was definitely a trip to remember.  Thanks to Rana for all her hard work and for coming up with all those wonderful surprises.  I can honestly say I had a great time!