The men’s team started running today’s miles from a small town called Hope. For a long time we have not experienced much rain, but today as we started it was pouring down. The weather was cool and as we progressed the heavy rain turned to mist and we could see low clouds hugging the mountains. Now and then we could glimpse blue sky in an opening in the dark, grey clouds.

Today we crossed the state border of Montana and the sky got vaster and the landscape more mountainous.

Along our route Bill Gaines and his sons Michael, Brian, Sam and Luke from Minnesota pulled over in their vehicle and held the torch. Bill commented, “You don’t often see a guy running with a torch in the middle of Montana, so we had to stop and find out why”. We chatted for some time and when we spoke about the rain he used a phrase that I haven’t heard for a long time. He called rain “liquid sunshine”.

When the men’s team finished their miles just outside Thompson Falls, a lot of liquid sunshine fell on the women’s team. The men’s team commented that the girls must be blessed. However, it was only a brief shower and the rest of the day the runners were blessed with glorious sunshine.

We girls started our day a bit later than the boy's team, running off to Walmart in the morning to use our gift card so generously given by Walmart in Spokane.

We had spent the previous night at the Holiday Inn Express in Sandpoint, ID the hotel was another generous donation.

That morning, we were visited by Chuck Smith who had videotaped the previous evening's ceremony in Sandpoint, and had made copies for us. After delivering the copies, however, he seemed hesitant to leave and kept mentioning what good people we were. He hung at the hotel for more than an hour more than he needed. He also assisted in a video message recorded by Ashok Lalli, a dentist from Federal Way, WA who was visiting Sandpoint and wanted to give his messages for world harmony.

We set out in the RV toward Thompson Falls, MT which would be close to our starting point. As the second team of the day, we had the second running shift.

We did miss the rain although our earlier running brothers did not. They arrived wet and happy at the RV, at our designated vehicle switching spot.

Montana must be one of the most beautiful states in America. The roads have names like Cocoon Lane, Columbia River and Jackalope Road and various others with reference to either an animal, some part of nature, or someone's grandpa.

About 90% of the cars on the road are Chevy, Ford or Dodge trucks. The good news is that you could always hear them coming from quite a distance, even if you couldn't see them.

The power of nature here is undeniable. It permeates everything that people do and experience. On one occasion, while answering the call of nature, I was visited by a young doe on her way down the mountain. On another occasion, while turning the RV around, we watched the tinest of young fawns struggle with what looked like brand new legs.

This was just before we started to stretch our own legs along the route we were planning to run. The mountains and rivers are spectacular, the people are friendly and very down to earth. We all ran our miles in the silent majesty of mountains, rivers and valleys quite unlike any other. The cars passing me though had plenty of honks, waves and smiles.

I knew we had reached our distination when the sign said 'Paradise'.

At the end of the day we were all very appreciative that Quinn’s Hot Springs Resort gave the team a discount to use the hot springs. As we chatted amongst ourselves many people approached us and asked us where we were all from. We got to know one interesting lady, Julie Brown, very well who had traveled in Africa and Europe working for the Peace Corps and taught English as a second language.

We were all enamoured by her enthusiasm and smiley personality. She promised to meet us at the first ceremony in Missoula the next day.

What a great day on the run in Paradise.

– Jagadhata and Rupasi

Distance: 113 miles

Team Members:
Atulya Berube (San Diego), Jagadhata Amrhien (Chicago), Drsalu Gruenstaeudel (Austria), Vladimir Salnacov (Moldova), Mark Collinson (England), Kokila Chamberlain (England), Surya Smolennikova (Russia), Kshetragna Ulanova (Russia), Dima Grygorievski (Ukraine), Sukhada Korshunova (Russia), Michaela Pokorna (Czech Republic), Moni Neradilek (Seattle), Rupasi Young (Seattle), Jwalanta Voelckner (Germany)

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