The Hunt for Heaps . . .

What follows is a brief recap of Ben's adventures during the previous two weeks . . .


*Candy challenge (and first day Paul-less): Success!! 43 miles, from Truckee to Sierra City, hiked solely on Reeses Pieces and two Red Bull colas. Yes, Ben did succeed in the challenge, but he failed in that he lost his love for his favorite candy. He has since been re-introducing Reeses into his diet slowly and carefully. Note of advice to parents: Yes, Ben did live a child's dream at the ripening age of 25--candy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He has experienced it, and has come back to proclaim that the dream is better left a dream. So parents, let your children eat candy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for one entire day, for you may never have to buy your children another Twix bar or bag of M&M's for the rest of your days.

*Crater Lake Challenge: Failed!! Miserably at that. After a week hunting down Heaps at 40 miles a day and neither catching him, nor ever reaching his needed daily average to make Crater Lake in time, Ben chose to hike only to Ashland, 110miles short of Crater Lake. After catching Heaps and slowing down to 20 miles a day for two days, the Ashland challenge became a 50mile/day average rally. This was also attempted, but Ben cut this short by 220miles and exited at Castella, CA with severe tendonitis in his right shin. Instead, he hitchhiked to Portland, an incredible adventure in itself: riding with a woman and two daughters who showed Ben the local swimming hole as well as local places to camp in Dunsmuir (5 miles north); riding with a young man to Weed, CA who worked for the railroad and was still suffering from a severe car accident 5 years back (excellent dude, but his truck was falling apart and at one point, the passenger door opened on the expressway) (20 more miles north); and finally riding with Nancy to Eugene, Oregon (270 miles north), who hitchhiked around the world for 12 years and had stories about hiking Everest, swimming with Tiger sharks and getting stung by box jellies, surfing in Hawaii, hitching on a sailboat from Africa to Brazil, and so many others. She dropped Ben off in Eugene for a couple days, where he coincidentally ran into two old friends from Northern (thanks James and Kelly!!) who took him in for night. He did a quick Prefontaine tour of Eugene and Nancy picked him up to take him the rest of the way. He arrived to Portland Friday afternoon, safe and sound.

*Pancake challenge: Postponed. Never made it to Seiad Valley.

*Half-Gallon (ice cream) Challenge: Success!! However, Ben lost miserably to Heaps, self-proclaimed "dairy-king of the world." Heaps even bought an additional pint to rub it in Ben's face. Fortunately, Heaps suffered intestinal consequences for his arrogance.

And a story about Ben and Heap's reunion . . .

After miles and miles tailing Heaps and after many notes left by Heaps informing Ben of his plans, they finally arrive to the same city--Chester, CA. Yet, they are still separated. Ben checks the library, the ice cream parlor, and finally the Pizza Factory, certain he will find Heaps at one of his routine stops. No such luck. So he investigates the grocery store. NOthing. He decides, "why don't I visit the bathroom and brainstorm?" While sitting in the stall, the door creaks open, and what do you know, but Michael "flashdance" "Heaps" Walker sidles up to the urinal. Ben can see his shoes and gaiters from beneath the stall. Ben loses himself in a fit of laughter, and they have been reunited.