Blog
Day 23: An hour away from Jockey’s Ridge, and the end
8:15 a.m. “She’s really focused,” MST Endurance Run support team member Joel Fleming reported from the outskirts of Nags Head moments ago. “She’ll be at Jockey’s Ridge in about an...
Day 22: A day to savor, then the finish (maybe)
It’s May 31, 2012 on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. With 63 miles to go, Diane Van Deren will catch her breath today and enjoy the Outer Banks that treated her so...
Day 22: A push to finish, a desire to savor and enjoy
5:15pm At her second rest stop of the day, around 10:50 this morning, Diane Van Deren was focused. “This is the part of the expedition where I really need to...
Day 21: Battling Beryl to make the ferry
“On one level,” Diane Van Deren yelled into the howling wind and rain this morning, “this is very interesting. I have always been curious about what a tropical storm would...
Day 20: A Memorable Memorial Day, closing in on the coast
Diane Van Deren caught the Cherry Branch/Minnesott Beach Ferry this morning at 9:45, launching her 20th day on the MST Endurance Run. She’s now on pace to reach Jockey’s Ridge...
Day 19: With less than 200 miles to go, it’s time to focus
This morning, Diane Van Deren reached Mile 732 — which means she stopped in for the traditional Mountains-to-Sea Trail thru-hiker audience with Roy Whaley, owner of the Food Center in...
Day 18: More police, a house call, closing in on 700 miles
You either have to travel back in time or to Eastern North Carolina, apparently, to find a doctor who still makes house calls. On Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, no...
Guide runners help Van Deren stay the course
Mark Rostan remembers well Day 6 of Diane Van Deren’s run across North Carolina. After their first rest stop of the day, at mile 10 in the Pisgah National Forest,...
Day 17: Welcome to eastern North Carolina
Over the last few days, as Diane Van Deren has neared the Coastal Plain homestretch of her trek across North Carolina, she’s asked those familiar with the region, “What am...
Day 16: 600 down, 335 to go
May 27, 2012 “Talk to me, Joe!” After four days and 83 miles on the trail with Diane Van Deren in her quest to cross the statewide, 935-mile Mountains-to-Sea Trail...
Day 15: A brush with brush — but first, an important message
By Joe Miller Now we come to the Fund Drive portion of the 2012 MST Endurance Run. Folks, public hiking trails are one of the best bargains around. Precious few...
Day 14: The midpoint
Diane Van Deren reached the midpoint yesterday in her trek across North Carolina. “The 500-mile point was reached today as we crossed Mt. Vernon Church road and Burlington Lake,” reports...
Day 13: ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone”
Diane Van Deren had lots of company on Day 13 of her thru-trek of North Carolina’s Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Starting with a 5 a.m. visit with the local police. “Out for...
Day 22: 24 miles to go
10:40 p.m. Diane Van Deren logged 39 miles today, a “recovery day,” leaving her 24 miles to go Friday to reach Jockey’s Ridge. Her plan is to be back on...
Day 11: An ‘easy’ 30 miles
May 20, 2012 Diane Van Deren took it easy today. She only covered 30 miles on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. “Our goal today was to get her rested up,” said Joel...
Day 10: A horse race to Horse Gap
Diane Van Deren knows she’s had a good day on the trail when that day stretches late into the night. That’s good, because that means her feet, which have been...
Van Deren gets her feet back
May 18, 2012 On the first two days of the MST Endurance Run, Diane Van Deren covered more than 110 miles. Then, the relentlessly technical trail and rainy weather started...