Kate Is Embarrassing At Auburn U. Before 209 Mile Hike
A weekend DM from a Zero Blog Thirty listener about a 209 mile charity hike, a Monday hail-mary-pass of an email to Chaps & El Presidente about it… and just like that, by Tuesday (today) I was out of Philly & cruising through Georgia to Alabama in a shuttle van that smelled like feet. At a Circle K pit stop, a woman in a tin foil hat walked past me with a little white dog. Whatever working for Barstool will bring, I am totally here for it.
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Hours later I was at Auburn University where a ridiculously nice, fresh-faced NROTC student was giving me a tour & pretending he wasn’t embarrassed by my touristy-mom-style photos.
Shout out to K.C. Murphy, War Eagle, future Marine Corps officer and Auburn class of ’20, for not running away and smashing my camera:
“Can you take a picture of me looking sad outside Toomer’s Corner since it’s closed?”
“Oooo, Could you snap one of me on this lounge chair from, like, a higher level?”
“You know I’m gonna need to hop on one these bikes. Sorry.”
It all started this past weekend when I got a message from a follower of Barstool’s Zero Blog Thirty podcast. Auburn University student, Logan Shaddix, was reaching out on behalf of his friend & fellow student, Daniel, a SSgt in the Marine Corps:
Hey there team,
Long time civilian listener here. I just heard the newest episode and I believe (guest) David Burnett & Chaps mentioned rucking, which reminded me of an event held down here at Auburn University. It’s a charity event called Rucking for Raiders, and it’s a hike that takes us from Auburn U. in Alabama all the way to Navarre, Florida. 209 miles.
I love the show and I’m thankful for all you for serving! Have a good one y’all!
For a quick background, the hike destination, Navarre, FL, is where the crash memorial is for the seven Marines & four Louisiana Guardsmen killed on board their UH-60M Black Hawk during a training mission in heavy fog.
To remember them, and other fallen members of the MARSOC (Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command) community, the Marines, Sailors, and Midshipmen of Auburn University NROTC, along with veterans and friends, are conducting their second 209 mile memorial ruck march with 100% of the proceeds from the event going to the MARSOC Foundation, which supports Gold Star families.
And I wanted in. I remember this accident, and the devastation of friends who knew some of these wonderful men … husbands, fathers, leaders, loyal peers…
And there was something so earnest about the way Logan reached out on behalf of his buddy. He wasn’t asking for anything in particular; he just wanted to let us know what his friend was doing because it was a good thing.
And there have been so many terrible, deadly crashes in the military recently that have left hearts in our community broken. With Memorial Day coming up, telling this story felt like a meaningful way to honor men & women who have given their all.
Thinking there was no way anything would ever come of it because of the timing, I emailed Chaps yesterday morning:
Hey Chaps,
This is kind of a last minute shot in the dark so I’m not sure it will work out but… blah blah blah…
He wasn’t sure because of the short notice either, but he said ‘go for it’. And when I reached out to El Presidente with this half baked plan, he said ‘go for it’, too. Next thing you know, the Barstool team had my hotels & flights booked, I had equipment on the way, and I was packing my bags. (14 pairs of underwear, to be exact. I have no idea where we’re supposed to poop on this hike.)
Earlier tonight I got to meet the gent who sent me that Zero Blog Thirty DM. His good nature, southern accent and Alabama tattoo did not disappoint.
I also got to meet the SSgt. who planned it all, the ROTC students, and others I’ll be joining on this 209 mile journey that begins tomorrow morning at 9am on Auburn’s campus.
In three teams, about 50 of us will be doing 7.5 mile stretches continuously over the next four days. When we stop we’ll be sleeping under the stars, and when we reach the memorial in Navarre, we’ll stop again to remember those who aren’t here with us but who we’ll never forget.
Stay tuned for updates each day, and on this week’s Zero Blog Thirty when I’ll check in with Chaps, Captain Cons and Brendan. And feel free to take an over/under on the odds of me sharting myself by mile 50.
Final travel note of the evening: I wrote this at the Auburn Draft House tonight, and sitting behind me – a group #SoftballGuys sponsored by the bar. One of them was in a Pat McAfee t-shirt and they all knew what Saturday was for.
When I asked Bailey if he had any messages for Pat, he said,
“Please tell him I said ‘Happy birthday and keep rollin’ with the blond hair.”
Stoolies everywhere doing good things.