We Made It To Frozen Head State Park And I'm Hungry For Chicken

After picking up Ron Moore at his Eastern Tennessee home, we both headed to the Frozen Head State Park in Podd 2.0, my "rolling home on wheels".  All the amenities of home, but all coming from the Dollar Store (no kidding).  Barkley, Ron's dog joins us with Odie and Spott.  They seem to be getting along just fine.  They hope to meet Big, Lazarus Lake's famous dog.

First up today was the elaborate check-in and registration.  Each Barkley Virgin, like Ron, owe Laz a license plate from their homeland.  He displays each one every year as a fine backdrop for the Press, like me.  Ron's plate reads Pennsylvania plate  PSU TandF!  That will make a great display for future Nittany Lions who make the magic 40.

Each year, runners who make another Barkley field must bring an item of Laz's choosing.  He usually sees what he needs and asks for that.  Socks, t-shirts, dress shirts have made the list recently.  This year he chose a case of Moxie Soda, which I happen to love.  The soda from Maine is famous and quite the medicinal concoction made for an event like this.

All the runners have a chance to peruse the official map of the course for this year.  Every year, the course changes somewhat.  The runners do not receive a copy, but may make one on their own from glancing at the official one belonging to Laz.  There are numerous "stops" along the way where each runner must tear a page out of the book hidden with clever clues matching their bib number.  Be careful if you get bib #1, as Laz considers this person a sacrifice, unlikely to ever finish even one of the 5 loops.

As everyone has checked in, frivolity visits the bedraggled camp, as the Annual Chicken Dinner is served.  The namesake of the race has donated all the frozen chicken to Laz for this feast over the years. He passed away recently which prompts a moment of silence in the camp.  It has been said that in years past Laz wasn't the very best of chefs, with some of the chicken being severely over or under-done!  Someone new has been designated as chef lately, but Ron usually stays clear of the chicken, especially this year as he has to hopefully run more than a hundred miles soon.