Run The Sahara Finish (story by Charlie Engle)

Feb 21, 2007 ARE WE THERE YET? DAY 112, THE DAY AFTER.
AS SOON AS MY HANDS WERE DRY FROM DIPPING THEM IN THE RED SEA, I WAS PRETTY MUCH READY TO HEAD TO THE HOTEL AND GET CLEANED UP. CONSIDERING THAT I HAD TAKEN ONLY TWO SHOWERS IN 111 DAYS, EVERYONE WITHIN SMELLING DISTANCE WAS READY FOR ME TO HAVE A SHOWER TOO. AN INFORMAL AND COMPLETELY UNSCIENTIFIC POLL OF SEVERAL STRANGERS IN MY VICINITY CONFIRMED IT. I SMELLED INCREDIBLY FUNKY.
WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE HOTEL, WE PULLED UP TO THE CURB AND PILED OUT OF OUR TRUCKS. I WAS IMMEDIATELY SELF CONCSIOUS BECAUSE WE WERE IN THE MIDST OF "NORMAL" PEOPLE THAT HAD COME TO CAIRO FOR BUSINESS OR HOLIDAY. I HAD FORGOTTEN THAT THEY WOULD BE HERE. AND APPARENTLY THEY KNEW NOTHING ABOUT US JUDGING BY THE LOOKS WE GOT. ITS NOT THAT PEOPLE WERE HORRIFIED, JUST VERY PUZZLED BY OUR APPEARANCE. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MONTHS, I TOOK A MOMENT TO LOOK AT MYSELF AS OTHERS MIGHT BE LOOKING AT ME. I WAS FILTHY AND SMELLY AND I WAS LIMPING TERRIBLY. MY NOSE AND EARS WERE COVERED WITH SCABS. MY HAIR WAS SCRAGGLY AND I HAD LOST A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WEIGHT. ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS GET TO MY ROOM, CLEAN UP, EAT SOME DECENT FOOD AND GO TO BED.
I MANAGED TO DO ALL OF THESE THINGS IN LESS THAN TWO HOURS. WHEN I HIT THE SACK I WAS MORE EXHAUSTED THAN I CAN EVER REMEMBER BEING. I WAS ALSO VERY SATISFIED AND THE REALIZATION THAT WE WERE FINISHED WAS SLOWLY BEGINNING TO SINK IN. I ALMOST DRIFTED OFF TO SLEEP BUT I KEPT HEARING NOISES IN THE HALLWAY OUTSIDE. I GOT UP TO LOOK BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THERE. NEXT I HEARD THE PEOPLE IN THE ADJOINING ROOM. THEN I HEARD AN AIRPLANE AND THEN I COULD HEAR THE CARS OUTSIDE. I COULD HEAR EVERYTHING AROUND ME. I FELT LIKE I HAD BIONIC HEARING. I GUESS I HAD BECOME SO ACCUSTOMED TO THE QUIET OF THE DESERT THAT I WAS HYPERSENSITIVE TO THE "STRANGE" NOISES AROUND ME. I LAY IN BED FOR HOURS BEFORE FINALLY FALLING ASLEEP.
WHEN I AWOKE THE NEXT MORNING, I COULDN'T OPEN MY EYES. I WAS SURE THAT SOMEONE HAD GLUED THEM SHUT DURING THE NIGHT. IT WAS ABOUT 10:30 IN THE MORNING AND I WAS IN A PANIC. I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY IT WAS SO LATE IN THE MORNING AND YET I WASN'T RUNNING. MY FOGGY BRAIN FINALLY DRIFTED INTO FOCUS AND I STARTED TO LAUGH WHEN I REALIZED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO RUNNING TODAY. IN FACT, I LAUGHED SO HARD THAT I GOT A MASSIVE CRAMP IN BOTH OF MY CALVES. JUST A LITTLE REMINDER OF THE PREVIOUS DAYS.
AS SOON AS MY CRAMPS WENT AWAY, I HEARD MY ROOM PHONE RING. I ANSWERED IT EXPECTING TO HEAR MY MOTHERS VOICE. INSTEAD IT WAS ANNA FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CALLING TO CONGRATULATE ME. SHE HAD INTERVIEWED ME SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE AND WRITTEN A VERY THOROUGH ARTICLE ABOUT OUR JOURNEY ACROSS THE SAHARA DESERT. SHE HAD A FEW FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS AND WARNED ME THAT I SHOULD EXPECT MORE CALLS AND E-MAILS FROM OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS. I HAD NO REAL IDEA WHAT THAT MEANT BUT I THANKED HER FOR THE HEADS UP. WHAT IS A MEDIA OUTLET ANYWAY?
SHORTLY THEREAFTER, MY PHONE STARTED TO RING AND SO DID LISA'S (MY GIRLFRIEND). IT WAS CNN AND THE JAY LENO SHOW AND DAVID LETTERMAN AND FOX NEWS. THERE WERE CALLS FROM NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES AND RADIO STATIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. I WAS SHOCKED BY ALL OF THE ATTENTION. I HAD JUST SPENT 111 DAYS STRAIGHT IN ALMOST TOTAL ISOLATION, FEELING FOR THE MOST PART LIKE I WAS ALONE AND NOBODY BUT MY MOTHER WAS WATCHING OUR PROGRESS. I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG.
I SPENT THE NEXT TWO DAYS ANSWERING HUNDREDS OF QUESTIONS AND TRYING DESPERATELY TO TRANSLATE THE EMOTIONS I WAS HAVING INTO WORDS SO THAT OTHERS COULD UNDERSTAND WHAT WE HAD JUST BEEN THROUGH. IN TRUTH, I JUST WANTED TO GET SOME REST AND GO HOME TO MY CHILDREN IN NORTH CAROLINA. BUT I NEEDED TO LEAVE THE SAHARA DESERT FEELING LIKE THE GROUNDWORK HAD BEEN LAYED FOR THE SECOND PHASE OF THIS EXPEDITION: H2O AFRICA. AFTER ALL OF OUR HARD WORK, WE HAD FINALLY EARNED THE RIGHT TO TALK ABOUT BRINGING CLEAN WATER TO AFRICA. SO THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I DID UNTIL THE VERY MINUTE THAT LISA AND I LEFT FOR THE CAIRO AIRPORT.
I HAD LOOKED FORWARD TO THIS MOMENT FOR MANY MONTHS. I WAS GOING HOME. NOW THAT THE TIME TO LEAVE EGYPT WAS UPON ME, I FOUND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO ACTUALLY GO. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME? I AM NOT REALLY SURE WHY I HESITATED, BUT I THINK IT HAD TO DO WITH THE POWERFUL AFFECTION THAT I NOW FELT FOR AFRICA AND THE PEOPLE THAT I HAD MET DURING MY JOURNEY. I HAD POURED THE LAST TWO YEARS OF MY LIFE INTO THIS EXPEDITION AND NOW IT WAS OVER. I WAS SAD AND I WORRIED THAT I MIGHT NEVER GET TO RETURN. FINALLY, I REMEMBERED THAT THE WHOLE POINT OF RUNNING THE SAHARA WAS TO EXPERIENCE THE DESERT AND IT'S PEOPLE AND THEN TAKE WHAT I HAD LEARNED BACK HOME SO THAT I COULD SHARE THE EXPERIENCE WITH OTHERS. IT WAS TIME TO GO.

Return Home (story by Lisa Trexler)

Attention readers:

Forgive me for not posting a blog for quite some time.
I could use the excuse that I've been super busy making plans for myself and Charlie, or that when we returned from Africa I immediately became overwhelmed with so many things to do or that life back in the US took over as usual. Or, it could have been because we were eaten by a giant, man-eating, desert spider - but that wouldn't be true - I wouldn't be here writing this now.
Excuse or not, I HAVE been making plans for myself and Charlie and I HAVE been overwhelmed with so many things to do since our return. After my incredible experience in Africa, life in the US DID take over. Even one week after being back it seemed as though we weren't gone at all.
It's funny how "luxuries" can do that; TV, hot showers, microwaves, food-at-the-ready, water, etc.
I can't believe that I was in a place, not too long ago. that didn't have most of these things.
(Egypt is quite different of course) As for most of the desert, it wasn't so easy to get a hot shower, drink clean water, or have food-at-the-ready. And there were no t.v.s or microwaves.
But, as I've said before, when you're in a place like that you quickly find out that you really don't need all of those things anyway. (in exception to food and water)
I had it easy; just visiting I was catered to with food, water, shelter, showers (sometimes), even an ipod. So I can't say that I came anywhere close to living as the desert people do. But being there, seeing and experiencing life as it is, was a terrific and inspiring moment of my time. Still, the people are very friendly and for the most part happy. And what a beautiful place!Everywhere you looked you saw beauty - beautiful faces, beautiful land, beautiful skies. Nothing I've ever seen could compare. The oldest continent on earth deserves the right to be called the most beautiful.

As Charlie and I arrived at the airport in Raleigh, NC - there were no big surprises waiting. I would have loved to have seen his expression as we walked toward many people waiting with big signs welcoming him home. And there were no television or radio crews ready for interviews. But, to no one's fault or even knowledge of our arrival, we walked toward the baggage claim, passing people along the way who had no idea what Charlie had just accomplished. (but they would know soon) It was late - later than we expected. So even if we did have plans for a welcome party they would have been waiting for quite some time.

Our drive home was mostly quiet. We were both tired from travel but I really think Charlie was quiet (he's never quiet) because he was going over so many things in his mind. I'm sure he was reminiscing about his long journey and "taking in" his arrival home. It will be different for him for a while. Being away for so long and coming back to such a different place will take an adjustment - physically and mentally. I know he was glad to be back but I also know he will truly miss the Sahara desert, the people, and his run.

The phones didn't stop ringing! Radio and television would be his next adventure - and right away! No rest for the weary!
Charlie must have spoken to over a hundred radio and news people since the time of his finish. I purchased a schedule book and had my pen ready because I knew I would be responsible for organizing his time from now on. Everyday was booked. It's all good!!

Next stop - Jay Leno!
If you missed this then you missed a great moment on late night TV. Charlie and the guys (Ray & Kevin) did an excellent job with their experience on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." In the short 8 mins they were allowed, they gave a good idea of what "Running the Sahara" was about.
It was really cool for me to watch it from the audience! I was so proud!
They'll visit the show again later.

As for now, Charlie continues with interviews, writing, and working on his speaking skills.
We are working on further efforts for H2O Africa and bringing clean water to the Sahara. We plan to visit there again soon.
We are enjoying our time with our family and friends. Charlie has spent good, quality time with his boys that he missed for so long. And of course ALL the kids (mine included) missed him and were so excited to hear all about his trip and what he brought back. (mostly what he brought back for them)
We're all very happy and trying to be mindful of how fortunate we are.
We can't wait to see what our future holds.
Life is GREAT!!!

This is the short version.
And FYI, there is a "Welcome Home" party planned for Charlie this month.

Congratulations to all three guys! Charlie, Ray, and Kevin
What an AWESOME accomplishment!

by: Lisa Trexler