4 November 2001:

I completed a Caribbean 757 flight (San Juan to Chicago) in the afternoon of Nov 3 and, on the commute home to Los Angeles, stopped in ABQ via DFW in order to join the runners. By the time I made it to New Mexico, rented a car and established a hotel room it was very late. I arrived at the Belen staging point at 2:30 a.m. Nov 4 (30 minutes after the runners had departed) but had the good fortune of being met by volunteer driver Melanie Dyes, daughter of American Airlines pilot Joe Dyes, still at the site who transported me to the flag entourage. The entourage consisted of runners, a support RV, two mini vans, and three fire trucks from the local fire department, manned by volunteer firemen and firewomen. One fire truck, with lights flashing, was about one quarter mile in front of the flag runners, the remaining vehicles were behind. I went aboard the moving RV, staffed by American and United pilots, rested briefly, then got out to join the runners for the last 13 miles of the 20 mile Belen - Bernardo segment.

Some notable moments:

• Crossing the Rio Grande by moonlight;
• being greeted along the way, between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m., by residents who had stayed up to see the flag pass their homes.

The other runners of this segment were:

• Susan Brozik, Scientist at Sandia Labs
• Douglas Deming, Engineer at Sandia Labs
• Jean Herbert, Physical Therapist at Sandia Labs
• Ken McCabe, 767 First Officer, American Airlines
• Trisha Schwartz, MD80 First Officer, American Airlines, and former Engineer at McDonnell Douglas

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