12th de Julio

Boy we sure know how to pick 'em.

The day we picked to run, Thursday the 12th, turned out to be the nastiest el encierro of the 2007 San Fermin festival, and maybe for the past few years. A bull got separated from the pack early (right at our chosen starting point, a stretch called Ayuntamiento) and had to run the entire course by itself, confused, taking 6 minutes to make it to the ring (the average running time is around two and half to three minutes). In the ensuing chaos seven people were gored, and another 6 were injured and taken to the hospital - three in critical condition. The separated bull severely messed with our plans to join the run after the bulls had passed, but we still ran - almost running into the bull (named 'Universal') as he started running the wrong way up the course. It was the adrenaline rush that we were looking for when we spotted the runners in front of us turn to run towards us. We safely made it to an exit fence and waited until the trailing steer came by. We made it through the chaotic 5 minutes with only one minor injury; Chad hurt his hand slapping the shit out of one of the steer. I think he will survive, but I'm worried about the steer. Unfortunately we have no pictures or video because believe me - when you run with the bulls you want all of your faculties available to you.

I once read that you can't be male and between the age of 18 to 40, and attend the festival without running el encierro, as your machismo inevitably takes over. Well, I have to disagree. I came to San Fermin with the intent on running and after watching one time it wasn't my machismo that took over but my common sense. The event has changed dramatically over the last few years as the popularity continues to grow. Seeing it first hand I can tell you that the real danger is not just the 1500 pound horned beasts running at you, but the 1500 plus crazy assholes running with you - half of them drunk and hungover. The good thing about the run is that you are able to choose your own level of danger and risk (to a certain extent). We decided to play this round on 'beginner' level, but hey, you only have one life in this game. Here are 13 good reasons not to play at all.

Now Chad's report:

I spotted a high point for which we could watch, we quickly moved passed the crowds to the climbing point. Iron bars covering the window of an old church about 10 feet of the ground is where we were perched. From here we could see the complete full bend of the first turn. The process of this show works like this: A lot of warnings in other languages, that took at least 30 sec in Spanish and two sec in English. All it said was "To run safely, watch safely", "that's it" I thought. I came all this way about to watch the craziest thing ever and the warning was sum up to " watch your ass."
The next step was the bells, If Spain had a "Rocky Balboa" theme it would have sounded like these bells. The crowd roars with nervous excitement, a hand full of people bailed at that moment running quickly to safety. The next step was the 1st of three rockets, the 1st one lets everyone now that it's on, the 2nd lets everyone know it's to late and the last one tells us that it's over.

Imagine a sea of red and white, running in madness. They ran down the street, up the street, they would try to run and jump over the fence only to be left out in the way of bulls running at them with an angry pace. I saw the Bull Kase talked about slam into four people pinning them against the wooden fence. The Bull quickly trusted it's head upwards hoping to catch the face of a drunken spainard with it's horns but only left a permanent carving in the wooden timber post, as to say "Bull was here and I almost killed you". I watched all this and I thought, this is the dumbest thing I've ever seen. I came here thinking that this would make me more of a man, and realized I was a man....with a brain. If were to run and get gored in the testicles Whit would never forgive me, we would have to adopted Chinese babies named Nooni and Nooni. This is not what it takes to be a man, I was not impressed with this tradition.

IN SPAIN THE MULLET IS BACK!!!

The mullet is huge in this place, and there are so many veration of the mullet. You have the, 80's rocker mullet, the Byan Bosworth side spike mullet, the Micheal Bolton balding mullet, the baby mullet, the multi color mullet, the curley mullet, strait mullet, pony tailed mullet, layered mullet, old mullet and the twin mullet. If you can find a place with more mullets don't tell me about it. I swear I wanted to order a Crystal Pepsi and go to a barber shop and say "a little of the top, let the back go".

Our greatest journey yet is ahead of us. We got here but now we can't leave. I feel like were in the movie Trains, Planes and Automobiles, only in Spanish. Our plan it to take a bus to Irun, then a train to Milan and form there....well thats as far as we gotten in our planing.

I can say I'm glad I came to Spain, we came, we saw, we left with our goods. On to Italy to see Whit and the rest of the family. I hope we make it.