EMP-34

To celebrate his 50th birthday in June, George Volland traveled to Pamplona, Spain, to participate in the annual Festival of San Fermin (also known as the "Running of the Bulls"). Here is his amazing story: Early on the morning of July 7, dressed in the traditional white outfit with red scarf and sash, George was ready to rumble with the bulls and about 4,000 runners of all shapes, sizes, nationalities and degrees of intoxication. At 8 a.m., a bottle rocket sounded, signaling the release of the bulls at the start of the half-mile run. The crush of runners jogged slowly in unison along the narrow, slippery cobblestone street, gradually dispersing as they found strategic spots against buildings, shuttered store fronts and doorways. George's goal was two fold: Positioning himself near the second half of the route to ensure that he could run with the bulls into the stadium and to ensure his body wasn't still there when the evening bull fight started.

Joe Geders EMP-34 with Audrey Morrison EMP-32.
Ray Morrison EMP-34 and Maggie (5), Bobby (5), Katie (8) and Audrey EMP-32 at a ranch in Wyoming

George reports: "Soon, the approaching animals sounded like a freight train as their hooves pounded the cobblestones, the noise echoing against the narrow canyon of buildings. Suddenly there was a massive surge of sound and activity with people running furiously, shouting and panicked, desperately trying to avoid a collision with the hulking brown and black beasts that were now galloping directly at me. Luckily, the first three bulls missed me, and as they passed I quickly merged with the pack and began sprinting behind the frenzied front runners. To say the least, I was terrified, running frantically and praying that I wouldn't be trampled. I almost slipped and fell at one point, dodging and weaving between other runners. Reaching the end of the street, I rounded the final corner and down a narrow ramp to the entrance of the stadium.

"Once safely inside the stadium, I was enveloped by the sound of thousands of cheering spectators in the stands and felt a strange rush of euphoria; a mixture of relief and excitement after just having survived the most terrifying experience of my life. It was truly an experience of a lifetime I would highly recommend!"

And for all of you who want the thrill and adrenaline rush of George's experience without traveling to Pamplona, Spain, I suggest trying the 5 a.m. Best Buy pre-Christmas sales. Thanks, George, for sharing your truly unique adventure!

Note to all EMP-34s from Steve Axel: "I bet there are other interesting adventures to report within our class, both personally and professionally, and I sincerely want everyone to drop me a quick e-mail at saxel@msn.com to refresh my e-mail list and list any interesting news that you would like to share. Do it today and let's get EMP-34 back on track!"

Ray Morrison had a chance to catch up with Joe Geders this summer. "Joe sent us his update with his new address in Jackson, Wyoming. He threw in the obligatory, 'Come out and visit' offer. I am sure that Joe never thought that a family of five would dare take him up on it. Well, we did! Joe is loving his new role. He is the pastor at Our Lady of the Mountains church in Jackson, Wyo.; Joe has another parish in Afton, Wyo., as well. He had been a frequent Wyoming visitor, attending Frontier Days in Cheyenne annually. He loves the area and willingly traded the heat and humidity of Chicago for the occasional bear or moose in the back yard. Joe lives near the southern border of the Grand Teton National Park and the eastern border of the Targhee National Forest. Joe's neighbors include more than 10,000 elk at a state wildlife refuge and Dick Cheney (don't worry, Joe's not a big hunter).