The first Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail 50 Kilometer race

This runner was at the west turnaround point in the 31-mile race on the DRHT

To the Editor:
   A unique athletic event was held in King George this last weekend.  One of the great athletic accomplishments of our time is completing a marathon, 26 miles.  But even beyond that is a class of athletes that push themselves to the extreme: the ultra-marathoners.  Fifty-four of these athletes assembled in King George for the first Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail 50 Kilometer race on Saturday (50 KM is 31 miles!).  Starting at 6:30 AM from Caledon State Park, they completed a circuit of the DRHT, passing several aid stations where they were able to get water, Gator-Aid, snacks and meet their support teams.  The winner, Jason Hernandez of Stafford, finished the course in 3 hours and 50 minutes.   The women’s division was won by Justine Morrison of Washington, DC, in 4 hours and 43 minutes.  The six aid stations, check-points and road-crossings, were manned all day by volunteer teams.
   To the best of our knowledge, this was the first long distance race held in King George; we can all be proud that it was such a high quality event.  A unique feature of this race, probably a world first, was the antique railroad hand car that escorted the runners for a half-mile as they approached the western turn-around at Sealston!
   An event of this magnitude requires a large amount of volunteer and community support.  We would like to thank the following groups for their hard work in making this race such a great success.  King George Fire and Rescue Squad, KG Sheriff’s Office, Rappahannock Chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society, Dominion Electric Power, Northern Virginia Gun Club, Fredericksburg Area Running Club, Race Timing Unlimited, Rappahannock Valley Amateur Radio Club, Little Ark Baptist Church, and the staff and Friends of Caledon.
   The participants, runners and volunteers, were very enthusiastic about the race.    Inquiries about the date for next year’s race are already coming in.   A runner from Hampton who couldn’t make it this year said: “I hope you have the race next year, because I would certainly train to run in it.”  The date should be known soon and it will be posted on the Journal community calendar.  

   Jim Lynch

To the Editor:
Thank you to Burgess Hauling and Excavating from the King George Cross Country Team.
During the past year the King George High School students have moved to a new building. Due to the move, a new cross country course needed to be developed. Through the efforts of different students and parents a new course has been laid out which is much larger than the previous course and can accommodate large invitational meets.
To develop this course Burgess Hauling and Excavating volunteered their equipment and an employee to help clear brush and smooth out the course. Their work saved the cross country team weeks of work.
The cross country team would like to thank the Burgess Family for their time in both meeting prior to the work day to plan the work required and the entire Saturday they gave to the cross country team.
The course is almost completed and will be used for all cross country home events, the Northern Neck Invitational, and the upcoming King George Fall Festival 5k Race. We are very grateful for the support we received from Burgess.
In addition we would like to thank the Dahlgren Lions Club for donating $350.00 to support constructing three bridges and creating permanent signs to mark the course.
Signed the King George Cross Country participants,
families, and coaches

To the Editor:
Thank you from the Race for Vision Organizers
The Race for Vision has run continuously since 2003. The Race for Vision is a Hare Scrambles motorcycle race that supports the Dahlgren Lions Club as a fundraiser. This event has brought in from 5 to 8 thousand dollars each year.
To hold this race a large piece of property is required to enable a 12 mile long course. The committee would like to thank Ed and Joy Veazey for the use of their property. We would also like to thank the residents of Eagle Bay for their patience during each of the events which caused excessive noise and traffic.
The funds raised have gone to scholarships to graduating seniors and support to community members that need support with sight or hearing issues.
This was the last year of the event and we are grateful to the Veazeys for their support through the years.

To the Editor:
One would have thought with the tough economy of our nation and foreign governments advocating the abolition of the American Dollar, that Congress would learn from our recent mistakes and act more frugal as stewards of the common good rather than overpaid players promoting their own version of “Deal or no Deal” to “Who wants to be a Milllionaire” and beyond.
Surely Congress recalls not too long ago having to fix our bankruptcy laws due to too many citizens not wisely using their credit cards. Of course, Washngton liberals bashed the banks,  yet overlooked that abuse of credit inherent in its tempting innocence; responsibility or its lack come at a high price.
More so, I thought certainly Congress would have been further educated by the housing forclosures and learn not to repeat temptation and potential harm to the very people they sought to help.
Of course, auto dealers are happy at reducing inventory and car buyers pleased by the government incentives; however, has anyone really stopped and thought at what real cost?
As I wonder which is truly worse, the ungodly price tag of the “clunker” program or the party-like glee that Democrats and liberal Republicans express toward how quickly citizens responded by spending so quickly.
And to think that shock and awe has been given new meaning now that this sucking sound of big spending is to be worshipped and cultivaed; while we citizens are either overwhelmed or simply asleep at this federal promotion whereby we lose one of our most cherished freedoms in “choice.”
Besides, when Washington decides who is to win or lose with a friendly smile we unwittingly help usher in a new government that our forefathers would have identified as a creeping dictatorship.
Finally, how long before the coming new year will the public hear that some “clunker” people had their wheels repossessed because the big picture didn’t account for triple or higher insurance premiums and vehicle property taxes.

To the Editor:
The Bay Journal article in The Journal “Review of past oyster research reveals lack of coordination” by Karl Blankenship, shows quite an extensive group of programs of confusion over many years. The lack of specific objectives, it points out, seems significant when data are not comparabe from so many efforts. Successful outcome is nebulous, yet desirable, because of the prolonged sustainability. As a consequence, I think the overall true objective must be to work toward recovery in such a manner that recovery is always “just around the corner,” enough to sustain funding.
The priority for only our own oyster recovery has dictated that no other oyster could be tolerated, as had resulted through many involved spokesmen.
Further, in considering overall Bay Recovery, the reports of two new major predators justifies letting oyster recovery (above efforts) slide for now. Prioritize ridding tidal waters of the cownose ray and the blue catfish, or the Bay will degrade fast. I think even having bounties for removal of these two threats need serious consideration; ignoring will deplete other creatures.