Again, shout out to @sktchd.bsky.social’s great podcast Off Panel for inspiring writers!

I’m back for my third visit to run along the West Highland Way and Great Glen Way for, well… I’ll explain what’s going on in a little bit.

For now, I’m in Glasgow and I’ve got a train to catch to the Bridge of Orchy. www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wIC...

For those who wish to follow the run, they can do so on my Instagram, @BaurJoe.

Although I know she'd be wildly embarrassed of the attention, she'd appreciate it nonetheless.

By running up to 70 miles per day, I aim to reach Lake Erie in Cleveland between October 25th and 26th.The run will be used to raise funds for Stand Up To Cancer in memory of my mother. You can donate in her honor at: fundraise.standuptocancer.org/fundraiser/6...

On October 21st, I'll set off from Cincinnati on the Ohio to Erie Trail to challenge the fastest known time set by Gary Sines.

Now I'm leading this fundraiser in her memory and for those in our lives, friends and family alike, who continue to fight this heinous disease.

We lost Mom after a fight with breast cancer in October of 2019. My father, himself a cancer survivor, started donating to Stand Up To Cancer in her memory and the rest of us followed suit.

I forgot about it until I was back home and on the mend. When I asked her about it, she said she was hoping I didn't remember (nobody was hurt in the end). But I'm glad I remembered. It's a testament to the kind of person she was—humble and incredibly selfless, putting her family first.

I remember hearing some commotion between hospital staff and a distraught individual. Someone shouted, "He's got a gun!" The next thing I know, my mom is standing in front of my bed with her arms outstretched in front of me. It was, as she told me time and time again, her job to protect me.

Years ago, I came down with a bad case of food poisoning while visiting my brother in college. Even my dad got hit. That's how I found myself waking up in the middle of the night at a Columbus hospital, my father in his own bed beside me.

Suffice it to say, we could use a bit of healing. So, we dried our eyes and started this journey to the remote forests of northern Finland to fastpack the 82-kilometer Karhunkierros ‘Bear Trail’ over three days. www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e6y...

Last month, we lost our beloved pup Moses. He was, and this is no exaggeration, the sweetest boy there ever was. The pain of losing him was all encompassing, as if someone had switched off the light in our collective spirit.

Turns out, there are reasons––from linguistic to emotional––that help explain the immortal power of Turtle Mania.

Looking forward to diving in more.

I’m curious about their enduring appeal. It seems to be more than just childhood nostalgia. Even adults, long after society beats the joys of imagination and whimsy out of us, continue to be charmed by four turtles led by a rat.

Why?

Thank you! It’s wildly inspiring. Now just gotta make the book and make it successful enough so I can come on and talk about how helpful your podcast was — and close the loop 🤓

In this week's newsletter, I write about how capitalism can be a cancer to creativity and how interviews of writers and artists featured on
@sktchd.bsky.social's "Off Panel" podcast (like @nicolegoux.bsky.social, Brian K. Vaughan) inspired me to just do it. withoutapath.substack.com/p/press-star...