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MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015 SPORTS Walking the Americas: Woman preps for 5-year trek SMITHVILLE: The night before Bethany met on the Pacific Crest Trail. Hughes started on the Pacific Crest Trail, a “I’m sure things will come up,” said Reed, 2,650-mile hike from Mexico to Canada, she who has also completed the Continental was so wired that she kept rifling through her Divide Trail and Appalachian Trail — the so- bags. Everyone else was asleep, but Hughes called Triple Crown of hiking. “Things will hap- thought a “real” backpacker knew where to pen as they happen, and if there’s something find anything she needed. So she kept pulling dangerous, my hope is we’ll figure it out.” out gear, then repacking it. Over and over, all Hughes has spent several years planning night. the trip, saving much of the estimated $12,000 Eventually, another hiker said, “You’re like a she will need annually working multiple jobs. 5-year-old the night before Christmas,” and her A few sponsors, such as Hyperlite Mountain trail name of “Fidgit” was born. It has never fit Gear, have provided assistance. But most of better. her support has come through grassroots Five years later, the 29-year-old with the fundraising. curious inability to sit still is preparing to The plan is to follow the mountains depart on her next daring expedition: She will through Argentina, Chile and Peru, then con- attempt to become the first documented tinue north through Ecuador and Colombia. woman to travel the length of the Americas — Reed intends to drop off at that point, and from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Barrow, Alaska — Hughes will continue on bicycle through entirely by non-motorized means. The 20,000- Central America and Mexico, before heading mile trek will begin in December and take an through the US to Canada. estimated five years to complete. There, depending on the weather, she will Along the way, Hughes plans to spend time hike, cycle or canoe. She may even drive a in local villages and bear witness to their way sled-dog team part of the way, a skill she of life, promoting education, opportunities for picked up living briefly in Alaska. women and other social issues. “I’ve found two gentlemen who have done “I really want to inspire others to pursue this, both British,” Hughes said. “And six or their own audacious goals,” she said, twirling eight people hiked over 1,000 miles of South in her fingers a small silver pendant of a America. Of those, three or four did all of woman hiking. South America. I’ve mainly been going off “Our world is only as big as the information their works, but also looking at other that we allow to come into it,” Hughes contin- endurance tests.” ued, “so I believe being able to share what’s The biggest advantage she has over those going on to the opposite side of the world, KANSAS: In this photo taken Aug. 28, 2015, Bethany Hughes walks through a park in Kansas City, Mo. as she prepares for her upcoming of previous generations is technology. Google and that they’re not so different than us, we’re hike through the Americas.—AP Earth has allowed her to plot her path with going to make it a lot further.” along. leg!’” What does her father think of her latest card. She fears other people most. Many coun- reasonable accuracy, while DeLorme’s GPS sys- Hughes traces her wandering spirit to her Later, she lived in Spain and studied abroad endeavor? “There’s a lot of fear,” admitted tries in South and Central America are danger- tem will keep not only keep her on track but parents, Nazarene missionaries who spent at Oxford. Six little footprints are tattooed up Kendall Hughes, a chaplain at the federal peni- ous, even more so for a woman traveling by allow a team of volunteers back in the US to time in Chile, Ecuador and the Dominican her foot, one for each country Hughes has tentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas. “Even with bicycle or foot. monitor her progress. She will carry every- Republic during her childhood. Along with lived in. financial backing, there’s stuff you can run into Hughes has tried to mitigate the risk by tak- thing she needs with her, from food and water spreading the gospel, they instilled in her a “My family is very conservative, so me get- — river crossings alone are dangerous. I don’t ing wilderness survival courses, where she has to matches and cooking utensils, and resupply passion for the outdoors. Hughes remembers ting a tattoo was like, pushing some bound- know how you can fully prepare.” learned everything from how to forage for whenever she passes through a town or vil- her father going on hikes in the mountains, aries,” she said, smiling. “My dad was like, ‘You Hughes understands the risks. She knows food to how to build shelters. She knows a bit lage. Her support infrastructure will also send and she would hide in the back of the family have to tell your grandmother.’ And she was winters in the Andes are brutal, summers in of taekwondo. And she’ll have a traveling com- packages to help her out — new shoes and car, popping out when he was far enough that like, ‘Oh, if you keep getting one for every the tropics insufferable. The mountains are panion in South America, Lauren Reed, an clothing, for example, or a chocolate bar to lift there was no other recourse but to take her country, you’ll have them all the way up your beautiful but deadly, wildlife always a wild- experienced hiker in her own right whom she her spirits.—AP Australia shatter England’s dream LONDON: Hosts England were tournament once again with a 26-5 eliminated from the Rugby World victory over Samoa in Milton Cup at the pool stage for the first Keynes before South Africa went time after a humiliating 33-13 top of Pool B by beating Scotland defeat against Australia that sends 34-16 in Newcastle. the Wallabies and Wales through to Twice world champions South the quarter-finals. Australia and Africa, stunned 34-32 by Japan in Wales occupy the top two places in their opening match, scored first- Pool A with 13 points each after half tries through flanker Schalk Saturday’s game, leaving England Burger and wing JP Pietersen, his trailing in third place on six points fourth of the tournament, to lead with one pool match remaining. 20-3 at halftime. Scotland rallied to It was Australia’s highest score make the Springboks work hard for and biggest margin of victory over a win that was completed by Bryan England at Twickenham, where Habana’s 61st test try, a Springboks’ they won the first of their two record, after Tommy Seymour had FRANCE: Italian jockey Frankie Dettori riding Golden Horn crosses the finish line to win World Cups by beating the English pulled one back for the Scots. the Qatar Prix de l Arc de Triomphe horse race at the Longchamp horse racetrack. —AP in the 1991 final. Japan, who had won only one The Wallabies will play Wales at match in 24 at previous tourna- Twickenham for top spot in the ments, made Samoa pay for indisci- Dettori rides to Arc pool before England close their pline that resulted in three players tournament against makeweights being sent to the sin bin during the Uruguay in Manchester next match. glory on Golden Horn Saturday evening. Fullback Ayumu Goromaru England’s head coach Stuart kicked four penalties and two con- PARIS: Golden Horn and Frankie Dettori showed his true character in Paris. Lancaster apologised to the home versions for a 16-point haul to punctured Treve’s historic attempt to post a “Today you saw the real Golden Horn,” he fans who had packed Twickenham. become the tournament’s top scor- third straight victory in the Prix de l’Arc de said. “He is possibly the best horse I have rid- “Sorry we let everyone down. The er with 45 points and keep alive Triomphe at Longchamp yesterday with an den on this performance. He has put great last five or 10 minutes we came up Japan’s hopes of reaching the quar- emphatic success in the 5million euros event. horses to bed behind him like a great cham- short. We have young players and I ter-finals. The English Derby winner beat last year’s pion.” It was a seventh run this season for the hope everyone stays behind them,” South Africa lead Pool B by one runner-up Flintshire by two lengths, while three-year-old son of Cape Cross, but owner he said. Flyhalf Bernard Foley point from the Scots, with Japan French Derby winner New Bay edged Treve Anthony Oppenheimer did not rule out a scored two tries and kicked 18 two points further back. All three out for third. final roll of the dice in the Breeders’ Cup Turf points for Australia, who led 17-3 at have two wins apiece. The No horse had attempted to win the Arc at Keeneland in America at the end of the halftime, with centre Matt Giteau Springboks and Japan both have three times, and Treve remains in a select month. “If you have a good horse you have to adding a late third try after wing remaining matches against the group of seven horses to have won the race it and enjoy it,” he said. “He is certainly Anthony Watson had charged over United States, who are bottom with 2,400-metre contest twice.