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Today's Featured Biography
Gary Stolz
Greetings from Qurghonteppa!
Man, it’s been a wild 19 years, and I can honestly say I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Some of the highlights: well, running, of course. First for Stanford, then for Nike, and eventually for the U.S. team and at the Olympic Trials. Oh, and being the only blonde guy to win the Long Beach marathon – that was pretty cool, too.
I’ve lived in a bunch of places, from NorCal, to D.C., to Seattle, to Albuquerque, and even Anchorage for awhile (don’t ask – it didn’t end well). Ultimately, I found myself back in the South Bay, running my family’s uniform business.
So why am I in Qurghonteppa right now? Because it’s on the Silk Road, that’s why. And why am I on the Silk Road? Well, why not? I mean, you only live once, right? Besides, when your life is all about fabric, an idle thought can lead you to some strange places!
So suffice it to say, I barely resemble the guy who stepped onto this road in Mongolia last March. For one thing, my western clothes are long gone, sold off for a nice hunk of cash, a heavy wool parka (which doubles as my blanket at night), the right to eleven goats (you use their rights as collateral out here – call it primitive commodities investing), and a mule ride from Urumqi to Almaty (by FAR the most valuable part of the trade!). I’m not exactly sure how long it’s been since I showered, but I know it was back before it got really hot...and now it’s getting really cold. But you know what? I eat well, I keep meeting wonderful people, I still run the uniform business from my sat phone, internet service is everywhere (even here in Qurghonteppa!), and I’ve seen some of the most beautiful scenery imaginable.
I still haven’t figured out where I’m going next. If I’m following the Silk Road, I’m going through Uzbekistan...and then into Iran. While I have no beef with the Uzbeks, Iran might be sticky. They actually tell me not to worry about it and that the people there actually like Americans, but it seems like a heckuva risk right now, given the political climate. So until I figure it out, I’m hangin’ here in Tajikistan, getting fat on plov and shashlyk (the two main dishes, it’s a lot of mutton, rice, oil, and turnips), and living in a one-room stucco hut I rented for the season in exchange for four goats. There’s talk about me helping with the family’s winter harvest – I guess we’ll see. Oh, and the tea here is great, too.
Will I be back in time for the reunion? I have no idea! If so, I’ll be there, freshly showered and shaved. If not, then think of me from afar, and know I’m either wandering free and happy in central Asia somewhere, or languishing in an Iranian prison!
Peace, love, and mutton for everyone.
-Gary
Fall, 2008
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