This is tangentially related to University of Georgia athletics at best, but, this morning, Richard Schrade left on a seven-month sabbatical to begin a through-hike of the Appalachian Trail.

Richard is a friend, a fellow member of the Henry County Bar Association, a University of Georgia graduate, and a loyal Dawg Sports reader. (No one I know has introduced me to more people by offering praise for the weblog than Richard.)

The 2,178-mile trek---the equivalent of walking the length of four NASCAR races---will carry him through the spring and summer before culminating in the fall. He will be providing regular updates on his Twitter feed.

Please keep Richard in your prayers as he undertakes this arduous yet exhilarating task. Here's hoping he returns safely and with many stories to tell.

Go 'Dawgs!