Checkpoint Zero racers Jon Barker, Suz Falvey, Scott Pleban and Pete Spagnoli are heading off to Front Royal, Va., this week to take on the Mega Dose 2-Day adventure race Sept. 29 - Oct. 1.

Jon and Diane Barker, along with team mascot Monty, are leaving Atlanta for Virginia Thursday.

According to Front Royal's Website, the town originally was called LeHewtown (after Peter LeHew, a French Huguenot who purchased 200 acres there in 1754).

See, reading this blog is fun and educational.

Team Checkpoint Zero is preparing for the Xstream Expedition October 5-8 in Moab, Utah. Charlie Roberts, Ernie Chilcott and Beth Reyburn will be joining Paul Cox for the first time to race in the 250-300+ mile event. Lisa, Paul's wife, will be taking care of the team as the Zeros'one-person support crew. Beth, Charlie and Ernie are fresh off a great showing at the Primal Quest expedition in the same area.

More to come as the team prepares to head to the town known during the uranium rush of the early 1950s as "The Uranium Capitol of the World."

Click here to learn more about the race.

Tim, Jon and Paul will be teaming up the weekend of September 16-17 to race in the 30-hour Overmountain Extreme near Morganton, N.C., a race designed and directed by fellow Checkpoint Zero teammates Michele Hobson and Chris Brown.

Paul raced in the Overmountain last year with friends Jim Farmer of Nashville, Tenn., and Monica Curwen of Asheville, N.C., while Jon and Tim volunteered. Last year's course was beautiful -- complete with waterfall overlooks and mile-high mountain climbs -- and extremely rugged. This year's course promises to again push some of the area's top teams.

All proceeds will benefit Special Olympics of Avery County and the Burke County Habitat for Humanity.