What The Heck is a Chasqui Anyway?

I don't know if the story has gotten around to everyone on the significance of our team name. So, I'm going to give a quick Morganpidia entry of what a Chasqui is.

Both Jordan and I served our LDS missions in Peru. I spent about 14 months up in the Andes Mountains in various small mountain towns inhabited, primarily, by the native, indigenous people, the Quechua Indians. They are modern descendents of the the ancient Incas that once populated the Andean region of S. America. When Francisco Pizarro started his conquest of S. America and arrived in Peru, he was met with fierce opposition from the Incan people. Money and advanced technology ( in the 1500's) won and the last of the Incas retreated to Cusco, Peru. This was their Alamo, the last stand, but that is another story. The king of the Incas lived pretty well. He received up-to-date news of the times, ate fresh fish, and had many delicasies thanks primarily to the Chasquis. They were specially raised and trained to run on mountain trails and for long distances. It is said that the Incan king would eat fresh fish brought from the coast to Cusco, a distance of between 250- 300 miles. The Chasquis were the ones who, through a relay system would deliver such goods. Needless to say they were STUDS. Incredible strength and endurance. So JB and I thought it would be a good team name. So when you pull on our fancy new running tops, you can tell people a little about the team name and what we are doing. I guarantee they will ask because our shirts are pretty spiffy. Contact JB and set up a meet so you can get your official Chasqui shirt.