LIFE ACROSS AMERICA 2010

Today was another great ride with Cody, JJ, Maya, and Brittany … along with Scott, Ed, Jeff, Brenda, and myself. Dan was driving the motorhome and Teri was driving the van Boys and Girls Club van.

First of all, thanks to the Florida State Troopers … Corey and Mike who escorted us yesterday and today, what an incredible job!  (Also to their Major, who OK’d it for us!)

First stop was the Boys and Girls Club of Vero Beach, lots of really neat kids … our 4 guys and gals gave an awesome presentation about the need for Blood to the other young people there.

Second stop was at the Indian River Blood Bank … what a friendly and likeable group of men and women, who prepared a nice lunch for us and invited us into their blood center and showed us around.

Oops … I almost forget that I spent some time at the Veterans Memorial Island Sanctuary … what a beautiful peaceful place!  I reflected back on my days in Vietnam and on the many “buddies” and Marines that we lost there … thank you to all the men who served our country and especially those who paid the ultimate sacrifice to defend our liberties and freedoms!

Talk to you more later … as we start to move up the coast toward Melbourne and then on to Georgia.

Today was a great day of riding, sunshine and lots of publicity. We were riding with local politicians and even visited a local elderly care home to visit Scott’s mother and friends. We finished at Big Apple Pizza and I had the opportunity to visit with Kevin and Mike ( a couple of OPD alumni).

The  last couple of days my wifi was shut off on the computer, so I was unable to make in posts.

I’ll try to keep up from now on.

Another busy day. First off to church, luckily it was only a few blocks away, and I was able to focus on the spiritual matters for awhile.

Then over to the Big Apple Pizza Parlor and hooked with Scott, and the adult team members and their wives.

I had a chance to tour the 40 foot motor home that we will be using as our “SAG” wagon, etc.

Later this morning we went to Scott’s home and I had a chance to unpack, reorganize, and help sort things out for the trip,

Tomorrow there are several events planned, so it looks like it will be a very busy day.

Today was spent packing up the motorhome and getting all the necessities for the trip taken care of before tomorrow.

Kind of tired so will try to write more tomorrow.

Wow! Another incredible project and event started …

First, I want to say a special message to all the blood donors (past, present and future) … on behalf of blood recipients everywhere!

“Thank you for letting us live!”

Also to all of you reading this post … “Giving Blood is the one GIFT that truly comes from your heart!”

Now back to catching up on my posts for the last 3 days.  (A big thank you to John Oblad (LAA webmeister) for making this possible and easy to use!  Also thank you to the Santa Rosa Trek store crew (Brett, John and the gang) for getting the Be A Hero bike together in time!  And thank you to Bryan at Auto Body and More, for painting the bike and getting it out in 4 days, you are awesome!

Thanks for Gail , family, and friends (like D.C. and Jeff) for putting up with me during the last “critical mass” stages!

Now back to the trip:

I left at 4 am on Thursday and drove from SR to Queen Creek, AZ … and … visited with Dave and Judy (dear friends through the years), spent the night then up at 3:30 a.m., and drove to a small hotel in the area of Houston, Tx, spent the night, up then next morning at 3 a.m. and drove all the way to Ft. Pierce, getting here at about 11 p.m.  Whew!  3100 miles in 3 very long driving days.

Lots of exciting scenery, little tiny gas stations, beautiful desert and mountain vistas, sunrises, sunsets, and met a few interesting people along the way!

It was pretty much a long, long drive until I left Texas and entered Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida … that’s where the fun began … I drove into the “infamous” East Coast and Southern thunderstorms and rainstorms … I’m not talking about the puny, little California rainstorms … I’m talking about the 200 miles of thunderstorms and “downpouring” rain … believe me, I drove with a “prayer in my heart” on that drive … knowing that somewhere ahead of me there had to be “clear skies … and … sure enough, there was … about 300 miles down the road.

Also I was thinking as I drove in the storms … boy, is this bike ride going to be fun, exciting and fun, or what?

Needless to say, I made it OK and I’m looking forward to church this morning (thanks to my son, Aaron, who looked up the location for me, and made a reservation for me at this Holiday Inn Express)  It’s the little acts of love like that, which make all the difference in the world, on a trip like this one.

Today I will hook up with Scott VanDuzer, founder of the VanDuzer foundation, and the “Be A Hero Bike tour” team.  I’m really looking forward to meeting Brenda, Jeff, and the kids from the Boys and Girl’s Club … Cody, Joe, Maya and Brittany.  I haven’t even met them yet, however, I can guarantee their parents one thing for sure … this trip will be a “life changer” for them and all of their friends!  Especially when they learn how important blood donations are, and, the true fact that blood donors are the real HEROES, in our society, because they save 1-3 lives, every time they donate a pint of blood!

As a blood recipient of 110 units of blood … I am eternally grateful to blood donors everywhere!

Well, that’s it for the “catch up” post!  Talk to you really soon!  (Gail, I love you!)

Adella and Amber, thank you for your support and the love you give me!

Katrina, Alex and Amy … thanks for believing in me …  love you guys!

Oops, that was supposed to be the end!

As usual, when it gets down to the wire … packing becomes more earnest. (I have to write down and check off the critical stuff that I will need.)

Everything is starting to come together. (maybe?)

My new bike is now being painted, airbrushed, clear-coated (thank you Bryan at “Auto Body and More”) and should be hand carried today over to Brett and John(head mechanic) at the Trek Store in downtown Santa Rosa, CA. John said he would have the bike  assembled by the end of today or tomorrow.

Then it’s time for the “bike fit”, with enough days left to take it out for a couple of “test rides” , to test it and see how close we are to being “right on” or how much extra “tweaking” we need to do to make it fit me perfectly? (That’s always interesting when you have an imperfect body to start with, eh?)

I’m also packing leisure and cycling clothes etc., hopefully to get it down to a couple of small bags and under 35 pounds.  (less is better, yet you don’t want to forget any of the essentials!)

I’m started to get excited and looking forward to 11Jun12 … the start date for the “Be A Hero Bike Tour”!  Although I’m still a little nervous because first, I still have to get everything organized and packed for the 3 day car ride across America to Florida.

And right now, I’m heading out the door for a 62 mile training ride today on my 2010 LAA bicycle (www.lifeacrossamerica.com )

Talk to you later.

Today was an amazing day with lots of my last minute “to do” lists. I’m still waiting on the new Trek to be painted and then assembled, and, then hopefully, a bike fit to make sure it works for me. Then a couple of days of “test rides” to “tweak” it into perfect form. I’ll let you know more later.

Wow!

Another incredible bike tour coming up this summer. Thanks to Scott VanDuzer and The VanDuzer Fountain, who have partnered with the Florida Blood Centers and the Boys and Girls Clubs in an Herculean effort to raise the awareness of the need for blood from the younger generation.

Thanks to the Trek Bicycle Store in Santa Rosa, CA., and their amazing crew … Brett, John, Robert, Phil, Chrissy, Robin, Justin, and a couple more employees that I’ve missed.

Planning for a 30 day, 1500 mile bike tour is always about the 5 W’s!   What, when, where, why and how?  A “must do” is always make sure you start planning and packing about 3 weeks in advance … because … there will always be at least “one item” that will keep slipping your mind.

Plus, it’s really helpful to have a check list, from some more experienced cyclists who have done a couple of previous tours.  Also Google is always helpful, although you’re never sure whether the suggestions posted by other cyclists on it,  really applies to you and the area where you will be cycling. (Yet, any suggestions are usually helpful for planning your checklist.)

So it’s easier if you break your planning down into important categories:  Bike, Cycling clothing, Luggage, Leisure clothing, and Personal stuff (that you just can’t live without!)

Right now … I’m working on the Bike category (allowing enough time to get the new bike equipped, set up, and still have time enough to do some training rides.  (The target date is usually 3 weeks prior to blast off!)

Be nice to your local mechanic, because it’s guaranteed that you will have to ask him to “tweak” a few things, while you learn your computer, don’t be afraid to ask him to make sure your wheels are “balanced” and “true’, (your life depends on them, so don’t skimp!)  …

Plus, a new Bike always means that you will need to have a personal “bike fit kit” to make sure the new bike fits you.  (Taking into account, seat height, handlebar reach, and many other very important items that an experienced bike fit expert can tell you, by watching you as you pedal and try to get comfortable on the new bike.)

Training rides on your new bike are a must … however, all they really do is to shorten your “my butt is killling me” breakin period from 10 days to about 5 days. (Just kidding … you really need to get into “shape” and that depends on what kind of training your body requires?)  It may be 40 mile rides, three times a week … or … it may be 50 mile rides, 5 times a week!  Only you will know for sure, and when you’re ready to go.

It also helps to have a Bike Service Check List … to share with your local bike mechanic, when he’s putting your bike together for you.  No matter how great a bike mechanic he is … unless he is going with you, he will be hundreds of miles away … when you realize, that you didn’t bring the correct spokes, the right size tubes, extra batteries for your computer and safety lights, a simple tire repair kit, your lower bracket is loose, your brake pads are rubbing, etc.

OK, OK!   If you haven’t figured it out yet.  I’m practicing “posting” to make sure I find out if this BLOG is working correctly  … the best time to find mistakes is while you’re still at home, close to your “webmaster”, who can quickly fix any “bugs”. (By the way, thanks John, for all your help, with the LAA website and the “Be A Hero Bike Tour” link and maps.

Well, that’s it for today… let’s see if this thing is posting correctly?