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?

What an incredible finish to an unbelievable summer … and … it finished in the same town and blood center that it all started in … back in 1995! (Eureka, California!)

Thank you, Tom Schallert, ABC, FABC, and all the ABC “members” who participated in Life Across America 2010. You are awesome!

Thank you to all the donors I met on this trip.

Thank you to all the participating blood centers awe-inspiring staff … you are all AWESOME!

Thank you to the ABC (Washington DC crew) … Matt, Abbey, Mack, Jim and many others who did an incredible job of keeping track of everything that was going on this summer … you are amazing!

Thank you to my friend, Jennifer Shoffner, who was our volunteer “publicist” not only for this year … but … for all the other years (behind the scenes) where she did an amazing job of co-ordinating dates, days, stops and emails.  Jen, you are one incredible lady, thanks for all you did and continue to do! (And for being a life-saving “donor” all during those years!)

Thank you to Lauren Larsen and Jeff Larsen who were directly and indirectly responsible for the amazing FABC … Public Service Announcement … to both of you and Jeff’s film crew … thanks for everything!

To all the CEO’s of the participating ABC blood centers throughout the U.S. that invited LAA 2010 to visit your centers , I want you to know how wonderful it was to see your dreams of expansion, etc. come true … as you continue to expand your efforts to make sure there is a safe and available blood supply for generations to come!

To the memory of “Jenny Eller” … your story touched my life more than you’ll ever know … and … to her father, Dean Eller, CEO of the Central CA Blood Center in Fresno, CA … I only want to say … “Keep the Faith” … and … “you are definitely on the right track”!

To my wonderful wife, Gail, thank you for believing in me … and … for carrying me when I couldn’t carry myself!  You are an amazing lady and I love you more than you’ll ever know!

To my children … thanks for being patient with me and understanding that blood donors are really a part of my life and yours!

To Jim McPhearson and Tom Schallert … thank you for believing in me … when noone else did!

To all those who followed this blog and Facebook pictures … thanks for giving me some of your positive energy and helping me to keep going when the going got tough!  I couldn’t have done it without you!

To all the donors who I had the honor and privelege to meet over the summer … I want to borrow a phrase from Jenny Eller … “thank you for letting us live!”

Until we meet again

Larry F. (Giving blood is the one gift that truly comes from your heart!”)

Blood fact: “Four easy steps to donate blood: medical history, quick physical, donation, and snacks.” (Not bad, eh?)

Today was a beautiful day … and a beautiful drive from Eugene to Eureka … I had forgotten how gorgeous Southern OR and Northern CA really are! They have astonishing mountains and vistas … unbelievably awe-inspiring! I met up with a couple of ABB alumni staff at the Golden Bear statute! (Mike Munk from 2008) I’m… now at the beautiful Carter Inn House on L Street in Eureka. (thank you to NCCBB and Jen Shoffner)

It was a long drive today (320 miles) yet it was beautiful and worth it!  Talk to you later.

Blood Fact:  “What does 46.5 gallons mean to you? 46.5 gallons is the amount of blood you could donate if you begin donating at age 17 and donate every 56 days … until you reach 79 years old!”

Today I am in Eugene, OR, (after a 520 mile drive yesterday) from Stockton, CA. Not sure if it could get any better … yet … it always does! Today was INCREDIBLE … check out the photos of the ped/bike bridge dedication. Special thanks to Doug (Exec DIR) Marshall, Cathie, Chelsie, who did all the legwork to make this such a success! Thanks to all the donors and all the awe-inspiring staff… you are AMAZING!

Today was incredible … I was invited to participate in a bridge dedication (for pedestrian and bicyle traffice) over a freeway in Eugene, OR. (I was interviewed by Channel 13 TV news, a really nice guy!)

Lots of fun to be there and be a part of a huge community event like that!

Afterwards we went to Lane Memorial Blood Bank and I visited with several donors and many of the LMBB staff … it was very enjoyable and we had a blast!

This evening there is a barbeque celebration for the LMBB blood donors at a local winery!

Then I’ll get a good night’s rest and get ready for the drive tomorrow to NCCBB in Eureka … almost there!