Blood fact: “If only 1 more percent of all Americans would give blood, blood shortages would disappear for the foreseeable future.”

Today I am in Stockton, CA, at Delta Blood Bank. It was an awesome day and we had a blast … especially last night at dinner with Annie and Lisbeth … I want to thank Dr. Spindler and all of his amazing staff who are daily helping to save lives! You are all AWESOME!

Also to thank Cat Country 93.0 FM for all they did today to promote the upcoming blood drives at Delta Blood Center.

After finishing the promotion in Stockton … I drove 520 miles up to Eugene, OR, while passing through Sacramento I called the hotel to make sure it was OK to come in late … they said “yes” and so I thought everything was OK … however, when I got there at 10:30 p.m., they had given the room away … and, it was a hassle to finally get a room … this is the first time on this trip that I’ve had a problem with a reservation and confirmation.  Thank you to Eddie (the night manager) who did his best to straighten it out for me … at least I ended up with a room on the 2nd floor with no elevator. (Hmmm, I guess that confirms the saying “opposition in all things”?)

Well, this is the land of the “DUCKS”  the Oregon Ducks that is … so it’s a big party place with lots of college kids yelling and screaming for their favorite team!

Tomorrow is going to be a busy day … hopefully I can get a couple of hours of sleep?

Blood fact: ” If all the current blood donors gave three times a year, blood shortages would be a rare event (the current average is about 2 times per year.)

Today I’m at Lemoore, CA, at the Lemoore Naval Air Station. (right at home with lots of Marines and Sailors who are donating blood.)

Afterwards Heidi drove to the new Jenny Eller Blood Center Bldg (her father is Dean Eller, the CEO), I followed Heidi to Fresno in my truck.

Thanks to Dean for the amazing history lesson about the blood center … and … for sharing the incredible story of his daughter, Jenny’s life and her struggle with leukemia … she was one amazing young lady!

To Jenny, Dean, Heidi, Chris, Karen, Cassie, Melanie, Robert, Frank, Patty, Ylda, Mao, Mia, and the rest of the amazing, incredible staff at Fresno, thank you for all that you do to save lives! Also to SSgt John Ecker, and Captain Soto … thank you to his Marines and Sailors … who gave blood today! You are awesome!  

After uploading the pix to Facebook … I then drove to Stockton … and checked in with Annie and ??? … and they took me out to dinner to a nice Italian restaurant across the street from the blood center.

Getting ready for another exciting day at the Delta blood center in Stockton.

Blood fact: “Blood centers often run short of types O and type B red blood cells, because there is no substitue for human blood.”

On the way to Bakersfield from San Diego … as we crossed over the “Grapevine” Hwy … I did a phone radio interview with Ralph Bailey from KNZR in Bakersfield … it was a lot of fun.

Today I am in Bakersfield, CA, and it has been an awesome day meeting with Houchin Blood Centers incredible donors and staff. A big thank you to Gregg (CEO), Maureen, Mayor Hall, Bakersfield PD, Chief Williamson, and his motor squads.

It was a really nice surprise to look across the donor room and see a very familiar face, Mr. Greg Funk, a family friend, who grew up with my children and now lives in Bakersfield …  had moved up his donor date a couple of days so he could donate when I was visiting his blood center.  Therefore a special thank you to Greg … Thanks Greg, you are awesome … just like your mom and dad!

What a fun day!  We had a memorial bicycle ride with some local cyclists.  The local motorcycle officers were there and “escorted” us through some very heavy cross traffic.

First thing in the day, we also went to a radio interview at KERN radio  in their studio and had a blast talking with Scott Cox, radio 1180.

Then we met with Mayor Harvey Hall at the Brighthouse Amphitheatre on Riverwalk Park … then the cyclists rode on the KERN bike  path back to the Houchin blood centers with the motors squad escorting us!  Whoopee!  Check out the pix on Facebook!

Bakersfield COP, Greg Williamson … was present a the ceremony and spoke briefly … then Greg G (CEO) and myself were interviewed by the local TV stations and another local radio station.

I then spent the rest of the day … visiting with, greeting and thanking the local blood donors and blood center staff … (many of the donors were local police officers (a group of the Gang unit guys)  I was honored to be with each of them … Thanks!

Getting ready for tomorrow’s blood drive at the Naval Air Station in Lemoore, CA … and … when that is over … I’ll drive to Fresno to see their brand new donor center …

After that I’ll drive to Stockton to get ready for the Delta Blood Center’s blood drive the next day!

 Today I was in San Diego at the SD Blood Bank … A special “thank you” for Ramona(CEO), Doc (CMO), Lynn, Jose, Nancy, Jenny, Larry(Volunteer Extraordnaire), and many other amazing staff, donors, and volunteers that I met today … each one of you our outstanding “heroes” in your community! Thank YOU!

It was a fun time and I want to thank the staff at SD Blood Bank who were so friendly and welcoming … you are AWESOME!

To Larry (the volunteer) you are an incredible man … an amazing volunteer and you made the stop in San Diego well worth it!  Larry Thank YOU!

Afterwards I drove from San Diego to Bakersfield … made it through all of the LA traffic with only a few “glitches”. 

Now here getting ready for a fun day tomorrow!

Well the day started out early enough … on the road from Thousand Oaks, CA, I drove to San Diego … and arrived in San Diego early enough to have some down time.

Today was a REST DAY! In San Diego, I took a bicycle ride for a couple of hours and did a surprise “drop in” at the SD Blood Bank.  

I met 3 wonderful staff who were very friendly! I want to say a special “Thank You” to Nancy, Sam, and Jenny for making me feel so  ”welcome”!

After that visit to SDBB … I rode my bicycle over to the “Midway” and met LCommander Ralph and Getrude Sage, Ralph thank you for your many years of Naval service, and to Gertrude … I want to  thank you for taking care of Ralph for 59 years!  Wow!

It was amazing to listen to Lt Commander Sage speak about his experiences while serving in the Navy (he sure knows the history of the Naval battles) … however … I had a lot of fun talking to Gertrude (who was sitting in a chair at the back of the crowd gathered around listening to her husband of 59 years!) 

I said to her … “you look like you’ve heard this talk a few times before?”  She laughed and we started up a conversation about how they always do everything together, however, her legs hurt if she stands up there with him.  She said that when he’s done they’ll go out for a beer and then dinner afterwards.  … So I decided to wait for a break in his talk … to take a picture with him and her … (check out the photos on Facebook)

While I was waiting for Ralph to finish his talk, I rode over to the “huge” statute of the sailor kissing a beautiful girl to take a picture next to it and a couple came up … so I asked if they could take a picture for me … he said “yes” and he did …  then his wife noticed that we both has the same kind of “leg scars”, so we took a picture of “our scars”! 

So a great big “Thank You” to George Stears (who is a survivor also) … who said he had family who lived in Santa Rosa, CA! (Small world, eh?)

I was able to talk to Jon Gunderson today (Jon is a fellow cross country challenge cyclist from Phase 1) he might be able to visit with me tomorrow at the SD Blood Bank …

Also I was able to hook up with Doug Reinhardt and his wife (Doug is the ride along who was with me the night of my accident and actually saved my life … if he hadn’t been there … I would have bled to death, before anyone else could have gotten to me.) 

While I’m thanking people … A special thank you to Jen Shoffner, was has been volunteering as the LAA 2010 publicist and decided that it would be a good thing to spend a week with me on the road and on the front lines at the blood centers from Albuquerque, NM, to Bakersfield … she has done a wonderful job of “tying the loose ends together” for all the blood centers PR/Marketing staff!  She also was very involved in Ability Across California 1995, and Life Across America 1996! Thank you, Jen!

I’m now getting ready for a blood drive tomorrow at the SD Blood Bank … and, then afterwards,  I will be driving up to Bakersfield to try to stay ahead of the curve … so let me count how many days/stops are left?

San Diego, Bakersfield, (NAS Lemoore and Fresno), Stockton, Eugene, OR, and Eureka, CA.

So I’m seeing 6 days plus a rest day or two in the middle … but, who is counting, eh?

Today I was in San Luis Obispo, CA, at the United Blood Services Central Coast blood center having a enjoyable time being of service to the SLO community by greeting and thanking their blood donors … also cycling with several of their local SLO cyclists!

Wow! I keep saying this … every day I think it can’t get any better … yet it does! Today I am in San Luis Obispo and at the UBS Central Coast Blood Center … what incredible staff they have here … and their donors are beyond amazing … I love them!

I also want to say thank you to Vicki Finson(CEO), Mona, Janna, Paul, Mark, Martha, Chris, Ginger, and the rest of their amazing staff … a BIG thank you for all you do to save lives!

Today they coordinated a “donor appreciation” day … and a 10 mile bicycle ride with the local SLO cyclists … I was invited to ride along and it was a lot of fun … to be with cyclists who afterward … donated their time and their blood to help save lives … check out the pix on Facebook … I think you’ll agree that everyone was having a good time … giving back to their local SLO community.

Thank you to UBS and “thank you” to Chris … the TV reporter from Channel 12 News KCOY … for stopping by to do a story about promoting the awareness of the need for BLOOD.

Afterwards I drove down to Thousand Oaks … to spend the night here and then drive to San Diego first thing tomorrow morning … getting ready for their blood drive on Tuesday, 7Sep10.

Another incredible day on the road … this time we stopped to visit the LifeStream blood Center in San Bernardino, CA.

It was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed meeting, thanking and talking with the many donors who were there giving the “gift of life”.

The staff I met were some of the friendliest, open hearted people I’ve met on the trip so far … a special mention to Mary Grace who was the first person to greet us as we came into their blood center.  Mary thank you so much for your warm friendly greeting and the big  “welcome to LifeStream” smile … you are AWESOME!

A special thank you to Dr. Rick Axelrod, Piper Close, Don Escalante for the very warm and informative tour of their facility … what a wonderful place to work (way to go staff) and an even more relaxed place to “give blood” … it was an awe-inspiring tour as I looked at the decorations … the incredible pictures of past recipients … and … felt the warm atmosphere created by Dr Axelrod and his top notch staff … thank you to each of them for the wonderful job they do on a daily basis … you ROCK!

To each of the donor that I met today … you are HEROES … you are AWESOME … and do amazing things to help save blood recipient’s lives and with some warm, kind, generous attitudes!

Don’t forget the “giving blood saves live” … yet … it also “saves families” … as 3 of my children will confirm (if asked) since they were born after “the accident” …

I am so happy to be alive … and … to be able to associate with such incredible, kind, giving people … what an awe-inspiring segment of America you are … THANK YOU!

After the visit at LifeStream … came to “uninspiring” part of the day … driving on Hiway 101 up to San Luis Obispo.  Don’t get me wrong it was a beautiful drive along California’s awesome coast … yet I was stuck in Labor Day traffic … OUCH!

Yet  I made it and I’m now in San Luis Obispo in a beautiful, quaint INN … so all’s well … looking forward to meeting the UBS staff and donors at their Central Coast facility tomorrow!  Talk to you later!

Here we are in Las Vegas, NV, at their big convention center at a blood drive hosted by United Blood Systems and Las Vegas Metro Police Department …

It’s been an awesome day and I’ve met so many police officers who came out to donate blood … a special thanks to Sgt. RP and Richene Plumber … who worked very hard with United Blood Systems and Nancy to make sure this was a very successful event.

Thank you to Harrah’s for their hospitality … it’s been an amazing day surrounded by incredible men and women … who are the top 5% of Americans … I am so grateful for this opportunity to say “thank you” all of my law enforcement comrades who took the time to give the “gift of life” … You are all amazing … and … before I forget to say it … “BE SAFE”.

Today we were in Las Vegas, NV, at the Convention Center, on a blood drive with LVMPD (Metro PD) … it was an incredible time with so many awesome “donors” … and the UBS staff were the “best” … Thank you to Nancy, Sgt. RP Plumber, Richene, Darren(UBS), Bernhard, Paul, Lonnie and Larry(her cat) , and Brian (Maverick Aviation) You are AWESOME!

As soon as we leave the blood drive we will be driving to San Bernardino, CA … looking forward to talking to you later!

Today I was in Scottsdale, Phoenix and Tempe, AZ … visiting the incredible United Blood Services staff, headquarters, lab components staff, visiting with Tempe Police officers at the blood drive in the Tempe Police building downtown.  I met an officer today (Scott) who is an inspiration to all of us … he is a survivor … and a recipient … he was shot 7 times by a bad guy and lived to talk about it … Scott you are one amazing man … thank you for making it back!

It was another amazing day of tours, visiting staff, police officers, donors, survivors and thanking the amazing UBS staff … they are doing an incredible job of gathering and taking care of the “gift of life”, platelets, plasma, RBC’s and other components needed by recipients on a daily basis.

Thank you Sue Thew … you are one amazing lady and it was an honor and a privilege to spend the day with you and your co-workers.

After visiting 4 different locations … I drove to Las Vegas and didn’t get there until 10 p.m. … talk to you tomorrow …