Ryan's Journey of Hope

Day 62: Our 8th And Final Century Day

2008-09-05T20:12:00.000-07:00

The day was brought on by a chilly morning which took a few hours to warm up to. We were heading to Farmville, VA which is a little over one hundred miles away. It is indeed our last century day of the trip, some of the guys are calling it the “last century of their life,” implying they aren’t opposed to the idea of not going 100 miles on a bike ever again. The roads were not bad at all, there was a lot of downhill and winding roads. This morning I changed my tire and was hoping to be clear for the whole day of flats, especially because the day was beautiful, clear of rain and debris. We were the first pace line today and almost to lodging when my tire tube blew with about .2 miles left into lodging. I almost expected it, after all I wouldn’t want to ruin my reputation of most flats on the trip. I think that brought my total to about 15 flats for the trip, way too many.

Lodging was at the Holiday Inn where the local disability center, STEPS Inc., has set everything up for us. They have been very generous in getting us lodging and a great dinner at a local all you can eat restaurant. STEPS Inc. is a company that hires people with disabilities to work at their warehouse where they sew and make clothes and bags for the people serving in Iraq. They were so appreciative of what we are doing that they devoted a hallway in their warehouse that is now full of pictures and plaques to Journey of Hope. Their CEO even flew back from a business trip to greet us and eat with us and some of the people with disabilities at the all you can eat joint.

After a hardy dinner we headed back to the Holiday Inn. Everyone has really been trying to soak up these last few days together. It is going to be tough when we come to a realization that this trip is over. Thankfully for now we are just enjoying every second we have left. Tomorrow we head into Richmond, VA, an 85 mile day.

Day 61: My New Friend Justine

2008-08-21T14:49:00.000-07:00

Picture: Hotel Roanoke, beautiful building and ammenities.

Our day off in Roanoke was a busy one seeing that we had two friendship visits and a team meeting. Morning breakfast was the very selective buffet at the hotel sponsored by Larry and Betty Heaton whose son rode Trans a few years ago. We then left the hotel to Camp Virginia Jaycees, a camp for people living with disabilities. The camp had all the typical camp stuff like fishing, arts and crafts, swimming, and horseback riding. There I got to do crafts with Justine, Rose, and Elize. Elize was about 9 years old and in a wheelchair, she did not have any mouth control so her and I communicated with eye contact and pointing. Rose was an extremely cognitive girl who loved beating me in arm wrestling, she would get the biggest smile and laugh forever after beating me; and then, as if it weren’t embarrassing enough she would tell everyone all about how she beat “the world champion of arm wrestling.” Justine was my buddy for the day, she made sure that her and I sat together for lunch. She would continually have me reassure her that we were friends and loved to yell my name from across the room and point. She would get a little shy and red in the face after we laughed about something, very cute. I asked her to draw me a picture so she drew one of me and wrote both of our names on it, I’m sure it’s a picture Ill have for a long time so I can remember her and that visit. After eating lunch at the camp we headed back to the hotel for some down time.

Picture: Cameron gets to know one of the girls at the art area.

It was back in the vans at 4:45 so we could head to Easter Seals Virginia, another camp for families of people with disabilities. This camp had rock climbing, canoeing, hiking, and other fun activities that families would come with their children with disabilities for a week of fun and relaxation. After taking a tour of the camp grounds we got to meet about five families that had just arrived for their six day stay. After talking with some of the parents over dinner I found that many of the families their come this time every year to get together and reunite with the same families, only one family was new this year. It was neat to interact with the parents of the kids with disabilities because we get to see a different side and perspective as to what it is like to have someone in the family living with a disability.

Picture: Rose beats me once again in the arm wrestling championships.

This evening we had our last team meeting while on the road together, we promised our final one would be in DC after the awards banquet. It is amazing coming to the realization that we are in Virginia and only have 5 days left. Its also sad that it has to come to an end. At pass the water bottle tonight everyone homed on the fact that this amazing Journey is at its end and to soak up every last mile and friendship visit in these last five days. I just can’t believe it, words can’t describe the amazing experience this has been, I know there are going to be a lot of tears from everyone when we hit DC.

Picture: Justine and I are best of friends now. Here is her portrait she drew of me, see a resemblance?

Later Matt, Dan, and I once again took advantage of the fitness gym at the hotel to workout some upper body, I know my arms have definitely shrunk since the trip started. Afterwards everyone was glued to the TV to watch the Olympics. Tonight we witnessed Michael Phelps continue to dominate as well as the US and China compete in gymnastics. Tomorrow we have a 100 mile day to Farmsville, VA, our final century day.

Picture: Cameron and I in the vans on our way to a friendship visit!

Day 60: Fun Times At The Tumble Gym

2008-08-21T14:42:00.000-07:00

You know it’s an unusual morning on the Journey of Hope when you have the option to wake up between eight and eleven thirty. Since our day yesterday was so tough they thought we wouldn’t mind having some time to ourselves this morning. I was up around eight to get breakfast at the cafeteria and many of the guys followed. Another reason we were able to wake up so late is because we only had a 40 mile day. We took off from Virginia Tech University around noon to Roanoke,VA where we will have a day off. After having such a tough day yesterday it was nice that the majority of our ride today was downhill. Today Jude road along with us, he is a graduate of Roanoke College 91’ and a Pi Kappa Phi brother. He was a good cyclist and really enjoyed riding with us.

It was a quick ride into the Roanoke Hotel who donated their rooms to us. This might be the nicest hotel we have stayed at, it has been around since 1873 and they pride themselves on being the best hotel in Roanoke. This evening we had a great time at Pump It Up, a tumble gym with blow up slides and obstacle courses. There we met up with the Down Syndrome Association of Roanoke who brought the kids and their families. We had a blast playing in the tumble gym and on all the blow up toys. I don’t know who had more fun, our team or the kids. I raced Clare about 5 times on the big slide and once on the obstacle course but she beat me every time, I told her I was convinced she had been practicing for this day because clearly she couldn’t be beat.
We ate pizza with the kids and then grabbed ice cream after. Tonight most of us stayed in and watched the Olympics. We have our last day off tomorrow before DC, I can’t believe the trip is coming to an end. Every memory made on this trip been incredible, I feel so fortunate to apart of something so impactful and life changing!

Day 59: Almost Hit By A Deer

2008-08-12T20:16:00.000-07:00

It was a grueling day on the bike as we fought against the toughest areas in the Appalachian Mountains. Every steep downhill was followed by a long steep uphill. Today was a blast though because we got to fly down the backsides of these hills, today I hit my highest speed of the trip at 52 mph. Also, one of the craziest things I have seen all summer happened on our trip. We were riding in our pace line and a deer in the meadow to our right was startled and started bounding in and out of the tall brush with us. All of a sudden the deer sprinted ahead of us and darted into a wooded area where it disappeared. We too went into this wooded area and only 10 seconds after seeing the deer disappear we hear it charging at us and then see it bound over the guard rail and across the road only ten feet in front of us. We were all screaming and for the next 20 miles couldn’t stop talking about the wild experience.

The day continued to only get better as we worked hard on the hills to enjoy the quick descents. Today we crossed the border into Virginia which is supposed to have beautiful riding and is our last state before DC. Later in the ride we rolled through some beautiful rolling grass hills with endless views of relapsing mountains stocked with trees.

Over 6 hours of riding time we got into lodging at the Virginia Tech University around 4 PM. The campus here is very large and full of some beautiful buildings. Right when you come into campus you see the memorial representing the shootings that occurred just this last year on their campus. Tonight we had dinner at the cafeteria and I was starving, I had three plates of food it was so good. After a two hour nap everyone headed out to celebrate Cody’s 21st birthday. We have a late wake-up tomorrow so curfew wasn’t until 2AM!

Day: 58 Bad Roads, Fun Day

2008-08-12T19:51:00.000-07:00

After spending the night in Charleston we had an 80 mile ride to Beckley, WV. We took some of the worst roads we have encountered all trip to get there. The ride today had many steep hills making it clear we were in the Appalachian Mountains. For 30 miles this road we took was full of large potholes, loose gravel, and so much overgrown brush that we would be limited to one lane, I was wishing I had my mountain bike to get through it all. Either way it was a great time adventuring through the ridiculous but scenic road. To finish off the day we had some very long steep climbs that reminded me of when we went through Montana and Wyoming.

It was a longer day on the bike so we didn’t get in until 3:oo pm. We are staying at Mountain State University where they put us up in the dorms there! Our dinner was at the MSCIL, a center that helps people with disabilities start living independently in their communities. Beckley, WV is a small town of about 20,000 and has a pretty little downtown. The mayor and chief of police both welcomed us and we feasted on a wonderful lasagna dinner while many of the guys were interviewed by the local news stations. While at the disability center I got talking to Miles and his mother. Miles has some mental disabilities and mood changes, sometimes he is very mature at his age of 31 and other times he acts only six years old. Talking with his mother I found out Miles was in a car accident ten years ago, so he was exactly my age when he became hospitalized and life changed forever. She told me how he has progressed a lot in the last ten year, he is now walking and has recovered from his brain surgeries in which they had to take out a part of his frontal lobe. In conversations like this I try to focus on the positive and understand what things have been like for Miles and their family; however, inside and I can’t help but feel so saddened by such a tragic situation. Again, another reminder to live everyday to the fullest, you just never know what can happen.

This evening I cleaned and tuned up my bike, I had another flat today so I had to patch some more tubes and change out my tires. Afterwards I did a bunch of updates to my blog and hung out with Dom and Rion. I can’t believe the trip is coming to an end I don’t even want to think about it. Tomorrow we have a real tough 100 mile day into Blacksburg, Virginia.

Day 57: Our First Baseball Game Of The Trip

2008-08-12T19:41:00.000-07:00

It was the first time in a while that we made it to breakfast on time while staying at a hotel which meant good things considering being late means waking up 30 minutes early. The ride today was an easy 55 miles with steep rolling hills as we continued to push farther into the Appalachian Mountain Range.

At noon we had an arrival at the Children’s Therapy Clinic, a small clinic that focuses on learning with all type of disabilities in ages 2 thru 18. This visit was especially fun because we got to play with a bunch of the little kids that attend there. There were two boys I talked with; the 3 year old had down syndrome and the 6 year old had autism. Both of the boys were really well behaved and all smiles when we played. The clinic served us pizza for lunch while we hung out with the kids and talked about their favorite cartoons, action figures, and sports. It was a real fun time, I miss being a kid. They then showed us around to different therapy rooms where the kids are able to learn through mental games and physical play. The facility explained how they help people pay the bills that insurance wont on kids with disabilities. I was astounded at how little insurance companies will give for therapy sessions that are crucial in helping develop the kids. If insurance covers even most of therapy costs then your considered very lucky; one of the workers explained that therapy sessions run about $150 per session and can add up to $30,000 a year, that’s just crazy.

After a great session at the Children’s Therapy Clinic we headed over to lodging at the MLK Recreation Center. Dinner tonight was sponsored by Chuck Watt who rode in 1994; he was generous enough to take us all to a triple A baseball game and get us all tickets to the buffet line. He was a really nice guy and it was fun exchanging stories about when he rode compared to our trip thus far. That night the home team (West Virginia Power) won big. It was a really entertaining night getting to relax at the game as well as witness two of our cyclists duke it out in a boxing match with oversized gloves during the 7th inning stretch.

Everyone was real tired after the game and headed to bed quickly after returning. I had to patch some blown tubes as well as re-lube my chain from the water we encountered this morning. Soon after I joined everyone and fell fast asleep.

Day 56: The Kentucky Derby

2008-08-12T19:26:00.000-07:00

Today was our last in Kentucky as we took to the road 72 miles to Huntington, West Virginia. The ride this morning reminded me of our second day in Skykomish, WA; it was overcast and misty out. The terrain was on a secondary highway that was lush in trees, grass, and overgrown plants. The ride today was very pretty until we jumped back onto the main interstate. This route is known at Push America as the “Kentucky Derby Day” because of all the dogs that chase you while riding. I don’t think there is a fence law in Kentucky so the dogs around here in the country roam free and can be vicious. They would bark at us and run with us until finally giving up, some of them only within inches of our wheels which was a little scary.

Everyone had a good ride today as we arrived at the Holiday Inn for lodging. Huntington is near Marshall College, a featured movie that shows a tragedy involving their football team in the seventies. For lunch a few of us ate at the famous burger joint Five Men, which had very good burgers and fries. After unpacking and showering we headed to our friendship visit at a local park with the Mountain State Center for Independent Living. They set up funding and help for people with disabilities to live on their own whether that be in a wheelchair or with a mental disability. They sponsored dinner with a catered meal from a local BBQ restaurant. I talked with some of the sponsors and learned a lot about who they were and why they joined that organization. They had a local radio station at the visit playing their live music and talking about Push America the whole time we were there. They interviewed a few of us and encouraged donations over the radio.

After dinner Sloan, Wallis and I lifted in the weight room and later Josh, Sean, and I went out for an hour and talked about how the Journey is going. Tomorrow we only have a 50 mile day, it should be fun as we head into the mountains around here.

Day 55: Are We On The Tour De France?

2008-08-12T19:09:00.000-07:00

The riding today was gorgeous as we headed to our last stop in Kentucky, Morehead, KY. We were served a hot breakfast of eggs, bacon, granola, and fruit sponsored by Dick and Barbara Darmek who had a son do the Journey of Hope two years ago. The ride today led us through some beautiful country roads. It felt like we were on the Tour or something with many maroon and purple overgrown flowers lining each side of the narrow road. The road was full of hairpin turns as we weaved downhill through arching trees at 30 mph, leaning into every turn while admiring the beauty of our ride. It was overcast all day and we eventually encountered thunder showers. We made it about 60 miles today until we had to rack into Morehead to avoid the dangerous weather.

Lodging was at Morehead State University and lunch was put on by the Pi Kappa Phi chapter here. We were greeted by the vice president and dean of the school who were both very excited to have us. We are staying in one of the dorms here which is a nice change from my air mattress. Tonight we had a friendship visit at the park with Horizon Village Riders who brought about ten of their clients. I sat with Debbie, a very social lady who enjoyed poking fun at everyone she talked with. She was very entertaining and quite a loving lady, she had a bit of a speech impediment but was very cognitive of who she was. Dinner was spaghetti with red or white sauce and breadsticks.

Later that evening a bunch of guys went to Buffalo Wings for some discounted wings and to watch Andrew Lewis on ABC’s Americas Got Talent. He is currently in LA doing a photo shoot and some filming with his team of drummers. We definitely miss him on the trip but understand that he can’t break his contract.

Tomorrow we will be in West Virginia as we approach an new mountain range!

Day 54: People With Disabilities Sell Art For Thousands

2008-08-12T18:57:00.000-07:00

Today was our day off in Lexington, KY. We were on our own for breakfast and so my van went to IHOP for breakfast. At 11:45 we headed over to PWM Insurance where Ryan Huff, a past cyclist for Gear Up Florida, and his coworkers came out and to chat and sponsor the meal. We ate deli sandwiches from a local sub restaurant. They were very nice people and I got to talk with their president John who owns some race horses. After talking a while he invited me to sit in his box seats anytime I’m in the area again. I was laughing inside, I was a little overwhelmed with his generosity.

After lunch half of us left for Latitude Arts, an organization politically and personally supporting people with disabilities by giving them opportunities to seek out their artistic skills. They asked us to do a staged arrival for them and the media there. The building is basically a garage that has been extended and made into an art studio. They have about 30 artists with disabilities and are very active in pushing the city for more wheelchair accessible areas. After everyone was introduced they shared with us about how some of the people there have art pieces that are displayed in art shows for thousands of dollars. Becky, one of their artists with down syndrome paints pictures that are going to be displayed in Paris next week. The art at Latitude was very colorful and abstract; it was amazing viewing the beautiful work that the people there created. One of the artists was blind and deaf and made quilts out of cloth, and plastic shopping bags, his pieces go for upwards of $1500 because of how unique they are. A skill and hobby that was once looked down upon in his household is now art that is seen as prestige’s and beautiful at Latitude and in art galleries. It is a powerful thing when you change your mind set to see things in a more positive light; that was so very evident at Latitude today as we looked around at the art.

The rest of my day was spent at the bike shop and later I cleaned and tuned my bike. Dinner was put on by Latitude art at a local Café. The people there were very nice to us and served everyone a free coffee. Tonight we had a team meeting, the realization that there are only 12 days left is pretty unbelievable. During pass the water bottle all the guys talked about how much fun we are having and how the trip has flown by. It was a constant reminder to enjoy everyday and every mile as we get closer into the Appalachian Mountain range.

Day 53: Horse Stables In Kentucky

2008-08-11T11:33:00.000-07:00

Today was a long 90 miles to Lexington, Kentucky. Entering into a new state we found the first half of the ride to be full of steep inclines followed by steep downhills which made the ride tough because of all the effort you put into the inclines. We had a great rolling lunch put on by a Pi Kapp who graduated from Appalachian State University. He made all of us thick sub sandwiches with candy bars and chips, it was very nice alternative to the typical two slices of meat wrap that we usually have when there is not a sponsored lunch.The second half of the ride was amazing though. It flattened out a little as we rolled through some very beautiful country. We passed about 30 miles of horse stables which featured enormous estates and beautiful grass fields. Some of them had crops of corn or tobacco but for the most part each stable would hold many expensive horses that will be used for racing and breeding. Properties were marked by black fences as the main road would sporadically be lined with large trees. Rides like these take the mind off the distance you’re traveling.

We arrived in Lexington, KY, one of the larger downtowns in the state and stayed in a church that put us up for the next two nights. We had some down time after arriving so Sloan, Cerelo, Eric and I went to Starbucks for some iced mochas. We don’t drink much coffee on riding days because it dehydrates you so a Starbucks run was perfect.

That evening we had dinner and a friendship visit. There were about 30 people at the disability center and they served us burgers, coleslaw, and baked beans. We then had a dance and of course enjoyed letting loose with the people with disabilities there, let’s just say the dancing abilities are endless at these kinds of dances.

Afterwards we explored the city which I wasn’t too impressed with, it’s a very different culture out here compared to Seattle and even the other cities we have been too. The University of Kentucky is nearby but we never got a chance to visit it. One thing this state is crazy about are their horses. There are names of streets, statues, and pictures all over the place of famous derby horses.

Day 52: Karaoke Night!!

2008-08-11T11:24:00.000-07:00

This we awoke at the University of Miami in Ohio as we prepared for a short 40 mile ride to Cincinnati, OH. It is funny how short today felt, I remember training and considering this long of a ride as one of my longer training rides. After riding all these miles a 40 mile day seems like a warm up in comparison. It was indeed a short day on the bike and a pretty one at that. The day got hot fast and soon enough we were at a park for lunch. At this park Robby Eisenstein bought subway and power bars for all of us. The lunch was a nice finish to a short day.
We then headed to lodging at one of the Recreation Centers in Cincinnati. There was an outdoor pool and 10 of us did some swimming which felt great with it being so warm out. A few of us played a friendly game of “sharks and minnows” with some of the local kids that were begging us to play.

Dinner was pizza sponsored by Anne Stuart and the disability organization that we sang karaoke with. It was a full two hours of Karaoke, some of the people with disabilities had some beautiful voices. We always have a good time when karaoke is involved, everyone starts singing all the oldies and bringing back the songs that were such a huge part of our lives in middle school.

Soon after our visit I quickly hit the pillow for some shut eye. Tomorrow we will be heading into Kentucky, now that the states are smaller we have been entering and exiting states rather quickly, it’s very exciting!

Day 51: 100% Humidity

2008-08-11T11:18:00.000-07:00

Today we awoke in Indianapolis, IN after having a great day off. Everyone’s legs are usually feeling fresh after a day off, making it a little easier to cycle through the day. Wake up was at 6AM followed by a sponsored breakfast put on by Lisa Swiontek which included bagels, coffee, fruit and pop tarts! It was a hot one out today with 100% humidity and a high of about 87 degrees. The terrain was beautiful as we took the back country roads to make our way to Oxford, OH. The ride today was 85 miles but with the tail wind made it feel even shorter. A lot of us were cruising at about 25 mph for much of the day. The countryside today went for miles landscaped with corn fields and soy bean plants giving the appearance of thousands of acres of rolling green hills, very pretty.

Today we had a road side lunch with which included the usual turkey wraps with chips and Gatorade. We arrived in Oxford around 2 PM and headed straight for lodging at Miami of Ohio University where the local Pi Kappa Phi chapter found a lodge for us to stay in for the night. After everyone arrived we headed over to the Pi Kappa Phi chapter for showers and dinner. They served up some hot dogs, burgers, beans, and pasta salad for the whole team. It was cool to see that about 25 of their chapter brothers showed up to support us even though only 5 are living at their chapter house for the summer.

Tonight we were able to hang out with some of the other Pi Kapps from this university and really get to know them better. It was a very enjoyable night for everyone, even though it felt like 95 degrees because of the humidity here. Tomorrow we will be heading to Cincinnati, OH in one of our shortest days of the trip, 40 miles.

Day 50: Noble Friendship Picnic

2008-08-11T11:10:00.000-07:00

We all got to sleep in this morning because of our day off in Indianapolis. We had a bagels and orange juice from Pinero Bread Inc that was sponsored by Tammy Shanklin who has a step-son that did the Journey of Hope. We then left for a friendship visit at the Noble of Indiana
There they had many signs made for us and were very excited to have us there. These kinds of visits are always more fun when the center is organized and sets up a lot for us to do. While we were there we had guys playing whiffle ball, bingo, karaoke, doing art, and gardening with the people with disabilities. I was in the Bingo group and my table had Allen, Stephen, Wndy and Randall who all didn’t talk much because of their disabilities. It is sometimes a challenge to have individuals like this but I finally got Stephen to crack some smiles by joking around with him as I helped them all play bingo.

While there we had a surprise visit from our cycling coach Dean Peterson who had ridden with us for the first few days in Seattle. He lives in Indianapolis coaches for a local college that has the best cycling team in the nation. Unfortunately he had some appointments that day so his visit was short lived, either way it was great seeing him.

Dinner was sponsored at Marry Kelley’s house, a mom to a cyclist that rode in 2006. She cooked a great Mexican dinner which is always a popular craving between the guys. We also had a mail drop this evening in which I received a package from my girlfriend Katie which was full of snacks and some new cloths! That will be a nice change from the same stuff I have been wearing all summer as well as the same snacks at crew stops.

Tomorrow we wake up at 6 so we can make our way into Ohio.

Day 49: Wheelchair Basketball

2008-08-11T11:04:00.000-07:00

We awoke at the Pi Kappa Phi house on the University of Indiana campus to lots of rain. This morning we had eggs, bacon, and fruit for breakfast and were greeted by Phil Summers, former National President of Pi Kappa Phi and winner of the prestigious Mr. Pi Kappa Phi award. He had just flown in from Supreme Chapter, one of Pi Kappa Phi’s biggest awards receptions, in Denver where he updated us on how the Build America trip went. He then talked about the importance of Push America and Journey of Hope for our organization and for the people we touch. He was a very good speaker and it was an honor to get to have him join us for the morning.

We then headed out to a very rainy day that would thankfully be a little shorter than normal. Our route took us 55 miles to Indianapolis, IN as it rained for much of the morning. Even though it was a wet one many of us were just thankful it isn’t 100 degrees with 100% humidity because that is very tough to cycle in.

Lodging is at Indiana University and Purdue University of Indiana, a school combining the universities as an alternate campus with specific majors. We stayed in the freshman dorm lounges and were excited to have a day off in Indianapolis and explore.

The best part of the day was when we headed to a community recreation center that had a basketball court. There we met up with the local wheelchair basketball team. We got to have a spaghetti dinner with them and hear some of their stories. The league they play in is two below the professional level in their respected sport. Many of them had only been playing for 3-5 years and yet were good enough to travel as a team to different tournaments around the country. They were telling me they travel locally and out of state and recently were in Las Vegas for the biggest tournament of the year. These guys were real cool, one of them played in the Olympics in Sydney, he was incredibly quick and obviously no one could come close to guarding him. The ages of the team ranged from 15-45, all the guys were really good and when faced against the Journey of Hope team we didn’t stand a chance.

I got to talk with a 15 year old kid named Ryan who was the youngest of everyone and swatted me multiple times while he was on defense. He was a really neat kid and told me he is trying to do better in school and stay out of trouble so that he can get back the basketball wheelchair that the team had loaned him until he found himself being disciplined at school. It’s always inspiring to watch those with physical disabilities engage in sports because its such an outlet for them. They really get into it and take pride in the abilities they have even though they are in a chair; I love seeing how motivated they are.

Since we have a day off tomorrow we were able to go explore the city. We had a great time at one of the Piano bars downtown. I had never been to one and so it was a blast hearing song requests from the crowd that were then played by dueling piano players on stage. It was a great night and tomorrow we got to sleep in until 9 AM!

Day 48: University of Indiana Hoosiers

2008-08-11T10:56:00.001-07:00

It was a beautiful ride and misty morning on our way to Bloomington, IN. We once again made our way through the flat and green country roads. I got another flat today which was a little frustrating and I ended up needing a new tire because I had worn it until it was no longer usable. Our 70 mile ride took us to Indiana University, home of the Hoosiers, where we would stage up for our arrival at a friendship visit with Stone Belt.

When we rolled in there were a ton of clients and staff of the disability center welcoming us. They served a cafeteria style lunch for everyone as we got to know the people there. I spent most of my time there hanging out with Joy who was an older lady in a wheel chair with some disabilities I am not sure about. She was very aware of everything but seemed a bit slow. Her and I played all the activities the center had set up like bean bag toss, bowling, duck fishing, and bingo. After every activity she would say, “thank you thank you;” she was so sweet and very enjoyable to be around.

After the friendship visit we headed to lodging which was at the Pi Kappa Phi house on the Greek Row at Indiana University. The university here is 30% greek which is enormous especially for a school of its size (about 35,000 students). So as you could imagine all the greek fraternity and sororities are large mansions. I could not believe how many houses there were and the size of all of them. The Pi Kapp chapter was enormous as well and I heard it’s the biggest chapter house of Pi Kappa Phi in the nation. Inside and out the house was very elegant and clean. We slept in the beds provided on the top floor and also ate dinner there as well.
After eating steaks we watched the show America’s Got Talent because one of the cyclists on the team (Andrew Lewis) is competing in it with his drum team. They did really good and the judges voted them to stick around for another round. That show was a recording so Andrew is still cycling with us but its possible that he may have to leave us for a few days to do some recording for the show.

Tonight Joel, Sartin, and I rode our bikes and toured the campus; it was a very different feeling being on the bike at a leisure state plus the campus was really neat. Tomorrow we will be in Indianapolis, IN and have a day off.

Day 47: Happiness Bag Inc.

2008-08-11T10:43:00.000-07:00

I was off the bike today because of my broken spoke that wasn’t able to be repaired in the small town of Effingham. I rode with Jay today so I could make sure I got my spoke fixed by the end of the day. He and I had a fun time in the car; he doesn’t have anyone ride with him for the most part so I think he was really enjoying some company. Jay and I rode ahead of everyone to Terre Haute, Indiana where we dropped my wheel off at a bike shop and set up arrangements with the police escort and lodging. The guys rode 80 miles today and I heard the ride went great.

Jay and I met up with the team at stage up and soon after we rode into Indiana State University for a sponsored lunch and some media interviews. We had sandwiches at one of the cafeterias there until we had to leave for lodging only a few blocks away. Tonight we stayed at Mr. and Mrs. Steve Pontius’ house who own a spacious home that once was a Pi Kapp house. They have owned the house for many years and acquired it after the Pi Kapp chapter there was shut down. Steve works on the board for the university and is a Pi Kapp alumnus. Their house was beautiful and big as you can imagine; they showed us before and after pictures of all the remodeling they did.

In the afternoon I picked up my bike wheel from the shop, the guy told me I was about due for a new one. I sometimes forget how much stress we are putting on these bikes because of riding them at high mileages every day.

Tonight’s friendship was held at the Happiness Bag Inc. They sponsored a pork sandwich dinner and had about 30 people with disabilities there for us to hang out with. Tonight’s entertainment included karaoke and dancing. They hired a DJ and we sang songs and danced for almost two hours. It’s so funny dancing with the women there because many of them ask if you will be their boyfriends. Personally I had 3 women with disabilities either say they wanted to take me home with them or be their new boyfriend. Its really quite funny some of them are very aggressive and some just want to slow dance and hug! The team always has a blast at the dances we have, it’s a great way to interact with everyone. There were some hilarious solos that some of our guys got up there to sing. Dancing and singing is a great way for people with disabilities to really let loose and have some fun, some of them get really into it and other just love to bounce in place and smile! The Happiness Bag sent us on our way with some T-Shirts which I will definitely add to my collection of various T’s given to us at other organizations.

That night Ben, Grant, and I were a little hungry and found our way to a nearby Pub with half price appetizers. They are both guys on the crew so it was good getting to hang with the both of them for the night. We all reflected on how the trip is going and some of our favorite things about it. This summer is really hard to beat, it’s truly the best summer I have ever had. I am thankful to ride tomorrow and get back into the mix of things, we will be going to Bloomington!

Day 46: Another New State, Another Broken Spoke

2008-08-08T19:25:00.000-07:00

Today we left St. Louis in pursuit for another state. Our 110 mile ride would lead us to Effingham, Illinois. It took a while to get out of the city until we were close to the border of Missouri and Illinois. We crossed into Illinois over a large bridge built over the Mississippi River. This bridge was a “biking only” bridge which we thought was pretty cool, this section of the Mississippi was pretty wide and you could see St. Louis in the background. Immediately crossing into Illinois we encountered a ton of corn fields and soy bean farms. I am still amazed at how much corn our country produces. Thinking about it now though most foods have corn in it, also soy bean is an excellent and healthy source of protein so its no wonder there is so much of it.
The ride today was extremely flat, unfortunately I was only able to ride 80 miles of it. I broke a spoke on my back wheel again and so I had to rack the rest of the day. It was a beautiful day though and lunch was sponsored by one of the moms of our crew member, Jesse. She ordered us sandwiches from the Panera Bred Co., a very tasty sandwich. About mile 90 the day was getting really hot, I was just sweating standing outside. The guys rolling into the crew stops were looking exhausted so we tried to encourage them to keep the finish in sight, it was so close!

Everyone made it to Effingham and after showering we unpacked at Grant Coordinator Arc of Teutopolis where we would have our friendship visit and be staying for the night. This small town didn’t have a bike shop so it was looking like I wasn’t going to be able to get my wheel fixed and would have to rack tomorrow as well. I had the pleasure of meeting the president and his wife of the Arc who are both cyclists themselves. They were a very nice couple, they tried calling all their friends looking for someone to help me but were not able to find anyone. I appreciated their help and really enjoyed getting acquainted with them.

Dinner was pizza and a friendship visit at the Arc and I with a guy who told me all about his family and their farm. I never realized how much work goes into keeping a crop profitable and managed. That evening we had a team meeting and had an easy going night at the Arc. A few of us caught some ice cream late at night with a little DQ Blizzard! It looks like tomorrow Ill be off the bike again which really kills me, its so much fun being on the road with everyone. We will be going to Terre Haute, Indiana making it a very short visit in Illinois. Our stop in Illinois is in the southern part of the state; I was really wishing we could detour up to Chicago, I’ve heard it’s a very lively city.

Day Off In St. Louis

2008-08-08T18:59:00.000-07:00

Before heading to the friendship visit we ate at the breakfast buffet at the Hilton. Jesse’s aunt sponsored the breakfast which was very generous of her seeing that it was very expensive. Our friendship visit was at a local park with the St. Louis Arc and St. Louis Society. We played human basketball, washers, whiffle ball, and some board games. Karen and I got to know each other really well, she lives on her own and is in a wheelchair. Her and I played lawn basketball and had a great time even though it was very warm out. They provided a subway lunch and soon after a bunch of us headed to a bike shop for some repairs.

This evenings dinner was put on by Jay’s family, they had about 50 people at their lovely home and served a catered dinner. Jay’s our project manager and his family has deeply embraced Push America and the Journey of Hope. It was inspiring talking to his dad and mom about what the Journey means to them and how much time they have become involved in it. I love hearing about stories like these, they get me excited to support great organizations in Push America in the future.

After a wonderful visit at the Holley’s house we had some down time. There was a free outdoor concert only 6 blocks from us that just so happened to be a band I really enjoy known as One Republic. Dan, Max, and I headed to the concert and caught the last end of it. Afterwards was a one of the best firework shows I have ever seen!
Tomorrow we will be entering the state of Illinois! I cant wait!

Day 45: 22 Flats!!

2008-08-08T18:31:00.000-07:00

Rain rain rain. All day it poured on us as we headed into St. Louis. Before beginning our 55 mile day we Nathan’s parents sponsored our breakfast by making eggs, bacon, homemade donuts, fruit, and juice. Shortly after leaving the rains came pouring down. It was so rainy that at times the visibility was only about 15 feet at best. Regardless, we had a great time going riding in the rain; it kept us cool and took our minds off the difficult times in the ride. With the weather acting up for the whole day everyone seemed to be getting flats, I had two today. Total by the end of the day there were 22 flats between everyone which easily set a record for the most in a day.

We had a large arrival and escort into St Louis as much of Jay’s family and friends were there, along with a few other family of guys on the team. I didn’t get to ride into the arrival because I got a flat in the very first 2 minutes after stage up and had to quickly pull over and throw my bike on the van so we could keep moving with the police escort. Lunch was an upscale pizza feed at Vito’s Pizza, sponsored by Dominic’s parents, a cyclist on our team. After we headed for lodging at the Hilton in downtown St. Louis right next to the famous Arch. Jay’s uncle is in the hotel business and was able to hook us up with rooms in the Hilton.

Dinner tonight was provided by Jay Stuckel, a University of Missouri grad and very active and committed member of Pi Kappa Phi. He and his family made some wonderful homemade food and were very hospitable. That night we went out and explored the downtown nightlife. St. Louis was a pretty fun and active city. Tomorrow we have a day off, I’m excited for a friendship visit at the park.

Day 44: T-Storm Warnings

2008-08-08T18:19:00.000-07:00

It was a wild day for myself and all the guys as we headed to Union, MO. Our ride today was 80 miles however I only rode the first 10 of them. I had to rack after my clip broke; see last night I tried to replace them so I could have new ones for today but found that I had bought the wrong ones. So this morning I tried to ride on them and within the first 10 miles the plastic broke, forcing me to rack because I kept coming out of the clips every time I took a pedal stroke. It was defiantly frustrating having to rack, it is always more fun being on the bike. That was my crazy part of the day, the team however would encounter some of our harshest weather yet. There was a thunder storm warning this morning that was heading straight for our path. It wasn’t until mile 50 that the storm came in. The guys had to get off their bikes and get in the vans as the thunder and lightning rolled in quick. Some of the pace lines were far to far from the vans so they had to take ditch their bikes and take cover; one pace line was invited into a very generous man’s house. They stayed very warm, and got coffee! The storm passed right over us as we heard thunder going off immediately after lightning strikes, it was really exciting. The storm lasted about 30 minutes and the guys got back on their bikes after we hadn’t seen lighting for about 20 minutes.

It sounded like the rest of the day was really fun, we passed many brick houses that made up the area outside Union. I tried to encourage the guys all day at the crew stops since I couldn’t be on the bike. Lodging today was at Union High School and pizza for lunch was sponsored there by the Pi Kapp Chapter from Truman State University. I went to the bike shop again to get those new clips I needed but they didn’t have the style my pedals fit into. Thankfully Matthew Sartin had an extra pair and let me have them, Matt is a great guy and has some incredible life accomplishments and stories he has shared on the trip with us like how he lost 60 pounds a few years ago. Hopefully in the next town I can get him some new ones if the bike shop there carries them.

Dinner tonight was sponsored by some very nice men that were a part of the Union Rotary Club. They brought in some catered food that we ate at this restaurant in oldtown. We didn’t have a friendship visit tonight so we headed back to lodging where a bunch of guys got on the computers and did their laundry. Tomorrow we leave for St. Louis!

Day 43: Rollin Into The Capital Of Missouri

2008-08-08T18:13:00.000-07:00

It was another overcast morning as we left Sedaliea, Missouri heading for the capital in Jefferson City. Our 70 mile day was full of hills and views of old large estates sitting on huge green farms with man-made ponds. I rode with Nathan who is from Missouri and he said there is a lot of old money in many parts of Missouri mostly because of the railway that used to run through Missouri as well as these large farm estates. We also passed through many tiny towns of 300 people or less, many of them seem about half abandoned. It is kind of creepy rolling through these tiny towns; it feels like we are trespassing or something. We were also chased by about 5 loose dogs today, Nathan said people around here just don’t have fences and let their dogs roam free. He also mentioned a lot of problems will come of neighbors dogs fighting to the death resulting in some sort of lawsuit.

During the ride today we caught two of the crew guys sleeping in the van at a crew stop so we decided to get them good. We opened the door of the van and started yelling as loud as possible at these guys, trying to scare them. They were so freaked out they jumped out of the van and started screaming themselves. It was quite hilarious and even better to relive in the video we took of it. Arriving a mile from the capital we met up with the police who then escorted us into Jefferson City and the capital. Many people from the disability center greeted us as well as representatives from the capital. The media interviewed a bunch of the Missouri guys and then we headed for lunch.

Lunch was sponsored by Richard Nagel at the St. Peter Catholic Church. They served us fried chicken, mashed potato, and biscuits a very hardy meal. We then headed to lodging at Lincoln University of Missouri where we stayed on the floor of their gym. After showering I headed with a bunch of the guys to the bike shop for some repairs and tubes. I had another flat today and have needed to repay other guys with tubes as well as stock up myself, I can hardly go every other day without a flat.

Dinner tonight was sponsored by Jerry Dowell, a representative of the Pi Kapp chapter from University of Missouri. We had the typical summer bbq, burgers with chips and potato salad. Tonight I had to replace my clips on my cycling shoes so I can ride tomorrow and stay clipped in while riding. The gym is air conditioned so we should get a comfortable sleep; tomorrow we head for Union, MO.

Day 42: A New State with New Terrain

2008-08-06T20:08:00.000-07:00

This morning started off great with a sponsored breakfast courtesy of Ozan Kumru a Kansas University grad who rode in 04’ and was looking to support the team with a good breakfast. After eating some delicious bagels, fruit, and orange juice we had our daily circle up in which Jay went over the mileage, route, and terrain for the day. After a morning prayer we all buckled up our helmets and prepared for a police escort out of Olathe, with how well the city treated us in our time spent there it was only fitting they led us out in style. The day called for 90 miles into Sedalia, Missouri and most everyone was feeling up to it after yesterday’s rest.

The ride today was very interesting full of surprises and new encounters. Weather was humid and warm; however, the occasional clouds would roll in, giving us a break from the blistering sun. We were told that entering Missouri would be quite a different experience from the other states we encounter all summer. Jay said we would be chased by stray dogs, near run over by angry drivers, and the roads would be crowded with debris. By the end of our day all three of these had come true. One group was chased by a dog but luckily they scared the thing away, soon after we were repeatedly yelled at by an angry driver who seemed to think cyclists were of the devil, and later in the day the shoulder on the interstate seemed like a 40 mile booby-trap as we dodged the debris and rocks. The final surprise of the day was when Jay called and notified us that our 90 mile day turned into 105. The miles were longer than expected but everyone had a great attitude and finished without any complaints. Lunch today was sponsored by Rion Shippy’s family; Rion is one of the cyclists on the team and we got to eat lunch at his high school and share delicious cold cut sandwiches and other homemade goods.

We arrived in Sedalia at 4:30 making it one of our longest days on the bike, 6:30AM - 4:30PM. Our lodging is in a large multi-purpose building at the park and recreation center. After a quick shower we had a chicken and pork dinner sponsored by a local bike shop and disability center. The food was great and it was nice to be able to get to interact with the people in this community. After dinner we headed as a team to get some ice cream, one of the more popular things we do together. Returning from ice cream guys were passing out quickly. Everyone was exhausted from the long day. Tomorrow we have a 5 AM wake-up so it is crucial to get that beauty sleep needed on the bike for the next day. Hopefully the roads won’t be as bad and if they are then we will get through them as a team, just like we have been doing the whole trip. What a fun summer!!

Day 41: Incredible Come-Back Story

2008-08-06T13:21:00.000-07:00

This morning we awoke at the school for the blind where 8 volunteers made us hot omelets, they were all very friendly I can’t get over how hospitable the Kansas community has been to us. Many of the women there were at our arrival and work for the city in supporting people with disabilities within their community. We then started our busy day off by jumping in the vans and heading to a friendship visit that had about 30 people with all different disabilities. I got to know Steve and Jewels who both had mental and physical disabilities. We had a fun time playing food bingo with 5 others. Steve was the reigning champ, really no one could stop him after shutting the rest of us out by three games. They sponsored us a lunch and then we headed to another friendship visit at a different center where we played Bingo. We were there for about an hour and a half until we rushed to our next event.

The next part of the day had me just amazed for the rest of the day. We went to Mark Cameron’s house, he set organized our whole day for us and has an amazing story. He is a quadriplegic that basically lives independently. He was out at a boys weekend when he jumped off the deck head first into three feet of water. He instantly broke his neck and became paralyzed; that was 4 years ago. Since then he has made an unexplainable amount of progress that even the doctors don’t understand. It was clear to me how he did it though; he was most of the determined guys I have ever met. I left Mark’s house wanting to be more like him. His doctors told him he would never live independently and now he does; he has someone sleep with him at his house to help him roll over at night but that is it.

His house was revolutionary, everything is accessible for him, and he is paralyzed it’s just amazing. His TV doors, computer, and lights are voice controlled. He surfs the web with a dot on his head that reflects onto the screen so he can control it with the movement of his head. He types using the pointer of the mouse on an on screen keyboard. He can move easily through his whole house by using a pulley system he invented in which he sits in a chair that is strung to the ceiling which allows him to move from room to room because of the tracks that are drilled into the ceiling. Mark was a true example of what it looks like to battle adversity and make the best of life and the situations that arise, however hard or easy they may be. I could talk about Mark and what an inspiration he is for two more pages; the guy has heart, we should all try to find things in our life to motivate us like Mark does, a positive makes a world of difference. Another cool thing he had was a bike in which he uses electro-stimulation to move his legs while sitting on this expensive adaptive bike. He exercises for 2 hours 4 times a week and his doctors can’t believe how good his lunch capacity is, they never thought he would come off a breathing tube after the first two years, so rad.

That night we ate at Texas Road House, a popular steak house. We were sponsored by Mark for dinner and had a great time eating great food and square dancing with the waitresses, an hourly tradition at the Texas Road House. It was a delicious meal and real fun day. This trip is so fun I can’t even begin to describe it. All the guys on the team are outstanding individual which makes the trip all the better. Tomorrow we head for Missouri, another new state!!!!

Day 40: Olathe…The Friendliest City

2008-08-06T13:09:00.000-07:00

Today we were very busy on and off the bike. We left Topeka this morning and got into Olathe 75 miles later, one of the friendliest cities we have visited thus far. The ride was a very scenic and green full of rolling hills and steep climbs. Today was an exciting one for the KU guys on the team. We took a little detour and made our way to Lawrence, KS home of the KU National Champions. Their greek houses were huge and the campus, though hilly, was really nice. The KU guys showed us around their nice house and gave us some history about the campus. It’s really interesting seeing other college campuses and comparing them all to each other and to WSU. Some of the KU cyclists had family in Olathe so some of them set up one of our crew stops and stocked it with fresh fruit and baked goods, this was quite a treat!

We then jumped back on the bike and headed to Olathe, KS. This town really went above and beyond to make us feel comfortable and welcome. It all started with a large welcoming of about 100 people waiting for us. As usual the media was there and I had an opportunity to be interviewed by NBC! They had a banquet style set up awaiting us with cold cuts from a local sub shop. Before eating a representative for the mayor made a big speech welcoming us to Olathe and thanking us for the awareness we are raising. I guess this town has a high population of people with disabilities and they really pride themselves on where they live and how they treat others. They declared the day (July 20th) as Push America day which really showed their appreciation for our organization and how much they believe in it.

After lunch we toured a building and outdoor area dedicated to the Santa Fe Trail. This place was one of the original stopping spots for the Santa Fe trail back when they would travel in covered wagons. After checking the place out I couldn’t really imagine living in those times, either way it was a cool attraction to visit.

Lodging this evening was at the Kansas School for the Deaf, the largest School for the deaf in the US. There they had dormitories set up for us to stay in. They also brought in some muscle therapy professionals that massaged wherever we had aches and pains. I had the guy do my calves and hamstrings and I wanted to scream bloody murder it hurt so badly. It was good though, he got rid of a bunch of knots.

That evening Matt Wulff’s family hosted dinner for us at their house. They had a beautiful place in an urban neighborhood. Matt is one of the cyclists on the team that goes to KU and has grown up in Olathe almost his whole life. They served some very beefy steaks along with some of the best twice baked potato’s that I have ever had. A bunch of us went downstairs to eat in the entertainment room followed by an immediate nap while watching Ocean’s 11.

Tonight we have a day off so half the team drove downtown to explore Kansas City. We walked around the Electric and Light district, a brand new area in the city that is real popular. The place was really neat and you could tell very new from the looks of all the restaurants and bars in the area. Tomorrow is our day off and we get to sleep in until 8:30!

Day 39: What A Beautiful Country

2008-08-01T17:12:00.000-07:00

Picture: Typical terrain for the day.

Today was one of my top 5 favorite days on the bike thus far. We traveled 70 miles today from Emporia, KS to Topeka, KS. We took the back country roads today which are always a nice breather from the typical business of an interstate. The country out here in western KS is beautiful; our route took us through the beautiful area known as The Flint Hills. It’s not the same beauty of the mountains in the Northwest but has its own beauty of open country. Here there are large grazing farms with a ton of cows, I guess this side of the state gets more rain so the land out here is very green with lots of rolling hills and trees. It is a nice change from the flatness of eastern KS, getting to vary speeds keeps the ride more interesting. This morning was a little cloudy but the sunrise was unreal, the sun was a deep orange ball just barely peering over the horizon. Its mornings like this that make this trip addicting, getting to be out in the country with not a soul out and all you hear are the shared noises of the birds waking up and your wheels humming on the pavement as the sun rises at 6AM, sometimes it feels like we are the only ones seeing the sun at this hour.
Picture: Dom and I in the early morning.

Today we had a ride along, Tim has been riding with the Trans Team on this particular day since 2004. He works at Kansas State and I think everyone had a good time talking with him; he was an advisor at K-State when there was a chapter there.

Picture: Joel, Me and Paul enjoying the countryside.

With the tail wind we were able to have a faster day on the bike and in no time we were in Topeka. We had an arrival at the TARC, an organization serving people with disabilities in their area, where the staff and some of the KS guys had family that greeted us. Hot dogs and chips were for lunch followed by a shuttle over to the local YMCA so we could get showered up.
We then headed back and a bunch of the guys took a nap. I was exhausted because of how busy we have been the last few days, lacking sleep I accidentally took a 3 hour nap but I guess my body needed it. The TARC then served us some tasty Mexican and pasta dishes for dinner with Wendy’s Frostys for dessert, mmmm good. After dinner everyone headed to watch the Topeka Coyotes play Iowa in an arena football game where we flipped the coin to see who got possession first. I have never been to an arena football game so it was a fun experience for me and all the guys.

Picture: Cheese, Cameron, Eric, Cody, and Myself rolling into the last stretch of the day.

We have 5AM wake-up tomorrow as we head to Olathe where we will have another day off! I’m looking forward to the day off so I can catch up on some blogs and get that extra sleep I have needed.

Picture: It was an intense moment in the game when the Push America team came out onto the field to flip to see who got ball first!