Bullhead City, AZ

Today we covered a total of 110 miles from Las Vegas NV to Bullhead City AZ. We had to rack our bikes to get out of Las Vegas, so the total ride came to about 80 miles. It was another hot day, this time temperatures were over 100 degrees for most of the day. The crew made sure we were drinking plenty of water, and there were no medical issues like there were our first day in the desert. Today’s ride actually seemed pretty easy to me. It’s our first day back on the bikes after our layover day in Las Vegas, so we were well rested, and the terrain was not too challenging. We climbed a total of about 1000 feet in the first 30 miles, but the uphill was so gradual that we hardly noticed it. Before we knew it we were on top of a mountain range and were happily coasting down into Bullhead. The climb was made even easier because our pace line was playing ridiculous road trip games the whole time. We played the “I’m Going Camping game” and a “Four is Constant” game that Tyler taught us. I just lost the game. Unfortunately there wasn’t too much to look at today, but I managed to snap a few pictures.

LAS VEGAS, NV

Vegas was fun :)

Pahrump, NV

6.23.2010

Well, we hit the desert. Today was a 145 mile trip from Barstow CA to Pahrump NV. 60 miles of this trip was on an interstate highway where bicycles were not allowed, so our total ride turned into an 85 mile journey. In the beginning we were making really good time, with an average speed of about 22 miles per hour. Then the sun came out and the wind started picking up and we got slowed down a bit. Todd said there wouldn’t bee too much to look at, but I disagree. There were mountain views on each side of the desert we were passing though which were absolutely beautiful. At one point we passed through a salt flat that looked like it had just snowed. There were also parts where the roads were cut through the mountains that we could see rock layers of all different colors.


It was a good ride, not too long but still challenging. We’ve officially moved on to the portion of our trip where the biggest challenge will be wind and heat. Today’s high was around 95 degrees, but I’m sure I’ll bee looking back on this day once we’re in Texas envious of the temperature.

We are yet again without a friendship visit, but there’s a cool tradition for the Journey of Hope cyclists I wanted to mention and haven’t got a chance to yet. So we all know that the biking is a pretty tough leg work out, but not really too tough on the upper body. The solution to this problem is to do one push up for each mile traveled at the end of the day. This is completely on your own and at your own pace. Some riders are doing 2 per mile, but I’m sticking with the one mile one push up philosophy. Tonight I owe another 25 pushups to the Journey of Hope gods before I can go to sleep, because I got some out of the way at crew stops earlier. So far I’ve done over 700. Too bad there won’t be too much time to hit the beach once I’m back home.

Barstow, CA

6.22.2010

If yesterday was the colonoscopy you have to get on your 30th birthday, today was the lollipop you get on your way out of the doctor’s office. The route today was very laid back, and took us about 45 miles from Victorville to Barstow CA along the famous route 66. It was easy riding and gentle rolling hills the whole trip. Our pace line was finished by 10:30AM and averaged a speed of 21 miles per hour. As one man in a Cadillac stated when we pulled up to a red light in Barstow, “You motherfuckers are fast”. The worst part of the trip was that we had to stay focused on the road the entire time. The age of route 66 was seriously showing on some parts of the road, and it was all I could do to hold onto my vibrating handlebars and try to call out potholes on the left and right. When the pavement evened out later in the trip we no longer took those kind of conditions for granted

We did not have a friendship visit today, but we did get to spend a little bit of time in the town of Barstow. Let me give you a little history about this bustling metropolis. Barstow was built essentially because trucks that were passing through the area needed a place to get fuel. As a result, the buildings that make up the town fall almost exclusively into one of three categories:

A) Gas Station
B) Fast Food Restaurant
C) Motel (Not Hotel)

One good thing about the town is that there is a movie theater, and it was in walking distance of the motel where we are staying. Half the team went to go see Toy Story 3, and the other half went to see A-Team. I was in the Toy Story crowd and couldn’t have been happier with my choice. Pixar never lets you down.

Me paying attention to the road... and Chris's game face.

After the movie we had dinner at the famous California burger joint “In N’ Out”. I got myself a delicious Double Double burger, with a strawberry shake to drink. It was a much better experience today (my second In N’ Out visit) because I neglected to get my fries “Animal Style”. For those of you who aren’t familiar, Animal Style fries are similar to regular fries, except Animal Style fries are bombarded with a slurry of ingredients that no well meaning potato should ever be subjected to. These include Onions, Nacho Cheese, Pickles, and 1000 island dressing. I didn’t want that stuff coming up again on our 85 mile drive through the desert tomorrow.

We’re officially beginning the second leg of the South Route. We’ve moved from chilly hilly territory to the hot and flat territory. Tomorrow the temperature is supposed to be in the 90s. Yay! We’ll get through it though. I’m glad I brought my Camelbak.

Victorville, CA

6.21.2010

Today‘s ride was one of my biggest accomplishments. It made sense that today was the longest day of the year, because it definitely felt like the longest day of my life. It was a trip of 95 miles from Santa Clarita to Victorville. To reach Victorville, however, we first had to pass through the San Bernadino mountains, over a ski resort known as Mount High. We climbed over a mile vertically along the mountain’s switchbacks. The uphill portion was a total of 12 miles long, and it took some serious willpower to reach the top. Every time we went around a corner, the paceline would hope that this was the final curve before we hit the summit. These hopes were in vain most of the time. After much swearing, we finally reached the downhill section and descended into the desert on the opposite side of the mountains. To climb the uphill section took the better part of 3 hours. Going down took the better part of 15 minutes.

It doesn't look so bad ... right?

Once we were off the mountain it was a short (and flat!) 15 mile ride to lodging through the salt flats. We’re starting to run low on cliff bars until our next shipment comes in, but fortunately we had a sponsored breakfast, lunch and dinner so I was well fed the whole day.

Once we got to lodging we got showered up and headed out to our friendship visit. I met two adorable girls named Ci-Ci and Shelby over dinner who were absolutely full of energy. Today’s visit was to a recreational center called the V.I.P. center. This organization specializes in weekend care and recreational activities for people with disabilities. Ci-Ci and Shelby were there with their parents, who had prepared a potluck dinner for the team with ham, turkey, fruit salad, chips and dip, and an awesome strawberry punch. After dinner, there was a hula hoop contest, a game with ping pong balls and tissue boxes, and plenty of music and dancing. We boogied down with the kids to the YMCA, the Macarena, the Cha Cha Slide, the Cupid Shuffle and Cotton Eye Joe. Ci-Ci was pretty flirty for a 15 year old girl, but we still had fun dancing. The littlest ones kept wanting us to pick them up in the air, but Todd Stacy our Project Manager wasn’t too happy that we were doing so. When it was finally time to leave, we were all very full and very tired. Time to rest up for another ride tomorrow.

This was the happiest moment of the whole trip so far. When I looked up and didn't see mountain in front of me anymore.

Santa Clarita, CA

6.20.2010

Today’s ride was pretty short. It was only about 45 miles, and it was mostly downhill. We came down from Thousand Oaks to Santa Clarita through a beautiful mountain pass. I wish I could bottle up the feeling I had coasting down those switchbacks through the valley. It was just steep enough to hit a comfortable speed, and the curving road and awesome views made for a really cool descent. We’re staying now at a best western hotel and resting up for our big ride tomorrow. When we got here we got our jerseys and chamois cleaned off in the best way possible: Swimming in the hotel pool fully clothed. I’m surprised the water didn’t turn black. Tomorrow we’re finally climbing out of California and into the desert. Should be fun.

Thousand Oaks, CA

6.20.2010

Today’s ride was as much fun as the very first day. It was an 85 mile ride from Santa Barbara to Thousand Oaks. The crew told us ahead of time that there would be 3 hills and the rest would be pretty flat. As it turns out, there were 3 mountains and the rest was pretty flat. Instead of the large roads that we have been riding on so far, we were on residential roads for almost the whole day. California 150 wound through orange orchards and mountain passes showing the best that California has to offer. Daisy dukes and bikinis were hard to come by however. The most challenging climb was up a hill at a 17% grade. When we reached the top we were met with a brief downhill followed by a taste of mountain number 3.


Some of the guys stopped to taste the oranges from the orchards, but we regrettably had to push on past that crew stop because we were a little behind schedule. Looking back it would have been nice to eat an orange fresh from the tree. It’s the little things like that that make JOH so memorable. I learned that it’s about the road itself, not how quickly you can reach point B. I guess I’ll have to wait ‘til we get to Georgia and pick some peaches instead.


The friendship visits we had today and yesterday were really great too. We started off the day at a place called the Jodie house, which specializes in rehabilitation for people who have suffered brain injuries. This friendship visit was particularly interesting because the clients had not been born with their disabilities. As we played music and chatted with some of the clients over lunch, they all encouraged us to wear our helmets on our cross country ride. A lesson I will definitely take to heart.


Then we went to what was known as a bicycle rodeo, sponsored by an organization called “Lose the Training Wheels”. Their organization helps people with physical and mental disabilities learn how to ride bicycles. At this visit we took a more active role in the logistics and operation of the event. Some of the cyclists were in charge of parking, some were in charge of spotting the riders to make sure they didn’t fall, while others manned the grill. We even put on a cycling demonstration. After all, a cycling event for people with disabilities is right up our alley. The bikes that the kids used were really innovative. Instead of the standard training wheels, they had a log-looking roller instead of a back wheel. These training bikes allowed riders to lean when they were making a turn, which helped to improve the riders’ balance skills that are so essential for riding a two wheeler. It was a great event and the food was spectacular. I even got an interview for a local news show which was fantastic.


Today, after our ride, we had a friendship visit at a center called “Ride On”. Ride On specializes in rehabilitation and therapy for people with disabilities through teaching horseback riding. The program is similar to the Lose the Training Wheels program in that it provides participants with the opportunity to take control over an aspect of their life. Ideally students progress to a level where they are able to ride the horses on their own. This is a huge accomplishment in itself, but for a person who is used to having others assist them with most daily activities it is especially meaningful. In addition to teaching people to ride, the school also teaches people to walk on their own. A horse’s gait is very similar in duration and stride to that of a human’s. The trainers at Ride On are able to help patients who have never been able to walk obtain the muscle memory needed to take their first steps. They do this by taking participants on what are known as therapy rides. Simply sitting on horseback while a trainer leads the horse around helps many patients learn the motor skills necessary to take their first steps.

I think that’s all I have to share for today. Omar still snores like an ogre.

Santa Barbara, CA

6.17.2010

We arrived in Santa Barbara after riding about 70 miles today. As we discovered, Santa Barbara is surrounded on every side by mountains. I picked this route because I thought it would be flat… The road had some pretty cool stuff along the way. I saw some oil derricks for the first time, some cows, some cactuses, and there were a bunch of road kill snakes, which is something I‘ve never seen before. Maybe that last thing about the snakes isn’t necessarily great sightseeing.

Over lunch I was talking with some more of the guys on the team. They all seem really cool, and I’m enjoying getting to know the other cyclists and the crew. Tonight we all get to stay in a hotel, and tomorrow we have the day off before we go riding again on Saturday. The break came just in time. Hopefully I’ll have some fresh legs for when we get on the road again.


I had to rack for a few miles today because I got a piece of glass in my tire and kept getting flats. I put my bike on the van until we got to the next crew stop where I was able to get the glass out. Unfortunately I forgot my patch kit in one of the other vans, so I used a trick that I saw one of my buddies from Psi chapter used during one of our training rides. I got a piece of tape out of the first aid kit and a dollar bill out of my wallet. I folded up the dollar and taped it on the inside of the tire over the hole that the glass had made. Then I inflated the tube and got back on the road. That set up held up for the rest of the ride. Unfortunately when I was racked, the van carried me up the biggest climb of the day. I didn’t get to push it out with the rest of the team, which was a real bummer. We do have a friendship visit later tonight though, so hopefully that will cheer me up.

Santa Maria, CA

6.16.2010

I think my legs have finally caught up with me. Today was only about 75 miles, but it was REALLY hard. There weren’t many hills to deal with, but my legs were feeling the burn from the past four days of work. We also had a pretty tough timetable to keep, which meant the pace of the ride would have to increase. Dustin, the pro who helped us out with training, rode with our pace group all day today and gave us the extra push we needed. Unfortunately today is the last day that he’ll be riding us, and the last day he’ll be able to physically push us up hills. We arrived on time at 12:30pm to our destination, and got a really cool police escort into the city.


The friendship visit was in my opinion the coolest one we’ve had so far. We met a group of Special Olympics athletes who had just come back from their competition in Las Angeles, many of whom had gotten bronze and silver medals. There was even one man who received a gold medal. We had a big picnic with all of them, talking about their events and competitions. There was a catered lunch, and we spent the day playing volleyball, throwing Frisbee, and kicking soccer balls around. By the end I was so exhausted I just passed out on the grass, it was the first time we had had really warm weather and sunshine on the trip. There are probably some pictures of me lying there to surface on the internet soon.

Cambria, CA

6.15.2010

Our ride today was supposed to be 110 miles, but we got racked for 7 of those miles due to a golf tournament at pebble beach. As you can see we were a little cramped in the car. Even though we got racked, it was still the longest ride that I have ever done. It would have been nice to have been able to see the golf course on my bike, but there were plenty of other sights to be seen as we continued along U.S. Route 1. I was riding with the lead pace group for the majority of the trip, and we were making great time. I got much better at riding in pace lines, staying close in line with the person in front of me to break the wind, but I was still working pretty hard.

The beginning of the trip was pretty hilly, with two (painfully) memorable hills about 25 and 45 miles in. We got up them mostly by using the “life story” strategy, where each person takes turns talking about themselves and their interests to divert attention from our burning legs. Another great distraction that I was able to use throughout the day was my new birthday present, a battery powered speaker that fits into my water bottle holder. I made a sweet play list for the trip, almost exclusively mash ups and techno, but a few miles in I hit a bump and shuffled the ipod. I’ll have to remember to turn off that feature for tomorrow. We continued on, I didn’t stop to fix it because I’m not sure I’m allowed to have it in the first place. I was really impressed by the battery life of the whole apparatus. It went for about 6 hours until we finished the ride.


In any case, we moved on from the mountains to rolling plains later in the day, and stopped to take a look at the sunbathing seals along the coast. When we finally got to lodging we were all pooped, and there was no friendship visit to provide a pick-me-up. We showered up and went out to get dinner. I really like this whole burning 5,000 calories a day thing. Today I ate a pbj bagel, a banana, some cinnamon toast crunch, a sandwich and chips, about 7 or 8 clif bars, 3 slices of pizza, some french fries, and a 1,200 calorie quart of Ben & Jerrys ice cream. Life is good.

It’s 9:00 right now and everyone is in bed. Omar snores like an ogre.

Monterey, CA

6.14.2010

Today we rode a total of 55 miles to our next stay in Monterey California. The weather was pretty gray, with a bit of a drizzle throughout the day, but it was sort of nice to have the chill when we were riding. I was really worried that my legs would be cramping up after our big ride yesterday, but I was able to avoid any issues by making sure I was drinking and eating enough. I also was completely flat-free for today, which was great.

The friendship visit was fantastic. Our sponsors provided us with a great hot lunch, and while we ate we were talking with some of the residents. One man named John showed me his room, and it was absolutely enormous. They had very nice facilities. We thanked everyone for their company over lunch, and I thanked Mary for letting me help with her puzzle, and we biked a few blocks to our lodging at a local high school.

We’ve got a pretty big day tomorrow. I’m going to keep this short and get some rest.

Santa Cruz, CA

6.13.2010

I feel great. The best I have since my high school graduation. We finally started. Today we had an 85 mile ride starting in San Francisco and ending in Santa Cruz along the California coast. Two of my brothers from Psi Chapter, Nyk Lotocky and Sean Mitchell, came to see Chris and I off as we crossed the golden gate bridge. It really meant a lot to me that they took time out of their days to wake up early and show us their support.


After the bridge however, things started to get pretty tough. The ride itself was not only long (5 miles shorter than the longest ride I’ve ever done), but it was over some pretty treacherous terrain. The roads were along the edges of cliffs that went right up to the pacific ocean, making for awesome pictures and unforgettable memories. These cliffs were on the sides of what would be considered mountains on the east coast, and we had a couple of pretty long climbs along the way. We started out going along sky line drive, and checking out the lego-looking brightly colored suburb houses, and moved on to the hilly Route 1 later in the day.

We were rewarded for the pain we had going up the hills with the speeds we reached going down. James Lawrence who was riding with me the whole day, said we registered a max speed of 37 Miles Per Hour. When the dust cleared, only 7 of the 26 cyclists were able to complete the entire trip, the rest had to rack up their bikes and drive to the next location. Most people had to rack because we were on a strict time schedule, and only did so after putting an impressive 50 to 70 miles. I was one of the 7 people who were able to complete the entire trip today on schedule, (despite the frustrating flat tire I got ½ a mile from the finish line) which is the main reason that I’m going to bed so happy right now.

My pace line in front of some pretty choice views of the beach

One rider who really impressed me today was Andrew Chinn, one of the 7 cyclists who was also able to finish. At one of the rest stops, Andrew wanted to rack himself up and ride it out to the end of the trip. He didn’t think he had anything left, and there were still about 20 miles to go. With the encouragement of the crew and other riders at the stop, however, he was able to continue onward and complete the four or five remaining climbs to the finish line. Whether it was the crew screaming from the sides of the vans, or the last member of the pace line talking about how great dinner will be, there was so much team work and so many words of encouragement between every Pi Kapp who started off in San Fran today. That’s what’s really great about the Journey of Hope, it brings people together. I know that without the help of everyone I was riding with, there is no way I would have been able to complete today’s trip.

The other reason I’m so excited is that I just had a great dinner with an awesome group of people. The team went to today’s friendship visit at the Easter Seals Center, where we were treated to a potluck dinner by the staff and participants. Each member of the organization brought their own dish. I was speaking with a very energetic man named Ron who baked a delicious sourdough / sunflower seed bread for the occasion. We talked about everything from movies and music to what it is like to live in Santa Cruz. He never stopped asking me questions, wanting to hear all about my snowboarding hobby and the trip I am taking this summer. Along with the bread, there were an assortment of entres. The bean soup, chicken, macaroni and potato salad, were complimented by a variety of deserts ranging from brownies to coffee cake, and all of it was cooked by the program’s participants! They even had a live band performing music from the 50s and 60s, and a dance floor where we proceeded to get our boogie on after dinner.

Mo veered off the road while taking a drink of water.

The first day of the Journey of Hope has been everything I have expected it to be, and it’s sure to get even better.

WE'RE LEAVING TOMORROW!!!!

If you want to come to our send off and you're in the San Francisco area, our kickoff ceremony will be at Vista Point. It's on the San Francisco side of the golden gate bridge. We'll be there from 7:00am to 8:00am when the kick off speeches begin. Stop by to say hi!
I realized that I've been doing a lot of writing, so this post is going to be pretty much all pictures.

Also, if you want to track where we are and how far the south route has gone, check out the website www.letsride2010.com. It has a tracker powered by OnAsset and you can see where the south route is.



VAN 2 SOUTH!

One of the hills we'll be going up tomorrow.

Alcatraz


When we all had to stop at the front van.

Today might be my last day of internet for a while but I'll be sure to put up some new posts when I've got them.

Alright, so we're almost ready to head out from San Francisco now. Today we did a basic skills assessment to make sure we were all able to ride well once we get on the road. It started with some pretty simple stuff: clipping in, riding in groups and calling out obstacles, changing flats, and moved on to some more complicated riding: slow speed turns, quick stops, and picking up a fallen water bottle from the ground while moving.

Tonight we're heading over to Fisherman's Wharf for dinner on the town and some down time with the rest of the team. I'm meeting Pi Kappa Phis from all over the country, and I'm learning interesting stuff about their chapters and hometowns. It's really interesting how involvement with a national organization such as a fraternity can unify a group of people. We've all shared similar experiences, and chosen to join Pi Kapp out of a passion for similar ideals. I'm excited to get to know every one of the 32 Pi Kapps on the Journey of Hope's South Route 2010.

Yesterday was even cooler than today was. We started out the day with our first Friendship Visit, where we went and spent some time with some of the residents of the Janet Pomeroy center, and I met some really amazing people. The day started off with a basketball game between our team and the residents. I felt pretty awkward in the beginning, and a lot of us didn't know what to do. Should we take it easy on them? Should we cheer when they score? I went over to the sidelines and talked with some of our "Opponents" and the answer became clear pretty quickly. It was all about having a good time. The half time show was awesome as well. Just imagine a bunch of Pi Kapps and residents shaking our groove things in the middle of the gymnasium to the tune of "Celebration".

After the game we took a quick tour of the facilities (and saw a playground that Pi Kapps built some 20 years ago) and went on to have a meal with all the people with disabilities who were there for the dinner hour. I met a gentleman who was telling me all about his wife and the movies they went out to see together and a woman named Susan who was leading us in group cheers. When we finally left, it was hard to go, it was a blast getting to meet everyone that I did that day. I can't believe I've got a whole summer of this ahead.

When we got back to the University of San Francisco dorms where we are staying. We had one final meeting to learn about another event that Push America participants put on for schools and assisted living centers across the country. It's a puppet show called "Kids on the Block" designed to teach kids to focus on what people with disabilities can do as opposed to what they can't do. I signed up to play the part of Mark Riley, who suffers from Cerebral Palsy and explains his "Cruiser" wheel chair to one of the other kids on the playground.

Dinnertime! More to come soon!

Touchdown in San Francisco

Touched down in San Francisco today around 10:30 EST, it's officially the first day of the Journey of Hope. We are staying at the University of Southern Florida for the next few days, where we will be doing a few training rides, practicing basic skills and going over Push America policies and procedures. It looks like there is going to be a skills assessment test before we finally head out (Picking up a Water Bottle off the ground while riding?). We'll see how all that goes.

I just wanna go ride bikes, but unfortunately no riding today. I unboxed my bike and put it all together, mostly by trial and error, and with the help of some of my newly met fraternity brothers. There are 32 of us between the North and South Routes, and we'll be splitting up on our separate trails on Sunday.

We've got a 5:30AM wake up tomorrow, so I'm gonna leave this post at that. I'll update the next time I've got internet access. I'm SO excited for what's to come.