Day 18-23 Jackson, WY - Cheyenne, WY

Day 18 June 28th Jackson, WY – Dubois, WY

I woke up this morning and my knee felt like it had regressed. I really though it was getting better until I woke up. I rode 30 miles and had to quit for the rest of the day. It has been a really frustrating injury. I know it’s not anything serious. I’m pretty sure it’s an overuse/tendonitis type of injury. At this point, I made up my mind that I was going to rest it for a few days so I didn’t have to fight through pain the whole summer. I finished the day in the van and we arrived at Dubois High School. We were fed once again by the local Cattlewoman, which means they brought lots of meat and good casseroles. It’s always a treat to be fed by the Cattlewoman.

Day 19 June 29th Dubois, WY – Shoshoni, WY

It was tough waking up this morning and not suiting up with the rest of the guys. I tried to contribute what I could to the team by loading bags into the van and things like that. I hopped into the van and got to spend some good time with one of the crew guys, Alex. Alex is a fun guy who attends the University of Kansas. We had a good time in the van but it’s not the same. It was hard not being out on the bike with the r
est of the team. It was a 100-mile day and we all arrived to Shoshoni around 4:00. We stayed at the Shoshoni Senior Center and were treated very well by some of the lovely senior ladies. It was a pretty chill night to get some rest for another long day tomorrow.

Day 20 June 30th Shoshoni, WY – Casper, WY

Today was another long day for the cyclists. Once again it was not easy being “that guy” that isn’t riding with the team for the long day. The good news is that the ice and IB Profen I’ve been taking is making my knee feel much better. My buddy Alex and I also started developing some skit characters. By the 80-mile crew stop, Coach Jiggins and Coach Bob Coggins were in full effect. I played Bog Coggins who is a long time resident of Canyon, Texas and got kicked in the side of the head by a horse which caused his eyes to go crossed. I figured it was the least I could do to help my team take their minds off of the long day. It went over pretty well. We arrived in Casper and were fed by the local Kiwanis. We had a day off the next day so most of us went to see a late night showing of Wall-e. It was a good time and a great movie. (I recommend it)

Day 21 July 1st Casper, WY Day Off

We had a day off in Casper, Wyoming. We slept in to 10 o’clock and headed to the Casper Boys and Girls Club. We were able to do our puppet show in front of 100 kids or so. We got to hang out with them and eat lunch. It was way fun and exciting to get a taste of what it’s going to be like at my job this fall working with elementary school kids. After the visit, we went back to the high school where we're staying and took some naps. That night we had a friendship visit at a local park with the ARC of Natrona County. We enjoyed some burgers and got to spend some time with people with disabilities. It was also our first sight of rain the whole trip. We went to bed pretty early because tomorrow was going to be the longest day of the trip and I was going to get back on the bike.

Day 22 July 2nd Casper, WY – Wheatland, WY

Today was the longest day of the summer: 115 miles. We left early in the morning and arrived in Wheatland around 4:30. My knee felt great and didn’t hurt the whole day. I made some adjustments on my bike and shoes and I think it made a huge difference. It was definitely a long day though. Although the eastern part of Wyoming is not much too see, it is pretty flat. When we arrived to Wheatland, we had to shower up quickly to head to a local ranch for dinner. Once again, it was the local Cattlewoman’s Association that was feeding us and it was another success. Lot’s of meat and lot’s of food were the perfect ingredients after a long day of burning calories. After that we watched the movie Charlie Marshall and went to bed for a 4:15a.m.wakeup.

Day 23 July 3rd Wheatland, WY – Cheyenne, WY

Today was one of the hardest days of the trip. After the 115-mile day and an early wake up, we didn’t have a lot left in the tank. We also had a 20 mph head wind, which is always deflating to a cyclist. We had a lunch in Cheyenne provided by the Cattlewoman once again. This was the best Cattlewoman meal we’ve had so far. I stuffed my face and all the days’ frustrations happened to go away. That night we had a picnic with the ARC of Laramie County. There was a huge crowd and we were outnumbered 3-1. I sat and talked with a 34 man named Brian. Brian had Down Syndrome and was an extremely gentle, loving guy. I had great conversation with him and his family.

Day 11-16 Philipsburg, MT - Jackson Hole, WY

Day 11 June 21st Missoula, MT – Philipsburg, MT

After a few day of rest on the knee, I hopped on the bike for an 80-mile ride to Philipsburg. My knee bothered me a little but not enough to get me off the bike. It was another beautiful ride with lots of incredible Montana scenery around us. Once again, we enjoyed more mountains, flowing rivers and lots of blue sky. We arrived in Philipsburg and showered up at the local High School where we would be spending the night.

We had a few hours so most of the guys passed out. Around 5, we left to have a lasagna dinner provided by the local Rotary Club. It was a great meal and my first time to have Huckleberry Lemonade. Very tasty! We then went to a building that was under construction. It turns out that the Rotary Club was in the process of raising money and building an ice rink complex. It was really cool especially for such a small town. The Rotary Club than bought us ice cream at the local ice cream and soda shop. It was a fun small town Montana experience.

Day 12 June 22nd Philipsburg, MT – Butte, MT

It was another long day on the bike with the odometer reading 77 miles when we pulled into Butte, MT. My knee felt better much better today than it has in a while. I’ve really tried to stretch and ice it as much as possible. We stayed in one of the nicest YMCA’s I’ve ever seen. It had a really nice indoor pool and hot tub that we definitely took advantage of. Some of the guys found themselves in line with the little kids waiting for the pool slide. That night we went to a local park and had a friendship visit with a local organization. Many of the participants were members of the Special Olympics as well. We enjoyed a nice fried chicken dinner, which always tastes good after a long day of riding. I got to hang out with a 70-year-old gentleman named John. John couldn’t communicate very well and he couldn’t see more than 2 feet in front of his face but we had a good time. We talked about Country Music and Bingo: two of his favorite things. It was another rewarding friendship visit and successful day.

Day 13 June 23rd Butte, MT – Bozeman, MT

Today was what we call a “Century Day.” (Over 100 Miles) It was another beautiful ride through Montana. I got 40 miles in and felt my knee start to tweak a little. I had to throw my bike on the van and be an encourager at crew stops for the rest of the day. I probably could have kept going and pushed through it but I have a lot of riding ahead of me and it wasn’t worth it. I was so proud of our team though. Only a few other guys “racked” and most of the team finished the 105 miles. We showered up at Bozeman High School and headed to a neat organization for dinner. It wasn’t a friendship visit but we still went to the facilities of Eagle Mount for dinner. (Real hamburgers, fresh fruit and fresh salad. It was glorious!) Eagle Mount is an organization that is known for their therapeutic activities. Some of the programs they do are; adaptable skiing, horseback riding, horticulture, cycling, golf, etc. They had 20 horses, indoor horse arena, green house, and world-class pool. All facilities were 100% accessible for people with disabilities. It was really cool to see such a thriving organization providing wonderful opportunities for people with disabilities.

Day 14 June 24th Bozeman, MT – West Yellowstone, MT

Do to some bad roads, our 90 mile day turned into a 50 mile day. It was glorious news. We drove in the vans to first 40 miles and got dropped off in Big Sky, Montana. From there it was a gorgeous ride along a river and through the canyons of the mountains. My knee felt good today and allowed me to go the whole way. Upon arrival, we didn’t have anything scheduled for the rest of the day so a lot of guys caught a nap and enjoyed the little town of West Yellowstone. I threw some more ice on the knee, wrote some letters and called it a night.

Day 15 June 25th West Yellowstone, MT – West Thumb, WY

Today we rode though Yellowstone National Park! It was also the start of our 4th state. It was truly amazing and really fun to experience. The park was highly traveled by cars but seeing the park on a bike was much better. We took almost the whole day to ride 50 miles and take in the scenery. I saw two bald eagles, elk, a wolf, and lots of buffalo. It was really beautiful but also crazy to still see the effects of the 1988 fire. After checking into a lodge and eating a buffet dinner, we loaded up the vans and headed back into the park to see Old Faithful go off. That was really crazy to see in person. After seeing smoke come out of a hole for 20 minutes the 60 foot gushing geyser shot out of the grown for one minute. It was pretty cool. Overall, it was a memorable day and another great day on the bike.

Day 16 June 26th West Thumb, WY – Jackson Hole, WY

Today was probably my favorite day of the trip so far. We had a 50-mile ride through Grand Teton National Park. We rode right at the base of the mammoth mountains and found ourselves cruising around 23mph. It was one of the most scenic days so far as well as one of the best on the bike. We arrived in Jackson Hole and had an arrival in the town square where we were met by some loyal supporters and the town mayor. We then got to spend several hours relaxing and swimming at a local resort in Jackson. After that we headed to a ranch outside of Jackson Hole to spend the night and enjoy having the next day off. Tomorrow’s activities on the ranch include fishing, skeet shooting and lots of barbeque. What a great week but I am definitely ready for a day off!

Day 17 June 27th Jackson, WY – Day Off
Today was a great day. We had a phenomenal day off at the Cushman ranch in Driggs, Idaho. The Cushman family owns one of the biggest commercial real estates firms in the world; Cushman-Wakefield. Let’s just say their ranch was really nice. 6 alumni from the University of Colorado chapter hosted us at the ranch and treated us to Fly Fishing, Horseback Riding, Canoeing and Golf. I took the morning to get some things done and get some extra sleep. In the afternoon, I played 9 holes of golf at a local golf course. It was a great change of pace and a perfect way to spend the day off.

Day 6-10 Couer d' Alene ID - Missoula MT

Day 6 June 16th Spokane, WA - Couer d' Alene, ID

Today was the easiest ride so far. We had a 35 mile ride on a bike path to cross the Washington-Idaho border. We racked our bikes on the support vans and headed to Camp Swevolakan located on lake Couer d'Alene. We had to take a pontoon boat to get to the camp so it was interesting loading all of our stuff on the boat. I think that was a first for the Journey of Hope. Camp Swevolaken just started their staff training week. The staff was extremely nice but somewhat interesting. Let's just say it was a lot different than Kanukuk. We took a tour of the camp and got to enjoy some down time. We all slept in cabin type huts that weren't enclosed. Overall, it was an interesting experience and great memory maker.


Day 7 June 17th Couer d' Alene, ID - Kellogg, ID (pop. 2,395)

Today it took a while to get our stuff back on the boat and across the lake and onto the vans. Once we got started, we took some beautiful back roads through the rolling hills of Idaho. We eventually got to an old rail road that was made into a bike path and would take us the rest of the way to Kellogg. The weather continued to be beautiful and provided a nice cool breeze for out ride. We arrived in Kellogg and set up camp at the local highschool. After we showered, we headed to a sponsored dinner at the Broken Wheel Resteraunt. It was an oldschool steak and seafood place that was 20 years late on decoration. But, we all got steaks and it was a really fun dinner with the guys. That night we went to the local pub to watch the Celtics win the NBA Championship. Another great day but my knee started to really hurt. I think the overuse is starting to make it ache.

Day 8 June 18th Kellogg, ID - Paradise, MT (pop. 184)

State number 3? Check! Today will probably be the hardest day we will have all summer. What originally was supposed to be an 85 mile day turned into a 107 mile day. We had to take a different route due to bad roads and not wanting to ride the interstate. We climbed 2 passes which totalled 4,000 feet for the day. From 7 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon, we had finally made it to Paradise. Only two of my teamates had to rack their bikes due to injuries. Our project manager predicted only a handful of us would finish the day. I was so proud of our team and the hard work we all put in. The good news is that we got to stay at a random Hot Springs resort and enjoy a nice bison burger to go along with a nice soak in the Hot Springs. Not to mention a nice big bed. The bad part is that I pushed through my aching knee and we had to get up at 5:30a.m. to ride 75 miles to Missoula.

Day 9 June 19th Paradis, MT - Missoula MT (pop, 64,081)

When I woke up this morning, my knee was not feeling to hot. I thought I might be able to warm it up and get it going but after the first two miles, I was in a lot of pain and couldn't finish the day. I racked my bike and joined the crew guys to help with crew stops. Several other guys ended up falling out during the day. The 107 miles yesterday really took it out of everyone. We arrived in Missoula, MT (where they filmed A River Runs Through It) and enjoyed a nice barbeque provided by Adventure Cycling. Adventure Cycling is a company that provides resources for cyclist who want to go on tours or adventures. They make routes and maps for all kinds of adventures. The head of adventure cycling and his wife road there bikes from Anchorage, Alaska to Argentina! A 2 year trip! It was a really cool place and neat to see some history of other people who have done crazy bicycle tours like us. Tonight, we had a freindship visit with a local home. Most of the attendees have pretty severe disabilites. Alot of them suffered traumatic brain injuries. I helped cook burgers but also got to hang out with a man named Ron. Ron was a part of the Hell's Angels and was severely injured in a Motorcycle accident. It really put things into perspective knowing that most of these people's lives changed dramitcally in one moment. They have some of the hugest hearts.


Day 10 June 20th Missoula, MT (Day Off)

We didn't have anything planned today so I got some much needed rest. After waking up, I headed to a local laundry mat to do laundry, use the interent, and make some phone calls. It's great to take a deep breath and get some down time. My knee is feeling much better today and feels good enough for the 80 mile ride tomorrow.


THANKS TO ALL OF YOU THAT ARE READING MY BLOG AND KEEPING UP WITH MY PICTURES. PLEASE USE THE LINKS ON THE RIGHT FOR MORE PICTURES AND OTHER DAILYJOURNAL ENTRIES WRITTEN BY MY TEAMATES. ALSO FEEL FREE TO POST COMMENTS OR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE AT THE BOTTOM OF MY ENTRY. KEEP MY TEAM AND I IN YOUR PRAYERS AS WE CONTINUE TO SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Day 1-5 Seattle - Spokane

The first four days got off to an amazing start! We had to jump right into riding with days of 70, 80, 70 and 100 miles.


Day 1 June 11th Seattle WA - Skykomish WA (pop. 214)

We arrived at Olympic Sculpture park at 6:30a.m. and enjoyed a nice farwell breakfast with friends, family, and old Journey of Hope riders. Two news stations also arrived to get a story of what we're doing. We left around 7:30 and headed down a bike path that was taking us out of the city. Once we cleared the city limits we hit some back country roads that took us through some beautiful rolling farm land. After 70 milesof riding, we ended up in the booming metropolis of Skykomish Washington and ended up at the local school to sleep on the gym floor. Overall, a great first day and great effort by my teamates.



Day 2 June 12th Skykomish WA - Wenatchee WA (pop. 29,968)

After a 5:30 wakeup, we were on the road by 6:30a.m. embarking on an 80 mile day to Wenatchee WA, the apple capital of the world. It was a cold mysty morning and we had a 16 mile, 3,200 feet climp over Stephen's pass. After taking several hours of constant uphill riding, I had finally reached the top of the pass, Elev. 4061. At the top of the pass, it was a chilling 38 degrees and I had my first revelation of the trip, what goes up must come down. From there we had a 10 mile downhill ride where we met our next crew van. When we arrived, it was sunny, 68 degrees and my teamates were shedding their thermals. From there it was a pretty flat ride to Wenatchee. We arrived at the Wenatchee community center and headed over to the community pool to take showers. That night we had a friendship visit with the Wenatchee Special Olympics. I met several guys who were participants on the Special Olympics Cycling team. One of them even got to travel to China to represet the Special Olympics USA Cycling team. It was a great friendship visit and a great turnout. Overall, it was a great day but my legs and bottom are pretty sore.



Day 3 June 13th Wenatchee WA - Coulee City WA (pop. 642)

On the road again. At the break of day, we were headed to Coulee City, a 70 mile ride that included another pass. This climb wasn't as bad as Stephen's pass but we were really sore so it made the climb difficult. It was a good 1,500ft climb that took us to the top of a mountain range where we had a beautiful photo opportunity. We had a tail wind the rest of the day which made the second half of the ride quicker and much more enjoyable. We arrived at another booming metropolis, Coulee City. We settled into the local middle school and set up camp for the night. The local Cattlewoman's Association (aka Meat promoters) cooked us a wonderful brisket dinner. It was a great finish to a long day.


Day 4 June 14th Coulee City WA - Spokane WA
Today was our first 100 mile day. You can imagine my leg and bottom soreness by this point. Today I was a "sweep." One of two guys who hang in the back and wait with any riders who get behind or have flats. As we traveled across eastern Washigton, I realized the flat terrain is much more preferable when riding a bike. The first part of the day was pretty slow moving. When we got to the 40 mile mark, we noticed we had to get 20 miles quickly because we had a sponored lunch. From there we gutted out the rest of the 40 miles and arrived at Gonzaga University around 4:00p.m. The next day was a day off so we got some food and went out to celebrate a very tough but successful first few days.

Day 5 June 15th Spokane WA

Today was our first day off...and a much needed one at that. Everyone was extremely sore and needing some R&R. We stayed at one of the dorms at Gonzaga University. It was refreshing to sleep in a bed and not on a gym floor. In the afternoon we had a friendship visit with a Muscular Dystrophy Family organization. It was organized with carnival games, prizes and all kinds of fun stuff for the kids. We also got to perform our first Kid's on the Block presentation. Kid's on the Block is a puppet show that helps kid's understand and empathize with people with disabilities. I play Ellen Jane Peterson, a highschool girl with Down Syndrome who works at a Vet. For dinner we had a nice evening of food and swimming at a really cool house outside of Spokane. A former JOH rider and his family set it up. It was great ending to a much needed day off.

Orientation in Seattle

I flew out to Seattle on Saturday morning after being taken to the airport by my good friend Keith Kahil. Since I've been here, the past few days have been filled with making new friends and talking through many rules, policies and procedures. There's a lot that goes into 28 college students treking across the country. We've learned about everything from the rules of the road to learning about certain disabilities and those who we'll be visiting along the way. It has been a blast getting to know the other guys on my team. They come from all over the country. A majority of them are still in school but a handful have graduated college like me. It's really fun that eventhough we are so different, we have our fraternity and passion for people with disabilities in common.

Today (Tuesday) we had a 22 mile practice training ride. This gave us an opportunity to ride together and get used to traveling together. It was really fun and somewhat envigorating to get in pace lines and draft off one another. When you're traveling at speeds around 15-25 mph, it really makes a difference making sure you're behind the cyclist in front of you and switching who's in front. The bad part is that it was 50 degrees and raining...thank you Seattle.

Tomorrow we leave from Seattle's Olympic Scultpture Park after a sendoff from friends, family, and former Journey of Hope riders. We will also enjoy a nice breakfast provided by the Porterfield's, the family of a young man who was killed riding in the Journey of Hope in 2000. It will truly be a special morning and a good start to an unbelieavable summer. Destination? 70 Miles to Skykomish WA. It's finally here and here I go! D.C. here I come!

Preparation

I can't believe it's finally here! Some tight packing and the dismantling of my bike affirms the moment i've waited for. I'm flying out to Seattle on Saturday morning (6-7) to meet the rest of my team and get oriented with the ride. Next Wednesday (6-11), we leave downtown Seattle after a sendoff from friends and family to begin our 67 day Journey of Hope; a cross county bike ride dedicated to raising money and awareness for people with disabilities. I hope that you will keep up with my blog as I hope to post pictures and journal entries on a weekly basis. Please keep me and my team in your prayers. Thanks and God Bless.