Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Share the Road - Today

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Revisiting the blog that was our 2005 cross-country journey was very interesting to me. I've never attempted something as large or challenging as that. I know, at the time I accepted the offer from Gary, I wasn't scared at all. I don't feel like on the road I was scared (generally), either. Certainly there were specific moments (watching my tire buckle on an asphalt grade while riding the side of a relatively busy highway, for instance), but overall I had a very peaceful confidence that I was there to do a job and I would get it done. In that sense, I was wrong -- I didn't get it done, we did.

I was never an endurance athlete before this trip. Although I've always enjoyed being athletic, the type of training and games I've played have been more immediate and fast-paced: basketball, football, sprints and throws in track and field. One takes on a different mindset when participating in an endurance sport. It requires me to be calm, to release, to allow my body to do what it does (slowly as necessary, while learning the new skill) and keep focused with my mind at the same time. This is one of the reasons I'm glad I never got into wearing an ipod while cycling. I never felt that disconnect. By listening to my body (and the ever-changing environment around me) I believe I gave myself the best chance to succeed. 

The tours continued officially in 2006, 2007 and in a very small way (a single 100 mile ride for Gary's birthday) in 2008. I trained hard for 2006 & 2007 (though not as hard as I did for 2005 because neither '06 nor '07 were cross country trips). I enjoyed the process -- they were different but still very enjoyable trips. As I write this, I realize I haven't ridden in nearly three years. That's astounding to me because the bike is still so familiar to me. I look at it hanging on the wall in my garage and I feel like I could just pick it up and ride 100 miles. That's folly, of course. What the mind remembers, the body needs time to catch up on. I know I could get back in that kind of shape, but cycling takes time and different priorities (namely the beautiful kids we now have in our lives) have taken over.

That's not to say I'm not still training or that I'm not still involved in endurance sport -- it's just taken a different and, once again, completely unexpected turn. More on that tomorrow.


Monday, November 7, 2011

Share The Road - On the road - Day #36-38

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DAY 36
Ocean City Recovery

Everyone sleeps -- except me. I’m up at 5:45. I don’t need to wake anyone else this morning as I have for the past 35 days. In fact, doing so would more than likely get me a punch in the face.

I get up and go down to the beach, a mere block from the Earl’s rented beach house. There are not many people out this morning. I stretch, breathe, then wade into the water. It’s said to be 82 degrees but it feels cooler than that to me. I get knee deep, then waist deep, smiling at my slowness to submerge myself completely. In my mind I know all the truths I need to know about diving in and the way things open up for me when I do so. And yet I stand half in and half out of this water...1, 2, 3 dive into the small wave that rolls at me. I am in. I am committed. I am wet and no longer cold.

I body surf for about 15 minutes -- the waves are just barely ride-able, but that’s not important. I get out and stretch, do my morning pushups and some tai chi.

The boardwalk is beginning to wake up. I retreat to the Earl’s house. I’m still the only one up.

As the crew starts to rise, the chatter begins. Where’s my helmet? Did you get my supplements? Pass the butt butter -- no wait! Don’t. We’re done. We will ride no more forever...on this tour at least.

I get some bagels and muffins with Gary’s friend Ken, who congratulates me again and says how he really hopes he can do something like what we’ve done. I’ve been hearing that a lot -- a lot of people want this ‘once in a lifetime’ experience. I understand that...and I feel this will be far more than once in a lifetime for me. I think this is the beginning of adventures for a lifetime -- perhaps the definition of a lifetime. These adventures and all that goes into them are consistent with what I feel about the purpose of life: to explore, to consider, to grow, to discover, to be scared, to laugh and to share.

I have today to detox, tomorrow to help clean up last minute details of the journey (breaking down the bikes, cleaning the SAG and prepping for life back in L.A.) and I will fly out on Tuesday. My flight is a long one as I have a stop-over in Atlanta to go along with the five hours in the air. It will be even longer because I’ll be chomping at the bit to see Bella. I’ve been chomping for some time...

LATER...

We went to the boardwalk tonight -- quite a scene: packed with people, rides, miniature golf (I won with an impressive 36 over 18) and Kohr’s ice cream. We came home and watched ‘Boys of Summer’. It was nice to share that with everyone -- and it made me very sad, too. I miss my folks and seeing the changes Dad’s gone through in just a year’s time really made me think about the value of time with him - the value of time, period.
 
Day 37
Ocean City, NJ

Thoughts begin to blend one into the next. I got up early again this morning and Gary’s 10 year-old son, Tommy, joined me at the beach. He is a great kid. We did some body boarding together, then I did some yoga/tai chi and he did some cool sand design. We both had fun.

There was much work to be done today -- the biggest coming in the cleaning of the SAG and the packing of bikes and everyone’s goods. Stripping down and out the SAG was a very sad affair -- our mobile home suddenly became nothing more than an empty box. The logos were torn off, the insides gutted, the stallions (bikes) stabled (boxed). Gary has been nice enough to pick up the tab for SO many things, including paying for a bike mechanic to put the baby back together in L.A. -- I could do it, I know, but...I’d much prefer a pro do it well so the next time I take her out I’m not worried about the front wheel popping off. The next time I take her out...when will that be? It’s good that it take a little while, though. The chafing has not subsided -- not by a long shot. A few weeks off will do me well, even if I’m screaming inside (and the moans have begun).

The one thing that may keep me off even longer is the back rim -- it’s completely tweaked and I know it’ll cost about $200 to get me a new one. When I’ll have the money for that? Whoooooo...

Saying goodbye to Raul was the worst. He was such a heart and soul piece of our group. Having him leave was the final nail in the coffin -- our team is truly dead.

We hit the waves and water one more time. It was great as the swell had actually picked up a little bit and we were all getting slammed around. The ocean is truly a healing place for me.
Day 38
Ocean City, NJ

I fly out today. I hoped to get up this morning and go say goodbye to the ocean, but it just didn’t happen. I was tired and if I need the sleep, I’m going to respect that. There’s a piece of me that’s always Go! Go! Go! and this time I told it no. I have the ocean on the west side -- even if it is colder -- it’s there and waiting for me. The ability to sleep -- or the allowance of sleep -- is a premium.

I got up at seven and had to do Chris’ last interview in a bit of a hurried fashion as he was off on another adventure -- deep sea fishing. Good for him. The kid continues to run. Pat (Gary’s wife) said with a sigh, ‘Ah to be 23 and just be able to drop everything and go at a moment’s notice...’.

I had a quick liquid breakfast, then it was off to Sally the SAG -- which is now just a big white box -- to ride up to Newark. The long drive gave me a great chance to interview Gary at length. He was the most important member to get, truth be told. This trip was his brainchild and he got it going. I’m very, very impressed with him and really feel I have made an amazing friend.

He was very candid, as he was throughout the trip, and had many wonderful things to say about me. I was very humbled. I was also glad to feel closer to Pat. I don’t know her all that well, but felt like over these last couple of days I got to know her much better. The Earls are givers -- I am thankful and humbled to have made their acquaintance.

At the airport. Goodbye. It’s emotional, but not over the top. I’ve said goodbye in my heart long ago. Still, I will miss them.

The flight to Atlanta is first. I’m no fan of layovers, but this ticket was provided -- one of the many things provided by the Earls. I had a little snack in the cafe here (in ATL) and got to talk to Annamaria. That was nice. We have an opportunity to do some work in Vegas -- may be headed out there tomorrow -- swim goes my head. It would pay us a little money -- maybe that makes it worthwhile. What’s next? What’s next? What’s next? rings...:).


 

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Share the Road - On the road - Day #35

Click here to see the inspiring documentary from this journey!

DAY 35

Philadelphia to Ocean City, NJ 
95 miles

Bad stomach.

I spent last night sweating and clutching my stomach. Apparently something I ate at that awesome Cuban restaurant did not agree with me. I have to believe that at least part of me was overly-worked up about the last day of riding, too. Regardless, I spent an equal amount of time on the toilet and the bed and woke up with serious doubts about my ability to ride. I even joked (half-heartedly) about finding and wearing a depends diaper. If I could have found one...

We got down to the RV and did our last gear up for the ride. I was in pain because of my stomach and also because of the fact that this was it. Everyone else was talking about how relieved they were. I didn’t feel that way.

I watched Gary go up the ramp and off to the location where we were to meet the other riders. The rest of us took a little more time to gear up. It was a sacred and eerie moment.

We met the riders at 6th and Walnut. Mikey, the DP, was there -- right on time (great guy). It took us 45 minutes to get all 25 riders together. This was to be quite a different adventure with all these new riders -- extremely variant levels of riding ability, too.

We rode over the GW bridge into New Jersey -- another state sign we wouldn’t get as it was on a river (like MO to IL). It was fun riding on the bridge -- we had to have a police officer let us in as the bridge has been closed to foot traffic since 9/11. That’s really too bad.

I rode very slowly for the first two rides, really soaking in the mood. I didn’t talk much. Finally, in the third pull, I decided to get riding out of my head and talk to the other riders. I met the president of Cigna Insurance - his name is David. He’s a young guy (39) and a serious triathlete (he has competed in the Hawaiian Ironman among others!). We had an awesome conversation about the health problems in America. His perspective was amazing. We agreed to stay in contact after the trip.

After breaking out of the pack, a group of us decided to pick up the pace and really start riding. It was fun, but it didn’t take long to get lost, either. We called Chris and after some debate, agreed on a manner of getting ourselves back on course (which included him coming to pick us up and drop us off in the right place. We didn’t lose any miles on this path as we had gone more miles than we would have the other way -- just what I need, more miles).

Back with the group, I took over the point position in terms of direction. I like being in this leadership place. I like being counted and relied upon. We rolled on and eventually found a hot pace again -- averaging about 23 miles per hour. This time we were on the right course and about eight of us stuck it out and worked this line together. It was awesome to work as a team like this and have everyone do their part.

We stopped about three miles shy of the boardwalk as we had to wait for our police escort. Three miles to go and I began to flatten out. The emotion of the earlier part of the day was gone. It was replaced by an even buzz in my head. This was it. This was the end, my friend.

We rode into Ocean City and took pictures at the welcome sign -- perhaps our last group photo. Mikey jumped in the police cruiser to get the reverse perspective of our final ride and I grabbed last second interviews with the riders. We lined up: Bernie, Raul, Geoff, Gary and me. The salt air filled our lungs. The people on the streets stopped and stared. We waved. They had no idea what we had done or who we were. Why would they? Much as this was worldwide news to us, that just demonstrates how small and how large our points of view had become. It was similar to when I was on the cruise ships or on the road last year -- I became so focussed on what I was doing that the rest of the world went away. That’s not to say we didn’t touch our outside environment -- technology has certainly played a big part in that. We had internet access every couple of days and everyone had cell phones that worked to varying degrees. Still, the focus on the now was razor sharp.

And now that fades...unless, of course, like me there’s a need to stay on that edge. Annamaria and I talked yesterday and we decided it’s time to move on marketing “Boys of Summer”. We have a basic strategy to approach as many companies that we have contact with (and there are some good biggies) and raise money toward getting on the road during the playoffs/World Series to see games that we can get to and have screenings in the cities that are hosting games. I’ll be laying out the budget in the next couple of days. All those with ideas (and, more importantly, contacts) should contact us immediately!

Sidetrack -- sorry. Back to story:

We went up on the boardwalk among a cheering crowd of hundreds of people. They blocked off a portion for us and the mayor greeted us with handshakes, baseball caps and mugs. We each got a chance to address the crowd. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to say a few things on my heart. A moment later it was time to do the ceremonial dunking of our front wheels in the Atlantic Ocean. Rear wheels in the pacific, front in the Atlantic. We carried our bikes down to the ocean and, as a team, rolled the front wheels in. Huge applause. Gary then announced that since Chris dunked his feet in Pacific, we would dunk his head in the Atlantic. Fortunately, Chris complied as it would have been a struggle to try to get him to submit via force. In he went and so went the rest of us. Swimming in the warm Atlantic (82) was beautiful, healing and completing. The even numbness continued. There were no tears, no terrific outbursts from me -- more of a stunned look on my face than anything else. I watched everyone hug and reunite with their families and I did my part -- I filmed it.

Raul asked me several times if I was okay. I told him yes. He tried to hug a smile out of me and I complied.

Afterward we piled everything in the SAG and went the few blocks over to the Earl’s beach house where I’ll be staying for the next couple of days. I sat in the SAG off to the side as everyone did their last-minute work. I waited them all out. I needed a few moments to consider what was coming with me and what would wait until later. More than anything, I needed a few minutes to myself. I grabbed a few clothes and my bathroom gear and headed inside.

The house was jumping. I smiled and shook some hands, but couldn’t shake my numbness. I called Annamaria -- something I’d been meaning to do but just hadn’t gotten to yet. That grounding, that love, brought me back to a place of comfortable calm. I was able to realize that the depth of my pain was coming from the fact that I had been part of something very important. I also realized that my heart was engaged fully -- I had meaning and was part of something that served my highest good. I was supported and loved on a daily basis. The work was hard -- sometimes torturous -- but always rewarding and rewarded. This doesn’t happen in my daily life -- and I would venture to say not in many people’s daily lives.

So what’s the answer? How do I fill this hole? I don’t think it’s any one thing. I think it’s being available to many things. I think it’s being open. I think it’s listening for people who need help and finding out how I can be of service. I do think a great part of my existence is to help give voice to those who have a hard time being heard and yet have much to offer. That is my gift. I am a communicator and an entertainer. It is my gift and my honor to share it.

I know this for sure: I can’t do pointless work. I can’t do 9-5 for a paycheck. If I need to make money (as that is a part of living in this country -- and most others), then I will do so, but never in such a manner as to turn my back or my heart or soul on the larger picture of what I am here to do: serve.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Share The Road - On the road - Day #34

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on! Click here to tell us your definition of health.

DAY 34
“Rest” day in Philadelphia

It has to be in quotes because so far I don’t feel like we’ve rested. We’re going out to eat tonight and I hope to be in by 11AM as tomorrow’s meetup is at 6:30. It’s not a small day on the bike: 85 miles. ‘Course for us...

It is a relatively flat day, though the challenges will come, I imagine, in the group. There is much to figure out - and as I write that I release it, too. The figuring will happen in the action. The die is cast.

We start with a brief continental breakfast -- the most spare of all we’ve come across, but hey, I’m grateful for a little grub to get things going en la manana. After that, we’re up and out to meet Ruth at Cigna -- just a few blocks away in downtown Philly. I’m taken aback as we’re walking through the hustling morning city. It’s a great feeling city -- alive and electric. The smells and sounds are all right -- reminding me of New York and San Francisco (two other cities I love very much).

We are across the street from our destination when I run into our supplemental cameraman (volunteer 2nd unit DP) for the next two days, Mikey Catalanado. I got wind of him last night from Annamaria through a friend of mine in Philadelphia who’s working for the film commission out here, Maria Gebhardt. By the by, Maria, if you’re reading this: THANK YOU and NO, I’m not mad at you! I don’t know where you get such ideas, but we’ll have to talk. Mikey’s wonderful...as I continue...

The meeting at Cigna is easy and full of laughter. They’re all so happy to have us with them and accommodating to a level I can hardly believe. They’ve blocked off a piece of Market Street for us (RIGHT downtown!) and have a police escort, antique bicycles (with the riders) and Benjamin Franklin, himself, joining us! It’s a scene as we ride our bikes out of the garage and onto the congested streets. I’m rolling two cameras (one in my hand and one attached to my bike), Mikey’s rolling another from the SAG and people on the sidewalks are staring at the freaks in green on bikes following the 34-foot RV.

Welcome to Philly. Now move your freaking car!

We arrive at our holding position early -- awesome. Plenty of time to chat and get involved with the awesome energy that everyone’s bringing: motorcycle cops, police car, university cops on bikes, the antique cyclists, Ben Franklin, loads of Cigna people and lots and lots of others all crowding around and taking part in the festivities.

Before we know it, it’s time to go. We line up and the siren from the police car begins to wail. I’m rolling two cameras again, holding on to my handlebars with one hand (and trying to hold a steady picture, mind you --what’s really important?). Mikey’s dropped my other camera on a tripod and has it grabbing a static shot coming down the street. He’s got another camera in his hands that he’s working on a monopod like a steadi-cam, weaving in and out of the riders (can’t wait to see this footage).

We get to the spot, Ben F. just avoids crashing (bonus), and we have a thick crowd surrounding our stage. The president of Cigna welcomes us and gives a great speech. Gary’s up next and he charges up the group. Next comes Ben and he’s classic -- a great character (and I should know having donned the Caesar gear for a few years in Vegas). The crowd is very responsive and the whole scene just works.

I’m still thinking every 10 seconds or so -- we just biked to Philadelphia!

Then it’s over. Whoosh. The table and chairs are gone with the cat and the hat like it never happened. I get a MUCH-needed chair massage and the guy works on some tight back muscles that have been knotting for weeks now. They’re certainly not worked out, but I greatly appreciate the effort. Annamaria has already promised to help work them out when I get home.

Home is not so far away now...

We have one more appointment at a wellness center in New Jersey. This is a building that Gary’s brother actually helped design. It is an amazing place, integrating an extremely high-end gym/fitness center with a rehab center to work with local hospitals and recovering patients. The atmosphere of getting a patient out of the hospital to do their work and into a place where “healthy” people are (to serve as inspiration) is an amazing dynamic. The ladies who run this place are enthusiastic and so excited to share the ins and outs of their facility with us.

Oh -- I weighed myself and I’m down about five pounds -- not as much as I thought (but not a problem either -- I didn’t need to lose weight). Gary was down about ten (he doesn’t need to lose it). Geoff didn’t weigh himself.

Gary’s taking us out on the town tonight. More on that in a bit.

LATER...

The disintegration has begun. Geoff reunited with his wife tonight. The rest of us went out to dinner. Amazing food -- but something was missing. There was a piece of our group that wasn’t there. It is what it is. Tomorrow I expect chaos in terms of the reunions. Everyone will be with their families. Mikey and I will do our best to cover it.

 

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Share The Road - On the road - Day #33

You can be in the documentary this blog is based 
on! Click here to tell us your definition of health.

DAY 33
Hummelstown, PA to Philadelphia, PA
86 miles

We get on the road early. One of Gary’s good friends, Chris, is joining us. Chris is a 37 year-old man who has begun a wellness center with his company in South Carolina that is largely inspired by Gary. He is a very sweet and humble man. The bike he’s riding is not anywhere near what we’re riding -- more of a cross between a mountain bike and a road bike -- this will make his ride terrifically more difficult. That, and the fact that his training seems to have been rather light is going to make for a tough day. Nobody shares why this is so important to Chris, but Gary assures us that this ride means the world to him. Gary commits to staying behind with Chris (as he’s riding slower than the group pace).

The scares start early. We get on HWY 30 and it’s morning traffic in a Philadelphia suburb -- the real stuff. At several points we have to merge across off-ramps where cars are screaming at 70 MPH to get to their stop light (important to get there fast, you know). At one point, Geoff cut me off from behind to the right (we’re always supposed to pass on the left) just as we were merging on to a busy on-ramp. This really riled me -- I’ve got heavy traffic rolling at 70 to my left a bumpy median closing in on the center and I’m trying to read a nearly blind on-ramp to my right and...well, you get the point.

It got worse.

Raul misread a sign. He cut quickly across THREE lanes of traffic including one with a big rig in it. Bernie and I screamed. It just missed him. He made it to the median. Bernie pulled off to the side and put his helmeted-head in his hands. I was really riled -- the thought of losing Raul to an awful accident like this hammered home the fragility of life. It could have been over that fast. Had I seen it happen -- and it was right in front of me -- I might have absolutely lost my mind.

Raul apologized later, saying it was a stupid move. At the same time, he insisted that he had plenty of room. They could both be true.

The ride continued without further incident. Chris made 56 miles on his hybrid which is really quite an accomplishment. There’s something to be said for the awesome machines on which we ride (which doesn’t lessen the accomplishment).

We had a tense moment late in the day as we started to get close to the time we needed to get off the road in order to make a committment that Chris had lined up for us with a mentoring group he has worked with in Malvern. We had crossed into Philly proper, acccomplishing our miles for the day, but Gary really wanted to get downtown and say hello to one of our major sponsors, Cigna Health Insurance. There was pull between two things and eventually Gary relented. I was sorry for him as I knew what a big deal it was. At the same time, I could see why Chris was getting edgy -- these people were counting on him; two things going on and the need to keep the group together (based on difficult logistics in splitting the group).

The meeting with the group (Second Mile) was awesome. I also met one of Gary’s good friends and Gary’s older brother while there. I did an isometric/resistance workout with Chris and the group (because 86 miles wasn’t enough, apparently) and that took the last of all I had. Chris spoke briefly to the group, then Gary told some of our stories from the road. They were both great.

The biggest highlight for me was speaking to the coordinator of Second Mile. His stories about why he runs the center and the results he’s produced are nothing short of amazing. I have a good feeling he won’t end up on the cutting room floor.

We went back to Philly and parked the RV downtown in a garage. Big time security, rock star treatment from the guys -- all good. We meet Ruth Stoolman, our coordinator from Cigna. She’s wonderful. We go to Buca di Beppo and order the menu -- I mean the MENU. We got after it big time: pasta w/ oil and Veggies, Bruschetta, Garlic Bread, Warm spinach salad with tomatoes, pecans and feta cheese, stuffed shells with sausage, eggplant parmagiana, chicken (prepared in a way I can’t remember) and green beans w/ lemon.

Are you kidding me? Are YOU kidding me? We tore it up. Delicious.

The most special part came at the end of the meal when we got back to a tradition we hadn’t done in some time: each of us sharing highs and lows from the day. There were some fun ones in the beginning, but then it began to get deeper and more emotional. There was still great humor in there, but also great tears, too. Much love -- and at the same time desire to reunite with family and our lives outside of this adventure. Sadness and jubilation, day and night, yin and yang.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Share the Road - On the road - Day #32

You can be in the documentary this blog is based 
on! Click here to tell us your definition of health.

Day 32
6600 foot climb
The ups and downs...
Last night, I felt so down, so sad because of missing my family. At this point in the tour, especially knowing how everyone is looking forward to Ocean City and their reunions with their families, I feel a bit empty. There is a touch of dread, actually, in the moment where everyone hugs, greets and reunites with their families because my reunion with Annamaria won’t happen until a few days later. 
This morning we had breakfast at a great little cafe and I interviewed Chris’ mom (Christina). She had gastroplasty (sp?) surgery a few years back to try to deal with her obesity. She developed a blood clot in her leg that moved to her heart not long after the surgery. She also suffered a stroke from a fall in her back yard where she damaged a piece of her lower brain cord. She is still overweight today, though she has lost about 80 pounds. Through all her difficulties, people have asked her if what she has gone through has been worth it -- not having lost the weight she hoped to and suffering as she has. She says she doesn’t think she’d even be here today if she didn’t have the surgery. Chris, an only child, is a major influence and inspiration in her life. She speaks very frankly of the difficulties she has in accepting his advice, then says a few days after hearing what he says, she often reconsiders her resistance and is ready to try. 
Just the time since the tour has begun she has lost 15 pounds. 
LATER...
The first crash. Raul went down. It happened very quickly. We were past the halfway point for the day and in a nearly exuberant place as we had defeated two of our toughest hills on the tour, back to back 1000 foot climbs at a 10% grade. These are our last real hills of the tour and this made the end feel closer than ever. “We did it:” my mind rang out over and over again. We also narrowly avoided a thunderstorm -- literally outriding it. Everything seemed to be breaking our way. 
We were sharing the lead, pulling the group along and doing a good job of keeping together. Raul had mentioned how tired he was at our last SAG stop. He apparently said to Geoff (in jest) “that’s it. We don’t need to ride any more after those hills.”
Bernie and I were heading to the front. It was my turn to pull. Raul had just finished a typically strong effort. Not more than 5 seconds after I passed him, I heard some shouts behind me. I looked back just in time to see Raul start to flip over his handle bars. Actually, I didn’t know it was him at first. For some reason, my first thought was that it was Gary. Raul actually seemed to be the least likely candidate because of his experience. I got back to him in a hurry and cars and neighbors lined up all around him. He was face down on the pavement. He responded, but not coherently. 
“Do you want me to call an ambulance?” one man asked. 
I told him to give us a moment to assess the situation. A neighbor went ahead and called anyway. It was a good move. After about two minutes, Raul slowly turned over to sit on his butt. He wanted to get up, but we kept him down for a minute, making sure the basics were all there. The police, fire department and ambulances showed up. They were excellent. 
As it turned out, Raul’s helmet probably saved his life. Geoff and Gary, both of whom were behind him, saw him skid on his helmet for about 10 feet as he went down. He had road rash on his hip and shoulder and some minor cuts on his face and arm. We went to the hospital in an ambulance and by then the situation had been calmed. The medics had a good sense of humor. Geoff and I rode with Raul. I filmed it. 
It’s a strange place to be as a journalist and some would say my position is cold or uncaring. It is not my job to judge a situation, only to capture it. Often people are uncomfortable with a camera being present in difficult situations. If I only filmed the happy times, it wouldn’t make for much of a movie. Why? Because life isn’t just happy. There are crashes. There is pain. There are tears. There is anger. It all goes in. Not good or bad -- just as it is.
Truth be told, I sometimes have a hard time filming these situations. I didn’t get out on the street yesterday like I should have when Gary was riding on his own through the storm and Geoff tried to stop him. I think I was afraid of another blowup like Gary threw at me in Arizona. At any rate, I was kicking myself a bit for not being brave enough to brave that and capture what needed to be captured. It’s hard to walk into the dragon’s lair -- especially when he’s blowing smoke already.
Raul was treated with three staples in his head and given a tetnis shot. We scrapped the rest of today’s ride. Geoff told Raul he could have just said he didn’t want to ride anymore today -- no need for the theatrics. 
We’re off to a hotel in Hershey where we will meet another friend of Gary’s who will be with us for the last two ride days. I don’t know how much he’s going to ride. After today’s accident, I’m going to recommend not much as Gary has said he’s not very experiienced. The last thing we need is another accident. Though we feel very good about what we’ve accomplished, the road is still the road -- dangerous if you do not pay it complete respect. 
LATER...
I did get a small taste of home tonight and it made me very happy: we ate at Fuddruckers, a hamburger joint that I worked at for my first job. It’s a place I go to almost every time I head back to the Bay Area and have never had a bad meal at. I had a veggie burger, a delicious salad and splurged on some fudd fries (a true rarity for me).
We’re on to our 2nd to last ride tomorrow. Again...amazing just to look at. Though I thought we had completed the worst of it, there’s still a pretty good climb, not to mention 92 miles to knock down tomorrow. It is what it is. The worst thing going for me right now is my groing. The rash is nearly unbearable. The only thing that will take care of it? Time (though I am ready to give the Atlantic Ocean a shot when we arrive on Saturday. SATURDAY!!!).

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Share the Road - On the road - Day #31

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on! Click here to tell us your definition of health.

DAY 31

New Alexandria, PA to Mapleton, PA  
60 Miles
Ended up being a shorter ride today because of the committments to meet some kids in Chris’ hometown. It was a beautiful ride -- loads of downhills through wooded areas. There was still the feeling for me that maybe we should have pushed off earlier to go from our original destination, but the reminder of Gary’s struggles yesterday was fresh in my mind and I kept the idea to myself. This won’t be my last long distance trip.
The kids were great. We met some teenagers (pre-arranged by Chris) on a beautiful trail off the beaten path (very welcome as we spent the morning on a major highway getting buzzed by big rigs). We charged them with water guns and they didn’t put up much of a fight. I expected at least one wrestling match. What is with kids these days and their manners?
We rolled on for another 10 miles or so and met with a group of young kids from a local church who welcomed us with signs and cheers. They all came up to us and shook our hands and shook their heads in amazement everytime as we told them the same information -- how long we’ve been riding, how many miles we ride every day, how much water we drink...”I’d never do anything like this”, one young boy said. “You never know,” I replied. And that’s the truth. That little boy’s response could have easily been mine at various times in my life. To consider all that goes into making a trip like this...well, things conspired to make it right to do now and I’m very thankful. 
We stopped in at the house Chris grew up in and took some quick showers before heading off to a camp where we will be playing with another group of kids and handing out bands. I’m very happy for Chris and can just see him beaming about sharing his home with us. And at the same time, I’m very tired. I could use a nap...but that is not in the cards for right now. There are only three more ride days. That freaks me out just writing it...three more ride days. It feels like I’ve been out on this road forever. It seems like it may never end. It’s like...this journey is eternal. And in some ways I suppose it is as it will never leave my heart. Not to mention with the work I have to do on the film -- this project will be with me for some time. 
It’s great having a documentary under my belt so that I know better how to process the situation. I will give it time. I will step away from it for a while and focus on the marketing of Boys of Summer for a bit. I still want to get it out in September/October. That IS doable...iit will take work. 
I miss my Bella terribly and I know she misses me. It has been very hard for both of us being apart from each other -- harder than last year. Last year she had a job she was comfortable with and I had a job to come back with that, even if I didn’t care for it that much, would pay me a little money and wouldn’t stress me out. I can get work when I get back to L.A. -- I know that. It’s more a question of at what cost -- to my freedom. The freedom may have to be sacrficed for some time. And that’s okay -- the give and take, push and pull, yin and yang of life.
Chris had an interesting take on hills (since we’ve been riding so many of them the last couple of days): he said he really likes hills because whenever he’s going up one, he knows he gets to go downhill on the other side. I like that simple philosophy because it suggests embracing situations rather than struggling with them. Spending time worrying about the climb you know you’ll have to make does no good. You simply make the climb. You don’t “try” to make the climb. You MAKE the climb. Period. 
In one of my favorite movies, “Parenthood”, they use the metaphor of rollercoasters for life. Spending time getting upset about all the ups and downs and fearing the next one as opposed to embracing the situation and allowing for ups and downs that are clearly out of our control -- even learning to (God forbid) ENJOY them is quite a skill. At the same time, all it takes to do it is to commit to it. 
There’s a big difference between trying and committing. Trying allows for possible failure. Committing means the worst you will allow yoursel to do is your best. Once you are committed you HAVE succeeded regardless of the result. 
LATER...
We went to the camp tonight and Gary was electric. He connected to the kids very quickly and in interviewing them afterward, I could see many of them were noticeably moved. Chris was very excited to be in his old stomping grounds with familiar friends too -- it made me happy for him and struck a sad chord within me. I feel sad for several reasons:
A) Being in a home again makes me miss my home and all the things I associate with home. 
B) At the end of the tour, I’ll be the only team member who doesn’t have family there to greet him. 
C)I’m a bit fearful of returning to “regular life” in Los Angeles. There are financial concerns I’ve been able to hold at bay while out here; I don’t know what job I’ll be doing -- there’s work I can do, but I don’t want to do work that I “can” do -- I want to do work I want to do; work that feeds my highest good that will in turn, naturally, feed everyone around me. I feel a bit selfish and childish even as I write that. I have certain responsibilities that need to be met. I have to do what I have to do. I will find what I need to find no matter what I do as long as I’m doing the things that keep my heart right -- work out, meditate, spend good time with the Bella. 
And now I must reflect on a moment of happiness -- that Chris just gave me a beautiful hat that had deep family meaning for him. It was a hat that belonged to his grandfather and something they’ve kept in the family for some time. It doesn’t fit him, so he slipped it on my head. He said he wanted me to have it as a measure of thanks and out of respect for our time together. It feels great on my head -- very natural. He gave it to me happily and I humbly accepted it. 
I’ve learned so much on this tour.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Share The Road - On the road - Day #30

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on! Click here to tell us your definition of health.


Two state lines today. Let me back up...whoo. Time to catch my breath. See -- we’re about half way through our second biggest climb day of the tour. So far, it’s been a series of ups and downs like we haven’t seen -- at least with this consistency. It’s very fun on the downhills and a hell of a lot of work on the uphills. The flat ground is almost non-existent. Everyone’s struggling. My hamstrings tightened up on me during my sleep last night -- I know this because they woke me up.

The teamwork element has been very good in a lot of ways -- the communication started this morning with everyone talking about how they felt about yesterday -- we were a little hyped up over Bernie coming on board (“New Toy, Daddy!”) and therefore we rushed a little bit. We were all excited about the prospect of hills and we worked very hard -- there is a price to pay for that. I was once told by a friend and fine actor, Michael Asberry: “You don’t always get all you pay for, but you pay for all you get.”

I do believe everyone is doing the best they can. There are tense moments. We are more packed in than ever. We are all tired and the end is so in sight...at the same time, the only thing that matters is right now. These are the only roads in front of us.

Last night’s sleep was good again(save for the cramps) -- that really makes a difference in how I get up and how my head wants to do whatever I have to do. My body seems to be able to handle quite a bit -- but if the head doesn’t want to do it, it will do it’s best to sabotage the situation.

One of the things that changes when you get into a situation with more people is communication must improve in order to be efficient. The self must give something of itself and one must allow himself to be served and to be of service. There was a saying on a church bulletin board we went by that said: “In order to be great, one must be of service.” Gary told me this is a paraphrase from the book of Matthew in the Bible. It also reminds me of an Eastern parable -- two groups of recently deceased people were separated and sent to heaven and hell. They were both given an immense feast with the most amazing delicacies. The only rule was they had to eat with three foot long chopsticks. Those in hell, try as they may, could not eat. They dumped the delicious looking food on the floor and cursed and spat and called those who made the rules stupid. Meanwhile, those in heaven, fed the people across from them with chopsticks and they all ate to their delight.

Service. Surrender. Teamwork. Uplifting. Responsibility. Accountability. Hard work. Respect.

LATER...

the heat swelters. The humidity is driving all of us a bit nuts. We’re feeling it and we’re ciompletely soaked in our own sweat. Drinking water only does so much. At some point, the exposure begins to mess with your head. As we stepped out of the SAG to take our last ride of the day, Bernie (our new rider) and I looked at each other as we sensed the same thing: that sweltering heat had very suddenly gone away. It was about 20 degrees cooler. Before we could say anything, the thunder in the distance confirmed what we thought: storm a comin’! We tried to ride it out, but the lightning started up and the rain was really dumping. Now, rain on an open, flat, non-trafficky road is one thing. On these hills, in the heart of rush hour with lots of pot holes and unexpected nasties that get filled up with water and suddenly appear rideable is another.

We pile into the SAG. We’re beat. We’re tired. We’re ready to call it a day and figure out the mileage later. Except Gary. Gary is on a mission. Dude waves everyone off and keeps riding. He has said many times that he is NOT afraid of lightning and that he’s ready to go if it’s his time. So...we’re all on the SAG and talking about this and we decide Gary’s not made a good decision from a team perspective. We are able to track him down a mile or so later and Geoff jumps out of the SAG to try to talk to him. He says one thing that rang in Gary’s head: “This trip is not about you!” It was the ego ring and Gary was wise enough to answer the call...after hitting one of those dark potholes that looked rideable. He realized that if he was even raising the chance of something happening to him by one percent, that was too much risk to take what was the reward? “Saying” that he rode all the miles? Look, if anyone wants to call into question the amount of miles we’ve ridden they can kiss my saddle sore-ridden butt. We have put in our time and we have worked incredibly hard. We have ridden across the country and much more.

I’m proud of Gary’s decision and I’m proud of all of us for standing beside him and letting him know we love him too much to allow him to get hurt.

We had a great dinner at our hotel restaurant -- excellent food and more laughs than we’ve had at one sitting at any time in the trip.

Tomorrow we hit Chris’ hometown of Mapleton, PA. He has loads of events lined up for us. I’m excited.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Share the Road - On the road - Day #29

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on! Click here to tell us your definition of health.

DAY 29

Troy, OH to Cadiz, OH
90 miles
I actually got a good night’s sleep last night! I woke up at 3:30 (before looking at the clock) thinking, “Well, if I have to get up now, I can go”. To my delight, two more hours! I’ve started doing pushups every morning to help get the blood flowing. I think this is something I’ll be adding to my regular regimen at home, too. I remember Herschel Walker saying he never did anything but pushups, pullups and situps. I still like the gym so I won’t be cancelling that anytime soon. But one thing I have found is that I really, really enjoy is working out outside; being part of an adventure -- going somewhere as opposed to being on a treadmill or a stationary bike. Yes, there are additional challenges -- but isn’t that life? Isn’t that more organic and resonant? The gym is a workout in a vacuum and so it has that appeal -- “control”. The outdoors -- anything can and does happen. You are forced to constantly adapt. I don’t remember the last time I got a flat tire in the gym or had someone back into my bike and wreck my rim. I’m not adding those things in as “good” things for the outdoors, just saying that’s part of life. The upside of breathing fresh air, seeing new things, meeting people out doing the same thing and more is immeasurable.

LATER...
We meet up with Bernie -- Gary’s contact through work that he’s never met in person. He called us yesterday to say he was in Cadiz, OH (thinking we’d be there yesterday). Since we weren’t, he met us halfway on our ride today. He rode across the country on his own a few years ago. He did it in 30 days -- being hospitalized twice; once for having open sores in his groin be infected by the dye in his uniform and once for dehydration. He doesn’t seem nearly as crazy as I thought he’d be...I’ve only just met him though.
He IS a strong rider, that’s for sure.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Share The Road - On the road - Day #28

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on! Click here to tell us your definition of health.

DAY 28
Troy, OH to Hebron OH - 99 miles

Today’s teamwork felt better. One of the reasons it worked for me was because we had a great discussion last night over dinner. That dinner, by the by, was insanely good. I had a greek salad, bruschetta and a pesto tortellini. Unbelievably tasty. At any rate, everyone loved their meal and after the great time we had at the festival, we began to open up about our experiences on the road.

For some the pace was too fast. For some there wasn’t enough communication. For me I was missing the fun and individuality -- part of which I express through my picture taking. The honesty and discussion did us all well and it showed today on the ride.

One thing I’m not doing well enough is sleeping. It wears on me. I had a very, VERY hard time getting up this morning. It’s hard anyway, but when I’m lacking in sleep, my happiness fades a bit -- the silliness that helps me see things more openly. Then the bitterness seeps in. The pain I’m feeling throbs more deeply. Today I had tremendous pain in my groin (the chafing). It’s always there, but when I’m not well-rested, it goes through the roof.

At any rate, we made it. And five days into having Raul on board, I must say it is wonderful to have him. He’s an inspiration and a wealth of knowledge. He told me about a race in Puerto Vallarta and said he’d like to stay in touch with me after we’re done here so we can talk about maybe hooking up down there. I’m not fluent in Spanish, by all means, but I can do a bit of chatting -- enough to make Raul smile at my attempts.

I was particularly energetic when we finished the ride and excited about out campground tonight. Turns out it’s a great RV park -- clean and full of people (sold out). Nice amenities -- shower, pool, bike rentals (like I want that...). Nice. At any rate, I picked up some food at the market I’d been thinking about all day and Raul and I put together an awesome cookout that consisted of: tomato/cucumber salad, guacamole, peppers and onions grilled with garlic, BBQ corn with green chiles and burgers (veggie style for me, of course). What a meal. We’ve had a lot of great ones on this trip, but something about eating outside and being part of the prep always makes me that much more satisfied.

I took the time to actually look at our last six ride days today. I gasped when I looked at the last day from Philly to Ocean City. It suddenly became very real. I’ve avoided looking at that because I don’t want to get ahead of myself -- I don’t want to lose my being in the moment. At this point, it is real. Six more ride days -- that’s it. There are some significant challenges road wise -- particularly over the next three days. But you know what, we have experience that tells me we’ll be fine. We’ll overcome whatever needs to be overcome. The fact that we’ve come together as a team underscores this.

Random thought of the day: I’ve heard that Eskimos have dozens if not hundreds of names for snow -- because they live around it so much, they notice the finer details and label it for all the different conditions. The road is like that for us -- not that we’ve named all the different types, but I can tell you the road that you drive on is not the same as the road that you bike on. We are sensitive to so many different things because of perspective. It’s all in how you look at things.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Share The Road - On the road - Day #27

You can be in the documentary this blog is based 
on! Click here to tell us your definition of health.

DAY 27 
Greenfield, IN to Troy, OH-- 95 miles

Somebody should have issued a local jerk warning last night. Some fool backed up into our RV in the middle of the night and tweaked four of the eight wheels on our bikes. Nice way to wake up.

The good news is as follows: the guys are all troopers, Gary has insurance, we have the equipment and enough know-how and we got the work done. We were on the road about 90 minutes later than expected and if that’s all the worse for the wear we are, then good deal.

The weather (perhaps because of that storm last night) held off from getting blazing hot today. It was warm, but the cloud cover kept it from blazing and the humidity was barely noticeable. THAT makes a huge difference.

The team element of riding continues to be a challenge for me. Different riders, myself included, have different abilities. At various times, people follow or don’t follow the rules Raul has set forth for us. This can be frustrating. I do my best to breathe and just handle my side of things. Communication is still difficult on the road. Taking pictures really suffers. The freedom to do little side-jaunts really suffers. This is the price of going forward as a group. Ultimately, it serves the entire group better (I just have to keep reminding myself of this).

We’ve stopped in to do a little laundry right now and everyone’s handling their business. We may actually get to watch “Super Size Me” this afternoon if we can get everyone’s divergent butt in here. My money’s on “Free Crab Tomorrow” (that is in reference to a sign that we saw on a restaurant in Tempe, AZ -- it’s wonderfully ironic in denoting the things always talked about but never to really be delivered).

Seven days of riding remain. That’s amazing. Only seven days. Then what? Back to life, back to “reality”...I have a jacked-up financial situation waiting for me at home and I need a job -- a good paying gig. Anyone out there reading this with a cool job to offer, hit me back. I’m a great leader and at the same time follow instructions well. I take initiative, I have loads of management experience, I’m good with people and extremely creative. Talk to you soon...whoever you are.

LATER...

We’re in Troy. Turns out to be quite a chic little cultural town. They have a jazz festival going on and Chris and Gary hustle us into the parking lot where we distribute hundreds of bands (truth be told we enlist some local kids to do the work for us -- why work when there are available eager beavers?). The set up with the SAG looks great. The festival has several hundred people and we’re holding off on dinner ‘til it’s over. Grrrr...says my stomach. Don’t get me wrong -- I’m a jazz LOVER. I’m also tired and hungry. Tired and hungry vs. Jazz concert is not a contest.

We lost an hour today. Don’t know what happened to it. Don’t know who was supposed to be watching it. No idea where it went. Just know it’s gone and that’s that. It’s rumored I’ll get all the hours back that I’ve lost when I return to L.A.. I’ll believe that when I see it.