Ann Arbor, Michigan

Woke us this morning in our hotel and did not want to get up. I went to bed a little bit later than I wanted to because I was working on my bike. I got out of bed and went through my normal routine to get ready for a day of riding. Once I got my luggage out to the vans and pumped up my tires I sat down on a couch in the lobby and waited for everyone. There has been a bug going around the team and I have been doing a pretty good job avoiding it until today. While sitting down, Nick came up to me and realized I was under the weather and told me to sit the day out to rest up for Ohio. So unfortunately I missed a day on the bike and had to ride in the van for the day. I napped for most of the day and then after about another hour we arrived in Ann Arbor and made our way over to the Pi Kappa Phi house at the University of Michigan. While there we ate some lunch and put our bikes inside where they were going to be kept over night. By the time all the cyclists got in we were running out of time so we made our way over to lodging at some of the University dorms and had to get showered up.

We had two friendship visits today, the first being with PEAC, which helps all people learn how to ride bikes safely. We rode with one of their classes with participants skills ranging from very good riders down to a boy who earned how to ride on his own for the first time today. It was awesome to se the smile on his face when the instructor let go and he pedaled on his own. Another thing we did while we were there was split up into groups and do community rides. With Luke, Michael, Colin and a girl named Katelyn we rode around the neighborhood and worked on making calls. Katelyn is a 12 year old with Spina Bifida. She is a prime example of someone who instead of letting a disability effect them, they adapt. Because of her disability she uses a hand cycle, and she is pretty darn good at it. We all had a lot of fun hanging out with her and the rest of the participants at PEAC and this organization is one that I know will continue to grow. 

David Iles riding a tandem bike with Ben

In between our friendship visit with PEAC and our next one, the guys headed back to the dorm to rest up and hang out. I went to my room and ended up watching Tennessee Football videos which got me very excited for the fall. Around 5:30 we met downstairs and loaded up in the vans for our second visit of the day at the Eisenhower Center, which serves people with brain injuries. While there we planned to eat dinner, and participate in what the center called Mock Rock. There were several groups which planned danced and would then be judged on them. Our team had two dances, one with the song "Single Ladies" by Beyonce and the second being "Every time We Touch" by Cascada. Although we didnt win, the JOH team always has a blast when it comes to dancing and it was awesome to see the clients get out there and dance after working so hard on their routines. 

I feel like on this trip we are always hungry even though we eat so good at sponsored events so once we got back to lodging and changed about 20 of us made our way over to Buffalo Wild Wings for boneless wing. Wings are one of my favorite food and we have yet to eat them thus far on the trip so I was very excited. It was nice to hang out with some of my teammates in such a chill environment for a little bit and we all left very satisfied. Once getting back to my room and hung out for a little bit and then went to bed. We leave Michigan tomorrow to head to Ohio. Excited to ride through another state, but I am not thrilled that we are getting so close to arriving in D.C. 

East Lansing, Michigan

Woke up this morning at 5:30 and I was excited to get back on the bike after being the Project Manager yesterday. The dorm beds were surprisingly comfortable so getting up was a challenge. We had our normal crew chief breakfast and then went outside to start our morning. The weather called for cold and rainy today so no one was extremely excited especially since a lot of guys were feeling sick. I knew the day was going to be a little bit rough when one of our crew members ran over a cyclists tire. It completely bent the wheel and he was unable to ride today.

I rode today with Alex Eplan from Georgia Tech and David Iles from the University of Iowa. We started out as the first pace line and were rolling at a very fast pace for the first 15 miles and then the rain came. The worst part of it was that just 10 minutes before we took our jackets off because we were getting hot so we left them in the vans. The three of us were absolutely miserable and freezing which brought on some crazy ideas and thoughts. We were screaming things, figuring our ways to get out of the rain and nearly crashing because our brakes weren't working due to the rain. About 25 miles into the ride we arrived at a crew stop with Kyle and waited for van 4 to reach us so we could get our jackets. After about 10 minutes the second pace line caught up to us and then Sam arrived, we got our jackets and got back on the road. About 2 miles after leaving the crew stop we were stopped because Kyle told us to go the wrong way. Normally this wouldn't have been that big of a deal but because it was rainy and people were not in the best moods it didn't help. We got back to the van and by that time all of the pace lines had arrived. At one point there were about 7 of us huddled up inside of a porta potty trying to stay warm. About 15 minutes later the crew figured out where we were supposed to be and they told us we could get back on the road. By this point we were down to 18 cyclist because people were not feeling well. Because of this we split up our pace line and Alex went to ride with Beau and David and I kept going. The rain was off and on for the next few hours.

East Lansing was about 84 miles from lodging in Kalamazoo so when we arrived at Jesus' crew stop we knew we were almost there. He told us to make a right at the road he was marking, but unfortunately he forgot to tell us to make a left soon after that. Close to 5 miles later I looked and we were leaving East Lansing. Because he forgot to tell us to turn we went the wrong way again. After an hour and over 14 miles of extra riding we arrived at the Courtyard Marriot in East Lansing, Michigan. The ride was pretty frustrating at times due to rain and the crew not being on their game but I am glad I was one of the guys to finish the day. We circled up outside of the hotel and met our lunch sponsor as well as the sponsor who set up our lodging. The team went inside and had an awesome lunch and we were then able to go get showered up. We had a few hours of free time before our dinner later that night so I had to run to the bike shop to get the two spokes repaired that broke during the days ride. 

After getting back to the hotel and taking a nice 45 minute nap the team loaded up in the vehicles and we went to eat dinner with some of the Beta Xi Chapter guys from Central Michigan. They made us an awesome dinner including burgers, hotdogs, and much more. It was a nice relaxing dinner after a long day on the road, and it was cool to talk to guys from other chapters. We took our group photo with the sponsors and then made our way back to lodging for the night. 

Spencer presenting the Beta Xi guys with a team shirt

Once back at the hotel guys did all kinds of different things. There was a group of us that washed our bikes. Because of the rain the chain and other components get very dirty which is bad for them so we had to spray them off, and then lube the chain so everything continues to work correctly. I took the rest of the night to relax, pack up my bag and rest up for the next day. We have our last full day in Michigan tomorrow as we head into Ann Arbor, home to the University of Michigan! 

Project Manager for the day

Last night while we were out getting ice cream, my Project Manager Nick came up to me and ask me if I wanted to do his job the next day because he wasn’t feeling well and wanted to rest. Doing this would cause me to miss a day on the bike but I agreed and was excited to take on the day from a different perspective. Being the Project Manager meant I was first in command of the team. Nick does a lot everyday to make sure everything runs smoothly and so that all the cyclists have to worry about is riding their bikes. I didn’t have to do all of his work because a lot of it deals with talking to headquarters, but I did the other tedious jobs that he faces on a day to day basis.

My day started at 4:45, which is 30 minutes before the cyclist woke up. In that time I had to get ready, make sure the crew had started their morning jobs, and do anything other small things that needed to be done before the cyclist woke up. While the cyclists were getting ready for their day I was preparing the board that we go over during morning circle up, I met with the principal of the school we stayed at to make sure everything was okay, and then talked to our breakfast sponsor. I realized that a lot goes on while I am getting out of bed, putting on my cycling gear and preparing my bike for the day. After the cyclist get all of their stuff out the door and started eating I had to load their luggage into the vehicle and then go back inside and make sure everything was cleaned up. Checking every bathroom, the area we slept in and everywhere else someone might have gone was on the checklist of things to go over. I did a walk through with the principal to make sure things met her expectations and then was able to go outside and get breakfast. The sponsor this morning made us a delicious casserole, and brought us juice and yogurt. Once everyone had eaten I had to do a circle up with the crew to discuss the days route and make sure they knew where they had to be. The night before I went out with Spencer to scout the route to make sure the conditions were ride able and we could go the planned course. Once the crew was set the entire team did a circle up with the sponsors and we went over the day. After thanking the sponsors for their support, I discussed the day’s ride, our programming, and the expectations for the day. After we did our disability of the day and morning prayer. After taking our daily team photo in front of the high school I made each sponsor an honorary team member by presenting them with a team shirt. Soon after the cyclist were sent to start their ride, and my job was nearly close to being over.

Once the cyclist are on the road a new list of jobs presents itself. Nick and Spencer (the logistics coordinator) drive into the town we will be staying in that day to set up lodging, meet with the sponsors and scout out every possible move the team makes. We went into Kalamazoo and headed straight to lodging which is a dorm at the University of Western Michigan. We had to check everyone into the door and make sure there were enough rooms to hold everyone. Once that was finished we got back into the car and went to our lunch location. Because the sponsors were very close friends to Spencer things worked out a little differently, but while there we helped set up by putting up table and chairs, filling up coolers and anything doing some dishes. The cyclist pushed a very fast pace today so before we knew it they began to arrive at the location and everyone enjoyed a wonderful lunch. The team went around and did introductions and then we did another tshirt presentation. Before the cyclist could get back on the bikes to ride to the dorms I had to get there to make sure things were ready. Spencer and I arrived at the dorms and we were in a rush to get the luggage unloaded and to fill out the board so that the cyclist knew what they were doing.

After everyone arrived at lodging and were up in their rooms I had a little free time to get some things done. I was able to shower and make my bed and then I got a text from Spencer asking me if I wanted to go scout for tomorrows ride and I jumped at the chance to do so. Although I am not going to be PM again tomorrow I thought it would be helpful to check out the route for tomorrow before I rode it. We got back from scouting around 4:30 and the dinner sponsor had already arrived. I talked to them for a little bit until the team came down stairs and then we ate dinner. During dinner a few of my jobs were to talk to the sponsors and keep the company, but most importantly to let the team know when they can get up and get seconds. We had a great dinner and after everyone did their introductions and took the team picture we got ready for circle up. During circle up I let the team know what they will be doing tomorrow and then I was done for the day!

It was a lot of fun spending a day as the guy in charge. A lot of work goes into this trip being a success and usually the cyclist don’t even know that the small things are happening. It really made me appreciate what is done for me so that I am safe on the road, I get fed everyday and I have a nice place to sleep. I look forward to getting back on the saddle tomorrow and being able to turn my brain off once again and only worry about spinning my legs. 

Spencer Haworth and I crossing into his home state

South Bend, Indiana

With a new day brings a new state, change in time zones, and countless amounts of new memories. We started our day very early at 4:30 which is a little more difficult when you are in a hotel like we were. The reason we had to be up so early is we had to rack our bikes to drive them into the city so we could start our ride. In past years the team stayed downtown so they could easily take off from there but this year was a little different. After getting downstairs with my luggage and getting my bike outside we immediately racked the bikes and made our way to the city. We arrived outside of the Buckingham Fountain and ate our crew chief breakfast there. It was a little overcast to start the day and we were hoping that the weather wouldn't impede on our day.

While eating breakfast it started sprinkling a little bit but the weather was still okay to get our ride started. After breakfast by the fountain, we did a quick circle up and welcomed our ride-a-long for the day, a former Pi Alpha named John Shumacher. We then made our way around the fountain to take a group picture with the Chicago skyline in the back. The sunrise was absolutely beautiful and it was a great way to start our morning out of the city. I rode with Kyle Marpe and Luke Millen, our two Purdue guys who were very eager to get back into Indiana. We started our ride with an awesome bike path that ran along Lake Michigan, and I can't think of a better way to begin the morning on the bike. It was only about 15 miles to get to the state line but it took a little while because of a lot of construction, traffic lights and detours. After a little over an hour of leaving Chicago we arrived in Indiana and Kyle and Luke were very happy. The ride from there was very interesting and pretty dangerous at times. The beginning of Indiana was very sketchy and the towns we were going through were not some I would like to be walking through at night. When we rode through Gary, Indiana I saw more than one sign with bullet holes in it. The roads were also in very bad shape with huge holes, open water drains, and cracks throughout the lanes.

We were riding at a very strong place and we arrived at our lunch location right behind the first pace line. We stopped about 45 miles in at a beach along Lake Michigan to eat with a Pi Alpha from 1991. He was the project manager that year and it was crazy hearing him tell us about how much different things were back then, including a lack of rules and structure. He said he would wake up every morning and drive to the next town to try to find a place to sleep and eat for the guys. It blows my mind how much things have changed. I do not think my Mom would allow me to do this trip without a cell phone either. After about an hour at the beach and a good lunch we got back on the bikes to finish the last 45 miles. The ride remained flat pretty much all day which helped the day go by faster. Everyone was rolling smoothly until we were a mile outside of lodging and I hit a huge rock. No more than 100 feet later my front tire was flat so we had to stop and change it. Fortunately I was able to get it changed quickly and get back on the bike to finish the day. Five minutes later we pulled into St. Josephs's High School which was our lodging for the night. Once we arrived everyone had to rush to get showered up and ready for dinner with the Knights of Columbus.

At 5:00 we drove over to the local chapter of the Knights of Columbus, who have been hosting the Journey of Hope North Team for 7 years now. They prepared an awesome spaghetti dinner for us which was awesome after a long day on the bike. By the time dinner was coming to an end around 7 everyone had been up for close to 16 hours and were getting very tired. I caught not only myself but a bunch of my teammates dosing off during our introductions and all I really wanted to do was go to bed. After dinner Colin's mom took the whole team to go get ice cream which was very nice. I never thought I would be so excited to get ice cream but the whole team really craves it after riding all day. The milkshake was the perfect way to end a long day, and while there everyone had a blast hanging out.

When we got back to lodging Spencer asked me if I wanted to go out with him and check out the route for the next day. We drove about 20 miles into the ride and then turned around and went back to lodging. Within 15 minutes of getting into the building and laying down I was out for the night. Another amazing day, and I look forward to enjoying these next two weeks with the 34 most amazing guys I have ever met!

Day off in Chicago

Days off the bike never mean a day off. No matter what city we are in there is always something to do and Chicago was no different. The resort we were staying at was absolute amazing and getting out of the bed was one of the harder parts of my day. I woke up at 6:45, got showered up and met the team down stairs for crew chief breakfast before heading into the windy city. A lot of the guys were slow to get out of the hotel so we were a little bit late getting to our first activity but it didn't seem to have that big of an impact on anyone. After a 45 minute drive that involved some traffic we arrived at our friendship visit at Envision, which provides services that promote choice, independence and community integration to people with developmental disabilities and other special needs. This organization reminded me a lot of the one that Lexie is involved in back in Cape Coral, so I was very interested to interact with the clients and have a fun day.

When we arrived our contact at Envision had Dunkin Donuts and coffee waiting for us which was a nice way to get the morning started. Once everyone got fed we went outside the get set up for the day. The group was having a cookout later in the afternoon but because of time we weren't going to be able to stay but we still helped them get ready. Another thing we did was set up an obstacle course. While there we were going to help some of their clients ride a bike so we used chalk to draw out the course. I helped carry the grill over to where it needed to be set up and when I opened it up I was pretty disgusted. Knowing how dirty it was I took it upon myself to clean it out so I spent close to the next hour using the limited resources I had to get it cleaned. I used a shovel to scoop out bugs, lots of dirt and many other things, and then started a fire inside to kill some other germs and scare the rest of the family of bugs that were living inside. After the grill was cleaned the majority of the clients had arrived. The friendship visit was very highly populated and that always calls for a good time. While some of the guys were aiding with the bike riding, others were playing different ball games, dancing, and simply sitting down with clients. It was a great experience to help some of the clients navigate through the obstacle course and then pass the finish line. The pure joy that some of the people got out of it was very rewarding to me and I will never take something like riding my bike for granted. Two hours of awesome fun went past and it was time to load back up into the vehicles to continue our day.

Although friendship visits are amazing, sometimes it is nice to get extra time off in fun cities we go to and today we got that opportunity. We were given close to 4 hours off in Chicago and it was so much fun. A group of about 15 of us started walking and we were led to a restaurant downtown called UB Dogs. While there I got an absolute delicious Italian Beef sandwich, which was recommended by our very own Chicago native Kevin Dubbins. Although it was a little messy after being dipped in au jus, it was worth it and I left a happy and full person. After eating the group split up a little bit and about half of us made our way to the aquarium. With all the time we had to spend what better way to do it than by checking out beluga whales and dolphins. The long walk across Chicago and a little bit of sweet talking to the employees to give us a discount was definitely worth it. The aquarium was a lot of fun and it was a nice way to hang out with everyone.

 GO VOLS 

With a brisk pace because we were running late we made our way back to a meeting area so that we could walk over to dinner as a group. With one minute to spare we met with the team and made our way to Gino's East Pizzeria to have dinner which was sponsored by a Pi Alpha who cycled the trip in 1988. This was an awesome experience because not only were we able to talk to him and hear stories from the first year the Journey of Hope was a team event, but I also got to try deep dish pizza for the first time and wow it was delicious. Although I do prefer thin crust, I am able to say I left Chicago having ate deep dish pizza, a chicago style hotdog, and italian beef. After a group picture in front of the building we all went back to the vehicles and made our way back to Itasca for the night.

Chicago was an absolute blast and tomorrow we leave for Indiana, and continue east on our journey to Washington D.C. It is always bittersweet leaving another city but I am excited to see what Indiana has in store for not only me but the whole team.

DAY 50

The fact that today we arrived in Chicago and we are 50 days into our trip absolutely blows my mind. I arrived in San Francisco almost two months ago and we have less than three weeks left in the trip. I am at a point where I almost want to turn back around and head back to California because I don't want this amazing experience to end. I have done so many amazing things, pushed myself to limits I didn't think I could reach and I have made 34 friends that I will have for the rest of my life.

We woke up at 6:15 this morning and it was a very interesting morning. Chicago is only 20 miles from Chicago and from what Nick said it would almost be pointless to make the trip in on bikes. Depending on the conditions twenty miles would normally take us about an hour but because there are so many turns and traffic the ride in would have taken up 2 1/2 hours so we were told to rack our bikes. When we got out of bed this morning we were told to put workout clothes on instead of biking gear or team tux because we were going to do yoga as a team. The YMCA brought out a yoga instructor for us so all 35 guys on the team went to the front lawn of the YMCA building and did yoga together. I have only done yoga once in my life and it is a lot harder than I ever expected. Along with a lack of balance I have pretty bad flexibility so I struggled a little bit. Everyone got a good laugh out of how bad most of us were but afterwards I felt amazing. My whole body felt very loose and relaxed and I think yoga is just what the team needed to remain strong on the bikes.

JOH making yoga look easy since 1977

Although we weren't riding into the city we still had to put on our biking clothes because we were doing an arrival on our bikes to the friendship visit location. So after yoga the team went inside, showered up and then got ready for a day on the bike. 20 minutes later the team was back outside and was greeted by close to 50 day camp participants who were eager to see a puppet show. The guys put on a great show for the little kids and as usual I laughed at every joke that I have now heard close to twenty times. As soon as the puppet show was over we loaded up in the trucks and made our way to downtown Chicago. Everyone in my vehicle loves when we have to ride in the truck because we have so much fun together. Today I sat in the front so I had to DJ and we had a blast. Between the music, hilarious things we talk about, and the anxiousness to be in Chicago we were laughing and having a lot of fun. We arrived at our stage up location which was Target and got ready to ride over to our friendship visit.


We got in double pace line formation and after a mile long ride we arrived at the Victor C. Neuman Foundation which works to help people with developmental disabilities. As we were pulling into the parking lot there was a crowd of between 50 and 100 people who were all very excited to see us. We lined up and all the clients came up and introduced themselves to us. While there the plan was to eat lunch and interact with the clients for a few hours. Once we met everyone we set our bikes to the side and the fun began. After getting my food I went and sat down to a middle aged gentleman named Jerry. He was hesitant to talk to me at first but once he opened up he talked and talked and talked. I asked him how is day was going and what he said next really stuck with me. He told me, "I don't have bad days. I have good days, and I have great days and today is another great day." I thought about it for a moment and I couldn't come up with any reason not to look at life the same way. At once point in this trip someone said to me that the only disability in life is a bad attitude and this goes along the same lines. Jerry very clearly had a disability but he had an attitude where he was going to make the best of situations and also be happy and I plan on looking at life the same way. Right before we left the CEO of the Victor C. Neuman Foundation approached us and presented the team with a proclamation. It announced that today, July 24th 2013 is declared Push America day in the entire state of Illinois. This was so awesome because all of the other proclamations we have received are just for individual cities but this one was for the whole state.

Clients greeting us as we arrived to our friendship visit location

After our visit the team was getting a few hours to tour downtown Chicago which I was excited for. I have never been west of the Mississippi River before other than flying out to San Francisco a few years ago so all of these Midwest states are new to me. We split up into smaller groups and walked around. My group went to a four floor Nike Store, the Apple Store, went to the 96th floor of the Hancock Tower and then had the most amazing popcorn of my life from a store called Garrett's. Chicago is a very cool city and I look forward to being able to come back tomorrow and check out more of the sites.

At 5:30 the team met up at a restaurant to have dinner sponsored by John Shumacher, a former Pi Alpha and all around great guy. He had dinner with us and it was very neat to hear some of his experiences when he did the trip and talk about how everything has changed. We ate a delicious pasta dinner and I had some of the best root beer I have ever drank in my life. The meal was very filling and after a long day I was ready to head back to lodging to rest for the night.

We drove about 30 minutes to our lodging location which was outside of Chicago in Itaska, Illinois. Tonight we are staying at Eaglewood Resort and Spa which is an absolutely amazing place. It is by far one of the nicest places we have stayed all summer and I really hope the sponsor knows we appreciate all that they are doing for us. I look forward to getting a good nights rest in this big comfortable bed and then get back into Chicago tomorrow for another friendship visit and more touring. WIth this summer quickly coming to an end I am doing everything I can to savor every single moment of my trip.

Glenview, Illinois

After two fun days in Milwaukee it was time to leave Wisconsin and travel back into Illinois. We woke up around 6:00 and got all of our stuff ready to leave lodging. After being in the same place for 3 nights we collected a lot of extra stuff so getting out the door and loading up the vans took a little bit longer. Once everything was cleaned up Nick informed the team that we would be racking the bikes to start the day. Because it was a week day and traveling through Milwaukee would be dangerous and very time consuming we racked to the other side of the city before beginning our ride. But before we could leave we ate our crew chief breakfast and did out circle up. About two days ago Lexie found out that once again she fractured her foot and was having a lot of issues with her feet and ankles so I made sure to have the guys include that in their morning prayer! 

We racked the bikes and drove for about 25 minutes as we bypassed downtown Milwaukee. Today was a neat day because we had Mr. Dedeker who is Derek's dad riding with us. He hasn't rode a bike in close to 20 years but after about 65 miles he finished the day. I rode with Jason Milliken and Blake Neuman which was a pretty solid pace line. We started with a very quick pace and it was nice knocking out the miles. At mile 35 we crossed the state line into Illinois and we stopped to take a few pictures. Once we crossed into Illinois the roads went down the drain. The 3 mile stretch following the border was hands down the worst rode I have ever cycled on and it took a toll on my bike. When we got to mile 38 and off of the awful rode I looked down and saw one of my front wheel spokes was snapped. This was very frustrating because all though it is such a small thing on the bike you can't ride with a broken spoke. Luckily Josh and Dan had a crew stop right across the street so I was able to rack my bike on there van. I spent the rest of the ride hanging out with them and marking one of the final turns. 

Once all the cyclist were in, we drove up to lodging which was one of the local YMCAs. It was a very nice facility and staying in YMCAs are nice because they have everything we need including showers, and work out equipment which a lot of guys like to take advantage of. We got showered up and had a few hours of free time before our visit so I had a crew member take me to a bike shop to get my bike repaired. Thankfully it was a cheap and easy fix and my bike was ready to get back on the road. After the bike shop a few of us made a trip to Steak and Shake to get milkshakes and kill some time before our friendship visit. 

At 5:00 everyone circled up outside of YMCA and then went to the back of the building for our visit. We had a cookout and dance party with a group of kids with developmental disabilities and everyone had an absolute blast. With the grills going, DJ playing and kids running around having a good time, summer afternoons do not get much better. AFter close to two hours of lots of fun the friendship started winding down so we helped the YMCA staff clean up everything and called it a night. The team gathered in the room we were staying in too discuss the rest of the night and have our team meeting. Every week or so we come together to talk about safety issues from the week, crew member jobs, and give out our different team awards. This weeks meeting took about an hour and we were then free to do whatever for the rest of the night.

Our sponsor for the night as well as the director of the YMCA invited us over to her house for a bonfire later that night. Around 8:30 close to 15 of us went over to Ms. Barb's house to hang out with her kids and their friends. She has a daughter who is starting college this year so a lot of the people that came over were close to my age and the team really enjoyed hanging out with new people. When we are around the same people everyday we sometimes forget what it is like to communicate with other people our age so it was a nice change in pace. I stayed there for a little over an hour and then went back to lodging for the rest of the night.

Tomorrow we go to Chicago which I am very excited about. Ive never been to the Windy City so I am looking forward to a new adventure! 

Day 2 off the bike in Milwaukee

Unlike yesterday, today we did not get to sleep in until 11:00. Wake up this morning was at 7:00 in preparation for a extremely busy day of programming. I got up a few minutes early so I could shower and by 7:30 everyone was ready and we were out the door. Breakfast was at Independent First, the company that Kathy works for. Independent First is a non profit organization whose philosophy helds that individuals with disabilities have the right to live with dignity and with appropriate support in their own homes, fully participate in their communities, and to control and make decisions about their life. This company practices a lot of empathy just like Push America and I feel they are a great mix and its great to spend time around them. For breakfast I had one of the best bagels I have had all trip, fresh fruit, delicious coffee and yogurt. It was a great way to start the energy and the coffee was the perfect amount of boost I needed to get my day going.

Once everyone was done with breakfast we had to keep everyone moving and keep our long day going. Our first friendship visit of the day was at a high school in an inner city part of Milwaukee. At this school there was a summer camp going on for young kids with disabilities. When we first got there everyone gathered in the cafeteria and we performed our puppet show for them. The guys that do the puppet show get better every time they do it and I laugh my butt off every single time. Kyle Marpe is the main guy in the puppet show and I cant imagine anyone doing the job any better. All the campers really liked the show as well, and I was anxious to break up into smaller groups and get to know some of the kids a little better. Before this trip and while on it I have been contemplating my major at school quite a bit. Growing up with Lexie has instilled a huge amount of patience, compassion and appreciation for people with disabilities and everything they have done to make me the person I am today. I have thought a lot about possibly going into special education and possibly one day becoming an administrator but I am still on the fence about it. After this visit I am very sure of one thing, and that is that I will never going into special education teaching kids at an inner city school who are in elementary school. Some of the kids that were in the group with me were awful and I don't think that was caused by any disability. It was a long hour to say the least, and my future career path is still questionable.

Michael Walton hanging out with a camper 

We were told early this morning we would be spending a bit more time in the vehicles driving today than usual and that was not an understatement. I felt like we were driving back and forth across Milwaukee, and our drive to our lunch visit took about 30 minutes. We arrived at a chur h to meet up with the Milwaukee Center for Independence. When we walked in the door we received a huge round of applause which, and then got our lunch. The team spread our amongst the tables with the clients, and along with a few of the other guys I sat down with a guy named Matt. Matt was a huge football fan and while looking through his magazines we had plenty to talk about. Once we got on the subject of the SEC he informed me his favorite team is the Florida Gators and at that moment I considered switching tables. We finished our lunch and then split up into three groups to do different activities. The groups did a few minute to win it games, and got to go outside and play kickball. Everyone had a blast, but I could tell my teammates were beginning to get tire. Luckily our next activity woke the guys up. 

After a short drive, and an energy drink we arrived at the Olympic Training Facility to play wheelchair hockey. I have been talking about this visit for a few weeks now, and the fact that it was finally happening got me so excited. There weren't enough wheelchairs for everyone to get on the ice at first so I sat out for a little bit. About 10 minutes in we took a break to meet with the mayor of Milwaukee. While at the facility the mayor delivered a proclamation to us as well as proclaimed July 22nd, 2013 to be Push America Day in Milwaukee. Being recognized like that is always a very rewarding experience and its cool when the mayor comes out and talks to us. After the intermission I got on the ice and had an absolute blast. David and I assumed the role of defenseman and dominated. I was better at the sport than I thought I was going to be and together we were a force. We played for close to an hour and a half and I loved every second of it. Through the fun and everything else going on I became very appreciative of what people who can't use their legs go through. We got in those chairs and played by choice, but at any time we were able to stand up and walk away and not think twice about it. Some of the people we played with got out of their sports chairs, but instead of walking had to go directly into another wheelchair and realizing that is a pivotal point of this trip. I hope in the future wheelchair hockey is something I am able to do again because it was an absolute blast.

We left the training facility and had to take another long drive to get to our last visit of the day. We went to another high school to play wheelchair basketball and other games. We arrived and after unloading the trailers with all the chairs we got on the courts and started playing. Basketball was so much different than hockey due to the amount of control you have and speed. I wasn't quite was good at basketball but I still had a blast trying it out and competing with my teammates. After one of our games I looked across the gym and saw Cate and Abigail, two of the young ladies we met at the mall just two days before. I was so excited to see Cate, and I jumped at the opportunity to hang out with her. Independence First brought two bikes from their office that allows individuals that can't walk to sit in a chair while someone else pedals. Cate and I must have rode around on that bike for over an hour and I had a blast. Her sweet giggle and beautiful smile melted my heart and it was very hard to say goodbye to her at the end of the night. With very sore hands, a bruised ego, and touched heart we said bye to all of our new friends in Milwaukee and made the 30 minute trip back to lodging.


I had an absolute great time in Milwaukee and although everyone was very tired and worn out today it was so worth getting to experience everything we did. The few days we spent here will be some I will never forget and once again I am reminded of how amazing this trip is and how fortunate I am to be a part of it. Tomorrow we get back on our bikes and ride back to Illinois. With a ride short of 70 miles hopefully my pace line can keep a quick pace and arrive into Glenview safely!

Day 1 off the bike in Milwaukee

Although the team was able to sleep in until 11:00 this morning, that did not happen. Because of our sleeping schedule I was up around 5:00 but luckily I was able to go back to bed until about 7:30. I got out of bed showered, and hung out with some of the other early wakers. Around 8:15 Kathy Mohar our major contact in Wisconsin walked in the door with all kinds of coffee and snacks for us to eat for breakfast. About 10 of us enjoyed this and relaxed as the rest of the team filtered out of the gym the next couple of hours. By 12:00 everyone had to be out of bed and ready for a full day of programming. 

At 12:00 Kathy and about 7 other women invited us into the dining area of the church for lunch. Together they call themselves the Mom's of Hope. Each mother has a child with a disability and because of this they have gotten very close with Journey of Hope and some have been helping out since 2002. We had a great lunch, and afterwards I was stuffed. When we ride the bike and have big meals I don't feel bad because I know my body burned off a lot of calories that day. But when we don't ride and eat a lot I feel like I gained 50 pounds in one sitting and this meals was one of the times. After lunch the team got ready to leave lodging for the first time and head to our first friendship visit of the day.

Around 2:30 we arrived at the bowling alley where we would be doing a visit with the Spina Bifida of Milwaukee. Bowling friendship visits have become a lot of fun because there is always a great turn out, and the clients have a blast! In my lane I bowled with Spencer, Derek, and Bob. Bob is the father of a girl named Gabby who has Spina Bifida. They were in the lane next to us, and it was really fun to hang out with a parent and see him interact with his daughter as well as the team. Bob had so much energy and he kept the team alive and pumped up, even when I was unable to break a score of 100. Between the two lanes, and 8 bowlers I was by far the worst and I am pretty sure the 10 year old Gabby who is in a wheelchair scored over 115 two games in a row. Although bowling is not something I am good at I still had an absolute blast spending time with my team and our new friends Gabby and Bob.

 

The team loaded back up in the vehicles to go meet our sponsors for dinner. The family that would be hosting us for dinner was the Davidson's.... as in Harley Davidson. Dinner was at a yacht club and the original plan for the night was to have dinner and then go out on some pontoon boats and enjoy the lake. Unfortunately the weather was pretty crappy so we had to stay inside. For dinner the family made us barbecue sandwiches, potatoes, and some of the best brownies I have ever ate. While eating my table was joined by a gentleman whose sone did the ride in 2004. After we told him about our trip thus far he told us that the trip seems like it has changed a lot since 2004 and that we also have nicer vans than they did 9 years ago. One of the funniest parts of the dinner was that half of the friends of the hosts had been drinking and you could tell the alcohol had been hitting them. It was a nice change of pace especially since some of our sponsors tend to be a little serious at times. Because of the rain our time with the Davidson's was cut short so we went back to lodging for the night.

The team got back to the church and met in the dining room for a team activity which lasted about 2 hours. Once that was complete I relaxed for a little bit and then laid down. With a packed day of programming the next day I wanted all the rest I could get. Although coming to Wisconsin was very out of the way when traveling to Washington D.C. the friendship visits and relationships we are creating in this state our worth every mile. 

Waukesha, Wisconsin

After a great day in Rockford, the team was taking a turn North to travel into Wisconsin for the day. We woke up at the Union building around 5:45 to get ready for our last 90+mile ride of the summer. After getting ready for the day the team went outside to see 35 McDonalds Steak Egg and Cheese bagels waiting for us. Thanks to Doug the team was able to switch things up this morning and have a different breakfast. The bagel was a nice change, and everyone was very thankful for Doug’s generous contribution. I rode today with Jeff Watson from Colorado University, and Jason Milliken from Miami of Ohio. I was riding with another strong pace line so I was excited to get in the 95 miles of the day. We started as the fourth pace line and quickly moved up as the second one and after 20 miles we arrived at the Wisconsin state line. As tradition everyone stopped and took their pictures with the sign. When I walked back over to my bike I realized I had a flat back tire so after changing it the three of us were back on the bikes. We kept a pretty steady pace throughout the day, but the crappy road conditions slowed us down a little bit. Having to go back and forth between the shoulder and road because of potholes and debris can get dangerous at times so that made the ride challenging at times.

Jeff, Jason and I talked a lot on the bike today, especially about how bittersweet being in D.C. is going to be. Another thing we talked about was how awesome our team is as a whole. In past years we were told that a lot of times cliques form within the team and thankfully that is something that hasn’t happened in our team. We have all stayed very close and I can honestly say I love hanging out with every single one of my teammates.

After 95 miles we arrived in Waukesha, Wisconsin, which is a very nice suburb outside of Milwaukee. After 11 straight days of riding we get the next two days off the bike so we will be staying at the same place for the next three nights. We are staying in a church, which is very nice so far. As soon as we arrived we were rushed to shower up and get ready so we could meet the lady who set up our events while we are in the area. Kathy has done a great job of keeping us busy while we are in Wisconsin. Although we wont be riding, our programming is increasing drastically. She showed us a lay out of what is going to be going on the next couple of days and oh boy, we are going to be busy. But before we could get into everything going on tomorrow and the following day we had to finish off today!

We loaded up in the vans and went over to the local mall for what was called a “girls night out.” When we arrived there were about 6 girls who we would be shopping with for a few hours. The team was split up evenly and was given about 1 ½ hours to hang out, shop and eat. Along with a few others, I got paired up with a beautiful young lady named Cate. As I was walking over to her I noticed a checkerboard orange and white Power T on her wheelchair and I got very excited. After asking her parents why she had the Power T on her wheelchair I was told that three years ago Cate connected with a member of Journey of Hope and instantly I knew they were talking about Houston Carbaugh. Houston is the former president of my fraternity and an all around great guy. When I was first getting ready for Journey of Hope I talked to Houston a lot and while doing so he told me about a girl he had met that he still keeps in contact with to this day and coincidentally enough it was this lovely young lady I met this afternoon. While walking around we all had an absolute blast. We went to Barnes and Noble and read her a book, went up and down the wheelchair which she loved, and made her a bear at Build-A-Bear which we named Giggles after her adorable laugh we heard very often. Our visit at the mall was absolutely amazing and I know I will remember meeting Cate for a long time.

 

We left the mall around 6:30 and drove back to lodging to enjoy the rest of the night as we wanted. Michael Walton and I went straight to the Laundromat to do some much overdue laundry. Our duffle bags sit in the bed of a truck for hours at a time every day and the humidity doesn’t do our clothes well. While at the Laundromat the two of us caught up, and I typed up some of the blogs I had been slacking on lately. Once all of our laundry was done we walked back to lodging and I look forward to just hanging out for the rest of the night. I would also like to say thank you to those who sent me packages in the last mail drop. Getting to lodging today and seeing mail waiting for you is a great feeling. So an extra thank you is necessary for my Mom and Lynne for the wonderful packages full of all sorts of goodies and Elisabeth for the awesome letter!

Tomorrow we have a full day of programming ahead of us that I am very excited for. We were told that wake up isn’t until 11:00 but I am sure that I will be up much earlier than that. Excited for a good nights sleep and some rest for my body after a long stretch on the bike.wau