Progress Report

Monday, April 2, 2012

Busy morning today, my first day back from my Earthwatch Expedition. Yesterday I completed the flag standard for B.O.B., so his flags flew proudly this morning on my ride to and from town. It is a very windy day and the flags whipped and snapped behind me, the pole arching at times with the force of the south wind. It looks very tall, but actually when I am in the saddle it is only a bit above my head.


My flag standard with the 11 state flags in the order in which I will ride through them, with the Judith Karman Hospice logo and ride name on the top. I think my favorite is Ohio, the differently shaped red-white-and blue one in the center. The flags should make me very visible and should stir up some conversation when I am parked outside a store or restaurant.

My first stop was the Judith Karman Hospice to briefly catch up on all and to turn in some donations sent to me or gathered during my week in Port Sulphur, LA. So far this week, we have Memory Mile donations from Albert Zayat, my aunt Marge Bloomer, and cousins Hansi Bloomer Tripe and Carolynn Bloomer Ludwig. Also a "Happy Birthday Susan!" donation from cycling friend Patricia [Trish] Macvaugh; a donation from my next door neighbors, Pat & Kay Murphy in honor of Kay's mother, Marge Rohl; a donation from Idamae Mattheyer, and a generous donation from the esteemed Norman N. Durham, OSU Environmental Science professor, now retired. In addition, we received an individual sponsorship from University & Community Federal Credit Union on McElroy. Thank you Albert, Marge, Hansi, Carolynn, Trish, Kay, Idamae, Norman, and University & Community Federal Credit Union! You are making my fundraising easy.We are well on our way to $15,000.

Next, I cycled to the NewsPress hoping to find Chase Rheam. He had scheduled an interview and photo shoot for tomorrow, but I was hoping he could do it today while I was in town with the bike. Also, it is supposed to storm tomorrow. Chase wasn't in, so I cycled to Cooper's Bicycle Center where I bought a new helmet (my old one is pretty well worn out); scheduled a tuneup for tomorrow if it rains or next Monday if it doesn't; bought a spider bungee cord so that I can load stuff atop my B.O.B. bag; and had Brad Rogers loosen my left power strap, which was a click too tight and fought me each time I tried to slip my foot into it.

Still had time to kill, so went to Panera and then BancFirst where I cashed a check from my brother, Phil, who will ride the last leg with me from Providence into Bristol. He wanted me to have a little spending money on the road. Thank you dear bro!

Checked back at the NewsPress and Chase still wasn't in, so went to the screen printing place next door and ordered Valerie a tee similar to mine with the JKH logo and my ride name "Heartland to Harbor for Hospice" on it. See the back of mine below.



The back of the jersey I had made for the ride. It's post-ride wrinkled and soggy but I think the printing looks great. As of this 2021 edit, the website is no longer extant. The hospice--now under the wing of the Stillwater Medical Center--has also changed names and is now the Karman Legacy Hospice.

Finally caught up with Chase and we completed the interview. He took several pix of me and the bike & flag-bedecked B.O.B., and then I rode back home (I live 8 miles east of town) in the heat and wind. If anything gets to me on this ride, it will be heat. Riders always talk about the 3 H's--Heat, Hills, and Headwinds. Hills I can walk if very steep; I slow down if I have a headwind so I don't wear myself out; but heat is my archenemy. Somewhere along the way, my thermostat broke so I must take measures (more about this later) to avoid overheating. Ironically, I had planned an early spring departure thinking to avoid the heat, but we have already had temps of 90F!