Tuesday, May 22, 2012
American Cancer Society OVER $10,000.00 Raised WOW!
Well we finally did it, we have reached our goal. Donations kept coming in, all be it slowly, and they now stand at $10,320.77. I did not know how much Kay and I would raise and I am totally blown away by the generosity of everyone. Thank you all again. Bob and Kay Marincic
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Dec. 31, 2011 Cross Country Ride
This is my last blog, promise. This is the first time I have done anything like this, cross country ride and blogging, both have been fun. The biggest remark I get from people, other than about the ride itself, is you did this by yourself, no one rode with you or no sag (support and gear) wagon coming up from behind. I did try to get someone to go with me. I had contacted a few other riders on the internet about their plans, but we either did not have the same dates or routes in mind. Andy, a local friend was going to go, but he got a nasty gash on his arm two weeks before the start that knocked him out of contention.
Other than six nights of staying at friends houses, I stayed at motels along the way. Most of these older motels were on the main routes before the interstates were built, they were cheap, but all had wifi and cable tv. Some of them were not pretty and I spent around $45.00 on average per night for the trip.
The money we raised for The American Cancer Society stands at $9585.77.
What's next? I plan on doing a lot of local riding with an occasional multiple day or week ride thrown in. I've been asked to give a talk to the local Rotary Club, I'm not a public speaker, but it sounds like fun. Apparently, this ride is of interest to some people. In the fund raising letter that Kay and I sent out, I stated that this ride inspires the imagination. Well, this ride certaintly has inspired me and the memories will be with me for the rest of my life. How about a 20th anniversary ride when I reach 82! Now that inspires my imagination. Thanks and God Bless. Bob and Kay
Other than six nights of staying at friends houses, I stayed at motels along the way. Most of these older motels were on the main routes before the interstates were built, they were cheap, but all had wifi and cable tv. Some of them were not pretty and I spent around $45.00 on average per night for the trip.
The money we raised for The American Cancer Society stands at $9585.77.
What's next? I plan on doing a lot of local riding with an occasional multiple day or week ride thrown in. I've been asked to give a talk to the local Rotary Club, I'm not a public speaker, but it sounds like fun. Apparently, this ride is of interest to some people. In the fund raising letter that Kay and I sent out, I stated that this ride inspires the imagination. Well, this ride certaintly has inspired me and the memories will be with me for the rest of my life. How about a 20th anniversary ride when I reach 82! Now that inspires my imagination. Thanks and God Bless. Bob and Kay
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!
$9280.77 is the total raised so far for the American Cancer Society, simply amazing! I am still accepting donations and will foreword them to the ACS if there's someone who has not made a donation and still wishes too. $10,000 sounds like a sweet number to me.
Alright, time for True Confessions. My second day on the ride was to the small town of Jacumba, Ca. As I came into town on a downhill run from a tiring ride, I met up again with Tim and Faye from Kansas at a small convenience store. They told me they had made arrangements to sleep in the Methodist Church in their sleeping bags. An interesting older local man advised them it would be safer than the old park where they had planned to camp, since it was so close to the Mexican border. When I asked the old man about the only motel in town, he told me that it was closed for an extended remodeling.
Now what? I got out my Iphone and found out that there was a resort a couple of miles out of town on a dirt road. It sounded pretty good and reasonably priced when I called, except for one thing. The receptionist answered the phone as "DeAnza Springs Resort and Nudist Camp". She assured me that clothing was optional. Since I'm Lutheran, did not have a sleeping bag, and this was the only place in town, I made a reservation. I did not put it in my blog at the time, better to explain to Kay in person first, she will understand? My stay was uneventful. DeAnza was pretty deserted, but gets busy in the winter when its not so hot.
The other thing I did not mention in my blog, I thought my ride was over in Deming, Nm. I did say that I had a sore calf muscle, but I thought it could be a blood clot and so did the doctor I saw at the hospital. I rode about 30 miles into Deming, basically one leg and went straight to the hospital. The pain was not in the whole calf muscle but seemed to be localized. After a sonagram and other tests the doctor said I may have a small tear or at least a bad strain. If it was a tear the ride was over. He advised 4-5 days of rest for a strain. I told Kay on the phone that I was at a restaurant so she would not worry.
That night I talked to my son, Blake. He had the same symptons himself before and a doctor told him to take more salt, after all it was hot and this is a dry climate with lots of sweating. I had so much salt that night that my face and hands were swollen the next morning. I also ate a couple of bananas, since I had not had one for two days, not all small towns out there sell them. I took an unplanned day off the next day. Tim and Faye caught up to me that night and we planned on biking together the following day if I was able. My problem must have been a severe cramp, I was still sore but much improved two days later, and I made sure to get more salt and I would buy two bananas at a time after that so I would have one as a spare. We biked together for half a day until our routes diverged, they went south to El Paso and I went north to Alamogordo. Tim and Faye have since finished their cross country and are now at home in Pratt, Ks.
A few words about my bike, I rode a Trek 7.6 FX, what a great machine. I've had no mechanical problems since I bought it, it's light (when not loaded down with baggage) and a joy to ride. I also cannot say enough about the Bontrager Hardcase tires. They are Kevlar (bullet proof) lined and held up to some pretty nasty road debris. The flats I did have were caused by the tiny steel belted wires from tire pieces that seemed to work there way through the Kevlar fibers, but the tires held up against glass, screws, and other sharp objects that I ran over. I may do one more blog on Dec. 31, to give an update on donations received.
The whole experience of riding across this great country has been a truly unique experience for me and cannot be summed up in one word, but I will try. AWESOME! Like I said in the letter that I sent out to many people before the ride, it inspires the imagination, and it has mine.
Alright, time for True Confessions. My second day on the ride was to the small town of Jacumba, Ca. As I came into town on a downhill run from a tiring ride, I met up again with Tim and Faye from Kansas at a small convenience store. They told me they had made arrangements to sleep in the Methodist Church in their sleeping bags. An interesting older local man advised them it would be safer than the old park where they had planned to camp, since it was so close to the Mexican border. When I asked the old man about the only motel in town, he told me that it was closed for an extended remodeling.
Now what? I got out my Iphone and found out that there was a resort a couple of miles out of town on a dirt road. It sounded pretty good and reasonably priced when I called, except for one thing. The receptionist answered the phone as "DeAnza Springs Resort and Nudist Camp". She assured me that clothing was optional. Since I'm Lutheran, did not have a sleeping bag, and this was the only place in town, I made a reservation. I did not put it in my blog at the time, better to explain to Kay in person first, she will understand? My stay was uneventful. DeAnza was pretty deserted, but gets busy in the winter when its not so hot.
The other thing I did not mention in my blog, I thought my ride was over in Deming, Nm. I did say that I had a sore calf muscle, but I thought it could be a blood clot and so did the doctor I saw at the hospital. I rode about 30 miles into Deming, basically one leg and went straight to the hospital. The pain was not in the whole calf muscle but seemed to be localized. After a sonagram and other tests the doctor said I may have a small tear or at least a bad strain. If it was a tear the ride was over. He advised 4-5 days of rest for a strain. I told Kay on the phone that I was at a restaurant so she would not worry.
That night I talked to my son, Blake. He had the same symptons himself before and a doctor told him to take more salt, after all it was hot and this is a dry climate with lots of sweating. I had so much salt that night that my face and hands were swollen the next morning. I also ate a couple of bananas, since I had not had one for two days, not all small towns out there sell them. I took an unplanned day off the next day. Tim and Faye caught up to me that night and we planned on biking together the following day if I was able. My problem must have been a severe cramp, I was still sore but much improved two days later, and I made sure to get more salt and I would buy two bananas at a time after that so I would have one as a spare. We biked together for half a day until our routes diverged, they went south to El Paso and I went north to Alamogordo. Tim and Faye have since finished their cross country and are now at home in Pratt, Ks.
A few words about my bike, I rode a Trek 7.6 FX, what a great machine. I've had no mechanical problems since I bought it, it's light (when not loaded down with baggage) and a joy to ride. I also cannot say enough about the Bontrager Hardcase tires. They are Kevlar (bullet proof) lined and held up to some pretty nasty road debris. The flats I did have were caused by the tiny steel belted wires from tire pieces that seemed to work there way through the Kevlar fibers, but the tires held up against glass, screws, and other sharp objects that I ran over. I may do one more blog on Dec. 31, to give an update on donations received.
The whole experience of riding across this great country has been a truly unique experience for me and cannot be summed up in one word, but I will try. AWESOME! Like I said in the letter that I sent out to many people before the ride, it inspires the imagination, and it has mine.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Nov 2, 2011
I forgot to mention my last day day of riding. I left early as usual, it had been raining but it stopped for the first hour of riding. When it started raining again, it was just light rain and it actually felt refreshing since I was already hot from pedaling. That feeling soon disappeared when it started raining hard. This was my first and only day of riding in the rain, thank goodness. It was dark and raining with traffic, not a good combination. It rained most of the morning and when I got my eleventh flat near downtown Jacksonville, I changed it in the rain in a bad neighborhood very quickly. I had already changed a flat in the dark. Now I still have to change one in the dark while it's raining and I'll have all the boxes checked off.
When Kay and I drove out west a few years ago in the spring we would see bike riders out in the middle of nowhere and I would wonder what in the world are they doing out here. Now I know what they are doing and I am that rider. During my research for this ride, I read an article entitled "You don't have to be Lance Armstrong to bike across the USA". The article was right, but you better be prepared physically and mentally, it is a long hard ride. I hope Kay removes all those books from our bookshelf about sailing around the world. If you want to try this ride someday, I'm proof that it can be done, just follow the solid white line.
I will make one last blog on Nov. 23 to give everyone an update on the fund raising total which is now over $7500.00. We are still accepting donations, thanks again for all the support! Bob
" Life is a daring adventure or nothing ar all". Helen Keller
When Kay and I drove out west a few years ago in the spring we would see bike riders out in the middle of nowhere and I would wonder what in the world are they doing out here. Now I know what they are doing and I am that rider. During my research for this ride, I read an article entitled "You don't have to be Lance Armstrong to bike across the USA". The article was right, but you better be prepared physically and mentally, it is a long hard ride. I hope Kay removes all those books from our bookshelf about sailing around the world. If you want to try this ride someday, I'm proof that it can be done, just follow the solid white line.
I will make one last blog on Nov. 23 to give everyone an update on the fund raising total which is now over $7500.00. We are still accepting donations, thanks again for all the support! Bob
" Life is a daring adventure or nothing ar all". Helen Keller
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