Conquer PD!

Well, I have been posting mostly on Facebook, and I don't think I can get caught up, but I just want to say that I have had an awesome time thus far. It has been wonderful to be here, see the beauty of the area, and benefit from the generosity of everyone that put us up for the night. Each place has its unique difference but each one has the same desire to open up their homes churches and hearts to make sure that we are taken care of. We are greatly blessed. We have had great support from Jerry Hogg and Rachel Baderman, and now we have Duane Stutzman, one of Jerry's cousins. We could not do it without these folks and I cannot say enough about the great blessing it is to have them. A special big thank you to our support team! I also appreciate so much all who are following us,thank you for your words of encouragement ,prayers, and support. How awesome it is to know you are there. Thank you! A special thank you to Leisa at home. I have never been away from her for this long an...

What an exciting day it was as we said goodbye to our new friends in Vancouver, and after a great breakfast we rode our bikes from their house a short distance to Flight Path Park near the Vancouver Airport where we met up with Tom and Phillip Casey. Tom is who I met this last summer when he was riding with the Friends of Phinney going cross country on their ride. Phillip is his nephew and the son of Michael Casey who was the SAG driver that was with them when I was riding with them on my 100 mile day and over Wolf Creek Pass. So happy to have Tom and Phillip with us. Tom is one of those guys who you feel safe with at all times and he has a heart of gold. Phillip has the same genuine kind heart and neat personality. We had a great ride! We left Vancouver and it seemed forever to get to the border. We had to take many different turns and different roads. One of them took us to the path that let us up and over the Alex Frazier Bridge. It was very high and very cool. POP's aka Jerry...

We are currently in Yakima WA. where we spent the second night of our road trip enroute to Vancouver, BC

On April 28th, my friends from POPS Ride, will be taking off from Vancouver, BC enroute to San Diego, CA, on a Parkinson Disease awareness/fund raising cycling crusade. I will be posting pictures and experiences on this blog to not only keep a journal of what is happening but let my family and friends be a part of the experience. Hope you enjoy!

This year, Knight Transportation is forming a team to support the Phoenix Heart Walk on March 29th, to be held at Wesley Bolin Park in Phoenix, AZ Being the team captain, I invite families and individuals, one and all, to join us. It is a free event, with the intent for the participants to help raise funds by asking their families, friends, neighbors, or any other willing and good hearted person to sponsor or support them by making a donation. Our team goal of  $8000.00 can be made if at least 40 participants reach out and secure $200.00 each in support. Let's see what can be done for a great cause! To join or make an online donation, go to this website and under the option of FIND A TEAM, do a search with the key word of KNIGHT and it will take you to our team page. We appreciate all support given for this great cause. www.phoenixheartwalk.kintera.org

Some recent events that I have been involved in are: The Optimism Race-A 5K Run/Walk put on by the APDA and Banner Thunderbird Hospital. It was held at Midwestern University. I was able to run most of the 5K and it felt great. Tammy, head of the Physical Therapy Clinic at Banner, had me lead the "scoop" just before the race began and it was great. Also, another highlight of the race is as I was coming down the last stretch Will Trujillo, my friend who is a physical therapist I met at Banner, and J.A. Graves, a new friend I met at the Mid Western Medical School, who is going through the physical therapy training there, came out to run in with me. How exciting it was to have them there and then as we got closer in Tammy and Sarah joined us as well. It was great! Thanks friends!

I am trying a new approach to my fundraising. My next big adventure this spring is being with my friends from POPS Ride (Peddling Over Parkinsons), as they embark on another epic cycling trip, raising awareness to PD and funds for a cure to various foundations, which this trip is from Vancouver BC to San Diego, CA! I will be riding segments of the trip and plan to have a great time meeting new people, talking to PD support groups, etc. So, I would like to offer some homemade cakes to auction off and see if those who live here in the Phoenix area would like to get a great cake for their donation. This freshly baked cake is a marbled Red Velvet. Home made, not from a box. It has layers of a raspberry flavor filling and a chocolate pudding filling. The icing is a buttercream and it is decorated with chocolate syrup and herschey kisses. It should be delicious! Starting bids at $25.00 the bidding will go until noon today. Send a message to this blog post with your bid.