Finishing Strong at the Pentagon

You could feel the electricity in the air yesterday morning as 350 riders departed on the last leg of our 530 mile (not to include free bonus miles), eight day journey. As the riders closed on Washington DC we were joined by approximately 100 other riders. It was a mile long river of red, white and blue R2R jerseys snaking it's way through the streets of Washington slowly making it's way to the Pentagon. The ride closed on the Pentagon to throngs of cheering people. Everyone dismounted and made their way to the Pentagon Memorial.

The Pentagon Memorial garden was a very solemn and special place. In the garden are 184 benches. One for each person killed at the Pentagon September 11th. The benches are all aligned to the flight path American Flight 77 took into the west wall of the Pentagon that morning. On the end of each illuminated bench is the name of a person who lost their life that morning arranged in such a way that if you can read the name and you are facing the pentagon, that person was in the Pentagon. If you can read the name and are facing the skyline to the west, that person was on board the Flight 77. Trees are planted throughout the garden. Mari and I both agree that this memorial was nicely done and there was a special kind a peace that filled the garden. A very fitting place to finish this journey.

Well, our journey has finished and we feel very blessed to have been able to participate is such a great event. We were both challenged mentally and physically and rode farther than we ever though we would be able to. We have met so many wonderful folks along the way, seen first hand America's support for it's troops and at times felt we were placed there through...I don't know...providence? How else would we have met a man who knew Steve Redd back in his Ranger days and was able to draw strength from his photo? Or that Mari would meet the mother of a special woman in the life of Dave Hortman the day before we rode in his honor? Chance or providence, we were here for a reason and all things happen for a reason.

From what I can tell this morning, we have been able to raise a total $12,649. Wow!

Thank you so much for following us from Ground Zero to Shanksville to the Pentagon. Thank you for your donations. Thank you for your words of encouragement and support. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

God bless our Troops and may God continue to bless America.

NSDQ

We made it!

We made it to the Pentagon today. It was quite a site as we rolled in. the memorial is a beautiful place but there is much sadness there as well.

We're going to spend the evening having a drink and some food with a friend and Gary's cousin. Well blog a better summary in a day or so.

We're ready to be home in our own bed and not being in a different place every night but it was a great experience. It will be good for Gary to have everything in his daily life to be accessible for him. We didn't pedal every single mile but we met our goals, exceeded what we thought were our limitations and made some great friendships.

For our fundraiser we set a goal of $2998 each. We're grateful to say we've raised over $12,500 for the Huey 091 Foundation and Ride To Recovery. Thanks to everyone who has supported us in any way. Please pass on the donate link or our website if you know anyone who may want to contribute to help wounded warriors. Our website is www.teamlinfoot.com and the donate link is http://www.huey091foundation.org/Donations.aspx.

Thanks for checking in on us,

17 miles to the Pentagon

From Maryland to West Virginia into Virginia on day 7

We made it to Virginia and almost can't believe tomorrow is the last day. We're supposed to arrive at the Pentagon at 2:00 P.M.

Riders that have participated in many of the rides say this has been the toughest because of the length of the ride and the hills. After day one and two, We had our doubts about whether or not we liked it. By today we were talking about how to make our training more challenging and what our "next ride" will be.

I just asked Gary what I should write and he said "cold, hurt, steep, sore, tired, long, scenic, challenging, rewarding." That wraps up today, I guess.

Tomorrow is another early morning. We ride in honor of the children who have lost a parent in the attacks of 9-11 and the wars that have resulted.  Our Nation's most
cherished possessions are our children and they have paid a heavy toll.  Pictured at www.Facebook.com/teamlinfoot is Keegan who at age 4 along with his sisters
Rachel (age 8) and Meaghan (age 3) and brother Patrick (7 months) lost
their daddy.

Our Nation's Gold Star children may not understand what has happened or
why.  They know that they miss their mommy or daddy.

We made it to Maryland.

Today started off with a chilly 42 degree temperature. But with a mountain to climb on our way to Shanksville, we warmed up quickly. Again, the scenery was beautiful.

It was humbling to see the site where 40 Americans died because they crashed a high jacked plane into a field in the middle of nowhere saving countless lives in our Nation's capital.
It was very sad thinking about the terror they must have felt, knowing they were going to die but they took back the plane and the terriorists didn't complete their goal and we could feel the pride in that today. There was a nice ceremony there and we were on our way.

Gary has some great new friends also known as "pushers". He's next to me now saying "Write that I have taken four young Marine riders under my wing and I pull them up the mountain." Obviously he is kidding. These guys are amazing riders and will push whenever needed. They definitely appreciate Gary's abilities and his efforts as well. He is a pretty strong hand cyclist who gives it his all. There are a lot of other "pushers" on this trip. It's truly a "no man left behind" mentality. Gary rides with the fast group so I don't see him much. He's usually leaving the lunch stop when I get there. I had to stop to catch my breath today after a long hill climb. Soon two riders came behind me and stopped. I told them to go ahead and go past me. They told me they couldn't leave me because I was the last rider. I've never been that far back before so I must have looked surprised. Then they said, "But you're doing great! Everyone else behind you has gotten in the support vehicles." That made me feel a little better but I did chuckle as I don't know if my performance deserved a "great". It is about doing the best you can and pushing your limits.

Today, I was talking with a lady rider about where we were from, why we were here, etc. Soon we were holding hands and crying as we discovered her daughter was the special girl of the man we are riding in honor of tomorrow, Captain David Hortman. We'll be riding with his picture in our pocket as we do each day and I'll give Pam one as well so she can do the same. I knew in that moment we were right where God wanted us to be. We enjoyed dinner with Pam tonight. NSDQ

Thanks for checking in with us. We'll post about David tomorrow and his photo will be on our Facebook page.

Mari

Just crossed the Mason Dixon line.

Confession: at one point I (Mari) was literally the last person on the ride today. They told me I was doing great. Lol

42 degrees. So ready to get rolling to Shanksville.

Today we ride in memory of major Matthew Worrell

Today we ride in honor of MAJ Matt “Bubba” Worrell.  Matt lost his life when his helicopter was shot down near Yusufiyah, Iraq on the 14th of May, 2006.  Matt was a proven combat veteran, he proudly served as a platoon leader with the 160th's B Company, the "Six Guns", until he made the ultimate sacrifice in service to his country. Matt was a dedicated soldier, never doubting his mission. He was proud to serve his country and will be remembered by his family and friends as a true Hero.

 

Gettysburg to Bedford

Thunder storms, high winds and plummeting temperatures greeted us this morning as we departed Gettysburg for Bedford, PA. Total milage for the day would be approximately 95 miles with 6518 feet of elevation gain and up incline grades of 18%. It was a very erie feeling as we passed by the cemetery of Gettysburg where Lincoln gave his famous address that was shrouded in mist. It was as if you could feel the presence of thousands of souls lost on those fields.

Mari and I served in one of the chase vehicles today and helped navigate through the Blue Ridge Mountains. I know...me navigating is a scary thought. I have to admit I was a bit relieved as today was a Varsity day. The folks that rode up those mountains were awesome. Especially in the weather conditions. It was very interesting getting a behind the scenes glimpse of the world of the chase vehicles. Several times we found ourselves nose to nose with other vehicles on narrow two lane roads as we tried to protect the riders and slow traffic. At least once the driver of a vehicle waved to us as he sped by and told us we were "number one" with a polite hand gesture. But overall, people were very supportive of the riders and many folks lined the streets cheering and waiving flags.

Tonight's dinner was hosted at the local chapter of the American Legion where we enjoyed chicken, spaghetti and meat balls. And liquid carbohydrates. Yum! After dinner David and Peggy Beamer whose son, Todd, along with 39 other passengers on board United Flight 93 revolted against their high jackers and brought the flight down before it could reach its intended target, spoke to us. David had some very inspirational words.

Tomorrow we will ride approximately 65 miles to Shanksville, PA to the site of the United 93 Memorial. Weather should be good and the terrain should be favorable. Wish us luck.

Tomorrow we will ride in honor and in memory of Matt Worrell who lost his life in Iraq on May 14th, 2006.

Made it to Bedford!

Day four complete.

Gary is already sleeping. He was so fast today. He actually led the riders into the hotel this afternoon. The scenery was beautiful (and hilly) and I actually got to see it a little today. There is no time to stop and take pictures....it's pedal, pedal pedal. We enjoyed several people cheering along side the roads and a whole school of children were out cheering U-S-A at one point.

There were tours of Gettysburg available but it didn't work out for us to go. It's an early night which is really good because we have a 7:15 rider's meeting and a 7:30 start time. That doesn't seem so early but we really need to be down there about a half an hour before the meeting and we've got to get our 4 bags and my bike down there as well. Elevator availability can be an issue with so many people leaving at the same time. It's a 95 mile day. Tonight at dinner someone said "There is some flat ground between the three mountains." I guess the climb on the first mountain lasts seven miles. We'll do what we can.
It may be rainy as well but the temperature should be cooler. Today was a hot one.

Tomorrow we ride in Memory of Ray Skogen, my dad. He was the best dad anyone could ever ask for.  He showed us how to work hard, be happy with what you have, the importance of family, to love God and to keep going.  We miss you dad but we know you've been watching us from Heaven since 2003 and we will be with you again.  We love you.

We'll post his picture tonight on Facebook since tomorrow morning will be so early.

Thanks for checking in.

Mari

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Arrival Getteysburg, PA. 57 miles with an average seed of 15.8 mph.

Today we ride in honor of Luke Finison

Today we ride in honor of 8 year old Luke Finison.  Luke is a tough kid with a great spirit and the cutest smile.  Although he's been undergoing Chemotherapy treatments for a brain tumor for two years he hasn't let it slow him down.  He's a great kid who likes playing the panio, going to church and playing like all the other kids.  We love you, Luke.  You and your sister, Michaela and your mom and dad inspire us every day.  Kid Night Stalkers Don't Quit. 

To see his cute smile, go to www.facebook.com/teamlinfoot

Brotherly Love and Amish Country

This morning we started off from Philadelphia with Charles Barkley in the formation headed towards Lancaster, PA. I got a little break and rode in a truck 20 miles down the road to link up with everyone. Hand cycles could not ride the first 20 because the route was along a narrow bike path. Mari got the full meal deal. For the record she says she kicked Barkleys butt.

The hand cycles and recumbants joined in and once we got out of Philly the fun began. Almost immediately we hit Mount Everest. Have you noticed this becoming a reoccuring theme in these blogs? We hit hill after hill, after hill...after hill. Sometimes you would think you had reached the top only to find out the hill kept going. I'm not sure what the elevation changes were today, but they were significant.

By the time we hit the lunch stop 25 miles later (45 for Mari) we were smoked. Even with pushers behind us, the hills took their toll on us physically. My arms and shoulders had given me all they had that day and it was time to jump in the truck to finish out the day. Mari had reached muscle failure and her body said "that's it!".

I mentioned pushers and I'm not sure if I mentioned how that all works. On the back of my hand cycle there is attached a hockey stick that comes out at an angle on the left side and extends up about two feet or so. A pusher will ride up along side of me and grab hold of that stick and by doing so, gives me a boost up the hills. Another rider will even at times ride along side of them, place their right hand in the small of their back and give them a boost as well. This is really the only way that going up these hills would be possible. Taking the hills in a hand cycle is all about momentum and it doesn't take long to lose that momentum.

Tonight it took a long time to get all the riders into the hotel area. Everyone was so spread out due to the hills. When we did get in, most folks got their rooms, showered up and went to dinner at the local American Legion post where a dinner was hosted. Good food.

Tomorrow's ride will end in Gettysburg, PA and we will ride in honor of Luke Finison. Luke is our eight year old friend and is bravely fighting a brain tumor. We love his spirit. Tomorrow morning we will post Luke's story of bravery.

This ain't for sissies!

We just stopped for traffic and about 5 guys took a leak within 8 feet of me in all directions. That was awkward. Lol

In Memory of CW5 Jamie Weeks

Today we ride in honor of CW5 Jamie Weeks.  Jamie lost his life when his helicopter was shot down near Yusufiyah, Iraq on the 14th of May, 2006.  Jamie was a great friend and a combat proven Night Stalker and 6 Gun and completed numerous combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.  He was the kind of guy who would give you the shirt off his back and always made sure the need of others was met before his.  Jamie was a big NASCAR fan and in his own words wasn’t “afraid to trade a little paint.”  He was a great Instructor Pilot and warrior who trained many generations of 6 Guns.  He could make an AH-6 dance and make a rocket fly a course it was designed to fly and hit his target.  He was proud to serve his country and will be remembered by his family and friends as a true Hero.

 

Day two is complete.

Day two was another challenge with many hills at the beginning of the day. The last 30 miles or so were relatively flat which gave us a break. I think we both feel better tonight than we did last night but we're still a little sore and tired. It's only day 2---What were we thinking???? We rode 56 miles today and are in Philadelphia.

It was an honor to ride in memory of Steve Redd. We shared his story with many riders and they were all thankful for his great service to our country. Many also acknowledgd the sacrifice of his family.

When we arrived at the hotel at about 3 p.m. I went up to take my bike to the room. I discovered this hotel's idea of an accesible room was to only install a sink a wheelchair could roll under. There are no other accesible features and the access door to the bathroom was too small for the chair. The R2R folks had reserved a handicapped room and this is what the hotel provided. To make a very long story short our only solution was to remove the door on the bathroom. So over two hours later we finally had our room that is somewhat manageable.
Needless to say, it was too late to go with the group on the dinner cruise but we walked about a block down the street and enjoyed a Philly Cheesesteak sandwich. I love having free calories this week!

Tomorrow's ride is 77 miles. It's going to be a major challenge. We're meeting a lot of wonderful people on this trip. There are many folks who pay to come on these rides just to help the injured veterans. Everyone has a story and it's fun to hear them.

We're learning to ride in large crowds which is new to us. With so many riders so close together one bad move can take out many riders and result in big crashes. Can you say Talledega? We witnessed that alot today. So far, so good for us. It does keep you on your toes the entire way however. We've been dodging many obstacles such as potholes and manhole covers. Today we had to ride parallel to the street car tracks which many riders fell casualty to. Gary says he's not afraid to trade a little paint and if you ain't rubbing, you ain't racing.

Tomorrow we ride in memory of CW5 Jamie Weeks. We'll post about Jamie in the morning and post his picture on our facebook page. www.facebook.com/teamlinfoot. We'll also carry Jamie's picture in our jersey pockets.

Good night.
Mari

We made it to the half way point. These hills are NO JOKE!

In Memory of CW3 Steve Redd

Today we ride in honor of CW3 Steve Redd.  On the night Gary was injured in a helicopter crash in Iraq, Steve was the first friendly face he saw.  Steve helped secure the crash site and coordinated efforts to evacuate the injured crew.  Steve stayed by Gary’s side throughout and escorted him back home and to Walter Reed.

Steve lost his life in a helicopter crash while conducting training in Georgia on the 8th of August, 2011.  Steve was a great American and a hero to many.  He is sorely missed by his family and friends and we will never forget his sacrifice.  Steve completed numerous combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, was proud to serve his nation and never doubted his mission.  Steve was the embodiment of the mottos “Rangers Lead the Way!” and “Night Stalkers Don’t Quit!”

 

New Jersey is NOT flat

Today was a butt kicker!

We started off the morning with a moment of silence at exactly 8:46 am, the exact momemt United Flight 11 struck the northface of the north tower of the WTC. It was a very sobering moment thinking of that day, all the lives lost and how it changed our country. I think many of us said a silent prayer. I know I did. We then departed the hotel and rode 10 miles to Liberty Park on the Jersey side of the Hudson River. Looking across the river you can see the area of the 9-11 attacks in lower Manhatten and the new Freedom Tower. After a brief ceremony there we loaded and departed for the ride to Princeton, NJ.

350 riders departed with an escort by the NJ State Police in patrol cars and the American Legion riders on Harley Davidson motorcycles. It was pretty cool. Those NJ cops and American Legion riders don't take any static from anyone and totally shut down the roads for us along our route.

Funny thing...when I went through basic training in NJ in 1987, there were no hills. They have grown a few since then and it seemed like we were going up hill the entire time. I won't bore you with stories of Mari and I sucking down wind or narrowly escaping Tour De France spectacular type crashes and just cut to the chase. It was hard, but we both completed the first day with very respectable times. A total of 61.5 miles! A personal best for both of us. Did I mention that the entire thing was up hill? All kidding aside, it did seem like we were going up hill the whole time and we are both very grateful for the pushers that helped us along the way. The pushers come up along side of you and one or two will stack up on you and place their hand in your lower back, or grab the hocky stick attached to my hand cycle, and give you a boost up hill. That along with staying in the draft makes life much easier, but after 61 miles, we were near muscle failure.

Tonight we will both sleep like babies...and probably cry like babies when we have to move our sore muscles in the morning. Tomorrow we will knock out another 54 miles through down Philadelphia, PA. HOOAH!

Each day of the ride we ride in tribute or memory of people dear to us. Tomorrow we will ride in memory of our friend CW3 Steve Redd and will say a prayer before we begin the ride and carry his photo with us. We will draw inspiration and strength from him memory. There will be a separate blog in the morning dedicated to Steve.

We survived the first day. 61 miles!

September 10th

Today we visited the NYFD station 10 for a wreath laying ceremony next to Ground Zero. We were able to visit the Tribute WTC Visitors Center. It was an honor to be there but emotional as well. It's hard to think about everything that happened there 10 years ago and how so many lives were lost. The Tribute Center displayed many personal items, missing persons photographs, walls of names, letters from children to their parents, candid photos of those who died, and personal accounts of that day. It was very sad.

While we waiting in front of the fire station a gentleman with our group approached Gary and told him he'd been a Ranger with Steve Redd. He was choked up as he tried to express his feelings for the loss of their mutual friend. His name was Juan Morales. His Army career path was similar to Steve's as he is a pilot now too.

Tomorrow the ride starts from the hotel. We'll ride to Liberty Park for a ceremony, then ride to Princeton, NJ. It will be about a 58 mile day. We're ready to ride.

Thanks to everyone for your support and encouragement. This is going to be great. We've already met some neat people and hope to get to know more.
Each day we will ride in honor or memory of someone special. Tomorrow we ride in memory of all those who died in the September 11th, 2001 attacks and in honor of their families and friends who miss them dearly.

Great day in NYC

Today was a special day in the Big Apple. We were treated to a wonderful helicopter tour of the city by Heliflite which was offered to us and and coordinated by Mari's high school friend Jaylynn Ashmore Prince and her husband Dan. Jaylynn picked us up at our hotel and we drove to Newark Airport. We basically followed the Hudson north and we saw so much. I was surprised we were able to fly so close to the Statue of Liberty and other sites. It was an incredible experience. It's something we'll never forget.

After the flight, Jaylynn dropped us off so we could take the ferry from New Jersey to Ellis Island and onto the Statue of Liberty. We took the ferry over to Battery Park and then on to Ground Zero. It's hard to take it all in there. We saw the reflecting pool memorial and the Freedom tower. There was a lot to think about down there. It's obviously a place like none other.

Tomorrow we will attend a wreath laying ceremony with the NYFD and we'll get our equipment ready for the ride.

Thanks for checking in.

Mari

The Big Apple

Today we spent the morning and much of the afternoon in the mid-Manhattan area doing the tourist thing. Last night and early this morning this part of the country got hit with some heavy showers so we weren't sure how the day was going to pan out as far as weather, but it ended up being a nice day. When we got to the Empire State Building its top was in the clouds, but we decided to go up to the observation deck anyway. They kept telling us the reported visibility was Zero, but by the time we got up there it was at least 5 miles and we could see all of New York City. Lucky break I guess. Hopefully this was a harbinger of things to come on this trip. I know...harbinger is a big word for me.

After the Empire State Building we went to Rockefeller Plaza, St, Patricks Cathedral, the Trump Tower and Central Park. On the way back to the train station we stopped and hung out in Times Square and did a little people watching.

Tomorrow if weather is good we may take a tour of the city by air. Compliments of Heliflite, one of our corporate sponsors. If that is a go, we will probably take the Staten Island ferry and see Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty and after that check out lower Manhattan.

If you missed it in today's Leaf Chronicle (Clarksville's local paper), go to http://teamlinfoot.blogspot.com/2011/09/travel-day.html The on-line version has some video and something like 33 photos. Please keep your comments about my fat gut to a minimum. I'm doing my best to stay away from the cookies. Mari looks good as usual.

That's about it for today. Thanks for following.

P.S. - Central Park looks closer than it really is from the top of the Empire State Building.

Travel Day

Our travel day to the NYC area didn't go as planned but we made it. The weather on the coast delayed flights so after being shuffled from flight to flight, American Airlines came through again and got us on a flight to reach our destination. We were quite a sight in the airport as I pulled Gary's bike through security and down to the gate, then to the next gate, on to the newly assigned gate, etc.

After getting our luggage in Newark we walked outside and were greeted to a very welcome sight. There was a brightly painted "Hope For The Warrior's" van and soon the driver was out helping us with our bags and gear. This wasn't any driver, however. It was NYFD firefighter and Marine Chris Ford. He volunteers for Hope For The Warriors and Wounded Warrior Project and had been following our flight delays and cancellations and airport changes all day but was still there to pick us up when we arrived. It was great to meet him and we hope to stay in touch. Thanks, Chris, for all your help.

Today we plan on doing the tourist thing in NYC. Hopefully this rain will only be scattered showers but we're equipped with rain jackets and a short stay in the area so we'll going anyway. Thanks for checking in.

It's all coming together.

Well, we're getting closer.  We're packed, the house sitters are lined up, the jerseys are ready and the fundraising is in full swing.  You can sign up to recieve notifications when we post on this blog and if you'd like to see pictures, visit www.facebook.com/teamlinfoot.  (You do not need a facebook account.) www.teamlinfoot.com has all the connections.  Tshirts are still available (We just ordered more.) So please say a prayer that all goes well.  Come, Roll with Us.

Just kidding. Only 23 .

Wheewww! Shannon just finished 100 :-)

7 to go!

At the 10.5mile half way point on McGregor Road. A very scenic and challenging workout this morning.

Test

This is a test for a post from email.  If this works….I will consider myself on fire!

There will be no living with her now

Test message from Mari's phone. If this works I will be feeling a little sassy!