My Best Friend’s Friend Dick

There are two favorite chairs in the living room at Dick and Rose’s house.  I have seen them and I can confirm that they are more than perfect.  Comfortably aged, perfectly shaped for their owner and, as a tribute to how Dick and Rose spent their lives, right next to each other.

Heidi had been vibrating with excitement on the day she would introduce me to the couple that had become her home-away-from-home parents when she was in college.  She had not had the opportunity to see them in quite some time and she was filled with anticipation.  I was about to meet two very special people that would immediately have an impact on my life.

The first time I met Dick and Rose was at a restaurant. Dick promptly ordered what I would argue is the best cocktail ever devised.  A Crown 7.  I can taste one now.  He was obviously an outgoing person with a warm and deeply human personality.  I couldn’t help but like him immediately.  Dick even insisted on paying for my dinner so how could I complain!  When we parted company later that evening, I was already looking forward to the next meeting.

I have met many people throughout my life and have been affected by these meetings in a variety of ways.  Sometimes I meet someone, exchange names, share a handshake and in the very next moment, I cannot remember their name.  Other times, I have that very same experience and the handshake is but a beginning to a life long friendship.

The meetings and greetings that fascinate me are with the people I immediately feel like I have known for a long time.  I have not had these experiences often and I have never been quite sure what to attribute them to but I feel particularly blessed by them and I most definitely feel blessed that I can say I knew Dick.

I am writing about Dick today because I recently had the privilege to raise a glass in his honor and say good-bye.  Dick passed away, a victim of Cancer, just one day after his birthday and a few weeks shy of Thanksgiving Day, 2012.  He enjoyed a long and fruitful life, moving on at the age of 84.

There is a very special place in “downtown” Bemidji called The Elk’s Lodge.  Dick spent much of his life as a patron of The Lodge, including two stints as the Exalted Ruler of Elks.  In a way there was a piece of his heart and soul invested in the spirit of The Elk’s Lodge. 

The Lodge is not a fancy place. It does not have a neon sign above the entrance and you would drive right by it if you weren’t paying attention.  If it was in Hollywood, the so called “beautiful people” wouldn’t be hanging out there.  But, without any uncertainly, I would be hanging out there because the true beautiful people, like Dick, hung out there. It is one of those places where you feel a special energy in the atmosphere.

Please, don’t tell Dick I called him “beautiful!”

My first experience at The Lodge was Dick and Rose’s 60th Wedding celebration which was a grand occasion for all who attended.  Heidi, her Mother and I made the trek to Bemidji so we could attend.  We looked at pictures listened to stories laughed together and celebrated a special wedding anniversary for a special couple.

My next experience at The Lodge was a celebration of Dick’s life.  Once again, Heidi, her Mother and I made the trek to Bemidji so we could attend.  We looked at pictures, listened to stories laughed together and also shed some tears together as we celebrated the special life of a special man.

Dick hated funerals and he insisted that his friends and family would not be obligated to attend one in his honor.  His request was his family and friends gather together at The Elk’s Lodge to celebrate his life.  Dick demanded, “No one will pay for their drinks!”  No one did.

Dick’s daughter Kathy spent hours putting together picture boards for all of us to enjoy and I am certain everyone did.  She did a marvelous job of showing us the different facets of who Dick was and I can tell you by some of those pictures, the man could be quite the “ham” at times.  There was one picture where he was in some sort of sheet, toga type thing and all I could think was “I’m kind of glad I didn’t have to see that live and in person..”

My favorite tribute in pictures was at the tables.  Each table had a different framed photo of Dick and Rose.  I found this detail to be a particularly touching.  Rose and Kathy sent us home with one of the pictures and Heidi and I were excited to add it to our picture wall.  As I was thanking them for the picture I commented that Heidi and I had a very special place for it in our home.  Rose, with her ever so special sense of humor fully in tact said “Where’s that, in the bathroom?”  We all laughed good and hard at that comment.

Dick was a veteran of the Korean War and there was a short ceremony conducted by military personnel that included Dick’s life long friend Joe. The ceremony touched us all deep down.  It included a 21 gun salute, the playing of Taps and a ceremonious folding of the flag that included a reading I have never witnessed before.  I found reference to it and although I cannot attest to the following words being exactly what was said, they gather the spirit and intent of the flag folding at Dick’s celebration of life.

Symbols for the Folds of the Flag

The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life.

The second fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life.

The third fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veteran departing our ranks, and who gave a portion of his or her life for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world.

The fourth fold represents our weaker nature; as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace, as well as in times of war, for His divine guidance.

The fifth fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, “Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right, but it is still our country, right or wrong.”

The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

The seventh fold is a tribute to our armed forces, for it is through the armed forces that we protect our country and our flag against all enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.

The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor our mother, for whom it flies on Mother’s Day.

The ninth fold is a tribute to womanhood, for it has been through their faith, love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great have been molded.

The 10th fold is a tribute to father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since he or she was first born.

The 11th fold, in the eyes of Hebrew citizens, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The 12th fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Ghost.

When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, “In God We Trust.”

At the end of the ceremony, Rose was presented with the folded flag by Joe and she was also handed 21 empty shell casings.  Poor Rose was shaking with emotion and her fragile but elegant hand was not capable of managing all the shell casings.  A few of them fell from her hand and pinged off the tile floor of the hall.  The room was still completely silent and the shell casings sounded like miniature choral bells chiming in the wind.

I looked over at Heidi and her Mother and they were both fighting back tears.  I do not particularly enjoy seeing Heidi cry but I was relieved that she had finally had an opportunity to grieve for someone that she had so much love for.

Rose came to our table later in the evening to spend some time with us and I would say, by the look on her face, to get a moments rest.  She looked tired.  Not sleepy tired, but a tired that you sometimes see in a person’s face that says, I need all this to stop pretty soon.

Once seated, a brightness appeared in her face.  I have seen this before and I attribute it to her love for Heidi.  She lights up when she is around the person she affectionately refers to as her “other daughter”.  She graciously gave Heidi one of the shell casings from Dick’s 21 gun salute.  A treasure that will harbor a special place in our home.

I learn something new about Rose.  She is a wonderful story teller and she proceeds to lead us through the last few days of Dick’s life.

I think there are certain cases, for all I know maybe it is even in all cases, where a person knows their time in this life is coming to an end and they begin preparations.  Rose told a story about Dick that I think may be one of the best stories I have ever heard.  I will not even be able to come close to doing the story justice but I will do my best to relate it here.

I also want to disclose that I have taken certain liberties with quotations and names in my attempt to relate the story in a meaningful way.  I am certain I do not have the details in perfect order I only hope that I have captured the spirit of the story in the way Rose was so graciously able to do for me and I truly hope I can give you some idea of the remarkable person Dick was.

Dick had been undergoing chemo-therapy treatments to battle his cancer.  The chemo had taken a heavy toll on Dick’s overall health and he was to the point where tasks such as driving were not advised by his doctors.

On the Friday before he died, Dick got up from his favorite chair and began riffling though the house looking for something.  This of course caught Rose’s attention and she proceeded to get up from her favorite chair to find out what the heck Dick was up to.

As Dick moved from room to room and closet to closet, muttering under his breath about completing his quest, Rose was eventually able to ascertain what Dick was looking for.  He was trying to find a very special hunting gun that he owned and a tackle box that he had purchased years ago.

Rose at this point was confused by the sudden passion with which Dick needed to find these two obscure items that had not been participants in any conversation of late and she followed him around the house asking for more information to help her understand.

At last, the location of both items was revealed and just as Rose was preparing to settle back down in her favorite chair, Dick started to get a jacket on while declaring he was driving himself out to Deer Camp.

“Deer Camp?” Rose exclaimed.  “What on earth do you need to go out to Deer Camp tonight for!”   Dick replied, “I want to give this gun to Jim and I want to give this tackle box to Don.”

Rose of course began reasoning with Dick.  “It is dark out and getting late and you cannot drive yourself out there.”  Let’s go together tomorrow in the daylight.”

Dick became adamant that he was going to Deer Camp, he was going tonight and he would drive himself if Rose wouldn’t take him!

After further discussion, Rose eventually gave in and agreed to take Dick out to Deer Camp where Jim and Don were deer hunting.

Getting to Deer Camp presented itself with several challenges starting with the fact that Dick didn’t really know how to get there.  What you might consider even worse is he sort of knew where it was.

Now I might be a cynic and all (I have been told this once or twice) but I think it is better to not have any idea at all where you are going than to have sort of an idea.  When you don’t know at all, you tend to ask questions and gather information before leaving.  When you sort of know, you tend to take off driving and just assume you will figure it out.  The first example takes way less time.  I also think that this might be a “guy thing.”

Anyway, back to Rose’s story.  When you live in Northern Minnesota and you are heading out to a location referred to by the locals as Deer Camp, you do not turn your GPS on and then proceed to the next freeway entrance ramp.  It works more like this.  Hang a right on the dirt road just past Tollefson’s resort and look for the Swenson farm on the right.  At the second corn field, take a left.... etc. Oh, yah, guess how many street lamps are illuminating your surroundings.  None!

After many twists and turns and even a cell phone call or two, Rose faithfully delivers her loving confidant to Deer Camp where they find Dick’s friends preparing for their evening meal.

Dick gets out of the car and gets right down to business.  He grabs the gun he brought, presents it to Jim and tells Jim he would like him to have the gun.  Then he grabs the tackle box and presents it to Don.  However, this presentation goes a little bit differently.  “Don, I would like you to have this tackle box but you owe me one dollar for it.”

Rose is immediately concerned about Dick’s behavior and she jumps in.  “Dick, what are you talking about?  You are giving the gun to Jim but you are charging Don a dollar for the tackle box?”

Dick replied to the whole group.  “The gun was given to me a long time ago so I am re-gifting the gun but I paid good money for that tackle box and I’ll be darned if I am going to give it away without getting anything for it”

Don promptly pulled his wallet out and completed the transaction.  Everyone at Deer Camp had a good laugh.  I think Dick enjoyed making everyone laugh and smile just as much if not more that he enjoyed passing along the gifts.

I could not help but to laugh and smile while at the same time have a slight tear in my eye when I heard the story.

The dollar still sits in the same location that Dick put it in when they got home.  Rose is going to find a special location for that dollar to commemorate a special occasion in a special man’s life.

Two days later, the following Sunday, Rose once again was taking Dick on a ride but this time it was for a different reason.  Dick was not feeling well and he told Rose it was time to go to the hospital.  Dick passed away 5 days later.

There remains two favorite chairs in the living room at Dick and Rose’s house.  One of them spends the majority of its time empty but in time, that will be ok.  When someone else sits in it, they will be sitting in Dick’s chair.  He couldn’t take it with him, but just like the tackle box dollar,  it will always belong to him.

I suspect Jim will never refer to the gun as “my gun” but will always tell the person next to him, “this is the gun Dick gave me.”  Don on the other hand can look at his fishing buddy and say, “Do you remember Dick?  That S.O.B. made me pay him a dollar for this thing!”  Then they will laugh a good laugh, look up in the sky, silently send a greeting to Dick and go back to fishing.

I have Dick and Rose to thank for what feels like a million memories given to me in a very short period of time.  I too will look up in the sky periodically and send a greeting to my best friend’s friend Dick.

Lance Armstrong

I do not know Lance Armstrong.  I am not a member of the professional cycling world, I have not worked on or with a cycling team, nor do I have any connection that provides me with inside information.   If I were you, I would argue that I have not done enough due diligence on this subject to render a completely educated opinion.  However, I am amiss and I am going to spout off anyway.

I took some time to brief myself on this week’s USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) accusations against Lance Armstrong.  Here is my current evaluation… Professional cycling is a pathetic mess when it comes to managing their blood doping and performance enhancing drug policies.  Not exactly breaking news, I just needed to say it.

The USADA has initiated action against Lance Armstrong which could result in stripping him of his seven Tour De France victories because he might have broken the law. They are doing this while ignoring the fact that he passed over 500 blood tests during his competitive cycling career, without disclosing the evidence they claim to have or by identifying the accusers involved.    

They are instead going to ride into their own self absorbed glory on the coat tails of accusations made by “anonymous,” “unidentified” self proclaimed liars and cheaters such as Floyd Landis and Tyler Hamilton.  To top it off, some of Lance’s Tour crowns will likely be handed over to runners up Jan Ulrich and Ivan Bosso who have previously been caught cheating and lying.

This is absurd.

If Lance Armstrong cheated during his pro cycling career then you would have to accept that he and his little band of conspirators figured out a way to pass all the blood tests.  Lance is the most tested athlete in professional cycling ever.  If you believe he doped, then you have to believe one of the following.  1. Lance is smarter than everyone else. 2. Lance is luckier than everyone else.  3. Lance has a magic wand that turns urine into water.  I am going to go with the magic wand theory.  It’s the most plausible.

Here is some professional cycling governing body logic for you.  Let’s take away Tour wins from someone who might have cheated and then offer them to people who have been caught cheating. 

How on earth does any governing body come up with a decision like that?  What is this, the United States Congress?  That is the last place I encountered such stupidity. 

If the rebuttal is Jan Ulrich and Ivan Bosso were caught blood doping but they did not fail drug tests during the Tours we are going to give them the crowns for, that would be even dumber.  If you feel like you have a case against Lance Armstrong, at least don’t make the mess bigger by crowning riders who have been caught cheating with the victories. 

If you take Lance’s Tour victories away on the basis that he cheated then you are acknowledging the testing process is failed and there are ways to blood dope and still pass the tests.   If you hand the relinquished victories to Ulrich and Basso, who have been caught cheating, then you are accepting they cheated but not on the years they are being handed the Tour De France victories for.  What is the basis for that logic, the fact that they did not fail tests on those particular years?  Well, neither did Lance and he won.

There is the other side of the argument.  Maybe Lance did dope. I certainly do not know him personally.  The closest I ever came to knowing Lance Armstrong is I almost got to shake his hand before an annoying reporter from the Des Moines Register nudged me out of the way and started interviewing Lance.

Maybe Lance failed a test and we don’t know about it.  If that is the case, why don’t we know?  There are apparently all sorts of people out there that want to bring him down so if there was a failed test I would think it would hit the “front pages” immediately.

I love the line from the USADA about blood samples collected from Lance in 2009 / 2010  “fully consistent with blood manipulation including EPO use and/or blood transfusions.”  The USADA conferred with a politician to come up with that little nugget.  What the heck does the quote even mean?  Did he fail or pass the test? That is what I want to know. 

I am puzzled as to why there would be such a wide spread conspiracy against Lance.  What did he ever do to make so many enemies?  He has come out on many occasions and sited resentment, bitterness, etc. as reasons for the persecution but has not really offered up much in the way as to why there would be a conspiracy against him at the level it seems to be.  Resentment as the main motivation for the constant hounding about cheating is not adding up for me.

The man is a bit of a magnet for sure.  He is a house hold name in many countries throughout the world.  Maybe the conspiracy just goes with the territory.  He does seem arrogant and cocky which can rub people the wrong way but show me a person that is as successful as Lance and I will show you someone who is arrogant and cocky.  Being arrogant and cocky is the same thing as being self confident and talented but the observation is coming from a different vantage point.

My post obviously offers an edge to believing Lance Armstrong when he says he didn’t cheat.  I try to stay open minded to the information that is out there but I am a Lance fan and it is difficult for me to participate on the other side of the argument because I do not want it to be true.  Even if he admitted cheating, I would still admire the other successes in his life.  He didn’t beat cancer by cheating.

One thing is absolutely for sure.  Lance Armstrong has done much for many and he has done this by choice.  I may not have had the opportunity to shake his hand that day but I do have personal experience in working with the Lance Armstrong Foundation, LIVESTRONG, and it is a truly amazing organization that is truly necessary in our crazy little world.

We are all free to chose what we believe on this subject, and in most cases, people do not even really care all that much.  Professional cycling fans form a relatively small circle so there will not be very many people that spend their time trying to form an educated opinion.  It is unfortunate, but true in many cases, that most people assume “where there is smoke there is fire” and not give it another thought.

Unfortunately, those people will also allow their negative and uninformed opinion to impact a decision about donating and supporting LIVESTRONG and that is a misfortune.  LIVESTRONG and the people who run it are inspiring, motivated, selfless and necessary.  There is much at stake for many.

One more thing…  Lance, if you did cheat during your professional cycling career, own it.  If you didn’t, fight them all like one mad s.o.b. to the very end.

Planning and Other Poop

In the same week I was told I needed bifocals, was put on medication to mitigate problems with high cholesterol, was told I needed to loose 35 pounds and was diagnosed with sleep apnea.  I celebrated at week’s end by stopping off at McDonalds for lunch.  I justified it by assuring myself I could not see what I was eating and after taking a quick 2 hour nap in their booth, I had forgotten all about the event.

In my younger years a typical physical included a list of questions from my doctor.  “Do you have heart palpitations, how many times do you get up to urinate during the night, do you have problems with dry mouth, do you have issues with headaches, does it hurt when you poop, etc….

As I have been getting older, I have been anticipating the list of questions would only get longer but I have noticed the list of questions has gotten shorter.  Now I go to the doctor and I start the conversation “Doctor, it hurts when I poop!”  Only to get the response, “Yup.”  I now realize they stop asking some of the questions because in our early years they are considered symptoms but as we age they become expectations.

I recently got rid of my car payment and my gas guzzling truck and purchased the oldest car with the highest mileage that I have ever owned (my car hurts when it poops too..).  For the first time in my life I went to a car dealership, signed only one document and plunked cash on the table.  It was simple.

The car may require the occasional tow truck to get me where I am going but when I do have one of those frustrating days where I have missed my ‘oh so important’ engagement, I can at least be comforted by the fact that when the tow truck driver drops me off I do not have to go in the house and write a check to my bank for my car payment.

My house is younger than I am and it is a much nicer house than I ever thought I would live in.  A good friend of mine has often referred to it as a “starter castle.”  It has a huge yard that I do not like taking care of, it has a huge concrete driveway that I do not need which takes forever to shovel and it even has three bathrooms for two people.  By golly, if we have to go number two at the same time, my house still has room for someone to stop in as they are walking by and use the can.

When people visit, they often comment on how much they like my house.  What I find interesting is that while I am receiving these accolades from friends and relatives, I am often thinking to myself, “why is it that I do not like it?”  Then I recall, “oh yes, it is because I am the poor ol’ sod who is spending weekends digging around in flower gardens so others may enjoy looking at them.

If I look back at my perception of the relationship between speed and time, I have had what I understand to be the typical experience.  Even though time moves at the same pace, many of us do not experience it that way.  I am in my mid forties, 46 to be exact.  Years 25 to 35 went fast.  Years 35 to 45 went even faster.  The entire block of years 25 to 45 went faster than years 5 – 25.  When I do that kind of math, my analysis is that I will be 65 tomorrow.

I am seeing old up ahead (and for all you 60 something’s, I do not leverage the term old in a derogatory way). My point is not that I will be old and decrepit in 20 years (I guess I might be, but if I make good choices about my own health and well being, chances are I will not be) but to look forward and have a plan that leads me in a direction.  This has prompted me to ask myself “What do I want the next 20 years to look like and where do I want to be when I am 65?”    

I have recently gained awareness that in the past 20 years I have admired the people around me who have things. I am beginning to see the value in not having things and I may spend the next 20 years ejecting things in favor of having the time to harbor the experiences around me.  At least that seems like a good goal.

It may be time to trade the starter castle in for the starter home.  One bathroom will do the trick. I can trade square feet for easy to clean, flexibility for usability and impressive for comfortable.  I can trade space for charm and get a whole new kind of freedom.  I can trade working on the yard for sitting on the porch.  It just might be time to trade the things I want for the things I need.

It is time to trade the car payment for the car repair.  It is time to trade in the boat and go fishing with a car and a pair of waders. It is time to trade my quiver of bikes for my favorite bike.  I am tired of choking on my stuff.

I have heard this adage a few times.  “Experiences are more important than things.”  It has not always been this way for me but today, I would rather spend $5000 on a vacation to Europe than buy a $5000 television.  Maybe that is easy for me to say since I already have a nice television but I certainly didn’t shell out $5000 for it and experiencing Europe seems like a bargain at that price.

I guess when it comes down to it; we all have our things we love too.  Ask me the same question about $5000 but change the television option to a new road bike and I will have to do some noodlin’ on that one. I just might go for that new bicycle and leave Europe to others for today.

A friend of mine who I very much look up to often says “Life is what happens when we have other plans.”  Change is common and plans are frequently altered but these are not reasons to campaign against planning.  I think a good plan in your pocket is worth the time it takes to maintain it.  By the way, if you Google “What is shorthand for Life is what happens when we have other plans” it returns “Poop Happens.”

Well, I have run out of thoughts and I am not even sure what point this post is meant to convey.  It may seem to you that I was only looking for a reason to reference poop several times.  I have declared a position that will likely change for me tomorrow.  I will probably move to the country, purchase a home with a huge lot and spend the next 20 years mowing the lawn, cleaning my swimming pool and complaining about how long it takes to commute into town.

But…maybe… it will be something I haven’t even thought of yet.  If so, when the time comes, the first thing I will do is poop, then I will take a nap and then I will alter the plan and move ahead.

"20From101" Fundraising For Cancer Campaign

In November of 2010, my Mom, Judy Thayer, was diagnosed with stage 4 lung Cancer.  Since then my Mom has exemplified remarkable strength as she has taken a stand against the Cancer that has invaded her life.  Cancer is without a doubt no picnic but Mom has leaped the hurdles that Cancer has presented and continues to fight a good fight.  She inspires us all.

Mom’s diagnosis has influenced me to take action and do what I have the power to do to make a difference for people who are affected by Cancer.  Each day I find myself even more motivated to roll my sleeves up and lend a hand so for the second year I am going to join Team LIVESTRONG and ride RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa).

LIVESTRONG seeks to inspire and empower people affected by Cancer, and with Team LIVESTRONG I'm picking a fight with Cancer and uniting with others who are interested in making Cancer a global priority.  From July 22^nd to July 28th I'm going to ride RAGBRAI which is a 470 mile bicycle ride across Iowa.  In concert with this, as part of Team LIVESTRONG, I'm hoping to raise a minimum of $2020 for the fight against Cancer. With your help and support, I know I can accomplish both.

From the day I started fund raising and training last year, all the way through crossing the finish line in formation with the other riders of Team LIVESTRONG I was constantly exposed to inspiring Cancer Survivors.  Regularly, I heard compelling stories which deeply influenced me.  I truly felt like I was part of something remarkable and that I found a way to make a difference.  I was proud to be involved and I was ever so grateful for the people who chose to donate to the LIVESTRONG cause.

One thing I have realized since Mom’s diagnosis that I really never thought of before is that Cancer has affected just about everyone around me.  A person has either had Cancer, is fighting Cancer or has a loved one who has been afflicted with Cancer.  This disease is truly everywhere and affects us all.  The statistics are staggering.  I could write pages on this alone.

The “long arm” of Cancer has inspired me to keep fighting and it is what causes many of you to choose to donate to organizations such as LIVESTRONG.  Many people made their donation last year with one or more loved ones in mind and I rode every mile with them on my mind.

For everyone who donates, whether I have had the privilege to meet you or not, please let me know if you are making your donation in the name of someone who has or has had Cancer.  I will be making a shirt with the first name and last initial of everyone my donators have known who have or are battling Cancer.  I will ride RAGBRAI with pride when I wear a shirt that commemorates these heroes.  As an added incentive, the 3 highest donators will receive a copy of the shirt.

This brings me to my 2012 fundraising campaign I am calling “20from101”.  My fundraising goal last year was $1500 and due the generosity of almost 50 people we raised $2020.  This year I want to meet last years mark of $2020 and I would like to accomplish this by collecting $20 from 101 people.  Will you join me?

I've established a personal website, http://laf.livestrong.org/goto/20From101, where you can learn more about my participation and contribute to the cause. Remember, every dollar counts. If you are not comfortable with a $20 donation, please consider another amount.  If you feel inclined to donate more, please do.  Can I suggest $20 for each adult in your household and $5 per child?  One issue I am faced with regarding my 20from101 campaign this year is that I do not know 101 people! If you are so inclined, please forward my campaign letter to someone you know who might be willing to donate $20 to fighting Cancer.

In any event, I guarantee the money will be very well spent.  Your donation to LIVESTRONG will help support the many programs they fund such as the LIVESTRONG Guidebooks, LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, Fertile Hope and a host of other programs that focus on Cancer survivorship.  LIVESTRONG provides vital support that guides people through the Cancer experience, bringing them together to fight Cancer and work for a world in which the fight is no longer necessary.  You can find out more about LIVESTRONG at http://www.livestrong.org/.

Once again I'm riding to stand up for the 28 million people living with Cancer worldwide and also for the very important memory of the many millions more that have succumbed to this terrible disease.  I'd like to thank you in advance for considering a donation.

Thank you and as you face this sometimes challenging thing called life, remember to LIVE STRONG!

Bill Glazier

I won’t get my Christmas card from Bill Glazier this year.  I didn’t realize how much I would miss my Christmas card from Bill.  I realize it now and now it is too late.  You see, Bill Glazier died this year.

I wish I had the honor and the privilege to say Bill was my friend. The truth is, I never did my part to assure my relationship with Bill became a friendship. I made a big mistake. I think Bill was open to becoming friends with everyone he met.  I think he was that kind of person.  I wasn’t paying attention and now it is too late.

I am grateful that I had the opportunity to meet him in person.  He was the type of person you enjoyed meeting.  He had a very boisterous voice that was warm and engaging.  “Hello Steve!” “How are you Steve?”  I am certain that is how every phone call Bill and I had started.  I can hear him now.

I, to my regret, too often treated Bill like a task.  Most of the time, when Bill was contacting me, he needed assistance with his computer.  Most of the time, it was difficult to fit this in.  Shame on me. I should have always made time for Bill.  Bill Glazier is likely one of the most remarkable people I didn’t take the opportunity to really know.

Someone I respect dearly said the following of Bill Glazier:  “Bill was the most optimistic and friendly guy that I have ever had the privilege to meet or work with and he will be missed dearly.  I can still recall arriving early in the morning to the CCG suite at Insight last year to find Bill with his usual welcoming smile and happy demeanor adding to the upbeat Motown tunes from his iPod to fill the suite with positive energy.   He was one of a kind.“

Merry Christmas Bill Glazier!  I am so thankful I knew you and I wish I had taken the time to know you better.  I will miss my Christmas card for a long time.  I miss you.

Do you know what I want for Christmas?  I want to receive a call from Bill Glazier and I want to work on his computer just one more time.  I will tell him how much I enjoy him.

RAGBRAI Day Six

RAGBRAIberry R.F.D.  I have spent the last six days riding along sideq and mixed within literally thousands of bike riders and I have not witnessed a single altercation amongst riders. This is truly amazing to me because of the thousands of ways an altercation could just simply happen by circumstance.  People have truly been on their best behavior out on the road.

Such a mixture of people too. Every age group and body type is accounted for as well as all types of physical abilities yet people fit right together and make it all work.

I gave this accomplishment some thought and I came up with this.  It is Iowa's fault.

I can not claim to have visited every state in the union but there is a reason why the worlds longest running and I believe also thelargest organized bike ride is in Iowa and that is because it works in Iowa.

Riding a bike through Iowa brings a calming and serene feeling to a person. Rolling through the hill laden country side has been truly peaceful.

I cannot even begin to say enough about the greetings at the towns. Every town we have passed through is genuinely eager to welcome and sorry to see you go so soon.  I so often feel like I am turnin down a personal invitation to stay and visit for a while when I head out of town.

The is a simpleness in Iowa that I find refreshing and relaxing. I will bet Iowa has the largest number of unlocked doors at night per capita than any state in the union.

I will certainly be back.  Probably for RAGBRAI but then again maybe just to stop and say hi.

RAGBRAI Day Five

Team LIVESTRONG gathers around the team bus every night at 6:00 for a team meeting.  Once general "house keeping" is taken care of in the meeting we are privelaged to have someone in the group share their story with us.

I am overwhelmed by the sense of reality that hits me upside the head. Cancer and how it affects us becomes more real to me with every word spoken by the people I am riding with.

I came to RAGBRAI for many reasons but the main one has been to connect to this group.  I haven't done a great job of meeting people (introversion strikes again) but I have met a few and I have most certainly been touched deep down by these stories and by the people telling them.