Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Success Re-defined . . .

Hmm. How do you go from defining success as completing a 2500 mile fundraising trip into accepting a reality of calling it good at 250 steps?



The last time I wrote, I reported that I had a clean break in one of the ribs in my back which cancelled the trip. We started heading home while making some RV repairs along the way. I arrived back in Rochester on Thursday evening stopping at my sister's house. We had a nice talk and I decided to spend the night in the RV parked outside her home.

Little did I know how fortunate that decision would become. We will officially credit Gena for saving my life by answering her phone at 1:00 AM. I wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but I presented to ER (after an ambulance ride on railroad tracks - I swear!) with chest pain, stomach bloating and an inability to move in any direction. Apparently, my blood pressure had dropped to 50 over something. They couldn't find a vein to start an IV and had to use ultrasound to locate one. I remember most of what happened as I never lost consciousness. I even signed the consent form (just try and tie that signature to my handwriting, though). I remember the doctor saying we're going to the OR. Somebody responded that it would be ready in 10 minutes. He said FIVE. We don't have ten.

Well, I woke up hours later in the Mayo Clinics, St. Mary's Hospital ICU hooked up to every tube and wire imaginable. I won't go into all the details - probably couldn't do it anyway. I'll just give you a short run-down of what was discovered in surgery.



Four ribs were affected with a total of 6 clean fractures.



I had basically bled-out as they found 5 liters of blood, clots and fluids in my abdomen. Guess that explains a lot. My spleen had been shattered in the accident and had to be removed. Since I had been feeling OK, they believe that the spleen clotted after the accident, but gave way late Thursday night creating the need to dial 911.



They are not sure (still) why my feet have swelled but it could be volume redistribution and with all of the IVs running, I'm full of liquid even now. Hopefully, this will correct itself as I recover.



Recovery could be long. Ribs need healing, the 12+ inch scar down my stomach (looks like they created another belly button too) needs to do it's thing, and then all body functions have to be restored. Eating without becoming nauseous is a goal. Walking a distance exceeding the width of a living room is a goal. Just getting out of bed - and of course, putting on socks are goals.



I've been out of touch. I apologize. I would suspect that it may be a while before I'm back in the swing of things, so I apologize in advance. Have patience with me, please. I've put all thoughts of "what next" on hold. I just need to work through this stuff and reflect on what good will come of it.



This is certainly a time to be thankful. I have family who has dropped everything to be there. They care. They open their homes and take time off work. They drive great distances. They cook and they watch. They encourage and they push. And in all they do, they love. I hope I'm worthy.



It must have been difficult, but the EMT professionals managed to get me somewhat diagnosed and ready for transport in the tight confines of the RV. They manged to get me out the door. No idea how they did that! Thank you.



I was taken to one of the finest medical facilities in the world. And they too - cared. Not many knew what a Segway was, but they do now :-) I really never felt like I was just another patient. They must be very good at their jobs. Thank you!



My brother Bill reminds all of us in his Facebook posts to remember to appreciate family and friends - and tell them. He goes even further reminding us to tell those you know in the medical fields and in the first responding careers that we appreciate what they have chosen to do with their lives. They go to work every day doing what the professionals did for me last week. They save lives. Be proud of them.

There's no reason for the picture. I was just feeling like this post was turning out to be something more down than up. Although it's difficult to make this a humorous update, I don't want to leave you with anything approaching despair. So, looking at the bright side, I may not be looking at palm trees, but it isn't snowing either!

Thanking you all while remembering that every breath is a gift . . .

m

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Reviewing the Ride . . . Some things worked - some not so much


Do you think it should say "the RIDE is short, enjoy your life"? I took this picture on Day 5. It was a beautiful morning and things were going just fine. At the time, I WAS enjoying the ride and we all know that life IS short. For the past couple of days, I've been considering the reverse. The ride was short - too short and didn't accomplish even a portion of what was expected. But who am I to "expect"? Actually at this moment, I really don't know where this is going to end up. Each day since Sunday has seen great excitement as we ponder "what next". Each day has also seen - "man, I didn't think I'd be seeing signs to Rochester, MN. this soon". Well, I suppose it doesn't matter which way you read the billboard, it can still be considered prophetic.


So what next? Which way do we go? Should we use a bike :-) ?

Well, as we've been coming back to Minnesota, I've been testing the boundaries of pain vs. movement and Brent has been repairing all of the things that the nearly 2 week use of the RV revealed as deficient. The RV is in great shape - and I'm getting somewhat better (depending on when you ask).

When we have the opportunity, we talk about "what next". I've been asked by some to write about these discussions in order to allow all of you to be included in these moving-forward brainstorming sessions. Getting the wind knocked out of me, knocked some (just some, mind you) sense INTO me at the same time. This isn't a "one-man" event - well, it shouldn't be, anyway. So you are certainly invited to submit ideas, suggestions and comments whenever you feel you have something to say. I promise to listen.

Today I will give you a little rundown of what worked and what didn't (in no particular order). I'm doing this as much for me as for you so that I have some way to recall these things. This was a great dress-rehearsal, and we learned quite a bit along the way. This will probably get to be a lengthy blog, but I know you miss my ramblings! Admit it!

Segway Setup
* It is possible to ride a Segway nearly 80 miles per day if you know the route intimately and are traveling on relatively safe roads.
* 6 machines were used and would be the minimum to do this.
* The re-charging generator works while moving down the road.
*The fastening mechanism to keep the Segways secure now works.

Segway Riding - Sidewalks
* Sidewalks work well and are safer but they have more dangers (cracked slabs, tree branches, insufficient curb cuts) than one would expect.
* They are more jarring on the feet because of this and the constant sidewalk to street to sidewalk adjustments are torture on the Achilles tendons.
* Crossing intersections require being extremely careful. The "Look both ways" lesson from Kindergarten is still good advice. (holding hands while crossing the street, however, is mostly impossible)
* Sidewalks take as much active diligence as riding on the road
* Sidewalks slow progress significantly over travel on straight roads.
* Sidewalks are the best place to meet people and introduce the cause.

Segway Riding - Streets
* There are many varieties of street shoulders.
* Some streets have wide paved shoulders. Nice!
* Some streets have wide, class 5 rock shoulders - workable.
* Some streets have narrow paved or rock shoulders - not too nice in traffic
* Some streets have no shoulders and travel is dangerous, especially when curbed.
* Freeway clover-leaf interchanges should be avoided as they are poorly designed for pedestrian traffic. No curb cuts. No shoulders. Drivers do not expect to see pedestrians. Everyone one wants on or off the freeway at freeway-like speeds. It can take 20+ minutes to navigate one of these intersections.
* Re-routing calculations on the fly are time consuming and will always take the rider a mile or two out of the way creating yet again, another delay. New route preparation is required. As boring and time consuming as it is, Google Earth examination of roads is critical to the planning.

Other
* Under the conditions found, were the ride to be similar to the original, no more than 50 or 60 miles should be planned per day. Running late all day is stressful. It also requires that the rider stay on his/her feet much too long.
* Under these conditions, it's a good idea to take more breaks between segments.
* Riding at night is NOT a good idea.
* If the route were to be similar, it is best that the chase vehicle remain within a few miles - bare minimum.
* Preparations for weather (sun, rain) were adequate.
* Within a day or so, anyone is capable of driving the RV
* RV is adequate for 2 individuals, but that would be the limit
* Estimates for gas consumption were adequate
* Parking along the way was adequate, but dump stations and water are difficult to find on back roads. An overnight stay at an RV park is necessary about every 4 days or so.
* People either love Segways or hate them. No matter where you ride, there are those who think you don't belong there. They are usually vocal - sometimes providing gestures.
* Everybody wants to be in front of the RV and they will run a stop light to get there.
* Best advice received: "When riding a Segway, assume you are absolutely invisible to every driver and pedestrian around you. If you DO become visible, assume they are aiming for you."
* Riding a Segway in many locations is dangerous.
* Riding a Segway in some locations is peaceful and beautiful - and I miss that.
* It's a good idea to know a little bit about an RV and its systems before using one. I failed. Brent did not. But I'll pass next time (probably).
* Wear and tear on the rider's feet is significant. Cushioned pads help. Foam shoe inserts help. Nothing works well though. I've heard it called foot narcolepsy. An adequate term, I suppose. Interesting note: 3 days after stopping, feet and ankles swell like Tim Allen becoming Santa Claus. Ho Ho Ho.
* There isn't much jarring on back or wrists. Was over-prepared this time, but that's never a bad thing.
* The sun CAN burn you in the morning. But it's SO nice to ride without the hat.

Tomorrow I'll be back. We discussed a couple of interesting concepts that I need to share. It will be an interesting blog. Plan "C" will allow room for TONS of people to become involved. The new ideas will eliminate many of the "problems" listed above and will make this a much more effective event for having fun while raising funds.

The ride is short. Life is short.
May you enjoy both!
m















Tuesday, August 11, 2009

The Last Stop


It feels like it's been a long time since writing - feel like that to you? Well I've been avoiding you for the past couple of days. Pretty rude, huh!


Well, here's the latest information for you as best as I can explain it. On Saturday, we parked at the Walmart on North Ave in Chicago. That's where we had the 1st Taste and you already know about that. As we said goodbye to Chris as this week's RV driver, we said hello to Brent who will be driving this week. The changeover went well and we began our journey again on Sunday morning.


Brent and I determined where the first stop would be for exchanging machines and all went well. It was a scorcher, so I filled up with water bottles again and set off. About a mile later I was navigating around sidewalk construction (construction is everywhere). I found a way through to an empty parking lot which I thought would be a good path to take around the construction. Great! On the grass, over a couple of signs and through a couple of concrete bumper stops and I was beginning to accelerate into the lot on my merry way.


I can't breathe!


No, Really! I can't breathe, I can't talk and I'm on my back. What?! There's a guy running toward me asking if I'm ok. I answer yea, I'm ok. But even I can barely hear my response. Apparently, I convinced him though because he went away. As my breath started to return, I moved around a little bit and although I was sore, I was good. Making the phone call to summon Brent, I checked out the Segway (it survived) and just paced a bit before I saw the RV. Explaining what happened didn't take long.


Apparently, as I was speeding up, one of the wheels got caught on a piece of rebar anchored to the asphalt. Construction crews had removed one of the concrete bumpers but didn't remove the rebar and I totally missed it. Wish it missed me! Grabbing one wheel doesn't stop the other wheel so the Segway must have twisted hard enough to throw me off. The Segway stops when it senses that there is no weight on the pads, so as I left the machine for flight, it dropped like a rock. When I landed, I managed to find the handlebars with the left side of my back. Guess THAT would take anyone's breath away!


Assuming that I must have strained muscles and probably inflicted some serious bruising, I was thinking that it would still be better to keep going - keeping things loose by using them, right?

I continued to finish this next leg going another 14 miles or so - a bit painful, but the show must go on.


At the next stop, I went into the RV to rest a bit and wait for the next machine to get setup. Well, I never left the RV. Sharp and shooting pains prevented me from even walking down the stairs. Man - we're a DAY behind now! But I could tell there would be no more Segway today. We got situated and found an RV park. It was crazy. I felt like I was in some kind of jet propelled vehicle as we started down the highway. I haven't gone faster than 12 miles per hour in over a week. Weird!


So, with typical over the counter meds and ice, we sat back and tried to get the swelling down. Brent took the opportunity to look at some of the RV repairs that were definately needed and got to work diagnosing problems and solutions. (leak under the bathroom faucet, low water pressure or none at all, connections to city water, water pump, television install and more.)


Getting out of bed on Monday morning revealed that the sharp pains were not going to go away. I must have done something more than I wanted to admit. We found an urgent care center in Tinley Park and x-rays were taken. The picture shows you where the devestating news was shared. It was the last stop. I apparently had chosen a nice rib in the middle of my back to be my very first broken bone.


The Doctor said it was a clean break and the pieces were lined up well for healing with an estimated completion date of 3 to 6 weeks from now. They will not wrap them as it is important that full breaths can be taken frequently (painfully) in order to discourage pneumonia. Asking about what we could do to continue this event, I was told that to continue would mean: The probability that air would encourage infections, the probability that recovery time would be extended well beyond original estimates and the real possibility that while enduring the continual jarring created by Segway wheels on imperfect roadways, lung puntures. I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound too good. In fact, to continue would be irresponsible.


I've avoided you because to write of the cancellation of this event is (still) emotional. I comfort myself with the idea that it wasn't my choice - that I didn't just 'quit'. I comfort myself with the idea that soon, this project will be resurrected in some form. This trip has provided a significant amount of very worthwhile information regarding things that work, things that don't work and ideas to make the next phase much better. An idea is surfacing that would provide an opportunity for many more people to participate thus creating the ability for this one-man idea to grow into something much bigger than just my desire to do this. I've realized that it isn't about me - it's about the project, and I think that's a pretty healthy attitude!


At the same time, I feel that I am disappointing so many people. There are those who jumped in with both feet and did everything possible to help make this reality. There are those who made donations (it IS a good cause - the donations will be well spent) but I know they "stretched" beyond what they would normally have done - because they know and believed in me. I struggle with this - every minute, and I apologize. Just know that we've reached an impasse for now but we are scouting the work-around and that Plan C will be better than Plan B which was better than Plan A. We're improving.


I have to remind myself that this really hasn't been done like this before. We are pioneering new ground. Perfection can't be expected overnight. And then, of course, I DID ride a Segway from Rochester, MN to Tinley Park, IL (almost Indiana!). That's nice to say - until one of my amazing "followers" points out - - - who would even 'want' to do that?

Appreciating your patience, support and understanding and knowing that you are truly the best of all good people out there, I look forward to continuing this blog in the days to come with some great news!

m








Saturday, August 8, 2009

1st Taste of the First Taste











Good evening!

Couple of short travel days: one rain and one with a heat index able to melt sidewalks - and the tires that ride on them! whew! What smells?

Ok - back to the agenda: We had our first "Taste of Segway" event tonight and Jess Newman (StandUp For Kids - standing next to Chris Sommers) was there with balloons, decorations and flyers to help out. It's not the most prosperous of areas, but some made the $5.00 donation and had the chance to ride on a Segway. The smiles are there if you look hard enough. That's right, just under that look of terror :-)

We passed out over 100 flyers so although donations were small, exposure was good. And that IS one of the reasons we are here. Letting people KNOW that there are homeless kids - children! And they are living on our streets. Why does this have to be? It doesn't - that's the whole point. We can help. So can you.

High points for today:
* Received the SOS Tour Business cards that I forgot at home!
* Said hello to the new driver for the week, Brent!
* Met Jessica from StandUp for Kids, Chicago and Detroit
* Watched a couple of kids try riding Segways - very, very carefully - and successfully.
* Collected a few five dollar bills and one two dollar donation. The last one? That's what this is all about. Even thought she could not handle the five, she wanted (needed) to do something for someone who has less. Make me cry, why don't you! Really. This was big.
* Got an email from a very classy young lady who has been influenced by this ride. Even though the donation received from her was beautiful, she wants to do more and wishes to volunteer in the outreach program. YAY! She will not only be the one in the story below who's funding is helping to provide the person asking the question, she wants to BE the person asking the question. Amazing.

OK. What am I talking about. There have been just a few people who have received this made-up story. Although its fiction, I imagine it to be SO very real and I don't think it's that far off either, truth be told. Basically, I have used it to help me weather (no pun intended - well, I don't think so anyway) the rough patches. Maybe I should just put it out there.
It goes something like this:
. . . there is a 15 year old girl living maybe not far from where you are right now. Well, “living” might be an exaggeration of sorts. She dumpster dives for breakfast. And lunch. And dinner. She wanders the streets. She does unspeakable things for bare necessities. But maybe today, or tomorrow - someone meets her on the street and asks “If there was just one thing I could do for you today, what would it be?”.
And perhaps she answers, “I could use a pair of underwear. I don’t have any”.
Or “Could I have some clean, cold water?”
Maybe its “Do you know where I could take a shower?”
Or even “I’d like to call my mom – could I do that?”.
And a small tear runs down her cheek. She’s never been asked if someone could do something for her without needing to “return the favor”. She’s never known that someone – a stranger even, could care about --- her! She tries to say thanks, but it’s weak. She looks at her feet because she isn’t even sure she knows how to say thanks.

But I know. And, in her place, I say “Thank you!” Because that person who is asking? Well, that person is there because of you.

I have to go now,
m

Friday, August 7, 2009

Still Friday - Day 6







Surprise! Yea, one this morning wasn't enough apparently. We were on the road at 12:30 (those of you monitoring the tracking system on this website already know that) and we experienced rain start to finish. It definately goes a little slower with showers. The shoulders are slanted downward in order to carry the runoff from the street and they do a good job. It makes it a little tougher for the Segway because as the shoulders are doing their job, the water collects in puddles of unknown depth. They "say" you can drown in 6" of water you know.

We are finding that some route modifications are necessary on a daily basis now. Being unfamiliar with the cities going forward, we should expect this. In one case, crossing I94 (I really don't like crossing freeways - the bridges are usually narrow with no where to ride) someone had built a beautiful pathway (pavement, fenced and scenery to boot) which made it a snap. On another similar crossing, however, I reached a place where to go forward was to never move forward again! I re-routed with the BlackBerry and went a couple of miles out of the way but still worth it. For one thing, I'm still here. For another, I ended up rolling on some very interesting bike paths. (pictures attached). See? Even in the rain, there are things that can make a person smile.

I also smiled (inside) while cars were going by. The people inside them (some of them taking pictures) were a bit surprised to see a guy (well, they probably didn't know for sure) gliding along soaking wet on a Segway. I'm sure they thought I was totally out of my mind. Ha! if they only knew!












It's Friday and we are scheduled to rest!


But . . . not for long. We're behind nearly 30 miles. So, with a little time off to answer emails and do RV maintenance, we'll be off to "finish" yesterday. Maybe that's OK. We might be encountering a little rain today and it will be our first experience with "wet".


I'm wondering if I was being a little optimistic trying to eat up 80 miles a day. Roads are worse than expected as many have no shoulders or crushed rock shoulders (my apoloties to Iowa -you're not the only one!). That means slower travel or even re-routing as some roads are simply not safe for Segway travel.


Even sidewalks get a little tricky and I'm finding that with years of weather changes, they are many times, in much worse shape than the roads! Some have no curb cuts which means on and off the Segway at every intersection. Speaking of intersections - I'll bet I spend an hour a day waiting for the light to change!


But, the people I meet on those sidewalks are pretty cool. I've had a number of them stop me, ask questions and then donate a couple of bucks. Given the fact that in most cases, I'm by myself on a Segway with no identification to say who I am, it's pretty amazing that people have believed in the cause enough to reach into their pocket. (Writing receipts on a Segway is a pain, though!)


Maybe that's something that I'm personally needing to find on this trip - the open generosity and goodness of people. I get easily disappointed when I don't find it. I know - I just KNOW they're out there!


We're a long way from reaching our goal of $2M. Spread the word about this project where ever you can - please, and . . . . . .


thank you!


(oh,, and the picture? that's from somewhere on the road meant to brighten your day as well as mine!)

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Today is over . . .


Hey! I know this really isn't much of a blog. Started late, ended way too late. 12.5 hours is stretching things to the breaking point. Trying to navigate in the dark isn't a good idea. But we're again on schedule after I'm sure a 'bit' more than 100 miles today. I'm thinkin' that won't happen again :-).

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Day Three








*** left

I love windmills! They are so graceful - I think I could look at them every day.


* * * right











This was our first venture into the "country". This road was a bit challenging. Talk about rolling hills! Steep climbs and matching descents and the Segway was fighting me all the way. Add curves at every step (step? on a Segway? - you get the idea) and it certainly kept me on my toes! It was on this road that a tractor cut out in front of me. . . and I couldn't keep up with his "slow moving vehicle" sign :-)






*** Right

Yea, more windmills - I didn't upload all of them!












*** Left

Route 66. Really? Very cool.








Well, Day 3 was supposed to be a little shorter than the last couple at only about 70 miles. But, it was the first day we went "off the beaten path", if you will. I need to bring the camera from now on. I have discovered that I need to consciously open up to the surroundings. I have been busy trying to get through the day instead of letting the day get through to me! These are places that you probably wouldn't see unless you were lost. I don't want to miss these opportunities. It's also pretty cool that while I search for these treasures, the time goes faster and creates a much more enjoyable journey. I even forget that my feet are sore - for a few minutes anyway!


We live in a beautiful world. And the homeless kids? They don't get to see much more than alleys and dumpsters. Let's change that - ok?


Chris made a great connection today so you need to check out http://www.nbc15.com/ for our latest television coverage!


Tomorrow is a long one - might be a day or two before I write. Then again, I didn't think I was going to do this tonight either!

Monday, August 3, 2009

Speed Zone Ahead




Hi!


Two days and 160 miles complete. As my brother Bill would say, only 47 days and 2,360 miles to go! I always feel so accomplished when he points out the stats.



The Kickoff!
Have to say it was a huge success! A number of people stopped by to wish the trip well and 9 riders started with us in order to sample a little bit of the daily routine with our first Ride-a-Long (RAL). I’m sure I could ask my brother to calculate the percentage of RAL miles to the total trip – or, you could ask him! I’m sure he wouldn’t care if I published his number.



We were into the RAL about 1.5 miles and I had to ask for directions. This could be an interesting trip! We made it, however and I think everyone had a great time. We even passed the phone around to family during the RAL because my sister called from Vegas. It was good she could ride-a-long for a while too.



After we said goodbye to everybody and began the journey on our own, I had surprise visitors a couple of times. My daughter Michaela and her husband (and future RV driver) Mike were sitting in lawn chairs cheering me on from the side of the road in Chatsfield – and again in Decorah! Bill snuck up on me with the Gold Wing and rode with me for quite a while. But he wouldn’t go into Iowa.


Day Two
And speaking of Iowa, roads were a bit challenging in this state. They use class 5 rock for shoulders with a lip to the pavement of 2 or 3 inches. “Gliding” got pretty “narrow” in spots for a lot of today. Spent alot of time going from dirt to road and back again each time over that lip. It was almost a like water skiing over a boat wake– a little less fun though. Segways do not like gravel any more than they like those “road craters” (see previous blog)



Since I was “hugging” the oncoming lane so often today, there were a few unhappy people. Most were smiling, waving and seemed to think that this sight was kind of funny. Some though, (there are ALWAYS some!) were interested in making ‘their’ point, right or wrong . . . in a variety of ways. Sorry you guys!


Coverage
KAAL-TV cameras were there for quite a while and so was the Rochester Post Bulletin. I’m interested in seeing what happens with the video (hopefully I can get a link) and today’s newspaper. I will do a little searching online but if some of you manage to get a hold of hard copies . . .
I am under the impression that Chatfield will be printing something (maybe Tuesday) and there is a magazine produced in Red Wing that will be doing an article in the next issue, mid-August.
The website was typically experiencing 30 unique hits a day for a while, climbed to twice that after the KTTC broadcast, and as of noon today had over 100! The word is getting out!


Speed Zone Ahead
There were things in the past couple of days that made things difficult. I have a rough time when people get upset because we’re in their way or something. They don’t seem able to recognize the cause for what it is –they only see how inconvenient it is for them. I need to toughen up. (I have had people take my SOS card, and donate right on the spot – so there ARE upsides too)


Maybe after listening to that little electric buzz from the Segway, I started to get punchy, but the first reaction to this sign was “Right! Now I have to SLOW down and I’ll just NEVER get to Atlanta!” Yea, like you didn’t know that I have a weird sense of humor sometimes. But this sign came back to me a couple of times while riding today.


It WAS telling me something. I’ve decided (once again) that I can’t let people slow me down. There will always be those who disagree and not always nicely. But it comes down to that old cliché’, “you can’t please everybody” - I get it! And it’s the truth!



The hot water is now working in the RV so I treated myself to the first warm shower in a couple of days. It washed all negativity right down the drain. I’m sitting here outside the RV in a park-like area and it’s getting dark. Fireflies are all over the place (they are SO fascinating) and there’s a very pleasant breeze. RV generators work, air conditioning works - actually, everything works now thanks to Chris.


It could not be more peaceful. All is well, tonight – and we’ll not be paying attention to any signs that tell us to slow down.
m

Saturday, August 1, 2009


YAY! After nearly 4 years of thought – after nearly 6 months of planning, the last two being quite intense, it is now time to embark!
Late Friday night, I was sitting with Dustin and Christine (Midwest SignTech of Rochester) looking at the results of “Team SignTech’s” hard work. Big as life, the RV was attached to the trailer, visible and complete for all to see. It was possible to get a bit emotional, being truthful. This company has been amazingly generous. I know they believe in what is happening here, but they jumped ALL in which is an indication of just how great these people are – every single one of them.
So there we were admiring the huge logos plastered across the vehicles. And it hit me – right in the face! No turning back now! Gulp. It was then that the full effect of the planning and dreaming became real. We’re committed. (Come on - in a nice way! I know what you’re thinking!)
There has been so much going on lately that I haven’t had the time to update anybody. There is so much I could tell you right now. But instead, I think we should begin this trip with thanks.
So very many of you invested time and energy and enthusiasm towards helping this “seed” grow into the tree it has become. There are of course, many of you who donated great sums toward helping these children find someone who will help them – Off the Streets! You know who you are – and I applaud you. Go ahead – close your eyes and take a look. Standing ovation!
Many of you read every single email (talk about a TIME commitment!) and then spent a little more energy writing back to encourage and to support. There were those days when without your effort, there could well be no logo on the RV – for the simple fact that there would be no RV – no SOS 2009. You kept me true to this dream. You kept me on task and motivated. You too can close your eyes – imagining me bent at the waist in a most humble bow to your friendship.
There were those who built a terrific website! There are those who helped with Facebook and some with presentations. Some of you shared great ideas. And some of you played with those ideas when we introduced them. Some of you spread the word and told everybody you know. There are those who are driving hundreds of miles just to be there when we depart, some riding along and some waving. There are those who promised to watch the progress through the GPS and blog. (I know you’re watching – I wouldn’t dare screw this up!)
There are volunteer drivers. There are people (once strangers) that stopped me on the streets of Rochester and took an interest – some even sent donations, but all were encouraging and excited. There are those in the media who have taken a stand by introducing this project through television and print in order to reach thousands of others. On our own, we would never have had the opportunity to let them know how to become involved.
There is no way to tell each and every one of you how much you have meant to me over these last few months. (Well, if I did – you know how painful it would be. Reading on and on and on and …..)
I’ll just offer a “group” thanks for now. I’m sure we’ll talk again soon. But remember that I am sincerely of the opinion (I KNOW I’m right too) that each of you owns a part of this trip. Each of you – in your own way – has made a difference in the life of a child. Today this child lives on the street, but “tomorrow, because of you, she will have a home.
Thank you for caring so much,
m

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Blogger - Spam

Well, I guess I messed up a bit. StandUp For Kids sent another email blast to about 60,000 last week and I decided to use this blog address as a link in the email to obtain more information about the Name the Segway contest.
Apparently, some blog bot detected this email and made the assumption that we were spamming. I requested a review and thought we were now unlocked and cleared - but I have been receiving bounced emails do to the fact that some IP locations are still considering this address spam. Grrrrr!!! I can't really GET to anyone on blogspot, so please bear with me as I spend valuable time attempting to repair the damage of the bot. Anyone else concerned about AI robots?

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

The Fleet is Here!


Hey!

I've told a few people that I'm getting a little burned out with the planning process. Think about it - I've been doing this since January! And it seems like a lot of the things that had to be done - had to be done a couple of times each. Well, there are those moments of triumph! And today - another!

Yes! YAY! The FLEET is HERE! The last 4 Segways came from Segway LA today. Look them up - http://www.segway.la/ These people are amazing! They have done all they can to make this trip happen and they deserve some business! If you're anywhere NEAR Santa Monica / LA - you have GOT to visit their shop (see Sponsor Page) and talk with them. They have been so involved with this trip I feel horrible that we had to change the plans that we had to leave from Los Angeles. I really want to meet these people! Maybe when I come back, huh?

So here they are - lined up and plugged in and just WAITING for August 2 - a little less than two weeks away. I'm ready NOW! Enough planning - let's GO!

I know - there's a few more things that need to happen before departure, so here's the latest.

* The RV is set and ready! We need to fill water tanks, LP tanks and gas tanks (ouch) and then I need to get it packed with the beds made and dishes put away. Sounds pretty domestic huh! But, since we'll be stopping at Wal-Mart almost every day, I'm not too concerned about forgetting something.

* The trailer is complete with tracking for the tie-downs and an anchor for the generator, a custom made hitch and even a new exhaust vent on the roof so that we can run the generator while we're moving. It was delivered to Midwest SignTech yesterday so I can't WAIT to see what the graphics will look like!

* I've been practicing and - - - - I'm gonna' get sore!

* I'm hoping that I'll have a run with my sister and her family sometime this week. Last time, it was the experiment of 2. This time, a group experiment - 5! Watch out!

* Took a trip through town last Friday to deliver SOS Announcements to TV stations and the newspaper. No activity from the media as of today but they haven't heard the last of me yet! I'll be calling again soon! Had a little scare though. Well, not so much "scare" as "panic", I suppose. It was windy. I mean WINDY! I took the new machine and figured the route to be only 15 miles - should be a piece of cake. But wind has an effect other than being chilly and sending little pieces of (fill in the blank) into my eyes while moving. It uses up battery juice - - - BIG TIME! Got half way through the route and I was down to a couple of bars on the meter. Turned around for home and crossed my fingers that I'd make it before they went dead. That's the last thing I needed was to have one of the TV stations follow me out the door and watch me tip over or just as bad, PUSHING the Segway home. It was a successful arrival however, so there are no embarrassments to report.
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You're disappointed arent' you!?!?! Don't despair - we have 2500 + miles to go. It might be weird, but I have this strange feeling that perhaps, during the next couple of months, there just MIGHT be another story or two! Stay tuned!

Monday, July 13, 2009

Weekend Stories


The weekend was nice!


It was supposed to rain - but it didn't! (I'm a little bit scared of rain now - for SOME reason!) Anyway, my brother decided to ride with me on Saturday. I've NEVER had the experience of a riding WITH someone before and it was really cool! I do have to remember that he can't read my mind though. It's different making sure somebody knows where I'm going - - - BEFORE I go there! No accidents though.


Speaking of accidents - I'm wondering if you have no-texting-while-driving-laws in your state. Minnesota has them. Apparently, I need a no-texting-while-walking-down-the-stairs law too. Somebody was looking out for me because I did NOT break my ankle! Whew! (hand wiping brow gesture). Healing nicely!


Last week I stopped out to load some items in the RV. Haven't been there for nearly 2 months. The 30 foot box wouldn't start. Turns out I need 3 new batteries. OK. Installed on Friday. While waiting for my brother on Saturday, I went out to drop off a few more things. Turned the key. Nothing. Left an email for Duane and he apparently went out there on Sunday! This guy (BuyRV - SellRV in Oronoco, MN --- see the sponsor page) is the BEST! He responded by telling me that he turned on the batteries and everything was fine. You have to turn ON the batteries? What?!? I'm not a "camper" - I have this feeling that it's going to be a LONG learning curve. Good news? I am SO fortunate to be working with Duane who seems to have unlimited patience! THANKS!


Picture: This is my brother Bill. He's riding on the equivalent of a Segway tightrope. This is a narrow strip of concrete 12" above and adjacent to a 45 mph road on a bridge over a river. I say "narrow" because the wheels of the Segway barely fit! Even with tree branches hanging over the "rope", he made it just fine! He's completely "Certified" now! (you can decide for yourself if the word should be "certified" or perhaps a more appropriate"certifiable")

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Preparation - Country Roads 1



A short one today (probably). I've been practicing on city streets in Rochester but today I needed to leave town and test the GPS upload from Google Latitude on my phone (it failed - more testing to do apparently). But I do have a story (of course!)


The picture you see above doesn't make any sense until you know what you're looking at. So you're driving along and you "drift" to the side of the road. You get a warning buzz from the indentations under your tires created to let you know that you've "crossed the line". Let me tell you - because you can't see it from the picture, those things are CRATERS! At first I thought "OMG" and then immediately, 'interesting!". Then I purposely but carefully drove over a set of these and I thought "hmmm. Foot massage!" That would be good because I've noticed that my feet fall asleep after an hour or so - they really do!


I tried it. First one foot (strange feeling but I would imagine a foot massage would be strange the first time too!) and then the other foot / tire. OK. Except - HEY! What's this?!


Apparently, the Segway is a very sensitive machine. It was trying to figure out what this "washboard" experience was - first on one tire and then the other. Apparently, after just a few seconds, it came to the conclusion that the machine was broken. SO IT QUIT!!!


Ultimately a relatively feeble warning was recognized and successful. There was no "incident"! (again nothing for YouTube!) Lessons for today: Forget about the foot massage and don't drive on the craters!


See ya' later!



Tuesday, July 7, 2009

In preparation - Rain


Greetings!


OK. Today was another adventure. I mean, that IS one of the goals of this project, right? This morning, I met with Mike at Gander Mountain. They were terrific by offering a substantial discount on items purchased for the SOS Tour. So, in addition to SFP30 clothing and sun glasses, I brought home two sets of Frogg Toggs Rain Gear.



And, guess what? This afternoon it started raining! What am I waiting for? I need to try out the Frogg Toggs and find out what it’s like to ride a Segway in the rain! We expect to be faced with wet weather at various points along the route and I do plan to ride - rain or shine. Well that is, of course, unless we encounter golf-ball sized hail –and I’ve packed a 5 iron just in case.



Rather than bore you with tons of prose, I thought I’d condense this into common-sense (well, you be the judge) definitions.



Hydroglide: This is very similar to hydroplaning (aquaplaning) that happens to you in a car. This is a term that should be applied specifically to Segways, however. Do Segways hydroglide? YES, as a matter of fact, they DO! Interestingly enough – Segways ALSO “glide” sideways! How fun is THAT?



Sliding into Home: Since I’m really not an avid sports fan, I had to look up how a person does this. The directions say: 1. Feet first, 2. Bend your leg, 3. Try to hook the slide, 4. Go in the back door (huh?), 5. Knock the ball loose (catch and release I was told recently!). OK. My experience was similar. Feet first -check. Bent leg -check. Hook the slide – perhaps. (skip #4) and then knock the ball loose – not so much. My directions? 1. Find a road, path or sidewalk exhibiting a perpendicular flowing stream of water over a not so flowing layer of mud. 2. Hydroglide. 3. Butt first. 4. LET GO – LET GO!!! 5. Be very hopeful nobody can witness to this event, especially those with cameras. YouTube would see an increase in activity levels and you’ll need to shop for a deserted island.



Spinning your wheels: Yea – enough said.



Slippery Slope indeed: We’re supposed to dread living our lives on the slippery slope which leads to - well, eventually to some place bad. We do things to avoid it whenever possible. When a person is riding a Segway down a descent grade of 10% or so on a very polished glass-like asphalt surface, watching as the wheels try to keep up with the flow of water in the downward direction that all water flows - it is downright terrifying! I promise to avoid the slippery slopes in my life – I do I do I do I do!!!!



Muddy things up: I suppose Segway doesn’t exactly encourage the use of these machines in wet weather – so maybe that’s why they didn’t include MUD FLAPS (hand slapping forehead)! The brown streak up my "back" (picture enclosed) actually drew comments from people sitting on their porches! (none to be repeated here, of course)



Blind Spot: Yes, cars have blind spots. I found out recently that RV’s ALSO have blind spots (we avoided the accident, thanks for asking). But Segway blind spots? OK – that’s not exactly correct. It’s not the Segway, it’s the Frogg Toggs. Put that hood over your head to avoid the pelting rain and whallahh, - blind spot. (how’s that for a word, whallahh!)



Segway Spinning: As a result of the “blind spot”, coming to an intersection can be intimidating because you are forced to stop the machine and “spin” around in order to check traffic before you cross the street. What does that feel like? Well, just ask Natalia Kanounnikova (yes, of course I had to look this up!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQLtcEAG9v0 (Note: Segway Spinning is not an approved Olympic Event - yet.)




MPH: Believe it or not! A Segway wheel spinning at 12.5 mph on dry pavement continues to spin at 12.5 mph on other surfaces too – things like water, mud, grass and then pavement again…. Ouch! (Called centrifugal force – it’s quite a surprise!) But I am painfully aware of this now and


. . . It’s never a bad idea to own TWO sets of rain gear!
. . . Tree branches that hang over sidewalks hang MUCH lower when it’s raining. They’re also a MUCH heavier!
. . . Goggles look weird. Wear them anyway.



See ya’ next time! Off to do laundry.
m

Thursday, July 2, 2009

30 DAYS!!!

Will you LOOK at that! My calendar says July 2 which means that the SOS TOUR 2009 begins to make its way across a nice little piece of the country in just 30 days! I am excited! (and a little nervous, too – gotta’ tell the truth, I suppose).

So what’s been going on? I’m just going to highlight a few things right now. Yesterday I sent an email blast to about 100 and it was four pages long. I’ll spare the blog followers. But, I’ll start with things that have happened since I wrote yesterday's update already!

Check the StandUp For Kids website! http://www.standupforkids.org. We’re there now – in full color WITH our new SOS logo designed by Midwest Signtech of Rochester. These people are amazing. I won’t stop talking about them! Get used to it.

TEXT TO DONATE! It’s ready (mostly). Here’s how this little gadget will work. Let’s say you want to make a $5.00 donation to StandUp For Kids. All you do is send a text from your cell. Send the message ‘SOS’ to 85944 and you are done! You’ve just donated five bucks and it only took a second. Everything has been approved with the exception of Verizon. I’m sure they’ll come through for us (I have Verizon and I’m going get a little pushy pretty soon). But if you’ve got Sprint or T-Mobile or something it should work just fine. The donation is always $5 by the way. But you can text every day if you want J

We now have a pretty firm route schedule. (on SOS website soon)

We have the outline for the Ride-a-Long (RAL) Events and for the Taste of Segway events. Work needs to be done here but as we get the approvals, they will be posted on the website, in the blog and on Facebook. Yes – on Facebook! (search segwayoffthestreets@gmail.com)
Still experimenting with Twitter –more later!

OrthoAthletic – We’re on their newsletter! THANKS! I just can’t imagine nicer people! I hope I get the chance to meet them personally one of these days!

We now have a complete list of non-emergency phone numbers for the route so that we can contact police departments as we arrive. We don’t want to break any rules. As a matter of fact, I just found out that in Chicago, I am allowed to ride on the sidewalk (as in most cases) but here in the Windy City I can’t go any faster than 8 mph. After traveling all the way from Minnesota at 12.5mph, I’m gonna’ feel like I could crawl faster!

SOS Tour 2009 business cards have been ordered and will be here in a couple of weeks.

Next week I will complete the order for the last 4 Segways to be delivered by mid-month.

A new contest is in place! “Name the Segway”. This will also be posted on the SOS website shortly, but if you want a head-start, go to http://www.firstgiving.org/michaeltaylor3. Make a donation in the amount of $25 or more and in the comment section, type Submit “the name you want people to vote for”. Then tell all your friends that they should vote for your name. They go to the same site and donate $1.00 for each vote and in the comment section they write Vote “the name you want people to vote for”. Easy! Fun! And the owner’s of the top 5 names will get the new Nintendo Wii Fit Plus game with Segway coming out this fall! WE need to raise thousands of dollars for this though – so get going! Check back next week for the link to all of the details.

Well, this isn’t too bad. With 30 days left, I’m sure there will be a lot to say from now on. I’ll keep you posted. Got questions? Email segwayoffthestreets@gmail.com!



http://www.segwayoffthestreets.org shortly.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Best Laid plans . . .



"Best Laid Plans . . . "!


You have heard these words many times before, I’m quite certain. Well, to say I’m immune would be a foolish statement. You've also heard the words "the show must go on" - and that's where we are today!

So, we had a plan. And true to the title (and life in general I suppose), we need to change the plan. But change is good, right? Yes, the route has been shortened but will result on no less impact, I'm sure. The process is in place and now it's a matter of revising the website and presentation materials along with planning the new route and events along the way. Today is May 21 and I should be packing the RV for the trip to LA in order to start the cross country trip on May 30. Instead, I'm writing a note to tell you that we're not going to leave until early August. Instead of 3+ months, we'll be on the road 2 months. Instead of 5,000 miles, we'll go about half that.
At the same time however, we're going to be better organized and funded in order to continue shooting for our goal of $2M. If we could be successful getting 1.5 million people to give just $1.00 we'd almost reach our goal! Sounds like a lot of people, doesn't it. Think about this for a second, though. There are an estimated 1.5 million kids who experience homlessness every year! You're right - that's a lot of people.
We're "standing" behind "StandUp for Kids". We're going to make this happen - even in this economy - because if you think we've got it hard, think about how life would be without a roof over your head, without food in the refrigerator (what refrigerator?), without family, friends and people you can rely on and trust. What's it like to dumpster dive for your next meal? What's it like to sell your body in order to stay dry? Shorter trip or not - THIS IS IMPORTANT!
Stand with us, please!
Changes to the website and plan will be online soon along with a true donation link. Tell your friends! Tell your family! Tell your co-workers! Tell everyone you know about this effort to change the lives of thousands of kids. From the bottom of my heart - thank you.




Saturday, April 4, 2009


Greetings SOS Followers!

I can't believe I'm actually "blogging"! What do you think the chances are that I might like doing this and just write and write and write . . . ? I've been called verbose before and this could just be my outlet. Hopefully, a monster has not been created!

OK - there's a reason people will be reading this so let's get to it! Today's pic indicates that I'm moving forward as I've purchased the RV. It's certainly not one of those elaborate $1M rigs, but I think it will get us from coast to coast adequately. I'm not sure if I'll keep it when we're done or sell it (I'll have to discuss this later with Duane at BuyRV Sell RV, Oronoco, MN - great guy!). It could easily happen that after 4 months, I'll never want to see the inside of this thing again! Hmm. Typing that last sentence makes me feel a bit guilty! I should complain? What if I had NO home at all! Instead of sleeping in this 30 foot box every night, what if I was sleeping under a bridge in an empty appliance box every night?

And here we have the whole reason for this trip - StandUp For Kids. (http://www.standupforkids.org/)

I assume that if you're following this, you already know about the good work this organization is doing. You can help! There are things you can do to volunteer - as an outreach worker for SUFK or to help with this trip. There are donations that you can make. And, maybe you can help find sponsors and advertisers to cover the cost of this project. But right now, I'll settle if you would be kind enough to just spread the word. This trip is all about letting the people in this country know about the 1,500,000 homeless children on our streets today. Awareness means more volunteers. Awareness means more money. Awareness is really the first step. Help please? Stand Up For Kids!

In the days / months to come, I'll be writing about all kinds of things. I will have a lot of people that need to be acknowledged with a sincere "thanks". Mile after mile we are looking forward to meeting some amazing new people / friends - those who can help AND those who need it. I will of course, be talking about the many humorous things that will happen along the route as well as noting frustrations that we will experience. You'll hear about the events that are / will be scheduled in various cities along the route where StandUp For Kids has programs and where programs are needed desperately. You'll be invited to meet us at these events and wave to us along the highways of our country. You'll be asked to show that you care.

See you soon!

Mike