Glenda again – Ken had a rough night but then he was able to sleep until noon. I went to breakfast with the family here and brought him back some food. He spent the afternoon relaxing and we went to dinner at a friendly seafood restaurant. We stopped to gas up for tomorrow where we were recognized again from the news, which made Ken feel really good…his message is getting out there.
This evening was sad to say good bye to our family here…they have been so wonderful to us and Ken even gave Dave a cigar (he only shares those with special people). Thank you very much Dave, Dona and Jonathan…we will be back as soon as we can (NOT via wheelchair next time).
Ken is feeling better and is ready to get back to business tomorrow.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
A forced day of rest – day 15
This is Glenda – apparently also known as “G” – Ken is resting after I threatened to divorce him if he didn’t take some time to rest. He promised me that if we got out of Greensboro he would rest. He drove 26 miles to the VFW in Reidsville and called it a day. He ate very little of the food they had for us, and even let me do all the talking (you know he is sick now).
So before we left the hotel this morning, we had breakfast with our friends from Florida. They got in late last night and spent the night here. I think this was the best medicine for his spirits, since then he is pumped up and ready to go again…but not until after he gets a little more rest…my orders.
The VFW invited us to be their guests for lunch and to speak to them about ALS. They were very nice and many of them had seen us on TV the night before. By the end of the event they collected $236.00 for the Tour. Ken was in tears…he wanted me to tell everybody that he didn’t come for money, but he appreciated their generosity. Then he took a nap.
We went to dinner at the “Golden Corral” where the manager gave Ken his dinner for free and came out to the table to speak with him. It was the best Golden Corral I have ever eaten at…Ken even agreed, for him to say that it must have been good. During dinner a man and his wife came over because they recognized us from the news and wanted to give a donation.
So before we left the hotel this morning, we had breakfast with our friends from Florida. They got in late last night and spent the night here. I think this was the best medicine for his spirits, since then he is pumped up and ready to go again…but not until after he gets a little more rest…my orders.
The VFW invited us to be their guests for lunch and to speak to them about ALS. They were very nice and many of them had seen us on TV the night before. By the end of the event they collected $236.00 for the Tour. Ken was in tears…he wanted me to tell everybody that he didn’t come for money, but he appreciated their generosity. Then he took a nap.
We went to dinner at the “Golden Corral” where the manager gave Ken his dinner for free and came out to the table to speak with him. It was the best Golden Corral I have ever eaten at…Ken even agreed, for him to say that it must have been good. During dinner a man and his wife came over because they recognized us from the news and wanted to give a donation.
I didn’t know I was a f@$^ing a$$hole – day 14
Yep, you can tell by the title it was one of them days. So we meet the reporter at the county line and we were merrily driving along while he was filming, holding up traffic as usual, when this white minivan came racing by and told me “Get off the road you f@$^ing a$$hole”. We were showered with unfriendly honks and gestures the whole way. All this and I already physically feel like crap from this sinus infection. So Greensboro NC is not one of my recommended places to visit. When we got to the hotel there was a newspaper reporter there to take pictures of me for an article that is supposed to be in the paper this weekend (Greensboro News and Record).
While standing in line at the Wal-Mart Pharmacy, G got a call from some friends of ours back home. They were headed to the mountains and wanted to see us…G told them where we were staying and that they can come visit anytime, after the day Ken is having I’m sure he’d welcome a smiling, familiar face.
G has a brother and step-mother that lives up in Reidsville, NC which is 26 miles from Greensboro. G’s step-mother and her husband came to visit us at the hotel with some awesome BBQ from Stamey’s. The pulled pork was so moist, it didn’t need any sauce and they even had Cheerwine, a local soft drink which puts the “other” cherry colas to shame. That put a smile on my face, although I am feeling much worse.
While standing in line at the Wal-Mart Pharmacy, G got a call from some friends of ours back home. They were headed to the mountains and wanted to see us…G told them where we were staying and that they can come visit anytime, after the day Ken is having I’m sure he’d welcome a smiling, familiar face.
G has a brother and step-mother that lives up in Reidsville, NC which is 26 miles from Greensboro. G’s step-mother and her husband came to visit us at the hotel with some awesome BBQ from Stamey’s. The pulled pork was so moist, it didn’t need any sauce and they even had Cheerwine, a local soft drink which puts the “other” cherry colas to shame. That put a smile on my face, although I am feeling much worse.
Now counting trees in North Carolina - day 13
The only thing different from yesterday is that I made it into North Carolina.
I am still not feeling well…probably going to call the doctor in the morning. My sinuses are killing me, so I know it is time for an antibiotic.
G told me when we got to the hotel that a reporter wanted to follow us on the road tomorrow.
I am still not feeling well…probably going to call the doctor in the morning. My sinuses are killing me, so I know it is time for an antibiotic.
G told me when we got to the hotel that a reporter wanted to follow us on the road tomorrow.
A day of rest - day 11
I was hoping to visit Fort Jackson today, which is why I scheduled this non-travel day, apparently driving a wheelchair all this distance wasn’t enough to rate a tour of the base, or some government worker wanted me to believe. The day wasn’t a total loss though as we had the opportunity to meet some people staying at the hotel whom we educated about this wonderful disease called ALS. THEN, we got a phone call from Lou Kobbs saying he was in the area and wanted to come visit. We sat out by the pool and talked for hours…I EVEN missed a Red Sox game…about ALS, politics, religion and my favorite…the Yankees…NOT. Before he left he took some pictures and promised to send them to me.
I am starting to feel the effects of being out in the rain…I will keep y’all posted.
I am starting to feel the effects of being out in the rain…I will keep y’all posted.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETIE, I’M SORRY WE ARE NOT THERE TO CELEBRATE IT WITH YOU…I’LL MAKE UP FOR IT WHEN YOU GET TO DC. (For those of you who don’t know, my daughter turned 15 today.)
Rain Rain GO AWAY - day 10
The morning was wet as the rain kept coming, sometimes so hard I had to pull over for G to wipe my glasses so I could see. The people in the fine city of Columbia, SC know just as much about sidewalk design as the people in Statesboro, GA (Steve, I’m telling you there is a job in this for you). The exciting part of this day was passing by the University of South Carolina – where Spurrier of Gator fame came and hid after he failed his NFL coaching gig…GO NOLES.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
The curse continues - day 9
My poncho is getting quite a workout. Yesterday there was just a light mist of rain, however today it was raining cats and dogs and cows and horses. On top of that there was hail and lighting too. I was forced (for safety reasons) to sit and wait for the worst of the storm to pass. It was just a yucky day to be out driving the roads today…especially in a wheelchair.
She is not the Good Witch after all - day 8
Just before I fell asleep last night I mentioned to Glenda how we had been blessed with wonderful weather. As any good public safety professional knows you don’t say something like it has been quite or there hasn’t been any rain unless you actually want it to happen. Glenda said “Yeah, there hasn’t been any rain” and that did it. We had rain…ALL DAY!
We pulled into Allendale, SC this evening and I was tired and soaked (thanks G) only to find that the hotel we were scheduled to stay at was shall we say less than up to code. They had a team of cockroaches on staff to carry our bags up…not to mention that I was starving and there wasn’t so much as a Micky D’s to get a bite to eat. So we opted to drive ahead to Orangeburg and tomorrow morning we will double back to ride the route…not practical with the price of gas I know, but I just don’t think I could have slept there.
I had the opportunity to meet a very special family today. A mother who lost her son to ALS 6 years ago read about the Tour in a Savannah newspaper and asked her daughter-in-law to set up a meeting…that she couldn’t explain why but she HAD to meet me. It was an honor to meet this mother and one of her sons and daughter-in-law. She wanted me to have a lap blanket which had belonged to her beloved son. These will be cherished memories of this adventure. Although it gets frustrating out here, especially with all the one-finger salutes and horn-y drivers, a visit like this makes the whole trip worth while.
We're in the Army now - day 7
Upon exiting Hinesville today we drove through Fort Stewart. Military housing has come a long way since my Army days in the late 80’s. Everyone who passed us today was very supportive with friendly waves and thumbs up’s. Even the Ft. Stewart police were friendly and helpful by sending out officers to check on us and make sure we weren’t having any problems. The weather has been good…a bit on the hot side but not raining.
Going into Statesboro I had a few issues with the sidewalks…there were on ramps but I would have to double back because there were no off-ramps. As any of you who have tried to navigate the sidewalks are aware of…there is nothing more frustrating and downright stupid as poor planning (maybe Steve S can get on that one).
The people you meet - day 6
I was not going to have much to tell about the day, since this was a planned non-travel day. We were hoping to be able to visit Fort Stewart; however that was not able to be arranged. I took a much needed nap and tried to catch up on some emails and writing this journal.
This evening we went to dinner and met a family that turned out to bless us as much as they said we blessed them. The restaurant was a Japanese Steakhouse, where they cook the food right in front of you and perform little tricks as they cook. We were seated with a family of three, mom, dad and their little guy that looked about 7 (we later found out he was only 5). During casual conversation “Are you from around here” kind of thing…we had the opportunity to share what we are doing and why. As all you guys know, I am a very shy person, so the conversation was hard for me to carry on. Come to find out this young mother has been battling breast cancer (in remission for 2 years), so she had an emotional connection to the “fighting attitude” I share with them. So as we continued eating and talking (no, I didn’t talk with food in my mouth) the young man got up, to go to the restroom I assumed, and came back about 5 minutes later. As we said our goodbyes the young lady came over and gave me a hug, then her son followed suit and her husband shook my hand and thanked me. When the missus went to pay the bill, we found out that the husband didn’t go to the restroom, he paid our bill. Why couldn’t he be one of Georgia’s finest? Come to think of it, the whole family was Georgia’s FINEST.
This evening we went to dinner and met a family that turned out to bless us as much as they said we blessed them. The restaurant was a Japanese Steakhouse, where they cook the food right in front of you and perform little tricks as they cook. We were seated with a family of three, mom, dad and their little guy that looked about 7 (we later found out he was only 5). During casual conversation “Are you from around here” kind of thing…we had the opportunity to share what we are doing and why. As all you guys know, I am a very shy person, so the conversation was hard for me to carry on. Come to find out this young mother has been battling breast cancer (in remission for 2 years), so she had an emotional connection to the “fighting attitude” I share with them. So as we continued eating and talking (no, I didn’t talk with food in my mouth) the young man got up, to go to the restroom I assumed, and came back about 5 minutes later. As we said our goodbyes the young lady came over and gave me a hug, then her son followed suit and her husband shook my hand and thanked me. When the missus went to pay the bill, we found out that the husband didn’t go to the restroom, he paid our bill. Why couldn’t he be one of Georgia’s finest? Come to think of it, the whole family was Georgia’s FINEST.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
WANTED - Dead or Alive - day 5
Today we were greeted by two of Georgia’s finest…NOT! The first officer was very nice; however the second one was on a power trip and was a real JERK. I was forced to give in to the powers that be and ride in the van. Thankfully it was a very short distance to the hotel.
This wheelchair adventure has made me realize even more how our society is so busy and preoccupied with their fast paced lifestyle that whenever they are inconvenienced (for example by the guy driving down the road in a wheelchair) they get absolutely crazy. We were called all kinds of obscenities and received the “one finger wave” more times than I care to count.
This wheelchair adventure has made me realize even more how our society is so busy and preoccupied with their fast paced lifestyle that whenever they are inconvenienced (for example by the guy driving down the road in a wheelchair) they get absolutely crazy. We were called all kinds of obscenities and received the “one finger wave” more times than I care to count.
They all sound like me - day 4
Today we entered Georgia, where they all have an “ALS Accent” without the muscle atrophy. While the traffic was not an issue, we had a lot of long, VERY long stretches of road with NOTHING on them. The flashing lights we put on the van and trailer stopped working today so before we head out tomorrow we have to check the fuses. The chairs are holding up good, with the exception of the one that has been acting up since day one. The Georgia ALSA Chapter has put us in contact with someone who can take a look at it for us, when he found out I knew Steve S he packed up his tools and left [thanks Steve :)].
Leaving home (again) - day 3
This morning I woke up at 7:00AM so I could be ready to ride with my escorts who were to arrive at my hotel around 8:00AM. We rode up A1A then entered to old St Augustine area. This is where we were greeted by bicyclists asking what was going on then about 7 of them asked if they could ride along with us for a while. Unfortunately, not everyone was as pleasant as our tag-along bikers. One lady in a large SUV tried to cut in between the leading officer and the van Glenda was driving…the problem being I was the one in the middle of them. I thought Kevin was going to jump out of his police cruiser while it was still rolling to let this moron have it. We also had several of the passers by honk unfriendly greetings to us. We passed by the fire station I used to work at and then we stopped at a local restaurant for lunch.
After lunch we headed into Jacksonville. I thought the afternoon was never going to end. I realize now haw nice it was having the police escorts. We arrived at the hotel around 8:00PM…making for a very long 12 ½ hour day.
After lunch we headed into Jacksonville. I thought the afternoon was never going to end. I realize now haw nice it was having the police escorts. We arrived at the hotel around 8:00PM…making for a very long 12 ½ hour day.
Coming home - day 2
Well our morning started out slow and uneventful. There were cars flying past us with total disregard for the vehicles in the other lane.
Around 4pm I entered St Johns County, which is my old stomping ground from my firefighting days. We received a police escort the final 21 miles to our hotel. We were within a half a mile of the hotel when the third chair started flashing that I had a low battery. I barely coasted into the parking lot of the hotel where I was surprised to see a former coworker and dear friend there to welcome me.
Around 4pm I entered St Johns County, which is my old stomping ground from my firefighting days. We received a police escort the final 21 miles to our hotel. We were within a half a mile of the hotel when the third chair started flashing that I had a low battery. I barely coasted into the parking lot of the hotel where I was surprised to see a former coworker and dear friend there to welcome me.
Bon Voyage – day 1
The Walk to Defeat ALS in Orlando was a huge success. I, however, didn’t get to enjoy much of it with all the interviews and preparations that still had to be made to kick off the Tour. I didn’t even get my team photo taken or get an official 2008 Walk to Defeat T-shirt. Oh well there is always next year.
At 12:00 we assembled the masses to have a send off. Before I left I was presented wit the “ALS Across America Award” which is given to somebody who embodies the spirit of ALS Awareness. I don’t see where I did that, nor am I doing this for recognition for myself, but in front of all the press and onlookers I didn’t figure I could refuse it. It was an honor to be selected out of the whole nation to receive this award. After my father-in-law said a blessing four of us (Denny N, Rhonda R, Cedric C and I)and our entourages left Blue Jacket Park on my way to Washington DC.
So we are driving along a four lane road… and we got pulled over for going too slow (I usually get pulled over for going too fast). They wanted us to ride on a sidewalk and I officially nominate Winter Park Fl as having the least wheelchair friendly sidewalks…I even got stuck! Everybody dropped off after about five miles and I was on my own. The moron cop that pulled us over offered some less traveled roads to use…all that did was get me lost! DONUT MUNCHERS!
I now understand why Permobil wouldn’t give up some wheelchairs for the Tour…I have had nothing but problems with 2 of the chairs thus far. I thought Rhonda was just a bad driver when she kept weaving all over the place, but after I drove the chair, I found out it wasn’t her. The other chair’s battery lasts about 5 miles…I wasn’t prepared for the sudden stop when it ran out of juice.
We got to the hotel about 10pm and I was asleep before my head hit the pillow…and sunburned from head (what part of it my Red Sox cap doesn’t cover) to the top of my foot (my shoes were on, so it wasn’t to my toes).
Till tomorrow,
Ken
At 12:00 we assembled the masses to have a send off. Before I left I was presented wit the “ALS Across America Award” which is given to somebody who embodies the spirit of ALS Awareness. I don’t see where I did that, nor am I doing this for recognition for myself, but in front of all the press and onlookers I didn’t figure I could refuse it. It was an honor to be selected out of the whole nation to receive this award. After my father-in-law said a blessing four of us (Denny N, Rhonda R, Cedric C and I)and our entourages left Blue Jacket Park on my way to Washington DC.
So we are driving along a four lane road… and we got pulled over for going too slow (I usually get pulled over for going too fast). They wanted us to ride on a sidewalk and I officially nominate Winter Park Fl as having the least wheelchair friendly sidewalks…I even got stuck! Everybody dropped off after about five miles and I was on my own. The moron cop that pulled us over offered some less traveled roads to use…all that did was get me lost! DONUT MUNCHERS!
I now understand why Permobil wouldn’t give up some wheelchairs for the Tour…I have had nothing but problems with 2 of the chairs thus far. I thought Rhonda was just a bad driver when she kept weaving all over the place, but after I drove the chair, I found out it wasn’t her. The other chair’s battery lasts about 5 miles…I wasn’t prepared for the sudden stop when it ran out of juice.
We got to the hotel about 10pm and I was asleep before my head hit the pillow…and sunburned from head (what part of it my Red Sox cap doesn’t cover) to the top of my foot (my shoes were on, so it wasn’t to my toes).
Till tomorrow,
Ken
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