In June of 2006 I made a promise to a young man from Santa Rosa, California. His name was Jesse Williams and he was my friend. Jesse and I had met in the Army and were serving together in combat operations in Iraq. Our paths into the service were different. As for me, I had left my job in investment banking, near Ground-Zero, and enlisted following the tragic events five years earlier on 9-11-01.
The promise I made to Jesse was to look after his infant daughter should anything happen to him in Iraq. At the time, I didn’t think that much about the promise. My mind simply did not want to calculate the probabilities and risk we all faced. Still, a promise is a solemn thing.
When the unthinkable happened less than a year later, 11-month-old Amaya Williams lost her father. My friend Jesse Williams was killed in action and it dawned on me that my promise meant more than I had ever imagined.
I quickly realized that for me to keep my promise, I needed help. It was my family, my friends and my wife Heather that made it possible for this lifelong promise to begin to be fulfilled. And while it will never be ok for little Amaya to grow up without a father – she can grow up knowing who her dad was and without having to “worry about a thing” as her father used to say.
The Team Jesse Foundation and The Ride were created as an extension of the promise I made to one young soldier who was my friend. The Foundation and The Ride were developed as a way to extend care to all of the other families of fallen soldiers out there – and finding ways to help them “worry a little less”. And once again, I found myself asking for help. Remarkably, people have come to my aid once again. Some are people I know well, old friends, friends from work, the lacrosse community and my family. Others are new friends I have just met and who believe in the mission.
It’s not about me and it’s not about a bike ride. It’s about commitment and staying true to your word. It’s about family, about friends and about the community that has come together to say thank you for what our nation’s heroes, the fallen, have sacrificed to allow us to live free.
The Ride does not end today. The promise is not fulfilled. In fact, it is bigger than ever. There is more work do – and once again, I am asking for help. I want to thank those who support and believe in me and in our Team. I will not let you down. I promise!
There was something in Jesse’s eyes that day in June 2006. I wonder if he knew how much placing his trust in me meant and how far it would go. Looking back, I think he did.
To the limit of our abilities,
Kevin Mincio
President and Co-Founder
US Army Veteran
And so our journey comes to the end, but our cause has just begun. You will not have heard the last of us now, but the riding was set to conclude on Day Ninety-Five, and we’ve met all deadlines aong the 4,200 mile stretch. All of them. At the beginning, it was about a sense of duty, and a commitment that held the test of time. It was about a sacrifice that was very rare indeed, and about the bravery that accompanied these things. In the end, it became a legend of promise, and a bond between two soldiers. Ironically, our journey would start at a place representative of the promise, and it would end at the place it all began, where the call to duty was heard and acted upon by my friend, Kevin Mincio.
Before the day began on 9/11/11, we were hosted the day before in Norwalk CT at O’Neill’s Pub by Co-Founder Matt Corry. It was in this place that we were shown an unprecedented display of community support, as several elected officials gathered alongside Matt’s friends from the lacrosse community and family. We were given declarations and the keys to the city, but most of all we were given love and support. A few people we didn’t know and who were not part of the event recognized our faces from a news story that ran nationally, so the community grew right in front of our eyes. The event was very successful from a fundraising standpoint, and our cause gained momentum at a critical time.
Ninety-Five would be an emotional day, and it would wait for no one. In fact, to meet our day’s commitments, we needed to get an early start on the course. We’ve always had a policy that we don’t ride in the dark, but on this day there was just no getting around it. We woke at 4:45am and were on the road at 5:30. We were donning headlamps and flashlights to see as we slipped through the darkness with chilly water spraying up from the bumpy blacktop. We were on the Saw Mill River Parkway, and it was very exciting to be taking this route, and under these conditions. It was unique from any other ride and also very different from the past Ninety-Four. A passing car once ran over an already dead raccoon, and we were nearly sprayed; instead, the support vehicle driven by Messick and carrying Cathy Mabee and Heather, Kevin’s wife took the bloody exchange. We rode hard, knowing that any slip-ups would set us back and compromise the entire schedule.
As it started to get light, after riding for almost 90 minutes, we entered the outskirts of the city, seeing it in a unique way. Recent terror threats as well as the population’s memory of a terrible day ten years before had those we passed in a vulnerable-feeling position. While they were strong as New Yorkers are known for being, there was an uncertainty in the air. It felt great to be doing something about it, however small it would be. As far as the terror threats and their affect, Kevin was heard to say that he’d ride his bike right through a bomb blast if he had to do so. The guy likes to keep his promises, apparently.
I’m grateful that it was getting light out when we rode on the Major Deegan Expressway. Talk about hairy and scary! It was still not the best visibility, though, and we had to change lanes several times to avoid cars in on and off ramps while traveling at 50-60 MPH. This part of the course was further complicated by the rise and fall of the highway; it was an overpass to many intersections, and as such, was not the flat, safe stretch that other full-on highways can be. Without the SAG, I’m not sure we would have made it safely. Once, the SAG itself almost got smeared into the barrier by an accelerating, merging dump truck. It was dangerous, period. We pedaled hard and got off as soon as we could, but still had to go past 5 exits (which means on-ramps as well) in doing so.
When we spun off and made our way onto the 3rd Avenue Bridge, we were in Manhattan. It felt great to arrive, though our day was just beginning. And we had many appointments to keep. The first such appointment involved us getting to Randall’s Island. Our hearts sunk when we got to the pedestrian bridge only to see that it was closed; we knew that there would be severe measures taken by the authorities to reduce the risk of terrorist activity, but we hadn’t seen this coming. So, we had not choice to turn around and give up. Do you think that’s what we did? No, actually, we just climbed the twelve-foot fence with our bikes and kept going. We weren’t going to be stopped, and I guess that where there’s a will, there’s a way.
At last we arrived at our first of two engagements for the day. We were going to meet a large group at the 9/11 Heroes Run, a 5K race hosted by our trusted partner, The Travis Manion Foundation. We had been looking forward to this day for a long time, and we were honored by doing a lap on our bikes around the track that served as the starting and finish line of the race’s loop. Our cause was announced and I couldn’t have been any more proud to see the support from the large crowd of runners as well as to see the looks of friends and loved ones that had come out to support us. After our lap, we ditched the bikes to the side, were given race numbers 001 and 002 and ran the 5K. Looking back, I think that they wanted us to start the race by being out front, but we instead got caught in the emotion of the moment and ran with the crew that had assembled to support us, all of them wearing their Team Jesse shirts with the exception of Kevin Higman, the president and COO of Team Jesse Sponsor Wimmer Solutions, who was asked to wear a shirt bearing our logo. Without Kevin’s support and that of the rest of our fantastic team at Wimmer, there’s no way I would have been able to accompany Kevin this summer. Thanks so much, gang, for allowing me to help and also giving me the opportunity for a life-changing experience!
We finished together, and we were all teeth, the entire crew giddy with the response from the event promoters and other races. At the end, I saw a few faces in the crowd that I didn’t know had shown up, all the way from Seattle, to support the mission and surprise me. I couldn’t have been happier, and the people we’re talking about have been quite influential in my life. They really gave me a charge, not that I was short on emotion that day (or very often, for that matter). We then said our goodbyes and headed out, again scaling the fence with our bikes to exit.
After some logistical haggling, we began to set out toward Ground Zero and the cross-streets of Liberty and Church, where Kevin Mincio stood in shock ten years ago, and subsequently sprung into legendary action. As we approached, it was really dawning on us that the trip was coming to an end. I’m very grateful that the end wasn’t anti-climactic, as I feared that maybe it would be. With only a few blocks to go, we saw Matt Corry and Darren Tappen on the street. Just happened to run into the very people that would be helpful for Kevin to see as he made the final stab toward the goal. As we were ahead of schedule, we agreed to pull over and get our bearings before taking the final pedal strokes. It was touching that Kevin realized that he would be incomplete without his brother, Matt, present as well. Matt was with Kevin on 9/11/01 and together they had eventually made their way out of Manhattan, both changed forever. We chose a venue called The Irish American to stop, and we regrouped, made a quick toast, and headed down to complete the mission. By the way, I’ve always thought that Matt had a really cool name.
However, the security detail had strict orders to prevent penetration into the areas that would be most relevant to Kevin as well as Matt. So, with 16 of our friends and family there to support the final thrust, we were thwarted by rules imposed by the recent threats. So, we gave up and turned around, content with the bare minimum of effort. Do you think that’s what we did? Well, no, that’s NOT what we did. With Kevin’s determination fueling Matt Corry’s (another guy with a cool name, BTW) keen resourcefulness, we were able to make someone want to help us, and we were soon guided back to the exact spot where Kevin was ten years ago. Not only that, but we were taken into the heart of the new memorial, which had been reserved for families of 9/11 victims and VIPs. Upon our entrance, we were stopped by the mother of Christopher Santora, a firefighter who bravely fought to save lives before losing his life as the towers collapsed. She asked us if she could shake our hands, and had accosted us because she’s seen the story on the news. I was very humbled that she would be asking me for this, as it was she and her husband and daughter that had suffered the loss ten years ago, and every day since. It was an iconic validation to our summer’s mission, and none will never forget it.
While The Ride is over, and finished in successful fashion, our work is just beginning. It’s comes with great promise that, in the end, Kevin Mincio was happy with the outcome and is finally calm and relaxed. He will stay that way for at least a few hours, or until the next opportunity to show commitment for the Families of the Fallen. After all, this guy takes his promises pretty seriously. I can’t be grateful enough to have been allowed to play a small part in The Ride, and I, like the others that have supported Kevin through thick and thin, are proud to have done so.
For the Families of the Fallen…To the Limit!
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
I met Joe Alberici in the Fall of 1989 when I was a freshman it Alfred University. We played lacrosse together there that year and came close to winning a division 3 national championship before losing in the NCAA tournament. Since then, our lives have gone different paths. Joe was an All American in a year that put the small town of Alfred, NY on the map and he stayed in the game of lacrosse as a coach. Not surprisingly, he has been very successful, and Joe is now the head coach for the Army Black Knights at West Point. After 20 years, the game of lacrosse brought us together once again two years ago when Joe allowed the Mercer Island lacrosse team, where I am the assistant coach, to play a game at Michie Stadium at West Point. BTW – we won the game!
Early in The Ride, I let Joe know we planned to come to West Point. He told me to call him the week prior and he would set something up. Fittingly, that day would be Day Ninety-Three, our last rest day. What better place to spend it than beautiful West Point. What Joe set up exceeded my expectations. After meeting him at his office and getting introduced to members of his staff, I had the opportunity to address the 74 members of the Army lacrosse team, soon to be 2 teams, including a JV squad.
Joe introduced me to the team. I have never liked being introduced, but today I was proud to have someone I admire so very much say kind words and express admiration for what we have done with Team Jesse. The men I was about to talk to are young, but already extremely accomplished in their lives. I knew there were potential great future leaders in my presence. Men that would lead men into combat. I wanted to make an impression.
I enjoyed the opportunity to introduce Matt. He has done this so selflessly and with great passion throughout The Ride. Today it was my turn to talk about what he meant to me and The Ride. I even got a chance to tell the boys about Wimmer Solutions lacrosse, the best club lacrosse team in the world – bar none, something Matt takes great pride in which is a direct result of his hard work.
I think I did an OK job making an impression on the boys. It was a tuff assignment. My focus was on what I looked for in my officers as a non commisioned officer and an enlisted man. Afterwards, Joe wasn’t done. Our tour continued over out the weight room, where the boys went for strength and conditioning training. We met some great people over there, including General Peter Palmer (RET), who I will be following up with regarding our mission.
Later in the evening, we were invited to Joe’s house, where his wife Petra and five year old daughter Isabella were cooking in the kitchen. One of the day’s highlights for me, was I trip to the basement, where Joe told stories to Matt, Adam and me about his coaching days at Duke University and Army. We spoke about players and memorable games, many of which we all recalled due to our love for the creators game of lacrosse. We were ‘all teeth’ leaving the Alberici home. It was an emotional day. One that was fitting given the magnitude of what is in front of us 60 miles to the south.
If this wasn’t enough, there was one more treat in store for us on this great day. Re-enter Coach Mike Groh, who we learned was 30 miles south on a recruiting assignment prior to the Alabama game against Penn State this weekend. Roll Tide! You all may recall Mike was with us in Telluride as a guest rider and has been with us in spirit the entire ride with his ‘got to prove to her one day at a time’ mantra that we have adopted based on his advice. I explained to Adam how much Mike meant to me, and his ‘gassed it’ down the Palisades Parkway like a man on a mission. We were able to spend about 45 minutes with Mike, which during Football season is a real treat. In typical Coach Groh fashion, he had the words of encouragement we needed to put the final two days in perspective. To have this man’s support has meant the world to me.
It’s all about the coaching – it really is!
To the limit,
/km/
For some reason, the sun ‘wanted it’ a little more than the weather report had predicted. There were no complaints from us, and we were all teeth as we crossed the border into our final state, New York. The sun came through in a filtered fashion, and we were given the gift of it making a gradual appearance. As the clouds broke apart and offered bits of clear blue, our optimism followed suit and we all had to agree that the conditions were ideal. When the sun finally showed in full fashion, it was glorious. After the previous few days, it felt like we were on a different planet. Shady patches of road had sharp contrast from those stretches that lie unobstructed. Sometimes the great thing about having harsh, unfriendly weather is that peaceful glow that follows. We took full advantage of the opportunity to enjoy it, to soak it all in, and to allow it to be part of us. Also, it was nice to not be shivering and soaking wet.
Due to our ability to keep on schedule (against the predictions of many), we have worked our way into a position to take a different angle as we enter the city on 9/11. Our path will take us to West Point, home of the United States Military Academy. We’ve got some great appearances planned there, and it’s a great highlight for both Kevin and me. Having grown up in Annapolis, though, I predict I’ll have a hard time with the “Go Army, Beat Navy’ talk. Seems backwards to even write it down!
Another upside of the opportunity to see West Point is the terrain. It was a gorgeous ride, as the roads leading into the area were hilly and, in some places, almost mountainous. Kevin and I really enjoyed the opportunity to climb some steep hills and we went at it with no reserve or hesitation. We pedaled up and around Bear Mountain on our approach, and the first signs of fall were everywhere. Coming back to the East Coast reminds me of why the season referred to as autumn. The smell of the air is probably one of my favorite parts, as it carries a crispness that is pretty far removed from the mugginess that comes just before it. While we still had some humidity in the air, it was on the way out and will soon be replaced by the ironically fresh smell of dying leaves and season’s change.
Both Kevin and Mark Larson had spent significant time here as youngsters, and I kept quiet and tried to allow them the opportunity to ingest their surroundings and take the trip down memory lane, nearly literally. Most of the conversations that took place were about their childhood memories, and both of them separately told me about skiing there (long ago there had been a small resort on Bear Mountain) Both of them were sentimental about seeing the Henry Hudson River, it’s banks softened by Irene and the heavy rains that followed her. She was very muddy and almost red from the past few days. But, there she was, iconic and strong.
Day Ninety Two was the last day that we’d enjoy the company of a guest rider; going forward for the last two days it’ll just be Mince and me. I can’t think of anyone who would be more stable and valuable than Mark for this part of the journey. He’s in tune with the mission and understands the big picture with things, and he’s a class act all the way around. Having Mark and his lovely wife Virginia along for this stage has been a blessing. Mainly, I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to share the experience with him. I’ve always looked at The Ride as an opportunity to create opportunity for others; if that’s true, then it’s also true that opportunity can be better propagated when in the hands of the capable. Deputize the capable, I always say, and who better to deputize than the Chief Deputy Prosecutor? Mark is a man of action, so giving him a bird’s eye view of what we’re up to as well as the experience to have lived the struggle, even for a few days, will prove helpful to our cause and to the Families of the Fallen. In Mark Larson, I’ve got a new person to admire and appreciate, and that just doesn’t happen every day. As we pulled toward a final SAG stop and a chance to reunite with some special people, I was shown five birds of prey circling. It was almost like I was gifted these and allowed to show them to Mark. It just felt right.
We turned the corner, and there he was, poised in his iconic photographic action stance. Papa Bear was there, standing tall (well, not that tall because he’s not so tall, plus he sorta squats when he shoots the camera, but he was doing it proudly, which is sorta like standing tall). It was beyond surreal to see him as well as Mama Bear, who had come down to see us into the area. It was a joy to see them, and it was as if no time had passed at all. They met Messick and thanked him for his driving style, and unreported incidents have occurred that lead many of us to believe he’s saved our lives a few times. Adam replied that he’d never be able to prepare the food the way that they had, and I imagined what it would be like to have both crews. We’d be soooo spoiled!
Our next few days will be the culmination of nearly a year of work and preparation. It’s all happening so fast and we’ve been through a lot. As the excitement of all of it comes in like a tremendous and fearful force of nature, we pause and realize that we’ve been there before. We’ve gotten thought the storms, hills and heat, and for that reason we’ll remain poised and execute with intention during this last measure. For opportunity and with commitment.
For the Families of the Fallen…To the Limit!
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
Back in Annapolis, we had made the decision to put aside our feelings about Hurricane Irene. Specifically, there was a tendency for the Team to, in dealing with our frustration around the tremendous inconvenience she had caused, make fun of her. We would call her a ‘non-event’ and other less-flattering things that would help us cope with the frustration of her timing. I’m glad that we put a gag order on making light of her publicly. Because here in New Jersey, she’s not a joke. Not at all.
Ninety-One began with no precipitation, but it would find us eventually. A few team members were rocking sore throats and the onset of cold symptoms, with our leader being among the affected, and actually in the worst condition of all. We pressed on. It would take much worse to sideline this crew, so with commitment we rode. The population density was really becoming more and more evident at this point. Here in New Jersey, one town begins where the other one ends; there is no rural break to separate them. Each has their own personality as well, so traveling though these areas on bicycles really gave us the opportunity to understand them each for what made them unique. Summit became Millburn which them became West Orange and so on and so on. The connectedness of communities was evident, and I thought this was true only in their geographical orientation. I would later be proven wrong about this.
As we rode and the rains picked up again, we began to see more and more damage from Irene – flooded homes, felled trees, debris in the street, homes with no power, sandbags, etc. It clearly hadn’t helped any of these communities that we’re again in the middle of a heavy storm front. It’s sort of like kicking a man when he’s down, I think, to see the reeling communities getting pummeled again by rain and water coursing cruelly through their streets. It might be a little bit until its completely back to normal here in New Jersey.
We checked into our hotel and found that the first floor was closed due to flooding. They still were putting guests into the upper floors, but it was still telling to see, up close and personal, the effects of flooding. Irene and her mutant sister wrecked the first floor of the hotel.
It was all business and all hands on deck once we were checked in. We divided and conquered following a meeting that we had to discuss the mountain of logistics, both on and off the bikes, that stands between us and a strong finish.
We broke for dinner, and prior to our separation as a group, Mark Larson commented that it was cool that most of the other guests in the hotel were relief workers. Leave it to Larson to notice that. I wish it had been me saying it (or even thinking it) but maybe I’ll have the opportunity to beat him to the punch another day. Hmmm…not sure on that one…
Neither the AC nor the heat worked in my room, so I ventured to the overwhelmed froint desk attendant to ask for a fan. In waiting, I struck conversation with some of the relief workers and learned about Omar Helms. Omar is a soldier in the US Army and he is about to deploy to Afghanistan. His brother, Saleem, upon finding out about Team Jesse, told me about him and with enthusiasm, dug into his pockets to donate to our cause. Saleem is a Disaster Recovery guy that’s here from Durham, NC. He and his crew will be onsite for two months dealing with the devastation.
After hearing each other’s stories, we decided that a pic would be appropriate. After some discussion, we agreed that a solemn, ‘no-teeth’ picture would be in order. I handed my camera to one of his friends, and as we posed and he was snapping the pic, he asked ‘Have either of you ever [had a relationship with] a mermaid?’ Teeth were impossible to hide, and his lighthearted friend had brought a little humor into the our lives and also those of the crowd around us. We laughed harder than it had rained the day before.
It’s all about the people. Omar, come home safe!
For the Families of the Fallen…To the Limit!
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
Ninety days?? Really? In some ways it seems like we’ve been on The Ride for two years; when I think back about Fallon, Nevada or even Dodge City, Kansas, it seems like a lifetime ago; it’s almost like it was a different experience altogether. A lot has happened, and the spaces in between have been experiences that defy reason, and many of them are hard for even me to believe, and I’ve actually been there. In other ways, though, The Ride ticks away at a rapid pace that can’t be stopped and feels like we’re moving at light speed. Seems like Cedar City, Utah was just last week, when it was actually a mid -June experience. The consistent things for us though are the challenges that we can expect to see on a daily basis as well as the greatness of the people along the way.
When telling a story, it’s not the best idea to backtrack or to repeat a story that’s already been told. In this case, we’ll make an exception because I’ve got to piggyback on Kevin’s comments about the Manion family. In meeting these courageous people, all of our lives were enriched. This is a family that’s made of Teflon, and together they’ve grown even stronger than ever. The humility with which they approach their story is amazing; when the people of Doylestown offered to create a monument in honor of their son, Travis, they got an answer that they didn’t expect: they were told that the Manion family, Travis included, would be happier if it were not called the Travis Manion Wall, but instead it should be called the Freedom Wall so that others could also be honored and the bigger picture of what Travis fought for would take center stage. Colonel Manion showed grace and strength at dinner when he, in a subtle way, drew in the attention of the table and then asked for Kevin to tell everyone about his friend, fallen hero Jesse Williams. Great people and I couldn’t be any more proud to have them as friends as well as partners.
Day Ninety was, in keeping with the rule that each Day on The Ride has its own challenge, tricky. We’ve been through heat waves, a hurricane, earthquake and three mountain ranges. Why shouldn’t we also experience extreme rains? From the time we woke up on Ninety to the time we went to bed, it rained. Hard. As in, it was a torrential downpour. During the day, we saw every imaginable form of rain, from sideways mist to drops that must have weighed three ounces each. It was heavy the whole time, though, and if often seemed to similar to a Biblical type of wrath. On top of the rain, there were multiple roads closed due to Irene (yeah, she just won’t let go!) and the routes we wound up taking were ad-hoc at best. Several times we had no choice but pedal around the Road Closed signs because there would be no way to get around, otherwise.
The black roads were slick and often completely submerged; when we found hills, they seemed to be alive, with water cascading down in thick waves. Often times the rain was coming down so hard upon the already pooled water that a ten-inch tall carpet of water covered the road and all that surrounded it. Leaves took abuse for hours on end as it poured and poured some more. It was loud, too. When it was really coming down, it was tough to hear the person right next to you, which isn’t always the best for safety. Speaking of safety…turns out that this kind of torrential storm doesn’t do the best for natural lighting and subsequent visibility. It was flat out dangerous out there, as the rain cloaked our surroundings (and to drivers, us) much like the fog we experienced on the way into Charlottesville weeks before.
The hardest part about the day was the temperatures. It had gotten much colder, and while temperatures in the high-fifties may not seem like it would make for a chilly day, I’d challenge you to try it while being soaking wet and riding a bike in it for six or seven hours. Into the biting wind. We were all shivering, and riders took showers at the end of the day while fully clothed, as we couldn’t get any wetter and getting warm was more important than anything else. I would be surprised if this doesn’t take a toll eventually, as we’re supposed to have the same weather for a few more days.
Even with what they day threw at us, we were not stopped from finishing strong. We crossed the New Jersey State line and got our 13th victory. It rained more, but we know that it’s not Jersey’s fault and we’re not going to hold it against her.
Ninety was Kevin Collins’ last day on the trail with us. He’s shipping out to handle some prior commitments but we’ll see him again in a few days for his moral support and participation in the finale event in NYC. He’ll be missed, and I think he was meant to be here in the wake of Irene, as our primary challenge was navigation. The Chief Route Master in Charge was a big part of Act III.
The final leg will feature only one guest rider, and I also suspect divine intervention when I consider the person that’s filling the role. Mark Larson is joining us for the final stage before the ‘blackout days’ (the final two days of The Ride in which only Kevin and I will be pedaling). Both Mince and I have a tremendous respect and appreciation for Mark. I believe him to be one of the very best, if not THE best, community leaders that I’ve ever met. He is respected by all who know him, and he has a knack for finding solutions and thinking issues through from all sides. He is fair and non-judgmental, and has a realistic approach to human nature. I’m grateful that he’s here during this stage, as I’m sure that it will be an emotional time for Kevin, and getting flanked by a guy like Mark would help just about anybody. I just can’t say enough about the strength of this guy, and what’s really amazing is the sense of humor that accompanies these leadership characteristics. Mark has been heavily involved in the Seattle-area lacrosse community since I’ve known him, and his real job is putting bad guys away, as he is the Chief Deputy Prosecutor for King County, which puts him in service of about 4 million people. Mark will add a sense of level-headed calm to the team, and he’ll do it with a sense of righteousness, if that makes sense. He’s a Golf Charlie (Game-Changer) as we head into the final days.
As we go about these last days, we’ll be prepared for more rain, aggressive drivers and also, the unseen challenges that enjoy cropping up to try and thwart our mission. These things drive us, though, and give us purpose. They drive commitment and allow us the opportunity to succeed. Without them, we would simply be riding bikes during the summertime in our beautiful country. But that’s not what this is about; it’s about enduring hardship and committing, willingly, to the sacrifices that need to be made in order to tell the story. The story, by the way, makes even the most difficult of days seem easy and enjoyable.
As miserable as Ninety was (or for that matter, any of her Eighty-Nine sisters have been), it doesn’t hold a sliver of light from a candle’s glow to the pain that’s been felt by so many we’ve me, visited and honored along this journey. For them, we ride in the rain.
For the Families of the Fallen….To the Limit,
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
One of the first times I spoke to Ryan Manion, sister to fallen hero Marine 1LT Travis Manion, she told me her father always said, “There are those who get it and those who don’t.” The words of Marine Colonel Tom Manion have been referred to many times throughout The Ride, and the past 2 days have been spent joyfully with those that “get it.” It comes at a time when we need it most: Five days from the finish with a lot of work ahead of us.
Adam Messick “get’s it.” Since his arrival back in Annapolis, I have felt great support from a man who is selflessly committed 100% to what we are doing. Initially, that translated to SAG responsibilities and ensuring that we were prepared and able to successfully execute our rides. Recently, I have had an opportunity to witness his contributions exceed far beyond that. We visited his hometown of Media for a fundraising event at a place called The Boathouse. Adam’s entire family “showed up”, including his grandmother, as well as his friends. We spent the evening getting to know these wonderful people and learning more about Adam’s time in Media, PA before heading west for college and life thereafter. However, we did not see Adam all that much. He owned this event and was out working the crowd for donations and selling raffle tickets. I walked away from The Boathouse feeling very grateful that I have solid people like Adam on the team.
Val and Patsy Sauri “get it” too. Matt’s dad and stepmother put us up in Philadelphia in their home. We were all on the 3rd floor in what we expected to be barracks-style living, which was hardly the case given their incredible home. Our rest day turned out to be Val’s birthday and they invited a large group of friends over for a dinner to celebrate. Turns out, they were mostly celebrating for us. Val insisted the spotlight be on our mission and we spent most the evening reliving The Ride amongst great people. It was very humbling for me to witness such an act of selflessness. Nowadays, it’s all to uncommon. Our organization is rooted in placing the highest value on family in our lives and our trip to Philadelphia will be remembered for this reason. Thank you Val and Patsy for being part of The Ride in such a meaningful way. Your efforts are already going beyond the trip to your home.
Day Eighty-Nine has been anticipated for quiet some time. We would be riding to Doylestown and straight to the offices of the Travis Manion Foundation, our partner on The Ride. We started in Santa Rosa in Jesse’s hometown, and Janet Manion, Travis’ mother was there. We would be riding to Travis’ hometown and Janet and the rest of her family and team would be there. I would also be meeting Ryan Manion, Travis’ sister, who I worked with extensively over the past few months, for the first time. Even with all the anticipation, the trip would exceed expectations. Doylestown is a town that honors its heroes outwardly. After a warm reception at their office, Ryan walked us through town and we visited parks and memorials that pay tribute to the service men and women of Buck’s County that gave their lives for our freedom, unfortunately all too many for this relatively small community.
Afterwards our teams got together for dinner and we got to meet Colonel Tom Manion for the first time. It’s no wonder Travis’ was such a tremendous Marine officer. Colonel Manion is a man who served his country for over twenty five years. I spent much of the dinner listening to his views on service and learning how communicating his views can help further our joint mission. Janet Manion gave the toast and her words of support and appreciation for what we are doing will be with me for the rest of The Ride and beyond. The Manion family has believed in me and our team since day one. I owe it to them to finish as strong as I possibly can. And that is exactly what we are going to do.
To the limit,
/km/
She felt as if she’d missed something; she searched her mind and young memory for a way to understand, a way to solve the mystery. What was happening? Who were those men in uniform? One of them looked like her daddy with the way he was dressed. But, neither one of them was him. Why was mommy crying? Her brother was of no help; he had bolted through the door right after the men had left and mommy had pulled him aside. He had slammed the door on his way out and he was also crying, and he wasn’t even trying to hide it. When would mommy come out of her room? Had she done something wrong?
And so it must begin for the families of the fallen. Initial shock and confusion followed by the grim duty of helping kids getting their heads around the unfolding tragedy before they can even be angry or grieve. Where does one put her/his own emotion during this time? The shock and spiraling horror of a newfound reality that would exist without the centerpiece, the rock, the breadwinner, the hero. He would never return, and no one expected this to actually happen. What now? How does the story continue, and when will the pain go away?
There are no easy answers, and many who have been through this unspeakable pain would say that the hard part is yet to come. The initial shock is a defense mechanism, and it protects them. They’re surrounded by sympathetic friends and families and even the military programs that attempt to help are in full swing at that point. Years later, though, when everyone goes back to their lives and support slips away, the tough road becomes a lonely one as well.
And so we are committed to finding a way to help, if even just a little. For now, we do it with a Ride. We honor a promise that was made from one soldier to another; we push ourselves and are committed to sacrifice. We are serving a purpose more important than ourselves, and we will not stop until we’ve done what we set out to do. We are doing the one thing that those fallen heroes would ask in return for their own sacrifice; we’re going to create opportunities for their families as best we can, and we’ll tell their stories until we’re blue in the face. It’s the right thing to do, and it’s what we will do.
Day Eighty-Seven began with a lighthearted exit from the Valley Forge area. I’m always grateful when we’re able to have a cheerful approach at the outset of any given course, as it will lead to a more productive day, both on and off the bikes. A miscue around some proactive bike maintenance allowed for some joking around and got us all laughing a bit. So, it was a great start to a day that would be rewarding. We headed over to the Schuylkill River Trail, a worn yet well-kept exercise path that runs parallel to the river. It was crowded but enjoyable; the day was a pleasant one, once again, and the lack of humidity, holiday weekend and slow breeze had the trail surging with all types of people doing even more types of wellness. It’s a very bike-friendly city, Philadelphia, and the city’s commitment to the sport shows clear.
The trail wound though industrial areas, parks and found itself fast approaching the city. Once again, memories flooded back as we spun into the urban sprawl. I spent a large part of my youth in The City of Brotherly Love, as Philadelphia is known, and I was excited to show the city to Mince and the team. There were some very significant happenings in Philly over the years, to say the least, so our historical bent continued. We paid a quick visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, as its legendary grand form is not to be missed. We took the opportunity to pay tribute to the Rocky theme that has come up, often in jest, on The Ride. Running up those stairs was surreal, and I almost twisted an ankle doing it. Yeah, bikes shoes aren’t the best for jogging. Mostly just glad to have avoided the sting to my pride; I would have never lived that one down, even if the cameras weren’t rolling!
After stopping for some of Philly’s finest cheesesteaks at Jim’s on South Street, we headed to our lodging for the two-day stay. It was a place I’d been excited to see, and also to share with the Team. My dad opened the door with a huge smile on his face. He and my stepmom, Patsy, have been very excited to host us, and they have met Kevin several times in the past. They were also glad to see Messick and meet the rest of the crew. They’re phenomenal hosts, and the stay in Philly will be much more meaningful because of them. Their home is in the Rittenhouse Square area, so it’s central to the city and we’ll have no problem in finding the pulse while we’re here.
Eighty-Seven will end just outside of Philadelphia; we’ll be travelling to a small town called Media. It’s Adam Messick’s hometown, and he has arranged for some of his friends and family to greet us and also allow us the opportunity to be included in their lives. It’s great to have that opportunity; for myself, seeing family on this leg of the journey has been irreplaceable. I’m sure that Adam will feel the same way when he sees his own. Kevin is only days away from seeing his entire crew, including Mama Bear, Papa bear and all three of his siblings.
The little girl that I attempted to describe at the beginning of this post will have no such opportunity. And so we ride…
For the Families of the Fallen…To the Limit!
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
We’re all only human after all. Each of us built with our flaws and reasons for being a little behind, being unable to meet deadlines and being a little slow, in general. Still, I’m worried about him. Never seen Kevin act this way. He’s sleeping in late; often unfocused, and what really caught my attention is his stopping throughout the day, during the ride, asking if anyone wants to catch a matinee. He’s second-guessing a lot of his decisions and is often paused in a state of paralysis, worried about whether or not he’d hurt someone’s feelings. I will continue to watch the situation, and of course let the right people know if it continues.
Day Eighty-Six began as a rain-threatened day that was cool and cloudy, a few shades darker than overcast. Good to get on the road, as usual. We were agile, and we knew that there were a few milestones the day held for us. Also, and not to be a broken record, the intensity of our rapidly approaching moment of truth is making for a fever-pitched swell of action, both on and off the bikes. Seems like every single moment is taken, and it’s only our commitment as a team, and for the team, that keeps us positive and moving (quickly) in the same direction. Eighty-Six allowed us to get together and have some renewed focus on safety and purpose, as we all challenged each other throughout the day’s course to get better at everything we were doing. There’s a great team dynamic here, and it’s moving in the right direction.
Much of the day was spent on Route 30, which is a traffic-light rich stretch of two and four lane highway that would take us straight into Valley Forge. The cool air had combined with the wet road to make the day one of the chilliest we’d seen on The Ride. It’s still summer on the East Coast, though, so it’s not like we were freezing. Even though a big part of stretch took us past strip malls and older areas, there were still scenic parts that showed, proudly, the sweeping countryside. Proud Pennsylvania Dutch heritage was abundant, and the acreages of farm land that we’d occasionally see showed a melding between old and new, as technology and the Amish way shared a characterization of the area. Horse and buggy shared the parking lot with the mini-van, and I wondered how that works, exactly. It’s great to imagine a world in which the mutual tolerance allows for this coexistence to happen without so much as an afterthought, at least from those that live in the community.
I’ve been thinking a lot about commitment lately; it’s not a new concept, but it’s one that I’ve recently come to understand in a different way. Varying levels of commitment directly correlate to varying levels of success, I believe. What someone is willing to do to achieve a goal has a pretty big impact on the chances of reaching said goal. The more goals a person tries to achieve will surely dilute that same person’s efficiency in executing the tasks required for success. Being committed means being focused and determined to do what must be done, yes. Also, though, I believe that it’s about being resolved on what NOT to do and allowing for the greatness that comes from being focused and ‘in a zone’. It’s a beautiful thing to see this in action. As a team, it has been a certain level of commitment that’s gotten us this far, and it’s that same commitment that will see us through to the end.
It was fitting to have these thoughts racing through my head on Eighty-Six. While they had generated from a backdrop of ponderence on my own opportunities in the future, they were applicable to our mission and also influenced by some thoughts about my teammates on The Ride. So, as we pulled in for yet another history lesson upon arriving at our destination, it was an easy transition for me. Pulling into Valley Forge was not unlike many courses of The Ride; in fact, I’m pretty sure someone said it out loud, ‘it’s crazy how the landscape can change so fast; we were just among the strip malls, now look where we are!’. He was right; we were now in a forest, climbing and dropping while riding alongside a brook on one side and a thickly-forested hill on the other. There were trails criss-crossing on both sides, and the first signs of fall allowed for some colorful scenery. The fallen leaves were wet, and it would be weeks at minimum before they became the crunchy kind.
To live in Valley Forge in February, 1777, would have required a certain level of commitment. It’s where the original commander-in-chief bunkered up for the winter, and the accommodations and provisions were not ideal. Basically, it was a critical strategic stronghold in the early parts of the ‘rebellion’ that would allow for our independence to be possible. Barefoot soldiers worked 18-hour shifts in the snow to make it work, and the hardship they endured is legendary. I know, I know, all the sudden I’ve become ‘history guy’. You would too, maybe, if you’d been along for this trip!
At the day’s end, we had the opportunity to catch up with Blake Mitchell, a friend that we’d met in Seattle. Blake has recently moved back to the West Chester area of PA, where he grew up. He’s getting married in July, and he and his fiancé are a great example of the American Dream. They set some goals and together are moving toward them, and doing it as a team. They’re committed to each other’s success, and it’s great to hear him talk about their new home, dog and plans for the future. Great to have the support of the lacrosse community once again, as that’s exactly how we know Blake.
Philadelphia is just a day away, and the opportunity to do great things is in front of us yet again. Glad that we’re feeling the way we’re feeling as a team.
Oh…by the way…I was just kidding about that first paragraph about Kevin. It couldn’t be more opposite than the situation I described, and I’m just hoping that he doesn’t explode. The guy is intense, and he’s executing the plan beautifully and with unspeakable passion. In fact, I think that you might even be able to describe him as being committed.
For the Families of the Fallen…To the Limit!
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
As great as it is to see some of the places that we get to see along the way, it’s just as difficult to leave, at times. To know that it’s over and the experience is behind you, never to be repeated, is tough. We had been looking forward to Gettysburg since the inception of The Ride. And, it delivered. All of us took a turn for the better by being allowed to see it, walk it, ponder it and think about what our world might look like if it hadn’t happened. The entire experience was made all the more special because of the team’s realization of The Ride’s trajectory, and the way that the trip is gaining momentum every day, and things are quickly coming to a head. So, with our thoughts solemn, we rode out.
The team was back to four riders, and Kari Pettibone was back with us for a few days, as Katie had cycled out, so to speak. Great to have Katie join us, as early on she had been very helpful in getting me ready for this task, and she had some real breakthroughs ‘way back when’, as I had never done anything like this before. Collins was still in the mix, and the timing couldn’t be any better since we’re seeing lots of closed roads, detour signs and such. Seems like Irene just won’t let it go sometimes, but with Collins, she can’t get us lost! Chief Route Master (In Charge) doesn’t get outsmarted by silly weather. Messick was the sole support person, and I’m not sure anyone is better suited for urban driving than Mr. Messick. He has quickly developed the reputation as using the SAG vehicle to block in a more aggressive fashion that we’ve seen. For example, on Eighty-Five, we were going to take a left-hand turn. Mess sped ahead of us, took the turn first, but slammed on his brakes halfway through, all the while honking his horn; his ‘whoopie’ light was on, of course, and we all took the turn safely and without slowing down. The red SUV that had to stop for us held a driver that didn’t seem too miffed about it. As riders, we all smile and wave as Messick blocks for us; this is to make up for the fact that Messick isn’t smiling. At all. He’s all business with this stuff, and I think that he enjoys the challenge of putting himself in the way so that we’re safer. Again with the great timing! Kari brings an unparalleled energy with her, and she has been part of the team since well before Day One, as she was part of the training crew that approached our task with dedication. Great to see her return, and she will help us through this stretch. I’m not sure of exactly how yet, but based on how things have gone and due to our commitment level, I’m certain that her attendance will be a blessing. This is the makeup of our team until Philadelphia.
The road took us through York, PA, which was a town I’d seen often, but not in over twenty-five years, and maybe closer to thirty. My stepfather, David, whom I love dearly, would take my brother and I there to see his parents, who lived in York. He had a lot to do with the hands-on, day to day task of raising my brother and me, and the drive through York brought back memories and made me realize that I was probably a colossal pain in the arse growing up. That’s a different story, though. Back to York. Seems that it had changed quite a bit since I’d last been there; it had grown up, just as I had (sort-of). It still had the same feel, but newer buildings replaced older ones and there were signs of the times everywhere, both good and bad. I didn’t speak much during the stretch, as I was deep in thought.
We found ourselves pulling into Lancaster, PA, on what we realized was the first calendar day of our fourth month of being on the road. September is a month that means so very much to this trip, this cause and our leader’s legacy. It seemed like it was a lifetime away back in June. Today, it’s here, smiling at us, challenging us and inviting us to make our mark in her legacy. We have the opportunity to do great things and see some change in the world through our efforts and sacrifice, as well as our drive to do so. We will see it all the way to the end, and it’s about to get interesting.
For the Families of the Fallen…To the Limit!
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
Day Eighty-Three
It was tough to believe we were seeing what we were seeing; after all, we were only around eight or ten miles from our first pedal strokes of the day. Suddenly, though, everything changed and it was as if we were back in Kentucky again. In fact, the horse farms, plush green grass and boldly rising hills easily could have been Kentucky or even the western part of Virginia, given their tranquil and beauteous qualities, all of them displayed in a sweeping, grand scale. There was no way this was Maryland, the place where I’d grown up. Especially not so close to downtown Baltimore! I mean, I have a lot of love for the state, its history and all that it offers, but I just don’t think of it in the way that we were seeing it. But, alas, there it was.
We were riding through beautiful countryside, and savoring every moment of what seemed like a return trip to much earlier days of The Ride. Hills and valleys punctuated the lush vegetation, and all of it was even more striking because of the recent hurricane that had exposed roots and ripped trees. There was not a cloud in the sky, literally, and we moved though it with respect and awe. I was glad that Katie and Kevin Collins got to enjoy it; the contrast from the past few days’ ride was nothing short of total. We were on a 57-mile stretch from Baltimore to Gettysburg, and we knew we were in for a treat. We had the opportunity to climb some hills; we rose almost 3,000 feet in these foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains. Corn, soybeans and wheat fields would open up pastures for our imaginations to run wild before the road would curve to drop us into shadowy, wooded tunnels out of which we’d rise and see the next vast area.
We crossed the Pennsylvania border sometime around noon, and with it we were glad to announce our 12th state. Somewhere shortly thereafter, we stopped in a small town that had been there for ages. Homes lined the street on the approach into town, and then continued to boast community as we left it, each getting further and further apart. Many of them had shady, lived-in lots that were loved and cared for. Nearly all of them had porches, some screened, some without. All of them looked like families gathered there in the best and worst of times, rocking chairs rocking, stories being told. It could have been an iced team commercial. Or lemonade. Maybe apple pie. But it was in no way shape or form a Coors Light commercial.
Kevin and I had read earlier in the day that August had been the deadliest month, ever, for our troops in Afghanistan. With heavy hearts and a timely reminder of our purpose, we headed into the historic town of Gettysburg. The following day would remind us all, and teach some for the first time, how important the history of this place is to our way of life.
Once settled in and after arranging some opportunities with local media groups, we met up with a beloved member of my family, Sharon Moul. Sharon and her husband David have a place in Gettysburg as well as in Annapolis. I was reminded of why it is that all children adore her and can’t wait to see her. You can always tell about people by what the kids think. And, Sharon’s kindness was abounding as she took us, giddily, through the battlefield at sunset. We didn’t get out of the car too much, and this was mainly because of our desire to tour the battlefields on our bikes the following day. She gave us a terrific overview and showed us some amazing sights, though, before taking us to dinner at great place called The Pub in downtown Gettysburg. We were tired from the ride, but it was tough to go to sleep.
Day Eighty-Four
From the very beginning, there was a singular stop that had the distinction of being a all-time attraction for Kevin Mincio. That place was Gettysburg. He always talked about his fascination for the Civil War, and he is very knowledable about what happened and why. Kevin is a big believer in the principles that we stand for in this country, and it shows on a daily basis. I’m not at liberty to describe an incident that showed his active disdain for oppression, but I can tell you that it happened and I was not surprised.
For Kevin, the events of the Gettysburg Battlefields were transformative for our country, and it was an opportunity for all of us to have a rebirth of the freedoms offered by our country.
We set out on the tour with a licensed guide who agreed to do it by bike. He was quite a trooper to do so, and he was thorough in describing the tales and passionate about what he showed us. He was also a Vietnam Veteran and he has a son named Matt who was recently deployed in Iraq. Our guide’s name was John.
John understood that one of our main goals was to see Little Round Top, the battle that many believe saved the battle and, quite possibly, the war. It was the place where Kevin’s military idol, Joshua Chamberlain, was told to hold his ground at all costs. During the war he was injured six times and his 20th Maine Regiment was forced to fix bayonets and go on a ‘swinging door’ offensive since they had run out of ammunition. If they had not held their ground, against all odds, the Confederate Army could have flanked the rest of the Union troops and marched right into Washington.
All of us were in awe as we climbed the rocky hill, imagining the scales of mass death and mutilation that had taken place here. Mainly, the wooded, jagged land told a tale of bravery and fortitude, as monuments of all shapes and sizes decorated the hillside. Legends were born here, and their stories will continue to be told due to their success. There has been no larger display of bloodshed on North American soil that that which took place at Gettysburg, and hopefully the hallowed grounds can keep the title.
It was very cool to see Mince have the opportunity to see this first hand; to appreciate it and walk the grounds. He was quiet in imagination, often pausing to look to one side or another, tracing his hand quietly as if imagining a troop movement or lingering cannon smoke. It was definitely deep in thought, and I’m happy for him to have had it be peaceful in nature and not bound in the story of his own legend and suffering. He definitely knew enough about it, and our guide commented many times on his knowledge about the grounds and what went down here.
We got to ride as a group, and even Messick had the opportunity to ditch the SAG and rent a bike to tour with us. He looked like a big kid out there and when I told him that, he just replied, ‘that’s because I AM a big kid’. I’m just glad that no one mistook his big noggin for a monument.
Afterwards, we ate lunch in the downtown area, and watched the people mingle and go about their way. It was then that Katie said, ‘…just imagine how different things would be if things had turned out differently back there…’. She had a great point. Even if we would have long since departed from the ignorant ways that would have continued to take place, we would not have developed to that place wee are today, and more importantly, the places we’ll go.
With spinning heads and a heightened appreciation for history, a few of us decided to take a quick tour of the scenic campus of Gettysburg College. It’s a quaint place and it looked like a great school. We of course toured the athletic facilities, and I was delighted to have the opportunity to witness a very familiar game, and one that was great to watch anonymously.
For Families of the Fallen…To the Limit!
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
I want to say that it was around Day Forty-Four or something of the sort. We were in the Midwest, of that much I’m certain. Mince and I were talking about the strategy for the rest of the way, and also about what we needed. It was kind of the theme during that particular stretch, and we were pretty good at being systematic about categorizing the things we needed to do. On this particular day, we were taking a breather at an abandoned train depot. The subject was guest riders. Looking ahead at the path, we knew that there’d be a few stretches that would be tough and unique from other difficult parts. Specifically, we knew that the final push would be a stressful one, not because of physical challenges but because we’d be under the gun to get things done. It would be great to pick up someone that was first of all loyal and committed to the cause, but also someone who was a friend of the Foundation and also possessed an intangible asset: a sense of humor. Upon getting to this conclusion, we looked at each other and at the exact same time said, ‘Hughes’!
We had both known Adam for years; he lived in Seattle and at one time worked for Wimmer Solutions. He was a member of the lacrosse community, and his two-time All-America status was only overshadowed by his sense of humility, of realism and his absolute skill of friendship. He has been someone that we could count on, so it made perfect sense to ask him to be involved. Day Eighty-Two would be his last day on board, and we’ll miss him. This was a guest rider who was never out for himself and always found a way to put the Cause ahead of himself; he cared deeply about the cause and did all he could to help. And, his occasional antics were welcome relief for the team.
Eighty-Two would start after a wild couple of days. We had enjoyed our longest stretch of rest days and learned much about ourselves, the team dynamic, and overcoming adversity. Irene tried to ruin our trip, but she was only successful in causing some setbacks which would eventually raise the level of determination and resolve of the team. Unfortunately, she would also foil some much-anticipated plans for at least one team member to see some folks he’d not seen in years, and probably won’t see for years to come. I have to say that without the efforts of Mark Carroll, with the help of Paul Dobbyn, we would not have been nearly as successful at the comeback that we staged.
It was a sunny morning, and it began for us at the famous Chick and Ruth’s Delly (yes, its spelled D-E-L-L-Y). This place is loved by Annapolitans; it’s been around for decades upon decades, is open 365/24, rain or shine, snow or storm. The place laughed at Irene, called her names and showed her no respect. Gotta love it. Every morning, the Pledge of Allegiance is performed by a standing crowd, and they’re usually shoulder to shoulder. Being that the US Naval Academy is only a few blocks away, there tends to be a slightly patriotic crowd. On this particular morning, we were invited, as a team, to meet the owner and talk about our purpose. We had been invited by a new supporter who knew the owner. Her name was Debby Borza, and she had endured pain and also been comforted by a sense of pride. Her daughter, Deora, was one of the heroes on Flight 93 that dove to the ground in Shanksville, PA. She was the youngest person on the flight; her twenty years of life had been bright, and she was returning to college where she was going to begin her junior year at Santa Clara University. When she heard Kevin’s story, she literally sought him out and found him in the middle of the hurricane’s peak. Downtown had been officially closed, but she went there anyway on the off chance that Kevin would be standing tall, as planned. Which, of course, he was. She wanted to thank him and out of this meeting, a sendoff was imagined that would wind up changing the tone of our departure from Annapolis, my proud hometown. Instead of having to feel that fate had frowned, we left to applause heartfelt cheers and impromptu donations from complete strangers who’d had no interest in the tax benefit forms that we provide. The owner, Ted, had dedicated the morning’s Pledge to Team Jesse, and even told the story in great detail. It was moving, even for someone who has told the story countless times as I have. Debby, we’re sorry for your loss. Ted, it’s great that you do what you do each day to create tradition and legacy. Heroes like Kevin and Deora deserve nothing less.
With full stomachs and even fuller hearts, we rolled out of the downtown area towards the Baltimore-Annapolis Trail. We crossed the two bridges to do so, both of them offering spectacular views of the Naval Academy, downtown Annapolis and the water that runs throughout both. I was very proud, as the team was able to see the beauty of the place where I grew up. It was a sunny day, and the vistas were not to be believed.
The team was unique in that we had four guest riders; it was Hugh Adam Hughes’ last day; Kevin Collins was there; John O’Donnell showed up, a familiar face from week one, way back in Fallon, NV; Katie O’Farrell came from Seattle, yet another person who had contributed to coaching the team back in our training days. Finally, Debby’s fiancé, Joel, came to ride the morning with us. This turned out to be a stroke of luck, as much had changed since I lived in Annapolis, and Irene had caused several necessary route changes.
We sped pretended not to see the ‘trail closed’ sign, and were treated to a beautiful yet debris-covered trail that took up about 25 miles of the day’s route. It was sun-filtered at this point, and the surface was consistent with other trails we’d enjoyed in that it was challenging. Instead of being crushed limestone or gravel, this time it was covered in recently-felled vegetation. Also, lots of sticks and branches gave us reason to pay attention. Occasionally, downed trees had us dismounting our bikes and getting creative. Joel was a great tour guide, and we cruised along in wonder and great spirits. It was peaceful, and we savored it.
Life is about change sometimes, though, and Day Eighty-Two was no different. After a flat tire was repaired in record time, we rode into the outskirts of Baltimore, destination a town called Pikesville. The path to Pikesville showed us some urban sprawl that was much different than anything we’d seen on The Ride, and for a few of our riders, it was unlike any urban situation that they’d ever seen. Entrenched poverty and blatant crime were everywhere, and it was with good reason that Johnny O, our MMA fighter, was stationed in the back, bringing up the rear of the string. Kevin led the way, and we put Katie smack dab in the middle. Messick was never far behind and he really likes to squeal the tires on the vehicle, especially when he uses his new ‘woopie’ light (yellow flashing light that sits on the roof and sort of looks like a siren). Messick never smiles when driving, and if you didn’t know he was a teddy bear, you might think he was sorta hard, all things considered. A group of stoop-sitting young men were heard to count us as we pedaled past (one, two, three, etc) and then say, ‘them some expensive bikes!’, which wasn’t very comforting. Then, despite our doubts and fears, we all realized something, and it sort of happened all at once: every single bit of direct conversation or correspondence from the people on these crowded streets was done in encouragement; we had cheers, applause, and encouragement. We were told, ‘you go!’, and once a broad-smiling youngster ran along Kevin, racing him on foot as we pedaled past. In the end, it was heart-warming and shed some new hope on the human condition, at least for the riders on Day Eighty-Two. Not that we would want to hang out down there and leave our bikes sitting out for too long, but the faces were smiling, and we didn’t hear anything hateful or threatening. Other experiences that I’ve had on Reisterstown Road have not been as encouraging.
We pulled into our hotel, said goodbye to Hugh Adam Hughes, our good friend, and made plans for dinner. It was a unique dinner, and I was very proud to make some introductions. A few members of the Wimmer Solutions Lacrosse team joined the Team Jesse Ride team, and we had one additional guest. My eldest daughter, Alex, took the time to join us after her very first day of college; she is going to school in Baltimore, and it felt great to introduce her to the both teams. Kevin had long wanted to see her, and he had met her years ago, and there are a few differences between someone who is 13 years old and 18 years old. It’s also nice to know that Alex has the phone numbers of Paul Rabil, Kyle Hartzell, Drew Westervelt and Paul Rubeor in her phone. They now know her and it’s good to have friends like these people (big dudes that are used to getting hit with sticks and body checks) looking after my baby.
After all, not every story about the human condition is a good one.
For Families of the Fallen…To The Limit,
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
We have had our share of challenges during this mission; the mountains in Utah and Colorado, the wind and heat in Kansas and Missouri and even an earthquake in DC that caused logistical issues. But come on – a hurricane? Really? The visit to Annapolis, Matt’s hometown, has been much anticipated since Day 1. It was our first 3 days rest period and for good reason. We had a lot of work to do off the bikes. Our co-founder Matt Corry drove down from Connecticut to assist with all the activities coordinated with Mark Carroll and Paul Dobbyn, both longtime friends of Matt’s from college. The Team was stronger than ever.
Day Seventy-Nine was officially the calm before the storm – literally! It was a clear and sunny day and we spent it mostly on the waterfront. After an early morning PR commitment, we rode over to Mayor Joshua Cohen’s office and met with him to discuss our mission and plans for the weekend. We are very thankful for Mayor Cohen’s time, given the circumstances and we benefitted from some important information about the city’s plans to prepare for the storm on Saturday. One of those plans was to shut down businesses on the waterfront which included the venue we picked for a marque event. The news was bad, but we put aside our selfish motivations understanding the situation and we decided as a team to stay positive and make the best of the opportunities we had.
Later that afternoon, Wimmer Lacrosse family member Justin Smith picked us up on his boat with fellow family member Steven Brooks. Justin and Steven play for the local MLL team, the Chesapeake Bayhawks. The waters were surprisingly calm as we took the short ride to Cantler’s Riverside Inn and we feasted on blue crabs. Thanks to Matt for treating us at this local hangout and to Justin for the boat ride. It reminded me a lot of summers on Long Island where we ate blue crabs all the time on newspaper, just like Cantler’s laid out for us to absorb the mess.
We were happy to learn the Major League Lacrosse (MLL) had not cancelled their semi final games on Day Eighty. This was a big win because Matt and I were riding our bikes on to the field during an intermission in the first game. We also had a booth set up to help awareness and receive donations in support of our mission. Thankfully the booth was indoors, because it rained – HARD – all day. Just like much of the East coast this passed weekend, the rain showers were relentless. The Ride onto the field went down as planned. Thankfully, neither Matt or myself went down riding out there through the deep puddles on the turf at Navy Marine Corp Stadium. More thanks must go out to MLL commissioner David Gross and his entire team for somehow pulling this off while maintaining safety for the players and the fans. Truth is, if you didn’t mind getting wet, it really wasn’t all that bad out there. I am not sure the players would agree entirely, but that’s the gist of it.
Day Eighty-One started with a look out the window. Not too bad. We had power too. It had stopped raining as well and it actually looked like the sun might come out soon. We prepared to return to the stadium for the MLL final game, we had another successful day there. We had some help with our mission at the booth from a special guest from the Naval Academy. Midshipmen 3rd Class Julia Zook, from Mercer Island where I currently reside, is someone who I mentored and help train before she enrolled in the Naval Academy. She didn’t need much help and is doing fantastic, but nevertheless, I am so proud of my friend and all her accomplishments as she enters her second year at the Academy. It was great to have her there smiling (as always) and welcoming others.
If as if this wasn’t all enough, we also had to deal with the emotional departure of my battle buddy, Sierra Bravo (aka Stevie Boy), as he left the trail as planned so he could start school himself on Monday. The new guy is no stranger to quality operations. Welcome Adam Messick who will guide us on the home stretch for the next two weeks. Adam has some big shoes to fill, but he is up for the task for sure. We will talk much more about him in days to come for sure. For now, let’s just say we are in good shape. Adam’s ‘finish strong’ attitude is exactly what I needed this weekend to help adapt and overcome.
My wife Heather sent me an email this weekend that read “success is determined by how you handle setbacks.” I took this to heart and in the end, I conclude Annapolis was a success. We got stronger as a team and we are hardened and determined for the final two week stretch to Ground Zero.
And we certainly will remember Naptown. I am anxious to get back on a bike though….off to Baltimore!
To the limit,
/km/
It would have been difficult to be unchanged after the visit to Arlington. As Kevin mentioned in the previous post, it was humbling to be in such a place, and an honor to be afforded the opportunity. For me, meeting Maureen Looney and seeing her interact with Janet Manion was an unforgettable experience, and it shed light on the greatness of their children, fallen heroes Brendan Looney and Travis Manion. It was quite a charge to do so, and to be able to tell them, in person, about how their sons had helped us through the toughest of days.
Day Seventy-Eight started in Alexandria, and we were going to be seeing rain later in the day. The practices of the previous Seventy-Seven were ignored; we were not going to try to outrun the storm. We had to take our time seeing a certain city, a place of legend that was unique in its tribute and history. No amount of rainfall would keep us from fulfilling this part of our purpose while on The Ride.
Washington DC did not disappoint; we were very fortunate in being able to cycle through (literally) all of the sights and sites that we’d come to see, and we were able to do it before the rain fell. For the four-person Ride Team, it was surreal and vivid at the same time. ‘Those who have gone before us’ seemed to be the theme of the day, and our appreciation was at times filled with wonder, and at other times quiet appreciation and respect. We paid tribute at the Lincoln Memorial as well as the Korean War, Vietnam War and WWII Memorials. I’d been to the area before, multiple times while growing up. But, this time it seemed different. The whole area was staggeringly well-maintained, and the perspective was anew after pedaling 3,800 miles and absorbing the greatness that these monuments and tributes stood for. It all made sense in a way that it hadn’t before. Highly recommend it, even if you can’t do the 3,800-mile bike ride part.
After taking our time meandering through the well-kept stone-adorned streets, we rode in silence to the path that would take us to Annapolis. I had grown up there, and had left almost exactly 19 years before with a heavy heart and intact conscience. While I had been back to visit before, this was going to be a very different homecoming altogether. This time I came by bicycle. From the west coast. The present company was not lost on me, and I was very proud to be flanked by Mincio, Hughes and a new guest rider, Kevin Collins. KC, Team Jesse’s Chief Routemaster, has been a friend of Mincio’s for over 30 years; they grew up together as the best of friends, and through a twist of fate, both of them wound up in the Pacific Northwest. Kevin Collins is a guy who gets it. He shows up; he answers the call. Literally, actually. KC designed the entire route of The Ride. He is an award-winning engineer whose focus has been in cross-country rail design. It’s one of those coincidences, really, that makes you almost laugh. Mince’s best friend just happens to be one of the most qualified people that could be found, anywhere, to think through routes and logistics, to include grades and weather, for our cross-country cause. In doing so, he was thorough and up-front. You know what they say about ‘the best-laid plans’, though, right? Nothing goes as planned, so it’s been a real tribute to Kevin that, as things have come up as obstacles, he’s been a phone call away, and helps us get through it. Day or night, weekday or weekend, he answers the call, and usually on the first ring. He then defers any credit, telling us that we’re doing the hard part by riding. This guy is a comrade, and it would be hard to think of anyone who has earned the right to be a guest rider more than Kevin Collins.
We headed out of the ubiquitous downtown area of Washington DC and quickly found ourselves in some rougher areas; bike paths led us through parks where groups gathered. Many of them weren’t places that you’d want to hang around, and we definitely wanted to stick together through these parts. We were in the hood, and it was well-advised to keep pedaling.
Then, as predicted, we heard the grumble of thunder. We were about twenty-five miles from our destination, so there was no way to avoid it: we were going to get soaked. Looking back on the day, I’m glad that we did. This voyage is about sacrifice; in many ways it’s about adversity and adapting in order to overcome. Seventy-Eight was no different, and we viewed it as an opportunity to succeed. So, in sideways rain, we rode.
Stevie-Boy was on his final SAG shift, as we’ll see a crew change next time we pedal. Sierra Bravo, as we call him, went out with a bang, too. He was unapologetically blocking us like never before. The course was unique in terms of its traffic volume, lack of shoulder and pouring rain. Visibility was dismal, and it was comforting to have the veteran of two Iraq tours bring his level-headed cool demeanor to our aid.
We made our way into Anne Arundel County and eventually, across the Annapolis city line. The amount of realizations that came to me can’t be measured, and the nature of them can’t even be described. It was raining cats and dogs as we pedaled the final stretch.
In Annapolis, we’ve got some great opportunities to promote our cause. We are going to look at this stand as an opportunity to succeed. If The Ride has taught us anything, it’s that you can’t predict much, and planning, while necessary, doesn’t always go….well…as planned. We have said all along that, come hell or high water, we were going to make it to Ground Zero on September 11th. We were fortunate to have had the opportunity to succeed in the hellish temperatures of the Midwest. Now it seems as though we’ll have the opportunity to beat the high water. I hear it’s supposed to rain.
For the Families of the Fallen…To the Limit!
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
August 24th has been on our radar since The Ride began in Santa Rosa on June 9th on Jesse’s 30th birthday. Janet Manion was there that day. I remember telling her I would see her in Arlington as we said good-bye. Our plan was to visit her son Marine 1LT Travis Manion and Navy LT Brendan Looney. Travis and Brendan were best friends and roommates at the Naval Academy. Travis gave his life for his country on April 29th, 2007 in Iraq, three weeks to the day from when Jesse was killed. Both were taken from us by snipers. Both died during engagements and both died fighting hard for their comrades. It’s no wonder they were targets of snipers. Brendan was a Navy SEAL and also gave his life protecting our freedom less than one year ago on September 21, 2010 in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. We knew the Looneys through the sport of lacrosse. Brendan and his 2 brothers, Billy and Steven, played together at the Naval Academy and were members of the Team Jesse and Wimmer Solutions lacrosse family.
I am a firm believer in preparation. If you care about something, you prepare for it. I take this very seriously (to put it mildly!) and I impress this upon the people I manage in my professional life and those I encounter in my personal life. Day Seventy-Six was all about preparation. We needed to make sure our visit to Arlington to see Travis and Brendan was executed properly. While Matt was taking a much deserved day hiatus from The Ride to visit his daughter Alex in Baltimore, who was going off to college, the Team on the ground in DC focused on preparation. We recon’d the route, which is a good thing, since getting to the Arlington front gate from Alexandria via bike is a little tricky with the Pentagon between the two locations. We determined our plan for the next day – meeting spots, where to leave the bikes, etc. – and even timed how long the walk was from the visitors center to lot 40, where Brendan and Travis rest together. Thanks to the help of Sr Routemaster Kevin Collins, Sierra Bravo and Jocko Hughes, the recon was a huge success and proved to be very important for the next day’s mission.
We met Travis’ mother Janet and Brendan’s parents Kevin and Maureen along with his sister Kellie at the resting place. We were honored to see the site decorated with a magnificent wreath with a Team Jesse banner. It was a short, but emotional visit. We were joined by longtime comrade Josh Rachman, as friend of the Looney brothers and former Army Ranger himself. It was an honor and a privilege to have Josh covering our six (aka back) physically and emotionally. Trust me, if you met Josh, you would know what I mean. Many of us call him Rock and if anyone deserves this name, Josh does. Afterwards, we headed to lunch and listened to more stories about Travis and Brendan and celebrated their lives. The men were extraordinary athletes and soldiers, both individually and as members of teams. Sitting with the two mothers of these fallen heroes and listening to the stories about their sons first hand was something I will never forget. How lucky we were to have this opportunity. Thank you again Janet and Maureen.
The visit to Arlington ended with a trip to the nearby Pentagon where we were treated to a personal tour by Christi Collins. We visited the 9/11 memorial that pays tribute to the soldiers and civilians who lost their lives that day. We saw both the memorials inside, which requires a pass and an escort and the public memorial outside, which is available to the public and allows photography. Both are extremely emotional places to visit and remind us of the loss of lives at the Pentagon that day, one that is often overshadowed by what happened in New York City and Shanksville.
On the way out, we had yet another magical moment of The Ride outside the Pentagon. Matt was talking to gentlemen with a backpack and was walking in front of me, telling him about The Ride. I read the name on the backpack as “Caliyo.” I recalled my company commander from basic training. His name was Captain Caliyo back then to me and the 200+ privates in the Alpha Company 2/19 at Fort Benning that summer of 2002. I recognized him and introduced myself. He immediately asked me to take my glasses off and he made the connection. He recalled my 9/11 tattoo on my leg and our first meeting during a PT test on the first day of basic training. I remember Captain Dennis Caliyo, now Major Caliyo, as a tough and assertive officer. He once told me not to wear socks when I went on road marches so that I would develop blisters that would turn into hard callouses. Then, no more blisters! Frankly, I am not surprised that he remembered me, although it was almost ten years since my class entered Infantry School that summer. My background was unique and I was the peer leader of the class. I am very surprised and humble about how quickly he recognized me and that he remembered the details about our brief encounters. A private didn’t interact much with the company commander in basic training at all. It was an emotional chance encounter for both of us and brought back memories each of us had from that period and the war on terror over the past ten years. Thankfully, Brett was able to catch this all on video as I look forward to watching it again and sharing this experience with others. I still can’t believe we just ran into each other.
Jesse is watching over us for sure and making this experience the best it can possibly be.
I have written multiple times about the fact that the most memorable moments of The Ride are likely taking place off the bike. Today was no exception. In fact, the events of today will be memorable for the rest of my life.
To the limit,
/km/
The course was short – the shortest that we’d seen on any day of the entire saga. We stretched it out to the best of our abilities, making the most of back roads and choosing the ‘long way’ whenever possible. Even with these efforts, though, the course was still a short one; in the end, you can only do so much to ask the roads to keep going. Despite the brevity, it was an unforgettable day and huge milestones were achieved.
We had our guest riders still; Michael Sauri and Adam Hughes were the first up and ready to go, bright eyed and bushy tailed, as the saying goes. Both of the fellas were excited for another day on the trail, and I don’t blame them. There haven’t been any guest riders that have been happy to be finished, and it’s probably not our charismatic personalities that are causing this sense of appeal. Our purpose is an important one, and one that’s to be proud to support. Doing so in a sacrificial way is an opportunity to bring optimism to a tough situation; it’s also an opportunity to speak up for those who can no longer speak for themselves, as they’ve paid a price too high to do so. They call this place ‘the land of the free, and the home of the brave’. None are braver than those who paid, and I’m grateful to all of our guest riders – past, present and future – for joining us in honoring them.
Seventy-Five offered another gorgeous day, Mother Nature no doubt still graciously atoning for her cruelty as we pedaled through the Midwest region. It was sunny and pleasant as we set out, and still even a little cool from the previous day’s showers. Our course led us through the outskirts of Alexandria, VA and into the heart of Olde Town. The scenery quickly changed, as the much of the region’s defining characteristics are the gated and protected infrastructure-related agencies that make our nation the superpower that it is. Not a ‘soft area’ Northern Virginia. Still, though, there were plenty of bike paths, neighborhoods and bustling population to remind us of what was at stake, and the reasons for these gated, guarded compounds.
It would be unjust to describe the day as one with optimism; to do so would imply a hanging sense of doubt in the first place, or some need for uplifting feelings. Instead, I’d describe it as gleeful. We were just thrilled to be out there, and doing it together. Hughes was back to wearing proper attire (sort of; it’s a long story) and Michael was making the most of his last day on the course. Both guys were clearly affected by the gravity of our cause, and Michael would later tell his wife that he would never be able to pass a soldier, not the resting place of one, ever again without remembering this day, our cause, and what it all means. Hanging out with Mincio will do that to a guy, I think.
I was beyond grateful to have this time with my brother. Made me think about what it means to have siblings; I have only one of them, and cannot imagine the pain that would come from losing him. With the backdrop of our mission playing into it, I allowed myself to wander into a space of wondering about such loss. I didn’t stay long, because it was way too harsh for me to bear. Instead I chose to enjoy the opportunity I’d been given to spend the time with him, and allow for him to grow. To those who have lost brothers and sisters, I mourn with you and humbly acknowledge that I can’t begin to understand your pain.
So much of this journey is coming together in rapid fashion; again, it’s a stark contrast to the endless miles of open spaces that we pedaled, with nothing in sight and no sound but the thoughts in our heads. As we reached our nation’s capital, I can’t help but think about how perfect everything is, and how poised we are to finish well. It’s great to have the Media Crew back to capture it all. Brett has come back from his editing hiatus refreshed and alive with purpose; our film will be something to see, for sure.
It was quite a milestone riding into Alexandria; we had reached the closest suburb to Washington, DC. It really hit home that we’d done something special, and Mince and I were all teeth. Having spent so much time in the area growing up, I’d have to say that it felt surreal to be riding down the street on a bike that I’d ridden from California. At one point, I wondered if I was allowed to be out riding around, unsupervised; then I remembered that I’m sort of an adult now, and I don’t need permission anymore. Yes, it was odd being in Old Town.
On the rest days, we will be doing many relevant and meaningful things; at the top of the list is a visit to Arlington National Cemetery, where we will visit the resting places of two of the very finest soldiers the country has even known. We are meeting their families onsite, and it’s a tremendous honor to do so. Both of the brave souls have left siblings behind, and it’s not at all lost on me that the pain is still fresh, and probably always will be. Again, time spent with my own brother has made me think, and think much, about how much it means to have family. Our upcoming trip to Arlington has been, without a doubt, the most anticipated stop on our journey thus far. Now it means even more, at least to me. I should mention that I know a few of the siblings who grieve these fallen soldiers, and their pain will be very real to me when we step on the hallowed ground where they lay resting. One of these families have adopted a mantra: ‘honor the fallen by challenging the living’. It’s geared to push the surviving members of a family to live fuller lives as a final request from those who lost theirs. I will abide by this, starting with enjoying the opportunity to know and appreciate my own brother. And, in keeping with the challenge, I’ll continue to beat him, handily, every chance I get at every sport I can.
For the Families of the Fallen…To the Limit!
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
Opportunities.
Some are hidden, some are seen. Often they’re collected by those who are keen.
Some lay forgotten, some are heard. Many are provided by those who’ve kept their word.
Day Seventy-Four marked the beginning of a two day journey to our nation’s capital. It was the first day back from a two day break from riding, and the time off of the bikes had been largely family-themed. I’ll always remember the day as a special one, largely because of the dynamics of the team on that day. We had engaged two new guest riders, and each has played a special role in my life over the years. Also, our SAG crew had some guest crew, and these new members performed beyond expectation in a memorable way.
We got started with a surprise; guest Adam ‘Jocko’ Hughes was feeling patriotic; he had seen legend of our…um…swimwear and thought he’d join us. After all, it was his inspiration that originally led us to don the speedos (technically known as ‘Turbos’). So, he elected to wear a pair of them while riding. All day. Not sure how that worked out, but he was heard to be asking for ibuprofen and other analgesic products when the day was done. Looking back, I can say that Jocko’s humor was a welcome buffer from the angst that comes from getting ready to say goodbye to family.
At the first SAG stop, the team went to work. Stevie-Boy (or Sierra Bravo) was joined by his two new assistants; ‘Horsehead 18’ and ‘Sugar 4’ flanked him and made quick strides to become very valuable members of the team. Both got the hang of it quickly, and tasks were divided in an orderly, team-like fashion. As Sierra Bravo told them, ‘we know we’ve done our job when they (the riders) begin to tell us ‘no’.’ Horsehead 18 was a particularly adept radio operator, and by the end of the day she’d learned a lot and was a very effective part of the crew.
Our other guest rider, Michael, is a guy I’ve known for a long time; we’ve always had a healthy, unyielding rivalry, and I’ll never forget the time I beat him at hoops with the final play being a drive to the basket after I had bounced the ball between his legs and scooped it up after I ran by him. That’s an all-time favorite of mine. Anyway, back to the ride…I enjoyed his company all day long, and it was beyond special to be able to share this experience, even for a few days, with him. He actually has a good amount of cycling experience, even though it’s been a few years.
The course itself was relatively tame, although we did manage to find almost 2,000 feet to climb. Our course was just a hair over fifty miles, and it carried some very diverse characteristics. It was relatively cool, and the sun shone through the trees and danced on the blacktop and the breeze blew the leaves around. Neighborhoods would show up unannounced, as the suburban sprawl turned rural before becoming suburban again. It was tough to define or predict what you’d see next, as the area had not seemed to define itself on its own. It was clear that, by the day’s end, we were on the approach to the mid-Atlantic’s big cities. Some of the ways that this was shown were unfortunate, but truth is not worth avoiding, and it is what it is. So, I’ll share a little of it. Mince was ahead of us by around 200 yards or so; Michael and I were pedaling, just happy to be on the course. Jocko was bringing up the rear (so to speak) and behind us by another 100 or so. We crested a hill in a neighborhood and were taunted by a group of three thugs who clearly wanted us to engage them. They had nothing better to do, and it was obvious; we just pedaled past, despite their attempts to rattle us. It was then that Michael suggested we stop and wait for Jocko, which we did. He was riding by himself and his attire was such that we were fearful he’d get the worst of it. But, alas, they simply had a good laugh at him and he pedaled on. They must have thought that he was crazy, riding around like that. Or, maybe it’s because everyone loves Jocko. Either way, the Sarge was almost radioed in for a support call, and that would have made for a bad day for the three stooges.
What I’ll remember most from the day was the way that Team Jesse engaged the support crew. Adam Hughes is someone that Kevin and I have known for a long time, and he has been involved with every Team Jesse Lacrosse effort that has been fielded. So, he was a no-brainer to have along and we were pumped to get his comic relief and friendship.
As far as the rest of the guests, SAG and rider alike, it was special for me to have them out there. Just as special was the way that Kevin made way for this to be a priority; the mission was never in jeopardy, but we were frequent in getting away from our SOPs (standard operating procedures) and deadlines, timelines and the normal grit that accompanies the first day back from a rest were missing. There was a deliberate relaxation that came with the day, and i have to say it was big of Mince to not only allow it to happen, but insist that it did. It was a commitment to principles and another sign of outstanding leadership.
Stevie-Boy was just as remarkable. I’ll never forget the patience, selflessness and careful consideration he displayed on Seventy-Four. He acted with purpose and compassion as he set about being a crew chief. He somehow never allowed for the mission to be compromised, yet he allowed for his new team to participate in a meaningful, memorable way. I’ll never forget it, and neither will Horsehead 18 and Sugar 4.
Because of the follow-through and commitment of the Team Jesse Ride team, I had the opportunity to enjoy this day with my brother (Michael) and daughters (Madilyn, AKA Horsehead 18 and Evelyn, Sugar 4). Imagine hearing your 9-year old daughter over the radio, telling you that the road was narrow up ahead and to watch out. What an incredible experience, to say the least.
When we arrived at the hotel and said our goodbyes, we went to meet more special people. Damien and Richard were their names, and Damien is Papa Bear’s goddaughter. Kevin hadn’t seen her in years, though it was clear they’d had lots of shared childhood memories. Damien and Richard then played the ‘hidden bill trick’ and treated us to a wonderful dinner; both of them are great people, and we’ll be seeing Damien again in Annapolis.
It’s all about the family, and it’s all about the people.
For the Families of the Fallen…To the Limit!
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
It’s great to have an opportunity to spend a day acting like a big kid. Those that know me best probably are thinking this is the story of my life (e.g. riding your bike for a summer), but day seventy-two was special for me because it allowed me to re-experience a particular form of entertainment that was a big part of my childhood – theme parks! My excuse for acting like a kid was that we were blessed with another opportunity on day seventy-two. Matt’s beautiful daughters, Mady and Evy, ages 9 and 7, had come down to meet us in Fredericksburg from Washington, DC, where they had spent time this summer with their grandmother attending various camps. BTW – horse camp was their favorite according to both girls, but that is another story. So Steve and I joined the kids at Kings Dominion, the grand pappy of roller coaster parks, home to 12 in total.
Growing up, my Mom and Dad (aka Mama Bear and Papa Bear) would take our family to theme parks over the summers when we were off from school and they were off from school. We were lucky because my parents were both school teachers. We hit them all on the East Coast – Hershey Park, Busch Gardens, Cedar Point, Great Adventure, etc.
My favorite rides were always the roller coasters. So this day was about riding roller coasters, specifically the category 5 roller coasters, which were considered the biggest thrill rides according to the park’s rating system. Except for 1 water ride that I went on with Mady and Evy, the only rides we went on were Cat5 roller coasters – 7 in total.
Some advice to readers who may be inspired or have plans to go to Kings Dominion to ride roller coasters after reading this – do NOT go on the Intimidator 305 first! By my account, this should be a Category 7 and the rest are “Child’s Play”. With a highest peak of 305 feet that descends riders at 85 degrees over 90 miles per hour, this was by far the best ride of the day and worth the trip alone. According to park material, it’s only the second gig coaster (whatever that means) ever built in North America. Whatever you call it, this ride is “Bravo Alpha” and we rode it four times!
Except for gig coasters and the fact that Starbucks has found their way into theme parks (of course they did), I conclude that not much has changed over the years for this particular form of entertainment. I think this is a good thing. You can still go on wooden roller coasters as the paint is still holding them up. The Rebel Yell was the classic ride of the day. For those who have only been to Great Adventure (off exit 7A on the Jersey Turnpike!), this is the same ride as Rolling Thunder, that I believe is still barely standing but still working as well.
After our day of fun, we were treated to dinner at Bistro Bethem in Fredericksburg. Chef Blake Bethem, a former Marine himself, fixed us a great meal which we ate at the bar as we spoke to many great people from this rightfully proud and historical town. What a great way to end a great day. Thanks to Rob Grogan, our co-founder Matt Corry’s uncle, for making our trip to Fredericksburg memorable.
Thanks for coming Mady and Evy – I don’t ever want to grow up!
To the limit,
/km/
The phrase ‘what goes up must come down’ has been a useful one to remember. Helps get a fella up that steep hill by adding some motivation; there’s a joy ride on the other side. It’s an undisputable fact, as well, so there isn’t a lot of haggling around when it comes to debating the phrase. Not in its current context that is; the laws of gravity are pretty much set unless you’re going to venture outside of the atmosphere and into space. But…if the context becomes less about gravity and more about geography, the phrase no longer necessarily holds true. Because, The Ride is going up, and it’s never coming down. On Day Seventy-One, The Ride took a ‘Column Left’ (military marching phrase for making a left-hand turn). We stopped going east and are now headed north.
It felt different, somehow; maybe it’s because for the last seventy days we’ve driven with the sole idea of heading from one coast to another; we’ve been all about a cross-country trip. When looking at the route, the jaunt up north always looks like an afterthought, like the minutia that comes after the actual ride is finished. It’s not The Ride itself, but some cleanup duties that come after the heavy lifting is finished.
I’m very happy to report that, while we feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment from putting ourselves in position to take a ‘column left’, we are in no way in danger of losing our happy thoughts, much less our sense of purpose. In fact, it may be even stronger now, as it’s clear that there’s work to do. It may be more dangerous now than the record-breaking temperatures we endured for two weeks straight or the high deserts. Maybe even more treacherous than the mountain passes with only six inches of shoulder and logging trucks roaring past. You see, these east coast drivers don’t care. And, there are quite a few of them. Our next few weeks will show us cities like Washington DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York City. While it’s true that we’ll also see some quaint yet ubiquitous towns like Fredericksburg, Annapolis, Gettysburg and West Point, the population density of the former group is not unlike a beehive, regardless of time of day or day of week. So, we’ll have our eyes peeled and a conscious focus on being safe. It starts to make sense when complete strangers learn of our route and, with wide eyes, say ‘Be careful. Just please, be careful’. So, we will do just that.
Day Seventy-One had a sense of nostalgia about it; as we passed through different county lines and historic markers, the age and history of the region was impossible to ignore. A lot has happened in this area to form the identity of this country. Made me think, many more times than once, that I wish I had taken a greater appreciation for history as I was growing up. I’m pretty sure I was just trying to pass whatever class I may have been taking instead of really grasping the characters and catalysts that caused the attitudes and actions of these and other formative times. I guess I just wasn’t there yet. On the bright side, I’ve now got the opportunity to take a look at these things!
We feel, as a group, like a well-oiled machine. There are not a lot of things to make us panic and a sense of calm urgency surrounds the team. As we pulled into Fredericksburg, I’ve realized that Kevin is peaking at the right moment and that he’s ready for his story to be heard. We’re ready to tell it as well, and I’m certain that the Families of the Fallen will be listening, and they’ll be served. We’re going to get this thing done.
A few days in Fredericksburg will help us prepare. Seems like a great town full of community-driven people who are interested in our success, and in fact see it as their own. In the next three weeks, we’ve got some amazing things happening; it’s going to be a whirlwind just to think of the activities and situations we’ll see during this time. When we were in Baker, Nevada, population 83, it seemed like culture shock. We’ve since learned to adapt and overcome; Baker seems like a great little town, looking back. Now it’s time to adapt and overcome once again. Bright lights approaching and our job is to tell the story, to make the people listen, and more importantly, hear. First, though, we’ll have to dodge the headlights.
For the Families of the Fallen…To the Limit!
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
The game was dominated by a single player, though it’s clearly a team game. On this day, though, he was not to be stopped. He scored several tries, and even when his opponents tackled him – harder and harder throughout the day – he just kept smiling. He seemed to be a free spirited, lively sort, and he was showing a charismatic gait, even with his frustrated opponents trying to bring him down. In fact, he was often heard to be humming a familiar song. Finally, as he scored the winning points just before time expired, he sang the song out loud. It was a song called ‘Three Little Birds’.
It was Day Seventy, and Jesse Williams was dominating his rugby match in heaven.
That’s the only explanation that I can find for the day’s events; I’m told that Jesse loved the game of rugby, and this pleasant day was a mark of everything that I understand for him to be about. So, I figure that he was enjoying himself in the afterlife and sharing it with us. Thanks Jesse! Good lookin’ out!
We rode under a sky that was quilted with soft puffy clouds; they were sparse and non-threatening. Peaceful in nature, they were there to show contentment in the air and allow us to be trouble-free. They sang to us, ‘every little thing…gonna be all right..’. The weather was perfect; it would creep into the high eighties, but it’s breeze was just enough to make for a refreshing ride through the proud Virginian backroads. The streets were alive with an inordinate amount of flags; mainly Old Glory, but also a few Virginia State flags and I actually didn’t see any Confederate flags on Day Seventy. Between neighborhoods, we passed through forested stretches that smelled fresh yet showed just the slightest glimpse of the upcoming fall season, as in places our wheels blew fallen leaves to the side softly and without sound. These yellow leaves were not yet crisp, so they were mute and told a tale of times to come.
It had been a good few days since we’d had any inspirational bird sighthings; throughout this trip, I’ve had a growing fascination with large birds of prey. Ever since seeing one of them swoop down and grab a large rodent in Nevada, I’ve been hooked. But (sigh) now we’re on the East Coast and there will be no more signs of the wildly vivid phenomenon. Right? Not really. Twice, our day was punctuated with interactions. The first happened as we were clipping along through a sunny stretch, and it was probably about halfway through our day. It would be our closest encounter with one of these magnificent creatures. While it was a forested section, we were not in a canopy of any kind; the trees were peeled back to show the sky’s full features. From the right side of the road, though, an enormous hawk rose powerfully from her perch, which was a branch just below eye-level. She rose at a soft angle and was moving out and away, yet slowly. It felt like we were flying with her, and when at first she pulled out, she was only about three feet from Kevin’s head. With a wingspan of at least five and a half feet, she was magnificent. We were beside ourselves. The second sighting had symbolic significance. I had just referenced Coach Cowdery’s suggestion that we had to have ‘Jesse days’, in which we should honor his memory by having as much fun as possible and soaking in every ray of sun, literally and figuratively. These days should be lighthearted and carefree and full of laughter and spirit. Anyway, we had both been quick to agree that we were having such a day, when we spotted another pair of high-flying birds. They were eagles this time, and they were flying about fifty feet from each other, and they were probably two-hundred feet in the air. Upon further review, there were three of them. Neither of us had to make mention of its meaning: Jesse’s favorite song was ‘Three Little Birds’ by Bob Marley. I realize that they’re not exactly little birds, but I’m going to go ahead and claim the sighting as a gift form Jesse, and you can’t stop me.
We zigged when we should have zagged at one point and found ourselves on a muddy back road that took us on a horseshoe-shaped detour. Even the miscue was funny, looking back. Kevin and Steve took time to regroup, reassess and we were on our way. Kevin was only grumpy for around 2 minutes and the situation was a great lesson of mood and path recovery. We found a hose and washed off the bikes and they were good as new, just like us.
We had a canine adventure on Day Seventy; and, it was another growing experience. We’ve always worked with the ‘outrun the dog’ strategy or even just yell ‘stay’. Today, though, we had a barking snarling visitor that would not stop, so Kevin deployed the water bottle tactic. He was deadly accurate, and he fired and icy stream of H2O right between the hounds eyes, stopping him cold with a whimper. It was a milestone, and I only wished that we’d gotten hip to this earlier in the trip. But…now I know. Canines beware!
On the last leg of the day’s ride, we came across a peaceful pasture with several horses and a flag that had been put at half-mast. There was, in that setting, so much rich symbolic clarity that it would be difficult to put it all down. What I’ll choose to share with you is that it clearly and powerfully felt like it was a deliberate offering. Or maybe I’ve just been on this bike too long!
After an epic day, we arrived at J.H. Knighton Lumber, a family business owned by Kevin’s longtime friend, TK Knighton. We were shown the operation and brought through its history and the evolution of the business itself. The lumber business, like many others, had been hit hard by the housing crisis. On top of that recent blow, the steady trend towards paperless workplaces had caused the industry to evolve, and out of necessity. It’s clear that TK and his siblings have a resilient attitude about making it though this time, though and a refreshing outlook on surviving it without compromising their ethics of their standards towards treating their employees with respect and caring for them as if they were family.
TK was about as good of a host as anyone could ever hope for and he invited Stevie Boy and me to stay at his house, along with him and Kevin. We sat down like gentlemen (a bit rare for the riders this summer, I must say) and had a great meal. Richmond is a terrific town, and TK made sure to show us some of its great highlights, historically and otherwise.
Jesse – thanks for smiling on us. We’re working hard out here, and you just gave us some great fuel for Act III.
For the Families of the Fallen…To the Limit!
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
Pulling out of our hotel was quite the victory; Act III had begun, and with it came a renewed clarity around what we’d set out to do. With the SAG change, it seemed like we were a very light crew. Mama and Papa Bear were gone, and Stevie Boy was now the sole support person for the next two weeks; the Media Crew would soon return, but for a short stretch it was just the three of us. It felt like I’d lost my right arm.
After a quick ride back through a sunny UVA campus to get sustenance (power at our hotel had been out for 30 hours due to the storm, so we had to go out to eat), we went on our way. It would be a short course on Sixty-Nine, but still a very significant milestone due to its purpose.
We left and were immediately thrown into a situation that was much different than what we’d seen in recent times; we were on a busy set of freeways that coursed into and around the city. There was no other way out, and it was strikingly different than the serene back roads that brought us into Charlottesville. It was a fitting beginning to our third and final leg, a journey known as Act III. As we travel the densely-populated East Coast on our trek to Ground Zero, the challenges have morphed; we no longer have to negotiate mountains or high deserts. Danger can come in many forms, though, and it was sobering to see the shape that Act III had taken where treachery is concerned. While there was an overwhelming sense of hospitality in Charlottesville, busy roads are busy roads, and people are people. Not a lot of room on the shoulders and when people are in a hurry, they’re not exactly looking out for the more vulnerable cyclists.
At one point, someone was ‘sitting on us’; meaning, a car was just lingering behind us and not passing us. This can be very nerve-wracking, as it can show a sense of hesitation or reluctance in a driver. It’s usually more appreciated for a driver to confidently pass a rider, making it quick and giving enough room for everyone to succeed while driving in a non-swerving fashion. But instead, on this curved four-lane highway, this guy was just lurking behind us as we approached an off-ramp and saw its corresponding on-ramp just ahead. He just kept sitting there! This was no way to start the day, so I tried to wave him past. Nope. He just sat there, and it was almost creepy. Then, I turned around (to wave him past again, and I saw the reason he was sitting on us. It was Stevie Boy, and he was not lurking for the sake of it, but instead he was blocking cars from taking the off-ramp, just like he’d speed ahead moments later to block cars coming onto the freeway. It was a veteran move, and I’ll always remember it as the first defining act of Sierra Bravo’s (AKA Stevie Boy’s) SAG tenure.
After about seven miles of acquaintance with speeding traffic on the highway, we took Route 22, which was much more familiar. We were back in rural areas again, at least for the remainder of Sixty-Nine. It was as if we had been given some things to think about with the crowded highways before being pulled off of them to ponder our safe arrival into NYC. Just a taste of what was coming up so that we could prepare for it. It happened on the opening stages of Act III, and allowed us to safely ponder our purpose and remind us of our focus while giving us a glimpse of how we’d have to take action to stay safe and finish this thing.
Kevin was brooding a bit as we cruised the initial back roads. He was just being quiet and sort of staring at the pavement as we rode. I asked him what was on his mind, and he didn’t really answer. I just let him be; after riding with him for over two months straight, I’ve learned to just let him go when he’s in that zone. He always comes back around. This time was no exception, and when we started talking, it was all business. He was hyper-focused on Act III and how we’d be remembered. We arrived at the conclusion that, while we’ve had a very successful opening of The Ride, it’s really how we finish it that will tell the story. There was no more time for hypothetical analyses; it’s go time. Right now.
We were still getting honks and waves from most people we saw; the media engagements in C’Ville had been frequent and thorough. Once, when we were stopped to refill our water bottles, a gentleman came running out of his building to thank us for what we were doing. Since the SAG vehicle was with us, he also gave us a bottle of locally crafted sparkling wine, which we agreed to save until The Ride was finished. I can say without exaggeration that, by the time we’d left, nearly everyone had heard our story.
We checked into our hotel and I immediately noticed (again) the changed dynamic. Having the Mincio family intact and present was a heartwarming affair, and it was starkly different to have them gone. The warmth generated from their closeness was a beautiful thing to behold; there’s not a lot of ‘beating around the bush’ with that family, as their Italian flavor, by way of Long Island, doesn’t require it, or tolerate it, for that matter. It’s great. The good news is that we’ll see them in NY at our finale event, and it’s also great to know that M&P Bear had the opportunity to spend so much time with their son; Kevin had the opportunity to reconnect with the people that brought him into this world.
Jesse Williams will never have this particular opportunity, and neither will Amaya. So, we ride. We do whatever we can do to create opportunities, to do anything we can, even though it can never, ever be enough, to even the score. Just a little bit, yet as much as we possibly can.
For the Families of the Fallen…To the Limit!
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
For those that do not know, a “sitrep” in the military is short for Situation Report. It is typically transmitted over the radio. In civilian terms – consider this getting the who, what, when, where, why regarding a particular point of time. Given where we are at right now and all that has occurred over the past 72 hours, I thought a sitrep from The Ride would be most appropriate.
We are in Charlottesville, Virginia, where we rested for days Sixty-Seven and Sixty-Eight. We are getting ready for a short ride to Louisa, Virginia. Short only in terms of distance (32 miles). As Coach Groh has told us, you need to prove it one day at a time. One never knows what is in store for you on the road ahead (literally for us) on a given day.
Mama Bear and Papa Bear have officially handed off SAG duties to Steve Camposan (aka Sierra Bravo). It was an emotional departure following six weeks on the road for them where the support we received on and off the bikes was nothing short of extraordinary. They have arrived safely back home on Long Island. We hope to see them in early September around Gettysburg. Thanks to John and Ann Guzas for the visit and transportation home for them.
After the reception we received coming in from Lexington by the police and fire departments as well as Mayor Norris and the Virginia Athletic Department, our media opportunities continued. Please check out “In The News” on our site to listen and watch these stories.
We made an appearance on the Rob Schilling Show on Newsradio 1070 WINA. Rob was passionate about our mission and supportive of our efforts to “Never Forget” what happened on September 11, 2001 and to honor the victims respectfully. In the evening, we made another appearance at WINA, this time talking with Jay James. This was a special appearance as Jay invited Sierra Bravo to join us on the air. Steve had the opportunity to discuss his relationship with Jesse and his experiences with him in combat. Talk radio is a great forum for this type of dialogue and we really appreciated the professionalism and genuine support we received from both Rob and Jay. They are both first class individuals. Thanks Rob and Jay!
Mono Loca, a local establishment, hosted an event for us as well during our stay. A large storm rolled in just as things were getting started, but the professional staff was able to adjust fire and keep things going. Thanks to Mono Loca and Joe Hall for putting this all together.
Speaking of the storm, did I mention it knocked out power in our hotel for nearly 30 hours?! Yes, all of this was happening while we were showering the dark and getting dressed with headlamps on, so we can see our gear.
Finally….I am excited to report our media crew will be back on the trail in 48 hours for Act III.
And we call these “rest” days? Thank you Charlottesville, we will miss you. Its time for us to roll out…..
To the limit,
/km/
People often ask me about this journey, and when they do, it’s common for me to hear the question, ‘is there anything that surprised you?’ or ‘have there been things that have happened that you didn’t expect?’ It’s clear that lots of things can happen on a trip like this, but it’s actually the nature of the answer that surprises me when I hear it come out of my mouth. The truth is that I never would have expected to grow into a place where I’m eager to face unseen challenges, and on a daily basis. I’ve realized that it’s fun to go to bed not knowing what the next day’s plight will be; and, there’s always something out here that will give you the opportunity to succeed, and to work hard or make sacrifice to do so. Sometimes, we think we already know what it will be; heat, hills or headwinds are coming up, and we know it. Those times, though, these adversaries are defeated through our planning. It’s those days when something else will happen, something unexpected and beautiful, even if it initially brings a groan or some other uttering of anxiety. We dig deep, we ride on, and we succeed. It could be a day that’s course plan shows a large, steep hill; you could prepare for the hill, and defeat the hill, only to get some weather thrown in your face. It’s these types of situational juggernauts that I’ll miss when we’ve arrived in NYC. Fortunately, even when The Ride is over, there are plenty of challenges in this world!
Day Sixty-Six was the last ride day before a very busy rest stop in Charlottesville, VA. We began on the west side of the Blue Ridge portion of the Appalachians, and we knew that once we got into Charlottesville, the work would really begin. In fact, I believe that we should cease to describe these stops as ‘rest’ stops, but instead call them ‘Promotion Blitzes’. Or something of the sort.
We already knew what the day’s challenge would be; and we were prepared. Beginning at mile 18 of a 70-mile course, we were presented with the steepest grades of any stretch of The Ride, at least any stretch that lasted more than a mile. This road, called Tye Ridge, was only three miles long, but we gained almost 2,000 feet in climbing it. Grades were never less than 11%, and at some points were at 19%. Much of the year, this road is closed due to its treacherous angles and curves. It was a climb that took everything to defeat. I had to take off my shades because they were fogging up just by being anywhere near my face. The turns kept coming, and they showed us a steeper and steeper path. It felt like it would never end. But…alas, it did end, and everyone finished in strong fashion. In fact, we rocked that hill.
After a quick stop, we rushed through a thirty-mile stretch of forested ridgeline. It was during this part that the day’s true challenge was shown to us. A thick fog cloaked the entire forest, and was hanging well out over the edge as well. If we hadn’t seen through in rare patches, we would have no way of knowing that we were on top of a mountain. In fact, we couldn’t even see thirty feet in front of us. At times, you couldn’t even see twenty feet. This was a Saturday afternoon, and it was a State Park that we were riding through; there were plenty of cars and tourists coming through. Cars are much heavier than bikes, and due to the laws of physics, specifically those relating to ‘gross tonnage’, they will win, every single time, against the bike, if physical contact were to be made. Since we were the ones on the bikes, we were at extreme risk since there was basically zero visibility. We decided to stick closely together so that we could maximize our lights on our bikes, and still it was very dangerous and we knew it. Safety Officer Mincio called a quick conference so that we could make sure that guest riders were in sync and that we could finish safely and together. Despite the danger and the challenge (and the inherent opportunity to succeed), it was fun in an unforgettable kind of way; if it were a movie sequence, it would have been part sci-fi, part horror, part thriller and part sports drama. Sandy and Denise seemed to really enjoy this twist, as it was something unique to the ride; we’d not experienced anything like this on The Ride. In fact, I’ve never seen fog that thick, period. As we were getting through it and coming into the clear (literally), Sandy said something that made me think. ‘I just love weather!’, she exclaimed. ‘Weather?’, I thought? There are all kinds of weather; what did she mean? Then I got it. Exactly. She meant that she loved the challenge of things thrown at her, and things beyond her control. In the end, it wasn’t the giant hill that would be the day’s antagonist. It would be the fog, and the idea of getting through it safely was the protagonist to the story of Day Sixty-Six.
After some non-SAG stops to check out the mountain vistas through the suddenly clear skies, we stopped about 20 miles short of town. We had been offered a police escort into Charlottesville. This time, the officers let us work for it, though! We didn’t coast into town; we gassed it hard. By all accounts, we had made great time in getting in. At some points, we were following the sirens at 40 MPH.
We rolled onto the legendary campus of University of Virginia. It’s a striking place, for sure. When we arrived, there were around ten members of the Charlottesville Fire Department waiting, and they’d put an enormous version of Old Glory atop one of their ladders. There were a few news crews there, and lots of pictures getting taken as we met with the Mayor, Mr. Dave Norris and Coach Mike London, Head Coach of the UVA Football team. What struck me about the interactions with the press is that they seemed to show a very sincere interest in our mission and, particularly, Kevin’s connection with Jesse Williams.
We would later return to campus; Coach London had asked us to address the football team after an closed inter-squad scrimmage. We were very impressed with the team and the program; it’s clear that Coach London puts great emphasis on community and the responsibility his players have in working for their communities. I was given the opportunity to tell the players and coaching staff about The Team Jesse Foundation, giving an overview of our mission. Also, I provided a high-level introduction for Kevin. Kevin’s address centered around the importance of friendship and duty; then, he reminded them that freedom isn’t free and gave some examples of things that really hit home. He shared a story that I’d never heard before. The team gave us wild applause and every single member, along with the entire coaching staff came up to thank us and wish us well. Pretty sure it’s going to be hard not to be a Cavalier’s fan after this experience.
Sixty-Seven will be a rest day…or…rather…a Promotion Blitz or something of the sort.
Opportunities. Some are squandered, some are lost. Some show up, and not without cost.
For Families of the Fallen….To The Limit!
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
The phrase ‘performance excellence’ is pretty straightforward, when you think about it. We’d all probably have a common understanding that it’s meant to describe someone doing something at the best of their abilities. To borrow a mantra from the Team Jesse Foundation, it’s about going To the Limit of Our Abilities. Personally, I’ve always been fascinated by those who can push their own limits in this regard and challenge others to do the same. I hope to not ‘over-Mincio’ you with this, but I have to say, as Act II is soon to end and Act III brings a new SAG team…well…BIG shoes to fill. I don’t know how they do it, but they do it well. Performance Excellence. Ron and Karen have been phenomenal in every regard; ‘Mama Bear’ with her relentless, tenacious search for the safest, surest route. She’ll work three different GPS devices at once, and she’s always armed with at least two maps (one an atlas format, one a local style; you won’t find her with some shoddy hotel map). Papa Bear has thought of everything, as usual, and he’s also become quite the photographer, as he’s been asked to fill some gaps while the Media Crew is scrambling to edit footage and return. I could never say enough about how supported one feels when they’re doing their thing. Just ask any of the guest riders, including Denise and Sandy, and they’ll tell you the same. Day Sixty-Six is their final day in the role, and they’ll be missed for sure.
Day Sixty-Five had another way of showing some excellence, to say the least. The course took us through ninety-five miles of winding glory; at first it was sun-filtered back roads that seemed to rise and fall (I say ‘seemed’ because they were flat in contrast to the second half) and exposed hidden pastures, creeks and ponds. There were no pursuit dogs on Day Sixty-Five. Only grazing goats and cattle, with a few spectacular horses. While we saw them, celebrating them, we shot down through a valley that was smooth, long and fast. Pretty sure that when Kevin hit his brakes to slow down, it wasn’t to double-check the map, as he feigned; he just didn’t want this thing to end. I appreciated the hustle on his part with that one! The course would later show us some more challenging features, but not before we saw more performance excellence.
The course of Sixty-Five showed us a view of some people who were proud of what they have. They obviously loved their land, and cared for it, meticulously. The trail took us through scene after scene of ranches, farms and homesteads that were everything from modest to stately. Big to small, flat to curve and course to smooth, they shared one thing, the properties of Sixty-Five. Those who dwelled on them valued their qualities, and had taken opportunity to prove it to them every day. We didn’t see anything gaudy or lavish on Sixty-Five; we saw hard work, and evidence of performance excellence in a very basic, yet proud form. When I was a youngster, I sometimes cut lawns and did basic landscaping chores to make money, as did many kids in my neighborhood. Hate to admit it, but I’m not sure I’d have ‘cut the mustard’ with the citizens along Day Sixty-Five. Probably would have not had me back a second time if I’d managed to get an initial gig on their properties! I just didn’t have the eye for detail that their neighborhood landscaping boys clearly have!
Sixty-Five had a very scenic, enjoyable course, though I must admit that I spent too much time absorbed in deep thought unrelated to its beauty. The Team Jesse Ride squad is about to jump into the heart of what we’ve set out to do, and my goal is to bring as much performance excellence as we can to the mission. It won’t be difficult to find inspiration; the cause itself is enough to create drive. And, I can say, with an unwavering degree of honesty, that Kevin Mincio has a work ethic that’s unmatched by anyone I’ve ever met. He just doesn’t quit. Ever. He’s an alien, I swear it.
So, much of my day was spent looking for answers; funny how that works, though. Sometimes you just get more questions. What I know for sure, though, is that this rare introspective process, especially when framed around something greater than yourself (as in this case) will eventually bring better answers and clearer truths than would have been otherwise discovered. Hope I’m right about that, because I was waaaaay more serious than I like to be on the second half of Sixty-Five. Hate to waste the experience on something that’s unfruitful.
When we finished climbing our five-thousand foot, ninety-five mile course, we pulled into our motel. We were very happy to see it. Kevin had a huge grin on his face, and then I realized the reason. His godfather, John Guzas, and his wife Anne had come to see him, and also to drive with Mama Bear and Papa Bear back to Long Island. Lost in my own thoughts, I’d forgotten they were going to be there. I’d heard much about John, and it was great to put another piece together for my own understanding of my friend’s background. Words can’t accurately describe their bond, and they had some mutual idiosyncrasies that were uncanny. It was pretty funny, actually. I liked John immediately, but even more so when, at dinner, I tried to tell him a brief story about his godson; he just sat there, unsurprised.
He didn’t humor me with some overly social gesture or even outwardly agree with me for saying the things I’d said. That would have been fake; he already knew about Kevin and how he would have acted. So, while he was very polite and entertaining, he simply showed a very pure form of honesty in his approach. Just like Kevin.
Sixty-Six will have around eighty-five miles; not sure of the elevation, but I do know that we’ll climb and descend the Blue Ridge portion of Appalachia. Views galore, for sure. On the other side, Charlottesville awaits.
It’s about to get big, folks. It’s all about the people.
For the Families of the Fallen…To the Limit!
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
I was once riding my bike with SSG Jesse Williams before his second deployment near the Ballard Locks. It was a beautiful sunny spring day in Seattle and as usual, I had my head down and was thinking about some sort of business. I remember Jesse telling me to look around and explaining how awesome it was. Jesse called me Raven and I called him Kaewe. There are long stories behind each of these names, but for now, one can just think of them as radio call signs as we used them when we communicated amongst ourselves.
I have done my best to look around on The Ride, but it hasn’t always been easy for me given all that goes on off the bikes. After riding with us for two days, our ride coach Sharon Cowdery reminded me of the importance of doing this and having fun like Jesse would if he was along for the ride. Lately, I have been doing a better job of this.
Day Sixty-Four started on scenic country roads. I remember passing a family of horses within the first mile and the scenery to my right could not be missed. It was time to pick my head up and look around. Most of the ride was on road that started with “Old”, like Old Lee Highway and Old Route 100. My guess is these are the roads that were there prior to the interstates as they have been running close by and in the same direction as the major roads the past couple days. As a result, we have been given the opportunity to enjoy one of the most scenic parts of The Ride as we near the end of Act II and prepare for our turn north in about a week.
About halfway in, Mom and Dad (aka Mama Bear and Papa Bear) found a great spot for lunch as they always do, and we relaxed longer than usual at a picnic table. The weather has been the best the past couple days, hovering around 80 degrees and making sitting outside in the shade actually bearable. We continued to enjoy the wildlife of horses and even roosters that were hanging around as we ate and relaxed a bit. I made friends with a dog who joined the picnic and gave her some cold cuts and water. It was nice to see a friendly dog for a change and not have one chasing after us.
After lunch, it was more of the same, scenic riding. We rode for a long while along a river that was moving along nicely enough that Matt and I discussed breaking out the Speedos for a quick dip. We decided to do this another day as it was getting late.
We crossed the river and ran into Mama Bear and Papa Bear again. This time, they were waiting with lemon italian ices. We made another stop and enjoyed the moment before carrying on and finishing the day in Christiansburg.
We have 92 miles tomorrow, so we loaded up on carbs at the Olive Garden and continued to laugh and enjoy the rest of day. Just like Jesse would have done – I know he is smiling too today.
We also got some good news regarding our ride sponsor Wimmer Solutions that gave us more reason to celebrate. For the second straight year, Wimmer Solutions received the bronze medal for Washington’s Best Workplaces. Being ranked in the top three companies to work for in the State of Washington, as voted by the employees, is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire Wimmer team. Congratulations!
To the limit,
/km/
We are resting in Lebanon, Virginia. The people here have been very friendly, but we are tired of Applebees and looking forward to a challenging 4 days into Charlottesville covering 300 miles and 14,000 feet of climbing.
I have spent time reflecting on the previous five days spent with my friend Steve Camposan (aka sierra bravo, aka shadow 1 to me) and the journey we have taken together since early 2002. What a road it has been….
Before I share some fond memories or Steve, let me just publically give him recognition for the stellar riding performance this week. He kept up over four very challenging days, finished stronger than he started and brought much welcomed enthusiasm and humor to the week. And for his fans back in Bozeman, MT that may be reading this, I am on the record by saying he didn’t put me up to any of this!
I met Steve at Fort Benning during basic training. Back then he was “208 Camposan”. Everyone in our class had a number and it corresponded to your platoon and soldier number in the class. So Steve was second platoon, soldier 8 and I was second platoon soldier 21 or “221 Mincio”. Everytime you announced yourself or drew a weapon or did anything for identification purposes, you yelled out your number and your last name. So, my early memories of Steve were simply him yelling out 208-Camposan! He was just 20 years old back then, and I was the grandpa of the platoon at age 31. That didn’t stop us from becoming great friends – although the Army didn’t give us a choice……
Steve and I were what the Army called Battle Buddies. I am not sure if they still do this, but back in 2002 they had a program where they paired two soldiers together and kept them together for their first duty station, which in our case was Fort Lewis. So after graduating from Infantry School at Fort Benning, 208 Camposan and 221 Mincio were off the Fort Lewis, WA and we would be stuck together for the next three years. Truth be told, I was very happy with the soldier the Army selected for me – and today, I am even happier and a better person for it.
Due to a hometown recruiting assignment I received, Steve arrived a couple days prior to me and was in a staff job waiting for his “battle buddy” to arrive, presumably to join him in the staff platoon. Well that didn’t happen, and day one at Fort Lewis for me turned into both Steve and I nearly drowning (not kidding) in a combat swim test during a scout selection course. Somehow we both got selected after the end of the grueling week try-out. While Steve would admit I did better than him in the swim test, he did better than me in just about everything else. Together, we are still not sure how I we both made the cut! It was in that platoon where we both met Jesse Williams. Steve and Jesse were great friends. I remember the only thing Steve didn’t like about Jesse was that he was always in a good mood! Neither of us could ever figure out how to be happy all the time like Jesse was.
The recon platoon had a call sign of “Shadow” and since Steve was the RTO (radio telephone operator) for team 1 and I was the RTO for team 2, our call signs were Shadow 1 and Shadow 2. Being the RTO was the job no one wanted because you had to lug around all the radio equipment and follow the team leader. It typically went to the most junior person on each team (i.e. me and Steve). After time, we learned how to stand up and sit down and stand back up again with our 100 pound rucksacks and we eventually had some fun with it (sort of). To this day, we still call each other Shadow 1 and Shadow 2 or 1 and 2 for short when we talk on the phone, email or text.
I can write all day about Steve. Over the past 9 years, we have been through a combat tour together. Although we were separated for the majority of it, we saw plenty of each other on critical missions. And, I did play the battle buddy card at the end of the deployment which brought us back together again for the remainder of our enlistment.
While I finished my reserve comittment as an ROTC instructor one weekend a month on Fort Lewis, Steve finished his as an member of the Arkansas National Guard and was deployed for a second time. The circumstances were not exactly within his control, but he did have options and he chose his country over his personal endeavors, which included college at the time. The deployment set him back nearly two years of schooling and took him away from his family following the sudden and tragic death of his father, Kent. It’s selfless soldiers like Steve that make our military so strong and enable us all to live free. Thank you Steve for being such a loyal friend – as hard as that may be sometimes. I couldn’t ask for a better battle buddy.
To the limit,
/km/
We are still in Lexington, Kentucky and the Brown’s are still providing us the opportunity to learn more about this great state and city. Today they set up a tour of a thoroughbred horse farm called Taylor Made. This 1600-acre farm is regularly the top consigner at horse sales including venues such as Keeneland and Saratoga. Their hall of fame lists 12 Breeders Cup Champions and many others in multiple divisions. Needless to say, this was an impressive place to pull up to. What was even more impressive were the people who work there.
We arrived and immediately noticed that the massive driveway to the office was lined on both sides with American flags and we all thought how nice it was that they were present. We later learned that employees had placed them there to welcome us. We felt welcomed right away and that was just the beginning.
But first – the skies opened up and we experienced our first thunderstorm in Kentucky. It was MAJOR. We ran from the car to the office and entered soaking wet.
The yearling manager John Hall welcomed us. Many of the staff quickly came down to meet us shortly thereafter. They apologized for the weather (like it was their fault!) and explained how they needed the rain. We spent the next hour or so waiting for the storm to pass, which it never quite did. During that period, the employees expressed great interest in our mission and supported us with individual donations. We also learned a bit about this horse breeding business, which we all knew little about. Let’s just say it’s a big business in Lexington – stud fees, yearling sales, retiree sales, etc, etc.
In spite of the rain, which just didn’t seem to want to stop, we were all anxious to see the horses, so we decided to do the tour by car. Many of the horses were indoors in preparation for a major sale about to occur in Saratoga, but we did get to see some horses out romping around in the massive fields. We visited a couple of stables and learned more about the business of breeding and boarding the beautiful animals.
Finally we visited the yearling stable that had the horses going to Saratoga. I got to liking a horse named Holy Bridled, who also seemed to like me a bit. She will be sold this month and I hope to be able to follow her on the track throughout her career. I may even throw down a bet on my new friend if I can find her out there on the circuit. How else do you pick horses at the track anyway?!
John Hall led our tour. He was not only incredibly knowledgeable and polite, but he took such an active role in telling everyone he introduced us to about our mission and The Ride, such as to a dentist who was filing down some teeth (on a horse)!
I wrote yesterday that I thought about the most memorable moments of this ride not being on a bike. Well, this one will be one of those for sure. If you ever get a chance to visit a thoroughbred horse farm, particularly in Lexington, Kentucky, I would jump on it. You won’t be disappointed. I guarantee it!
Thank you Taylor Made. Good luck in Saratoga. After what I saw today, I don’t think you will need luck though.
To the limit,
/km/
Nicholas Dieruf was born in Kentucky on May 20, 1982. Nich was the son of Charles Diefur and Barbara Greer Dieruf and the youngest of four boys that include Charlie, Matt and Paul. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2000 and in the summer of 2003, Nich met his future wife, Emily before deploying to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Nich received orders that would re-deploy his unit to Iraq in February 2004. Before this second tour of combat duty, Nich Dieruf and Emily Duncan were married in January 2003.
On April 8, 2004, Marine Corporal Nich Dieruf was killed while conducting combat operations in the Anbar province in Iraq. Thousands came to pay respects to a local hero who gave his life so we can all live free.
We had the opporunity to visit Nich’s resting place yesterday on Calvery Cemetery near downtown Lexington. Fittingly, we were off the bikes for a day as it was a moment to reflect on what our mission is all about and spend some time with a family of the fallen. Nich’s father and mother were both present, as well his brother Matt. Emily’s father and mother, Scott and Jenifer were both present as well as our incredible hosts, the Brown family – Damon, Carla, Clayton and Sheldon.
And Emily….that is the big news of the day. Now remarried, Emily Chambers gave birth to twin girls Ellie and Harper on August 1st. Everyone was showing eachother pictures and celebrating the birth of two healthy girls, the first for Emily. I want to thank Emily for supporting on mission. I first spoke to her in April, following a chance encounter Matt had with the Brown family at the Final Four in Houston. From the beginning, she has supported Team Jesse and we immediately began plans for this meeting in Lexington. I am sorry we didn’t get to meet in person, but we spoke by phone and she is doing great. Emily – your entire family made this visit very special. We are lucky to have had this opportunity to learn about Nich and the sacrifice he made.
We spent about an hour at the cemetery. We learned more about about Nich from his family. Matt and I had an emotional conversation with Nich’s brother Matt, who graciously shared memories of this little brother starting from when he was five. He described Nich as a laid back kid who loved his friends very much. “He was the glue that kept them all together” commented Matt. During summers, he liked to camp and build bonfired with his friends. According to Matt, Nich believed anything was possible and believed in others, sometimes more than they believed in themselves, and that gave people confidence. We heard stories of bravery, fitting for a Marine, who fought for our country and was awarded for valour during his first tour of duty in Iraq in 2003. As an older brother myself, I can’t imagine how hard it would be to lose my “little bother”. Matt was an incredible guy and his willingness to share his memories of Nich so openly effected me very much. Thank you Matt.
Afterwards, we all went for a cold beverage at Nich Ryans, a local establishment, and toasted Nich and Emily.
But the day was not over. We were treated to an evening at Whitaker Bank Ballpark, home to the minor league Lexington Legends. Thankfully, we were in a suite, since 1900 gametime (aka 7:00 p.m.) temperature was 93 degrees. Before the game, Matt addressed the crowd over the PA system and introduced me and spoke a bit about our mission. I followed with a mention about local hero Nich, thanks to his family and a request for support. Then the big moment – the ceremonial first pitch! Matt and I both had a chance to throw out a first pitch. We were both a little nervous, but thanks to our pitching coach, 12 year old Sheldon Brown, we both managed to avoid ESPN (or more likely youtube!) coverage of bad first pitches. We were thrown a bit of curveball (no pun intended) when we learned we would be throwing from the rubber and not the front of the pitchers mound as our scouting report informed us. Neverthess, the catcher caught both pitches, on the fly, and Matt and I escaped with a warm reception from the crowd.
A final thought I had on the day was that I realized that although we were on a bike ride for the summer, the most lasting memories I will have, the lessons I will learn, will not involve a bike at all. Yesterday was one of those days for sure.
Rest in peace Nich – your family misses you very much.
To the limit,
/km/
Arlington National Cemetary
It’s also a good time to re-convey the importance of our mission. It’s easy to get caught up in The Ride itself: the scenery, the physical challenge, the video initiative and media opportunities. Matt and I spent a lot of time the past week talking about the mission itself, for families of the fallen, and how we can best execute the final 45 days – that’s right, just 45 days until our arrival to New York City on the 10-year anniversary of 9/11/01.
So with that in mind, here is an overview of the activities on the road ahead:
• Our current schedule and route is posted on The Ride site. Status will be updated daily http://teamjesse.org/logride.php
• We have firm commitments in Lexington, Kentucky (8/2), Washington, DC (8/24), Annapolis, MD (8/27-28) and New York, NY (9/11-9/13).
• In Lexington, we will be spending time with the family of Marine Corporal Nich Dieruf, USMC, who was killed in action in Iraq on April 8, 2004, 3 years to the day that SSG Williams was killed. After visiting Corporal Dieruf’s resting place, The Team will attend a Lexington Legends (farm team for Houston Astros) baseball game, where Matt and I will get the opportunity to address the crowd and throw out the first pitch. We look forward to spending time with the family of this fallen hero. We have received great support from the Lexington community since day 1.
• On August 24, we plan to visit the resting places of best friends Marine Lieutenant Travis Manion and Navy Lieutenant Brendan Looney in Arlington National Cemetery. Travis and Brendan were roommates at the Naval Academy and were both killed in combat, Travis in April 2007 in Iraq and Brendan in September 2010 in Afghanistan. Matt and I are honored to visit these two incredible individuals and say ‘thank you’ for their sacrifice in person. Many know that we are partnering with the Travis Manion Foundation on The Ride, so this is a visit that has much anticipation for the entire Team Jesse Foundation.
• In Annapolis, we are planning a marquee fundraising event on Saturday, August 27. We will also be making an appearance at the Major League Lacrosse (MLL) championship weekend on Saturday at the semi final game. For more information on Annapolis events, please contact Matt Corry at Matt@teamjesse.org
• The Ride finishes in New York City on Sunday, September 11. Matt and I will ride in from New York and immediately dismount to participate in the Travis Manion Foundation 9/11 Heroes Run (http://www.911heroesrun.com/) before getting back on our bikes and continuing to the corner of Liberty and Church streets, where I stood 10 years ago and watched a plane fly into a building, killing thousands of innocent fathers, mothers, daughters, sons, brothers, sisters and friends.
• Our final event will be at Tribeca Cinemas on Tuesday, September 13 at 6:00 p.m. We will be sending out invitations for this event early August. If you would like to be included on this list or would like additional information pertaining to this event, contact Eileen Tang at Eileen@teamjesse.org
We need your help to reach our goal for families of the fallen. We owe it to the families not only to say ‘thank you’, but also to help as many as we can given the sacrifice their loved one has made on our behalf.
Freedom isn’t free. If you would like to donate to our mission, please visit www.teamjessse.org/donate
To the limit,
/km/
We entered our eighth state – Kentucky – via boat. The night before we assumed there would be a bridge before we learned we would take a boat. My mom (aka Mama Bear) said it was their version of the Port Jeff Ferry, a passenger/car service that ‘bridges the Long Island Sound’ from Port Jefferson, NY to Bridgeport CT. I had made this trip many times in my youth, especially when I attended college at the University of Connecticut. Turns out, it wasn’t exactly the Port Jeff Ferry. A tugboat type vessel pushed a barge-like thing across the river for a few feet. The guy operating this ferry (loosely defined) told me the trip is made about 100 times a day. I did the math based on how long it took to load up and paddle across and that doesn’t seem possible. But you get the point, this is not the Port Jeff Ferry, which takes 1.5 hours and probably costs $300 for car and driver these days! Kidding about the $300 (I think), but it much more expensive than the free ride we hitched across the Ohio River to Kentucky to state 8.
I believe we entered Kentucky when we got off the boat, or maybe even halfway across the river, but nevertheless the ‘Welcome to Kentucky’ sign was a little down the road, which I was happy about since we had the opportunity to take the official boarding crossing picture. The sign has seen better days as you can see from the picture. As we held up 8 fingers, I also took some time to think about the significance of this number in my life and others that followed…
In the fall of 1979, I was 8 years old and made my first team that I ever had to try out for. We were called the Sachem Bucks, and we were a 1971 boys travel soccer team. I spent much of my childhood with this team and coach Richie Miller, but that’s a whole book of stories in it of itself. Immediately after the coveted final roster was posted (back then it was ok to get cut as a child and learn you had to get better!!), I remember we picked our numbers out of a hat. I had struck gold (relatively, for an kid) by pulling out #10, which was coveted because of Pele’, who I think is still regarded as the greatest soccer player ever. He scored 1000+ goals and won 3 World Cups with Brazil and played on other professional teams, including the New York Cosmos, who signed him when he was 50, or something like that! So when I picked the number, one of the other players, Christian Cunningham, who I still know today, was very upset (Note: I won’t say he was crying since I don’t want to embarrass him publically), and asked me if I would trade him numbers. He had number 8. In an unselfish and noble act (being sarcastic, come on, I was 8), I traded him and to this day I remember thinking 8 was not a bad number. Maybe it was because I was 8 at the time, but who knows what I was thinking back then. The rest is history.
Christian Cunningham, #10. Recent Pic
The final 8 story comes from my 20th high school reunion, in 2009, 20 years after the now famous (at least for me) trade between Christian Cunningham and Kevin Mincio. A women walked up to me and said “Mincio…are you Mincio?” and I said yes. She said she felt like she heard my name all the time, because when her husband Jamie, a good friend of mine from HS, played cards, he would always yell out ‘I have a pair of Mincios” whenever he had 8s in his hand – obviously after all bets were in. Thanks for the loyalty Jamie and keep pulling 8s buddy. It’s a lucky number. At least it’s been for me. Hopefully it continues down the road in Kentucky, state 8 where the intel has the road conditions challenging.
To the Limit,
8 out
Departure of the Documentarians (Day Forty-Seven)
“The only bad thing about brakes is that they tend to slow you down” – Andrew ‘Harvey’ Durtschi, somewhere around Day Ten
As we rode off, it was loud. Not unlike the clap of thunder the previous evening. Somehow it was louder, though it didn’t register on any kind of decibel chart, then or now. It was also more constant that the rumbling thunder. I think it was starting to make me deaf, and I can’t wait to adjust to it completely.
The sound was later to be identified as ‘the deafening sound of silence’, triggered by the departure of our media crew. Harvey and Brett had been with us since Day Zero, and they had become as much a part of the experience as anyone or anything else. Austin joined them at the beginning of Act Two, and with him came another set of skills and a new fingerprint of humanity. It’s very different to be without them, even if only for a short time. They are true documentarians, seeking truth yet understanding that stories can’t be told, or rather, won’t be heard, without a creative way to tell them, or a gravitational way of hearing them. So, it has been fun to have them along, a pleasure to know them and a huge opportunity for the Team Jesse Foundation work with them. In fact, the reason for their hiatus is that, upon review of some of their early footage, it was deemed that their work is very good indeed. So good, in fact, that some a new future for the end product is on the table. And, some acceleration in editing is required in order for us to hit deadlines that will allow for consideration in some such things, which may include certain film festivals and finale events in Manhattan on September 13th. It’s very exciting, yet still feels like I was just asked to give someone ‘space’ because it’s ‘better for both of us’. Only difference is, this time I’m a grown-up (sort-of) and this time I agree with ‘her’. Documentarian Team: we will follow along, as planned, per your instruction, to keep up your work. Our hope is to do half the job you’ve done. A request from us: GET BACK HERE ASAP! EDIT FILM…24/7!
Anyway, we pedaled off and it felt a bit different. Every now and then, The Ride brings an interaction that reinforces the mission of The Foundation, and meeting Patty was no different. The loss that a sibling feels is often forgotten when compared to that of a parent or child. But…I can’t even imagine the pain that it would bring. If something ever happened to my brother, Michael, I would be a wreck for a long, long time. A lot would have to happen for me to heal. So, off I pedaled, with a mission that could not immediately be accomplished, but one that had to be fought through.
Kevin and I wound up having some ‘passionate discussion’ (read: debate) around some ways to achieve some things on the execution strategies of The Ride. We each took a ‘time out’, and upon our convergence, we had come to some conclusions about our differences and both immediately realized that we wanted the same thing. We came to the conclusion that our debate had come from passion to do this thing the right way, and in the most efficient, effective way as possible. While we had no immediate solutions to where we weren’t seeing each other’s tactical point of view, it’s very true that we respected the position of the other. A good exercise.
We arrived in the quaint village of Elizabethtown to settle in. We were greeted by a great fella named David Humphrey, who just wanted to know what we were up to, and if he could be of any help. He handed me a business card, and you gotta love this guy’s title: ‘Retired’, it said. I gave him one of my Team Jesse cards, and before I even got to the finish of the story, he had donated to our cause. Mr. Humphrey gave us all the town’s history that we could digest in our 20 minutes with him, and it was interesting to hear the calmness in his voice when he spoke of the horrific flooding that had occurred just months before. The place had been under water, and you’d never know. It would turn out to be the more easily-explained of some of the town’s unique history.
We checked into the Rose Hotel, and it was very different than any place we’d stayed. You see, E-Town, as it’s known, is nestled in on the Ohio River, and as I mentioned, it’s quaint. But, all that it’s got are a few B&Bs. No hotels. So, we checked in and found it to be really cool. While I have to admit that it was strange sharing a room in a Bed and Breakfast with Kevin Mincio, the place was unique; it was the oldest lodging of any kind in the state of Illinois; it was right on the river, with a gazebo and bridge and bluffs. The hosts were peerless in their hospitality. And, it was, by far, the best breakfast we’d had. Only weird part about it was that, at breakfast, Mince and I were told that it’s well documented that the wing we were staying in is haunted. Books have been written, pictures have been taken and much has been made of it. Personally, I was relieved to know that it was a ghost, not my friend from Long Island, that was making all that racket in the middle of the night.
Perhaps the best part was that the town’s people, and particularly the gracious owner of the Rose, Sandy, had been following our journey and will continue to do so. Maybe we can get some of the ghosts on board too!
Take me to the River (Day Forty-Eight)
After a good night’s sleep and an even better breakfast, we started towards the border. It took us no time to jump back into some of the previous day’s difficult topics, this time each of us bringing some solutions to the table. The end result is a game plan that is much better than we ever would have had if we’d just selfishly kept our differences to ourselves. It felt great in so many ways, and I was grinning from ear to ear about how we are going to get things done. Still grinning as I write this.
It was starting to seem like a whirlwind. We were about to leave Illinois; hadn’t we just gotten there? This particular crossing was going to be different, for sure. We had to take a ferry to cross into Kentucky. It was a great experience in and of itself, and with a solid game plan we’d gotten in place in the first ten miles of the day, we had given ourselves the opportunity to enjoy the entrance to Kentucky.
There’s something about this state, and I’m sure what it is, but it’s special. There is a charm about it; there’s something about the way its name sounds; something about its history, its roots. When I think of Kentucky (or Cain-Tuck), I think of a genuine quality. I think of bluegrass and bourbon, yes, but I also think of sincerity and a down-home pride that can’t be faked. We both were feeling it and seeking answers about it at the same time. At risk of sounding extreme, I felt that there is something so…American…about Kentucky.
I’ll use this opportunity to share a story with you about Kevin. When I had met Mince, 6 years before, and was walking down the street with him so that I could get to know him a little better. He had just gotten home from Iraq, and my goal was to see how he’d do, culturally, with an employment opportunity with one of my clients. As we walked to a local restaurant, I noticed a very shocking and disrespectful poster stapled to a telephone pole. It said at the top “enlist now” and then the middle of its frame showed a photo of a mangled soldier. At the bottom, it said “we need more cowards”. I was horrified and very angry about the sign. So, while waiting at the corner for the light to change, I reluctantly asked Kevin, ‘Doesn’t this [make you mad]?’. He looked at the poster and said, ‘Not at all. That’s why we do what we do as soldiers for the United States. We do it so that people can say whatever they want to say, whenever they want to say it. We live in a free country, and it’s not up to me to decide what they want to say…’.
I will never forget that moment of truth, and I was starting to tie it to the idea of Kentucky, or at least try and draw a comparison in my head. Then…out of nowhere, ahead of us, I saw…could it be?
Yes, it was a horse and buggy coming up the road. Kevin was ahead of me, and neither of us could believe our eyes at first. There were two women and a few kids. One of them was feeding an infant and they all smiled as we pedaled past. My thoughts on America were validated in a most unlikely way. They smiled at us as we pedaled past.
Not long after, I was further delighted to hear my friend, his head up and stress free, notice a bunch of hawks flying high. “Look, Matty, there are like seven of ‘em!’. You see, it’s just great to see him taking the opportunity to notice things like that. It’s rare that he’ll beat me in noticing the birds, but he did this time and I couldn’t be happier. (Mama Bear – it’s working!)
We had a great day on Forty-Eight. We were ‘all teeth’ (that means we were smiling and happy) all day, and the course turned into a giant green rollercoaster that was thick with a pleasant humidity and lots of turns. While very few cars passed us, the trail was far from lonely. The sounds of birds and insects were different at every turn, and even the aforementioned insect sounds were pleasant; it wasn’t like they were crawling on us; they were just there and wanted us to know. The state of Kentucky is going to have me searching for new ways to describe plants, as I’ll only be able to use the words ‘lush’, ‘thick’ and ‘rich’ so many times.
In the end, we’d enjoyed 70 miles of Kentucky country road and climbed over 3,000 feet while enjoying its hills and turns. Both of us are pumped to know that we have a bunch of the state left. We have been warned by many about dogs, though so hopefully there isn’t too much excitement in that area. I’d rather have it be just Kevin and I that were the ones being ‘all teeth’.
Kevin’s going to take this post for a few days, and I’m glad you’ll have the opportunity to get his perspective…I know that I always am!
For the Families of the Fallen…To the Limit!
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
That's me and Kim on my HS graduation day - 1989
I met Kim Winn (then Kim Gulley) in 1986 when she was a freshman at Yale University. She was my sister Eileen’s roommate there. I was a “snot-nosed” sophomore attending St. Anthony’s High School on Long Island at the time. I remember I used to make fun of her for being from Kansas – you know, the cow tipping and other clichéd’ small town wise cracks that really aren’t all that funny. Twenty five years later, I find myself looking back on the eight days we spent in Kansas and, wow, am I lucky that Kim Winn put up with me! Kim has since graduated Yale and attended law school at the University of Kansas. She currently works at the League of Kansas Municipalities and when she heard Team Jesse was coming to town, she alerted city officials in the seven cities we planned to visit and as a result, we had the opportunity to get to the know the people and the state of Kansas this past week. We are extremely grateful for the efforts of city officials and the generosity of the people from Garden City, Dodge City, Larned, Hutchinson, Eureka, Iola, and Ottawa. Over the course of our stay in Kansas, we received 4 proclamations and 2 keys to cities. We were greeted and escorted as we rolled into towns by policeman, firemen and Patriot Guard. We visited beautiful memorials and were treated to dinners. Matt and I were sworn in as Deputy Marshals in Dodge City. At our final stop in Ottawa, we had the opportunity to visit the resting place of Lance Corporal Christopher Wasser. Again, I would like to thank the Wasser family for allowing me to do that.
While the mountains of Utah challenged us to our physical capacities and made us stronger, Kansas offered us a chance to connect with more people and further our mission. It has made us stronger as we head east for the second half of The Ride.
I know for sure I will never make another Kansas joke, nor will I give Kim a hard time if there is a next time the Jayhawks “fail to reach their full potential” in the NCAA basketball tournament! I went 40 years on this earth without visiting Kansas. I am glad I finally did. I am better for it and more importantly, The Team is better as a result of our visit. If they will have me, I will be back!
One little Mincio rant: If I do come back, I will NOT stay at the same hotel we stayed at in Dodge City. I am withholding the name out of respect for the great people in that city, but the place was not nice to us. To boot, they charged me $114 extra because they claim I stole their comforter. The gall of them! Do they think I rode off with it on my bike? Do they know I am a Deputy Marshal in that town? I hope someone from that hotel is reading this, because I publically deny stealing your comforter. I honestly believe the people loitering around in the parking lot out back are your problem. They may have taken it while I was making coffee in the bathroom. That’s right – IN THE BATHROOM. Who puts a coffee pot in the latrine anyway?!
So now we are in Missouri and we spent our first day resting in a cool (not referring to the temperature) town called Clinton. Matt and I put the laptops and phones away for an afternoon and went to a reservoir to swim. The place was in a town called Tightwad, population 63 (not kidding). They even have a bank called Tightwad Bank (also not kidding). Matt and I found ourselves wondering if this was a joke, but I guess it is not. So the day ended with a great meal at a small Italian restaurant named Anthony’s. The executive Chef, Anthony Velazquez was from the South Bronx and we spent much of the meal talking to him about his journey from NY to Missouri that is quiet extra ordinary. I salute you Anthony. Thanks for a great meal and all you do to encourage kids to make the right decisions in their lives.
Finally, on the way home, we passed a statue marked “Standing Tall” which commemorated men of Clinton’s past that protected her. “Standing Tall” is something we have spoken about on our journey, sometimes in a joking manner, but ultimately, it means being in order and ready to go when it’s time to move out. Our bike pump (aka Joe Blow) also must “stand tall” on this trip, so we invited him to the picture.
To the limit and lawfully,
Deputy Marshal Mincio, Dodge City, Kansas
When I woke up on the morning of Day Thirty-Seven, I knew something was a little wrong. Why was I all stiff and sore? My neck felt like I’d had a headbutting contest with Ray Lewis, and the entire left side of my body ached, especially my thigh and shoulder. Then I remembered the wipeout as I started to move and the sheets tore my new scab on my knee. It was a moment of realizing maturity. When you’re a young ‘un, no such worries exist; when you’re a grown-up, though, it’s best not to expect a zero-consequence effect if you go flying over the handlebars. It will surely lead to disappointment.
When I made my way to grab breakfast, Kevin was having a similar realization. He could barely move his arm, and it was clear that he was pretty jacked up from the day before as well. But, we didn’t really spend any time talking about these things, as we had the final ride of a five-day turn. Today was going to be another 100+ temperature day, with the heat index reaching 111 degrees. Also, it was another century, with a 101 mile course. Only thing is, there must have been a typo on our ride preparation sheet; it was claiming that we had around 2,000 feet to climb. And, that can’t be right because Missouri is flat. Right?
No matter how you slice it, there was no way that either of us was going to do anything other than finish the week strong; in fact, due to the more important events of the previous day (honoring the Fallen, which in turn was a new introduction to purpose, a realization of opportunity), we were more fired up than ever to prove ourselves worthy of the task. So, off we rode…
Within 28 miles of that day’s course, we crossed the border into Missouri. It was our sixth state, and it was really sinking in that we’re actually crossing the country. Of all crossings, this was the first that brought with it immediate change of scenery; while other states sort of blended together, the Kansas/Missouri border could be noticed without the ‘Welcome to Missouri’ sign. It was suddenly lush and rich with color and texture. Thickly leaved trees emerged with trunks not seen and drenched in green. They hugged the humidity and thrived on it being there. You could see the thick air, and the dragonflies paddled through it abundantly. Wildflowers specked open fields that hadn’t been cut in years, and on the other side of the trail, corn stalks loomed tall in straight rows, but curved with the suddenly hilly landscape. Those parts that were tended seemed very healthy; the soy bean fields looked manicured and groomed. The fields that were au natural rolled into hidden pastures owned by lakes. Lots of lakes and creeks, though many of the ones we saw at first were behind fences, some for the purpose of livestock, some for ascetic values.
Kevin suddenly came up with a new ‘Mincio-ism’ This one would have to go into the ‘rule’ category. First, though, try and imagine this in the thick Long Island-ese that he speaks. Ready? “Matty, it is a NO-GO to crawl through any barbed-wire fences to go swimming. If we get seen down in somebody’s lake, all dancin’ around in our speedos, there’s a good chance one of these people picks us off”. I laughed so hard I almost wrecked the bike (again). “Dancin’ around”? He had a good point, though, and when we passed another lake property lot that had confederate flag hanging up, he said, “See there? That’s a NO-GO”.
The further East we pedaled, the hotter it got. The humidity was full-figured, but somehow comforting. I’d swear that it thickened the air and slowed us down a touch. It was going to keep getting hotter as well, as we were only at mile 50 at 1PM (or 1300 hours, if Kevin were to say it). We knew we had to keep moving and outsmart the course like we’d done on Tuesday’s century ride. Problem was, we were waaaay behind schedule compared with that day’s results. Well, at least we could draft of each other and count on nice, flat (albeit winding) roads. Right?
Wrong. Turns out that our ride preparation sheet didn’t have a typo; we entered a stretch of rolling hills that was magnificent. If it hadn’t been for the heat and the fact that we were hitting this piece 75 miles into the course, it would be one of the top five stretches of the entire 37 days so far. Seriously, they should film Audi commercials on this road. It rose and fell, zigged and zagged, curved and straightened and had a life of its own. I have to say that it was beautiful. Even with the heat and timing, we both found it enjoyable to be out there. I think the road we were on is called Road B.
I never thought I’d wear panty hose. Maybe it was the heat. I’m glad I did though! Following a tip from Max Durtschi, one of our advisors and a USA Cycling Team member, I wrapped a panty hose leg around my neck after filling it with ice. I used this trick during the hottest part of the day, and while the ice lasts less than 10 minutes after being completely full, it worked like a charm. I just hope Kevin doesn’t notice that I stole a pair of his panty-hose!
Very glad to have completed this week; we fought a week-long heat advisory warning, and all five ride days had triple-digit temperatures. We rode over 375 miles in this heat; 55 of it on a crushed limestone surface that equates to running in sand. (Yes, Kevin didn’t mention that, I know, but that was the toughest part. To stop pedaling is to stop moving.) Two century rides, two bikes wrecks, 2 close calls with Canines and three flat tires. More importantly, our media coverage continued to grow consistently, and we met city officials from Mayor to Chief of Police and Fire. Most importantly, we got to engage our cause in a meaningful way. I’ll never forget the visit to L CPL Wasser’s resting place. I’m honored to be supporting Kevin though this and will not be out worked in keeping myself valuable to the cause.
Someone I admire recently reminded me to ‘be alert to opportunities’. It’s a good point, as sometimes we all get so ‘heads down’ that we don’t see that which is right in front of us. I appreciate the reminder and also recognize that alertness in our camp: Our media/documentary crew is doing a great job, and it’s been cool to see them come together. What I’m most proud of them for is their choice of activity on their day off: they’re going to hop back in the video van (AKA ‘The Minnow’) and go first to a Soldier’s Memorial that’s around an hour away, then drive another two hours to the recently devastated town of Joplin. They felt that it was something that they had to do.
Kevin and I are going to try and rest our weary bones, as the next leg of the trip is on the Katy Trail, which is a 250-mile stretch of (yes, you guessed it) crushed limestone. Looks like we’ll have the opportunity to get better at riding in loose sand and we’ll certainly be stronger by week’s end. The good news is that it’s still hot.
For the Families of the Fallen…To the Limit!
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
We had the opportunity to visit the resting place of Ottawa, Kansas native Lance Corporal Christopher Wasser today, who died while conducting combat operations in the Anbar province of Iraq on April 8, 2004. Coincidently, and sadly, this is 3 years to the day that SSG Jesse Williams was killed on April 8, 2007. I know this is a day that will always be difficult for both families.
Thanks to the permission we received Christopher’s parents, Scott and Candy, Matt and I finished the ride today with a trip to Highland Cemetery to pay our respects to a fallen hero and thank him for the sacrifice he made on our behalf. During the conversations I had with his father, Scott called his son Christopher, and therefore I will refer to him that way for the rest of this post. I mean no disrespect by referring to him in a civilian way, in fact, it is my intention to respect his family and refer to him in the manner they do – a son and an older brother to 3 siblings, Nicholas, Katie and Emily.
As I approached the site, I immediately was able to find and read the stone marked at the base with “WASSER”. As I gazed from bottom to top, the next words I read was ‘Freedom isn’t free’, a phrase that means everything to me as it describes what our country is all about. Men like Christopher, who gave his life for our country at age 21 and chose to be a Marine knowing the dangers of doing so. His act of courage has afforded others to choose their own path and to be who they want to be. It allows all of us to go to bed at night knowing it will be ok as we sleep. We live in America. How lucky are we?
In my conversations with Scott, I learned Christopher’s first day of basic training was September 11, 2001. I also learned his last day of basic training was December 7, 2001, the 60th anniversary of Pearl Harbor. Christopher was destined to defend our country and he wanted to do it. Scott explained to me how being a Marine was Christopher’s goal in life and that as tragic as it was for him to only live to age 21, that both he and his wife Candy were pleased as parents that their son had achieved his goal. What an unselfish and positive way for two loving parents to look upon the loss of their oldest son. My heart goes out to the Wasser family and I thank them for allowing me to discuss Christopher’s sacrifice today.
There was a ride today too. I feel selfish myself writing about it after visiting Christopher. But there were some notable things to report. The entire day was on the Prairie Spirit Trail, a 50.7 mile trip from Iola, Kansas to Ottawa, Kansas (or Ottawa to Iola if you aren’t traveling to NYC). Its surface is crushed limestone. That was new to me too – let’s just say it’s not asphalt! The first twenty miles were marked by 3 events that we have not experienced:
1. Matt has a blowout at mile 10. Not a flat tire, a blowout. Thankfully, we were close to road, had cell phone coverage and the SAG crew (aka Mama Bear and Papa Bear) where on the spot and nearby. We put on a new tire and we were back on our way in no time.
2. About 5 miles later, 2 dogs fired on to the trail and started chasing us approaching from my side. I remained in my lane, which allowed both of us to break contact rather efficiently, in spite of the dogs’ endurance and resilience. Very shortly afterwards, I was boasting to Matt how I stayed the course (unlike the last time when a guest rider who joined for a morning swerved into Matt’s lane which put him on the grass and vulnerable) when all of a sudden my front tire sunk into the ‘crushed limestone’ and I flew over the handle bars. To quote Ralph Kramden, “It was nothing, a mere bag of shells” (thanks Misch for the Honeymooners reminder). I got away with minor cuts on my arms and we were off and riding again.
3. About 2 miles later we were discussing the incident and I was explaining to Matt the importance of unclipping from the pedals if it ever happened to him, and literally as we were having this discussion, Matt’s front wheel sunk into the ‘crushed limestone’ and over the handlebars he went. Also a “mere bag of shells” – minor cuts on the legs for Matt – and we again we were off.
We got the halfway point 60 minutes behind schedule and a little banged up. We were met by the wonderful people of Garnett, who were very supportive of our mission – it helped to be banged up a bit! We broke out the first aid kit (thanks Kari Pettibone for preparing this) for the first time and we quickly got ready for the second half of the Prairie River Trail.
The final 25 miles were not nearly as eventful as the first half, but I can say that riding on ‘crushed limestone’ is harder than asphalt or concrete and Matt would agree.
We made up some time and arrived to Ottawa only slightly behind schedule and received ANOTHER great welcome from a town in Kansas. This time, Matt and I both got keys to the city and the iced tea, cookies and donuts hit the spot. I would like to thank Air Force Veteran and current Ottawa City Manager Richard Neinstedt for his kind words and participation in this event. I think it was his day off, but he would not admit it.
The people of Kansas are great. If you have not been here, you should come.
Please take a moment today to think about the Wasser family and remember – FREEDOM IS NOT FREE.
To the limit,
/km/
Kevin at Jesse's Gravesite
Newsday’s Yamiche Alcindor writes:
Sachem High School graduate Kevin Mincio has a debt to pay and is bicycling 4,200 miles to do it.
Army veteran Mincio, 40, who served for a year in Iraq, started pedaling June 9 in California bound for New York, to raise money for families of fallen soldiers.
“We’re paying back a debt to families who are suffering for having a hero to provide us freedom in this country,” said Mincio….
Kendra Potter of Colorado’s KKTV interviews Kevin Mincio and Matt Sauri.
Their task is to cycle across America; their mission is to help families of fallen soldiers.
U.S. Army Veteran Kevin Mincio and entrepreneur and philanthropist Matt Sauri are riding their bicycles across the U.S. Their journey will commemorate the upcoming ten year anniversary of 9-11, but their mission is to provide education and help for families of fallen soldiers.
“We all must hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately”
- Words of Benjamin Franklin, upon signing of “The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united states of America (as it was known at the time), Philadelphia, July 4, 1776
We began our mission 25 days ago in Santa Rosa, CA, at SSG Jesse Williams’ gravesite on his 30th birthday. We called this first part of the trip “Act 1: Santa Rosa – Pueblo”, a trek that covered 1,615 miles and 86,100 feet of climbing across 4 states – California, Nevada, Utah and Colorado.
Matt and I both knew at the time that this initial act would set the stage for the ride. We had a schedule that included days of 8000+ feet of climbing and multiple 100+ mile days thru the desert and mountains.
25 days later, we are exactly where we planned to be – Pueblo, Colorado! We are humble about our accomplishment, knowing that the success to date of this mission can change in an instant. As coach Mike Groh has told us:
“You need to prove it to her every day” In our case – her is America. How appropriate given our cause.
As I sit in a Best Western Plus (high class for us on this trip!) reflecting on the past month with Matt, I found the words of Benjamin Franklin meaningful to me – we hung together and we made it together. That will be our focus the rest of the way.
Yesterday’s ride from Westcliffe to Pueblo was less strenuous than previous days. The day was highlighted by a 4000 ft. decent on a windy and scenic route 96 into a town called Wetmore. There we met a photographer from The Pueblo Chieftain, a local newspaper, who took some shots of Matt and I in action for an article that appeared in the paper today (see in the news).
We plan to attend a local music festival today called ‘Rollin on the River walk.’ We will have a booth there and look forward to connecting with people in this patriotic community and sharing The Team Jesse Foundation story.
Act II begins tomorrow. It ends on August 18th in Doswell, VA on the Atlantic Coast. Our SAG crew changes today, with my parents, Ron and Karen taking over responsibilities from my wife Heather, and whippets Java and Moka. Thanks to that crew for getting us here. We wouldn’t have made it without you!
We are also fortunate to have the original ridettes, Dorothy Sager and Kari Pettibone with us for the next 5 days.
We also add a 3rd member to our video crew as well – Austin Blindheim. Welcome Austin.
Happy 4th everyone – lets not forget how lucky we all are today to live in this great country.
To the limit,
/km/
I got up 6:00 am in Telluride on our day off. I couldn’t sleep, in spite of being out late (for me at least – midnight!) the night before. My first order of business was finding a coffee shop with wifi and I quickly ducked into this place called the Steaming Bean, which has GREAT lattes and breakfast burritos.
As I sat in the shop, I thought about the 6 days prior. The week started with a 25 miles, 5100 ft. climb our of Cedar City that took nearly 5 hours and ended with a cruise into Telluride with Matt, Darren, Mike, Jesse and Jake McTigue and the town waiting to greet us. In between was 505 miles of riding and over 33,000 ft. of climbing, plus swirling desert winds and 100+ degree temperatures. We called this Team Week for a reason, and we needed the entire Team to accomplish what we did. Our SAG vehicle (Heather, Java, Moka) and video crew (Brett and Harvey) worked harder than ever and we know without their assistance and the fly by (literally) from guest rider & pilot Kerry Bunday, we would not be sitting in Telluride today.
Before I move on, I would like to make one attempt at being philosophical regarding a day Matt and I will never forget – June 24th, 2011. Hanksville, UT to Blanding UT covered 117 miles and nearly 8000 ft. of climbing in intense heat. For most people, there are few times in their life when the circumstances necessitate asking our bodies to do what is normally not possible. Getting to this point is hard to begin with, because the body first goes into denial and tells us NO – in the form of PAIN. That is the body’s way of protecting itself. It is possible to push through this pain in the form of motivation. For Matt and I, our motivation with thinking about Families of the Fallen – the Williams, Manion, and Looney families…and thousands others. Their struggle was harder than ours and for that reason alone, Matt and I refused to quit. At mile 99.90, Matt reached a point few get to – just before exhaustion. At that instant he decided not to quit and his body responded with what it needed to go the final 17 miles – half of which were uphill. It would be unfair to call this “a second wind”, because it is much more than that. Call it what you want, I am proud of my friend and the mental and physical toughness that he showed that day. I will never forget it.
Back to rest day:
I spend the rest of the am clearing my mental list of things – laundry, car cleaning, bike maintenance, etc. in preparation for a rare opportunity to relaxation for a couple hours later in the day. After speaking to a few parents and children at the local elementary school about Team Jesse and The Ride, I was able to take a short break at a local spa call The Peaks. The place cuts it and from the town, it is required you take the gondola to the hotel. I think I relaxed – I slept through a massage and a facial (Heather’s idea – my face was so dry) and then I managed to stay awake through a pedicure (I feel bad for the lady that did this!) since they had Outside magazine there.
After we attended an informal fundraising event at a place called Brown Dog Pizza. Dan Lynch, one of the owner’s, made the event possible and the turnout and result was tremendous.
The day finally ended with a bar-b-que hosted by longtime residents Mike and Bev McTigue. The food was great and the company was even better. We are very thankful to the entire McTigue family, including Jesse and Jake who were incredibly supportive and proactive in making this visit so special .
So I guess that is a rest day for us. We are off to Montrose, CO today and have our eyes set on the end of Act 1 – Independence Day in Pueblo Colorado.
But as my good friend Coach Mike Groh keeps reminding us – we need to prove it 1 day at a time. We set out to do just that.
To the limit,
/km/
Coach Mike Groh - killing it out there!
Telluride has been on the map given 2 of my best friends Darren Tappen and Mike Groh, who combined I have known for almost 40 years were waiting in Telluride for us. Darren drove from Phoenix, AZ and Mike came from Tuscaloosa, Alabama where he coaches football – Roll Tide!
The route took us along a river, gradually gaining elevation. With mountains to the left and the river to the right, Matt and I just took it all in and enjoyed every pedal stroke.
Then we entered the town of Rico, about 30 miles outside of Telluride. Standing in the road were Mike and Darren. It was an emotional experience to be greeted by 2 individuals that I love like brothers. The scene quickly turned humorous, as things typically do when Darren, Mike and I get together, when I saw 2 mountain bikes on the roof of a car Darren had borrowed. They informed us they would be riding the final 15 miles from Lizard Head Pass, elevation 10,222 ft about 13 miles up the road. So while Matt and I pedaled up hill, Darren and Mike got grilled cheeses and then drove and met us at the top.
Along the way we met up with Jesse and Jake Mctigue, who were also helping prepare for our arrival in town. Jesse wrote an article in the local Telluride paper (see In the news on our Ride site) about the Foundation and The Ride. So the 4 of us pedaled to the top where Darren and Mike were waiting as promised. I gave them a couple dirty Ride jerseys that they wore proudly and we even got Darren to stuff himself into a pair of our Ride bibs!
The grade was steep and we cruised downhill at speeds topping 45 mph (not kidding). I was happy to have everyone arrive safely into town. I was even happier to see a fire truck waiting for us, arranged by Jake and Jesse. We received an escort into town where we gathered in the center of town and spoke to members of the community who greeted us kindly.
From there we got cleaned up and gathered for drinks by the gondola in the middle of town and then went for a tremendous steak dinner, our best by far on the Ride. Thanks to one of my friends (who would not want to be mentioned by name) for generously picking up the tab for this celebration of success to date and friendship. We laughed we hours as we ate (and drank). This will surely be one of the highlights of the Ride for me. There is nothing like quality time with friends like Darren and Mike who mean the world to me.
The night ended (for me) at a bar where we played pool (poorly) for hours. As usual, we put some $ on the line to up the stakes and yours truly won the tournament of bad pool for the evening. I do promise to give my $200 winnings to our cause – all going to Families of the Fallen!
That’s all I know as of now. I left the crew about midnight and walked back to our quarters with Heather. We have a busy day today with the usual bike maintenance, laundry and massage treatments that we get on off days when we can. We also have some meetings with members on the community and a small fundraising event.
Once again, Telluride is a beautiful place. It is a great town with mountains in the backdrop. Add in Darren and Mike as well as all the support from people like Jesse, Jake and their friends and family and its no wonder I am smiling here.
To the limit,
/km/
When SSG Jesse Williams went on combat missions, he would refer to this time as “going to work.” During this period his family and friends would not hear from him as they knew he was off taking care of business. While what Matt and I are doing cannot be compared to the rigors of combat (I know this first hand), we have been off working!
The past 2 days from Escalante, UT to Blanding, UT have been through the high desert. We have covered 230 miles and climbed over 15000 ft – in 2 days! Yesterday was an 11.5 hour ride. When we got to the motel and I emptied the SAG vehicle, I was NOT surprised to throw out 39 water bottles! And this does not include the bottles we grabbed by opportunity from the video van (aka The Minnow). Note – sorry if the plastic water bottles sound environmentally unfriendly, but bottled water is essential in the desert. Ask any combat veteran you know.
The kid Sauri was an absolute champ. Words cannot describe the accomplishment of yesterday. After a grueling hill that ended at mile 99, I made the mistake of asking Matt if he wanted to hop in the SAG and have me finish the day. He looked me right in the face and with defiance said “I am not quitting”. We drove on from there and did not look back. Along the way I was quoting a Rocky movie (Rocky III against Clubber Lang I think), by continually yelling out “I am still standing here” and “ain’t so bad” to refer to Matt’s resilience to reach the finish.
After a good night’s sleep, we have a mere 81 miles today to Dolores, CO and we say goodbye to the Utah desert. Matt and I both agree that she was magnificently pretty, but we will not miss Utah – including the dry restaurants!!
Matt will be back soon as promised.
To the limit,
/km/
Kerry, Kevin and Matt at mile 1000.0 on The Ride
Note 1 – The picture I included occurred at exactly the 1000 mile mark of The Ride. I set the odometer on my bike computer when we left Santa Rosa on June 9th. When I looked down and saw 999.7 miles on the meter and glanced to my left, I knew mile 1000 would never be forgotten. We had the opportunity to have Kerry Bunday with us today to share this moment.
Note 2 – If anyone is thinking of camping in Hanksville, UT over the summer, I suggest you reconsider. The mosquitos here are relentless. It has something to do with an irrigation canal nearby. I am killing mosquitos in my HOTEL ROOM now as I type this entry – no joke!
After covering nearly 500 miles and over 20,000 ft. the previous days, we rolled into Cedar City, UT looking forward to a day to recover and prepare for the tuff week ahead. Since Cedar City had “City” in the name, we were optimistic about reasonable accommodations and hopefully a Starbucks! We were not disappointed to find both and many other amenities in this town of 24,000 know as “Festival City USA”, although I didn’t see or hear of any festivals going on.
My brother Matthew and his family drove from Corona, CA (all 6 of them) to meet up with us for a bit as part of a road trip they were taking. It was great spending time with my nephews Joshua, Cameron and Chase as well as my niece Elizabeth. We spent time by the pool and just hanging around playing lacrosse and with the whippets. Matt joined us for a bit in the evening and provided some quality lacrosse instruction to Joshua and Cameron who both picked up the newly learned skills quickly. Thanks Matt!
I got my nephew Joshua a unicycle for his birthday last August and he has been determined to ride it ever since. He has now grown a bit and was riding uphill, downhill and even over the grass. We invited him to join us for the start or day 14.
Speaking of day 14, the road ahead is hilly and long. We have multiple 5000+ climbs including 2 rides of 108 and 117 miles, respectively. Matt and I are calling this Team Week, as we will rely on each other more than ever to make it to our next rest day in Telluride Colorado where we will have good friends and members of the town greeting us. There is also a rumor that Kerry Bunday will be flying in for part of Team Week. Stay tuned for more of that.
In other news, we will be making changes to our Ride site this week adding video, a picture gallery and separating out media coverage from our blog.
800 miles down and 3400 to go – we are chipping away a day at a time and our mission is gaining momentum. Thanks to all for your support and contributions.
To the limit,
/km/
My motivation and reminder
Greetings from Fallon, Nevada. Let’s call it a place with nice people, but not alot going on. I have never seen a Walmart out of business until here! We just completed days 1-5 covering 348 miles and 17,567 feet of climbing! We are now are relaxing at the lovely Best Western hotel getting some much needed R&R. As a reflect on my thoughts from the first five days, the picture above sums it up best. While Matt and I are enjoying being able to pedal and see the country on bikes in lieu of working for a living, we find ourselves reminding each other that this is not about a bike ride, it’s about the mission. My vision for The Team Jesse Foundation is to help as many families of the fallen as possible by raising money during this event that will go directly to this greater cause. We will do this by working with quality organizations like the Travis Manion Foundation (www.travismanion.com) who will help ensure our vision becomes a reality.
The picture above was taken by our Field Director, Brett Bowker, from our video team. It is a picture of the tags that will be worn around my neck this summer to remind me to stay focused. These tags are on loan from Sonya Williams, Jesse’s wife, and they are the actual tags worn by Jesse during his journey home to rest in peace as a hero of OUR country. What better way to remind me of this being more than just a bike ride. I am sure everyone has been enjoying Matt’s blogging. I certainly have appreciated having someone recap the day in such a heartfelt and genuine manner.
I hope my status postings have been fun to get throughout the day as well. Please get in touch with me if you have suggestions about how we can improve keeping everyone informed and increasing our following. Since we have been providing the daily recap, I won’t bore you all with material already used. I think it would be best to give more general information about what has been going on and how things have been executed for the first five days. We don’t plan to change a thing as of now since things have been going so smoothly. That understood, I learned in the military that a good battle plan sometimes only lasts 1 minute into the first battle, so we are prepared to adjust fire if/when needed.
We have a SAG vehicle beging driven by my wife Heather for the first month, with co-pilots Java and Moka, the famous coffee whippets from Mercer Island, WA. This is a critical element to our battle plan as the SAG vehicle links up with us 1-2 times a day to provide food, water, sunscreen and much needed support. So far things are going well with the SAG, with the exception of Heather not liking the ‘wildlife’ and Java being a bit homesick. I realize it sounds silly that a dog would be homesick, but if you saw Java and Moka’s room (yes, their own room) and yard on Mercer Island, you may understand!
We also have a top notch video crew following us in a separate vehicle thanks to the generosity of Tom Wright and the Wright Education Fund. They are in a van which has now been named the ‘Minnow’ and they follow us diligently throughout the day capturing candid quality footage as both still and video imagery. We will be sharing more of this digital media with everyone as The Ride continues. Here is a short video of Matt and me leaving Santa Rosa Memorial on Jesse’s 30th birthday. The 3rd gentlemen is Navy vet Don Winkle who gave us a personal escort of of town to avoid traffic and start us off safely. We are calling this one “First Pedals”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKgtJa6sp9g
“Top 5″ actually means something to me and Jesse as we use to say that you only met 5 people in your life that you could really trust with your life and with your family. Maybe the number isn’t 5 per se, but the bar is high to consider someone in your “Top 5″. Jesse was for me and I am living that duty of what this means for the rest of my life. Nevertheless, I will be using “Top 5″ every once in a while as I write, so with that understood, here are the “Top 5″ moments of the first 5 days:
5 – Meeting Ian Sims and Justin Sparks on the road to NY the hard way – carrying all their kit on their bikes
4 – The beauty of America (our 3rd character in this story), particularly from Kirkwood, CA to Carson City, NV. Also nice that it was downhill!
3 – The impromptu stops – most notably the foot massage in Folsom, CA and the trip to the dog park in Davis, CA where we met fellow whippets Comet and Orbit. 12 year old Orbit just got a good report from the doc after undergoing cancer treatment. Way to go Orbit!
2 – Day 3 in the books – clapping Matt in after 8,409 ft of climbing this day. Did you know Matt starting riding seriously just 3 months ago – this is a MAJOR accomplishment for any rider regardless of experience.
1 – Happy 30th birthday Jesse! The Ride starts at Jesse’s gravesite with a personal visit from me, family and friends. With Amaya in my lap, I feel my friend watching over me as I embark on the journey in his honor.
If you like what you are reading – please invite others to join The Team. And you can always donate too at www.teamjesse.org/donate.html
To the limit,
/km/
The day started with us getting a better handle on the navigation required for this journey. Our route developer (also my best friend of 30+ years) Kevin Collins has put the daily plans together for us with turn by turn directions. The route is also loaded on our bike computers. As we make our way across the country, we will reach waypoints that Kevin has defined for us. Once this is accomplished, our bike computers give the ‘Route Found’ feedback, which is like a win that occurs throughout the day. It’s nice to be reminded we are not lost.
I met Ian Sims and Justin Starks (no relation to former Knick John Starks!) on the trail today. Ian has a jersey that reads ‘to NY or bust’. Turns out, Ian and Justin on our their way to NY as well. They are doing it the old fashion way, by carrying all their gear and camping. I have to admit, I felt a bit embarrassed telling them I was a former infantryman and I am spending nights in hotels.
My feet starting hurting a bit around mile 80 today. I think they swelled in the heat. As I entered the town of Folsom, I was delighted to see a ‘Foot Massage’ joint. It was like trail magic and I went in for a 15 minutes massage. Feet were much better the rest of the way.
I wore a helmet cam for a couple hours today. Not sure how the footage came out, but I did have it on during opportunistic times, such as a rest stop at a dog park, where my 2 whippets, who are traveling in the SAG vehicle did the frisbee olympics on camera.
The day will be remembered by 2 things for me.
1 – It was longer and expected – 113 miles was the final number. This is because the route is not exactly determined, particularly due to curves in the roads.
2 – Lots of animals – I saw multiple deer, rats (not kidding), a skunk, and 4 rattlesnakes (also not kidding).
The jokes are over tomorrow. The route from Placerville into Lake Tahoe has us gaining 8500 ft and 1 hill is 37 miles long.
I will check in tomorrow – I hope!
To the limit,
/km/
On Wednesday evening June 8, the city of Santa Rosa showed their support for Team Jesse and families of the fallen with a great turnout at the send-off dinner. Thanks to MOMS (Mothers of Military Service members) for their partipation and successful silent auction that complimented the rest of the fundraising for the evening.
June 9, 0900 am, Santa Rosa Memorial Park: Happy Birthday Jesse! I am honored to have had the opportunity to wish my dear friend a happy 30th birthday with Amaya, now age 5, in my lap at his gravesite. Joined by members of Jesse’s family and the entire Team Jesse leadership team, I was able to talk about Jesse and how he inspired The Ride with his approach to life.
Immediately afterwards, Matt and I took off for New York! We were lucky to be escorted out of town by Don Winkle, Navy Veteran and former pro rider. Don let us draft off him for the first 20 miles toward Sonoma. Afterwards, we were able to meet up with team members at the Sunflower Cafe in Sonoma for a great lunch and visit to the Sonoma historic barracks.
From there, Matt and I cycled on together and ended up taking a wrong turn. We decided to stay the course since we knew it would ‘get us there’…but what we didn’t know was that it was not flat and we tacked on 1700 ft and 18 miles to the day. Ultimately though, we enjoyed a scenic ride through the wine country!
We were happy to arrive at our hotel in Vacaville and relax a bit as we prepare for day two – 90 miles to Placerville!
To the limit,
/km/
A quiet moment with Jesse
It’s been a full day already, and it’s not noon! Mince and I had to leave the hotel at 5:30AM in order to be at Santa Rosa’s ‘Froggy’ 92.9 Radio Station. It’s a country station, and we agreed that we will probably know a lot more about country/western when this trip is done, due to the route. I think that there was a tune being sung by some poor guy whose girlfriend had stolen his pickup truck and his dog.
Anyway, we got to talk about our mission on the morning show. After some prodding, Kevin told a bit about his own story, but he mainly wanted to focus on our inspiration, Jesse Williams, during his part of the interview. Since Jesse was from Santa Rosa, and larger than life, we expect that many who knew him will have heard it and smiled.
The morning had come early, probably because last night went a little late. Herb Williams, Jesse’s dad, gathered 16 of us who are in one way or another involved with The Ride and also the Team Jesse Foundation. He hosted a dinner that was one for the books! In light of the menus that we’ll be seeing over the next three months (diners and taco stands, we think), it was not to be beaten. It was tough for the other fifteen guests to not get a little teary-eyed when Jesse’s widow, Sonia, described the last time she saw Jesse alive and how they both cried and couldn’t take their eyes off of each other. Also, she described the eerie premonition that they shared and was unfortunately to become true. We ended the evening with a toast and some Scotch, all of us aware that the kickoff was less than 24 hours away.
I’m writing this as Kevin and I have just returned from our last bit of pedaling prior to The Ride. It was a very easy jaunt, really, from a physical standpoint. We just wanted to do a final gear check so that we didn’t break a spoke in front of all the media attention tomorrow morning. For Kevin, though, this final ride was a lot tougher. We decided to ride to Jesse’s gravesite so that he could say hello to his friend privately and ahead of the well-attended departure ceremony tomorrow morning. I’ve not seen him so emotional since the day that he showed up at my house years ago having just gotten the news that Jesse had been killed in Iraq. With his hand on Jesse’s gravestone he spoke and told his friend that he was there, would always be there and we were going to do this for him. To say that I was touched would be the understatement of the year. To say that I was honored to be there, invited to stand by the side of such an admirable human being while he faced his pain and sorrow would be the understatement of the decade.
When his eyes dried and the steely purpose they carry had returned, he had just one thing to say, “Come on, Matty, let’s go. We’ve got work to do.” His resolve gave me chills. And, this summer, starting tomorrow with Day One, work we will.
Care Creates Community
-Matt
1 year ago: The idea for the Team Jesse Foundation and The Ride came about while hiking the Napoli coast in Kauai, Hawaii in June 2010 with my wife Heather. I somehow convinced her to spend our 7 year anniversary on a 3 day hike! The trail is called the Kalalau Trail and its quiet magnificent, although extremely challenging. During those 3 days we discussed my passion for fulfilling my promise to my dear friend Jesse Williams and we decided I could do more. Helping other families of the fallen would extend this promise and honor my fallen comrade. The Team Jesse Foundation was unofficially born. We came up with the concept of The Ride and talks continued upon returning home. In the Fall 2010, we filed to become a IRS recognized 501(c)(3) charitable organization with a mission to provide education and support for families of fallen soldiers. It has been all downhill from there!
Today: Heather, my 2 dogs Java and Moka, and myself leave for Santa Rosa, California in a couple hours. My good friend Steve Camposan is here in Seattle helping us with final preparations. Steve is a combat infantryman and served 2 tours of duty in Iraq. He was also a good friend of Jesse’s as all 3 of us were in the same scout platoon in 5-20 Infantry. We will drive down to Santa Rosa in the support vehicle, arriving tomorrow afternoon. Matt Sauri will join us then as we prepare for Wednesday evenings kickoff event and the first day from Santa Rosa to Vacaville on Thursday morning.
The last couple weeks have been quite eventful. On Friday, May 27th, I took my indoor trainer to Mercer Island High School and sat in the lunchroom for 6 ½ hours and spoke to students about the mission as I pedaled away. Brett Bowker, who will be capturing The Ride on video, was there and he got some great footage of me discussing The Ride and my military experience with students and faculty.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slbpEf8Q-m8
On Saturday, May 28th, Mercer Island Varsity Lacrosse, which I am an assistance coach for, captured the Washington State boys lacrosse championship with a 5-3 win of Bainbridge Island. I am most proud of my goaltender Brian Bernstein, who played lights-out in this barnburner. Brian also received Academic All-American honors for his performance on the field and in the classroom in 2011. Check out the highlights:
http://www.westsidelax.com/wsl-presents-washington-di-title-mercer-island-vs-bainbridge-island
Matt and I have been training hard together every weekend for the past couple months. During the week, we trained on our own to get ready for The Ride. It’s been a challenging spring with training, the coaching and, oh yeah, I had a full time job as well!
One of my biggest regrets about my Army experience is that I didn’t capture my experiences on paper (or on a computer). I intend to post regular updates throughout this mission. I will try to keep it interesting and, at times, amusing (hopefully). Mostly, I will be myself and report the truth. My integrity throughout this entire experience is most important to me. It is what Jesse saw in me when he asked that I look after his daughter financially if the unthinkable happened. Well brother – I know you are watching and this is an extension of that. I will make you proud and you will inspire me to never quit.
To the limit,
/km/
Team Jesse co-founder Kevin Mincio featured in Press Democrat on Memorial Day, May 29. The article also highlights the upcoming Ride send-off event in Santa Rosa on June 8.
Matt and Kevin at soldiers memorial in Richland, WA
This weekend was quite eventful. On Saturday, Matt, Kari Pettibone and I did the Group Health Inland Empire century ride in Richland, Washington. That is 4 hours from Seattle on the other side of the Cascade Mountains. It’s dry and flat over there, very much unlike the Puget Sound area where we live.
The highlight of the day was when we stopped at a soldiers memorial park. We took a picture by a monument that read “IN GRATITUDE TO THOSE NOW SERVING”. Matt thought of Bucky Morris, a friend and former lacrosse player from the Naval Academy, who is now overseas. This one is for you Bucky – we wish you well and a safe return home soon.
They have these plants over there called goat heads. According to Wikipedia, its a plant in the Asteraceae family–whatever that is. These plants are like nails to a bicycle tire. Matt got 3 flats in the first 25 miles and one of them not only punctured his tire tube, but also ripped an inch gash in his tire. Thanks to Dave the SAG volunteer, we were taken to a bike shop and got back on the road eventually. But we had to cut the course a bit short in order to finish on time and still have Dave available in case we hit another goat head plant! Thankfully no more goat heads and it was a great day.
Today was Amaya Williams’ 5th birthday. After a delicious but unhealthy lunch together I took her shopping in the Southcenter mall in Seatac, WA. I gave her $50 and told her she was on a budget. I wasn’t sure this would work, since I wasn’t sure I would stick to the plan and, if she was anything like her daddy Jesse, budget wouldn’t be a concept she would understand ever! Turns out she bought a stuffed animal. It was an elephant and she named her Tusky. And…..it was in budget. Although I was shocked to learn that a stuffed animal costs $45 nowadays, I was very happy that our first math lesson was a success. Amaya went home with $5!
And oh, by the way, we leave for Santa Rosa two weeks from tomorrow.
To the limit,
/km/
Amaya Williams, age 5, with Kevin at Bahama Breeze
We leave from Seattle, Washington for Santa Rosa in 18 days on June 6th!
The Team has been very busy focusing on final logistics for the ride and marquee event planning along the way. As of now we are planning events in Santa Rosa, St Louis, Fredericksburg, Baltimore and New York.
Out of respect for victims and their families, our event in New York City will be held on September 13th, rather than September 11th. Matt and I plan to arrive at ground zero on September 11th as originally planned and hop off our bikes to do the 9/11 Heroes Run (http://911heroesrun.com/), which is put on by our partner organization, the Travis Manion Foundation (www.travismanion.com).
Our first event in Santa Rosa is on June 8 at 5:00 p.m. at the Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Hall, located at 1351 Maple Avenue in Santa Rosa, CA. We will post specifics on this event shortly.
Matt and I will leave from SSG Jesse Williams’ gravesite about 9:00 a.m. on June 9th, Jesse’s 30th birthday. The first day is a flat 58 miles to Vacaville, but then the road ahead is uphill for a few days as we head directly for Lake Tahoe.
Our plan is to make it to Pueblo, Colorado by July 4th for a special Independence Day celebration and our first support crew change.
Our local and national PR strategy is set and we are finalizing plans to capture the event on video.
Stay tuned for more frequent updates.
To The Limit!
/km/
Amaya Williams receives 5-20 Infantry coin from LTC Soika
On Saturday evening, April 16th, the Team Jesse Foundation partnered with the Washington Stealth and honored our nation’s military with an appreciation night at the final regular season Stealth home game.
The 5-20 Infantry, Jesse and Kevin’s old unit, participated extensively in the event. Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel Soika and Battalion Command Sergeant Major Dallas were in attendance along with 50 soldiers from the unit.
The 5-20 Infantry color guard kicked things off with a stellar performance prior to the national anthem. At halftime two soldiers from the unit, Staff Sergeant Russell and Staff Sergeant Fain, raised their hand and re-enlisted in front of the entire crowd at center turf. The entire Team Jesse Foundation Leadership Team, who were all in town for the event, witnessed the ceremony from the field as Lieutenant Colonel Soika read the oath of enlistment and then addressed the crowd and thanked them for their support of our nation’s military.
Sonya and Amaya Williams were in attendance and a special part of the evening was marked by Amaya receiving a Stealth Jersey autographed by Paul Rabil, who recently was MVP of the World Games in Manchester, England as a member of the gold medal USA team.
Thanks to all who came out to support our mission, the Stealth and our nation’s heroes.
SSG Russell and SSG Fain re-enlist while TJF Leadership Team witness
The Team Jesse Foundation Leadership Team
Thursday evening, April 14th will be one that the Team Jesse Foundation will never forget. Co-Founder Matt Corry along with Treasurer Eileen Tang traveled to Seattle to join the rest of the Leadership Team for The Ride kickoff event.
Thanks to the efforts of our volunteers Cathy Mabee (event lead), Kari Pettibone, Dorothy Sager, Alicia Thompson, Kari Connelly and Gabe Tellier our event was a huge success. Over 200 people attended throughout the evening and we exceeded our fundraising goal.
100% of all donations received will go toward providing education and support for Families of Fallen Soldiers.
Special thanks to Ron and Karen Mincio who came from New York to help prepare for the event and support our mission. And thanks to ‘anonymous’ for all you do!
Matt Corry, Sonya Williams and Kevin Mincio with Jesse picture
Its been a busy month getting ready. Under 70 days to go – 67 to be exact! I have been training in the Pacific Northwest, mostly on weekends with Matt, Kari Pettibone, Dorothy Sager and other guest riders. Today was the 16th training ride in the last 8 weekends. During the week, I do spin classes M-W-F at 630 am before work. The weather is getting better, so I will be getting outdoors more often.
We are excited about the events coming up this month. First, we are having a Fundraiser in Seattle on April 14th. The entire Team Jesse Leadership Team will be in town for this event. See our top story at www.teamjesse.org for details. Following this, we have partnered with the Washington Stealth National Lacrosse League team and will be doing a military appreciation night on April 16th at Comcast Arena in Everett, WA. Gametime is 7:30 pm. Visit www.stealthlax.com for details.
Today was a special day for me. I spent the afternoon with Sonya Williams, Jesse’s wife. She gave me Jesse’s military dogtags that he last wore. I will now wear them for The Ride and he will watch over us. Below is a picture of us on my deck at home on Mercer Island this afternoon.
Lift a glass in tribute and support the families of those who’ve fallen:
Details:
Date: Thursday, April 14th
Time: 6:30 PM – 12:00 AM
Location: Kells Irish Pub
1916 Post Alley, Pike Place Market
Seattle, Washington 98101
(Located between Stewart & Virginia Streets)
http://www.kellsirish.com/seattle/
RSVP via Facebook: Team Jesse Seattle Fundraiser
Starting June 9th, US Army veteran Kevin Mincio and entrepreneur and philanthropist Matt Sauri will cycle west-to-east across America. This 95-day, 4,200 mile journey furthers a mission of supporting families of fallen soldiers through the work of The Team Jesse Foundation, founded in the memory of SSG Jesse L. Williams, Kevin’s comrade in the 5-20 Infantry Regiment, who gave the ultimate sacrifice fighting for his country in April of 2007 leaving behind wife Sonya and one-year-old daughter, Amaya, now age four.
The ride begins at SSG Williams’ grave in Santa Rosa, CA on Jesse’s birthday and ends at Ground Zero, the site of the World Trade Center, on the tenth anniversary of the September 11th attacks that motivated Mincio to enlist. Along the route, Kevin and Matt will visit the children and families of fallen soldiers and will stop at the US Naval Academy, Arlington National Cemetery, and the Gettysburg Battlefields.
On Thursday, April 14, 2011, starting at 6:30PM, in honor of the fourth anniversary of SSG Williams’ death, and in support of the Team Jesse Ride, join us at Kells Irish Pub at Pike Place Market in Seattle to pay lively tribute to Jesse and to the many others who’ve given everything serving in America’s armed forces.
A suggested $10 donation to The Team Jesse Foundation in honor of The Ride will help fund educational scholarships and support to families of fallen US soldiers. In addition, we’ll host a silent-auction with packages including Mariners tickets, a three-hour wine and cheese cruise on Lake Washington, an Xbox360 with Kinect, and a nutritional therapy session from Synergy WellnessNW.
Join us in celebration and giving Tant Que Je Puis: To the Limit of Our Abilities.
Kevin Mincio and Washington Stealth President David Takata
Team Jesse Co-Founder Kevin Mincio and Washington Stealth President David Takata promote the April 16th 2011 Military Appreciaton Night at Comcast Arena, Everett, WA and the Team Jesse Ride slated for Summer 2011.
Washington Stealth, the 2010 National Lacrosse League Champions, partner with The Team Jesse Foundation in honor of SSG Jesse Williams. Stealth president David Takata and Team Jesse founder and veteran Kevin Mincio are meeting on center turf during halftime of the Stealth game on February 12 to announce this partnership. They will also inform fans of a military appreciation night scheduled for April 16.
To learn more about Washington Stealth visit www.stealthlax.com.
The Team Jesse Foundation inaugural raffle will be the fundraising highlight with the final drawing to be held at the fields Sunday, thanks to the event sponsor Lacrosse Wear. Additional thanks to STX, Breakaway Sports, 1 Lacrosse and King Dyes for generous raffle prizes.
Read more here.
Team Jesse is sending a Lacrosse team to Miami from January 28-30 to play in the annual Bump & Grind Lacrosse Tournament. A group of professional and amateur lacrosse players will be playing in support of our mission to support families of fallen
soldiers.
In September 2010, Team Jesse President and Co-Founder Kevin Mincio was featured in an ABC News story which chronicles his journey from Wall Street to war and back again.