Nearing 7000 miles in, an earthquake and other California experiences.

 





California is improving!  We did experience a 4.6 earthquake last week which made the camper shake, but no damage done and another "adventure" to add to the experiences.  Scott had a couple of gorgeous rides along the coast and is looking forward to another long (90 mile) ride tomorrow from the  Hollywood RV park to Santa Barbara.  He is almost to 7000 miles into this charitable  journey to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer and schizophrenia, to honor his life and Benny's life!  

One of the highlights of this journey is all the wonderful people we have met and who have supported us along the way.   Our LLS (Leukemia Lymphoma Society Team in Training friends have been terrific - from donations to the two charities we are supporting (zero prostate cancer and psychosis and schizophrenia action alliance,) to fundraising with us, to media releases, to designing and maintaining the website,  to posts on Facebook to raise awareness, to connecting us with friends to bike with, to planning routes, etc. The "Team"  continues long after  the team in training event (run, bike, triathlon)  you sign up for ends.  Through training together and sharing a mission against cancer, team becomes family.  We thank  all of our Team friends as we appreciate you!  Without the LLS Team support this journey would not be as successful or as enjoyable. 

One of the challenges of this journey continues to be logistics.  For me that means working from the camper and juggling my time commitments  between supporting Scott, charity and my legal work as an attorney etc.,  continues to be a challenge.   For both of us a challenge is also fitting in appointments for things that require advance planning - hard to do when you are moving and uncertain when you will be somewhere.  Example: Scott lost a hearing aid on one of his  falls.  I hate having him bike with one hearing aid.  Thank you Miracle Ear who fit him in on short notice (Mario Pallais n Sherman Oaks- see the pictures!)  Today Scott is off getting wheels taken care of from the previous face plant into the guard rail (thank you Bill Miller of Giant cycle!)  We also have another warning light on the truck, and a wiring issue in the camper.  Sigh. All the "normal" everyday life things that become more difficult when you are on the move.  

Another recent blessing is getting to attend the sister church, Eastside, to our home church in Park Rapids. My background is Greek Orthodox but we have no Greek church in Park Rapids.  So since moving up to NW Minnesota in 2018 we have attended Eastside Christian Church.  It has been a "piece of home" to walk into the Eastside church's in California.   The sermons are also always excellent and this last one on persistence hit home!!!!!! 

We are over 7 months into this journey and we can start to feel the pull of home.  Scott will be biking up the West coast to Washington, then back through the northern tier to Minnesota. We are already planning a party for our mid June arrival back in Minnesota at Itasca State Park.  Details coming soon!     milesformoney.org 

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