Flashback . . .  remember being introduced to Logan (the youngest Jedi) and Princess Vi his beautiful sister?   What I didn’t tell you is that the evil mastermind Zorg kidnapped Princess Vi and had been holding her for ransom.   Logan asked me not to say anything as he was hot on Zorg’s trail.

I am happy to report that Logan’s superior tracking abilities and mind powers allowed him to overcome Zorg, rescue his sister and return to his home planet.

Go LOGAN, youngest Jedi Master in the universe!

 

 

Wanted to take a moment to wish all of my Scotts Associates “Fair Winds and Following Seas”.   This is a traditional US Navy expression that is delivered when departure is underway.   It is a heartfelt sentiment that means we may be parting but as we leave each other’s company our wishes for a great future stay.

Scotts Miracle Gro is a GREAT company!   In a presentation that was delivered to BT and is a part of any future presentations that may be delivered, I cited the following reasons for Scotts being the best company in the land: outdoor orientation, great leadership, beautiful campus, superb products, and a devotion to leaving the planet in a better place than we got it.

Here are a couple of pictures that memorialize the great times we had as a “family” and the variety of activities that we get involved with at Scotts.

Thanks for allowing me to be a part of your family and though I am “departing the pattern” my thoughts and best wishes will forever be with you!

So, we left to visit my grandchildren in South Carolina.   I was in a quandary, should I take Miracle Gro to begin training or concentrate on the visit.   The visit won and Miracle Go was left behind.   I didn’t want her to be “hung” on the back of the car and exposed to rain and potentially snow.   I promised her I wouldn’t be riding anyway.

Three days into the trip the cold rainy weather turned to beautiful blue skies and temperatures in the mid to high 60s.   My son’s bike was available and I took it out for a spin on the 20 mile “Spanish Moss Trail.  It was glorious.   However, if Miracle Gro finds out that I cheated on “her” who knows what kind of havoc she might cause on the real trip.

In order:

1. The Spanish Moss trailhead – About 15 miles of nice, flat concrete which makes the bike ride very nice indeed.

2. Jets on display by US-21 just off the bike trail.   Part of the Marine Air Base.

3. Bike paths have construction/detours too.

4. About 3 miles into the trip there was a industrial warehouse going through the middle of the bike path.   Very unexpected and kinda’ cool.

 

 

Well the first milestone is achieved, we met and exceeded our Pelotonia commitment of $5,000.   This is the amount that each Pelotonia rider is personally responsible to collect.  Thanks to YOUR generosity as of this morning we’ve collected $5,306.

While I am unwavering in my goal to collect 1 million dollars for the 2018 Pelotonia, I want to focus on shorter term goals.    My intermediate goals will be $100,000, $500,000, $750,000 and the final $1,000,000.   So, $100,000 here we come!

Donations are always welcome remember lots of supporters is what we need now.  Please reach out to family, friends, and anyone else that may have a stake in beating cancer.   Together we CAN and WILL beat cancer!

 

Miracle Go and I have been together for about a month.   Due to the cold (have I told you I hate the cold) and wet (have I told you I hate wet) weather, we have only been on the road a handful of times.   This will shortly change with the necessity of starting to train for long distance riding.

This is Miracle Go’s final configuration.   The changes that might not be apparent from the picture:

1. Compass that fits in the handlebar stem (doesn’t seem to work very well).

2. Front saddlebags (didn’t need the extra space but helps with front wheel stability).   There should be 4 pound front wheel to 6 pound back wheel ratio.   The four saddlebags can hold about 100 pounds collectively.  Currently I am carrying only 35 extra pounds and believe this is about all I’ll need.

3. Handlebar bag with clear top that will hold my maps and interior that will hold items that need to be readily accessible.  Now I love my maps – big metal change which might have something to do with a compass that thinks every direction is north.

 

This messy looking concoction of information is the evolution of my thinking moving from where I didn’t require a map to my more enlightened thinking (at the prompting of a son) to get a general sense of where I would be traveling.   This doesn’t restrict my flexing the route as needed but does give me feel for distance and direction.   The scribbles are me adding distance information.

In general:

1. Route: Home, Marysville, Louisville (hometown), Springfield MO, Los Vegas (many in between cities),  up to Carmel and Monterey (Jill and I spent early marriage years here), San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and then turning west.

2. Displayed route 6069 miles

3. Elevations maps in the middle showing the mountains.

Talked with the nutritionist at Scotts Miracle Gro, Cara Good, a couple of times to see how best to stay fueled for long distance and consistent bike riding.   I was amazed by what was learned listening to her.

Bottom line is eating foods that are natural (fruits,  nuts, a little protein and vegetables are good and things that you fill with sugar (cookies, cakes, and ice cream) are not so good.

Apparently the secret to a youthful, energetic life is to eat natural foods (occasional treats are fine), exercise (which is anything that causes you to move), and water.

Read somewhere recently that exercise and good food is the pill that cures all ills.   Pretty simple recipe to create a happy, radiate life spiced with good health.

What do you think?

The reality is I am a wimp – I hate the cold.   For this reason much of my training on the weekends is in the basement on a stationary bike in front of the TV.    April 30th is getting closer so I will have to force myself outside.

In Columbus Ohio the last day when we can expect freezing temperatures is May 15th.   While I am really hopeful that April 30th will be warm and I have a week’s worth of warmth to skedaddle down south, I can’t expect to be that lucky.   The worst case is it is cold and rainy.

Yesterday began my Spring training.   I went out in 40 degree weather with the clothes I expect to wear on April 30th to test their ability to keep me warm and to get a better feel for my new bike Miracle Go (MG).   I am happy to report that MG is superior in all respects.   I don’t have the front saddlebags yet so I don’t have a true feel for how hard will be to pedal the added weight (my road bike is so light that I could carry it easily where MG even without the saddlebags feels twice as heavy).

My unscientific testing reviewed:

1. Riding at 40 degree temperatures in my planned clothing is doable but I need a wind breaker.

2. MG, unloaded and in a wind, allowed me to travel 12 miles in 40 minutes with an average speed of 14.6 MPH reaching a top speed of 25.6 MPH (of course going downhill).

3. Expectation that I will be able to average between 13 and 15 MPH on my trip (unsubstantiated at this point).

4. Need to start riding outside more to acclimate to the temperature and conditions

Summary?   Spring please hurry!

 

 

An earlier post stated that I wasn’t going to “map out” my journey preferring to go South and West figuring its tough to miss the Pacific Ocean.   My oldest son John suggested that I lock down a general route.   A general route allows him to look for TV, radio, newspapers or public gatherings that may want “The Scotts Kid” to speak.   It is tough to argue against such solid logic so the fix is in.

My plans are to leave my home in Candlewood, OH on April 30th and travel down US-42/36 to Marysville where I will make a quick stop at Scotts Miracle Gro to say farewell to my friends.  Scotts promotes employee health by having a quality gym on site with the highest quality trainers and equipment that you ever did see.   Each year I had about 360 ‘”visits” to the gym.   I will sorely miss all my early morning friends (Diana, Laurel, Sean, Lee, Dr Lee, Mani and others) and the dedicated trainers (Jen, Katie, Chris, Josh, Logan, Sarah) that keep us all in shape.

From the Scotts corporate location I will travel to Marysville where I hope to get an article in the “Marysville Journal-Tribune” and then start to solicit donations.   Then US-42 will take me to my hometown of Louisville, US-60W will take me to Springfield, MO, and US-66 will get me all the way to Los Angeles and objective #1, the Pacific Ocean.   I was thinking that the one way mileage was about 3500 miles but Google maps disagrees and said the trip is more in the 2414 miles range.  This is great news since it means I can meander north and south of my western trek to spread the story to more cities.

 

I live is a small rural community called Candlewood Lake.   Its a beautiful and friendly community that is ideal in so many ways.  Candlewood’s early years was not so smooth as documented in George Harmon’s book, “The Candlewood Pine View Saga”.

If not for a small group of heroic individuals, including George Harmon and the entire Harmon clan, then Candlewood may have remained a dream when the original developer took many down payments and left for the hills.  Candlewood was a muddy mess with no lake and people unable to build on the property they thought was theirs.  Candlewood was all but dead.

Last year the lodge at Candlewood Lake, the center of social activities, was named for was named for George Harmon.  George and his family devoted much of their live to change the “muddy mess” into the Candlewood Lake dream that we know today.   Thanks Harmon clan!

PS – Took MG (Miracle Go, my bike) on a training run.   I exchanged books at the Candlewood library (thanks June Maxwell) that is housed in the Harmon Lodge.   That’s when I go the idea to take this picture.   When you are going on a solo trip you have to have a friend in the picture to personalize it.   Have a feeling that MG is going to have her picture taken in many, many places.

PS II – Last weekend George called and asked if I’d help him and Craig clean up some pines trees that blocked one of his driveways.   George is 91 years old (is this okay to share George) and his son is about my age.   I exercise regularly and thought I would be the workhorse of the team.   The reality is George and his son Craig worked me into submission.   It was a great afternoon and I hope that I age as well as George.   My advice is if George ever asks you to help him do something be prepared to “try” and keep up with him.