Visit to Palm Bay Florida

We just got back to the panhandle of Florida after two days in Palm Bay.  I must say, I was truly amazed by the commitment of Palm Bay to make positive strides to reduce suicides in their community. 

Yesterday, I rode from the hotel to city hall with a full police escort.  Lieutenant Dave Crispin also joined me, he is an avid cyclist and also lost his wife roughly two years ago.

I have to admit getting a police/fire department escort through town is really, really sweet!!! It’s pretty funny when they stop traffic in every direction for me to ride through. 

(Lt. Dave and I)

After a quick interview, Azure and I were taken on an extensive behind the scenes tour of the city complex.

Last evening I spoke at the community teen center and this morning at the Suicide Symposium that was held at the Palm Bay City Hall.  In an amazing and unexpected turn, the Palm Bay Mayor gave a proclamation and declared today October 30^th Suicide Awareness day.  If every community was as dedicated to trying to make a difference, as the city of Palm Bay has become I think that public opinion on suicide and mental illness would be vastly different.  

In a very touching and heart wrenching moment after my speech, the mother of Taylor King a 14 year old who lost her battle with depression 4 weeks ago, asked me to wear a bracelet in memory of her daughter. 

I have to be honest I knew that were would be lots of unexpected things along the way.  Speaking with the many families who have suffered losses both recently and in the past was something that I was not prepared for.  I don’t know if it is something that I could have prepared for even if I had expected it. 

(Some of Taylor's family members)

To all of the families and people we have met, all we can say is that we are so sorry for your loss.  Hopefully, our message can prevent other families from having to suffer through what you are dealing with. 

As for tomorrow after a few days of rest it’s back to the grind for me.  Key West here we come.

-Just Keep Pedaling

Deep South Suffering

I was reminded today that I haven’t posted a blog since the 17^th… well let me explain.  Yes, yes, I know I have said it before and things haven’t changed so I will say it again; things have been very hectic... sorry.  We returned from New York and prepared for our departure the following morning. (Actually, the same morning since we didn’t get in until 1:30am) 

After saying goodbye to Azure’s parents, we left to return to where we had left the road.  Only problem was when we got there a thunderstorm was raging, and Azure and I were both exhausted from our travels.  By the time the storm had passed there wasn’t enough time for me to get any mileage. Not a good start with the amount of miles I had in front of me.  The following day I jumped on the bike with a bunch of big mile days ahead of me. 

Things went rather smoothly the first day out, but quickly deteriorated after that.  The following day I faced a slight head wind and terrible roads. To save us all some time here I will cut to the chase, the wind steadily increased each day, and just when I thought they couldn’t get any worse I rode through one of the worst wind storms the eastern part of the country has ever seen, and no it wasn’t behind me. 

 

For those of you who ride, you know that head winds are no fun.  No exaggeration I have been dealing with crazy winds for the last four months.  After awhile, it just wears you down.  Each day I fell further and further behind my schedule.  I need to be in Palm Bay, Fl on the 29^th and 30^th for an event that the Palm Bay Police Department is holding for us. 

Upon our return I knew that in order for us to hit Palm Bay on time I needed perfect conditions and a great deal of luck.  I should have known better.  Nearly everything that could go wrong, as is usually the case, did go wrong.  Three down days due to serious thunderstorms, a half day due to mechanical issues, and with the exception of the first day a constant head wind (seriously). 

Before I left on the ride, while doing ride prep and research, I found a website.  It was the chronicle of a journey on a bike from Key West to Prudhoe Bay.  Only he didn’t make it.  By the time he got to Tok, AK he threw in the towel and quit.  For the life of me I couldn’t understand how he could get so close and stop.  This is something that has bothered me since I read it.  That is until this past week.  Because I found myself standing on the side of the road in the middle of no-where Mississippi and I wanted nothing more than to quit. 

As I stood there catching my breath and trying to concentrate enough to gather my thoughts against the deafening roar that 30mph winds create.  Physically, mentally, and emotionally I was done.  I have nothing left, nothing to prove, only a lifetime to live with the regret of not finishing.  And the knowledge of the people I would let down (myself most of all).  For the first time since the Dalton, I couldn’t physically go any farther.  I don’t know if there are words to properly describe what was going on in my head, if there are, I don’t know them.  Azure wisely pulled me off the road and we headed to a hotel.  It had been a while since I had spoken to anyone, and my grandmother had called earlier in the day.  Upon returning her call she answered, I said “hi, grandma” and she knew. 

“Patrick, what’s wrong? Are your OK?” Hearing her voice I lost it.  I started crying uncontrollably, I was trying to keep it together enough to return her call and keep her from worrying (as she always does) and two words into the conversation and she knew that I was devastated, although she didn’t know why.  I had to give the phone to Azure because I couldn’t talk; she explained to my grandmother what had been going on.  I was finally able to gather myself enough to get back onto the phone and was quickly reminded of how far I had already come and the only thing that mattered was that Azure and I were both safe.  She instructed me to take a week off from the ride.  Sorry Grandma, no time to rest.

I think a large part of why the ride has been so tough lately is that since day one, mentally, I have been telling myself all you need to get do is get to Denver.  It will be a cakewalk after that.  The terrain since Denver has most certainly been easy, but the conditions i.e. wind and weather have made it grueling.  Mentally, I wasn’t prepared to take on the South. 

After a long talk with my grandma and some rest, I got back on the bike the following morning and continued to grind it out against my nemesis the wind. 

I accepted the fact that I wasn’t going to make Palm Bay and I would be driving in, sometimes, we just have to accept that you can only control a finite number of things in this life.  Weather, isn’t on that list. 

So this morning we woke up to guess what thunderstorms.  Having a long drive to Palm Bay we didn’t have time to sit it out so we packed up and got in Bertha for the longest continuous drive since we left Virginia for Alaska. 

Tomorrow and Saturday will be here and then back up the road to Paxton where I stopped.  The two days rest are sure to recharge my batteries for the final push down to the Keys.  I will sincerely try to do better with my blogs, but it is difficult when you day consists of being on the bike bright and early, riding until the sunsets.  Getting a shower and trying to throw food down before I fall asleep in my plate. 

Until next time, just keep pedaling.

 

P.S. Azure wanted me to mention that as we neared Florida, she found two puppies.  Unfortunately, we are in no way, shape, or form currently equipped to properly deal with or care for two puppies.  So we were forced to drop them off at a local shelter in Evergreen, AL. If anyone in Alabama or the Florida panhandle is reading this they are at the City of Evergreen Animal Shelter.

Hours: 8am-3pm- it's a good idea to call first because the guy who runs it is also animal control

Phone: 251-578-7217 City of Evergreen Animal Shelter at 300 Cross Street, Evergreen AL

I must say they are very sweet puppies, and it was heart breaking to leave them behind.

10-20

125.65 miles

17.0 mph average

27.8 mph max

7:23:12 ride time

10-21

102.31 miles

15.1 mph average

24.1 mph max

6:45:50 ride time

10-22

75.79 miles (mechanical force me off the road early)

15.4 mph average

24.1 mph max

4:53:49 ride time

10-23

101.5 miles

15.5 mph average

32.7 mph max

6:31:51 ride time

10-24

28.76 miles

14.5 mph average

25.6 mph max

1:58:21 ride time

10-25

97.2 miles

15.3 mph average

29.7 mph max

6:18:46 ride time

10-26

74.2 miles

15.2 mph average

35.9 mph max

4:52:34 ride time

10-27

86.8 miles

15.7 mph average

32.5 mph max

5:30:06 ride time

Sad News

Earthquakes occur everyday all over the world, with varying degrees of severity of course. But, you don’t expect to be woken up by one when you are in Noble, OK.  That however, is exactly what happened the other day when a 5.1 shook the central Oklahoma area.  I didn’t hear of any damage or injuries, just a bunch of confused people, myself included. 

Our plan was to leave from Tuttle on the west side of town where I had stopped the ride on Sunday night, with Azure’s mom joining us so they could spend a little extra time together.  Only during the ride we received some terrible news. Ben’s mother passed away.  For those of you who don’t know Azure lived with her sister Amber and her husband Ben for several years.  So she is not only very close with Ben and Amber, but was also very close with Ruth.  So we had to change our plans. 

When I spoke to the kids at Eaton High School I told them that above all life was the most important thing.  I meant it, which is why I am sitting on a plane right now typing this blog.  Ruth’s life and her passing, trump the ride.  I told those teenagers that we can all overcome the trials of life if we are willing to be there for each other, and right now we need to be there for Ben and Amber.

I still have a ton of ground to cover so we actually rode as far as we could before heading back to fly out of Oklahoma City.  We return on Monday night at which point we will jump in the van and head back to where I left the road yesterday.  I have an event in Palm Bay, FL on the 29^th and 30^th of October so, I will be trying to cover more ground in 9 days than seems possible. But I am confident that we will make it.  Ask me that on day 4 and I may have a different answer, all I can do is try. 

Ben and Amber, we are so sorry for your loss. We will see you both soon.

Ruth while we are deeply saddened, we are glad that your suffering is over and know that you are in a better place.

10-13

69.65 miles

18.3 mph average

35.8 mph max

3:48:08 ride time

10-14

94.54 miles

18.1 mph average

32.1 mph max

5:13:26 ride time

10-15

36.89 miles

17.9 mph average

28.9 mph max

2:03:19

Pikes Peak to O.K. City

Wow is really all I can say… the last week was much more difficult than anticipated. I knew that the ride to Denver would be a challenge but planned on tail winds and easy going after that.  That was not to be, the wind was present and accounted for nearly every day, however it was generally hurting rather than helping.  Not quite sure why I am surprised by this, I have been fighting the wind for the majority of the trip, I should be used to it by now right?  Well, I’m not. 

(One last look at the mountains)

We took the only rest day that I had allotted, to run errands and re-supply before heading out from Colorado Springs.  So I was left with about 600 miles to our stopping point outside of Oklahoma City, and 6 days to get there.  Not fun, and not a lot of time to do anything except eat, sleep, and ride. 

It wasn’t a very pleasant section of the ride, the fly’s (due to massive amount of cattle in the area) were absolutely out of control.  I also have to admit that it was much hillier than I expected, not bad, they were just rollers, but I was expecting pancake flat and winds at my back.  To make matters worse on the fourth day I broke the crank on my road bike.  I tried to fix it, but quickly realized there was nothing I could do. 

I had no choice but to go to my back up and ride the cross bike in.  The cross bike is great in mud and great for climbing but isn’t exactly set up for centuries.  None the less, I had to get it done because Azure’s family was waiting for us in Noble and I knew she was anxious to get there.

Getting on the bike on Sunday I was done before I even started, but knew that I had a little over a hundred to get to our stopping point outside of town.  Lucky for me I was contacted by a local rider out of Oklahoma City that volunteered to ride out to meet me and pull me in.  Sure enough Tom showed up and he really couldn’t have come at a better time, I was at about 90 miles for the day and had hit the preverbal wall.  He managed to pull me up and over the wall and we road the last 20 or so miles in half the time it would have taken me solo.  He was also able to warn me about a very large and more importantly very fast pit bull that was loose, as he had found on the way out to meet up with me. 

Tom, thanks for the support and company, it was great.

We arrived at Azure’s parents’ late on Sunday night. Azure’s Mom had made a huge batch of stew, which I devoured.  We spent Monday night at a local restaurant that hosted a fundraiser for us.  Azure’s Dad had been working relentlessly organizing and promoting the event for us.  We end up with a pretty good turn out just under 100 people and got a great meal out of the deal as well.  So a huge thanks to Bob, Kristy, and Kendall’s, as well as the Kendall’s staff for working on what should have been their day off.

I know that this post is more than a little lack luster, I will try to do better but their isn’t a whole lot of time to write between the time I get off the bike and my head hits the pillow.

We are getting closer every day and I have a bunch of big mileage days ahead of me so that I can hit Palm Bay on time.  I am wishing myself luck…I’m gonna need it!

I have to throw and extra thank you in here to Tom!  After we rode in, he offered to take my bike into his in Schelgel Bicycles Oklahoma City, to save us the trip.  I took him up on his offer, What I didn’t expect however, was what happened when I went to pick up the bike today.  Tom had already picked up the bill.  I am still kind of in disbelief but, greatly appreciative. While everyday we see the bad in people on the news and in T.V. this trip has really reminded both Azure and I how amazing kind and generous people can be.  Thank You for that!

10-5 (cross wind)

109.58 miles

16.8 mph average

36.9 mph max

6:29:34 ride time

10-6 (tail wind early, no wind in the afternoon)

102.76

18.4 mph average

29.8 mph max

5:35:09 ride time

10-7 (head wind)

108.5 miles

16.2 mph average

30 mph max

6:44:58 ride time

10-8 (broken crank)

54.09 miles

15.7 mph average

31.5 mph max

3:25:59 ride time

10-9 (head wind)

100.72 miles

15.5 mph average

31.9 mph max

6:26:41 ride time

10-10

107.72 miles

15.7 mph average

35.4 mph max

6:49:50 ride time

Sans Nom

I know that it makes no sense, but when I have time off I rarely get my blogs done.  The break we just took in the Denver area was no exception.

I have several buddies that live in and around Denver so I have been looking forward to it since the beginning of the trip.  I had intended to ride from Laramie to Denver as it is mostly down hill.  However, I didn’t account for the wind (not exactly something new and different) so I found myself pedaling hard and barely topping out at 15mph.  I hit Fort Collins and decided to wrap it up knowing that Brennan and Haley were waiting for us in Denver.  The following Tuesday, Brennan and I headed back to where I had left off and rode into town. 

(Pre Ride Photo op)

(post ride)

I rode with groups quite a bit during my training, so I actually used to enjoy the training days where I rode solo.  After 3 months of riding alone, it was really awesome to have some company. 

Azure and I have to thank Haley and Brennan for opening their home to us for the week.  We are well aware that with our current lifestyle (i.e. living out of a van) we kind of explode onto the scene when we arrive anywhere.  We quickly overran their space, but they were gracious and welcoming.  We can’t thank you guys enough.  As a bonus we all get along great so we had a blast.

(Dinner at the Sullivan's)

(Taking a break in the Mountain's)

I was scheduled to give a speech at Eaton High School north of Denver on Friday morning so being the perpetual procrastinator that I am as of Wednesday, I still hadn’t written it.  (It’s just my life story how hard could it be?)  Coincidentally, Brennan also had to work on a biography for a new job he was starting.  We later determined that it was probably best that we didn’t live together all four years of college; we are pretty good at distracting each other.  Needless to say neither of us got our work done. 

On Thursday we headed up to Greeley, so that we would be on site in the morning.  My brother-in-law’s girlfriend is a councilor in Greeley about 50 miles north of Denver.  She was kind enough to set up a speaking engagement as well as a group ride for us (and let us stay the night with her too).  So Friday morning we showed up to the ride start point and were stunned.  Twelve people and a four-car police escort were waiting for us.  I have to be honest it felt really good to finally get some support, for what we are doing.  Two of the riders that joined me had lost sons, one of whom lost his 17-year-old 5 weeks ago. 

We have had a lot of unexpected things occur on our journey.  One of the hardest things I have had to deal is the loved ones left behind.  But it is also what keeps me going, when I don’t feel like getting on the bike, I think about them.  I hope that maybe in some small way what we are trying to do can bring them some solace.  Nothing will bring their children or spouses back but hopefully it helps to know that someone is out here trying to get people talking. 

Something else I didn’t expect was how hard it would be to give a speech to 500 high school students.  Those of you, who know me, are well aware that I have no problem talking to strangers.  But trying to get 500 young adults to understand the permanence and repercussions of suicide in 40 minutes, not something I am really qualified to do.  So I simply told them my story and tried to stand as testament that recovery is possible if you’re willing to seek help.  I can only hope that I gave them something to chew on, and hopefully motivated a few of them to start talking.

Friday night we went out on the town with friends, and tried our best to act like we were back in college.  So Saturday consisted of Brennan and I lying around discussing how we don’t recover like we used to.

Sunday morning Brennan and I headed out for Colorado Springs.  Haley would head down later in the day to pick him up and I got some company on the bike for another day.  The ride proved much more challenging than initially anticipated.  A stiff headwind and several climbs made it a pretty long day.  But I have to hand it to Brennan; he stuck with it and gutted it out.  Although at one point I looked back at him and thought he was going to pass out.  He later confessed that at this point he also thought that he was going to pass out.  But for a guy who hasn’t been doing hardly any riding lately he hung in there and busted the ride, right along side of me. 

We had a ton of errands to run in the Springs that took much longer than anticipated so we are sitting tight today and will head out first thing in the morning.

One last note I have to thank the owner of the Bike Peddler in Greeley for taking care of some much needed repairs.  Thanks Andy it is greatly appreciated.

9-28

68.25 miles

15.1mph average

36 mph max

4:30:46 ride time

10-3 

83.51 miles

14 mph average

39.4 mph max

5:56:38 ride time