Monday, Sept. 17th

Well we all got a good night sleep at the Wyndham. Thanks to the general manager we were able to get discounted rates, which were subsequently picked up by one of our generous supporters.

We lost Rick St. John today. He had to get back to work, but he plans to join the team again in Louisville. Fortunately, we gained Richard Brown, our dad from England. Jack is his little boy who is being treated at Sloan Kettering.

We were welcomed with open arms at Denver Fire Station 1 where we were allowed to park our vehicles out of the weather and meet with the media. After multiple interviews and a quick prayer, Engine 1 escorted us to the Children’s Hospital of Denver. We biked through downtown Denver following a fire engine with emergency lights flashing. All we could think was what a unique experience it was. Many thanks to the Denver FD for their hospitality and assistance.

After signing all the right paperwork, it was finally time to visit some children. That’s what we had been waiting for all morning. With all of us missing our families, it was so wonderful to spend time with people who know what we’re going through.

First we met little Kayla, a beautiful one-year old princess whose eyes lit up when we walked in the room. You would never have believed that she just conquered a round of chemotherapy. But she is a little fighter just like our kids, with a determination that you don’t see in most adults. They have a resilience that I know I could never comprehend. We want to thank her mom Julie for letting us share in a very difficult day for her. Your strength is immeasurable and please know that you can always turn to us for support through this long journey.

Next were Jimmy and Jackson, two tough guys with smiles that just melted your heart. They were pretty consumed by their movies and board games so we didn’t interfere too much with that.

The Miller’s made a special trip to the hospital today just to see us. Their son, Justin is being treated at Children’s Hospital. He was so much fun. A six-year-old boy who loves red fire trucks, spiderman and blue monster trucks. He followed us around the entire hospital taking pictures and talking up a storm. He even got in the driver’s seat of the RV and tested out the horn. Justin brought smiles to all of our faces.

A special treat for a few of us was Hope. She was in the Transplant Ward so only a few of us could go see her. Talk about a beautiful little lady. Her favorite color is red and she had a beautiful butterfly tattoo on her arm. Her mother Lisa was so instrumental in getting us to the hospital today. It was only two days ago that we got an email on our blackberry saying how she would love to support us and the stopping at the hospital was the perfect way. Lisa, thank you so much for everything. Please keep your strength up and call if you need anything, even if it’s just to talk.

One amazing story is Aaron. He is a 34-year-old Stage IV Neuroblastoma survivor. When he was one year old he fell off his changing table and broke his collarbone. The X-rays showed a break and a tumor. He was truly an inspiration to us all as he is proof that our kids can beat this disease. He has been healthy since he was 15. Now Aaron helps give back to these kids by running a camp for pediatric cancer. A place where these kids can get away and feel normal if only for a week. It is called Camp Wapiyapi. You can get more information at www.wapiyai.org. Congratulations to Aaron who is expecting his first child in a few weeks!

We could’ve stayed there all day, but with 270 miles to bike we took off around 1pm central time. Special thanks to the Cohen’s whose son Jack is being treated at Children’s Hospital as well. They gave us $500 in gas coupons and a place to clean out the RV.

We want to send a special thank you to Mike Fleming. He guided us safely through the Rockies and over Berthoud Pass. It was nice to have someone with us who knew the turns and elevation. Thanks Mike!

I know this is a long blog so last but not least, we want to thank Lucas. He spent five hours last night tattooing four of us. That’s right we got the Highway 50 and yellow ribbon tattooed on our legs. What better way to symbolize the importance of this voyage? Lucas only charged us for two of the four and asked that we put the rest of the money toward the cause. He did a great job. Thanks a lot Lucas and Capitol Hill Tattoo.

Now we are riding in Kansas and will be in Kansas City on Thursday for another media event and hopefully another hospital. It really meant the world to us.

Love you all, see you soon.