April 27, 2008
He Said:
Got up about 8:00 am and two team members left this morning. Jon and I talked with Greg late last night and decided it was best for his health if he went home so we booked him a non-stop in the morning. Greg has diabetes and has neuropathy in his feet. Last night his ankles were swollen and he was getting blisters on the bottom of his feet. We all decided it was best to send him home. I was pleased that he made it this far actually. Two years have gone by since we did this last and he's had two years of fighting diabetes but he did really well. It's hard to see him struggle but he's a real trooper. Thanks for your help Greg. So Greg and Brian left and we're picking up Renee and Dan this afternoon. It was great having Doc on board again and I have to say "Doc - did I ever say thanks for coming along with us?"
 I picked up Dan first and of course the first words out of his mouth when he got in the truck was "Boy, that suuurrre was a looonnnggg flight!" Yes, we've been on the road for two weeks and yes, by the evening about all we want to do is rest! Renee got in almost immediately after Dan so it worked out very well. We went back to the hotel and Dan, Renee, Jon and Brian (Crash) went downtown to see the Alamo. Of course, when they got back I found out that they had ice cream as Renee was wolfing down like a gallon of something - had it ALL over her face and shirt. Boy that girl can eat!
We walked to the Texas Roadhouse, about a half a mile away, for dinner and had a really great time. It didn't appear that anyone had spoiled their appetite with the ice cream at the Alamo. Everyone ordered the extra-large steaks AND the Brian ordered the Big O' Brownie. It looked like a giant ding dong with a huge scoop of ice cream. The waitress brought plates and spoons for everyone and of course, we all just had to have some!
After returning to the hotel we decided to play a friendly game of penny-ante poker. Renee started playing the rookie role by asking what poker was and wanted to know what beat what and then went out and won the first hand played. She held her own very well and we're still not convinced it was her first time. We enjoyed the evening and then went off to sleep and get ready for the trip to Fort Stockton tomorrow.
So in the morning it was off to Fort Stockton. I wasn't too impressed with the hotel we stayed in there while driving out to Orlando - it was the same one we're scheduled to stop in on the way back - so we changed out the hotel to a Quality Inn. Good choice! Fort Stockton is a town of about 7500 and it's very spread out. It's dusty and fits into the southwest mode very well. Got into town about 4:30 pm, checked in to the hotel and then went to the world famous K-Bob's for dinner. You guessed it! At least I had the Ka-bob and it was very good I must say!
 The owner (John) was in the lobby when I went to get receipts for the nights stay and we spoke for a couple of minutes and he offered to comp a room and then took ANOTHER $20 off the special rate we were going to pay. He said good luck and keep up the good work. We had him sign the shadow box and we were off to El Paso. It was going to be a great day!
We needed to be in El Paso by 12:00 pm to pick Chris up at the airport and we made really good time on the road. There's also a time change going into El Paso so we arrived by 11:00 am. We decide to move on to Las Cruces, NM as we need to be at Onate High School at 8:00 am. One student had an ATV accident and became a donor. Her mom is planning to be at the event. It promises to be one of those roller coaster rides again meet Sabrina's family.
We get to the hotel and we have a lot of work to do but we take a couple of hours and go to a NM historical site. We visited the area where Billy the Kid was held in jail and placed on trial. Very old buildings with original roofs and all made out of branches and mud. We took some pics and then visited an ice cream shop where we bought root beer floats. Everyone that is except Renee, I guess she got enough ice cream on her face and clothes the other day in San Antonio to last until we get to Phoenix!
So back to the hotel and as we are getting settled in Maria Sanders from the New Mexico OPO shows up at the hotel! We show her the quads and of course wants to ride one…after that we order pizza, watch hockey and basketball and then play a little more nickel-ante poker. Chris and Jon are the big winners tonight. Maria left prior to the poker run. We'll see her tomorrow morning.
It's late and we had a great night with everyone, it's great spending this time with everyone, especially Renee. We sat and talked this afternoon over lunch while waiting for Chris. She's serves on the Rose Parade Float Organizing Committee with me and the more I talk with her the more I find that she's like Leslie. I think those two should get along very well together. It's also great to spend time with Brian and Jon, seeing them meet the kind of people that I work with nearly everyday - recipients, donor family members and everyone in between. Great trip so far guys, just a few more to go until we're home with our families and we'll put this one to bed. Speaking of bed, it's late and I'm falling asleep typing. G'nite. God speed to you all.
She Said:
April 27th
Arrived at Lafayette airport at 9:45 am.. I had to go through security twice because my toothpaste and perfume were too big. So off to TWA I went hoping my luggage was still there. Made it just in time!
We had a 20 minute delay due to some overbooking problems. I arrived in Dallas with 20 minutes to spare to get to my connecting flight. I arrived in San Antonio at approx 2:30 pm and it's a bit chilly and windy! Yikes! I didn't pack very well for this trip it seems. Dan Sandoval (blood donor) from California arrived just minutes before I did so Kevin was still at the airport when I arrived. Thanks for waiting guys! We are greeted with hugs , and Kevin (being Kevin) throws my suitcase in the back of the truck with this look "what the heck is in this suitcase".. Insinuating that I am a girl, it must be all my make up and primping items (boy, he really doesn't know me very well). It's the Chocolate, magazines man, really. On the way to the airport, I find out that Greg had to return home early from the trip because his legs are swelling pretty badly. Bryan Hinsley also went home today for another fundraiser event he was doing with his family. Thinking to myself then saying it out loud, "So Kev, you've been here at the airport all day - that's so nice of you? Heck no, cab fare girlie, cab fare! Ha! Glad I don't have to go home early, since I'm not family, no telling what they would make me do (probably would have to thumb it back to the aiport)!! We finally made it to the Econo Lodge around 3pm and were greeted by John and Bryan. Kevin advises us that he has some work to do but the rest of us can head down to the Alamo and down town San Antonio. (aw, see Tom, Kevin IS responsible after all!) After Bryan (with assistance from the Tom Tom) we park and hope for the best that Kevins' truck will be there when we get back. (after all, it's not our truck - right guys? Good thing we got all of OUR stuff out the truck just in case!) The Alamo was quite interesting . There were a ton of flower arrangements in memory of the anniversary of the Alamo. Throughout the inside of the Alamo, There were signs all over stating we could not take pictures but it seems between the 5 of us, we took about 30 pictures! (And I thought I was snap happy. I have nothing on John and Bryan). After about an hour, we all decide we have had our fill of education/history of the Alamo and it's now time for ice cream!Nothing like having desert before supper! We meet Kevin back at the hotel and head (on foot) to Texas Roadhouse! The food was fantastic and we all have full bellies! Desert anyone? O no, we couldn't. Bryan is the only honest one and pipes up that he would like the brownie and ice cream! It's amazing to see how the rest of us really weren't that full after all because between the 5 of us, that desert was gone in about 5 minutes! Once back at the hotel, everyone heads back to their own living quarters for about 10 minutes - must I say why? Dan meets us all in Kevin's room with a poker set - it's time for some cards, fellas. "Guys, I'm a girl - I don't know how to play poker, really! Can I see the cheat sheet? We were all surprised when I won the first hand. Hmmm.. I have now been labeled "The Ringer".
The poker game lasted about 2 hours and we will resume the game tomorrow. At one point in the game, Bryan has to use his laundry money to stay in. Whew, glad I'm not riding in a car with him!
Before playing poker, we all decided to watch the 2004 Ride Across America on DVD. I don't think there was a peep in the room for about 20 minutes. The video pulled at our hearts and somehow we all managed to hold back the tears. I'm learning that these guys are truly amazing people and I am very lucky and honored to be a part of such a wonderful journey/mission with such a great group of guys! By the time this trip is over, I will have formed a bond with each one of them and have a new sense of the word family.
During the poker game, they fill me in on the events I have missed. They gave out Ty beanie babies, toys and bracelets to the children at Memorial Hermann and BenTaub Hospitals in Houston. While in San Antonio they rode in the Fiesta Flambeau parade and a group of 8th graders from the local high school held the Donate Life banner . They met some very interesting people here in Texas and I can't wait to share the rest of the journey with them. It seems that they have had a fantastic time so far and we will all have memories that will last us a lifetime!
It's getting late and we actually get to sleep in til around 8am and are heading to Ft Stockton which is about 314 miles west!
Sincerely,
She Said
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