Danny’s Ride

Miles: 63 Total

Total Trip Miles to Date: 1,379.72
Flat Tires: 17
Drew: 13
Danny: 4

We ate at a great breakfast buffet in Dublin to start the morning.  It was delicious and offered eggs, bacon, sausage, French toast, biscuits and gravy and hash browns.  We put a pretty good size dent in the buffet.  Both Danny and I had 3-4 plates each.

We then drove down the street to the famous Dublin’s Dr. Pepper museum.  As we arrived we found that the museum did not open until 10:00 rather than 9:00 as we thought.  We were disappointed as we had heard so many great things about the museum.  We took some pictures of the outside and talked to an employee of the museum. After hearing what we were doing, they volunteered to provide a private tour of the museum before it opened.

We were thrilled and quickly took him up on his offer.  We learned that the difference between Dublin Dr. Pepper and the Dr. Pepper sold around the world is the pure cane sugar that Dublin uses as opposed to corn syrup.  The real sugar resulted in a sweeter taste.  We were given a free 8.5 ounce bottle to drink during the tour.  It was delicious!

We learned all about Dublin’s history including its owners.  It was easy to see the passion for Dublin Dr. Pepper that all of the employees had.  This wasn’t a job to pay the bills, this was much, much more.  It is a thrill to be around people who are so passionate about what they do that it rubs off onto you.

We ended the tour at the Dublin Dr. Pepper soda fountain and gift shop.  Danny and I enjoyed a delicious Dublin Dr. Pepper as we admired all of the Dr. Pepper merchandise on sale.

We got on the road about 11:00 a.m. which is a late start when you are trying to ride over 80 miles but we gladly would have stayed longer to enjoy more of the Dublin Dr. Pepper Museum.  Danny and I enjoyed a very scenic route.  The weather could not have been any better.  The high was in the upper 80’s and there was little to no wind.  In fact, it was the least amount of wind that we have had since entering Texas.

The route was a difficult one for bicycles.  The highway offered a terrific shoulder but the road was constantly going straight up or down.  If you weren’t going up a hill, you were looking right into one.  It was a difficult ride especially with Danny not feeling well.  Danny had been suffering with symptoms of bronchitis and I had woken up this morning with the same symptoms.

During our ride we saw African goats, llamas, donkeys, real Texas Long-Horns and plenty of cattle.  By 4:00 we reached a Subway about 43 miles into the ride.  We were exhausted from the hills.  We silently ate our subs and tried to gather the energy to go an additional 40 miles.  There was not enough energy in the subs or in any food for that matter, to get us that much further.

We compromised in doing 19 more miles.  We were still exhausted but climbed back on to our bikes.  Just before 7:00 p.m., we climbed into the motor home in Laguna Park, Texas.  We had just finished covering 500 miles in only 6 days.  We were worn out.  We drove to the Ft. Worth area where we had two nights in La Quinta in White Settlement, Texas compliments of the manager of the previous La Quinta we had stayed at – Kevin Holt.  Thank You Kevin!!

We walked to an IHOP in the parking lot, had dinner and went back to the hotel for bed.

Miles: 95.2 Total

Total Trip Miles to Date: 1,316.72
Flat Tires: 17
Drew: 13
Danny: 4

When I got out of the shower, I had a voice message on my phone from

Danny.  He had been up most of the night with chills and a sore throat so he would not be riding today.  He would take today off in order to prevent this cold from causing him to miss several days.

Before leaving, I went to pump a tire that was low in air and as soon as I took off the cap to the stem, the entire tire went flat.  I looked in the cap and saw the stem had broken off inside the cap.  After some work with changing the tire, I left the hotel around 8:00 and managed to get 44 miles before 11:00.  I met Ken and Danny at Cisco, Texas for lunch.  We had a great time talking and relaxing.  The scenery for the day was absolutely beautiful.  The green grass and leaves were something we had not seen in a very, very long time.  The weather was  really good for biking – highs in the 80′s with a cross wind changing to a slight head wind at times.

The route was almost like taking a roller coaster.  It was up and down all the time.  When I arrived at Dublin around 5:30 (I stopped several times to talk with people and enjoy the scenery), Ken and Danny had a hotel room ready.  I biked directly to it, showered and changed.

We learned that Dublin is home to Dr. Pepper and that they even have their own “Dublin Dr. Pepper” which is sold just in town and surrounding towns.  It is the original formula which I just had to try and I have got to say, it was really, really good.

We are biking 80 miles tomorrow to Hillsboro and then taking two long days of rest and relaxation in Dallas and Ft. Worth area.  We need the rest.  We will have gone almost 520 miles in only 6 days.  That is really moving!

We are going to enjoy a great breakfast in the morning and visit the Dr. Pepper museum when it opens at 9:00 before leaving town.  It should be another great day on the road!

Miles: 70 Total

Total Trip Miles to Date: 1,221.52
Flat Tires: 16
Drew: 12
Danny: 4

The day started out well with good weather conditions.  Danny and I got started right after sunrise in hopes of getting many miles done in the morning and having an easier afternoon.  We enjoyed the extremely wide shoulder so much that the two of us rode side by side and talked.  We shared some good laughs and stories.  After eight miles, Danny told me to go ahead and he wanted to stretch his knee which was stiff. 

I went ahead and picked up the speed.  Our plan was to meet at Exit 230 where Ken was parked and we could see the giant electricity producing windmills up close.  After five miles or so from where I passed Danny, I felt something drop from my bike and heard it bounce several times on the ground before coming to a stop.  I looked down and saw my iPod headphones dangling in the wind.  I immeditely brought my bike to a stop and knew my phone was gone.

The problem was the grass by the side of the interstate was covered by large flowers, weeds and tall grass.  I immediately started looking for my phone using a stick I found to sort through the tall brush.  It was no use.  I tried walking along the interstate searching through the brush.  Finally, when I had gone way passed where I dropped it, I went on the grass and searched from a different angle.  No success.

After a half hour, Danny arrived.  He had stopped several times to stretch his knee.  I explained to him what had happened.  He immediately got off his bike and started looking.  He stood on the interstate searching with his hands and I followed him from the grass, searching as well.  Together, we were going to find it.  We searched up and down the grass but couldn’t find it.  Now, an hour had passed since Danny arrived and we still had not found it.

“Let’s go,” I said frustrated.  “It’s gone.  We need to get some miles in today.  Maybe we can come back later.”  I had reached my breaking point.  I had to of searched everywhere except where my phone was.  “You can go on.  I’m going to keep looking.  We are going to find it,” Danny replied.

I was not nearly as confident.  As far as I was concerned, it was gone.  So I kept looking.  Five minutes later, I walked down way passed where I dropped it (or thought I dropped it) and spotted my battered case sitting empty in the grass.  I picked it up and yelled to Danny.  Then I looked back and found the phone sitting a couple feet from where the case had been.  I picked it up.  “Surely it won’t work after a drop like that,” I thought.  I hit a button and the screen came to life.  I can’t tell you a better feeling!  Danny and I were so excited we hugged.

We hopped back on our bikes and met Ken a mile down the road.  He drove us two miles to the electric wind mills were and we went right up to it to get our picture taken.  I tried to hug it but couldn’t manage to get my arms around it.  We then got back on the bike and travelled 6 miles to the next town for lunch.  Less than a mile from the exit, I felt my back tire do the familiar “I’m flat” dance.  I told Danny to go on and I would catch up to him.  I changed the tire and met him and Ken at the restaurant.

By the time we finished, it was noon and we had only come 20 miles in 5 hours.  Not the morning we had hoped for!  So, we were determined.  We hit the road and covered the next 50 miles in just under seven hours including our stops.  We pulled up to La Quinta Inn.  Danny caught the manager, Kevin Holt, in his car as he was leaving.  Danny explained our trip and he got right out of his car to help us.

Kevin came back inside and donated two rooms for our trip!  We had such a great time talking to him as we checked in.  Our conversation ranged from Seinfeld to the Showtime Series Dexter to everything in between.  We had such a great time talking to him, we didn’t even want to go up to our room!  He even offered to use his connections to help us out as we approached the Dallas and Ft. Worth area!  Thank you so much Kevin!!!

We enjoyed a terrific meal at a local restaurant recommended by the hotel and went to bed.  We were exhausted from a long day in the sun.

1,000 People
$30 Donation
$30,000 Closer To A Cure
Danny’s Ride has set a goal of raising $30,000 for cancer research by June 6th,2009.  This is a big goal but we have a big challenge – finding a cure for cancer.

Sponsors names will be presented on a certificate with the check for the total amount of money raised.

Please be one of 1,000 people who have had enough with the hurt and destruction cancer has caused.  Thank you.

FACT: Cancer is now the leading cause of death in the United States.

Trip Statistics

Miles: 84 Total

Total Trip Miles to Date: 1,151.52
Flat Tires: 15
Drew: 11
Danny: 4

First off, thank you for all the inspiring wall posts.  We have loved each and every one of them!
Second, I have checked and double checked the tires inside and out for anything that would be causing these flat tires.  They seem to alternate front and back and I almost always end up pulling something out of the tire that caused the flat.

The day started with my GPS watch failing to start.  It just would not turn on.  Despite a full night’s charge, it was completely dead.  So, we had to use my bike odometer to tell us how far we went.

Eight miles in, I had my first flat tire of the day.  It was the back tire.  The last time the back tire was flat was three days ago.  I changed it within fifteen minutes and began biking.  I met up with Danny and we biked together.  After twenty miles, we stopped at Subway with Ken.  We enjoyed chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, breakfast sandwiches and chocolate milk.  We were trying to eat as much as we could to prevent energy loss late in the day that we had been experiencing many days.

We started biking again and ten miles later I had another flat tire.  This time it was the front tire.  Danny took my tire off and pulled a long metal hair out of the tire.  We put a fresh tire in and began biking.  Within a quarter of a mile, I had another flat tire.  I checked the outside of the tire and found nothing.  I then checked the inside of the tire and found the other half of the long wire hair that Danny pulled out.

We put yet another fresh tube in and began biking.  At one point, Danny stopped biking suddenly, took his helmet off and out flew a bee.  Luckily, the bee had not stung him.  We enjoyed a good laugh and started biking again.  We stopped for another lunch at Dairy Queen.  We met a supervisor of oil rigs.  We had a great conversation and learned about how hard the economy has hit the oil business and the town.

Danny wanted to slow down and told me to go ahead.  After 15 miles of biking, I saw a CBS7 car drive by.  I looked their phone number up and called them to see if they would be interested in interviewing Danny.  They loved Danny’s story and said they would be sending someone to interview him. 

When we got to Colorado City, I stopped at a gas station to have an icee to help me cool down after approximately 85 miles of biking.  I noticed a local paper so I looked their number up and called them as well.  They too were interested in Danny’s story and sent a reporter.

Danny had two great unexpected interviews today.  The reporters were extremely professional and very impressed with Danny’s story.  Thank you to both!  We enjoyed a large dinner at a local restaurant.  We finished the night back at the hotel relaxing.  We are still working on the itinerary but will be heading to Abilene, Texas tomorrow.  We promise we will let everyone know as soon as we decide.

Becky- We should be in Dallas this Saturday and would LOVE to get together with you if you are available!

1,000 People
$30 Donation
$30,000 Closer To A Cure
Danny’s Ride has set a goal of raising $30,000 for cancer research by June 6th,2009.  This is a big goal but we have a big challenge – finding a cure for cancer.

Sponsors names will be presented on a certificate with the check for the total amount of money raised.

Please be one of 1,000 people who have had enough with the hurt and destruction cancer has caused.  Thank you.

FACT: Cancer is now the leading cause of death in the United States.

Trip Statistics

Bike Time: 6 Hours, 29 Minutes, 12 Seconds
Miles: 96.74 Total

Average Speed: 14.9 mph
Max Speed: 24.3

Total Trip Miles to Date: 1,067.52
Flat Tires: 12
Drew: 8
Danny: 4

We stayed in a brand new 12-day old hotel which offered a fantastic breakfast with eggs, bacon, sausage and hash browns.  I loaded up before the long trip.

However, the trip started before even hitting the road.  As I unloaded the bike, I found the front tire flat.  I replaced it and hit the road.  Over an hour later, I got a second flat tire of the trip.  This was not a good start to a day with 97 miles!  But after another quick change, I was back on the road.  I met Danny and Ken at a Subway 40 miles into the trip.  We sat and enjoyed each others company for nearly a half hour before I hit the road again.

About 10 miles in, I looked up and saw a coyote standing directly in front of me 50 feet.  As I started to slow, the coyote looked at me and took off running into the wilderness.  I kept pedaling.  I just hoped he wasn’t going to tell the family that he “found lunch.”

About 10 miles later, I ran into some bike problems that were user (myself) induced.  I had not made sure to the back tire was level when I changed it yesterday.  As a result, the wheel rolled at an angle and caused a portion of the bike to bend.  It bent so far that it was caught in the spokes and I couldn’t go any further.  I tried to fix it with no luck.

I called Danny and Ken.  They came right away to save the day.  Danny had the bike fixed within minutes.  He truly is amazing at everything he does.   I quickly got back on the bike and started pedaling.  After another 10 miles, I got a text from Ken stating that he and Danny were at another Subway off Exit 115.  I was again hungry and joined them for a second lunch.  As I sat down, Danny smiled and said, “Happy Birthday!” and pulled out of a bag a large coffee mug with a picture of a coyote on it along with facts about coyotes.

It was terrific.  It is a beautiful mug and is a perfect reminder of the coyotes we have seen along the trip.  What a great guy!  Thanks Danny!  As we were leaving, we started talking to Teresa Ahumada.  Teresa’s husband is fighting Leukemia.  Danny told her of his experience and then explained all the wonderful things the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society could do to help their situation.

We learned from talking with her that she is a woman of tremendous faith.  It was a blessing to hear her stories.  We ended our meeting with prayer for her husband.  I do not believe it was an accident that we met her today.  She was an inspiration to all of us.

I got on the bike and finished the remaining 23 miles to Midland.  When I was getting off the exit in Midland, I saw this sign and got a big laugh out of it.  I took a picture because I knew you might as well.

We checked into a Super 8 and ordered Papa Johns pizza.  We were all exhausted.  It had been a very long day.  Danny will be back on the bike tomorrow.  It will be great to have him back!

Danny wrote this and wanted to share this with everyone.  Please enjoy!

I would like to take you back to last Sunday, May 10th, in Van Horn, TX.  We all had a nice breakfast and we talking about Saturday’s Trip up the mountain to Van Horn.  That was a very exhausting day for all three of us.  It was a 100 degrees and we were in the desert climbing mountains that just didn’t seem to stop.  Kenneth was in that motor home all day giving us water and driving ten miles ahead of us but making sure we had what we needed.

Drew, looked pale and had pushed himself to the point of total exhaustion and he had salt crusted on his face. I had pushed myself to the point that I was very light-headed and dizzy and felt that I was going to pass out.  Sunday since we were one day ahead of schedule we decided to take it easy and enjoy the day.  We were planning to go to church but we had gained an hour and missed church, so we wanted to see what the town of Van Horn was like and decided to check out the town with the help of the manager’s car.   We drove through the town which was very clean with wide streets and all of us were very impressed with this small town that had no gangs or crime. 

We drove to a Dollar Store and when I got out of the car, I couldn’t keep my balance. Drew and Ken asked me if I was ok?–I told him that I was dizzy and weak.  I had been getting dizzy lately and had fallen off my bike several times after a couple of ninety mile rides. Ken and Drew urged me to go the hospital and get checked out.  I agreed and went to the emergency room in Van Horn. I was told that there was something going on around my heart, I had some fluid in my right lung, and I was dehydrated. I didn’t know anything about the doctor and I felt the need to talk to my cardiologist. I called him and he wanted me to be admitted to the hospital right away.

I was taken by ambulance to Del Sol Medical Center in El Paso, TX., approximately 120 miles from Van Horn.  When I arrived at Del Sol Medical Center they started me on Laski’s  to relieve my body of all the water that I had in my lung, legs, and body.  I was given a nuclear stress test, a carotid artery test, and a EKG. 

These tests I passed with flying colors.  After four more tests they found a blockage in one of the arteries in the back of my heart. Tuesday morning they did a heart catheterization but the artery was to small to put in a stint. All the other tests that I took were normal.  On Wednesday, I developed phlebitis in my right arm from an iv that was put in on Sunday night when we arrived.  My doctors decided that I needed to stay in the hospital until the swelling went down.

On Friday, at 6:35pm, we walked out of the hospital with a real commitment and the feeling of an excitement that went through us that something very special was going to happen—we all felt it.  Although, I knew I wasn’t going to be able to ride for several days, I was still part of a group of men who are so dedicated to our cause. When I start riding again, I will ride, but not to the point of exhaustion that I was riding before. I’m very stubborn and demand so much from myself, but I finally learned that I’m not in my twenties anymore—-just my late thirties.

I want to thank everyone for their prayers and their concerns.  We will finish this trip and touch millions and millions of people and save lives–this we will do.

When I picked out Christian men to go on this trip with me I could not have picked better people than Kenneth Skipper and Drew Wessels who believe in what we’re doing, who care so much about others, and give everything they have everyday to make this trip so successful—what a blessing.  God put this together from the very beginning in August of 2007–that will be one of the stories that I will share with you soon.

Trip Statistics

Bike Time: 5 Hours, 36 Minutes, 08 Seconds
Miles: 89.08 Total
Average Speed: 15.9 mph
Max Speed: 28.5

Total Trip Miles to Date: 970.78
Flat Tires: 10
Drew: 6
Danny: 4

We got into Van Horn around 12:30 a.m. and got to sleep around 1:00.  We were exhausted but excited for Danny to be out of the hospital.  The weather predictions from wunderground.com were 20-30 mph winds with wind gusts up to 60 mph.  Not a promising sign for an 89 mile day.

Since doctors have ordered Danny to take a couple days to recover from his procedure, Danny rode in the motor home.  I left at sunrise to get a good start on the day, especially with the expected wind.  At first there was little to no headwind but as the day grew on, the wind grew in strength.

I had one flat tire about two hours into the bike trip.  It was the back tire and I pulled out a small piece of metal out of the tire that had caused the tube to go flat.  Although my tire changing skills have improved, it still took a little while to change the tire.  It was a much needed break.  Ken and Danny did a great job with support.  We stopped, talked and ate several times through the trip.

About forty miles into the trip, I had to change from I10 to I20.  Just before the exit, there was construction work that forced traffic down to one lane.  As I rode by the construction workers, all of them stopped and stared.  It might be safe to say that I was the first biker they had seen since working there.  I looked at the nearest construction worker.  He stared at me in complete disbelief with his mouth open.  I smiled to try to break his stone face but it didn’t work.  Before I could even get passed him, I burst into laughter.  I’m sure they had two questions. 1. Where did he come from? 2. Where was he going?  We were miles upon miles from anything.

With less than 10 miles from Pecos, the sky turned black with low hanging clouds and began lighting.  I immediately got off my bike and before I even had time to call Ken, him and Danny were there.  They absolutely saved me!  Had it been just a couple minutes later, I would have been drenched.  We waited for a half hour as the heavy rain slowed.  When it was almost to a stop, I got back on my bike and road the rest of the way to Pecos.  Ken and Danny went ahead and after telling Danny’s story, were able to get a suite at a 12-day-old hotel that offers a hot breakfast.

It has been a terrific but exhausting day.  Tomorrow, we will try to go 97 miles to Midland, Texas.  It might be a little slower after today’s tiring ride but hopefully we will get there safely.

Although we expected Danny to be released from the hospital today, this did not happen but we fully expect he will be released tomorrow.  All news from the doctors has been positive!  He may have to take a couple days off right away but the doctors recommendation is to be smart and not to push himself too far.  So that is great news!

We plan on returning to Van Horn, Texas tomorrow after Danny is released.

1,000 People
$30 Donation
$30,000 Closer To A Cure
Danny’s Ride has set a goal of raising $30,000 for cancer research by June 6th,2009.  This is a big goal but we have a big challenge – finding a cure for cancer.

Sponsors names will be presented on a certificate with the check for the total amount of money raised.

Please be one of 1,000 people who have had enough with the hurt and destruction cancer has caused.  Thank you.

FACT: Cancer is now the leading cause of death in the United States.

Danny met with doctors today to review his test results.  He is still in the hospital and hopefully should be released tomorrow.  Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

Please help lift Danny’s spirit with a donation to Danny’s Ride.

We have talked and met with Danny several times today.  He passed his nuclear stress test with flying colors.  He did so well, in fact, he scored higher than the doctor!  He will be in the hospital at least until tomorrow as the doctors have a few final tests to run but it looks like he will be able to return to the bike!