A message from the Connecticut Burns Care Foundation

Ryan and Dwight hope to raise $10,000 to support the burn camp, which will host 70 children between the ages of 8 and 18. They are determined to reach the West Coast as a personal challenge as well as helping young burn survivors.

Started in 1991, the Arthur C. Luf Children's Burn Camp is located in northern Connecticut on 176 acres. Every summer, burn survivors come to the burn camp, which is a safe and fun environment that helps kids heal emotionally and physically. The Burn Camp is free to the children, who come primarily from the Northeast and some foreign counteries, but any burn survivor child anywhere is welcome. More than 70 adult counselors, primarily active and retired firefighters and burn unit nurses, occupational and physical therapists, child psychologists and even a doctor will serve as mentors for the week.

It's also our goal to promote burn awareness and fire prevention and education, which we do year around. We sponsor a burn survivor, burned in a car accident that involved speeding and drinking alcohol, who speaks to high school students throughout Connecticut. We also support the burn unit at Bridgeport Hospital, helping to purchase equipment.

Friday, July 18, 2008

The Next Great Flatness

Everything about our visit to Kansas city was awesome except for the dispute I had with the manager of Papa John's about our order which was not settled to my satisfaction. Oh, well! After three nights in their house, Jordo, Linda, Dane and Shane feel like old friends.
This guy knows
On the way out of Kansas City we stopped at a locally famous barbecue place called Oklahoma Joe's for lunch. The french fries were good. So were the onion rings. I had both, then felt like I was going to suffer a heart attack. Ryan declared that he was turning a new leaf on unhealthy foods.

Ryan spotted these guys east of Kansas City

Genghis Khan. All you can eat Mongolian Barbecue. Yessssss

Across the state line the famously flat Kansas was waiting with a couple of monster hills. By now I've learned not to take flatness for granted. I'm sure it will come soon enough, and we'll have plenty of time to get acquainted on the way to Denver.

I've never understood this arrangement. Does the toilet not perform the function of the urinal? Will they ever be used simultaneously? The proprietors of this establishment need to invest in a barrier, then this will no longer be awkward.

Yesterday we rode about 68 miles through the glacial hills of eastern Kansas. I suffered my fourth flat of the journey just short of Atchison, birthplace of Amelia Earhart, and that's where we ended up staying the night. We happened to arrive on the eve of a festival in her honor. Last night the center of town was lit up with a carnival, tonight there will be a concert and tomorrow night a big fireworks display. We met a few local girls who were really cool at a place called Taco Joe's, and they introduced us to a bunch of their friends. I got some guac and Natalie (Nathalie?) gave me some potato ole's for free (basically tater tots). We also made the routine stop at the firehouse, where a camping spot was recommended, and showers at the YMCA promised in the morning. Just as we were about to leave Taco Joe's to pitch a tent, a woman walks into the place and asks if we're the kids who stopped by the fire house. Then she tells us that she is the housing coordinator at nearby Benedictine College, and that she had been driving around trying to find us since her husband (a fire fighter) had told her about our situation, in hopes of giving us a place to stay. So, thanks to the determination of this wonderful woman (Donna) to help us out, we spent last night in a college dormitory. She said, "I'd hope if my boys were doing something like this that somebody would help them out." We showered, washed our clothes, and got a good night's sleep.


5 comments:

Albert said...

GOT SADDLE SORE?

Now that you’re both well into your journey I have to wonder how you’re holding up against saddle sores. I don’t think you’ve commented on this sort of minutia but it begs the question. Does traveling “without amenities” extend to salves and unctions? Chamois Butt’r is a great product to coddle your naughty parts. Apply liberally to the padding of your cycling shorts and you’re good to go. I’ve heard of a guy who used Grade A butter in a pinch. Immediate relief was reportedly good, but after a few hours of pumping hard on hot tar the wafting bouquet of a crotch turned rancid dissuaded him from further applications. Perhaps margarine would be a better choice if either of you are inclined to improvise on this lore.

And go easy on the Bengay or similar topical muscle-pain relief products if they’re a part of your kit. No, I am not suggesting that you apply these products to your package as this will elicit a shrill and totemic response faster than you can say “Sacagawea.” At issue is that last year a 17 year-old cross-country runner died after her body absorbed high levels of methyl salicylate (a key Bengay and IcyHot ingredient). Remember that exercise and heat can accentuate absorption.

Dwight said...

A very good question, Albert, thanks for asking. Ryan has actually been making frequent use of the Butt'r throughout this trip. I've just been using a nice aloe lotion regularly (mainly in the creases and where the saddle makes contact) and that has kept everybody pretty happy down there, so far.

Cinta said...

awesome! you guys made it to kansas!

i am sending my love from costa rica!

good luck!

Anonymous said...

yO guys awesome job so far! I want to meet up with you dudes when you pass through AZ. Probably around the Grand Canyon. Contact me somehow if you have any idea on dates you'll be in the area. I know its hard to tell...
my phone is 2039154742, email is ryanhayles@hotmail.com

keep it up seems like an awesome trip so far. wish i could have made it

Ryan said...

We'll definitely let you know, ry. My friend Steveo from Boston is probably gonna meet up with us in the same area. You guys should come with us to hike the canyon and then come to vegas afterwards. I'll email you when we have a better idea when we'll be there.