Pedal Trans-America 2008: Monday 6/16

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.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Monday 6/16

I almost forgot how massive the Appalachian Mountains of Pennsylvania are. Fortunately, as we rolled into town, looking for a safe spot to sleep, we approached the St. Thomas Volunteer Fire Department. I thought it might be a good time to visit our first firehouse along our route and let them know about what we're doing. It really worked out. I approached the fire chief, Mark, and told him about our journey and the charity behind it. I figured it would be worth a shot, asking him if we could sleep on the side yard of the firehouse...He said, "we don't have a side yard to sleep on...but you could probably sleep inside the firehouse if it was alright with the town." He made a phone-call and we setup our stuff inside the bunk-room of the firehouse.

We spent most of the night doing laundry, making dinner (on a stove!), and talking with the volunteers. They were all really generous and hospitible fellows. They made us beds and let us do laundry. I was even able to use their weight room. We got a great sleep on a bed, inside the air-conditioned bunk room.

The next day, proved to be a challenging one. We crossed a fair number of mountains over 2000 feet tall with 8 1/2 grades for a mile or longer, we reached 41 mph! I can't wait for The Rockies...