"Cruisin' For A Cure"

This blog was created to journal a new journey that I'm taking in mid-May until mid-June 2009. I hope you enjoy this blog site and feel free to add you own comments as I'm sure I'll find them encouraging during this long journey.

I will be traveling via motorcycle (07' Honda Goldwing GL1800), around the United States to raise $50,000.00 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. When I say around, I literally mean around the country. I will be driving to each of the four corners of the country which include Florida, Maine, Washington State, and California. No, this is not the official "Ironbutt Tour" for all of my fellow motorcyclists.

I was actually inspired by several people. My wife Lisa, has participated in two "Team In Training" 1/2 marathons in both Nashville, TN (Country Music Marathon) and and San Antonio, TX (San Antonio Rock and Roll Marathon) to help raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Team In Training is endorsed/sponsored by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. After talking with her about my idea, she was very supportive and is helping me with the logistics of this trip. The other two people that have encourage me are two children that had these horrible blood cancers. The first is a little girl by the name of Madison Suggs who is an Honored Hero for the South Texas Chapter of Team In Training. Thank God that Madison is in remission and we wish her and her family good health and prosperity. I was honored to have met Madison and hope to see her at the send-off party in May.

The other individual is a little boy from Bothell, Washington which is the area where Lisa and I use to live up until September 2006 before moving to San Antonio, TX. Many of you may have recently heard about Brenden Foster on the national news (CNN). Brenden was well aware that he would not have much longer to live but his focus was on another cause. That cause is homelessness. Brenden wanted to do something to help a specific group of homeless people that needed food in the Seattle, WA area. Recently because of Brenden, there has been a national effort from people all over the country that wanted to start gathering food up for homeless people throughout the country as well as the Seattle area. All of this because of a little boy who was more concerned about others, than himself. It is times like these that I feel ashamed of myself for complaining about certain things when my situation is so much better than others. It took Madison and Brenden to remind me of this. Writing this is beginning to get difficult for me because a few weeks ago, it was reported that Brenden passed away.I would have been so honored to have met him but since his passing, it is my hope to meet his family when I arrive in Seattle, Washington.

As it stands right now, I'm looking at a departure date of May 16, 2009 (12:00pm) from the South Texas Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (parking lot). We are trying to set up a send-off party with anybody who wants to attend but I'm hoping to get people that have been affected by these blood cancers such as patients, family, and friends. I'm also hoping that friends from the San Antonio area motorcycling community will come as well to help support this effort. There will be local news coverage and hopefully some national news coverage so we can spread the word and get the entire country involved.

Please, help me, help the victims of these horrible blood cancers। Do or did you have family members or friends that were stricken with these cancers? If so you understand what they or you have been through. We need to find a cure now!