One Week Left!!

Good morning everybody! This is Lisa, Pete’s wife. I’m going to give you an update on what’s going on because Pete’s in “focus” mode getting everything ready for the trip. Right now he’s in the garage doing a packing dry run for the trailer, hoping everything he needs to take will fit. Now I hear the air compressor so he must be taking the trailer tires off to replace. This past week a lot of very positive things happened. Kudos to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Erica Badu for really making things happen. She started making calls to all of the cancer centers on the route trying to get confirmed appointments for Pete for tours and introductions. Pete had already coordinated a media event at Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Erica tells us that Arizona Cancer Center, part of The University of Arizona in Tuscon, also wants to make theirs a media event which is awesome! In addition, they are trying to coordinate the local Goldwing Road Rider’s Association chapter to come out and ride with Pete on his way out town. On day one of Pete’s trip he’ll be stopping at MD Anderson Cancer Research Center in Houston. With the assistance of LLS and MD Anderson’s own Patrick and Mary Browning, a meet and greet has been coordinated for Pete’s arrival. Patrick Browning is not only the Clinical Business Manager in the Cancer Prevention Center but he also is the President of MD Anderson’s Motorcycle group, Rider’s For The Cure. (http://www.meetup.com/Riders-For-The-Cure). In addition, Carolyn Hensarling from LLS, our Campaign Manager, sent out a press release to the local news media about the Send Off Party on Saturday, May 16^th. We’re hoping we have some media presence during the party.

Also, Pete and Deb Barker, Deputy Executive Director of the local chapter of LLS, were invited to be interviewed on Great Day SA (San Antonio), a local San Antonio television morning show, about “Cruisin’ For A Cure”. Very cool! They’ll be interviewed on Thursday, May 15, 2009 (http://www.kens5.com/greatday). I’ll be in attendance for moral support. Finally, we had our monthly Goldwing Road Rider’s Association dinner meeting at which all of the members in attendance gave Pete one piece of advice for his upcoming long mileage trip. All of the tidbits were great including almost everybody who said “Drink Water!”. This will be hard for Pete since he doesn’t drink water so I’m hoping he heeds their good advice. Anyway, that’s it for now. We’re off to Costco to get bottled water and some final supplies. I appreciate your continued prayers for Pete’s trip, for safe roads and clear skies. Don’t forget that Pete will be updating his blog while he’s on the road. Well, not when he’s ON the road, but in the hotel in the evening. Safety first!