I need your help please. It will only take 30 seconds…

Please stop what you’re doing for a moment to act on this letter RIGHT NOW!

It will only take 30 seconds…

$1 Dollar…

and the price of a stamp to complete…

As my 4,281 mile Bicycle Ride Across America for Dog Cancer Charities nears the end, I’ve been thinking a lot about the Ride and the things we’ve been able to achieve.  It gets lonely out there – riding 6 to 8 hours a day – hoping you’re doing something worthwhile… something that makes a difference.

My “job” this summer has been simple.  It may LOOK like I’m riding my bicycle across country to raise money for dog cancer charities.  But my “job” this summer has really been to connect with YOU.  To make YOU care about the charities, the owners, and the dogs we’re riding to help.  To work with YOU to save dogs’ lives.

How have I done?  You tell me.  Because honestly, when you’re all alone, riding down the road, there’s no way to know.

We all love and care about our own dogs for sure.  But do we care enough about other dogs to open our wallets and take out one single dollar bill to help.

There’s an old 1970s tune that keeps playing through my mind as I ride, alone, down country roads. “Tie a Yellow Ribbon” by Tony Orlando and Dawn

“Tie a yellow ribbon ’round the old oak tree
It’s been three long years
Do you still want me?
If I don’t see a yellow ribbon ’round the old oak tree
I’ll stay on the bus
Forget about us
Put the blame on me…
If I don’t see a yellow ribbon ’round the old oak tree”

There are times on the bike when I feel like the man in the song. Searching for a sign that what we’re doing is worthwhile. Searching for a sign that people really care.

So now, as the ride comes to a close.  I’m asking you to give me a sign – to show you really care.

No.  Not a yellow ribbon.  While I’d LOVE to have hundreds of people “Tie a Yellow Ribbon” to the trees in Virginia Beach for my arrival next week, unless you live in Virginia Beach that’s obviously not realistic.

So I came up with another idea.

Ask you to donate A DOLLAR.

One… Single… Dollar…

Instead of “Tie a yellow ribbon ’round the old oak tree”… won’t you please, right now, mail a single dollar bill to our parent charity “Giving Globally”

It’s quick, it’s easy.  Everyone can afford a single dollar.  And it would mean so much to me (and to the dogs we’ve been riding – over 102 days and 4,281 miles – to support)

PLEASE DO THIS RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!

(1)   Take a $1 Dollar Bill out of your wallet RIGHT NOW!
(it can be a larger bill – but all we’re asking for is $1 Dollar)

(Optional:  Write your name on the $1 Dollar Bill – so we’ll know who it’s from and be able to add your name to the website)

(2)  Put the $1 Dollar Bill in an envelope

(3)  and Mail it to:

Giving Globally – Dog Cancer Ride
6443 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy., Suite 370
Portland, Oregon  97221

(Remember the stamp, please)

That’s it – 30 Seconds

(Option 2 – If it’s easier, click on this link to make your $1 Dollar Donation on your credit card through PayPal)

It’s a small thing, but it would mean so much to me…

And then, with your help – and with the help of thousands of other supporters and dog lovers across the country and around the world… Maybe, just maybe, like the man in the song…  I’ll be able to sing…

“Now the whole darn bus is cheering…
And I can’t believe I’m seeing…”

TEN THOUSAND $1 dollar bills mailed in for Dog Cancer Charities…

Thank you, as always, for your support thoughout the ride – and for sending me (and the dogs) this $1 Dollar symbol of love through the mail.

Sincerely,

Ted Schneck
In Charlotte, North Carolina
less than 1 week away from the Atlantic Ocean
and the end of The Dog Cancer Ride Across America.

P.S.  Please, take a moment to mail your $1 Dollar Bill RIGHT NOW.  It only takes 30 seconds and it’s the only way to make sure we receive your $1 token of love and support for me, and for the dogs.

And then, after you’ve mailed in your $1 Dollar donation, please help us get to Ten Thousand $1 Dollar Donations by sharing this message with any friends who’d like to show their love and support
as well.

Police Brutality – It’s NOT “Just a Dog” and We can’t “Just Get Another One”

Last night, my assistant Ian showed me a video that made me sick to my stomach…

A boy and girl in Texas, both about college age, desperately rushing to the hospital to save their dog’s life. Their dog, Missy, was choking and couldn’t breathe, and they were driving 100 miles per hour on the freeway to get to the vet in time, when the police pulled them over.

And what followed was a perfect example of why I ride to save dogs’ lives.

The driver got out of the car in a frenzy – panicked and screaming, “My dog is dying! My dog is dying! – Please help me, I need to get to the vet!”

But Officer Paul Stephens of the San Marcos, Texas, police department ignored his pleas, and demanded that he pull out his drivers’ license.

Next came more begging – and a look of desperation in his eyes – as the driver watched his dog’s life slipping away, forever.

And what did this callous, unfeeling, police officer, say to him next? Words that broke my heart wide open…

“It’s just a dog,” he said, “you can get another one.”

I literally gasped with horror – not believing what I had just heard.

Because you see, that’s the problem… It’s NOT “just a dog…”

It’s OUR dog! A member of OUR family…. and a friend worth driving 100 miles per hour on the freeway for, if her life was at stake.

A friend worth riding 4,281 miles across country on a bicycle for – if you thought you could help.

Won’t you help us show the Officer Stephens of the world that these dogs are NOT replaceable…

That they’re loved and cherished family members.

That, unlike him, WE care about dog owners who love their dogs so much they would drive 100 miles per hours to get them to the vet in an emergency. Or sell their only vehicle to pay for their dog’s cancer surgery. Or plead for help from charities like The Magic Bullet Fund, The Marty Miracle Fund and The Dog Cancer Ride Across America – so they can afford the treatments that can save their dog’s life.

And that we will NOT stand by and watch them die.

Not without a fight!

I’ve sent a copy of this letter to Officer Stephens and the San Marcos, Texas police department.

But you can send a message too.

Please visit our Dog Cancer Ride Across America website and make a donation to help us save dogs’ lives.

Help us make a difference.

Sincerely,

Ted Schneck
in Knoxville, Tennessee along
The Dog Cancer Ride Across America
www.DogCancerRide

P.S. The police video Ian sent me has been broadcast across the country, but in case you haven’t seen it, here’s the link so you can watch and see for yourself why we do what we do.

http://www.dogcancerride.com/texas-police-video.html

P.P.S. There are 3 ways you can donate to help The Dog Cancer Ride
Across America save dogs’ lives…

1) Visit our main DogCancerRide.com donation page (this is the
page where most people register to have their dog’s tribute added
to the Map of Heroes)

You can find the main donation page at

http://www.DogCancerRide.com/donation-options.html

- or -

2) Visit our “FirstGiving” charity fundraising page to make a
secure credit card donation of any amount…

http://www.FirstGiving.com/dogcancerride

- or -

3) You can always mail a check to Giving Globally (the charity
that sponsors the ride and helps us collect and distribute the
donations we receive)

Make you check out for any amount to
“Giving Globally – Dog Cancer Ride”

And mail your check to…

Giving Globally
6443 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy.
Suite 370
Portland, OR 97221

(Note: Giving Globally is a U.S. non-profit 501(c)(3) charity
organization and donations are tax deductible)

And of course, if you have any questions or need any help please
feel free call me at 503-998-3880 or e-mail me at ted@dogcancerride.com.

Thank you.

Day 67 – Catching Up In Iowa

Sorry I’ve been away from the blog front for a while… We’ve been focusing on riding and taking care of some other fundraising elements around the ride.

When we last left our ride – I had just completed my second 100-mile century ride of the trip and made my way through Lincoln, Nebraska. Since then, we’ve worked our way up through Omaha, Nebraska and over to Des Moines, Iowa (which is where I’m blogging from now). We’ve made some pretty good progress as and we’re right on track for our finish in Virginia Beach on or about August 26th.

The main theme for the past few days has been “hot and humid” – everyone warned me that the Midwest in July was not going to be pretty weather wise, and they were definitely right on target. The deeper we get into the Midwest the more the humidity picks up, and the 100 degree days that were marginally bearable out west become more and more oppressive with every passing mile. The good part is that as you bicycle along you create your own 15 mile per hour breeze, so even the humid Midwest heat isn’t all that bad. The only really bad times are the uphills – when you only create a 5 mile per hour breeze – and there are loads of rolling hills out here in Iowa, so you keep going back and forth between breezy and comfortable vs. hot and sweaty.

At least the headwinds have finally died down. Since Lincoln we’ve had mostly calm air with an occasional slight tail-wind at my back. It’s not quite the jet-stream super-boost I was hoping for when I hit the Midwest, but I’ll take it over headwinds any day of the week.

As for Iowa, I think we arrived about 10 days too late (it’s a shame, because that’s almost exactly how much we got delayed when our car died in Pocatello, Idaho). We just missed the end of an annual Iowa event called “RAGBRAI” – (The Des Moines) “Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa” Each year about 15,000 bicycle riders hit the road to, as the name describes, Ride Across Iowa. But this is no ordinary ride – from the bicycle friends we’ve met in Des Moines it sounds like RAGBRAI is more like a 500 mile rolling party. There are literally “Beer Gardens” set up for the rides in each city – and it sounds like beer is the drink of choice for many along the route. (The police literally have to enforce beer garden closure times – and related mandatory town bar closing times – to keep riders moving out of town and along the route.) It sounds like an insane but wonderful experience – one that I’m seriously considering joining in (the ride, not the beers) next summer.

And finally, I’m typing the conclusion to this “catch up” blog as quickly as possible, because in about 20 minutes we’re heading off to the local radio station to do an on-air radio interview about the Dog Cancer Ride Across America. It’s actually going to be the 4th radio interview for me in the last 24 HOURS. Crazy. Last night I spent 40 minutes on air (by telephone) with Fred Haney in Phoenix, Arizona for his “My Doggie Says…” radio program. (What a great experience – Fred was wonderful to talk with). And this morning it was off to a local station here in Des Moines (95KGGO – Classic Rock) to join the morning show with Lou Sipolt… and then, as we were heading out of the station, Lou got us an interview on the “Hatfield & McCoy Morning Show” on country radio KJJY 92.5, which happens to broadcast out of the same studio as KGGO. Between the 2 stations, we were probably heard by over 250,000 listeners.

And now it’s back to the same studios (I think 4 or 5 stations actually broadcast out of the same building) for our 1:20 PM interview on Des Moines talk radio station, 98.3 WOW.FM.

So like I said, just be cause I haven’t been blogging much lately (sorry about that, I should be getting back into the daily routine again starting tonight) there’s been a lot going on around the Dog Cancer Ride Across America.

And it’s thanks to you, and our wonderful supporters across the country, that everything we do to get the word out, fill up the map of heroes, and raise money to help dogs get the cancer care they deserve, is moving towards success as we ride our way towards Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Keep up the great work.

Live On-Air from Des Moines, Iowa – this is Ted Schneck saying goodbye along The Dog Cancer Ride Across America.

Bye for now.  Next stop Kansas City.

Day 67 – Catching Up In Iowa

Sorry I’ve been away from the blog front for a while… We’ve been focusing on riding and taking care of some other fundraising elements around the ride.

When we last left the ride – I had just completed my second 100-mile century day of the trip and made my way through Lincoln, Nebraska. Since then, we’ve worked our way up through Omaha, Nebraska, and over to Des Moines, Iowa (which is where I’m blogging from now). We’ve made some pretty good progress and we’re right on track for our finish in Virginia Beach on or about August 26th.

The main theme for the past few days has been “hot and humid” – everyone warned me that the Midwest in July was not going to be pretty weather wise, and they were definitely right on target. The deeper we get into the Midwest the more the humidity picks up, and the 100 degree days that were marginally bearable out west become more and more oppressive with every passing mile. The good news is that as you bicycle along you create your own 15 mile per hour breeze, so even the humid Midwest heat isn’t all that bad. The only really tough times are the uphills – when you only create a 5 mile per hour breeze – and there are loads of rolling hills out here in Iowa, so I keep going back and forth between breezy and comfortable vs. hot and sweaty.

At least the headwinds have finally died down. Since Lincoln we’ve had mostly calm air with an occasional slight tail-wind at my back. It’s not quite the jet-stream super-boost I was hoping for when I hit the Midwest, but I’ll take it over headwinds any day of the week.

As for Iowa, I think we arrived about 10 days too late (it’s a shame, because that’s almost exactly how much we got delayed when our car died in Pocatello, Idaho). We just missed the end of an annual Iowa event called “RAGBRAI” – (The Des Moines “Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa”) Each year about 15,000 bicycle riders hit the road to, as the name describes, Ride Across Iowa. But this is no ordinary ride – from the bicycle friends we’ve met in Des Moines it sounds like RAGBRAI is more like a 500 mile rolling party. There are literally “Beer Gardens” set up in each city for the riders – and it sounds like beer is the drink of choice for many along the route. (The police literally have to enforce beer garden closure times – and force all bars in town to close for an hour on the same schedule – to keep riders moving along the route.) It sounds like an insane but wonderful experience – one that I’m seriously considering joining in (the ride parts, not the beer parts) next summer.

And finally, I’m typing to finish this “catch up” blog as quickly as possible, because in about 20 minutes we’re off to the local radio station WOW.FM to do an on-air radio interview about the Dog Cancer Ride Across America. It’s actually going to be the 4th radio interview for me in the last 24 HOURS. Crazy. Last night I spent 40 minutes on air (by telephone) with Fred Haney in Phoenix, Arizona on his “My Doggie Says…” radio program. (What a great experience – Fred was wonderful to talk with and a true friend of dogs). And this morning it was off to a local station here in Des Moines (95KGGO – Classic Rock) to join the morning show with Lou Sipolt… And then, as we were leaving the station, Lou got us an interview on the “Hatfield & McCoy Morning Show” on country radio KJJY 92.5, which happens to broadcast out of the same studio. Between the 2 stations, we were probably heard by over 250,000 listeners.

And now it’s back to the same studios (I think 4 or 5 stations actually broadcast out of the same building) for our 1:20 PM interview on Des Moines talk radio station, 98.3 WOW.FM.

So like I said, just be cause I haven’t been blogging much lately (sorry about that, I should be getting back into the daily routine again starting tonight) there’s a lot going on around the Dog Cancer Ride Across America.

And it’s thanks to you, and our wonderful supporters across the country, that everything we’re doing to get the word out, to fill up the map of heroes, and to raise money to help dogs get the cancer care they deserve, is working its way towards success as we ride our way towards Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Keep up the great work.

Live “On-Air” from Des Moines, Iowa – this is Ted Schneck saying goodbye along The Dog Cancer Ride Across America Network.

Bye for now, and next stop (in about 3 days) Kansas City. Don’t worry we’ll talk before then…

Day 62 – The Story of the 4 Minute Mile

Back in 1959, most experts believed it was physically impossible for a human to run a mile in under 4 minutes. Yet on May 6, 1954, on a track in Oxford, England, a man named Roger Bannister managed to do just that. To this day, this 3 minutes 59.4 second record run is considered by many to be the single “greatest individual athletic achievement of all times.”

I have a friend named Doug Keeley who teaches a leadership training course called “The Mark of a Leader” for large groups and corporations. And Doug uses Bannister’s 4-minute mile story as a teaching tool – to teach corporate leaders, of all things, the importance of teamwork.

Because apparently, as Roger Bannister freely admits in his interviews about the run, the 4 minute mile had nothing to do with an “individual” achievement – it was, in every respect, the work of a TEAM.

Sure, Bannister is the man with his name in the record books – and yes, he’s the one who ran the entire mile in 3 minutes 59.4 seconds. But, what’s little known about Bannister’s run, is that he actually ran with a team of 3 other runners to reach this 4-minute goal.

As I remember the story, the team agreed that Bannister was the best runner of the group and had the best chance of breaking the individual record. So the created a strategy that would, as a team, give him the best chance to succeed.

As they left the starting line, the first member of the team (the rabbit) broke into the lead. His job was to set a blazing pace for the first 1/4 mile, to ensure that Bannister was on pace for the record at the end of this mark. Bannister and the rest of the team followed closely behind, as the first rabbit burned his energy in the first 1/4 mile and then the rabbit dropped back and handed the task of leading over to the next member of the team. As they’d practiced, rabbit #2 took over from there – leading the team through a blistering pace until they reached the 1/2 mile mark (where he was scheduled to drop back) and then rabbit #3 took the lead to the 3/4 mile mark.

All this time, Bannister ran with his team behind the pace of his lead “rabbits” – letting them push the pace and burn their energy , while he maintained a strong pace and conserved his energy for the final 1/4 mile push. And finally, at the 3/4 mile mark, the last “rabbit” dropped back and left him to close out the last 1/4 mile on his own and engrave his name forever in the history books.

So while Roger Bannister was the first man ever to break the 4-minute mile, he was also the first to admit he could have NEVER accomplished his groundbreaking feat with the help of his team.

Well today, I had my “rabbit” join me on The Dog Cancer Ride Across America.

We happen to be riding through Lincoln, Nebraska, staying with a friend (and mentor) of mine Bryan Todd. He and his business partner Perry Marshall “wrote the book” on marketing with Google Adwords, (and Perry was actually the man who suggested I do a bicycle ride across America for dog cancer charity in the first place).

At any rate, while we were out to dinner last night, Bryan said that he’d love to join me for a section of the ride today. Now that comes as a shock – I’ve ridden over 2,200 miles on the ride so far, about 2,197 of them on my own) – so the thought of having an actual friend of mine ride along with me is pretty darn amazing.

Even better, he’d picked an interesting day to join me – because for today I had scheduled my 2nd “100-Mile Century Ride” of the route. Bryan and I agreed that he’d never make it the full 100 miles, so we decided to send me off first and have him join me for the final 40 miles – to be my rabbit and help me make it to the finish.

It was great to have a friend and kindred spirit along to help me make it those last 40 miles – even though it was mighty hot (when I was planning the route Bryan did warn me that it might be a bit hot in Lincoln in the middle of July – and indeed it was) and we had to race the sunset for those last 20 miles. But as we crossed the finish line for my 101 mile day I was pretty proud of myself and very grateful to have had the help of my friend and Dog Cancer Ride Across America teammate for the day – Bryan Todd – to help me with the ride.

Bye for now from Bryan’s home in Lincoln, Nebraska
101 fewer miles to go along
The Dog Cancer Ride Across America

- Ted Schneck

Day 60 – Take Me to the Fair

I have a child-like spirit – especially when there are lots of flashing bright lights and colors.

And the nice thing was that last night, when we arrived in the town of Hastings, Nebraska, after a long, painful (head-windy) ride, we discovered that so had the Adams County Fair.

Opening day of the fair – what could be more fun. So after a quick shower, I rushed out to the Fair, for a midway food dinner – corn on the cob, funnel cakes, etc. — yum.

Actually, funnel cakes don’t work all that well for me these days– considering that I don’t really (1) eat flour, (2) eat fried things or (3) eat sugar – and considering that the main (actually only) ingredients in funnel cake are (1) flour, (2) fried things and (3) sugar. Now that I think of it, maybe I should call my diet the “Funnel Cake” diet – because it seems that’s the main food group I’ve been working to eliminate.

We’re in the middle of Nebraska…, and let me tell they know how to do country fair’s right. They have a “swine house,” loads of livestock areas, carneys on the midway, scary rides – everything you could want for a night of country fair fun.

So I grabbed some dinner from the Texas barbeque stand – barbeque chicken (the healthiest thing I could find) – and strolled over to the cowboy bar (what else), right around the bend to sit down and enjoy my meal.

From the moment I walked in to the bar, it was obvious I was from a different world – them in cowboy boots and hats – me, a city boy rolling through town on a bicycle. I felt extremely out of place, yet at the same time had a strange sense of calm quiet confidence – feeling like I owned the world. It’s a great feeling – when you’re doing something big and challenging – and you’re proud of yourself, knowing that you’re doing something good – you walk into every place you go, standing tall and with your head held high.

Even in the middle of this country cowboy bar, it felt good knowing exactly who I was and what I was doing. Heck I even met one (very drunk) woman came up to tell me how handsome I was – and insisted on giving me a hug on her way out of the bar (it’s ok – her boyfriend had just been forcibly removed from the bar for public drunkenness – I told you these Midwest farm boys know how to do country fairs..)

As for the ride today – it went smooth and easy. First, there was no wind. My, oh my, how lovely that felt. After 5 days battling non-stop headwinds, it felt like a cord had been cut and I was free to ride freely down the road.

Better still, after looking at the map, I realized we weren’t as far off pace as I thought. We were only 140 miles outside of Lincoln, and by traveling a decent pace today and tomorrow, we’d be back on schedule for the rest of the Ride to come.

And at the end of the day we made a return visit to my Midwest summer fair – for another round of midway food (steak tacos and corn on the cob this time around) – before a good night’s sleep on my way to Lincoln in the morning.

Bye for now and good night, from Hastings, Nebraska,
along the Dog Cancer Ride Across America

Day 59 – Whatever It Takes

Life on The Dog Cancer Ride Across America.

This morning I did an interview with a reporter for the McCook (Nebraska) Daily Gazette – a really nice guy. During the interview, I explained to the reporter why this ride is different from most other cross country charity bicycle rides.

Most other rides are about a man riding a bicycle across country – with an occasional blog post and friends hopefully making donations to the charity of his choice.

This ride, however, isn’t about a man going cross-country with a little blog – it’s about a blog (and a website, and a Map of Heroes, and a donation page) rolling across the country – with one little man.

Because the important part about this Ride, in my mind, isn’t about me and my bicycle. It’s about figuring out what it takes to raise $100,000 to help dogs fight cancer.

Now don’t get me wrong, I understand the role I play in the big picture. As I explained to the reporter this morning, without me riding 4,281 miles on a bicycle I don’t get to meet with him, to share the mission of the Ride and raise awareness about dog cancer issues across the country.

The ride is a focal point – that’s why I do it each and every day, all summer long. But even though I spend 5 or 6 or 7 (or even hours a day on the bicycle – that’s just the start of things we do during the course of the day.

Let me share with you a typical day on The Dog Cancer Ride Across America.

Last night I rode until 6:00 PM, five hours and 52 miles down the road from our starting point in Benkelman, Nebraska. While on the road, I carry my voice recorder and cell phone, to start preparing the blog, writing letters to supporters, etc. And today, I’m on the phone with Ian, preparing for our 7:00 PM teleconference with some of our best supporters (to discuss sponsorship and publicity strategy issues).

I ride up to the hotel about 40 minutes before the call, spend 15 minutes washing up and the next 20 preparing for the call (making sure the website is ready for everyone to review, etc.). We’re extremely grateful to our supporters who take time out of their lives to join us on these calls to help the ride succeed. 75 minutes of brainstorming and ideas – people who really care.

But after they hang up and get ready for bed, it’s time for us to get to work. First some dinner (take out at the local 24 hour diner), then back to the room to work on the website and implement the ideas we talked about on the call. Work that will keep us going until about 2:00 AM (working on the computer is like a vortex – time just slips away)

By the time we’re done, I haven’t even begun the blog post for tomorrow’s daily ride report – but that will have to wait until morning. For now, it’s a late night walk with Angie, then off to bed by about 3:00 AM.

I keep thinking that someday I’ll wake up early and start my ride with the sunrise – and that might happen – someday – but not when I’m going to sleep at 3:00 AM. Instead we’re looking at a 10:00 AM wake up call.

10:30 AM – I’m up, showered and dressed, calling to schedule our interview with the local newspaper. The reporter and I agreed to meet downstairs in about 15 minutes.

Quickly I get on my gear and drag my bicycle down the stairs – the first part of today’s ride is going to be in the hotel lobby and I want to look the part. We spend about 45 minutes with the reporter – a nice guy – explaining to him about the ride, what we’re doing, and all the work that goes into creating an event like this – but most importantly, helping him connect with the amazing dogs (and amazing people) we’re riding for – so he can share this information with his readers and hopefully help us get a little closer to our charity fundraising goals.

At the end of the meeting, Ian announces that we need to find a mechanic to check – once again the car is leaking fluid.

11:30 AM – We hop in the car and drive to Wal Mart to get the car checked (fortunately it’s nothing to worry about – just some condensation from the air conditioner caused by the heat – finally, some good news about the car.) Then a quick run into Wal Mart to replace the bicycle rack we bought in Pocatello, which has mostly fallen apart over the course of the last 20 days.

And then…, oh yes, I still have to send out a blog post.

12:30 PM – So it’s back to the hotel lobby where I spend the next 2 hours writing the blog and talking on the telephone with ride supporters who are working on various projects with us.

Blogging is actually one of my favorite times of the day – I get to spin tales about the adventures we’d been on the day before. And create a legacy, that my sister gets to read to my niece and nephew (hi Jacob and Leeya), and that someday my grandchildren will read about – uncle/grandpa Teddy’s great adventure across America to raise money for dog cancer charities.

By now it’s 3:00 in the afternoon, the hottest part of the day is done – as is most of the sunshine, and I’m still posting the blog online as we start to figure out where we’re sleeping tonight.

Finally at 4 pm, I hit the road. Tonight I’ll ride until the sunset – 9pm in this part of the country – then come back to the room and start the process all over again.

These are the things you do when creating an event like this. Like I said, this ride is not about me riding my bike across country. If it was, I probably would be on the bicycle from 9 Am to 3 PM – then kick back to enjoy a nice relaxing dinner and cold beer at the end of the day.

No, this ride’s about using me for a greater good – to help these dogs get the care they need. And I’m proud to do it.

Like I said, whatever it takes.

I hope you’ll join us, and do whatever it takes with us, to help make this Dog Cancer Ride Across America a success, and help us raise $100,000 for dog cancer charities. Together we really can make this happen.

Bye for now, and we’re happy to have you on board…

- Ted Schneck
from Arahahoe, Nebraska along The Dog Cancer Ride Across America
www.DogCancerRide.com

Day 58 – Getting the Word Out

My first full day riding through Nebraska. Somehow we managed to jump back and forth between time zones – central, then mountain, then central again. It gets pretty confusing, especially since we scheduled our 2nd VIP Planning Teleconference for later today. (It literally took 20 minutes to figure out what time I had to get off the road to make sure I was on the call.)

But the most important thing about today (about every day, actually) isn’t the ride – it’s about getting the word out. Helping people understand the importance of what we’re doing – and helping people come together for a cause.

It’s estimated that 1 out of every 4 dogs will get cancer in this lifetime. It’s also estimated that there are about 73 million dogs in America (in 69 million households). That’s over 18 MILLION dogs who will have to deal with this terrible disease.

When we started this ride, we set a goal to help – to raise $100,000 for dog cancer charities. You know, it would be great if we found one or two large sponsors to help us reach that goal. But do you know something, if you get the word out to the dog community it would take just 100,000 people, donating just $1 each, to have the same result.

OK, let’s do the math – 18 Million dogs with cancer – $100,000 to be raised from 100,000 people – that’s just one-half of one percent (0.5%). That’s all we need.

Better still, we have The Map of Heroes (http://www.MapOfHeroes.com). The Map of Heroes allows dog owners to donate $35 or more to put a tribute to their dog cancer hero on the map while helping other dogs get the cancer care they deserve. There’s 2,700 spots available on the Map of Heroes. All together, that’s over $94,600 for dog cancer charities. So really, all we need is to reach 2,700 dog lovers (now that’s just 0.01%).

The only question is, how do you get the word out? That’s what we’ve been doing all summer long.

It may LOOK like I’m riding my bicycle across America. Really what I’m doing is working to create a community. I KNOW the dog lovers are out there. I know they understand how important dogs are to their owners. I know they understand what it means to have to sit there and watch your dog suffer because you can’t afford to pay for his care. And I know they want to help.

My job is to form a community, where people can come to help.

And today, some of the key members of this community joined Ian, Nikki and me on that telephone call – to figure out ideas on how to get the word out, and bring the community together.

It was wonderful to have everyone on the call – thank you – because I realized a while back that my ideas (while they can be pretty good at times) are nothing compared to what can come from the collective group of dog lovers and Dog Cancer Ride Across America supporters.

If you missed the call, but still want to be involved, please let me know. Or better still, make sure to visit our website http://www.DogCancerRide.com (where you can check out our new promotional video, that was professionally edited by my movie producer friend in Los Angeles) and the Map of Heroes at http://www.MapOfHeroes.com.

And of course, tell your friends about the Ride, and let’s see what we can do together, to Get the Word Out and help these dogs (and their owners) get the chance they deserve.

- Ted Schneck
along The Dog Cancer Ride Across America

Day 57 – A Change in Perspective Cures a Hot Kansas Day

I woke up this morning feeling the lingering effects of the heat. My skin was actually hot. My inner core, hot. We had reached the Midwest, and it was HOT. So hot that I pondered staying home and resting, rather than risk the effects of going out into the blazing Midwest sun. (I’ve actually known some people – friends of friends – who have died of heat stroke, and I’ve felt the effects myself, so I know just how bad it can be.)

But after a cool shower and some rest in front of the A/C, my body started to cool down and I felt good enough to get on my bike and give it a ride.

Man was it hot.

The ride itself was actually pretty easy. Slightly downhill. And I had plenty of water with me – enough to drink, and to pour over my head in my efforts to stay cool. There was a constant strong “side wind” but I could handle that.

As a matter of fact, it was probably the side wind that kept me going. The brisk 15 MPH wind felt like body blows, but it definitely cooled me down as I made the long hot ride towards Kansas.

And after 32 miles – I made it back to St. Francis, Kansas, where I knew Ian and Nikki were resting in our Air Conditioned motel room.

When suddenly it came to me – “Why am I fighting this…?” So I turned off the road and into the motel to cool down and recover. And a few minutes later, we decided to do what any intelligent biker in our position would do…

We went shopping!

There was a Wal-Mart about 30 miles away, where I could purchase some much needed supplies. So we hopped in the car, cranked the AC (I figured I’d multi-task and cool down while gathering the supplies that I needed), and headed into town.

While there, we met a lovely man and his wife (John and Shelly) at the gas station. They saw the signs on our car and wanted to know about the ride and what we were doing. It ends up John’s father had been an Olympic bicycle racer, and John himself had done some bicycle racing while growing up in New Jersey. Plus they had another connection to the Ride…, a Monday morning appointment with the vet, to see what’s wrong with their dog – they’re afraid it might be cancer. And as we said goodbye and started to head out of the parking lot, John got out of his car and handed us a $10 bill – his donation to the Ride and the dog’s we’re fighting to save…

Thank you John, we really appreciate it. And we hope your dog feels better soon.

By time we got back from our shopping run, it was getting late and the temperature had finally cooled down enough to get back on the road. But as I traveled down Route 36, the wind continued to pound me from the side – blowing towards the north, while I was riding along towards the east.

And then I realized – “Why am I fighting this…?”

At some point in the next few days I need to ride north, to jump into Nebraska on our way over to Lincoln. Why not turn north tonight, and finish the day with the wind at my back?

So as I pulled into the next town, Bird City, Kansas (“The Only Bird City in America” – the sign said, not that I thought anyone was counting), I made a sharp left on Highway 161 and headed north towards Benkelman, Nebraska.

And from then on out, the ride was a thing of beauty.

No more struggling to push out 15 MPH, with winds crashing against my side. Instead I coasted and rolled along at a casual, comfortable 23 MPH, flying past the fields as the sun began to set in the distance. And even though I thought Kansas was all flat, I found some nice rolling hills that made for a really beautiful ride.

Finally, as the sun set, I arrived in Benkelman, ready for my support car to pick me up and take me home for a good night sleep. Tomorrow, it’s back on the road, only this time in Nebraska, on our way to Lincoln, Omaha and points east…

For today, a little change in perspective had gone a long, long way.

Bye for now from the Dog Cancer Ride Across America.
And we’ll see you in Nebraska.

- Ted Schneck
on the Dog Cancer Ride Across America

Day 57 – Finding My Inner Downhill

After days of wondering, “where’s my downhill” – days when the downhill I was supposed to be riding down, wasn’t as downhill as the maps said the downhill should be – today, finally, for the first time since Denver, I found my downhill.

And boy, did it feel good!

From the moment I got on the bicycle today, just outside of Last Chance, Colorado, on my way (downhill) towards Kansas, everything felt a little different.

No more headwinds. No more jello legs. But most of all, for the first time in days, as I started my ride, I felt the familiar, unmistakable glide affectionately known as “coasting”. Finally, the speedometer was back up above 9 MPH and the mile markers started to roll by at a consistent pace.

Today was everything that yesterday was supposed to be. And it felt good to be back on the road again.

And this downhill came just in time too – because there were miles to make up. The past few days (yesterday especially) had been much slower than expected – and we were severely at risk of falling even further behind schedule for our expected arrival date in Lincoln, Nebraska.

It was a bit warm, for sure – and as I dipped out of the hills, the humidity kicked in for the first time since the ride began (a taste of things to come – I’m guessin’ yes). But I’ll take hot and humid over 20 MPH headwinds any day of the Ride, so no complaints here.

Today’s ride took me down Route 36, which I’m told used to be the main “highway” from Denver to Kansas before they completed Interstate 70. But that was long ago, and it shows. By now, Route 36 is a ghost road – with a few speckled towns – and virtually no gas stations (I’ve become quite dependant on my daily Conocos and Sinclairs to fill up my water bottles as I ride along). Just a few under-stocked country stores (and a few more liquor stores) to fill up and refresh along the way. (The owner of one liquor store swears some bicyclists stop in for a cold beer before continuing down the road – but for me a bottle of water and some tiny mixed drink OJ cans were good enough).

And I even got to ride through my favorite named town on the Ride so far – “Joes, Colorado”. I can just picture some guy named Joe settling the town and declaring its name – Joes. Not Schnecksville, or Smithtown – just Joes. But to my great disappointment, the town was too small to have a proper diner – so I can’t say that I stopped to “Eat at Joes”. Oh well, maybe later, when we ride through “Max, Nebraska” (Joes cousin, I presume…)

All in all the long straight ride along Route 36 was just what I needed for the day – moving the sticks 70 miles closer to Kansas, and closer to our final destination in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The Midwest is upon us. Gone are the rough and rugged mountains – with broad pastures for grazing livestock. Hello corn and wheat fields – for as far as the eyes can see. And while I didn’t expect it, they’re actually quite beautiful – “amber waves of grain” really did seem appropriate as I rode past 100s of acres of wheat ready to get harvested, interlaced with massive fields of green corn stalks. I’ll probably get bored with the view (as I pass through hundreds of these farms over the next few weeks), but for today, they actually represented a beautiful change of pace.

Like I said, it was a beautiful day to ride, and the perfect day to find my inner downhill.

From the Empire Motel in St. Francis, Kansas (the car’s in Kansas, I have to go back 30 miles in the morning to pedal my way back from Idalla, Colorado), this is Ted Schneck saying goodnight,

And I’ll see you down that hill.

Bye for now.