Final Day - Dana Point to La Jolla 55 Miles, 1,700' climb

Camp Pendleton - Pannikin Coffee  - La Jolla - Mount Soledad

The final day is a short one so we roll out late, trying to get to La Jolla at 1:00 for pictures before we enter the CAF picnic at 2:00.We ride through Camp Pendleton and through Carlsbad, and Encinitas.  We rode by our Monday Night Pizza spots and down to Pannikin Coffee, where I used to meet every Friday morning for many years before I took the position at Open Doors.  Grammy, George, Vicki, Marion, Jody and Lori showed up and that was just great.  I didn't realize that this was a traditional stop for the CAF ride so we had many other riders with us.

Hannah in front of my fellow riders at Pannikin Coffee House

Grammy, Vicki, me and Lori at Pannikin

So we slowly rode through Del Mar, up the last big hill at Torrey Pines and in to a park to stage ourselves for entry into Kellogg Park. We took a group picture and then we went into the end of ride party.  Another surprise is that the Patel family was there to greet me.  I am so blessed by friends.

Crossing the finish line after 620 miles

Mira Patel, Hannah and Luke and Devin Patel 

The ride raised over $1,400,000 for Challenged Athletes

But I had said that I wanted to finish at Mount Soledad.  I wasn't really tired but nobody I rode with wanted to ride up the 3 mile, 800' it would take to get there.  But my father's military history is on a plaque at the park and my faith, my history and my training seemed to mean that there is where I should finish.  By myself, riding alone but then met by family and friends.  It seemed a little grandiose but I had talked about it and as I want up the hill I felt really strong. 

So now the ride is finished.  A great adventure.  A mixture of an accomplishment and great experience.  Will I ride again next year?  I would think about it.  I have some time to think about it.  But for now, a lazy weekend ahead, trying to overcome the usual letdown after a big event.  I'll probably register for the Carlsbad 1/2 marathon in January and then some other races till I may do the Vineman 1/2 Ironman in Napa in July.  It's Darcy and my 20th anniversary that week and that seems like a good combination to me.  Darcy is still undecided though.

Thanks for keeping up with me, praying for me, supporting me financially and just asking how I am doing.

Blessed,

Tom   

Day 6 - Santa Monica to Dana Point - 72 miles, 1,500 ft. climb

Carnitas, Cervezas and Bill Walton

Ezra Frech of CAF and Chris Self, 7 tours in Iraq, Special Forces and CAF Athlete

I had to have a picture taken with my bike and the mechanics who had cleaned and adjusted all of our bikes, every night of the ride and delivered them to us in the morning. The men from "Onsupport" were great, the loved my old steel bike and kept it running well through the whole ride. Thank you so much.

I had planned on riding with Sully again today as yesterday was my most enjoyable pace of all the days, but as we gathered up some other riders and I rode with some different riders. Duane, a Vietnam veteran, double amputee who had just rode down the coast last week with "Operation Rebound" who was pictured on my sto[ to eat pie on day 3. A little ride time with Tara, who lost her leg in an auto accident and is now a speaker for Challenged Athlete Foundation.  We rode together in our training rides and it was good to spend some more time with her.

(Tara's story is at http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/oct/20/san-diegan-reborn-after-losing-part-her-leg/

The ride out of Santa Monica is along the bike path through Huntingdon Beach and a fellow rider, Maggie Osburn wanted to stop at Taco Surf in Belmont Shores but I had lost her during the ride. As we're at a light in Belmont Shores, another rider came up and said that she just saw Maggie, eating by herself at a taco shop.  Maggi said Taco Surf had the best carnitas so I turned around and we had a great lunch and a beer. That sounded great but as we went down the coast the wind picked up but with an even slower paces but higher cadence, we worked our way to Dana Point to our hotel.

In we went to the Laguna Cliffs Marriott hotel, Darcy and the kids were walking up the steep driveway as I rode in. A brief massage and as I was ready to leave, my coach came by after stopping at the $10 Halloween store. Pat Jak is not Superman, he's a great coach though, even if he is from Cleveland.

Great closing ceremonies. Videos from the rides, time with new friends and plans for the next day. But we had spoken briefly to Bill Walton earlier in the week and he was very kind with Luke. So since he was sitting next to us I wanted to thank him and have Luke's picture with him. Bill talked to Luke us for 20-30 minutes. He spoke about to Luke about the pressure to be cool, how tough it is growing up now and the importance of "squares"like the old people in the room. Bill talked about overcoming challenges like he overcame stuttering at age 28. I mentioned Luke's challenge with reading and then Bill really spoke to Luke about how important Reading and Math are and that if Luke ever had problems that he couldn't speak to his dad about that Luke should call him.  Yes, the 3-time NCAA basketball champion, two-time NBA champion, NBA MVP, a student of  the great John Wooden and current NBA announcer said, "call me if you have any problems." That is just so cool. Bill also raised over $140,000 this year alone for Challenged Athlete Foundation. So we all got our pictures taken with Bill. When you see how he hobbles around, both ankles fused together, raising money for CAF. riding down the coast with the largest orange bike you have ever seen, you realize what a special organization this is.

We made some plans for the next day, said goodnight to some new friends and we talked abut maybe next year, riding again. Some people have asked me if I would consider being a ride leader for the slower groups. I am kind of flattered that people thought of me that way and the fundraising is less so I'll see how I feel  after the ride and when registration opens next

But I would definitely consider it.

Day 5 - Santa Barbara to Santa Monica - 86 Miles, 1,900' climb

We rolled out from Santa Barbara with my friend Sully.  He was having some tendonitis in his legs so we were determined not to go with any faster riders and take our time "meandering" down the coast.  At Pt. Magu Naval Air station, we had our picture taken with a poster of John. He had rode the CAF for the last few years but after last year's ride he found out he had pancreatic cancer. Now, he sits with few days left and his poster was taken down the coast and photo'd everywhere so he could know that he was missed. Special people on this ride. Very special people.

So the presentation at the end of the day was by Sarah Reinertsen. She spoke of her early disability and her desire to run, to compete and eventually be the first women with a prothsetic limb to finish the Kona Ironman. She missed the time cut-off the first time she tried but worked with John Howard (World-record biker from day 1) and eventually finished the Kona Ironman in under 15 hours. She also is on the cover of ESPN Magazine "The Body" issue. What an inspirations speaker. This is exactly why I brought the kids, not the Body issue, but meeting people who overcame great challenges.. These are things that you don't learn in school.


Great hotel again, Le Marigot in Santa Monica.  Great view from our room.  Great ride with a great rider.  It is a little sad since entering LA means that we are nearing the end of the ride.

View from our room at Le Marigot Beach Hotel in Santa Monica

Day 4 - Pismo Beach to Santa Barbara - 118 Miles, 4,500' climb

Wine, Ice Cream, Hills and Freeways 

A little sore from yesterday and today's ride is almost as long and still a lot of climb.  Some of the climb is on 101 freeway and  there are a few miles (25) along that same 101 that is undergoing construction.  So fog follows us again so we are cool almost all the day.  Lunch is at mile 55 and as we headed inland towards the Zaca Mesa Winery, I was really dragging.  Luckily, Glen Fellman was there to pull me up the long grinding hill to the winery.  Glen is from North Carolina and has been heavily involved with Challenged Athlete Foundation since his daughter had her foot amputated when she was 6 months old.  He has ridden with me for many miles and is a really strong consistent rider.

Glen Fellman

The family got a little lost but caught me at the winery as I was finishing up.  Great to have my family here and I am the only rider who brought a spouse and their children for the whole ride.  It wasn't that much more expensive and it was a great opportunity to spend time with the kids before they become true teenagers and don't want anything to do with us.

Me, Luke and "New Bike" Mike Carlson

So again, I ate too much at lunch, but we are sponsored by J & L Pie Company, so we have treats along the way.  So 6 miles from lunch, we stopped in Solvang for ice Cream.  Again the family was able to see me before they got their own ice cream.

So we left Solvang, headed towards the big hill up the 101 and then another 25 miles along the freeway. I got stuck i a group of riders that were much faster than me.  That may seem great but I was using every bit of my effort just to stay on the back of the pack.  The family drove by and was honking but I didn't see them.  I didn't have time to drink or eat either so when we got to the next SAG stop, I let them go and I left on my own down the freeway into Santa Barbara, to the Fess Parker Resort.

View from our room in Santa Barbara

But now the hardest part of the ride is over.  We had one rider go down and break her collarbone after hitting a construction cone.  She was in the emergency room for a few hours but made it back with us but no more riding for her this week.  But she has a great attitude and I'm sure she'll be back next year.
But every night, you realize that you have to get ready for the next day.  Get your clothes ready, take a look at the mileage and climb and try to get some sleep.

But the hard part is over.

Day 3 - 113 Miles - 5,900' Climb - Big Sur to Pismo Beach

Fog, More Miles and Climbing, in one day, than I have ever done in my Life

Another great meal the night before and we start off again, at 7:30 AM with a climb out from the hotel for about 45 minutes.  Straight up. Luckily the fog has followed us so it is perfect biking weather, cool and cloudy.  Not great for the touring Smith Family but great for their Dad. 

Creek runing near our Hotel

Sun peeking through the fog

So, we were thinking we were pretty special.  620-miles in 7 days.  But we passed 4 bikers in heavy mountain bikes who were travelling from Alaska to Panama in 3 months.  OK, they are tougher than us. Two of them were younger women.  And if biking wasn't hard enough, a group of Challenged Athletes were runing the same route we were going to bike.  10 teams of two runners were going to run from San Francisco to La Jolla and they would be there ahead of us, by Thursday.  We passed their support vehicle with some of the runners who were resting and took this photo.  The excitement was amazing.  These men are heroes.  So never think that whatever you do is tough because there are always those that are stronger, faster and accomplishing things that make whatever I have done look insignifigant.

CAF Athletes, Some Running, Some Biking from San Francisco to San Diego

The family stopped to see the views and aslo saw the elephant seals.  No, I am not in this picture.....

Later that night we met the bikers from the Garmin - Cervelo team.  I rode briefly with them during the day but they are a level of athleticism that is beyond amazing.  Seemed like great guys, in their 20's, which is young for a professional biker, too young to make the Tour de France yet but you never know.  I was going to sneak by on a climb to say that I was able to pass them but nobody would believe it (unless the Cervelo guys were at a stop sign).

The hotel ws great, The Cliffs Resort and I really appreciated that every day we get a 20-minute massage.   The runners ran through the resort on their way down the coast.  Those men are studs. 

Life is great, God is good.

Day 2 - Santa Cruz to Big Sur - 87 miles and 3,200 feet of climb

Big Climbs, Big Descents, Great views, Gun Show

We had dinner with a good friend Vicki Pattersom in Santa Cruz and then another early morning, rolling on the bike at 7:30 AM.  Similar to yesterday in mileage and climb but I was still a lot of construction on the windy roads made it a little hazardous, a little nervous.  The family stayed at the boardwalk in Santa Cruz after I left.  My little Hannah bought a cool scarf in San Francisco so she got to show it off today. She has been so diligent on her homework, she didn't get that trait from Darcy or me.  Luke rode some rides and you can see a litle nervousness in his face.



We went through Monterey and Pebble Beach and I felt really strong as I know these roads, love the area and appreciate that Little Tommy Smith from Poe Drive can visit such places.
We had lunch on the beach in Carmel, just below the Carmel Sands Inn where we used to vacation.  Great lunch again and one of our ride leaders, Brain Brillo was coaxed into giving us a "Gun Show" as he was changing into lighter gear for the afternoon.  Great ride leader with a heart for helping you at just the right time.  A kind, encouraging word, a push in the back to get you caught up with the pack ahead of you and back into the draft of a large group of riders.  Also a stuningly fast biker.

The end of the ride was a climb that included construction but as you see in the photo, we went way out to the top right of the photo.  Very tough climb but the reward was wide, curved roads with a nice consistant slope for 5 - 6 miles.  I don't know how fast I got.  Sully and I got up to 51 MPH on an earlier training ride.  Probably no that fast but faster than smart but the roads were clear, nobody was ahead of me and this is what makes biking great.  The reward for a ball-buster of a climb.  A friend who taught me open-water swimming said that if he had to ride one route for the rest of his life, this would be it.

I agree.  Thank you  God, for Your creation.  May others, in seing Your creation, today, see the Creator. 

Day 1 - San Francisco to Santa Cruz - 87 Miles - 3,500' climbing

Start of 620-mile Bike Ride - World's Fastest Biker - Headwinds

Bloody Mary - Pie

We started out at 7:00 AM Saturday morning.  Pretty exciting and emotional.  100 riders and 10 -20 Challenged Athletes in hand-cycles, tandem bikes and with prosthetic legs.  To start out, I met the man who held the record for the world's fastest bike ride at over 150 MPH.  He won three Ironman Triathlons also.  John Howard is 64 years old and he is still amazingly fast on the bike.  He's a super nice guy also and we have trained together.  But he still kicks my but.

www.johnhowardsports.com

So we left, past the Golden Gate Bridge.down towards Santa Cruz.  Now there are traditions that I don't know of and as I was riding with a large group, we passed the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay.  Suddenly everybody turned in and we had coffee and I split a Bloody Mary with one of my ride leaders and friend, Lynn Lyons.

So we started down the coast.  I got separated from a group and spent 2-3 hours heading straight into the wind.  15-20 miles an hour with nobody to share the load.  But I got through it, slowed down, increased my cadence (RPM on pedalling).  So I got  through the main part of the ride but we are sponsored by J&L Pies, who also ride with us.  Grabbed a piece of pie with Duane Wagner, a double amputee, Silver Star recipient who was wounded in Vietnam. 

http://www.silvermannv.com/downloads/operation-rebound/DuaneWagner.pdf

Yes it was hard, but I trained for 5 months and the views are beatiful and my family is with me.  They toured San Francisco, Lombard Street and then followed me to Santa Cruz .  One down, six mor days to go.  

Hotel in San Francisco - Hyatt at Fishermn's Wharf

Santa Cruz - Chaminade

Robin Williams, Krispy Kreme and Irish coffees!

Day one of our travel started at 5:00 in the morning. We left from the house early to beat traffic in LA. But as you may know, my daughter loves Krispy Kreme doughnuts and she is always hungry. The problem is we had passed the one in Orange County and had to drive 30-45 minutes out of our way to get these doughnuts. But I love them too and three of them found their way way down my gullet before we left the parking lot.

I wanted to drive through LA so I could hand the driving over to Darcy so I could work the rest of the day. I took a conference call for one hour while Darcy drove. I worked on some board reports for another hour then Darcy said she couldn't drive because she was too tired. So here is my copilot. Since I lost so much time on the drive, when we got to San Francisco, Darcy and the kids went out to play and I spent the next three hours on my computer trying to catch up.

But we get here and meet the hundred other bikers that I'll ride down the coast with.  One of our speakers was Robin Williams. Darcy wanted to meet him so when he came to the back of the room, she went over to talk to him and I shot this photo.

But we're not done yet. A family tradition is to visit the Buena Vista in San Francisco. It is where they brought the Irish coffee to America. Jimmy Muldowney was the first to find this place but my brother Billy took this place to heart. The tradition is that whoever goes there calls the others and rubs it in. My brother is long gone but Jimmy is always available so we took a friend I ride (New Bike Mike) with us and had an Irish coffee. Or two.

So the kids and Darcy are sleeping. I'm still wide awake. We leave tomorrow at 7:30 for 87 miles to Santa Cruz. I'm a little nervous (but that may be the Irish coffees).

Adventures always start this way.

I miss my brother so much right now.

I Spy

My daughter, God and I love her so, has always been a special child. Special in great ways and special in the fact that she doesn't socialize with her own age group. She can converse and be friends with adults, babysit children, but has no close friends her own age. It has always been this way, from when she was in pre-school, first grade and into middle school. Middle school is tougher though. Kids can, and will be cruel. So Hannah wanted out. She wanted to home school, she wrote a letter to my boss asking for office space so she can be near me and attend to her schooling online at the same time.

That is not an option.

So we struggled with this, her strong academic skills and work ethic with her less-than-stellar peer group social skills. Starting the school year is always hard but this year it was tougher. Tears weeks before school started, tears at night, long talks with her pleading "please help me daddy!"

So what do I do?

I prayed about this at devotions at work, I spoke with other people. I even spoke to my sister, Kathy about it. The result - we were going to find the money somewhere and get her in a small, Christian school. I don't have the funds but somehow we would have to do it. So we scheduled a meeting with a local school and we were going to tell Hannah that we are looking at this option as we have to be interviewed, with her present.

So this week, as Hannah is crying in her bed at night, I tell her that she just can't sit at a lunch table alone and look so down. She has to finish her lunch, walk tall, put a smile on her face and walk around. Ask kids questions, just don't sit there and look mopey! And one more thing, I said pray as you walk, pray that God would deliver a smile to a face, that He would give her more confidence. I told Hannah that I suffer the same way and that God WILL show up, somehow, somewhere in this problem. I was sure of it. I almost guaranteed it. He has showed up in my life. Just pray as you walk and He WILL show up, somehow. in some way.

Then I thought, "What have I done?" What if God wants to wait? Have I asked too much, promised His arrival in a specific area, in a specific time?

So I was at Devotions (11:30 every day at Open Doors) and told most of the story but not of my promise to Hannah. Most people know Hannah at Open Doors as she has volunteered here. Many came over after and said they'd pray for confidence or that one person would come befriend Hannah. That has been my most fervent prayer; that one little girl would take God's urging and befriend Hannah.

So many prayed. Fervently. In tears I told this story.

And God showed up.

For over 360 days in middle school, Hannah ate alone, but that day, two little girls came over to Hannah, and asked her to have lunch with them.

God showed up.

But I didn't know that. So after school, we discussed with Hannah that we were looking at other schools. She said she wanted to stay at San Elijo Middle School. After a pause, she told us the story.

I had meetings this weekend with our board at Open Doors and had the opportunity to spend time with Roger Spoelman. He plays a game with his children where they play "I Spy" but they play it with God. They ask, “Where did you see God today?” You see, Roger realized early on that if you start looking at a certain car, maybe a Mini Cooper, you will suddenly see more on the freeway. You don't will them to appear, you notice them more. Your brain gets acclimated to seeking and finding that object. Hannah realized that many years ago as a little girl.  She even told me about this phenomenon.

So I asked Hannah, was this God answering the prayers of many who hold you dear and pray for you, and God showing up like we talked about? Was this an "I Spy" moment? Or was it just a coincidence?

Hannah said she thought it was a coincidence.

God is still working on her. I am too.

Keep praying because He shows up. I have seen it. I have proof.

Returning to where I came from

Writing for school has taken its toll. So many papers are "reflective" that I've been remiss in writing on the blog. Then it is such a long time since you wrote, you feel bad. Sort of like writing in a diary. Miss a few times and you stop because of the gap.
Lots has changed since that post in 2010 and that, I hope, I'll gather together so I can always remember the intricate journey that God took me on. But today, working at Open Doors, I had the opportunity to have a day of "Extended Personal Communion Day." What does that look like? Well, it centers around "Space for God." The same topic that I left on in April of 2010. So as Paul Jensen was setting up our day he spoke of God anticipating this time with us. That struck me. God looking forward to speaking with us just like we look forward to speaking with a treasured friend. So as I thought about the four hours in the middle of this day I wondered what I wanted to do. Bike down to the beach? That would accomplish exercise and a quiet time near the ocean. Maybe finish the forms for obtaining the Legion of Honor medal for Jim Cramer, my father's WWII buddy. That would be worthwhile also. What about finally putting work in remembering the journey God took me on in the three years prior to being placed here at Open Doors? That would honor God's work with me. But Paul spoke, in passing, about possibly sharing in grief with another person. Well, that hit home, as two close friends lost a parent this weekend. They both told me within hours of each other. My best friend Tyler lost his mother this last Saturday. We affectionately called her, "Wondermom" because, in fact, she was just that. A wonder of strength, of character and of faith. Another close friend Al, lost his father after a battle with ALS. So there I sat last Saturday, crying like a baby. Sad for Tyler, sad for my loss, as WonderMom was always so nice, so sincere and so caring to me. Thankful for the memories though.

So as I was packing my bike and getting ready to head to the beach, I dropped both friends a text telling them that I was taking some time, by the grace of God, to spend away in prayer for them and that if they had the time, to call me. Al called and said that the funeral was today at 1:00 and that he need my prayers and would want to speak with me tomorrow. So off I rode. Getting 1/2 mile from the office, I get a call from Tyler. I stopped under a tree and we spoke for an hour. He told me the story of his mother's last few days. Her diagnosis with cancer on Tuesday, her call to her sons to her side on Thursday and her dying peacfully at her home early Saturday morning. With Tyler by her side. A story of a gracious woman, lovd by a gracious God, joyfully meeting each other in heaven.

Very few tears. More on my side than Tyler's. I'm uually the emotional one now. Crying at Sports Center, "Make-a-Wish" stories at 5:30 AM. Tyler told me of his mother's great faith, her desire to be with her God and to see her husband again, who died two years ago. But in the end, God took this time, this space, to connect me back with my best friend, who God has graced me with, intertwining our lives in so many ways.

So we talked, the loving, space-filled talk of two men who trust deeply, love deeply and know that their eternal destinations are assured. We will truly always be friends. We found out that our two nieces that were born three days apart, twenty-some years ago are getting married in Pittsburgh seven days apart. Twenty five years ago we spent time in a bar together, hoping that our nieces woould be born on the same day, in our minds, cementing the friendship. That didn't happen but our lives stayed connected. Now we know we will be in Pittsburgh together, celebrating the marriage ceremonies of those same liitle baby girls we hoped would share a birthday. Tyler and I have been through so much. The depth of friendship that carried us through the best of times, the worst of times. And now through the saddest of times.

So I go back. Always remebering that those who know me best know me as "Little Tommy Smith." Tyler calls me that, so does God. I love and am loved by both.

I am so blessed.