A Ride for Three ReasonsA Ride for Three ReasonsBob Lee, a 65-year-old cancer survivor from Barrington, IL has embarked on a solo bicycle ride of 6,500 he calls A Ride for Three Reasons. All of the proceeds of The Ride will benefit cancer, ALS and hospice care. Articles
Roadside Entrepreneurs
2007-08-10 09:17:00 By Bob Lee Ride Dates: August 8 & 9Muskegon to Ada – 59 milesAda to Hastings – 39 milesClick picture for Google Earth views. Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resumeIf you haven’t read the blog entitled Captions Courageous please click over to that blog and send us your titles. We’ve received some good ones already and we’ll be putting the results out soon. Have some fun with it and join in. If you have time, please send a caption for this sign, too —or use the comments to tell what's "almost heaven" to you. In a biker’s world, “almost heaven” is finding a 27-mile bike trail like this one leading me out of Muskegon. And look at the rest stops along the way. The trail just kept going and going. How quickly life can change. From a very peaceful trail where I saw less than 10 people in 27 miles to riding through downtown Grand Rapids at rush hour. My destination for the evening was Seth an... More About: Entrepreneurs , Roads , Rene
Weaving A Web Of Friends
2007-08-10 06:55:00 By Bob Lee Ride Date: August 7Racine, WI to Muskegon, MI – 30 miles Life is a web —a web of people and relationships. Before we go on a Ride for the day, I will relate a very inspirational story that happened last weekend. On Saturday our son -in-law and two neighbors did an Ironman 70.3 event in Michigan. Ironman 70.3 is a half-distance Ironman, consisting of a 1.2-mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13 mile run. I saw the three of them at the neighborhood pool on Sunday afternoon discussing the race. Jack Keenan was one of the participants and was relating an encounter he had towards the end of the race. Jack was wearing a Team Blazeman shirt in memory of Jon Blais who died this year from ALS. Jon finished the 2005 Ironman and was featured in the televised coverage both in 2005 and 2006. Earlier on Sunday morning I received an e-mail notifying me that the coverage of the 2006 Ironman event was being replayed on television that ... More About: Friends , Ving
WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids
2007-08-10 04:32:00 See the brief story and video about A Ride For Three Reasons from WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids , MI. You have to watch the video to see how the race turned out. FROM THE BEGINNING | PREVIOUS | NEXT... More About: Wood , Grand Rapids
Racine Journal Times
2007-08-10 04:01:00 Read Cycling For a Cause on the Racine Journal Times web site. FROM THE BEGINNING | PREVIOUS | NEXT...
Featured In The Delta from Sigma Nu
2007-08-09 05:18:00 The Sigma Nu national fraternity has been very supportive of the RIDE. The RIDE is featured in their summer edition of The Delta Magazine. Click HERE to view the online version (shown below), which is a really interesting format —go to page 29 after it loads. Turn your speakers on and you'll hear from me. Or Click HERE to download a printable version (requires free Adobe Reader) FROM THE BEGINNING | PREVIOUS | NEXT... More About: Featured , The D , Feat
The Perfect Model For LIVING
2007-08-08 09:14:00 By Bob Lee Ride Date: August 6Barrington, IL TO Racine, WI - 60 Miles Click picture for Google Earth views. Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resumeToday was a banner day! On most days, I just wander out of a motel room and hop on my bike. Today was different! I rode out of my own driveway and across the street to Laura and Tom’s to be greeted by banners and three of our grandchildren. What a way to start the last “leg” of the RIDE —on a well healed “leg.” I woke up this morning singing, “Away from home again…” to the tune of “On The Road Again.” Well, it is always sad to give a last hug to Anne until I see her again. We are both excited to share the adventures that lie ahead… A number of people have commented on the flower pictures in our yard. All the credit goes to the gardener – the mother of my children, the grandmother of my grandchildren and my wife of 42 years. I... More About: Living , Model , Perfect , Ving
Joel's Story
2007-08-06 07:09:00 August 2, - Barrington Today Anne and I went for a fifteen mile bike ride to test my leg and enjoy Barrington. Our first stop was a new park in town that has an unbelieveable tree house which is accessible by wheelchairs. What a wonderful addition to a great town. As we rode through Barrington Hills we passed a friend’s home which reminded me of our commitment to RIDE. The Johnson’s lost their son Joel at age 35 to cancer. Joel was born on the 27th of December and on the 27th of each month his family decorates a tree in front of their home in his memory. Let us not forget those who have gone before us. It is good to periodically stop and remember those who have impacted our lives. Joel’s sister Debbie shared his story on the 3reasons.org website in the message boards, which I'm afraid many have not seen. So I wanted to share it in this blog. To read other stories or to post your own scroll down on the home page to the... More About: Story , Tory
KUSA Channel 9 In Denver
2007-08-06 06:26:00 See my INTERVIEW with with Kyle Dyer, the morning news anchor for KUSA Chan nel 9 News in Denver , CO. FROM THE BEGINNING | PREVIOUS | NEXT... More About: Channel 9
You'll See What I Mean About Hunter Douglas
2007-08-06 06:13:00 By Bob Lee Ride Dates: July 25 - 27 Denver, CO (Just Frequent Flyer Miles) For the past two months, I have had plans to fly to Denver for the Hunt er Doug las International Alliance Conference for a business meeting and an opportunity to do some fundraising. I have been closely connected to Hunter Douglas for the past nineteen years and without our relationship there is a good chance I would not be on this RIDE today. For twelve years, I was the president of a fabrication plant making their products. For the past seven years I have been a Hunter Douglas dealer. Being a dealer has provided me the independence to “balance my life” and as Morrie Schwartz, from Tuesdays With Morrie, would say, “pay back to your community.” Hunter Douglas was one of the largest contributors to my 2001 RIDE. More than four years ago I shared my dream of another RIDE —this ride— with them and asked for their support. Without hesitation, they were supportive.&...
The Beauty In Our Own Back Yard
2007-08-03 05:04:00 By Bob Lee August 1, 2007 Barrington, IL - 18 miles I miss sharing pictures with you from the road. What the last four months and 4,600 miles have taught me is there is beauty everywhere. Sometimes it is right in our own back yard. This morning our 10-year-old grandson, Ryan, rode his bike over to our house. While we were walking around the yard, we followed the erratic flight of this butterfly. The butterfly reminded me of a poem e-mailed to us not long ago. I would like to share it with you. The following poem is often erroneously reported in e-mail messages to have been written by "a terminally ill young girl in a New York hospital." It was actually written by David Weatherford, a child psychologist. Still, It's very good and gives a lot to think about. Slow DanceBy David L. Weatherford Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round,or listened to rain slapping the ground? Ever foll... More About: Beauty , Back , Yard
Captions Courageous
2007-07-31 06:29:00 By Bob Lee July 30th Barrington, IL I need your HELP! Over the course of the last four months, I have taken some pictures of different signs. I thought it would fun for YOU to give me captions to use under each picture. Download Picture Caption s FormThis form has over thirty pictures. It requires a recent version of the free Adobe Reader. Click on the button at the end of the pictures to submit by e-mail. If you have trouble using the document, try downloading the latest version of Adobe Reader. If you still have trouble, just send your captions by e-mail using the picture numbers to identify your captions. If you are lost for words on a couple of them, just leave them blank, but the more captions you give, the more fun this will be. Each picture is numbered, so look at the picture and tell us what comes to your head on the form below. Your responses will be kept anonymous if you wish, so don’t worry. Later, we will share som... More About: Courageous
Quick To Lend A Hand —And A Lot More
2007-07-30 06:16:00 By Bob Lee JULY 27Barrington, IL One of the keys to touring solo is to travel light. Some feel I am caring it to an extreme, when for four months every picture of me has been taken in the same shirt — my Quick en Loans jersey. Just to put you at ease, I have four shirts from Quicken Loans so I wear one for a month, not one for four months. I think this might be why I haven’t been bothered by black flies or mosquitoes. It has been a pleasure, as I ride across America, to have people to come up to me and make such good comments about Quicken Loans. And I, too, have a lot good things to say about the largest on-line home mortgage company in the country. Last October I asked them for some advice on marketing the website that was being developed and they made a 100% commitment to help make the RIDE a success. Over the last 18 months I have talked to a number of companies to solicit their help. Quicken Loans involvemen... More About: Hand , Lend
Another Side Of Bob Lee
2007-07-30 03:52:00 By Bob Lee July 25, 2007 Barrington, IL It has been wonderful being home this past week for a little R & R. As I write this I am on a plane to Denver for a Hunter Douglas meeting where I hope to have the opportunity to do a little fundraising. An extra treat is to visit our son, Scott, and family. I know a number of you are missing the opportunity to see some pretty pictures of the RIDE since I haven’t been blogging. I hate to get “behind” and I know some of you don’t want to see me “behind,” but sometimes we are all “behind.” This month is the fourth anniversary of my colon cancer surgery and becoming cancer free. As a survivor I think it is good to occasional reflect on the experience to strengthen the appreciation for life and friends. I thought I would share with you two e-mails with you that I wrote then, one prior to surgery and the other three days after surgery. I am not sure if this shows the “bes... More About: Side , Other Side
Like Riding In Soft Concrete
2007-07-23 07:51:00 By Bob Lee Ride Dates June 16-17La Crosse to Prairie du Chien, WI - 72 MilesClick picture for Google Earth views. Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resumeSometimes it is hard to leave a nice bed not knowing what is up ahead. I did know I had seventy miles to ride and was getting a late start because I wanted to stop by a bike store to buy a few tubes. As I rode across the Mississippi I looked back at the Radisson and thought how hospitable everyone was. At times, I wish there were just more “time.” Have you ever felt that way? It would have been nice to explore and enjoy La Crosse some more. But, it is time to move on into a new state and down the great river. It was interesting to catch up to the barges I saw yesterday morning and again in the afternoon again this afternoon working their way through the locks on the river. What an impressive engineering feat. I think there must be some law about p... More About: Soft , Like , Riding , Concrete
A Hug From Miss Catfish
2007-07-20 08:51:00 By Bob Lee Ride Date: July 15Wabasha, MN to La Crosse, WI – 89 MilesClick picture for Google Earth views. Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resumeWouldn’t it be great if we got up every day and really appreciated the fact that we are alive? Just think if we would stop and appreciate the beauty around us. I didn’t slow down the whole day, but I did cross with the turtles for a short time. Occasionally you need to stick your neck out to see the boats on the river. I spent a long time looking for trolls. I never saw one, but I did meet the grandson of the man who holds the Guinness world record for the longest beard. Who can tell me how long the beard was? What is the name of the record holder? Be sure to click on the picture with the 6-board sea chest to see the detailed carvings. I thought of trading in my panniers, but it just didn’t fit on my bike. Speaking of fitting. I am amazed how these long barges are m... More About: Miss , Catfish
The Birthplace Of Waterskiing
2007-07-18 07:17:00 By Bob Lee Ride Date: July 14, 2007 Stillwater to Wabasha, MN – 90 milesClick picture for Google Earth views. Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resumeBefore we start the RIDE for the day, who knows where this picture was taken? Where was water skiing founded? Last night as I was checking into the motel I met Steve and Marvin briefly at the front desk. They are from Hayward and Eau Claire, WI and are out for a week riding the northern portion of the Mississippi River. This morning we met at breakfast met again and I rode with them to Redwing, where we had lunch. Some see “diamonds in the rough" while we see “diamonds in the bluffs” overlooking the Mississippi. It was fun riding with Steve and Marvin. Steve had owned a Bike and Ski shop, which he recently sold. Marvin recently retired as a college administrator. It is refreshing to hear how much they and their wives are enjoying their indepen... More About: Lace , Skiing , Waters
Bee Balm, Water Lillies, Cattails & Llamas
2007-07-15 00:42:00 By Bob Lee Ride Dates: July 12 – 13July 12: Milaca, MN to Osceola, WI – 80 MilesJuly 13: Osceola, WI To Stillwater, MN – 35 Miles Click picture for Google Earth views. Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resume I received the following e-mail from my friend Mette today. “In the land of the Scandinavians! How lucky can you be? Please stuff yourself with Danish pastries and enjoy all the blond hair.”I try to listen to her when she makes sense. How could I not follow this advice? So in the morning as I road down a country road I spotted this blond hair. Mette said to enjoy, so I followed along with my camera in hand… Tonya’s smile was enough to put me in the ditch. A few miles down the road, I saw this man hauling water out of a ditch. He has been hauling swamp water for years to enrich his garden. “It’s warm and full of plenty of nutrients. Remember some of the beautiful stonewalls we saw... More About: Water , Lies , Tail , Tails , Lama
All That Glitters...
2007-07-14 06:51:00 By Bob Lee Ride Date: July 11Litt le Falls to Milaca, MN – 54 MilesClick picture for Google Earth views. Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resumeEver get up in the morning and know it is going to be a great day? It might even be a “Gold Day.” This one started that way. Then I saw a golden archer and it looked like a good day for him. Even the cows were decked in gold. And many of the flowers showed their gold. They probably will use gold horseshoes at the State Tournament. Even when you are in the boondocks you can find a saloon in this part of the country. Then I found out if I just stop for a while a gold day could turn “Blue Bird Blue.” Even the welcome sign was out for bikers. When the sign is out the bikers will come. I first met Larry and Mary headed west from Boston. They have done the PanMass charity ride out of Boston for seven years. This is the largest athl... More About: Glitter
Keep On Rolling —Just Like The Big River
2007-07-13 07:14:00 By Bob Lee Ride Date: July 10Battle Lake to Little Falls, MN – 90 MILESClick picture for Google Earth views. Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resumeAfter an interview in Battle Lake, I headed into the farm country. Drainage Divide? It was a little concerning to wheat maturing. I hope that doesn’t mean summer is turning to fall. The wheat may be turning brown, but the corn is green with lots of irrigation. I had been keeping my eyes of the clouds for rain, but sometimes we focus on the wrong things. As I went by this little garden plot and saw squash and peas, etc. It reminded me on the last “garden report” from Anne. She is doing a great job of keeping up with the flowerbed around the house, the vegetable garden at home, as well as caring for the two garden plots at the park district. On July 7, she picked the first ripe tomatoes, lots of cucumbers, squash and beans. She also reported that she... More About: River , Like , Rolling
Keep On Rolling ???Just Like The Big River
2007-07-13 07:14:00 By Bob Lee Ride Date: July 10Battle Lake to Little Falls, MN ??? 90 MILESClick picture for Google Earth views. Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resumeAfter an interview in Battle Lake, I headed into the farm country. Drainage Divide? It was a little concerning to wheat maturing. I hope that doesn???t mean summer is turning to fall. The wheat may be turning brown, but the corn is green with lots of irrigation. I had been keeping my eyes of the clouds for rain, but sometimes we focus on the wrong things. As I went by this little garden plot and saw squash and peas, etc. It reminded me on the last ???garden report??? from Anne. She is doing a great job of keeping up with the flowerbed around the house, the vegetable garden at home, as well as caring for the two garden plots at the park district. On July 7, she picked the first ripe tomatoes, lots of cucumbers, squash and beans. She also reported that she... More About: River , Like , Rolling
Sunshine, Freedom and a Little Flower
2007-07-11 09:11:00 By Bob Lee Ride Date: July 9Fargo, ND to Battle Lake, MN – 95 MilesClick picture for Google Earth views. Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resume It was nice to slow down and have a day of rest on Sunday. Last evening I had dinner with Dean and Laurie who I last saw in Cut Bank over three hundred miles ago. It is interesting when we can travel at different paces on different days and still end up in the same place at the same time. It was fun to compare stories of the people we have met and the sights we have seen. Life is a little bit like this journey. We all start the same way. Then our paths lead us in different directions, but eventually we all end up in the same place. I hope everyone finds a little flower in his or her journey of life. I had this visitor join me on the front of my bike this morning... ...and he had this to say:"To live is not enough, said he; sunshine, freedom, and a little flower, one must have... More About: Freedom , Sunshine , Flower , Shin , Lowe
Sunshine, Freedom and a Little Flower
2007-07-11 09:11:00 By Bob Lee Ride Date: July 9Fargo, ND to Battle Lake, MN ??? 95 MilesClick picture for Google Earth views. Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resume It was nice to slow down and have a day of rest on Sunday. Last evening I had dinner with Dean and Laurie who I last saw in Cut Bank over three hundred miles ago. It is interesting when we can travel at different paces on different days and still end up in the same place at the same time. It was fun to compare stories of the people we have met and the sights we have seen. Life is a little bit like this journey. We all start the same way. Then our paths lead us in different directions, but eventually we all end up in the same place. I hope everyone finds a little flower in his or her journey of life. I had this visitor join me on the front of my bike this morning... ...and he had this to say:"To live is not enough, said he; sunshine, freedom, and a little flower, one must have... More About: Freedom , Sunshine , Flower , Shin , Lowe
Remember The Red River Valley
2007-07-09 08:13:00 By Bob Lee Ride Date: July 7Sibley to Fargo, ND ??? 80 milesClick picture for Google Earth views. Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resumeOn July 6 I received this e-mail.Hi BOB,They are making a LOT out of tomorrow being the seventh day of the seventh month of the (200)7th year. We hope it will be a fabulous time for you on the road.Mette and FrankActually, my RIDE from Sibley to Fargo was just about 77 miles. Fabulous, I am not sure. Hot, yes. The evening news said it was 97?? with a heat index well over 100 degrees. Why do I show 80 miles ridden? Well I had the opportunity to ride around town to the bike store and more importantly around the block for WDAY channel 6 to do some footage for the evening news. I guess it was my lucky day. Usually, I am not up when the sun is getting up; but this morning was an exception since I knew I had a long hot ride and a treat at the end of the RIDE. The sun is as pretty rising as i... More About: River , Valley
Remember The Red River Valley
2007-07-09 08:13:00 By Bob Lee Ride Date: July 7Sibley to Fargo, ND – 80 milesClick picture for Google Earth views. Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resumeOn July 6 I received this e-mail.Hi BOB,They are making a LOT out of tomorrow being the seventh day of the seventh month of the (200)7th year. We hope it will be a fabulous time for you on the road.Mette and FrankActually, my RIDE from Sibley to Fargo was just about 77 miles. Fabulous, I am not sure. Hot, yes. The evening news said it was 97° with a heat index well over 100 degrees. Why do I show 80 miles ridden? Well I had the opportunity to ride around town to the bike store and more importantly around the block for WDAY channel 6 to do some footage for the evening news. I guess it was my lucky day. Usually, I am not up when the sun is getting up; but this morning was an exception since I knew I had a long hot ride and a treat at the end of the RIDE. The sun is as pretty rising as i... More About: River , Valley
I Would Rather Be Making Hay
2007-07-08 08:58:00 By Bob Lee Ride Date: July 6 Pekin to Sibley, ND ???65 MilesClick picture for Google Earth views. Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resumeFrom one small town to another, with a few more in between. The challenge has been to find towns with a store or a bed to sleep. This is the height of the tourist season. Lots of family reunions, weddings and town celebrations are taking place in the month of July. I went through Cooperstown which was celebrating, it???s 125 anniversary and the town of Hope was celebrating its 100-year. I tried to leave a little earlier this morning to try to beat the heat. It really didn???t work. This afternoon about 4:00 I was riding on a road with bubbling tar. The good thing was the way the morning light was highlighting the Pekin elevator on the way out of town. And I was early enough to catch a glimpse of some wild turkeys... I want to explain this next picture. This is an inactive miss... More About: Would , Maki , Rather , Makin
I Would Rather Be Making Hay
2007-07-08 08:58:00 By Bob Lee Ride Date: July 6 Pekin to Sibley, ND –65 MilesClick picture for Google Earth views. Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resumeFrom one small town to another, with a few more in between. The challenge has been to find towns with a store or a bed to sleep. This is the height of the tourist season. Lots of family reunions, weddings and town celebrations are taking place in the month of July. I went through Cooperstown which was celebrating, it’s 125 anniversary and the town of Hope was celebrating its 100-year. I tried to leave a little earlier this morning to try to beat the heat. It really didn’t work. This afternoon about 4:00 I was riding on a road with bubbling tar. The good thing was the way the morning light was highlighting the Pekin elevator on the way out of town. And I was early enough to catch a glimpse of some wild turkeys... I want to explain this next picture. This is an inactive miss... More About: Would , Maki , Rather , Makin
Sharing The Local Grains
2007-07-08 06:27:00 By Bob Lee Ride Date: July 5Minnewaukan to Pekin, ND - 67 MilesClick picture for Google Earth views. Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resumeLast night I stayed on the western edge of Devils Lake and today I rode around the south side of the lake. It is an interesting lake since it has increased in length by 8 miles over the past 10 years. I am told this is because of the increase in the rainfall during this period. Devils Lake has some of the best Walleye fishing in the country, plus a lot of Northern, perch and bass. You can see where the new shoreline has killed trees and caused homes to be abandoned. This first house hasn???t been completely abandoned; the swallows have made it their own ???bird house.??? See them in the upper left hand corner of the picture? The bird life is plentiful with Wilson???s Phalarope, Ruddy ducks, Western Grebe, American White Pelicans and California Gulls. If you like thes... More About: Local , Grains , Sharing , Grain , Shari
Sharing The Local Grains
2007-07-08 06:27:00 By Bob Lee Ride Date: July 5Minnewaukan to Pekin, ND - 67 MilesClick picture for Google Earth views. Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resumeLast night I stayed on the western edge of Devils Lake and today I rode around the south side of the lake. It is an interesting lake since it has increased in length by 8 miles over the past 10 years. I am told this is because of the increase in the rainfall during this period. Devils Lake has some of the best Walleye fishing in the country, plus a lot of Northern, perch and bass. You can see where the new shoreline has killed trees and caused homes to be abandoned. This first house hasn’t been completely abandoned; the swallows have made it their own “bird house.” See them in the upper left hand corner of the picture? The bird life is plentiful with Wilson’s Phalarope, Ruddy ducks, Western Grebe, American White Pelicans and California Gulls. If you like thes... More About: Local , Grains , Sharing , Grain , Shari
Happy Fourth of July!
2007-07-05 07:44:00 By Bob Lee Ride date: July 4Rugby to Minnewaukan, ND Click picture for Google Earth views. Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resume... I hope you had a bang up day.The 4th is a good time for family reunions. On my ride I didn’t see many people, but this family of pelicans were having a good time. Then I saw this family of cows, "butt" some of them turned their backs. And some people didn’t realize it was a day off. You make hay when you can. Others enjoyed the lake and went fishing. What a fancy area to clean their walleyed pike. What did I do after 63 miles? I just hung out. Not with these 2 cowboys, but with two bikers. Lauren is a Mennonite minister and Gary a teacher from Kauai. Two very interesting people! We grilled steaks and brats. Enjoy some of the sights of the day. FROM THE BEGINNING | PREVIOUS | NEXT... More About: Happy , Fourth of July
Independence Day!
More articles from this author:2007-07-05 04:43:00 By Bob Lee July 4, 2007 Independence means different things to different people. We are celebrating the independence of our nation. When people talk about working for retirement, I discuss working for independence. But there is an independence much greater. Please take the time to read an article written by Ben Gill who died of ALS. I never met Ben, but I did attend his funeral and heard the testimonies of this great husband and father. I think by reading this, your thoughts of independence and for living will be changed forever. To me, this is the most powerful thing I have shared in the last few months. Please read it! We need to eliminate ALS so no one ever loses their independence to this disease again.IMAGINE By Ben Gill Imagine that you are a healthy, happy, and active individual in your mid-40’s; not an unpleasant thought. Now, imagine that one day while exercising, your knee starts to buckle; and one day, you reach... More About: Independence Day , Epen 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 |
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