Wednesday, June 6
La Di Da Di
Las Vegas. The city of sin, you never come out the way you went in.
I'm staying at Station 5 tonight and am excited to have a pillow to sleep on, I'm running about 50% pillow/no pillow in the firehouses, i can pretty much sleep anywhere with or without normal bedding now.
I started my day at 0545 and headed NW to beat the heat. After getting out of the Valley of the Sun the temp was very mild. I kept under the radar today and saw a ton of Joshua Trees. Very cool, apparantly they only grow in NW AZ, that's the word on the street, and you just can't beat the word on the street.
I THEN GOT AN AWESOME VOICEMAIL FROM CHIEF SCOTT ANDING. MADISON MARIE ANDING WAS BORN LAST NIGHT AT 10:30. MOM IS DOING OK AND SO IS MADISON, AT 12 POUNDS. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I CAN'T WAIT TO GET BACK TO SEE LITTLE ANDING. GREAT NEWS, JUST GREAT.
I went over the Hoover Dam today and that was pretty cool. I was amazed at all of the powerlines coming from that bad boy.
I got a good work out today and the guys fed me a great lunch. I just got a call from Bruce and I'm meeting him later on for a bite to eat. That's about it. I'm still really amazed at what great weather I've had on this trip, I got rained on in Wichita and that's it. Giddy up.
I'll post some pics in a minute.
I'll be visiting the Lions' Burn Center here in Vegas tomorrow and can't wait to see it. It is really new.
A little John Donne to finish the post, Broken Hearted:
He is stark mad, whoever says, That he hath been in love an hour,Yet not that love so soon decays, But that it can ten in less space devour ;Who will believe me, if I swearThat I have had the plague a year? Who would not laugh at me, if I should say I saw a flash of powder burn a day?Ah, what a trifle is a heart, If once into love's hands it come !All other griefs allow a part To other griefs, and ask themselves but some ;They come to us, but us love draws ;He swallows us and never chaws ; By him, as by chain'd shot, whole ranks do die ; He is the tyrant pike, our hearts the fry.If 'twere not so, what did become Of my heart when I first saw thee?I brought a heart into the room, But from the room I carried none with me.If it had gone to thee, I knowMine would have taught thine heart to show More pity unto me ; but Love, alas ! At one first blow did shiver it as glass.Yet nothing can to nothing fall, Nor any place be empty quite ;Therefore I think my breast hath all Those pieces still, though they be not unite ;And now, as broken glasses showA hundred lesser faces, so My rags of heart can like, wish, and adore, But after one such love, can love no more.
I'm staying at Station 5 tonight and am excited to have a pillow to sleep on, I'm running about 50% pillow/no pillow in the firehouses, i can pretty much sleep anywhere with or without normal bedding now.
I started my day at 0545 and headed NW to beat the heat. After getting out of the Valley of the Sun the temp was very mild. I kept under the radar today and saw a ton of Joshua Trees. Very cool, apparantly they only grow in NW AZ, that's the word on the street, and you just can't beat the word on the street.
I THEN GOT AN AWESOME VOICEMAIL FROM CHIEF SCOTT ANDING. MADISON MARIE ANDING WAS BORN LAST NIGHT AT 10:30. MOM IS DOING OK AND SO IS MADISON, AT 12 POUNDS. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I CAN'T WAIT TO GET BACK TO SEE LITTLE ANDING. GREAT NEWS, JUST GREAT.
I went over the Hoover Dam today and that was pretty cool. I was amazed at all of the powerlines coming from that bad boy.
I got a good work out today and the guys fed me a great lunch. I just got a call from Bruce and I'm meeting him later on for a bite to eat. That's about it. I'm still really amazed at what great weather I've had on this trip, I got rained on in Wichita and that's it. Giddy up.
I'll post some pics in a minute.
I'll be visiting the Lions' Burn Center here in Vegas tomorrow and can't wait to see it. It is really new.
A little John Donne to finish the post, Broken Hearted:
He is stark mad, whoever says, That he hath been in love an hour,Yet not that love so soon decays, But that it can ten in less space devour ;Who will believe me, if I swearThat I have had the plague a year? Who would not laugh at me, if I should say I saw a flash of powder burn a day?Ah, what a trifle is a heart, If once into love's hands it come !All other griefs allow a part To other griefs, and ask themselves but some ;They come to us, but us love draws ;He swallows us and never chaws ; By him, as by chain'd shot, whole ranks do die ; He is the tyrant pike, our hearts the fry.If 'twere not so, what did become Of my heart when I first saw thee?I brought a heart into the room, But from the room I carried none with me.If it had gone to thee, I knowMine would have taught thine heart to show More pity unto me ; but Love, alas ! At one first blow did shiver it as glass.Yet nothing can to nothing fall, Nor any place be empty quite ;Therefore I think my breast hath all Those pieces still, though they be not unite ;And now, as broken glasses showA hundred lesser faces, so My rags of heart can like, wish, and adore, But after one such love, can love no more.
Germantown Pics May 19th, 2007 from Scott Magargal
PHOTO GALLERY: These are pics from the Germantown event on May 19th from Scott Magargal. Addition, Scott took some photo's of burn masks. These masks are made via a laser and each mask is made individually for each burn survivor. They help reduce scarring and help healing.
Click to view all the photo's on FLICKR
Click to view all the photo's on FLICKR
Tuesday, June 5
Phoenix, AZ
(NOTE: This is from Mike ... he couldn't log into the blog so he emailed us this post so everyone could read it tonight!)
Today I visited the Arizona Burn Center in Phoenix, the second largest burn center in the US. I got a grand tour from Dr. Marc and also met with Brett, the hospital's PIO, and Mike and Joe from the Burn Foundation here.
They informed me of the potential problems burn units around the country are running into, mainly staying financially afloat, to remain open to burn patients. Pretty sobering. There aren't but a couple hundred beds in burn units across the country, 43 burn units to be exact, so the potential for some capacity problems is very real. I was able to meet with a 12 year old boy today who was progressing well and picked out some cool cars from the grab bag o' toys. The burn unit here is looking into getting involved with the Phoenix Society, especially the SOAR program. I also think it would help with the burn foundation's totally awesome burn camp which starts each year on Father's Day.
Big Mike from the burn foundation gave me a highly sought after shirt from the camp - THANKS! Big Joe took me out to lunch at La Casa de Mariachi restaurant, it was great and Gracias.
After some lane splitting through PHX traffic, still got it, I made it back to the station just in time to avoid bursting into flames from the heat. I am absolutely amazed that people live here in Phoenix. No offense to all of you out there who love PHX, which is a great town, but it's really hot. Really hot. My Nordic genes are not cut out for it at all. Allright enough whining Mike. Oh no, i'm typing to myself, must be the heat.
I just made contact with the Chief in Vegas so I now have a place to sleep tomorrow, yay! I'm going to head out around 5am to beat the heat and should be in Vegas by 8. I'm meeting burn survivor "Big Daddy" Bruce Weisman tomorrow in Vegas which should be cool. Bruce has offered a lot of support for me on this long trek and I can't wait to meet him.
Since i'm in Vegas, should I put the roughly $12k we've raised so far on the Craps table? Let me know, we could win big.:-) What could happen?
Let's do a poem of the day shall we? I don't think any of my own are good enough to be read, so here is my main man Henry David Thoreau:
| ||
|
Mike
Monday, June 4
Durango to Phoenix
(NOTE: This is from Mike ... he couldn't log into the blog so he emailed us this post so everyone could read it tonight!)
Both times I stopped for gas in the Indian Nations I was approached by men asking for money, albeit politely. My usual response is "No, but if you're hungry i'll be happy to give you some food." In all the years i've said this only one man, in Downtown Crossing in Boston, said that he needed food. 2 big Macs and fries later he was in good spirits. One man today took me up on my offer, I kind of thought he would by the look of him. I gave him some bananas and bread and he was very thankful. Oddly enough, we got talking and it turns out he is a burn survivor, showed me his scars and everything. I gave him the Phoenix Society flyer and wished him good luck.
I started the day off at 6am in Durango, at a brisk 50 degrees. I was able to see the sunrise light up the San Juan Mountains and it was beautiful. One of those images that will always stick with me. I passed through the Ute and Navajo Nations today. What a travesty of human justice and caring. I saw extremely poor people living on the crappiest and most unfertile land I've seen. Very sad.
Both times I stopped for gas in the Indian Nations I was approached by men asking for money, albeit politely. My usual response is "No, but if you're hungry i'll be happy to give you some food." In all the years i've said this only one man, in Downtown Crossing in Boston, said that he needed food. 2 big Macs and fries later he was in good spirits. One man today took me up on my offer, I kind of thought he would by the look of him. I gave him some bananas and bread and he was very thankful. Oddly enough, we got talking and it turns out he is a burn survivor, showed me his scars and everything. I gave him the Phoenix Society flyer and wished him good luck.
Who knew that riding a motorcycle over 89mph was a criminal offense in AZ? News to me. I did not bother explaining that in Boston (where I learned to drive) the posted speed limit means you can roughly go 15mph over without getting harassed. Anyway, before you judge me everybody, I was on the straightest, smoothest, most desolate road you can imagine. doing the limit would have been a crime. So there I was, in the Painted Cliffs with a very perturbed state trooper by my side. Upon explained why I was there, speeding on a borrowed motorcycle, he relaxed and wrote the ticket for 10 over the limit. Thanks Rosco. Boo yah!
I rode 500 miles today, 480 of it in the desert. The sun was scorching, the wind felt like a blowtorch, or like hanging out over a roof ventilation hole for 9 hours. I have never felt heat like I felt today. OK, once but i can't explain that here.
I couldn't help but think "why?" someone would or could settle down here in this desert. If I were an early pioneer, I'd a been rowing through the Carribean pal. Why would you search for gold when you can eat coconuts and sleep on the beach?
The temp rose about 70 degrees from the start of my day to the end of it. The seguros were very cool upon reaching the valley here in Phoenix. It looks like it hasn't rains here in eons. I wish i had more time to visit all of the neat sites in the southwest that I passed today, Anasazi ruins, the big meteor crater, Grand Canyon, and Ship Rock. I'm on a mission so that'll have to wait. They're not going anywhere.
I'm very excited about seeing the 2nd largest burn unit in the US tomorrow. I'm going out after dinner to restock my toys and coloring books. There is a vicious rumor that a few PFD Ff's are joining me on their Harleys for the arrival at the hospital. I hope that materializes.
Peace for now my good friends. Was it just here or was the moon in the sky all morning today? Just awesome.
Quote of the day: "Knowledge speaks, wisdom listens." - Jimi Hendrix
Sunday, June 3
Can't forget the quote of the day!
Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. --- buddha
Durango day 2
Rafting the Animas river was awesome. The water we were floating on was snow yesterday so it was maybe 38 degrees. Captain Lou brought us through some very beautiful whitewater for about 3 hours or so. I hit a health food store (they're everywhere out here, it's great!) and stocked up on food and juice for tomorrow's big ride to Phoenix. I'll be heading out around 5 or 6am to get a jump on the heat. We just finished a great chicken dinner here at the station and I'm going to start packing so I can get up and go in the morning.
There is something about traveling on a great journey that changes you to one extent. In Buddhism they say that leaving your homeland is half of the Dharma or teaching. I would have to agree and add that leaving one's home allows one to find who they truly are; nice, mean, generous, greedy, loving, introverted, etc. There have been many times when I have been out of my element or comfort zone. As the journey goes along, I find that my comfort zones are all but vanished and I'm comfortable with anyone at anytime and anywhere. There have been times when I have been so hungry and desperate for any place that sells food that I'll eat anything. You'd be surprised how much you don't care what is on your plate when you're truly hungry. There have been times when I've been so tired I was thankful to have just a dry floor available to sleep on, but of course the awesome Fd's have taken great care of me, every night.
However, we don't need to take great trips across the country to grow and make positive changes in our lives. Maybe just opening up and letting go a little during our daily routines can bring us more peace, happiness, and understanding of this sometimes mysterious life.
I also feel like this world is a smaller place than I thought. I never thought it to be very big in the first place, but it is smaller to me now. I have met hundreds of FF's and their families and eaten and slept in many people's homes. I have asked tons of people for directions along the way, and assisted a few motorists along side of the road. Knowing more people on this planet feels good. I have met many people whose struggles and tribulations make any woe I've ever thought to be important look so foolish. I have met people who have buried their children, some younger than my own. Some have had to bury their soulmates, and a piece of their own in the process. I have met people who have lost their vision from burns and hearing from burn related antibiotics. I have met parents who feel as though there is nothing they can do for their child who is in a hospital bed in a drug induced coma. I have met burn survivors who have inspired me to tears, and many who have shown me how to find the fun in life. We all will suffer and struggle in this life my friends. Because we will all suffer to one degree or another in this life there is interconnectedness among all of here. We are not alone, we all are trying to find happiness amongst our suffering and struggles. Maybe knowing that everyone we encounter in life is trying to be happy/find happiness will make it easier to help them find that happiness, and perhaps find our own in the process.
Good night,
Mike
There is something about traveling on a great journey that changes you to one extent. In Buddhism they say that leaving your homeland is half of the Dharma or teaching. I would have to agree and add that leaving one's home allows one to find who they truly are; nice, mean, generous, greedy, loving, introverted, etc. There have been many times when I have been out of my element or comfort zone. As the journey goes along, I find that my comfort zones are all but vanished and I'm comfortable with anyone at anytime and anywhere. There have been times when I have been so hungry and desperate for any place that sells food that I'll eat anything. You'd be surprised how much you don't care what is on your plate when you're truly hungry. There have been times when I've been so tired I was thankful to have just a dry floor available to sleep on, but of course the awesome Fd's have taken great care of me, every night.
However, we don't need to take great trips across the country to grow and make positive changes in our lives. Maybe just opening up and letting go a little during our daily routines can bring us more peace, happiness, and understanding of this sometimes mysterious life.
I also feel like this world is a smaller place than I thought. I never thought it to be very big in the first place, but it is smaller to me now. I have met hundreds of FF's and their families and eaten and slept in many people's homes. I have asked tons of people for directions along the way, and assisted a few motorists along side of the road. Knowing more people on this planet feels good. I have met many people whose struggles and tribulations make any woe I've ever thought to be important look so foolish. I have met people who have buried their children, some younger than my own. Some have had to bury their soulmates, and a piece of their own in the process. I have met people who have lost their vision from burns and hearing from burn related antibiotics. I have met parents who feel as though there is nothing they can do for their child who is in a hospital bed in a drug induced coma. I have met burn survivors who have inspired me to tears, and many who have shown me how to find the fun in life. We all will suffer and struggle in this life my friends. Because we will all suffer to one degree or another in this life there is interconnectedness among all of here. We are not alone, we all are trying to find happiness amongst our suffering and struggles. Maybe knowing that everyone we encounter in life is trying to be happy/find happiness will make it easier to help them find that happiness, and perhaps find our own in the process.
Good night,
Mike
Sunday AM
Well, I'm going on little sleep today. DFD ran all night long. I'm ready for my first rafting experience and can't wait to have some fun. The river is very cold and fast today and seems to be cresting. We had breakfast at the Colorado Mounted Rangers banquet. They had a country band, with a cool stand-up bass. I filled up on about 4000 calories worth of eggs and biscuits and returned to the station to catch up on some poems I've been trying to finish. Now, off to the Animas River, which means "river of lost souls" in Navajo.
Mike
Mike
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
