Thoughts regarding a typical ride day - Well to start with - there is not really a typical ride day. When we wake up, we might be in a high school gymnasium in a small town, a campground in a dessert or a resort in Las Vegas. Often there is a general routine of packing bags, putting on some R4WH biking gear, eating breakfast, pump my tires, put on sun block.

Invariably though, I’ll get off course (perhaps trying to fix something I accidentally broke the night before) when support team yells at me “HAVE YOU EATEN BREAKFAST - SETH”. So I eat. Yadda, yadda, ya and next thing I find myself on my bike without really knowing where I’m going except that I need to keep an eye out for orange arrows and bikers in front of me.

Riding is fun, but invariably, one gets tired and starts thinking about food. Then VOILA –on the side of the ride is a rest stop full of nourishment and fellow bikers. Once again the support team yells at me – this time telling me ‘SETH YOUR EARS ARE RED. PUT SUNSCREEN ON’. Two minutes later ‘SETH - PUT MORE SUNSCREEN ON’.

After sharing some laughs with the rest of the team we’re back on the road. By the end of the ride, I’m not sure if I’m facing east, north or west (although east always sounds right like the way we should be going). If I’m lucky I know the name of the town (or campsite) I’ve arrived in. Nevertheless, I am happy and feel perfectly safe. The support team always has our backs - It turns out that I don’t actually have to know where I am.

Fun story of the day. After getting confused as to whether there were men’s locker rooms in addition to women’s lucky rooms , Joe offered, “Seth I don’t know when it will happen, but I look forward to bailing you out jail one day.”

The picture is from Tammy, with the caption “Will the real Hulk please step forward?”  You’ll have to ask her for the story.

It’s 1:40 AM on the morning of our first ride (4/6) and I CAN’T SLEEP. Too many thoughts going through my head. I’ve been excited about participating in R4WH since the first time I heard of it more than two years ago. I had the fortune of participating in the ’07 ride for a week and it was even better than I had anticipated. I think the ’08 ride will provide the same sentiments. I am so impressed with all the work the executive committee has done leading up to this ride. Kudos to them. In addition, my heartfelt gratitude goes out to the ’06 and ’07 teams for making their rides such a success. Obviously we wouldn’t be able to do the ’08 ride if it weren’t for their hard work and diligence.

There are so many reasons to be excited. A ride across the country by itself will be an exhilarating adventure. What a great opportunity to explore the U.S. – its land, its culture and its people. Meanwhile, might it be possible that we can contribute towards solutions to the many health challenges facing the U.S. and the world at large? It’s awe-inspiring to think that we have this opportunity.

Over the past few days we’ve been practicing our lecture series. It has raised as many questions for us as I hope the lectures answer for our audiences. We struggle to identify the key messages and “action-items” we want to pass along to those we meet. How exactly do we improve health care access? What is our role in addressing the health challenges of developing countries when we know so little about the associated cultures? I suppose that is why the challenges and disparities exist – there are no easy solutions. But, just as Kel suggested that we should all stop at the side of the ride if we saw a bicyclist in trouble, so too should we do our best to address the lofty health challenges facing the U.S. and the world.

The beauty of all this is that the ride has already been a success on so many levels. I’ve really enjoyed meeting our team of unique, motivated, good-natured folk. As noted above, we have already engaged in interesting discussions amongst ourselves as we try to comprehend the issues we strive to address. No doubt I’ll learn a lot from everyone. And of course we’re not lacking of fun adventure and new stories to share.

Speaking of stories to share: I take credit for fall #1 and #2 of the ride. The first occurred in a PARKING LOT (after I accidentally let out a bit of gas and tried to turn around to see if I had inadvertently blasted anyone with my foulness). Second fall was just TWENTY MINUTES later – the fall cracked my bike pump, but luckily none of my bones. Thank you, bike pump, for taking the hit for me.

Our accommodation has been fantastic. We’re in the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center in La Jolla and the hospitality has been amazing. I thought I’d lose some weight on this trip, but thanks to the free Chinese food, pasta, burritos, desserts and smoothies I reckon I’ve already put on five pounds. Meanwhile, Anuj’s aunt threw a grand party complete with live music, more food and even a bicycle parade.

Okay, it’s 2 AM and I really ought to get some sleep. Before signing off, though, I wanted to thank everyone who has sponsored one of us. It really means so much to know that there are so many that support our mission and desire to positively influence health care.

I’m on support tomorrow – I’m trying to promote a “Let’s go to Mexico” movement. Heck if we go coast to coast – why not hit Mexico and Canada? (Just Kidding)