On the road with SammyRides

The cancer claimed the life of Libenson's 9-year-old granddaughter, Sammy Rotman, who died of the disease in 2008. The updates are posted by Mike's wife, Lois Libenson, via emails and www.sammyrides.com.In addition, there is a Sun City Center Softball Cookbook with recipes from members, family and friends of the Sun City Center Softball and SammyRides organizations. The 156-page, the $10, 200-plus recipe book includes hints with notes for reminders. It can be purchased by calling (813) 944-8989.

Also, the Outreach Ministry at The United Methodist Church of Sun City Center has joined in the SammyRides homecoming celebration. April is dedicated to SammyRides. There will be announcements, pictures on the journey and updates at every worship service and special offerings to be donated to pediatric cancer. Local Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops will be participating in the final ride at 4 p.m., April 30, from the beginning of East Del Webb Blvd. to the church on West Del Webb. The ride will be headed by the SCC riders and also joined by local adult riders from the area. At the church, there will be a service to welcome them home safely, games for the children and hot dogs. The riders will talk about their journey and experiences along the way.

April 6

Today's ride started in Deridder, La., and ended in Oberlin, La., 37 miles away. But those miles were up and down on constant hills and into a headwind which blew consistently at 20 mph with gusts of 30 mph. And to top it all off, the roads were bumpy with all manner of tree limbs and pebbles, and with rocks. The riders were pretty tired by the time they got to Oberlin, a tiny little town, a sleepy hollow, nestled deep in the green Louisiana countryside. There are roughly 1,000 people residing in Oberlin and as is the case in many other small towns the riders have seen, the economy is struggling and many main street stores have shut down.

Today's motel is a throwback to the 50s, with somewhat small rooms and limited facilities. But the riders knew the route would take them into the heartland of the south and the pleasant demeanor of the local folks more than make up for the spartan accommodations.

Tonight, the riders are going to attend a dinner which serves Cajun food, like crawfish. Can't wait to hear all about that! Tomorrow, the riders will be proceeding to Washington, La., where they will be hosted for a potluck supper and a meet-and-greet by the Baptist church.

April 7

Yesterday was a particularly difficult ride and all four of them were feeling good but extremely tired. The weather is also getting warmer and more humid, making biking 40 to 60 miles, all the more challenging.

Mike Brown was bitten by fire ants a few days ago and for a few nights had a swollen foot along the horrific itch fire ants create. Today he was much better and was back on the bike for the full ride. I was very honored that they called me a few times to get my expert advice as an EMT to figure out how to handle those bites. Glad to know they still miss me.

Before putting in today's blog, I wanted to let everyone know that we have exceeded $100,000 in donations to Sammyrides. We are truly grateful for the continuing support we receive each day, as every dollar raised is just that much more we will be able to divide between St. Jude, CureSearch and St. Joseph's and know that somewhere in the future, all those dollars will help kids diagnosed with a form or cancer because of better treatment and research. We are truly grateful for the enormous support we have received through individual, corporate and people we've met all across the country. The generosity continues to grow and is overwhelming to all of us involved with Sammyrides.

If you live in the Florida area and would like to know more about all the events planned for the riders' return on April 30, you can contact Dee Giordano at ali@deegiordano.com or Kim Brown at kbrownscc@yahoo.com

To view an invitation for events: visit the www.Sammyrides.com website. You'll find it in the "Read Blog" section.

The riders left Oberlin, La., early this morning to get to Washington, La., in time for tonight's meet-and-greet at the Washington Baptist Church. Since cell phone service is not of great quality, I'll have to get more details from Michael tomorrow and include in my blog tomorrow eve.

Today's ride was pleasant and uneventful as the road was Louisiana flat and the surface, for the most part, smooth. The riders are staying in Simmesport, La., for two nights. There is no Internet in the rooms and the air conditioner is trying to figure out how it is supposed to keep the room nice and warm.

Lunch and breakfast today consisted of energy bars and lots of water. Louisiana's dogs were also visible along the road today as they barked and chased the riders until finally, fatigue set in. Along the road, the bayous were filled with crawfish nets and the trees were pushing one another out of the way for space. This is earth where everything can grow and the grass is greener than Ireland. The riders truly enjoyed the beautiful scenery.

April 12

Today's 47-mile ride was long and thankfully, uneventful. The winds were blowing into the riders' faces again, but the roads were good and the weather pleasant.

The riders are now in Bogalusa, La., which is the last stop in Louisiana. Tomorrow, they will bike to Picayune, Miss., where they will have a meet and greet at the Senior Center of South Pearl River County.

The riders will spend three nights in Mississippi and then on to Alabama, and finally, Florida. Only 18 more days to go until the riders hit Sun City Center.

Compiled by

PAUL CATALA