Notes From The Road

Making a change...one hill at a time...with a special message to Maplewood Elementary School in Somersworth, NH

Well today was a day of HILLS. With legs tight I had to create my own cheering section in my head. I had Maureen, whom I affectionately call "Moe" telling me that "I can do this". I had blog support from my NH sales team and health educators telling me to climb those hills hard and then my external support from family & friends yelling "power legs". All the while I am thinking that I am lucky to be on this ride to make an impact on people's lives. Even if it is just one person, it is all worth it.

I would like to holler out to Maplewood Elementary School in Somersworth, NH, who I hope read the daily blog. Make one change in your life... bring in one less dessert tray and be a role model for your fellow students and teachers. Today we rode hills, tomorrow we climb mountains. You can make one small change to impact your entire life… I, no, WE on the Health Awareness Tour challenge each and every one of you to make a change!

September 20, 2007: Going Through the Gap

The infamous day four of our tour begins. We have been looking forward and/or dreading these two days for weeks since we learned what the route would look like. Everyone we talk to says we have lots of hills ahead of us as soon as we mention that our destination is Leighton (pronounced Lehigh-ton) whether they are CIGNA employees at the Easton facility, people we talked to at dinner, or others we meet on the street. Some get a glazed look in their eyes as if we are going to attempt something magical, so the place must have some notoriety.

After a hearty breakfast at the Lafayette Inn we loaded onto our bikes for the expected climb back up the steep hill to the Easton facility to meet the first shift crew. Once again the Easton crew put on a big spread for our arrival and the team had the pleasure of even more time chatting with people about health awareness including the local fire and rescue squad and the ambulance EMTs.

Today we knew we'd be getting a visit from Mighty Mouse, but most of the team had no idea what that actually meant. We soon found out that Mighty Mouse is the nickname given to California Health Awareness Tour team rider Kristy. Her road bicycle was still in transit from California so she chose to ride a fixed gear bicycle - that has one gear only, does not coast and only had a front brake. So for our ride to Bethlehem and Emmaus Kristy rode all the hills just the same as everyone else who had between 10 and 30 gears! Now we know how she got her nickname.

The ride from Easton to Bethlehem was gorgeous with large corn farms and horse pastures, rolling hills and potholed roads. Our arrival at CIGNA's Bethlehem Call Center was greeted by two people in a minivan who drove ahead of us taking pictures and chaperoning us to the event. When we arrived there were people on their own bikes, including one young woman on a rusty old Ross 3-speed without working brakes. We all rode around the building once for those inside who could not leave their desks to see the tour arrival. After opening remarks the team enjoyed meeting everyone. We learned of some remarkable success stories from people who had already undertaken new healthy steps. We also challenged some individuals to make some small changes in their lives so that they could enjoy some of the same success as their co-workers. The Bethlehem visit was an incredibly well planned event and was well attended by people who were interested in hearing our stories and sharing theirs. And, after the hills coming into the facility, refreshments and healthy snacks were very welcome!

We then rode out of the Bethlehem facility and into Allentown. Just as we made the turn onto Airport road we were joined by two guest riders from the local cycling club. Sally is the President of the Lehigh Wheelmen and had helped plan a good portion of our ride from Bethlehem to Emmaus through some very gnarly city streets. Her cycling partner, Mark, is a local Category 1 track racer and Category 2 road racer - those who are active bicycle racers will know that this means he is one strong rider. It was absolutely inspiring to ride with these two.

We rode back through some of the same roads we came in on, to rejoin our route towards Leighton. At one point we approached the top of a hill and saw a huge ridge in the distance. Looking at the maps, GPS, and cue sheet it was clear we'd need to get on the other side of the ridge but its sides were so steep it looked impossible! As we rode along, a gap appeared to cleave the ridge in two- which in fact it did, and is called the Lehigh Gap, a famous part of the Appalachian Trail. We rode through the gap, over a highly trafficked bridge, and then began what would be the hardest part of our day at mile 59.

We turned right up a road called Fireline Road. This hill will rival anything paved anywhere. It was about two blocks long with an eighteen percent climb, and according to our most experienced riders, was as tough a climb as anything they had ever ridden. After more than 20 minutes of high effort, 100% maximum heart rate, muscle failure pedaling, the top was in sight. The reward? Bugs! And lots of them! We went down a long hill and were waved through by one of our rider's parents, who were visiting the Lehigh Gap which they had hiked previously.

The best part of the day was arriving at the hotel where the SAG crew, the most awesome people we know, provided us with frozen fruit juice bars AND had already moved all of our luggage into the hotel. Whether it is accepting sweaty garments from a rider through a window, filling water bottles without being asked, Sandy giving massages that make Jill scream (we wondered what they were up to in the RV!), running out to the store to get the ingredients for Peanut Butter & Pickle sandwiches (delicious, you should try it!) or simply cheering us on at every opportunity, these four individuals are awesome.

The best news is that we all made it through Day Four, a day some of us had considered a threshold day for our cycling careers. If we could make it through today we can make it through virtually anything. The fact that we all made it means that we only have positive things to look forward to tomorrow and beyond.

September 19, 2007: Enjoying a Police Escort into Easton

After staying in Harrison, NJ last night, it's another early morning for the Bloomfield to Scranton Health Awareness Tour team. To begin the ride today we had to SAG out of urban Harrison to the more suburban and ride-able Summit, NJ. There is enough traffic to seem city-like, but the houses look like 1950s suburbia. Very nice! We think, however, that Summit is a misnamed town. At least where we started from it should be called "Valley" or "Hilly" because the first thing we faced were some decent sized hills. And these were hills unlike anything we have ridden so far - hills with traffic lights on them and impatient drivers unwilling to let a bicycle navigate through. This made clipping in and out of our bike pedals smoothly a key skill. We are pleased to note that not a single person fell off their bike today!

Although the day started out hilly, we soon got into rolling hills where you could roll down one side of a hill and then make it ½ way up the next hill. The remainder of the ride to our midpoint stop was incredibly scenic with very large horse farms, long gated driveways and mansions.

We are fortunate to have people with lots of experience to coach the newer riders (this writer included) or to help pull them along in the draft in order to meet time commitments. One of those time commitments was 11:15 at Foster-Wheeler. We did end up being almost 30 minutes late but were rewarded with a huge reception of several hundred people at this CIGNA customer. Foster-Wheeler was using the Health Awareness Tour as the kickoff for its own wellness program. The deputy mayor and Wellness manager spoke to the assembled crowd welcoming us to their community and facility and informing everyone of the purpose and benefits of the Foster Wheeler Health Awareness initiative. They shared some goodies with the riders and their staff. The team spoke with their staff, got signed commitment cards and handed out "Shifting Gears to Better Health" bracelets. A number of people were proudly sporting those bracelets as they turned in their completed commitment cards. We hope our visit truly made a difference in these people's lives. If we change one life as a result of the ride, for many of us it will be worth the trip.

Some of the Foster-Wheeler staff had warned that we had quite a few hills to tackle on our way to Easton and they were not kidding. As usual the group strung out into mini two or three person groups. We made our way up and down toward the Delaware River, the dividing line between New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The bridge crossing the river is a steel deck and inappropriate to ride on, so we walked across the state border on the pedestrian walkway. By this time, the water looked quite inviting for a swim. The remainder of the ride along the Delaware River to Easton was relatively flat with wonderful curves. We made it to the outskirts of Easton where a police office on a motorcycle waited to chaperon us into town.

If you have never been driving behind a police escort, it is quite the treat. A few team riders suggested that we should get them everywhere we go. It sure would make riding some of these roads a lot easier. The officer rode ahead and back, ensuring we were all on the correct road as well as directed traffic. We got to enjoy full use of the road, taking an entire travel lane while the lights and siren alerted people to our presence. Interestingly, just as we arrived in Easton an EMS/Ambulance unit arrived. We were breathing hard but no one needed an ambulance! As it turns out, the Easton crew was multi-tasking, as usual, and was having a fire safety demonstration, free blood pressure screenings from the EMS unit, and free bike tune-ups from the local bicycle shop. If anyone from Easton is reading this, most of the our team took advantage of the bike shop setup and requested various adjustments to their bikes; we trust the folks at Saucon Valley Bikes in Hellertown will take care of your bicycles just as well!

The Easton office had quite a few people outside cheering and waving flags. Our arrival was timed to be approximately between the first shift ending and the second shift beginning, enabling a number of people to get out and learn about health awareness and to meet the team. We shared our personal health stories and encouraged everyone to try cycling - especially since the local area is well known for its mountain bike trails and the rural roads seem purposely built for scenic cycling.

September 18, 2007: Health Awareness Day in Jersey City

Today we assumed that we would be riding downhill towards the coast. After all, we were starting several hundred feet above sea-level and would be riding Southwest toward Westport, Norwalk and Stamford on the Connecticut coast which are at sea-level. Our expectations were dashed quite early! Not only did we have lots of hills to begin the day but we had to contend with a significant amount of morning commuter and school bus traffic through rather narrow suburban roadways. Soon enough we started downhill, though, roaring into the town of Westport.

The support team of Julie, Jason, Kerry and Sandy established a rest stop 25 miles into the ride at the Westport train station parking lot. The challenge with these rest stops is significant, as it requires not only preparing food and drink for hungry and thirsty riders but a navigational challenge as well.

The Support & Gear (SAG) vehicle is 45 feet long, including the trailer, is 12 feet high and weighs over 7 tons. This means that the crew needs to be careful where they drive the vehicle - they are not allowed over or under some bridges. They are often not permitted to travel on some of the roads that bicycles can navigate. The planning of the SAG route is often as challenging as planning the cycling route. In fact, there are some bridges around New York City that would not allow the SAG vehicle to cross because it has propane aboard, so extra care was taken to create a route that was efficient, safe and followed all traffic laws. Furthermore the vehicle really only drives forwards, as backing an RV up with a trailer behind it is challenging for the best drivers. Planning is the key here also, ensuring that roads are large enough and that the RV is never driven into a spot that requires backing up or three-point turns.

Next, it was on to Stamford. While stopping for a restroom break along a busy city street, we visited an open bistro and handed out Health Awareness Tour bracelets while explaining the mission of the tour and receiving acknowledgement of health awareness as an issue of concern. While waiting outside the restaurant the other team members were in action handing out bracelets and talking with people walking past.

The highlight of the day had to be our visit to the Jersey City office. They had organized a Health Awareness Day. As the van arrived in front of the building, the team stepped out to loud cheers and flag waving. Everything that can happen does happen in the NY City area, and yet a non-CIGNA crowd gathered to watch the team arrive, perhaps wondering why all these smartly dressed people were cheering these other people on bikes. The local general manager made some introductory remarks about the HAT tour as well as relaying his own outstanding personal health achievement - quitting smoking after many years of addiction.

Steve, the team captain, introduced the team and then we all spoke with each other about the meaning of the Health Awareness Tour, what it is like to ride a bicycle for long distances, what personal health commitments we can all make, what a pound of fat versus a pound of muscle looks like among many other topics.

All too quickly, however, an hour had passed and our SAG vehicle had run out of places to hide in the surrounding streets. What a fantastic opportunity to chat with everyone.Jersey City definitely has set the bar very high for themselves and for the Health Awareness Team with their participation and enthusiasm. We can't wait to see what health improvement this office can accomplish!

Tomorrow we begin our 75 mile trek across the suburban and rural parts of New Jersey and Southern Pennsylvania on our way to Easton, PA.

September 17, 2007: Riding through the hills of Connecticut

The Bloomfield to Scranton team woke very early to begin preparations for a busy first day, needing to be in the office with bikes and uniforms at 8:00 a.m. to organize the team, conduct media interviews, or in the case of our support crew drivers, prepare the U-Haul and RV with supplies.

Under clear, sunny skies and a large balloon arch, employees cheered on the team after CIGNA HealthCare President David Cordani, who rode the first leg of the ride with us, spoke about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. The Mayor of Bloomfield read a proclamation from Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell officially declaring September 17 "Health Awareness Day" in the state of Connecticut.

After the team introductions the riders were eager to get going. After we departed, over 100 CIGNA employees participated in the Health Awareness Tour Fun Run / Walk to show their commitment to an active, healthy lifestyle.

We are honored to have two guests riding with our leg of the Tour. Riding with us today is Phyllis Wolfe, leader of Wellness programs from Bath Iron Works. Phyllis is visiting us from Maine and is self-described as the "oldest rider here". We are sure she will be leading the ride at some point during the first day. Also we have Bernie Walsh from Alstom Power riding with us for all five days. Bernie is a veteran of the Health Awareness Tours, having participated in every tour so far including the first ride with Gary Earl across the country in 2005. Bernie is an exceptionally strong rider and motivator. During the training rides this summer he demonstrated that to be an effective representative of a healthy lifestyle you need commitment, motivation and most of all kindness.

As you might know, Connecticut has lots of hills. The highlight of the day for some was when the riders who had made it over the steepest section got off their bikes and walked back downhill to encourage everyone else up the grade. Everyone made it, though not without some huffing and puffing or the occasional stop. There were lots of very long one-mile climbs and then zooming descents. On one of these descents Matt had a flat front tire riding over 25 mph! Luckily he is okay. Many in the group were ahead of Matt and did not know about his flat tire. We learned our lesson about the buddy system and will be trying some paceline riding and other team riding skills on our ride to Greenwich tomorrow before we hit the hills of the Poconos.

At the end of a very long and steep climb Maureen and Ashling had the presence of mind to throw "Shifting Gears to Better Health" bracelets to two walkers as they offered encouragement. Maureen would later talk to utility workers at the side of the road and hand out even more bracelets. We are clearly having an impact even with those who simply choose to chat while we wait for a stop sign.

The final ride of the day was a one mile descent to the hotel. The downside is that we will have to climb UP this same hill at the beginning of day two!

The Support Team has been wonderful…treating us like royalty. Along the way today we have realized that the Health Awareness Tour is not about being the fastest, but about camaraderie in achieving our mission of health awareness: the way we work together to push each other over hills, getting through flat tires, and did we say hills?