1st - Day #185
MAX & BAILEY ENTER MISSISSIPPI - STATE #44
With just 33 days left on their journey, Max & Bailey entered Mississippi today. I'll admit that
we won't miss the unusual heat and humidity we experienced in New Orleans, but we will certainly
miss our new friends from New Orleans.
Many of our new friends are currently waiting for an Assistance Dog of their own. Judy Miller
has been waiting for over a year. Mary Myra is now working on plans for raising money to help
her receive an Assistance Dog. And Chad has been waiting for almost 5 years, with two or more
years left before he receives his Assistance Dog. These three all have two things in common :
They will all wait much too long and they will do so with a positive attitude. Another three
everyday heroes that we've met on this journey.
Your donations or logo gear purchases can help us shorten their wait. Wouldn't it be great if
corporations would sponsor just one dog each year. The dogs could be named to reflect the many
companies who made the sponsorship possible - just $18,000 for an Assistance Dog or $40,000 for
Guide Dog. That is a lot of money to most of us, but a very small investment in the community
for a successful company. Maybe tomorrow....
For today, Max & Bailey will continue riding, speaking out for people with disabilities and
educating Americans about the many ways an Assistance Dog can improve the life of a person with
disabilities. Please help us shorten these long waiting lists. Chad, Mary Myra and Judy are
worth your investment.
If you have made a donation in the past, don't forget to investigate the possibility of having
your employer match your donation. Many employers will match donations (or make a donation for
each hour you volunteer) to qualifying 501(c)3 organizations. Hogs For Dogs just happens to be
a 501(c)3 qualifying organization. You can double your donation simply by asking your employer
to get involved.
Donor-of-the-Day : Cindi Clark is today's donor of the day for her $130 online purchase. You may
remember Cindi from our Yachats, Oregon events. She helped us then and she continues to help us
today. She's also volunteers her time and love as a puppy raiser for Canine Companions For
Independence. She is a very special person. Thanks, Cindi!
Photos-of-the-Day : (1) Our New Orleans Hostess - Carolyn Kerner (2) Welcome to Mississippi
(3) Chad and Bailey (from yesterday's photos). Wouldn't this picture be better with an Assistance
Dog.
Come celebrate with us in Raleigh on December 4th as we 'Cross The Finish Line' at Ray Price
Harley-Davidson. There will be food, music and fun for the whole family. If you were thinking
about a weekend vacation, Raleigh is the place to be. Several of our sponsors will be on hand
and Red Roof Inn has special rates for all our out of town visitors. We've gone 25,000 miles.
Help us finish the ride with a big welcome home party! See you there!
2nd - Day #186
RAIN AND MECHANICAL BREAK-DOWN SLOWS THE RIDE
Election Day is the chance for Americans to exercise their right to choose this great country's
leadership. Regardless of your political beliefs or whether your candidate is the ultimate
winner to lead the country, your vote counts. Every vote counts. We hope you took the time
to reflect on your beliefs, the country's needs and got out to vote.
Similar to voting is your choice to support or not support people living with disabilities. We
are often asked if a $1 donation can make a difference. Like counting individual votes, if
every American gave only one dollar, there would be $350-million to assist in lessening the
long waits for an Assistance Dog. Yes every dollar - just like every vote - is immensely
important. It won't have the same impact on the country as the choosing of a president, but
to the person who receives the independence of an Assistance Dog it may be even more important.
Why note make your vote for independence today?
Max & Bailey spent their day riding through rain showers from Hattiesburg to Meridian, MS. It
was a very wet - and sometimes miserable - ride. It was made even more difficult due to a new
kind of mechanical breakdown - a breakdown of the body. Blaine's body, to be specific.
Our doctors gave us a thorough physical before we embarked on this charitable journey. We knew
it would be a long and difficult ride and that it would take some toll on our body through long
miles and the stress of planning and participating in the hundreds of events across the country.
We received the green light for the ride with one (non-fatal) warning. Blaine's uric acid was
close to the levels that would result in the very painful arthritic condition called Gout. After
185 days, the doctor's prediction came true -- painfully true!
I (Blaine) went to bed feeling a little melancholy because the ride was drawing to a close and
there was so much more we'd hoped to do for others. The ripple effect of our education may be
seen for years to come, but we feel that we - with your help - could have done more in the
fundraising arena. By 3 AM that same morning, I was writhing with a pain in my left foot so
intense that, if asked, I would have happily amputated it right then. I couldn't walk,
couldn't sleep and couldn't believe all this pain was caused by a higher than normal uric acid.
Now I BELIEVE!
I have medication with me and am confident that the pain will soon subside. But, the ride and
trying to shift gears with my left foot today left me feeling more than melancholy - it left
me with tears. Janet, always my supporter, just reminded me that my pain was nothing compared
to the challenges facing the people we ride for. I felt better - but cried a little more.
So, I hope you chose to get out and vote, to make your voice heard in a sea of different
opinions. And we thank all of you have voted here, through this website or at any of our events,
for the independence we seek for people living with physical disabilities.
We invite everyone living in or near the Atlanta area to visit with us at our Roswell, Georgia
events. Local volunteers like Robert Wilson have spent countless hours putting together some
fun events and support. The Mayor of Roswell has decided to proclaim November 6th as Hogs For
Dogs Day. Please come out and support the ride.
Photos-of-the-Day : Too much rain for new photos
4th - Day #188
MAX & BAILEY ARRIVE IN ROSWELL, GEORGIA
Max and Bailey are now in the 46th state on their journey - Georgia. You aren't losing your
mind if you think we missed reporting state #45 (Alabama). Yesterday's ride to Auburn rates
as one of the top three worst rides on this journey - nothing but pouring rain, wind and very
limited visibility. There are no photos from Alabama because we saw very little of it. Our
focus was on the ten feet of highway in front of us. And, yes, the dogs stayed very dry and
comfortable in their cozy sidecars. We, on the other hand, had cold puddles in our underwear,
again!
Today was a much better day. After a very refreshing visit with some of our good friends who
live in Opelika, AL, we made the 130-mile run to Roswell, GA for this weekend's events. The
sun was shining and it was actually a little cool - a big change from our recent record-breaking
heat. The weekend forecast looks absolutely perfect for our events, so if you're anywhere close
by, please come out and join us. You can see all the Atlanta (Roswell) area events on our
Upcoming Events page, but here is a brief list:
Friday
------
10:00 AM Grayson Elementary School Presentation
11 - 5 PM Dog Wash at the Red Bandana
Saturday
--------
10 - 5 PM Killer Creek H-D Events (see events page)
We invite everyone living in or near the Atlanta area to visit with us at our Roswell, Georgia
events. Local volunteers like Robert Wilson have spent countless hours putting together some
fun events and support. The Mayor of Roswell has decided to proclaim November 6th as Hogs For
Dogs Day. Please come out and support the ride.
Donor-Of-The-Day : Steve and Karen Conrad from Bear, Delaware are our donors of the day. They
made a very generous $100 donation and will have the donation matched by their employer.
Photos-of-the-Day : (1) Max & Bailey at the Georgia border (2 & 3) Our first photos of 'April',
the Canine Partners For Life puppy named after one of our hard-working board members, April
Fort. April, this sweet-faced puppy, will go on to become a future Assistance Dog (with the
help of your donations!)
Come celebrate with us in Raleigh on December 4th as we 'Cross The Finish Line' at Ray Price
Harley-Davidson. There will be food, music and fun for the whole family. If you were thinking
about a weekend vacation, Raleigh is the place to be. Several of our sponsors will be on hand
and Red Roof Inn has special rates for all our out of town visitors. We've gone 25,000 miles.
Help us finish the ride with a big welcome home party! See you there!
5th - Day #189
GRAYSON ELEMENENTARY WELCOMES MAX & BAILEY
We always enjoy sharing Max & Bailey's educational message with students, and the fifth-grade
students at Grayson Elementary were exceptional! Though we were about 10 minutes late because
of traffic, the students gave us a great welcome and forgave us for being tardy. They were
interested in learning about Assistance Dogs and how those special dogs help people living
with physical disabilities. We were honored to be there today and want to thank teacher Louise
Adkins for our invitation
As soon as we left Grayson Elementary, we had to make our way to The Red Bandana for our Dog
Wash event. Volunteers helped wash dogs in the store's do-it-yourself dog wash for a $10
donation. Though we didn't have as many visitors as the organizers would have liked, it was
a great event. Even Max & Bailey took turns in the bathtubs.
We have another great event planned for the Roswell, Georgia area on tap for tomorrow. Come
out to Killer Creek Harley-Davidson for the Doggie Fashion Show and Silent Auction. There
will be live music, food and fun for all ages. Bring your dog in their best costume and take
a chance at winning prizes. Check our Upcoming Events Page for more details
Donor-Of-The-Day : Hogs For Dogs supporters rushing to order the new 2005 Max & Bailey Calendar
are our donors of the day today. The calendars are selling VERY fast and today's buyers include
Pat Nowak, Scott Brady, Lyneette Beaster and Debbie Dornfield. Thanks for those purchases. We
hope you enjoy the calendars as much as we enjoyed putting them together. Get yours today!
Photos-of-the-Day : (1) Grayson Elementary students line up to see Max & Bailey (2) Blaine talks
to the large group of fifth-graders (3) Sunny Braley and the staff at Red Bandana Pet Food pose
with the Hogs For Dogs team (4) Max getting his bath at the Dog Wash event
Come celebrate with us in Raleigh on December 4th as we 'Cross The Finish Line' at Ray Price
Harley-Davidson. There will be food, music and fun for the whole family. If you were thinking
about a weekend vacation, Raleigh is the place to be. Several of our sponsors will be on hand
and Red Roof Inn has special rates for all our out of town visitors. We've gone 25,000 miles.
Help us finish the ride with a big welcome home party! See you there!
6th - Day #190
ROSWELL MAYOR JERE WOOD PROCLAIMS NOVEMBER 6TH AS HOGS FOR DOGS DAY
AND
KILLER CREEK HARLEY-DAVIDSON DOGGIE FASHION SHOW AND SILENT AUCTION IS A BIG SUCCESS
Our friends and Atlanta volunteers, Robert and Carolyn Wilson, deserve a HUGE round of applause
for their fundraising and educational efforts in the Atlanta area. The Wilsons have spent
months planning and working to make this weekend's events a success. Well, the numbers are in
and they are very good: $4,822.45 worth of GOOD!
Now, we know that the Wilsons didn't do this alone. Holly Neal Ford, Squeek Moynihan (love that
name) and John (GM) from Killer Creek H-D, along with their entire staff pulled out all the
stops to make today's event possible. Local businesses and individuals donated valuable items
for the silent auction. Don Law rocked the crowd with his pro-bono performance. Mariana Travis
volunteered countless hours of her time as a volunteer. The list goes on and on, but it takes
leadership to make these things a success. And, I hope you'll join me in thanking Robert and
Carolyn for playing that lead role.
We also had a wonderful surprise today. Jack and Elli Sias from Fairburn, GA stopped by today's
event and made a very generous $500 donation. Now, here's the rest of the story: We met Elli
and Jack when we drove through Glacier National Park. It was a short encounter, but they have
followed Max & Bailey's journey through the website since that first meeting. They believed in
what we're doing and surprised us with today's donation. Thank you Elli and Jack.
Jack and Elli's donation and loyal following is just another example of the kind of support we
have seen from folks across the country. Bill and Olive Smith have been following our journey
since we saw them in Mount Airy during our first week on the road. Sue Edelstein met us once
at Guiding Eyes For The Blind and has become our unofficial media support team, calling and
emailing media outlets around the country. John and Mary Quick from Silent Farm B & B opened
their home to us and became one of our greatest cheerleaders. And, then there are all our
dedicated volunteers who have given thousands of hours to this project. It would take pages
and pages for me to list all the people we've met who have shared our passion for this ride.
But, you get the idea.
So, it is our pleasure to publicly announce (for the first time) that Max & Bailey are hoping
to generate enough interest for a 2005 Reunion Tour - a three-month, limited tour through select
cities across the country. We need to garner a minimum of $100K in corporate sponsorship before
the ride becomes official - but we're willing to give it a try. If you have an interest in
helping us make this ride possible, let us know. There are still millions of people waiting for
an Assistance Dog. Let's keep the momentum going!
Donor-Of-The-Day : Obviously Elli and Jack Sias get today's top honors for their $500 donation.
Photos-of-the-Day : (1) Janet: ready to sell! (2) Max entertains visitors (3) Golden Retriever,
Hannah, plays the piano during the dog trick contest (4) More dog tricks (5) Max & Bailey get
a special visit from another dog showing their motorcycle colors (6) I wish I had video to share.
This little 'Hog' is actually moon walking (honest!) (7) Don Law entertains the crowd
8th - Day #192
MAX & BAILEY SEND THEIR REGARDS FROM TIFTON, GEORGIA
Max & Bailey had the great honor of visiting with the students and staff at Sacred Heart School
in Warner Robins, GA. They were a great group and we owe a special thanks to Cyndee Morgan for
inviting us into their school. That was the highlight of the day.
The low point came as we arrived in Tifton and got back online to answer the hundred or so
emails that still need a response. Among the thirty new emails was one from a producer of a
major network morning show. After corresponding with them for months about a possible
segment on Max & Bailey's Ride to highlight the needs of people with disabilities and the long
wait they face for Assistance Dogs, they decided against the piece.
We were disappointed, to be sure. But not for the reasons you may imagine. We have no burning
desire to be on national television. Our deep disappointment is for the millions of people
with disabilities whose story we had hoped to tell and for the effect that national awareness
might have had on the 3-5 year waiting lists for Assistance Dogs. And with only 26 days left
on this ride, we are running out of opportunities to tell that story.
I know you're busy. But, if you could find a few minutes in your busy day, we need your help.
I am asking every friend, family member, teacher, volunteer and Hogs For Dogs' supporter to
call, write, or email your favorite media personalities. Teachers, what a great exercise it
would be for your students to write letters about Max & Bailey's visit to their school and send
them to select media outlets. If you ever believed in helping us reduce the long waiting lists,
believe now. Act now, please.
Donor-Of-The-Day : We met our donor-of-the-day at Rest Area #14 in Dooly County, GA. Robbie -
that's his name - saw us drive up and knew he had seen us somewhere before. Just as we were
about to drive away, Robbie stopped to ask us if we were indeed the Hogs For Dogs folks who
were riding around the country to help people with disabilities. That we are. Robbie made
a $10 donation and wished us well. He became our donor of the day with a simple handshake.
Photos-of-the-Day : (1) Sacred Heart School photo. (2-12) The reason we ride. The reason you
care. The reason that these waiting lists have to get shorter.
Twenty-six days from now, on December 4th, we will 'Cross The Finish Line' at Ray Price
Harley-Davidson. There will be celebration with food, music and fun for the whole family. If
you were thinking about a weekend vacation, Raleigh is the place to be. Several of our
sponsors will be on hand and Red Roof Inn has special rates for all our out of town visitors.
We've gone 25,000 miles. You've traveled along with us for most of them. Why not help us
finish the ride with a big welcome home party! We'll hope to see you there!
9th - Day #193
SMALL TOWNS AND BACK ROADS PUT US BACK ON COURSE
We've seen more interstates than we ever cared to see over the last month of this charity ride.
Our goal when we left home - navigationally - was to travel on primarily back roads and smaller
highways. Somewhere between Texas and Georgia, we had lost our way and found ourselves staring
at dashed white lines as they blinked by at 70 mph. We didn't enjoy it, but it was required if
we wanted to get to our events on time. Today, we found our way back to those small roads.
The day began at Little River Harley-Davidson in Tifton, Georgia. We pulled in for a picture in
front of the shop for our ABC's of Harley program - a program where you take your photo in every
state and at national parks, etc. What we got was more than a photo. We met great people like
Don and Brad who listened to our story and then recommended a small grill in Moultrie, GA for
lunch.
Hwy 319 South was our route, and though there are four lanes (two each way), the drivers all
had that small town, wave-as-you-go, kind of attitude. We smiled all the way into Moultrie,
past the beautiful old courthourse and around the corner to Vern & Firewaters Blue Sky Grill,
where there was a parking space right up front. If you're wondering - Interstates don't lead
you to places like this.
Max & Bailey were already surrounded by men in ties and woman in their business clothes as we
found two stools at the bar where we could see the dogs. The people inside ran the gamut from
business folks on their lunch break to a woman's group and us two bikers at the bar. We made
friends easily, had the local paper show up for an interview and the Grill's proprietor buy our
lunch - and several t-shirts, too.
Yes, indeed. We had been missing these people while we were out chasing dashed lines on the
Interstate highways. Today, we came home.
Thank you Don and Brad for the lunch recommendation. A very special thanks to Randy Banister
for buying our lunch and to Deb and Christie for making our visit to the Blue Sky Grill so
relaxing and delicious. And thank you Moultrie, Georgia for reminding us what we'd been
missing while we raced from place to place on Interstates.
We still need your help with the media. Call, write or email all your favorite TV, radio and
print media outlets to let them know about Max & Bailey's Ride. And, if you don't already
have a 2005 calendar, pick up one of Max & Bailey's Postcard From The Road calendar. You get
the calendar and people with disabilities get a chance to shave a year - or more - off of their
wait for an Assistance Dog.
Donor-Of-The-Day : Randy Banister from the Blue Sky Grill is today's donor-of-the-day for his
friendship, free lunch and $70 logo-gear purchase. If you're ever in Moultrie, stop by and
have lunch with some good people. I recommend the Chicken Melt.
Photos-of-the-Day : (1) Little River Harley-Davidson (2) Bailey waits outside the Blue Sky
Grill (3) Welcome to Florida - State #47! (4) Janet and Bailey celebrate state #47 (5) Max
shows what it looks like to have a bad hair day at the border.
10th - Day #194
TALLAHASSEE WELCOME MAX & BAILEY
Max & Bailey began their day at the old State Capitol Building in Tallahassee, Florida. We had
reserved the opportunity to be on the Capitol lawn for the entire day prior to our arrival and
had invited the state's legislators and Florida's new agency for people with disabilities to
join us there. We thought it would be a perfect opportunity for the state's leaders to speak to
the media about their programs to support their citizens living with physical disabilities.
They declined. And I don't know how to say anything positive about that. I think their actions
speak louder than their words in this case, new agency or not.
News anchor Sarah Grady from WCTV-TV 6, however, was there and filmed a nice segment about Max
& Bailey's Ride and the role Assistance Dogs play in the lives of people with disabilities. She
and Corrie - the videotographer - did a great job of capturing the story for WCTV's Peculiar
Pastimes segment of their evening news. You can see some of the story on their website at:
www.wctv6.com/news/features/4/1177771.html (we'll also post this info on our Press Release page).
Our afternoon was spent with middle school students at the prestigious Maclay School. Karen
Stuart, a student from the school's Animal Club, helped put together our visit. The staff and
students listened attentively and were very generous. The Animal Club pledged a $200 donation
and the middle school students were collecting donations to add to that total. As a special
treat, we had Judi Volpe and Jeri Rickord from Paws With A Cause demonstrated many of the tasks
an Assistance Dog is trained to do for their disabled partner. Well, Judi and Jeri didn't do
the tasks, their PAWS demonstration dogs Hickory and Timber, respectively, did the work. It was
a big hit with the students.
If you live in the Tallahassee area and want to meet Max & Bailey or learn more about our program,
we will be at the Veteran's Day Parade in the morning and then at Barnaby's Pizza from 2-5 PM.
Come out, say hello and help us celebrate and remember the veterans who sacrifice so much for
our country's freedoms. As a former member of the U.S. Air Force, I will be thinking of those
serving in the military around the world tomorrow. I hope you'll do the same.
We still need your help with the media. Call, write or email all your favorite TV, radio and
print media personalities to let them know about Max & Bailey's Ride.
--- REMEMBER : MAX & BAILEY CALENDARS ARE ON SALE NOW -- AND GOING FAST! ---
Donor-Of-The-Day : The Maclay School's Animal Club with their $200+ pledge and Benita Harrod, of
Moultrie, GA, with her $30 online donation are today's donors.
Photos-of-the-Day : (1) Janet answers questions for Sarah Grady of WCTV Channel 6 (2) Meet
PAWS demonstration dog, Timber (3) Max poses at the Florida's Old Historic Capitol building
(4) Hickory calls for help for WCTV crew (5) PAWS regional trainer Judi Volpe speaks with Sarah
Grady. (6) Blaine speaks at Maclay School (7) Karen Stuart from Maclay's Animal Club volunteers
to help with our presentation (8) Timber brings items to Karen (9) Maclay's Animal Club poses
with Max & Bailey (10) The Animal Club leadership team
11th - Day #195
PARADES ACROSS AMERICA HONOR OUR VETERANS
Freedom doesn't come free. Since the country's earliest days, the men and women of our
nation's military have always answered the call to arms when our liberty has been threatened.
While we sleep in our homes and cherish our families, they re-read letters from their families
wishing they were home. And while we live our lives in freedom, our military proudly stands in
harm's way to give us that opportunity.
For Veteran's Day, Max Bailey and thousands of Florida residents turned out for the annual
Veteran's Day Parade in downtown Tallahassee to honor the past and present heroes who have
sacrificed so much so that we may live our lives in peace. I hope each of you took a moment
to honor veteran's in your own community today. They have paid for our freedom with blood and
personal sacrifice. They deserve our thanks and our respect.
Max & Bailey - who did not ride in today's parade - received lots of smiles and thumbs up from
the parade participants as they marched past. We waved our flags and the dogs showed off their
red, white and blue bandanas. It was a good day, both at the parade and at our informal meet-
and-greet held at Barnaby's Pizza. But today is not about Max & Bailey - it is about our
veterans. News about our events can wait until tomorrow.
--- REMEMBER : MAX & BAILEY CALENDARS ARE ON SALE NOW -- AND GOING FAST! ---
Donor-Of-The-Day : Tammy McGhin of Tallahassee is today's donor of the day. She made a special
trip back to Barnaby's Pizza to buy a t-shirt and make a $25 donation after reviewing our
website. Thank you, Tammy!
Photos-of-the-Day : (1) Let the parade begin (2) Color Guard (3) Max & Bailey enjoy the parade
(4) Bailey gets a visit from some Scouts (5) Malory - PAWS demo dog at the parade (6) Max hangs
out in his sidecar (7) Hickrey shows his patriotism (8) Honor thy veterans (9) Timber cheers
from the sidelines (10) Sidney visits with Max (11) Max & Bailey help the band keep the beat
(12) Hey Bailey - How about a finger in the eyes...
Twenty-four days from now, on December 4th, we will 'Cross The Finish Line' at Ray Price
Harley-Davidson. There will be celebration with food, music and fun for the whole family. If
you were thinking about a weekend vacation, Raleigh is the place to be. Several of our
sponsors will be on hand and Red Roof Inn has special rates for all our out of town visitors.
We've gone 25,000 miles. You've traveled along with us for most of them. Why not help us
finish the ride with a big welcome home party! We'll hope to see you there!
13th - Day #197
RAIN DAMPENS BRANDON HARLEY-DAVIDSON EVENT
Yesterday's rain made our ride from Tallahassee to Ocala another wet, miserable one. We keep
telling ourselves that we need to replace our quickly deteriorating rain gear, but with so few
days left, we will probably just live with the puddles that form inside our gear until we
return home.
The rain ended late yesterday, but Mother Nature had her way with us when we were about 20 miles
north of Brandon Harley-Davidson, the location of today's event. So, like any other day that
begins with a little rain, few bikes found their way out of the garage and out to the dealership.
The sun came out in earnest around 1:00 PM and the event was still a lot of fun. The crowds,
however, stayed away.
Regardless, we owe Brandon H-D General Manager Somer Huffman and Event Planner Brittany Foster
a big thank you for all their work and hospitality during our visit. They provided lots of
local support, spread the word about our arrival and even arranged for our bikes to be super
cleaned by the service team.
We'll try our hand at another event tomorrow. Fletcher's Harley-Davidson has invited us to hang
out at their store in Clearwater from 11 - 3 PM. We'd love to see you there and the weather
looks to be better than it was this morning.
--- REMEMBER : MAX & BAILEY CALENDARS ARE ON SALE NOW -- AND GOING FAST! ---
Donor-Of-The-Day : No single donor of the day today. We would like to thank those who braved
the rain earlier in the day and helped us raise nearly $500 at the Brandon H-D event.
Photos-of-the-Day : Photos from our Brandon H-D event and the cool replica stage coach.
Twenty-two days from now, on December 4th, we will 'Cross The Finish Line' at Ray Price
Harley-Davidson. There will be celebration with food, music and fun for the whole family. If
you were thinking about a weekend vacation, Raleigh is the place to be. Several of our
sponsors will be on hand and Red Roof Inn has special rates for all our out of town visitors.
We've gone 25,000 miles. You've traveled along with us for most of them. Why not help us
finish the ride with a big welcome home party! We'll hope to see you there!
14th - Day #198
FLETCHER'S HARLEY-DAVIDSON WELCOMES MAX & BAILEY
Local volunteer Mike Denson and a group of about ten riders escorted us from our hotel in
Brandon to Fletcher's Harley-Davidson in Clearwater. We really enjoy the escorted rides
because we can leave the navigating to others. Today's ride was especially nice because we
have fond memories of the Clearwater area from the times we've sailed there on our sailboat.
Even Max & Bailey perked up to catch a breath of the salt air. It smelled just like home.
Max & Bailey were a big hit at Fletcher's Harley-Davidson. Event coordinator, Dick Pritchard,
was waiting for us with cones marking off our parking place and there was a good size group of
riders there waiting for an organized ride that began at 11:30. But, until the ride left
Fletchers, they visited with the dogs and bought plenty of Hogs For Dogs Logo Gear. In fact,
today was another winning event with sales and donations of $572.30. Thanks to everyone who
made the day a success.
We met some wonderful puppy raisers from three of our charity partner organizations at today's
event. Kirk and Cindy Martin stopped by with their 6th KSDS puppy, Bay. Several PAWS puppy
raisers attended both today's and yesterday's event. And, we even met Kim - a puppy raiser
from New Horizons.
But, there was one volunteer who deserves special recognition - Judi Volpe. She has been with
us at every event since our arrival in Tallahassee and has helped us move logo gear, sell at
our events and answer questions about Hogs For Dogs and the Paws With A Cause program. I'm
sure PAWS is as happy to have her on their team as we are to have her helping us here in
Florida.
We rounded out the night with a relaxing meal at Mike Denson's home with new friends and
some great food. They even helped us give Max & Bailey a bath so they'd be clean and fresh
for our school visit tomorrow. That's the best thing about this ride - the people you meet.
The worst thing is having to say goodbye so many times as we drive on to the next stop on
this 218-day journey.
Tomorrow is another busy day with school visits in the Lake Wales and Lake Alfred area, so I
better end this here and get some sleep.
Keep those purchases coming. The calendars are selling very fast (we may have to print more)
and don't forget to buy Christmas presents for all the special people in your life. Buy all
you want -- We'll make more!
Donor-Of-The-Day : Mark and Annette Rowan are today's top donors with their online store
purchase of more than $200!
Photos-of-the-Day : (1) Max & Bailey at Fletchers (2) Fletcher's sign announcing our arrival
(3) Kirk and Cindy with their KSDS puppy, Bay (4) Bailey at today's event (5) Paws pup with
Max & Bailey (can't remember everydog's name!) (6) Everybody lean together now (7&8) Bath
time!
Twenty-two days from now, on December 4th, we will 'Cross The Finish Line' at Ray Price
Harley-Davidson. There will be celebration with food, music and fun for the whole family. If
you were thinking about a weekend vacation, Raleigh is the place to be. Several of our
sponsors will be on hand and Red Roof Inn has special rates for all our out of town visitors.
We've gone 25,000 miles. You've traveled along with us for most of them. Why not help us
finish the ride with a big welcome home party! We'll hope to see you there!
15th - Day #199
TWO SCHOOL VISITS AND A HEARTFELT GOOD-BYE
Max & Bailey spent time at two Florida schools today. Our first visit was at Polk Elementary
in Lake Wales. As a special treat for the students, Judi Volpe and her PAWS demonstration dog,
Hickrey, joined us for today's presentations. And even though Judi had almost completely lost
her voice, she and Hickrey stole the show at Polk Elementary and at Karen M. Siegel Academy,
our second school visit.
We gave two presentations at Polk Elementary this morning and then raced across a few towns to
the Karen M. Siegel Academy, a school dedicated to teaching students with moderate to severe
physical disabilities. At the Academy, Max & Bailey roared onto the school grounds and into
a covered circular pavilion where the students encircled a large center area. Unfortunately,
the acoustics were terrible so the presentation probably wasn't the best. I knew we were in
trouble when the noise from voices reverberated so badly that Hickrey got completely confused
and couldn't even respond to American Sign Language. We thought that would be the perfect
place to demonstrate his skills that way, but there was too much background distractions.
It wasn't that the audience was loud, the sounds just echoed forever!
Students at both schools were wonderful and We owe Barb Muren, Polk Elementary's Director of
Technology, a special thanks for arranging both visits. Barb is also involved with a unique
program that helps people with physical disabilities learn to water ski. Now, that's cool!
Judi, Janet, all three dogs and I were exhausted by the end of the day after all our school
presentations and the frantic driving in between schools trying to beat the clock. But those
visits are always so rewarding. We would have happily given three more presentations if the
opportunity had been there.
And while today was a good day, it was also a sad one. Today was the last time we would be
working with Judi until at least the Thanksgiving timeframe. She has been a real trooper
over the last week, traveling everywhere with us and really contributed to our success in
this area. It just won't be the same tomorrow without her working with us.
Keep those purchases coming. The calendars are selling very fast (we may have to print more)
and don't forget to buy Christmas presents for all the special people in your life. Buy all
you want -- We'll make more!
Donor-Of-The-Day : Erik Helleskov of Santa Rosa, California is today's donor for his ~$130
online purchase. I don't want to spoil it for Erik's family and friends, but it looks like
there will be a few calendars in their holiday presents. Thanks Erik!
Photos-of-the-Day : (1) Janet, Bailey and Barb Muren at Polk Elementary (2) Judi and Hickrey
working together (3) Hickrey 'braces' to demonstrate how he can help someone regain their
balance (4) Karen M. Siegel Academy (5) Hickrey uses his paw to call for help (6) Some of
the students at the Academy (7) Hickrey demonstrates how he helps open doors (8) One final
photo before Judi and Hickrey head back to the Orlando area.
Twenty-one days from now, on December 4th, we will 'Cross The Finish Line' at Ray Price
Harley-Davidson. There will be celebration with food, music and fun for the whole family. If
you were thinking about a weekend vacation, Raleigh is the place to be. Several of our
sponsors will be on hand and Red Roof Inn has special rates for all our out of town visitors.
We've gone 25,000 miles. You've traveled along with us for most of them. Why not help us
finish the ride with a big welcome home party! We'll hope to see you there!
16th - Day #200
MAX & BAILEY DREAM OF THE SEA
Today - Day #200 - was a day with no events or school visits on the calendar, so we spent
much of the day working on emails, sorting out details for future events and catching up the
accounting for the ride. But - in the middle of the day we made a very special trip into
Largo, Florida to see our friends at the Island Packet Yacht factory. Many of you may be
asking yourselves why we'd visit a boat builder in the middle of a charity motorcycle ride.
Well, for those that don't know Max & Bailey's background (or ours), I'll now tell you the
rest of the story...
Janet, Max, Bailey and I had never ridden motorcycles before this journey. If you've read
our first journal, you know that we learned to ride last October, specifically to pursue
this ride to help others. We are living on our savings that we scraped together over the
last fifteen years so that we could take some time off in the middle of our lives, while
we still had some of our youth rather than waiting until we were older and struggling with
health issues. The motorcycle ride for charity is the second part of our time off. Our
first adventure was to sell our house, buy a sailboat - an Island Packet sailboat - and to
sail over the horizon in search of pirates, treasure and all the oceans had to offer.
For 3 1/2 years, Max & Bailey lived the life of sailing dogs. We didn't do it for charity,
we did it for sanity. Max & Bailey sailed 23,000 ocean miles, have been featured on the
cover of books, had their stories told in numerous magazines and are very well known in
ports around the U.S., Nova Scotia and Bahamas. They have survived storms at sea, explored
uninhabited islands and gone swimming with the dolphins. cruising under sail is what we, as
a family, enjoy most.
So, visiting Island Packet Yachts was very much like going home. The distinct smell of
fiberglass and the crystal clear reflections in their trademark highly-polished beige gel
coat allowed our minds to wander back to the sea. Even if for only a few hours.
We never shared this with the public previously because the person who originally helped us
with public relations said that it would be extremely detrimental for our image - that you
couldn't handle knowing that we had saved our money for years and then went off in search of
adventure. I didn't believe her back then and I don't believe her today. You've now known us
for 200+ days and I wanted you to know our background. We are sailors, and now we are
motorcyclists. And, regardless of which roles we're playing - we have always helped our
neighbors in need.
Now you know - the rest of the story. I have shared some photos from Max & Bailey's sailing
adventures in today's photos of the day. If you want to learn more about their previous
adventures, you can find the entire story at www.SailCharbonneau.com. I hope you enjoy this
sneak peak into our past.
------- SPECIAL MESSAGE -------
WE WANT TO SEND OUT A BIG THANK YOU TO OAK STREET SCHOOL, IN BASKING RIDGE, NJ,
FOR CONTINUING TO FOLLOW MAX & BAILEY AROUND THE COUNTRY
--------------------------------
Donor-Of-The-Day : Laura Coppedge of Wake Forest, NC is our donor-of-the-day for her online
purchases today. I'm beginning to think that our online donations page isn't working since
we haven't had a single online donor in several days. I'll have to look at that - or maybe
you'll try it and let me know it's working just fine :-)
Photos-of-the-Day : (1) Some of our friends at Island Packet Yachts : Karsten Johnson, Tom
Broome and Bill Bolin (L-R) (2) Max & Bailey pose next to Karsten's cool car. Notice the
matching flames on their goggles! (3) Max & Bailey on the beach (4) Max & Bailey making
friends in the Bahamas (5) Some days are just hammock days (6) Offshore relaxing (7) Janet
and Bailey enjoy a Key West Sunset together (8) Our boat, Charbonneau, pulls us off for
more adventures.
17th - Day #201
MAX & BAILEY ARRIVE IN NAPLES, FLORIDA
Not much to report today. The morning was spent catching up on emails (still) with an
afternoon ride to the Naples/Marco Island where we have two school presentations at Tommy
Barfield Elementary and one evening presentation at the Unitarian Universalist Church. We'll
update the site with photos and a full report from our adventures tomorrow.
The holidays are just around the corner and we hope you all have a wonderful holiday season.
If you are still looking for gifts for the special people in your life, we hope you'll consider
some Max & Bailey logo gear or a few of the Max & Bailey Postcards From The Road calendars. We
know you can spend your money anywhere, but by giving a gift from our company store you also
give people with disabilities a little holiday cheer by helping us lessen their long wait for
Assistance Dogs.
The calendars are now shipping. So, if you placed an order already, look for them in your
mailbox soon. I've had several glowing reports from those who have received theirs. We hope
you feel the same way. Remember, you can buy all you want. We'll print more!
------- SPECIAL MESSAGE -------
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE STUDENTS AND STAFF AT ARIZONA'S ARLINGTON ELEMENTARY FOR THEIR
SURPRISE DONATION OF $200. IT TAKES A WHILE FOR OUR MAIL TO CATCH UP WITH US AND TODAY WAS
THE FIRST TIME WE LEARNED OF YOUR CONTRIBUTION. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
--------------------------------
Donor-Of-The-Day : Paul Hackmann of Goldsboro, North Carolina is today's donor-of-the-day.
Paul made another generous $50 donation and confirmed that our online donations form is still
working. Thanks, Paul!
Photos-of-the-Day : No new photos
18th - Day #202
TWO SCHOOL PRESENTATIONS AND ONE NO-SHOW
Max & Bailey had two great visits with the third, fourth and fifth grade students at Tommy
Barfield Elementary on Marco Island. The students were split into two groups - one at 9:30 AM
and the other at 1:15 PM. It was perfect timing for Max & Bailey's visit to educate the
students about Assistance Dogs because many of them had just finished a section on Guide Dogs
as part of their reader series.
Both groups were great and I think we all learned a little from each other. We owe Dr. Jory
Westberry, the school's principal, a great deal of thanks for arranging our visit on such
short notice. Dr. Westberry and the entire staff at Tommy Barfield Elementary should be very
proud of their students. After all, they have been rated an 'A' class school for the last
six years running. That's quite an accomplishment.
And while we were there talking about helping people with disabilities, the cafeteria walls
were lined with boxes filled with canned goods, ready to be picked up by the local Salvation
Army to help those in need this Thanksgiving. Good students, good teachers, good samaritans.
This was my kind of school.
To top it off, we had two separate local newspaper crews come out to catch all the action. It
was a good day for educational visits.
Unfortunately, our evening presentation at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation church in
Naples didn't have the same success. In fact, after quite a bit of animated emails wanting us
to join them this evening, we found the place empty and locked up. There was one other church
member there who we bumped into and she knew about our program and was mortified that after
all that work, nobody set up the meeting on their end. Our record for cancelled events is now
two cancellations in 202 days. And though disappointing, this one wasn't our fault (I don't
think).
So, we did what anyone in our situation would do. We went out and filled ourselves with good
Chinese food with our local Naples host and tour guides, Lee and Karen Heifetz. It was a
wonderful meal to match the rest of our stay with Lee and Karen.
Donor-Of-The-Day : Mike and Lynn from The Hair Solution salon in Marco Island are today's
donors. Lynn came over to meet Max & Bailey while we ate lunch at Joey's Pizza (good pizza)
and then returned with a very generous $50 donation a few minutes later.
Photos-of-the-Day : (1-7) Max & Bailey hanging out with the students at Tommy Barfield
Elementary. (8) We came, we saw, Max slept through it all -- our missed visit at the Unitarian
Universalist Church.
Independence is still on sale in our online company store. Buy anything in the store and know
that your purchases are helping fuel the hopes of people with disabilities across the country.
Will this be the year that they get their Assistance Dog for Christmas? It may be - with
your help!
19th - Day #203
TIRES AND ALLIGATORS
I have to make this a short update because - well - I forgot to do it last night and then I
overslept this morning. We rode from Naples to Miami yesterday along the Tamiami Trail. The
ride took us through a portion of the everglades where we stopped for a few quick photos of
the local inhabitants - alligators. I said quick photos because Janet wasn't too interested
in hanging around to see if the toothy guys and gals were friendly -- see the photos.
One of our reasons for racing to Miami was to replace the two balding rear tires on our bikes.
I had made an appointment with Peterson's H-D in Perrine (south Miami) the day before, but when
we got to Miami, they had no record of our appointment. We begged and pleaded with them to
help us out because we did call and without new tires our entire weekend in the Florida Keys
was cancelled. And this will be our first real weekend that we've taken as a break since
leaving home.
Eric and the entire staff at Peterson's must have felt real sorry for us because they jumped
on the project immediately even though they had a full house of bikes to work on in their
service department. If you ever want quality service and friendly people in this part of the
country -- Try Peterson's. They were GREAT!
Donor-Of-The-Day : Carolyn Kerner is today's donor-of-the-day for her online purchase of six
Postcards From The Road calendar. Thanks Carolyn.
Photos-of-the-Day : (1) Max & Bailey at the Everglades visitor center (2-6) Our friends in
the Everglades
Independence is still on sale in our online company store. Buy anything in the store and know
that your purchases are helping fuel the hopes of people with disabilities across the country.
Will this be the year that they get their Assistance Dog for Christmas? It may be - with
your help!
20th - Day #204
KEY WEST HERE WE COME!
Well folks, we are officially off-duty for the next three days. Of course we'll still be
easy to spot and get the millions of questions about Max & Bailey - but other than that, we're
off duty and spending three days in the Florida Keys.
We left Miami this morning after a quick stop by Peterson's H-D for a bike wash. While we
were there, Debbie Campbell traded us a couple of Peterson's t-shirts for a Max & Bailey shirt.
Debbie has just recently completed a 48-state ride in 48 days for her 48th birthday. So, she
and Janet hit it off right away.
When we finally began the 140-mile ride towards Key West, the weather was perfect. The daily
forcast called for mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-70s. It doesn't get any
better than that -- if that is what we actually got. We had made it as far as Marathon when
the clouds thickened and the rain began to fall. Yet another attempt by Mother Nature to
ruin a great day's ride. We rode on, ignoring the liquid sunshine.
When the rain didn't dampen our spirits, Janet's bike decided to help Mother Nature out by
breaking the bike's shifting linkage with just 30 miles to go before Key West - and there
is no dealer in the Keys. Arghhhh!
But, all my boating skills came racing back to me. We were in the Keys, after all. I quickly
reached for my tie-wraps and engineered a temporary fix to get us to Key West. If it breaks
again, I have another set of tie-wraps ready for the job. We will not be deterred from enjoying
a few days off. If anything else goes wrong - I am armed with duct tape, too!
Life improved considerably as soon as we arrived at the Center Court Bed & Breakfast, our
accommodations for the night. We were greeted with big smiles and a lot of interest in Max
& Bailey's Ride. What started as a wonderful conversation ended as a free night of lodging
in an exquisite suite one block off of Duval Street - their Romantic Suite.
Donor-Of-The-Day : Naomi from Center Court is our donor of the day for her gracious offer
of free lodging in Key West.
Photos-of-the-Day : (1) Debbie Campell and the Hogs For Dogs Cres (2) Welcome to the Keys
(3) Max & Bailey at the Key Largo Visitors Center (4 & 5) My handy repair of Janet's shift
linkage (6) A ride past the infamous Sloppy Joes Bar on Duval St. (7) Max & Bailey hanging
out by the Center Court pool (8) Janet relaxes with a rum punch while getting a first look
at the Max & Bailey calendar (our first view).
Independence is still on sale in our online company store. Buy anything in the store and know
that your purchases are helping fuel the hopes of people with disabilities across the country.
Will this be the year that they get their Assistance Dog for Christmas? It may be - with
your help!
21st - Day #205
ISLAMORADA HOME COMING
After a short one-night stay, we said our good-byes at the Historic Center Court Bed and
Breakfast and headed out for some quintessential photos of Max & Bailey in Key West - The
photos we couldn't get yesterday because of that nasty rain.
So, enjoy the few new photos of Key West and the ones from one of our favorite places on the
planet - Islamorada. We'll be here for another day before we put our boots back on and
continue the last twelve days of the ride.
But, I told you we were taking today off -- so enjoy the photos. I'm going back to my
hammock and rum punch.
Donor-Of-The-Day : Jackie Zucker from Miami is today's donor with a generous $50 online
donation. Remember, just because we've finally taken a day off doesn't mean that you can't
make a donation to help someone waiting for an Assistance Dog.
Photos-of-the-Day : (1) Naomi Van Steelandt poses with Janet and the dogs at the Center Court
B & B (2) Max & Bailey at the Southern Most Point monument (3) Mile Marker Zero in Key West -
the end of the road (4) Wyland mural (5) signpost with distances to everywhere. Appropriate
don't you think? (6) Roadside paradise (7) The way we normally arrive in the Florida Keys
(8) Islamorada sunset
Independence is still on sale in our online company store. Buy anything in the store and know
that your purchases are helping fuel the hopes of people with disabilities across the country.
Will this be the year that they get their Assistance Dog for Christmas? It may be - with
your help!
23rd - Day #207
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Only 11 days left to go on Max & Bailey's 2004 Ride Across America. But those 11 days are
going to be very full days with long miles and plenty of events.
We stopped in Miami again today so we could get Janet's bike repaired. You may remember that
her gearshift linkage broke on the way to Key West and I made the improvised repair with a
couple of tie-wraps. The Peterson H-D mechanics were mighty impressed with my repair, saying
they'd never seen it done quite the way I did it, but that it was quite ingenious. After a
few minutes of visiting with our new friends at the dealership, Janet's bike was ready to go,
complete with a new shift linkage.
Max & Bailey will be spending Thanksgiving with some very special folks in the Merritt Island
area of Florida. Station 43 of Brevard County Fire and Rescue has invited us to join them at
the firehouse for a holiday feast - firemen style. Also included on the guest list are
several Paws With A Cause representatives and Bill & Katie Scholl. Bill's story - and his
Assistance Dog Zeb - is shared in every brochure we've printed for this ride. Bill is a former
fireman in the Brevard County area who was injured in 1999 as the result of falling from a
fire ladder. You can read his story in our Dog Stories section.
So, though we won't be home with our own families this holiday, it will be a very special
Thanksgiving that we share with heroes in the community - some will have two legs, some will
have four legs and a furry tail. The public and media has been invited to the firehouse to
meet Bill, Zeb, Max & Bailey, and our firefighter hosts from 2-4 PM on Thursday. Details
about the event will be on the site very soon.
We are also looking forward to our event with charity partner New Horizons this Saturday. The
event, billed as the Magical Motorcycle Tour, will include a benefit ride from Daytona to
Orlando with the Fire & Iron Motorcycle Club and tickets to the basketball game between the
Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers. The Orlando Magic Dancers will be on hand for photos
with Max & Bailey and the whole event sounds like a great time. The details for that event
are already posted on the website, so check it out and we'll hope to see you there on
Saturday.
---- IF YOU WANT A 2004 MAX & BAILEY CALENDAR, ORDER SOON. THEY ARE SELLING FAST! ----
Donor-Of-The-Day : There is a long list of online store buyers that we need to thank today.
Kathy Hart, Jon Martin, Roger Longley, Keith Worcester and Jackit Post all spend some time in
our online store and made significant purchases (many of them calendars) to help us shorten
the waiting lists for Assistance Dogs. Thanks to all of you.
Photos-of-the-Day : No new photos today because we'd already traveled the same roads on our way
south to the Keys. Look for more new shots tomorrow.
Independence is still on sale in our online company store. Buy anything in the store and know
that your purchases are helping fuel the hopes of people with disabilities across the country.
Will this be the year that they get their Assistance Dog for Christmas? It may be - with
your help!
25th - Day #209
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO OUR FAMILY AND YOURS
We're writing to you from Merritt Island, Florida today. And while we won't be with our own
families this holiday, we hope you are surrouned by everyone near and dear to you. We'll be
sure to call home and check in with everyone and let them know how much we love them and
appreciate their support.
Instead of sitting at our family's table, Max & Bailey will be spending Thanksgiving with some
very special folks in the Merritt Island area. Station 43 of Brevard County Fire and Rescue
has graciously invited us to join them at the firehouse for a holiday feast - firemen style.
Also included on the guest list are several Paws With A Cause representatives and Bill &
Katie Scholl. Bill's story - and his Assistance Dog Zeb - is shared in every brochure we've
printed for this ride. Bill is a former fireman in the Brevard County area who was injured
in 1999 as the result of falling from a fire ladder. You can read his story in our Dog
Stories section.
So, though we won't be home with our own families this holiday, it will be a very special
Thanksgiving shared with heroes in the community - some will have two legs, some will have
four legs and a furry tail. The public and media has been invited to the firehouse to
meet Bill, Zeb, Max & Bailey, and our firefighter hosts from 2-4 PM on Thursday. Details
about the event will be on the site very soon.
We are also looking forward to our event with charity partner New Horizons this Saturday. The
event, billed as the Magical Motorcycle Tour, will include a benefit ride from Daytona to
Orlando with the Fire & Iron Motorcycle Club and tickets to the basketball game between the
Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers. The Orlando Magic Dancers will be on hand for photos
with Max & Bailey and the whole event sounds like a great time. The details for that event
are already posted on the website, so check it out and we'll hope to see you there on
Saturday.
---- IF YOU WANT A 2004 MAX & BAILEY CALENDAR, ORDER SOON. THEY ARE SELLING FAST! ----
Donor-Of-The-Day : Bill and Katie Scholl are today's donors of the day. They not only helped
host today's meal at Station 43, they bought the entire station Max & Bailey t-shirts and then
made a $1,000 donation on top of it. They told us that Zeb has literally saved Bill's life &
they wish they could help everyone who needs an Assistance Dog get one immediately. I challenge
all of you to make your own donation -- of any size -- in honor of Bill, Zeb and firefighters
around the country. These folks, and Zeb, are true heroes.
Photos-of-the-Day : (1) Bill Scholl and his Assistance Dog Zeb pose with Max, Bailey and the
C-shift from Station 43 in Brevard County (2) Station 43 runs out on a call just before our
Thanksgiving meal (3) Max & Bailey pose with Station 43's bunker gear (4) Yanni and Heather
help with the feast preparations (5) Max & Bailey -- do they want to join Station 43 on their
next call? (6) Firehouse photo (7) Waiting for the next call (8) Max smiles for us (9) Let's
EAT! (10 Bailey poses outside the main door to Station 43.
Independence is still on sale in our online company store. Buy anything in the store and know
that your purchases are helping fuel the hopes of people with disabilities across the country.
Will this be the year that they get their Assistance Dog for Christmas? It may be - with
your help!
26th - Day #210
MAX & BAILEY GET READY FOR THE ORLANDO MAGIC
Max & Bailey said a heartfelt good-bye to Bill & Katie Scholl and Bill's Paws With A Cause
Assistance Dog this morning. Like most of the people we've met who are partnered with an
Assistance Dog, Bill has an incredible spirit for life and gives most of the credit to Zeb
being in his life. It makes us more convinced that the three to five year waiting lists
have to go away -- and soon!
On our way out of the Merritt Island area, we took a side trip along the Space Coast before
pointing the bikes towards Orlando to be ready for our event with charity partner New
Horizons tomorrow. Along the way, we drove through the town of Christmas and had to stop for
a quick photo. 'Tis the season, after all.
We want to invite everyone in the Daytona and Orlando areas to come join us for the great
event put together by New Horizons. The Magical Motorcycle Tour will include a benefit ride
from Daytona to Orlando with the Fire & Iron Motorcycle Club and tickets to the basketball
game between the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers. The Orlando Magic Dancers will be on
hand for photos with Max & Bailey and the whole event sounds like a great time. The details
for that event are already posted on the website, so check it out and we'll hope to see you
there on Saturday.
---- IF YOU WANT A 2004 MAX & BAILEY CALENDAR, ORDER SOON. THEY ARE SELLING FAST! ----
Donor-Of-The-Day : Linda Stender of Apex, NC is today's donor-of-the-day. Linda is a long-
time friend of Blaine's from his days in the Corporate Security world. Thanks Linda!
Photos-of-the-Day : (1) A good-bye photo with Bill Scholl and his Assistance Dog Zeb (2) Max
and Bailey pose in front of the Space Shuttle at the Astronaut Hall of Fame (3) Christmas
(4) Little Corbin meets Bailey at the post office in Christmas
Independence is still on sale in our online company store. Buy anything in the store and know
that your purchases are helping fuel the hopes of people with disabilities across the country.
Will this be the year that they get their Assistance Dog for Christmas? It may be - with
your help!
28th - Day #212
MAX & BAILEY RE-ENTER GEORGIA TODAY
Max & Bailey send their regards from Brunswick, Georgia today. Since we didn't have any
events planned for this area, we stopped by St. Mary's, Georgia to visit with many of our
friends who are still cruising on their sailboats. St. Mary's always invites the cruising
community to stop in and have a Thanksgiving Feast with their families. This year, 40 boats
were anchored off the town docks and over 100 people enjoyed a home-style dinner with the
generous folks from St. Mary's. And, if they're reading today -- We'd like to thank Dave
and Peggy Hall for supporting us from their boat and for sharing our progress with the
cruising community via single-sideband radio updates.
We spent Saturday in Orlando with charity partner New Horizon's Service Dogs. The first
annual Magical Motorcycle Tour was supported by the nice folks from the Fire & Iron Motorcycle
Club in Daytona. After a registration period and some photos with two of the Orlando Magic
Dancers - Danielle and Deanna - twenty or so bikes escorted the group to the TD Waterhouse
Centre for the main event, food and raffles.
I have to be honest and say that we really felt like outsiders at this event. The Fire & Iron
riders were very cordial towards our crew, as was the Orlando Magic staff once we arrived. But,
the organization that we had ridden 23,500 miles to support - New Horizons - seemed a little
distant, both in spirit and location. Ultimately, Max & Bailey's information booth was pushed
up against a curb beside the group's port-a-potty and well away from the rest of the group's
activities.
At the end of the day, which was punctuated by a heavy rain shower, Our donation bin contained
a total of $11 and our logo gear sales were very light. U.S. Hogs For Dogs, Inc. presented
New Horizon's with a $1,000 check as we've done with our other charity partners, then closed
up show and drove away.
We do want to thank the few folks from New Horizons who made an effort to welcome us to the
event. Your kindness was much appreciated after the long days and many miles we've spent on
the road. We wish you all continued success. And we also owe a special thanks to Judi Volpe
for donating her time, and her tent, to help us yesterday. If she had not thought to bring a
tent for us, Max, Bailey and all their logo gear would have been drenched.
Tomorrow - Tuesday - we will arrive in Charleston, SC. South Carolina will be the 48th state
on Max & Bailey's journey and it will be the first time that Blaine has been with his family
since leaving North Carolina 212 days ago. While in Charleston, we will be visiting the
students and staff of the Charleston Day School.
---- IF YOU WANT A 2004 MAX & BAILEY CALENDAR, ORDER SOON. THEY ARE SELLING FAST! ----
Donor-Of-The-Day : Rob and Cindy from Orlando are today's donors-of-the-day for their logo
gear purchase and their generous offer to buy us lunch today. Thanks for your support and
for your dedication as puppy raisers for Paws With A Cause.
Photos-of-the-Day : (1) New Horizon's Director Janet Severt (seated) and Bobbie Hall and the
Orlando Magic Dancers (2) Danielle and Deanna pose with Max & Bailey (3) Our escort lines up
in the rear view mirror (4) Gas stop on the way to the game (5) a photo of the event from our
location by the port-a-potty (6) New Horizon's dog Turbo with the Magic Dancers.
Independence is still on sale in our online company store. Buy anything in the store and know
that your purchases are helping fuel the hopes of people with disabilities across the country.
Will this be the year that they get their Assistance Dog for Christmas? It may be - with
your help!
29th - Day #213
MAX & BAILEY HAVE NOW TRAVELED IN ALL LOWER-48 STATES
There was a little dancing going on at the South Carolina/Georgia border today as Max & Bailey
crossed into South Carolina - the 48th state on their seven-month charity ride. While passersby
may have thought we were crazy to be celebrating on the side of the road, we didn't pay them
any mind. We crossed our 24,000th mile today and can plainly see our way home from here,
something we've waited 213 days to see.
Today not only marks our arrival in South Carolina, it has an even sweeter reward. It is the
first time that Janet and I have seen my parents since they watched us ride away from Raleigh,
North Carolina on May 1st.
Local radio personality, and avid Harley rider, Murphy from News Radio WSC-FM 94.3 welcomed us
to the Charleston area with a great on-air intereview.
Tomorrow we will be visiting the students and staff of Charleston Day School in downtown
Charleston before making a stop at Low Country Harley-Davidson for another scheduled round
of maintenance on the bikes and sidecars.
---- IF YOU WANT A 2004 MAX & BAILEY CALENDAR, ORDER SOON. THEY ARE SELLING FAST! ----
Donor-Of-The-Day : Rob and Cindy from Orlando are today's donors-of-the-day for their logo
gear purchase and their generous offer to buy us lunch today. Thanks for your support and
for your dedication as puppy raisers for Paws With A Cause.
Photos-of-the-Day : (1) South Carolina Arrival with Max & Bailey (2) South Carolina Welcome
Center (3) Blaine and Max (4) Janet and Bailey. Yes, we all celebrated at the border today.
Independence is still on sale in our online company store. Buy anything in the store and know
that your purchases are helping fuel the hopes of people with disabilities across the country.
Will this be the year that they get their Assistance Dog for Christmas? It may be - with
your help!
30th - Day #214
CHARLESTON DAY SCHOOL MEETS MAX & BAILEY
Even after 214 days on the road, our most cherished moments are the ones we've spent with
students around the country. Today, we added the pleasure of speaking to the students and
staff at Charleston Day School.
We owe a special thanks to Cindy Branscome, Charleston Day's Athletic Director, for inviting
us in today. Cindy has been following Max & Bailey's progress for months and made special
arrangements with Headmaster Brendan O'Shea to move the normal Monday morning assembly to
Tuesday so that Max & Bailey could visit. Thank you Cindy, Mr. O'Shea and all the students
and staff for making our visit a memorable one. Even the local NBC affiliate WCBD - Count
on 2 - came out to get the story which aired on their 5:00 news broadcast.
The rest of the day was spent with our new friends at Charleston's Low Country Harley-Davidson.
We went in and begged for a simple oil/transmission fluid change and ended up spending the
entire day there while my (Blaine) bike had one problem after another corrected. Luckily,
they found the problems before we found ourselves along the side of the road.
So, we can highly recommend Low Country H-D if your bike is in need of some TLC. The staff
was amazing and our mechanic - Rob - put an extraordinary effort into making sure we were
safe to hit the road again. That means something in our book.
Our next stop will be for some great events in the Wilmington, NC area with charity partner
Carolina Canines For Service. If you're in the area, please join us on Thursday night at
the Ramada Inn for a North Carolina pig-pickin' and beach music by the Craig Woolard. Check
out our Upcoming Events page for more info on that and all our events.
---- IF YOU WANT A 2004 MAX & BAILEY CALENDAR, ORDER SOON. THEY ARE SELLING FAST! ----
Donor-Of-The-Day : Cindy Branscome from Charleston Day made a generous $100 donation to help
Max & Bailey's ride help others. We were honored to have her invite us to the school and
touched by her selfless gift.
Photos-of-the-Day : (1) Third grade students visit with Max (2) Blaine takes questions from
some of the students at Charleston Day (3) Our donor-of-the-day Cindy Branscome poses with
the Hogs For Dogs crew (4) And with Max & Bailey inside the gymnasium
Independence is still on sale in our online company store. Buy anything in the store and know
that your purchases are helping fuel the hopes of people with disabilities across the country.
Will this be the year that they get their Assistance Dog for Christmas? It may be - with
your help!