Monday, October 6, 2014

Location: - Folly Beach SC Miles = 37, Ave MPH = 15.3 Cum. Miles = 4159

Saturday September 27


Justin joined me for the final push to Folly Beach. I loaded the bike up to be representative of when I was on tour, as we are going to have it on display for the the fundraiser at Loggerheads after the wheel dip. As you can see from the the 15.3 ave mph there is nothing like a little competition to get me moving. Thanks so much Justin - this meant a lot to me:


We made such good time that we stopped at the Sweetwater Cafe for breakfast with about 9 miles to go. We ended up getting there about 15 minutes early and found McKenna and Flynn who drove out. So here it is the wheel dip in the Atlantic:


Charleston's FOX 5 came out to do an interview:




4159 miles and that's it folks:


Loggerheads did a fantastic job in helping with the fundraiser. They raffled off a beach cruiser bike and raised $590. Sandy, the winner, approached the stage and handed me an additional $100. Tony in the black Loggerhead t-shirt was instrumental in organizing and publicizing the event - thank you Tony:


Look at this generosity!!!!




This is Ed the owner of Loggerheads with Kingston a potential future service dog:):). Thank you Ed for being such a gracious host and help to Soldier's Best Friend:


Mark Jolly - a great friend and co-worker from years past with his wife Beverly. Thanks to the all the others that supported the raffle and visited:


This is Greg a Vet with 2 deployments in Iraq:



As I mentioned in my last blog I will be doing one more post to do a bit of a summary of my trip, offer a few words of advice to those who may be considering something like this, talk about employment, look at other possible adventures, and offer up a few more photos. This will take some time.
Sorry it took so long to update the Folly Beach piece - I have been on several interviews lately. I got caught up in the disaster around flight delays and eventually cancellations in Chicago due to the fire in the air traffic control section. 

Tomorrow Oct 7th the Post and Currier will be doing an article on the tour. I will try to share it through a link.

Soldier's Best Friend

Lauren continues to do great work with her students in Chattanooga.




 She has her students ON FIRE raising money for Soldier's Best Friend and is now getting interviewed with her students also. Facebook friend Lauren if you want a blast of "positive".

Lauren and I have decided to take a run at getting on Ellen Degeneres to further high-light SBF. HERE'S HOW YOU CAN HELP -  If you have been following the blog and think there is enough funny and heart warming stuff that has happened to me on my trip then please take 5 minutes to tell Ellen's staff that at the following link
http://www.ellentv.com/be-on-the-show/10/  It is really easy to fill this out and we have been told that a barrage from different people helps - so please help. Just mention my ride for Soldier's Best Friend with my name (Neil Grehlinger) and add a little blurb of why you think it would make an interesting show. Also mention Lauren Thomas and her students as well.

Donations update:  Currently at $ 2480 thanks to the final push organized by Ed and Tony at Loggerheads.

Thanks to all who donated!!!!!!!

About Soldiers Best Friend ..... If you have been following along you already know that I am trying to collect donations for the charity called Soldiers Best Friend. This is a charity that provides service dogs to Vets that are suffering from PTSD. These dogs can literally be life savers for these men and women.

My blog averages approximately 175 hits per day. I think that suggests folks are interested in the trip and hopefully are being informed and entertained. I am at the half-way point of the trip at 2151 miles. I consider this my job for the summer of 2014. I am putting in the the "blood, sweat, and gears" to steal a phrase - so would you consider a donation to this very worthy cause?

I've done the math for you .... My entire trip is going to be approximately 4200 miles long. Do you think you could donate $.006 per mile (like about slightly more than 1/2 cent per mile)?? If so then that would be a $25 dollar donation to SBF. Or better yet could you afford to donate at $.012 per mile (1.2 cents per mile) then that would be about a $50 donation. And so on ....  give what you can - I know this sounds like a Nation Public Radio fund drive but come on - what a worthy cause!!

Please follow the link below to donate and include my name - just "Neil" will do or "Neal" if you like that spelling better:):)



It's time folks please.......   

As you donate please enter my name in the "In Honor of Spot" so the folks at SBF can tally the results to encourage me and let me know WE are getting something done TOGETHER. I recognize we are really trying to honor the Vets but this is the only way SBF can tally the results of this drive.

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