A Time for Thanks! (Take 2)

** Updated - sadly it seems I missed some people out of my thank you list, and they obviously failed to read my second pps... I can only blame this over sight on the Excel for Mac. Whilst being some what of a self certified Excel genius, the shortcuts which I have learnt over my many years excelling Microsoft seem to have totally abandoned on the Mac. This turned the whole process into a labourious track pad clicking mess during which various names were deleted from history. So I transferred the date to my PC and viola, hopefully all the names!**

What is this you may well be asking? Surely not another sea2jax post… Well my last entry on the road promised four more posts including a thank you list, highs and lows, recommendations and some wedding photos. Well it’s nearly a year later and I still haven’t written any of these posts! This task has been sitting at the bottom of my to-do list all this time. Something always seemed to be jumping in the ‘to-do’ list queue.

I’m on holiday with my parents in South Korea and promised myself time to write this. So most importantly I want to thank all the people who helped me be it sponsorship, accommodation, food. I’m sure there will be people I have forgotten but I have done my best to make the list as complete as possible.

So firstly I’d like to thank my sponsors. What was interesting when I was compiling this list was that a few of you tried to be sneaky and be anonymous, however I could see who you were. One person however managed to remain truly anonymous – well done you! A special note to Clare Hughes who actually sponsored me twice, once at the beginning and once at the end.

Pam Mick

Carol and Vince Mick

Dennis Amari and Tony Mick

Stephen Fleming

David Terrace

Anupa Purewal

Pete Hartwell

Zoe Henshaw

Danny Anders

Mary and Jeremy Burtel

Clare Hughes

Chris Harragin

Lynne and Andy Marshall

Todd and Kathy Prough

Andy Pariser

Christie Meehan

Anonymous

Tim Nicholson

Deron Johnston

Oli Bliss

Angela

Brian Guinn and Emily Tan

Laura Jordan

Helen G

Nick Collinson

Jen Gillet

Amy Berrett

Tom Worvill

Andy Hardingham

Richard Gallagher

Jane & Michael Merman

Alex Thomas

Adam & Tanya Carter

Sara Jung

Ed Garner

Frixos Kaimakamis

The Zboril Family

Matt Barry & Marnie Dudek

Claire and Alex Brown

Brian & Liz Peers

Megan, Brett, and Tatum Mahle

John Iceton

Emma-Kate Nelson

Mark & Kathy Leach

Alan and Cheryl

Mark Lovatt

Tyler Flamank

Mike Murrell

Veronica Davies

Andy Broome

Paul Delfgou

Nick & Brittany Evans

Kathie Keizner

Mary Renneker

Patty Crysel

Matthew & Sarah Thomson

Rachel Stanley

Matt Pickard

Dominic Bliss

Rose and John Allkins

Mark Wheeler

Al and Alison Hollingsworth

Bill and Shannon Brady

Tom Smith

Joe Myers

Adrian Farrington

Tim Palmer & Sarah Wright

Mary and Gary Cane

Kevin and Rhonda Lurkins

Sharon McGeehan

Suze Stevens-Wood

Gill Evans

Violaine Ludwick

Amy Boehnert

The Dicksons

Mike & Sue Gallagher

Debbie Grelle

Clare Hughes

Karen O'Connor

Shant Oknayan

Damien Homer

Jason Knoy

John Hayden

Tim Jarrett

Starbucks La Grande

Deborah Rowley

Okatoma Resort

Next I’d like to thank the following people for accommodation or food or general hospitality:

Steve Whipple & Family – for accommodation in Seattle

Post Lady of Ravendale – for the camping in her garden

Pizza Hut Lady in Kansas – for the now famous pizza coupons

Ontario Scouts – for feeding me in Oregon

Cyclists of Boise – for guiding me through their city

Jen Meehan – for acquiring me a North Face Tent at cost price

Boise State University – for letting me on their football field for a photoshoot

KOA Mountain Home – for upgrading me to a tepee

Verdell & Lisa – for blueberries and other food

Roger & Family - for Fish at Gelncoe State Park

Melbeta Shop – for a free can of insect spray

Everyone who clapped on beach – and thanks to Pam and Christie for organizing

Gemma and Dan – for meeting up for dinner on their world tour

Ethan and Katie – for giving me a bed in Wichita, KS

John  & Jim Gillum – for the huge amout of hospitality in Little Rock

Cowie Wine Cellar nr Paris – for wine tasting!

Casey and Dina - for lunch cycling in to Little Rock

Saxon Tire Barn in Mississippi – for repairing my rear wheel for free

Kim – the lady who drove me to Saxon Tire Barn

Wisteria Inn – for a huge discount and free beer

Gary (Jehovah’s witness)  - for cooking fuel

Patrick (Ironman) – for cycling with me in Florida and inspiring me for my ironman!

Leach Family – looking after me for a night in Florida

Carla and Patrick – staying in an amazing house next to the sea + dinner

Wakulla Spring State Park – very discounted accomodation

Dave and Dale – giving me their gloves

I’d like to thank the following bike shops for keeping me on the road and the various freebies that I received. Special note for Travis who worked for free fixing my wheel, I hope he has managed to re-plan his Transamerica ride..

Bikesport Seattle - Seattle, WA

Mountain Works Bike Shop - La Grande, OR

Fitzgerald's Bicycles - Jackson, WY

Patty Cyclesport - NorthPlatte, NE

Travis Ragged Edge Sports – Casper, WY

JR Sonnys Bikeshop - Scottsbluff, NE

Coopers Cycle Centre - Stillwater, OK

Hattisburg Bicycle - Hattisburg, MS

Cyclesport Pensacola - Pensacola, FL

Right I also promised some wedding photos, so here are four of the best. After this I’ll be doing one more post on the highs, lows and recommendations. By the way the photo at the top is me cycling in South Korea – had to fit a cycling photo in somewhere, sorry the narcissism of this blog will end soon…

p.s. a special thanks to my lovely wife Pam for letting me do this trip and being so understanding. I guess it will baby time soon :)

p.p.s. super sorry to anyone I forgot, compiling this list was a nightmare!