A resolution from the Village of Barrington, Illinois
Click image to view the official resolution document

RESOLUTION NO. 07-3551

RECOGNIZING, HONORING, AND THANKING BOB LEE
FOR HIS SUCCESSFUL "A RIDE FOR THREE REASONS"

WHEREAS, Bob Lee, a cancer survivor from Barrington, Illinois began a special journey in celebration of his 65th birthday, "A Ride for Three Reasons," a 6,500-mile fundraising bike ride across America; and

WHEREAS, "A Ride for Three Reasons" represents three causes dear to Bob Lee, the National Hospice Foundation, the American Cancer Society, and the Les Turner ALS Foundation; and

WHEREAS, Bob Lee began his ride on March 27, 2007 in Jacksonville, Florida and ended it in Bar Harbor, Maine on September 7, 2007, passing through 28 states during his ride; and

WHEREAS, Bob Lee surpassed his goal of $65,000 for each of these three causes with a donation of more than $120,000 to each organization; and

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Barrington, Cook and Lake Counties, Illinois, hereby honor, thank and extend its congratulations to Bob Lee for his achievement of raising awareness to the challenges faced by cancer patients and by raising much needed monies for three organizations important to him and all in the Barrington community.

Passed by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Barrington, Cook and Lake Counties, Illinois, at a regular meeting thereof, held on the 10th Day of December, 2007.

Karen Darch, Village President

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This letter has been received from the National Hospice Foundation:
(Click image to see in official letterhead)

Dear Bob,

On behalf of the National Hospice Foundation, thank you very much for making us one of the "3 Reasons" for which you pedaled over 6,500 miles last year.

Your check was a wonderful way to end 2007 and usher in the New Year.  Congratulations — when you set out to celebrate a milestone birthday, you certainly do it in generous style.  Doubling your original goal of $65,000 is just incredible!

As promised when we began this journey together in 2006, the funds you raised will support public awareness initiatives for hospice andd palliative care through NHPCO's Caring Connections.  So as you hoped, more families will learn about the quality end-of-life care that hospice provides when comfort and compassion matter most.

Please accept this letter as a receipt for the $130,065 we received from Barrington Area Development Council.

Again, thank you for your enthusiastic support of the National Hospice Foundation — From Jacsonville to Bar Harbor to Barrington. We truly appreciate your generosity.

Best wishes for a happy. healthy 2008 filled with more reasons to ride!

Sincerely yours,

J. Donald Schumacher, PsyD
President

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This letter has been received from the American Cancer Society:
(Click image to see in official letterhead)

Dear Bob

What a wonderful way to celebrate your life and give hope to cancer patients and survivors.  Your RIDE FOR 3 REASONS was such an inspiration.

You never gave up, even with the many "adventures" you encountered.

You reached your goal, completed your voyage and raised a great amount of, not only money, but awareness for the need for cancer research. The American Cancer Society, the foremost private provider of cancer research funding, is so grateful. Your contribution will allow us to move closer to accomplishing our mission of eradicating cancer.

Our Trustees and Board members would like to recognize your efforts personally.  Please reserve the evening of Thursday, February 21, 2008 for the Lake and NOrthwest Boards and Tuesday, March 11, 2008 for the Division Board to recognize your wonderful gift.  Details will follow.

May you continue to cycle for many, many more miles.  Your fortitude and resolve matches that of many bright researchers who have a vision that we all share.  We are making progress every single day. We can complete this journey.  We can conquer cancer!

Sincerely,

Steven M. Derks
Chief Executive Officer

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This letter has been received from the Les Turner ALS Foundation:
(Click image to see in official letterhead)

Dear Bob,

On behalf of the Les Turner ALS Foundation, I would like to thank you and your supporters for your hard work and generous contribution of $130,065. Your journey has inspired countless individuals, and certainly helped raise ALS awareness throughout the country. All of us are truly grateful for your commitment to the Foundation and your dedication to the cause. You have certainly made a difference, and we all look forward to a day when a cure for this disease is found.

What began in 1977 with one patient and his dream has grown into a world-renowned ALS organization serving more than 600 patients annually, in addition to thousands of family members and caregivers. Support from contributors like you helps make all of these services possible -and we are heartened by your confidence in our work.

As you have requested, this contribution will be restricted to help fund ALS research. The Foundation has been affiliated with Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (NUFSM) since 1979, and continues to fund the world-class scientific research of Teepu Siddique, MD, at NUFSM's Les Turner ALS Research Laboratory. Additionally, the Foundation offers research grants to scientists throughout North America to help fund worthy and innovative ALS studies.

Thank you again, Bob, for your support and involvement with the Les Turner ALS Foundation. As always, if you should ever need my assistance please feel free To contact me.

Warmest Regards and Happy New Year,

Wendy Abrams
Executive Director

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When we started A Ride For Three Reasons, our goal was to raise $65,000 for each of the three charitiy organizations.  I am happy to report that three checks have been prepared today that more than DOUBLED our original goal.

The RIDE may have been solo, but I was never really alone.  Please view the donor list to see the names of those who have "ridden" along with me. Together, we have raised a total of $390,195.00 for three good reasons.  Thanks  (Please note that we will be updating the donor list soon.) 

Here are images of the checks that we will be forwarding to each of the three organizations in the amount of $130,065.00. (Click on each image for an enlarged view.)

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By Bob Lee   Ride Date: September 8
Bar Harbor, ME

Bar Harbor is a wonderful destination —but not a convenient location from which to catch a plane.  I decided to enjoy one more day, write a few blogs, savor my journey and the beauty of Maine and enjoy dinner with Laurie and Dean.

Tomorrow morning I will take a shuttle at 9:00 am from Bar Harbor to Bangor, a bus from Bangor to Portland, a city bus from the bus station there to the airport and finally a United Airlines flight to Chicago where Anne will greet me.  See why I want a day of rest before I head out on that trek?  Riding a bike each day is pretty easy.

Do you see the windows on the third floor?  That is my room with a view down a path to the ocean.

I am glad I read the Shore Path Cottage literature.

In between phone calls and writing blogs, I did just as instructed.  I enjoyed the views,

An ABC Nightline segment featuring Aimee Chamernik and her family is scheduled to air this Tuesday, September 18. Aimee is a 37-year-old mother of three living with ALS and a good friend.  Read another blog post from earlier in the ride, The Perfect Model for Living, about our visit with her.  Here's What Aimee has to say about the Nightline interview:

"We are soooooo nervous! After about 20-30 hours of taping over the course of several different visits with the Nightline folks, we have no memory of what we actually said. And, of course, even if we did remember, nearly all of it ended up on the cutting-room floor. So we can only wait and hope that somewhere in all that footage, we said something semi-intelligent and managed to help advance our cause rather than harm it. If nothing else, at least we have cute kids, right?

"Anyway, above everything, we hope, hope, hope we make you proud."

We know you will, Aimee. 

See a webcast excerpt at ABC's Nightline site and view this picture gallery.

We will link to any video excerpts after the program when they are posted to the Nightline site. 

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...

By Bob Lee

I ended the last blog with just one mailbox asking for suggestion and action plans how we all can make a difference to accomplish the generous $65,000 CHALLENGE MATCH FUND offered by Quicken Loans and the Hulinas and Collins.

This blog does not have enough mailboxes for me to say THANK YOU to so many of you who have played such an important role in making this RIDE so much more than a ride. 

This has been a building block of goodness, of good people doing good things to make a difference for everyone’s future. I have been overwhelmed with the dedication of  so so many people who have given their time, talents, and donations to make A RIDE FOR 3 REASONS exceed all expectations.  I can’t thank you enough.

Anne gave me a little book of quotes, which I have carried with me for 6,500 mile.  I would like to share a few.

“You will rise by lifting others.” 
--Many of you should grab a weight so you don’t float away.

“Love cures people – Both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it.”
--Let’s hope that our love will cure many.
...

By Bob Lee   Ride Date: September 5
Damariscotta Mills to Camden, ME — 41 Miles

As I write this, I am 3 days behind in blogging, so I want to fast forward for a moment to share some very exciting information.  In previous blogs I have talked about the support from Quicken Loans and the Cavaliers.  They have been instrumental in developing the site, marketing the site, contacting the press, providing a laptop, camera and video camera; etc. In addition, their financial commitment to the three charities has been unbelievable.  They have donated over $20,000.  I can’t thank their whole organization enough.  The ‘culture’ of a company usually starts at the top and in this case I know it does.  David Katzman, their Vice Chairman has been a business associate and friend for over 20 years and has been very instrumental in supporting A Ride for 3 Reasons in addition to many other philanthropic efforts.  It was through the encouragement of Quicken Loans that I made the right decision to change the goal from $65,000 per charity to a total of $500,000. 

Now how do WE make it to our goal?

What started this RIDE with such enthusiasm was the $65,000 Challenge Grant from the Duchossois Family Foundation.  I am very pleased and honored to announce that we have the opportunity to end the RIDE with the same enthusiasm and success as the RIDE started!  This week as the odometer was getting close to 6,500 mile I received a few special phone calls. Two calls were from Yellow Jersey friends, Rich & Bonnie Hulina and Tom &  Sylvia Collins who have followed the RIDE and been so supportive from day one.  The other call was from David Katzman.  The essence of each call was “ how can we help” in achieving the goal of $500,000.

I am ecstatic to announce that by putting these great heads and hearts together we can announce that a new matching fund of $65,000 had been committed to encourage us all give our best efforts to spreading the word and sharing our wealth for 3 wonderful causes.  Where else can you double your money and know a 100% of your contributions will be used effectively? Used for research to find cures for Cancer and ALS or used to make more people aware of the wonderful works of Hospice.  Please remind your e-mail list, friends, neighbors, work associated, clubs and organizations to visit www.3reasons.org and get involved by making a donation.  It has been an honor to share the beauty of our country and the generosity of so many Americans.  Now to achieve the goal of $500,000! With your help and the generosity of the “matching Grant” we can climb this hill together.

Now, Back to The Ride...

Last night I said I would show you the ground of the Mill Pond B & B, but first I need some breakfast. The breakfast was not only pretty but also look at this back yard.

By Bob Lee   Ride Date: August 24
Lockport to Rochester, NY – 67 Miles

Last night Jim Govola joined me for dinner. I saw his mom and sisters yesterday. It is nice to have the opportunity to keep in touch with work associates from the past.

Today I rode for at least 60 miles along the Erie Canal, which connects most of the major New York cities.  The canal links Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica and Albany to New York City. My first impression made me feel as if I was in Europe.

This was one of the major engineering feats of its time and the subject of some interesting folk songs.  It was amazing to watch the boats enter and exit the locks.

By Bob Lee   Ride Date: August 6
Barrington, IL TO Racine, WI - 60 Miles

Click picture for Google Earth views.  Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resume

Today was a banner day!  On most days, I just wander out of a motel room and hop on my bike.  Today was different! I rode out of my own driveway and across the street to Laura and Tom’s to be greeted by banners and three of our grandchildren. What a way to start the last “leg” of the RIDE —on a well healed “leg.”

August 2, - Barrington

Today Anne and I went for a fifteen mile bike ride to test my leg and enjoy Barrington.

Our first stop was a new park in town that has an unbelieveable tree house which is accessible by wheelchairs.  What a wonderful addition to a great town.

As we rode through Barrington Hills we passed a friend’s home which reminded me of our commitment to RIDE.  The Johnson’s lost their son Joel at age 35 to cancer.  Joel was born on the 27th of December and on the 27th of each month his family decorates a tree in front of their home in his memory.

By Bob Lee   July 25, 2007
Barrington, IL

It has been wonderful being home this past week for a little R & R.  As I write this I am on a plane to Denver for a Hunter Douglas meeting where I hope to have the opportunity to do a little fundraising.   An extra treat is to visit our son, Scott, and family.
 
I know a number of you are missing the opportunity to see some pretty pictures of the RIDE since I haven’t been blogging.  I hate to get “behind” and I know some of you don’t want to see me “behind,” but sometimes we are all “behind.”

This month is the fourth anniversary of my colon cancer surgery and becoming cancer free.  As a survivor I think it is good to occasional reflect on the experience to strengthen the appreciation for life and friends.  I thought I would share with you two

By Bob Lee    July 4, 2007 

Independence means different things to different people.  We are celebrating the independence of our nation.  When people talk about working for retirement, I discuss working for independence.  But there is an independence much greater.  Please take the time to read an article written by Ben Gill who died of ALS. I never met Ben, but I did attend his funeral and heard the testimonies of this great husband and father. I think by reading this, your thoughts of independence and for living will be changed forever.  To me, this is the most powerful thing I have shared in the last few months. Please read it!  We need to eliminate ALS so no one ever loses their independence to this disease again.

IMAGINE
By Ben Gill

Imagine that you are a healthy, happy, and active individual in your mid-40’s; not an unpleasant thought.

Now, imagine that one day while exercising, your knee starts to buckle; and one day, you reach you reach for that carton of milk in the fridge, and suddenly, it feels heavier. You probably attribute these instances to part of entering “middle age”.

But, imagine that the weakness in your limbs does not go away, but you also find yourself tripping for no apparent reason, you have trouble buttoning your shirt, and, at night in bed, you notice your leg twitches uncontrollably. Now, you’re worried…

So, imagine that a doctor, after many tests, is gravely telling you that you have a neuromuscular disease. He tells you the name of the disease,

By Bob Lee   Ride Date: June 22
Whitefish To Essex, MT – 47 Miles

Click picture for Google Earth views.  Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resume

Today, Heaven received a new angel while many here mourn the loss of a special friend.  This morning our neighbor and friend Janice Clarke found peace from her melanoma cancer and passed away.  Throughout the night, she was awake and aware that her family and friends were by her side.  These pictures that show her nice smile were taken at the Gratitude Reception in March when we recognized Janice for her courage and inspiration to us all.  In just three short months, we have watched Janice go from a woman of HOPE to a woman spirit to be with us now and forever.  I had talked with Janice about joining me on the RIDE.  Believe me, she is with me.

This memorial is for Janice today and her circle of friends and family.

All the pain and grief is over.
Every restless tossing passed;
I am now at peace forever,
Safely home in Heaven at last.

...

By Bob Lee   Ride Date: June 21
Eureka to Whitefish, MT –55 miles

Click picture for Google Earth views.  Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resume

Happy first day of summer.  In visiting with Casey, a reporter for the Tobacco Valley News, this morning, he discussed an article he recently wrote about our seasons.  “Spring is for new life and summer is for living”

A Ride for 3 Reasons has many messages.  On the cancer front, we are not only trying to raise money for research; but also discussing what we can do to help ourselves, our families and friends to minimize the risk of cancer. 

I enjoy taking pretty pictures, but I need to warn you that this first picture is not so pretty. However, it might leave an impression much stronger than anything I could say.
.

By Bob Lee   Ride Dates:  June 16-17
In Sandpoint, ID

Click picture for Google Earth views.  Use esc key to pause; ctrl+R or cmd+R to resume

Before we start our short journey across the tip of Idaho, I would like to say how impressed I have been with the beauty, cleanliness and the roads of Washington —and the friendlieness of the people there.  To me it is one of the best kept secrets and I hope to go back with Anne and bike the San Juan Islands and portions of this route again.

While still in Washington just outside of Newport, I met this woman with her horse.

I took her picture to remind me what she said.  Earlier that morning I had stayed in Newport for a couple of extra hours trying to get an interview with the local paper. I was turned down because I wasn’t “local”.  I tried explaining that the reasons for which I ride are local in every community —including Newport.  The woman with the horse told me her brother died from cancer and that cancer is all through the community.  When will the media take responsibility to help find cures for ALS and Cancer?  These diseases ARE local and hit very close to everyone’s home.  Ticked off?  Yes, but a little pedaling will clear my head.
..

By Bob Lee   Ride Date: June 14
Ione to Newport, WA - 51 Miles

Click picture to see Google Earth views of today's ride.  Use the esc key to pause; Refresh to resume (F5 key for Windows; cmd+R for Mac).

The pictures last night of the cloud display over the Pend Oreille River was from the deck of my motel room at the Riverview Inn in Ione. I had been told this is just one of two rivers that flow north.  Actually, there are many.  Does anybody know of any others?  This river flows into Canada, which is less than twenty miles away and then joins the Columbia to flow back down to the Pacific.  Yesterday, I heard about a man who swam the entire length of the Columbia to raise awareness about the water pollution. There are some amazing people.

I woke this morning thinking about some of the people I met this first week.  I met a woman whose husband was diagnosed with Parkinson Disease soon after retirement.  Her message was don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.
...

By Bob Lee   Ride Dates: June 12 – 13
June 12, Republic to Colville, WA - 62 miles
June 13 Colville to Ione, WA - 43 miles

Click picture to see Google Earth views of today's ride.  Use the esc key to pause; Refresh to resume (F5 key for Windows; cmd+R for Mac).

Today was a day of ups and downs.  After riding one mile out of town the road started up towards Sherman Pass and continued for the next 17 miles.  Up, up, and up for a little over 3 hours of climbing at an average of 5 mph.  Once I reached the 5,575 foot pass, it was all downhill for twenty miles at an average of 24 mph. What a ride! Just like life.

Normally we think of “up” as good and “down” as bad.  But in the biking world we usually think of things just the opposite.  After reaching the bottom of Sherman Pass I thought of today’s RIDE as a ride through life.  Riding up hill (or going slower) allowed me to see more, hear more, think more and exercise more.  In contrast the downhill run was all a blur.  No time to think of anything but survival.  Unfortunately, I think we spend too much of life on the downhill.  Life is too short.  Try not to let it slip by so fast.

Yes, sometime we gallop through life when we should be reading the signs.

...

By Bob Lee   Ride Dates June 10 – 11  (See Google Earth Views in video below)
June 10: Twisp to Omak, WA –40 miles
June 11 Omak to Republic, WA – 64 miles

After a great breakfast and before I left the Methow Valley Inn I saw Melissa picking and arranging flowers for the confirmation service at church. 

As I said yesterday, Melissa and Terry are special people who you would like to get to know better.  I gave Melissa a hug and we talked a moment about her cancer experience.  She said a few things that gave me food for thought as I climbed Loup Loup Pass.  The first thing she said was “I don’t want to miss the lesson.”

Yes, when someone like Melissa is told she has cancer, life does change and there are lessons to be learned.  Melissa has her radiation treatments two and a half hours from home. So she stays in a cancer support center during the week and helps support and learn from others.  There are lessons to be learned through everything we do,”  Melissa said, “I want to learn from the experience.”

By Bob Lee   Ride Date: May 6 - 7
Chicago to Seattle via United Airlines

“Wherever I may wander, wherever I may roam… 
"There is no place like home”   

What a true statement! I apologize for the break in the blogs, but after 2 months away it was time to touch home plate.  I had always planned a trip through Chicago —to go home to pick up camping equipment.  My new traveling partners will be a Black Diamond tent, a Marmot down sleeping bag, a neat little stove from Jetboil and a sleeping pad.  Thanks to these three companies mentioned for helping to equip me for this next leg of the journey.  I am also wearing a bracelet that I received for my birthday that says, “Life is a journey, not a destination.”

Boy, was it nice to have “home” as a destination if only for a couple of weeks. To me it is pretty in all seasons.  Anne has done a super job of managing, decorating and caring for the house and yard.