Update from the RV Galley 6/7/2014

June 07,2014

Kate, Greta and Patty

Kate, Greta and Patty

Thursday night found Team Phenomenal Hope and crew at Six Penn Kitchen in Pittsburgh for a terrific send-off dinner hosted by Eat’n Park. The energy in that room was palpable—Kate’s organizational wizardry; the team’s endurance training for the past 2 years, ramping it up the past 6 months in particular; the energy of corporate and family supporters; and PH patient Merle Reeseman’s determined energy securing donations to support the BIGGER effort—namely, to raise money for research to find a cure for Pulmonary Hypertension.

Thank you, Chris and Nick

Thank you, Chris and Nick

The RV galley was organized and stocked yesterday, and the rest of the bike, medical, and travel equipment was loaded on the RV in the late afternoon. A mid-day stop at Eat’n Park at the Waterfront filled the freezer with cooked chicken and the fridge with yogurt, bacon and hard-boiled eggs, in addition to paper supplies and nonperishables. We deeply appreciate all their support. My recipes are tested and ready to meet their mettle with the the RV appliances, plus I have the added cook’s ASE (Arsenal for Speed and Ease) of a Fagor induction burner, a Vitamix for power smoothies, and a Scanpan for easy clean up. Martha Stewart is pea-green with envy! IMG_0009Peter and Tom started their drive west this a.m.  This is Pete’s dream trip, I think, imagining the RV passing slowly through major American cities along the way, a virtual movie montage playing in his head with the theme of Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again” or maybe, Mick Jagger’s “Start Me Up!” Tom suggested Gene Autry’s “Back in the Saddle Again” which works really well in this schema, but a lot of readers might scratch their heads with “Gene WHO??” Yup! Pete’s dream trip on the RV is an adult version of “Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?” Look! I spy the PH RV reflected (and looking even bigger) in the Bean in Millenium Park in Chicago! There! I spy it again rolling down the Las Vegas strip! But Pete and Tom will most likely be spotted along I-80 heading west toward Iowa today. Later on, they’ll make a stop in Denver to meet and thank a former RAAM team for mentoring Team PH through the pre-race process.  It’s a long way to Oceanside. Godspeed, Tom and Pete. For the record, no grass was growing under our feet here. Patty and I met the rest of the team at a PHA sponsored walk in a local community. She also wanted to mail some tee shirts to recent donors. She assures me Sunday will be a day of rest before we fly to San Diego on Monday afternoon. Our show is literally on the road now. RAAM starts one week from today! Catch you later, faithful RAAM readers!

Loading up the RV

Loading up the RV

The inside is a bit cozy

The inside is a bit cozy

Go team!

Go team!

RV loading crew

RV loading crew

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