DHB’s HammerHead On The Road

NOTE: Day’s 1 through 4 will be up in the next couple of days.  I have had  multiple electronic issues but have got them all resolved.  Thank you for following and for patience.

Day 5 Update

Raleigh Meeting-Governor’s Advisory Council on Brain Injury

Union Grove to Farmington

As of this morning the crew now consisted of Scottish John, Artist Todd, and me. Joe I flew home last night and Marty Schaub had to leave on Monday night. The day was planned to be an “off day” from the board and when I woke up I was grateful. I was hurting pretty bad in my knees. I think it was more from the wakeboarding than the skating but I was glad I was going to be taking easy driving to Raleigh to speak at the Governor’s Advisory Council on Brain Injury. This group is made up of representatives from various public and private organizations that serve people with brain injury along with some people who were brain injury advisors. Marty Foil, the Executive Director of Hinds Feet Farm sits on this council and we were his guests. John, Todd, and I did not know what to expect but I think the boys were also glad they were not going to be rolling down roads at 8 mph today.

After making a wrong turn and needing to be guided in my Marty who was already there we barely made it on time. The drive from Union Grove was uneventful but Raleigh traffic is a mess. I found the meeting quite interesting and was pleased to see so many people here in our state fighting for services and fighting for the rights and needs of people with brain injury in our state.

Fairly early in the meeting we were introduced and I was offered was most likely meant to be three minutes or so. For those of you that know me talking for three minutes about anything for me is impossible. As the saying goes if you open the door I am going to walk in so I made sure they got their money’s worth. The main concept I wanted to get across is that brain injury awareness is best done, as Marty says it, one person at a time.

After my amazing experience so far with the various volunteer fire departments I recommended that they reach out to the various departments across the state and engage them in their cause. Education and direction on dealing with potential brain injury victims needs to be in the forefront of that engagement because First Responders from the various fire departments across the state are typically what their name implies, first on the scene.

I also shared with them the stories we have already heard brain injury related that each of the fire departments shared with us. Of the four we have stayed at so far, three had either a fire fighter who had a brain injury, a child of one of the fire fighter’s who had had a brain injury, or had other relatives of a fire fighter that had had a brain injury. It has blown my mine to the numbers.

We were able to leave the meeting before we had scheduled and headed back to Union Grove. Yesterday I had made the decision to spend the night in Union Grove (thanks to the gracious hospitality of our hosts there) because Lone Hickory Fire Department does not have shower facilities. We were able to leave our stuff there along with our equipment trailer when we went to Raleigh. As we made our way back I decided that I should go out and try to skate the distance we had scheduled for that day, a short 10 miles to Lone Hickory, to get the jump on tomorrow’s big push to Trinity. We got back to the fire department, got our gear in the car, and I headed out about 4:15. The first six miles was painful and I started to question if this was a good idea or not. Sitting here righting this now I feel great but at that moment I was struggling. After making another slip up on turns I had added an extra 3 miles to the plan and was not feeling so hot about it but I continued on. Once back on the right planned track I started to feel a bit better and began to get a second win. By ten miles I was feeling good and the rain clouds once threatening to cut this afternoon’s season short dissipated. I was once again on familiar roads (from training) and I began to pick up the pace. Todd and John were doing there thing and supporting me up the road ahead. 15 miles ticked off. Then 20 and I was now into the route planned for tomorrow. The sun was going down but the terrain was good and with the exception of one stretch of road the pavement was some of the best I have seen so far. Davie County’s got some good roads, I’m just sayin.

At one point the crew and I realized I had hit the 200 mile mark for the trip and we shot a bit of video to commemorate it. I was about 7 miles from Farmington and decided to push to there as long as we had daylight. Finally, at the 30. 8 mile mark of the skating for today cars were turning on their headlights so I decided I better quit. Besides, John and Todd had not eaten since lunch in Raleigh so I knew they were both hungry and tired. We wrote down the address of where we stopped and tomorrow when we get up we will drive there and start the trek toward Trinity.

We drove back to the Grove and Jerica, her mom Joan, Nolan Shumaker (the fire chief who road his bicycle with me to Union Grove from Statesville yesterday). Jerica’s dad Paul and family, and a whole bunch of the fire fighters were here waiting on us. I will tell you that these people have become part of mine and my wife’s family through this whole thing and I am grateful and blessed for it.

Todd whipped up some incredible spaghetti from hamburgers that were left over last night and the pasta I have been eating all week and it was great. He has been putting down some amazing meals for us on the road let me tell you.

Thursday’s Route –Farmington to Trinity

Tomorrow’s route takes me through territory I am familiar with from cycling in that many of the roads we will encounter will be some of the same ones used for the Tour of Tanglewood, a two day bicycle ride for M.S.. I had signed up to do that in the fall with my skateboard but the National M.S. Society said that skateboards were not allowed. They let inline skaters in but not long distance skateboards. Go figure.

Today’s Statistics

Mileage Today: 30.7 miles

Mileage Trip to date: 207 miles

Blimp Sightings: 0

Quotes of the Day:

“We are staying in Union Grove again tonight because we found out Lone Hickory Fire Dept. doesn’t have a shower. I get a might gamey after skating all day.” –Me

(Response from man on the tracker I was talking to) “We’s poor in Lone Hickory. We can’t afford no shower like them boys down in the Grove” – One of the Reneker Boys.

“You fellas staying in the Grove again tonight? Heck if you had your stuff you could go up to the hunting lodge and stay. We got four beds and a kitchen up there.” –Mr. Reneker

Note: We found out later tonight we should have taken him up on it. Turns out this “hunting lodge with four beds and a kitchen” was actually a spectacular facility that could sit at least a 100 at a wedding reception, was built of stone and logs, and had a heated floor!

After much effort and planning I believe the final route (flexible enough in case of weather, mechanical, or other delays), is getting close to completion. Specific roads are still to be nailed down.

Because we are re-routing through Statesville and spending the night in in Union Grove we have decided to break the route a bit south of Raleigh. I will still be speaking to the Governors Advisory Council on Brain Injury on June 9th (we will take most of that day off to drive to Raleigh from Union Grove and then drive back that night to skate to Lone Hickory)

Here are the Locations:

1st Leg
Day 1 June 5th- Asheville to Bills Creek (Kick off at Skyland Automotive in Asheville at 10:30 am leaving at 1:00 Pm)

Day 2 June 6th- Bills Creek To Lawndale

Day 3 June 7th- Lawndale to Sherrill’s Ford (don’t forget “Surf2theSurf Arrives At The Lake” at Midway Marina Boathouse Restaurant at 6:00 pm. Music, food, and hanging out at the lake!)

2nd Leg
Day 4 June 8th- Sherrills Ford To Union Grove (to JB Frog’s/Bills Marina via wakeboard/boat to Buffalo Shoals Road and skating through downtown Statesville to Union Grove)

Day 5 June 9th- Union Grove To Lone Hickory (after driving to Raleigh for Governors meeting)

Day 6 June 10th- Lone Hickory to Trinity

Day 7 June 11th- Trinity to Bonlee

Day 8 June 12th- Bonlee to Buies Creek

Day 9 June 13th- Buies Creek to Ammon

Day 10 June 14th- Ammon to Riegelwood

Day 11 June 15th- Riegelwood to Carolina Beach

Depending on how I am feeling and our progress we possibly will take a day off if necessary and target the 16th to finish but for now the goal is to finish on the 15th in Carolina Beach.

We are flexible and will be tweaking the route based on conditions, weather, and how many BBQ places we can find when we get to eastern North Carolina!!!

Thanks for all of your support!!

Marion

“Surf2theSurf Kickout At Skyland Automotive”

Asheville, North Carolina

10:30 am to 1:00 pm

Marion will begin his journey on June 5th at 1:00 pm at Skyland Automotive in Asheville, North Carolina.  From 10:30 am to 12:30 pm you will be able to meet him and his support crew as they conduct a skateboard safety clinic for children ages 8 to 14 at 11:00 am.  Helmets will be given away to up to 30 children attending.

Come out and enjoy a burger or a hot dog, meet Marion and his support crew, learn about Hinds Feet Farm and the amazing work they are doing for people with brain injury. 

While you are there check out the amazing selection of cars and services Skyland Automotive offers to the Asheville and western North Carolina.

At 1 pm  Marion will begin his trip and his first destination as he skateboards out of the dealership and makes his way on his 450 mile journey across the state. 

Well Gang, we are on the home stretch leading up to the first day of the Surf2theSurf and I just wanted first to thank everyone who have so generously supported what we are doing through encouragement, prayers, kind words, networking, financially, and just being a part of this group and the Cause.  Thank you all.

Many of you I know personally through skateboarding, the town of Statesville, church,  other ministries, and family and you know I love you all.   For those of you who are on here to support the cause of brain injury awareness and to support the work of Hinds Feet Farm I greatly appreciate it and I know the people of Hinds Feet Farm do as well.

I want to also personally thank Joan Allison, Jerica Galliher (an amazing brain injury survivor), and the ladies of Union Grove, North Carolina for the awesome fund raiser they put on over the Mothers’ Day Weekend.  It raised close to $400 and was an amazing night of sharing of Mrs. Foil’s story of the founding of Hinds Feet Farm, Jerica’s story of survival from what should have been a fatal head injury and the challenges she has faced in her recovery, games, fun, and GREAT FOOD!!  I am so blessed to know these people!

Another HUGE thank you to Groucho’s Deli of Statesville!!  You have been so supportive and I greatly appreciate what you do for the community!   When you are in Statesville grab you some Groucho’s!  Thanks Brandon, Cindy, and crew!!! 

Here are some other updates and sponsor information for you:

1. The Route has changed slightly.  If all goes well we will be coming to the Charlotte area via Terrell/Lake Norman/Mooresville on June 7th and are planning a Gathering at Mid-Way Marina at the Hwy 150 Bridge on Lake Norman …Stay tuned for details!

2. Because of the overwhelming support of the community of Union Grove where I have been training on the weekends (Union Grove the US National Long Distance Skateboarding Training Center..ha ha) I am going to re-direct my easterly route to go north and skate through that community on June 8th.  That also means I will be skating right through my Hometown of STATESVILLE that same day!!  I AM STOKED to do both!

3.  Thanks to Nolan Shumaker of the Union Grove Volunteer Fire Department we will be camping at fire departments across the state.  He and I will be meeting this weekend to get our route matched up with the various locations. 

4. FOOD LION has committed to sponsor the Surf2theSurf by providing FoodLion Gift Cards for the food for the entire crew!!!  Awesome.  www.foodlion.com

5. LeonardUSA Of Mooresville  has commited to loan us the use of a small enclosed trailer to carry our base camp gear, two large cabin tents, camp chairs, stove, cots, etc. and bags.  Big thanks to Jeff Nelson, manager of the store.  www.leonardusa.com

6.  Sporting-Sails has sent us one of their sails to use in the high mountains.  Looking forward to testing it out this weekend.  I have just the hill to test it on up in the Grove. www.sporting-sails.com

7. Patagonia, thanks to Billy Smith, of Sporting-Sails,  is providing sun blocking lightweight clothing for the trip.  I recently had a mole removed from my shoulder that was  pre-cancerous so I am glad to have them on board.  www.patagonia.com

8.   STOL Compression Clothing is supporting the trip with their compression socks.  I have been using 2XU’s for a while now but they are incredibly expensive.  The STOL products are as high of quality and less expensive.  Paul Kent, the preeminent long distance skateboarder in the world turned me on to the use of compression gear for ultra-distances and recovery and it makes a huge difference.  Even after 8 or 9 hours on the road my lower legs do not get sore at all and by wearing compression pants at night my upper legs recovery significantly better.   Any distance over 20 miles I will not do without the compression sleeves.  www.mystol.com

9.  Nu-Way Shoes of Statesville and McLelland Family Shoes are providing the shoes for the trip.  Footbraking destroys the shoes . 

10. Seismic Skate Systems are providing the wheels for the trip and also other support.  Thanks Dan.  The new Black Ops formula Speedvents are perfection. www.seismicskate.com

11. Woodys Halfpipe Boadshop in Norcross, Georgia has always been one of my biggest skate supporters and are providing equipment and industry contacts.  John Karg has possibly the coolest skate shop around with an incredible selection of both street boards and the best longboard selection in the Southeast.  www.woodyshalfpipe.com

12.  The Dudes at Landyachtz are supporting the Surf2theSurf by providing their awesome  Bear Grizzlies Trucks.  I have been skating Smokies on my downhill board and pushed them last year across Georgia but the Grizzlies are a perfect push truck in that they are light, affordable, turny but stable, and track straight!    www.landyachtz.com

13.  Finish Line Ford Lincoln Mercury are providing a sick ride for the support crew: 2010 Ford Flex.    These guys are simply the coolest.  Check out their dealership sometime when you are in the area.  www.finishlineford.com

14.  Groucho’s Deli of Statesville has been supporting our efforts since the beginning as an official donation site.  Thank you so much!!    These guys have been supporting the Surf2theSurf since the beginning of the planning process and they have been involved in helping secure Finish Line Ford,  introduced  us to our Logistics Coordinator John Charlton, who landed Food Lion and the dealership!!    Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Statesville-NC/GROUCHOS-DELI-OF-STATESVILLE/212278143168?ref=ts

15.  George Robeson Photography will be rolling along with us with his remote control aerial photograph taking blimp!! That should be a HOOT!  George is a cool dude and takes amazing pictures.  www.georgerobeson.com

 16. Fake It Vegan Store in downtown Statesville…awesome people with Jean and Krista. They will be providing lots of the on-the-road nutrition to support my food intake as I motor down the road. 

Stay tuned this next week for detailed profiles on the sponsors and the rest of the support crew!  

KICK OFF PLANS FROM SKYLAND AUTOMOTIVE and MID-WAY MARINA Gathering details coming soon!

24 more days! 

Brain Injury is known as the “Silent Epidemic” because most of us are not aware of how wide spread it is among our population.  When I first decided that brain injury awareness and Hinds Feet Farm’s program was going to be my focus for the skate across North Carolina I never imagined how many people I knew personally had also had a brain injury.    Of the volunteers and crew members that are coming to support me John Charlton, logistics coordinator, Todd Floyd, support crew and team chef, and George Robeson, aerial photography, are all survivors of brain injury.    As I have been training I have met so many people who are either a survivor, know someone who had a brain injury and died from it, or have been touched by it in their lives by a friend or family member who has had one.  I have been amazed at the numbers, stories, and people but none has inspired me more than meeting Jerica Galliher.

One of my favorite training routes takes me up to Union Grove, North Carolina, about 25 miles north of Statesville.  This is a close knit, welcoming agricultural based community steeped in tradition of great hospitality, bluegrass music, and country values.  The people of Union Grove are some of the most amazing and caring people I have ever met in my life and I always love being there.  I have always thought I would like to buy a small farm house and someday I may.   One of the coolest places there is the Cook Shack, a snack bar/grill/music hall/awesome place to hang out.  On Saturday mornings they have a bluegrass jam session that people have traveled literally from the entire world to participate in or just be a part of and the people that run it, Myles and Pal Ireland, are simply incredible people.   I have stopped there many of time to refill my water bottles on my bike and now on my board and to just sit and take a break.

A few weeks ago was one of those days where the Cook Shack was my “turn around” spot to head back toward home on a 45 mile push.  While I was doing my normal refueling I met a great person named Nolan Shumaker, the fire chief for the Union Grove Volunteer Fire Department.  It was a Godsend because I have been looking for a contact with local fire volunteer fire departments because we hope to camp at their locations as we travel across the state.  Nolan became very interested in what I was doing and told me that one of the local families in Union Grove had a teenager named Jerica that had been through a great deal from a brain injury she received from getting hit with a baseball at a minor league baseball game in Hickory, NC.  After talking for a few minutes he asked me if I could come meet her sometime and I had planned to come through the Grove the next day on a longer push so we coordinated a time and he said he would have Jerica and her mom Joan there to meet me.

The next day I left my house in Statesville and begin my long day on the board working my way toward the Grove along my usual route.  I was feeling good and making great time as I pushed up all the big hills leading up to the community.  It was a training day like most others and I was not expecting what was about to experience.   As turned the corner on to Highway 901 I could see the fire department down the road in front of me.  The Cook Shack parking lot was overflowing as it usually is on a Saturday and I could see people standing in the parking lot of the fire department.  As I got closer I realized that there was a crowd of people there and wondered what was going on.  As soon as I pulled in I realize that they were all there waiting on me!  It was crazy.  Adults and youth from the community and affiliated with the fire department had heard what was going on and had shown up I suspect the see the old crazy dude on the skateboard.  It was a scene let me tell you and I immediately found myself grinning from ear to ear.   As soon as I arrived Nolan the fire chief introduced me to Jerica and her mom.  Immediately I connected with her and we began to talk about her situation with her brain injury and her recovery.  Others we asking me questions about my trip but  I really wanted to know more about her , what she had gone through, and was still dealing with in her long recovery.  She was 14 when she had her injury and I could relate.  My head injury came when I was 18.    As the conversation went on her mother shared a great deal about the challenges they had faced, the miracle her recovery has been, and the ongoing challenges Jerica has faced with an amazing attitude and the loving friends and family that have surrounded her.  At one point it became very emotional and I am not sure there was a dry eye in the group.  It was an incredible experience and the inspiration that this young lady has given me is a blessing.

Here is Jerica’s story in her own words (below).     I know you will find inspiration in her story as well.

My Story of Brain Injury and Recovery by Jerica Galliher

On July 4, 2007, I was hit in the head by a line drive foul ball at the Hickory Crawdads baseball game.  We were there enjoying the game and were sitting on the second row behind the dugout on the 1^st base side there was no net.  I had turned around to talk to my grandma and before I could turn around to see where the ball had been hit, I was hit by the ball going approximately 150 mph.  I was knocked out for about 10 seconds and then went to get checked out by the RN at the game. The RN said that I should be fine and just for my parents to watch me closely and to let me sleep short naps, but wake me up periodically to be sure I was OK.  The Crawdads staff tried to get us to stay and watch the rest of the game and the fireworks.  My stepdad is a first responder; so his and my mom’s instinct was to take me to the hospital just to be on the safe side because I had a knot on the left side of my head the size of a baseball.

On the way to Iredell Memorial Hospital, my mom and I fought all the way there because I wanted to sleep and she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.  When we got to the hospital, I started feeling nauseated and ended up getting sick.  As soon as we got in the hospital they took me to get a CT scan.  The doctors or nurses didn’t tell my parents anything except that there was internal bleeding and they were sending me to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center for surgery.  I didn’t fly to Baptist because it would have put too much pressure on the bleed.  When the ambulance got to Baptist the doctors were ready to start my surgery.  The Chief Surgeon of Neurology was on call that night, by God’s hands.  Because Iredell had already prepped me and gave me a shot of some medicine that causes short term memory loss; I was ready to go straight to emergency surgery.  Thanks to the memory loss medicine I don’t remember any of the traumas I went through after surgery and in the ICU.

My dad and his family live in Wilmington, but had come up to Baptist hospital for his father in laws surgery.  So my mom was able to get in touch with him and tell him what had happen to me, so he was there at Baptist when I got there, by God’s hands.  My stepdad needed someone to drive him to Baptist when I was transported; his friend was only five minutes from the hospital when he called him, by God’s hands.

After the surgery the doctors told my parents they had done all they could do, they said that the ball hit the artery on the side of my head and busted it in two places. The blood was pushing my brain to the right side of my head and it was getting ready to detach from my brain stem.  I was 20 minutes from leaving this world, and when I was in ICU the doctors told my parents that if I come out fighting I would be getting better or if my hands started to curl and went into the fetal position I could be a vegetable or start acting like a 5 year old.  But I came out fighting; I was pulling the cords and trying to get everything off.  The surgeons could not believe the difference in the CT scan to morning after surgery compared to my initial scan.  They called me a miracle, by God’s hands.

I got hit on Wednesday and by Saturday I started coming around and remembering everything, except for the critical stuff.  I woke up at 12:01 am on Saturday morning and asked my mom “What is in my head?” she said “staples” I told her “But I don’t want staples in my head.”  I had 56 staples in my head which were later removed, but I have titanium clamps internally where they repaired the damage that I will always have.  When our pastor came to visit he asked me if I remember what happened, and I told him everything up to when I was given the shot for short term memory loss.  My mom had been afraid to ask me any questions as to not frustrate me if I couldn’t remember.

When we got home I was complaining about headaches and the doctors said that I may have headaches.  I tried to go to school in August but the work was tough because it was hard for me to concentrate.  The weather is the main cause of my headaches, when there is a front coming I know it, or in the winter the first cold snap I get a really bad headache.  I haven’t been able to go back to school for a long period of time, but I love school and being around all of my friends, so that is what I have really missed.  I also loved playing volleyball, so ever since my accident, I can’t play, so I have coached 3^rd – 6^th graders to help them learn more about volleyball.  Since I’m not at school with all of my friends I try to go to the different events that are at school to see everybody.

Almost 3 years now, I still have severe headaches, but my neurologist has put me on a different medicine and it seems to be helping.  I just had another MRI and it looked good.  I am supposed to be a junior at NIHS, but the homebound program is a hard way to get an education.  So I am waiting to see if I will be accepted in the SAVE program at Monticello, so I can complete my high school diploma.  Then I hope to get a college education through the community colleges.  As you see through my story God’s hands was with me and my family through my accident and he is still blessing us on a daily basis.

HammerHead’s Introduction of Marty

This is Volunteer Spotlight #2:  My friend Marty Schaub.  Marty and I both met on the day he came back to skateboard racing and I to my very first slalom race since 1978 at the Red Clay Cup and the famous Trade Street in Athens, Georgia in the spring of 2005.  That was a day to remember because we were both connecting with people we had been introduced to online and were stoked to be finally racing with them.  I had gotten to the hill early (not knowing at the time that slalom skateboard racing never starts on time) and had parked my Honda Element at the top of the hill and had set up the awning and “base camp”.  Marty and I immediately hit it off and we hung out there between runs taking in all of the characters like Keith Hollien, Kenny Mollica, Chris Barker, Jason Mitchell, and more.  It was a great day and I was glad that I had joined the throng of madness.

After that Marty and I stayed in touch and began training together both in Georgia and here with the Downhillbillies.  Marty was the very first person to sign up for the first Downhillbillies Dixie Cup and been a huge supporter of all the events we have held.

Marty and I both became affiliated with Woody’s Halfpipe Board Shop and began traveling together to races.  Marty, I, and fellow skater Ron Olsen met in NJ and drove up together to our very first Farm Race (see Volunteer Spotlight #1) .  From that time on I have been the “team driver” when  we travel and room together on the road.

Marty has always been someone I have connected with and he honored me recently by sharing his story of becoming a Christ Follower.   He reminded me of all the times he saw me reading my Bible while we were on the road and it was great feeling to know that it may have had some impact.

I am stoked that Marty is going to be joining me on the support team for two of the three legs and am grateful to have him along.

Marty Schaub’s Profile

Marty Schaub is a San Diego raised transplant now living in the Atlanta suburb of Dacula Georgia.  Married to his lovely wife Dana for 9+ years, they have 3 kids consisting of a his (Tyler 16), hers (Jonathan 14) and their OOOPPS! (Bailey 8).

Being raised in the Gods country of sunny San Diego, Marty never had to walk to school in a blizzard, but was forced to re-apply sunscreen on more than one occasion.  With the beach never to far away and never off of his mind, Marty began surfing at the age of 12 to augment his love of skateboarding that he has done since he was 3. (True story, his mama has pictures!)

In the early 70’s skateboarding was a means of transportation and always a ready way to practice cool surf moves.  However Marty began to get quite good at it and found himself swept up in the skate craze of the mid 70’s.  He began racing in 1975 with the now legendary La Costa Boys, honing his skills and actually becoming a world ranked professional slalom racer by the time he hit 16.  He rode for Gordon & Smith Skateboards until at age 18, college called and it was off to real school.

Fast forward to 2004 and Slalom racing found Marty again. At age 44 he picked up the board again, padded and helmeted up and began hurtling himself down hills at ridiculous speeds.  As time passed, he once again became quite good at it and is now a fully sponsored racer riding for SK8Kings out of Southern California. Successes include not breaking anything major in his 49 year old body, National and World rankings and the penultimate triumph of medaling at the 2009 World Slalom Championships in Hood River Oregon.

He met Marion through Slalom racing and a great friendship has ensued.  I mean how can you not like a bald guy that looks like Mr. Clean?  It is through this relationship that Marty became acquainted with the Hinds Feet Farm. Newly born as a Christian, Marty feels that Marion’s call has purpose and deserves any and all support he can provide. Aside from being adept at sitting in a motor home, Marty’s knowledge of which is Marion’s good ear to shout encouragement into should prove invaluable to the Surf2TheSurf’s conclusion.  That and the fact that he plans to bring along the entire Abba catalog as well as his copy of the Starland Vocal Band’s greatest hits CD, should endear him to all involved.

The Volunteer Spotlight

One of the most exciting things about the Surf2TheSurf trip across North Carolina coming this June (2010) is the team of volunteers and supporters who will be sharing the journey with me.  Since this idea first was hatched I have wanted to do my best to make sure everyone knew that this is about letting people know about the incredible work that is being done at Hinds Feet Farm  with brain injury survivors and to support that effort.  Secondly, the story of this event is going to be about this amazing group of people who are coming together to volunteer and make it all possible.  Without all the support of the crew we are assembling the skate across North Carolina will have little or no impact on the Cause.  It is this story, the story of the amazing personalities and life perspectives that has Surf2TheSurf positioned to be an EPIC in the making. 

Starting this week we will be featuring the volunteers who will be dedicated some of their own time to join me on the road, crew, support, and just make the trip worthwhile.  As you get to know the characters of what appears to be a “reality show in the making” I think you will agree that Surf2TheSurf is going to be something very “special”. 

Hammerhead’s Introduction of Joe I

The first volunteer to step up to the plate and say he was in as part of the crew is my dear friend Joe Iacovelli.  Joe and I met on the internet in early 2004.  No, not on THAT kind of website!  No, we met on the Northern California Downhill Skateboarding Association website which at the time was connecting the world of longboard and slalom skateboarding together.  Joe and I shared a stoke for returning to skateboarding that was fueled from the years of our youth spending hours and hours in the sport and now returning to it in adulthood.   I learned that Joe I, as he is known in the slalom skateboard world, was one of the original slalom skateboard racing promoters since the revitalization of the sport and having been a part of the beginnings of the Downhillbillies Skateboarding Association I was eager to learn from him and Bill Tway (co-founder of The Farm Race which will be hosting its 10th event in a row this August and is the longing running event in the sport of slalom skateboard racing today).  Joe I quickly became a great mentor, sounding board, and supporter of the DHB and a good friend to me.  I am stoked beyond words that he has decided to come and be a part of event.  

Joe Iacovelli’s Profile

 Joe Iacovelli is a 45 year old father of two and husband of one from Bristol, CT. He started his skateboard career in South Jersey in 1975 on a cut in half roller-skate and a scrap piece of wood. He also walked up-hill both ways to school in a blizzard EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Joe skated nearly every day from 1975 until 1982 when the first wave of skateparks closed. Skating became less frequent over the next dozen and a half years, until his son Nick got the bug around the turn of the century. The X-Games in Philadelphia led way to the first Farm skateboard race to benefit the victims of 9/11 in October of 2001.

Slalom racing opened a new chapter in Joe’s life. Racing, having fun and enjoying the company of other skaters young and old recaptured the feelings that led him to skateboarding in the first place. Since that time, he has organized a couple dozen races, including skating’s longest running annual race, the Farm. In organizing the Farm race, along with his partner, Bill Tway, Joe has set a standard for racing as a spectacle, as a destination, as a celebration.

Joe has encouraged, mentored and trained hundreds of skaters in the past ten years, including three World Champions and a Rookie of the Year. Joe’s son 14 yr old son Nick races along with him and is ranked 3rd in the US for his age group. His 10 year old daughter, Julianna is dominating the kids division, and his 29 yr old wife Kate joined all three of them in Antrim to be the first family of four to ride in the same race ever. He is truly blessed to be able to share what he loves with his family.

Marion Karr and the DHB entered Joes’ world like a lot of skaters do, via the internet. He offered encouragement and assistance as they found their way in racing, and offered advice on their first race, The Dixie Cup. That association has led to a deep friendship with Marion, and a keen interest in Marion’s outreach to his fellow man.

Skate2TheSurf represents an opportunity for Joe to assist Marion in raising awareness for brain injured individuals, and the good work taking place at Hinds Feet Farm and he was the first to sign up. Always up for a road trip, expect Joe’s contributions to include blaring banjo music on the RV’s sound system to get Marion to skate faster, dozens of knock knock jokes, and a nose for good BBQ.

Training Update
The weather has finally broken, thank goodness.  We have had a very harsh winter for North Carolina and it has made training on the road virtually impossible.   This weekend looked more like we are used to this late in the winter and the weather was overall great just a little windy.

Saturday 3/6/10

Saturday I was tied up most of the day doing some work but in the afternoon I got to get out for about an hour and half so I decided to hit one of my favorite short loops and work on heart rate management on the climbs.  I kept a strong pace right out of the start and on every uphill focused on keeping out of the “red zone”  but as close to maximum effort as possible.  The “red zone” comes from cycling when you push yourself and your heart rate into the range that completely spends all of your energy and you have a hard time recovering.  You see it in cycling when a rider seems to be holding on the climbs then all of sudden just almost comes to a stop.  He has hit the red zone and then blown.  For me at my fitness level right now getting at that point in a push could basically mean the end of any pace and risk the chance I may have to just stop.

I covered 14 miles in less than an hour and half and on the biggest hill in town, Hospital Hill at Hartness Road.  The grade is over 9% and it is straight and fairly long.  I hit the bottom at 12 miles or 9.5 mph pace and was rolling good.  I had just completed the climb up Museum Road which is about 5% and was the hill we used for the first night of the World Championships of Slalom Skateboard Racing in 1997.  I checked my heart rate at the start of the climb and it was at 125 bpm.  I tried to focus on heart rate and respiration and it paid off.  At the top my heart rate was 169 bpm.  The last time I hit that hill a few weeks ago my heart rate jumped to 181 bpm that was definitely in my red zone.  Only a block past the top of Hospital Hill is yet another long climb that is not as steep but is very difficult if I am blown.  It was great to make it to the base of that hill in good shape.

The whole skate was 14.1 miles in 1:21:10 and it felt good to be on the board.  Sunday would be a big day and I was motivated going into it.

Sunday 3/7/10

The next day was planned for a big day and it lived up to its planning.  After church I set out on a 45 mile push through the north end of Iredell County which is filled with climb after climb.  It is not the mountains but it is called the foothills for a reason.  The route I chose is what I call the Union Grove Loop because it takes me to the community of Union Grove in the northern most part of Iredell County and then loops back through the communities of Olin and Charles before reconnecting with South Chipley Ford Road for a 10 mile sufferfest back into town.

This was a great push for me and a good test of where my fittest level is at this point of my training.  Throughout the skate I again focused on managing heart rate but I also wanted to keep a keen focus on taken in enough fluids and food.  I found that on all my big pushes of 30 miles or more I take in a good amount of food and electrolytes early in the route but late I would not eat or drink enough.  Basically that would result in the last 5 or so miles being incredibly painful,  It was important that I stay on top of it because when we are looking at day after day skating I can not afford to bonk so bad that I need a day off just to eat and rebuild the glycogen stores.

For the most part I felt great throughout the majority of the push.  The first 2:30:00 to Union Grove has significant climbing and I stayed pretty much in control (within reason) with the exception of the last climb up Eupeptic Springs.  That climb is nothing but brutal and seems to go on forever.  Mentally it is hard because you can not see the top until you finally make the last litter turn at the top.  It is steep and long and climbs out of a low creek area.

When I got to Union Grove and after a short stop to refill my Accelerade bottle (along with my Camelbak I carry a water bottle with electrolyte mix and keep extra powder in my pack for refill) eat and just take short break I made the turn back southeast and hit a headwind.  This stretch is a bit rolling with a slight downhill and it is normally a great recovery time after all the climbs leading into the Grove (especially Indian Hill Road…I hate that road) but with the headwind it was tough.   By the time I got the climbs up to the Olin Loop Road and on Josie Road I was struggling some but recovered.  Stopping briefly on Tomlin Mill to refill my water bottle and mix some more Accelerade I then finished the last 12 miles back into town.   Everything felt great with the exception of the last 3 miles which has not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 big climbs.  You see Statesville is built on a hill.  You have to climb up to it no matter what direction you come from.

Stats from the workout:

Miles 45.34 Pushing Time, 5:30:55. Time Out on Road 6:15;00.,. Average Heart Rate 155 bpm, Calories Burned 8500 Vertical Feet Climbed 5125 ft.

Planning Update

As of the writing of this blog we are close to $1600 in donations and pledges.  It is a good start to our goal of $10,000 and we are picking up momentum.  We will be announcing a new corporate sponsor this week.

Groucho’s Deli of Statesville, the official donation location for Surf2TheSurf, is planning Hinds Feet Farm Day on Sunday, March 28th, at the restaurant. 10% of all food and beverage proceeds for that day will go to the Surf2theSurf Cause for Hinds Feet Farm so plan on coming out and enjoying great food and support the efforts.

Volunteer Update

John Charlton-Logistics Coordinator/Driver- I had the pleasure of meeting John this year and from the moment we spoke we connected.  We soon found out in our very first meeting that we both share a special ancestry.  You see John Charlton grew up in the borders of Scotland the same area my ancestors lived for 400+ years.  The Kerr’s and the Charlton’s were “border reivers” and proud of it.  John has a retired military background, is a wealth of knowledge on logistics, and still can speak the formerly outlawed dialect of the Borders called Geordie.  He is going to be with us the entire trip and it is going to be awesome.

Marty Schaub- Support Team Member Original G&S Skater, La Costa Boy, and now Axe Army slalom racer, living in  Lawrenceville, Georgia has committed to work support for both Leg 1 and Leg 3.  Marty and I have been friends for several years now and have both ridden for Woody’s Halfpipe Board Shop in Norcross, Georgia.   I am stoked to have Marty coming out to be a part of the crew.

Other Volunteers are in the works and will be announced soon.

Stay tuned for updates later this week!  Thanks for reading.  Safe skating and keep that brain safe..Wear a helmet!

Training Update
The weather has finally broken, thank goodness.  We have had a very harsh winter for North Carolina and it has made training on the road virtually impossible.   This weekend looked more like we are used to this late in the winter and the weather was overall great just a little windy.

Saturday 3/6/10

Saturday I was tied up most of the day doing some work but in the afternoon I got to get out for about an hour and half so I decided to hit one of my favorite short loops and work on heart rate management on the climbs.  I kept a strong pace right out of the start and on every uphill focused on keeping out of the “red zone”  but as close to maximum effort as possible.  The “red zone” comes from cycling when you push yourself and your heart rate into the range that completely spends all of your energy and you have a hard time recovering.  You see it in cycling when a rider seems to be holding on the climbs then all of sudden just almost comes to a stop.  He has hit the red zone and then blown.  For me at my fitness level right now getting at that point in a push could basically mean the end of any pace and risk the chance I may have to just stop. 

I covered 14 miles in less than an hour and half and on the biggest hill in town, Hospital Hill at Hartness Road.  The grade is over 9% and it is straight and fairly long.  I hit the bottom at 12 miles or 9.5 mph pace and was rolling good.  I had just completed the climb up Museum Road which is about 5% and was the hill we used for the first night of the World Championships of Slalom Skateboard Racing in 1997.  I checked my heart rate at the start of the climb and it was at 125 bpm.  I tried to focus on heart rate and respiration and it paid off.  At the top my heart rate was 169 bpm.  The last time I hit that hill a few weeks ago my heart rate jumped to 181 bpm that was definitely in my red zone.  Only a block past the top of Hospital Hill is yet another long climb that is not as steep but is very difficult if I am blown.  It was great to make it to the base of that hill in good shape. 

The whole skate was 14.1 miles in 1:21:10 and it felt good to be on the board.  Sunday would be a big day and I was motivated going into it.

Sunday 3/7/10

The next day was planned for a big day and it lived up to its planning.  After church I set out on a 45 mile push through the north end of Iredell County which is filled with climb after climb.  It is not the mountains but it is called the foothills for a reason.  The route I chose is what I call the Union Grove Loop because it takes me to the community of Union Grove in the northern most part of Iredell County and then loops back through the communities of Olin and Charles before reconnecting with South Chipley Ford Road for a 10 mile sufferfest back into town. 

This was a great push for me and a good test of where my fittest level is at this point of my training.  Throughout the skate I again focused on managing heart rate but I also wanted to keep a keen focus on taken in enough fluids and food.  I found that on all my big pushes of 30 miles or more I take in a good amount of food and electrolytes early in the route but late I would not eat or drink enough.  Basically that would result in the last 5 or so miles being incredibly painful,  It was important that I stay on top of it because when we are looking at day after day skating I can not afford to bonk so bad that I need a day off just to eat and rebuild the glycogen stores. 

For the most part I felt great throughout the majority of the push.  The first 2:30:00 to Union Grove has significant climbing and I stayed pretty much in control (within reason) with the exception of the last climb up Eupeptic Springs.  That climb is nothing but brutal and seems to go on forever.  Mentally it is hard because you can not see the top until you finally make the last litter turn at the top.  It is steep and long and climbs out of a low creek area.  

When I got to Union Grove and after a short stop to refill my Accelerade bottle (along with my Camelbak I carry a water bottle with electrolyte mix and keep extra powder in my pack for refill) eat and just take short break I made the turn back southeast and hit a headwind.  This stretch is a bit rolling with a slight downhill and it is normally a great recovery time after all the climbs leading into the Grove (especially Indian Hill Road…I hate that road) but with the headwind it was tough.   By the time I got the climbs up to the Olin Loop Road and on Josie Road I was struggling some but recovered.  Stopping briefly on Tomlin Mill to refill my water bottle and mix some more Accelerade I then finished the last 12 miles back into town.   Everything felt great with the exception of the last 3 miles which has not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 big climbs.  You see Statesville is built on a hill.  You have to climb up to it no matter what direction you come from. 

Stats from the workout:

Miles 45.34 Pushing Time, 5:30:55. Time Out on Road 6:15;00.,. Average Heart Rate 155 bpm, Calories Burned 8500 Vertical Feet Climbed 5125 ft.

Planning Update

As of the writing of this blog we are close to $1600 in donations and pledges.  It is a good start to our goal of $10,000 and we are picking up momentum.  We will be announcing a new corporate sponsor this week.

Groucho’s Deli of Statesville, the official donation location for Surf2TheSurf, is planning Hinds Feet Farm Day on Sunday, March 28th, at the restaurant. 10% of all food and beverage proceeds for that day will go to the Surf2theSurf Cause for Hinds Feet Farm so plan on coming out and enjoying great food and support the efforts.

Volunteer Update

John Charlton-Logistics Coordinator/Driver- I had the pleasure of meeting John this year and from the moment we spoke we connected.  We soon found out in our very first meeting that we both share a special ancestry.  You see John Charlton grew up in the borders of Scotland the same area my ancestors lived for 400+ years.  The Kerr’s and the Charlton’s were “border reivers” and proud of it.  John has a retired military background, is a wealth of knowledge on logistics, and still can speak the formerly outlawed dialect of the Borders called Georgie.  He is going to be with us the entire trip and it is going to be awesome.

Marty Schaub- Support Team Member  Original G&S Skater, La Costa Boy, and now Axe Army slalom racer, living in  Lawrenceville, Georgia has committed to work support for both Leg 1 and Leg 3.  Marty and I have been friends for several years now and have both ridden for Woody’s Halfpipe Board Shop in Norcross, Georgia.   I am stoked to have Marty coming out to be a part of the crew.

Other Volunteers are in the works and will be announced soon.

Stay tuned for updates later this week!  Thanks for reading.  Safe skating and keep that brain safe..Wear a helmet!

Wow, what an amazing day!  Marty Foil, the Executive Director of Hinds Feet Farm (www.hindsfeetfarm.org) picked me up this morning at 8:30 am and we headed to Asheville, North Carolina, the starting point for the Surf2TheSurf crossing of North Carolina planned for June of this year.  It was an incredibly productive day and I am even more stoked about our efforts to raise awareness of Brain Injury and money to help fund the expansion of Hinds Feet Farm’s day programs.  Here is how the day unfolded:

Visit To The Asheville Day Program

Our first stop on our day long romp around Asheville started at the most appropriate place, the Hinds Feet Farm Day Program at the Foster Seventh Day Adventist Church.  It was a great experience meeting the staff and participants in the program.  When we were arrived the group was working on making braided necklaces and bracelets that they plan to sell.   I sat down at the craft table and marveled at how skilled each of the individuals were as they braided and knotted the various strings and inserted beads in the item they were making.  I thought I would give it a shot,  I mean how hard could it be to just tie knots? I am an Eagle Scout for crying out loud.  Quickly I realized what appeared to be a simple manual task was a distinct challenge of the right brain/left brain conundrum for someone who’s brain injury was as mild as mine yet each of the class participants worked undeterred with great skill and patience.  I think I may have tied only 4 knots correctly!  Dude!

The visit only strengthen my resolve and determination to make the Surf2TheSurf skate across North Carolina as successful as possible.  The programs Hinds Feet have in place and have plans for in the future are making a difference in so many people’s lives and getting a small glimpse of that today was so inspiring.

Lunch At Skyland Automotive, Inc.

Our next stop on the “tour” was a meeting scheduled by Marty with Dick Seidenspinner Jr. and his Dad Dick Seidenspinner Sr. the owner of Skyland Automotive, Inc.  Karen Harrington, the Regional Outreach Coordinator for the Asheville office of the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina escorted us and was a great to have along. I was not sure what to expect when we got there but I immediately was impressed with the whole operation and the Seidenspinner pair.  We were shuttled into a glass surrounded conference room and after a few quick introductions and “now, you are going to do what?” questions I rapidly realized that Dick Jr. had done his research.  As someone who is in the business of event planning he had taken a detailed look at where we were in our planning process, what are goals were, the history of how we got to this point, and a bit about my background.  I have been in a number of meetings throughout my career as a consultant and executive recruiter in my 20 years in business but rarely have I seen someone as knowledgeable ad as prepared as Dick Jr was for that meeting with us!

Dick Sr. was a charismatic and inviting person as well and the hospitality he arranged for us totally made my day.  He had arranged for this incredible home cooked lunch with baked spaghetti, garlic bread, and the BEST pimento cheese you have ever tasted (forgive me Mom but it was better than even yours!).  Needless to say this was not on my training diet.  I was the lucky person that got to bring a small jar of the pimento cheese home with me!! Yum!

Dick Jr. and I had a great deal in common.  Like my bicycle accident that almost took my life in 1981 when I was a teenager,  he had had a close encounter with a tree while snow skiing that completely broke him up.  We spent several minutes sharing the various breaks and injuries we incurred.  There is always bonding in broken bones and injury, I am not sure why.  Recently I “bonded” with a friend of mine’s mom over our disk surgeries.  They say misery loves company.

The Seidenspinner’s were both in agreement that this was a great cause and after a good discussion it was decided that we should push the start date back to June 5th so that they can host a kick-off event at the dealership that will tie in brain injury awareness, skateboarding, helmet safety, and the whole deal.   The details need to be worked out but it is going to be a great event and I am very thankful that we are going to have such a great start to this trip.  Moving the date back a few days for the start will change our plans a bit but after thinking about it some more this evening on the drive back I think it is going to work out great.  Stay tuned for more info as the event at Skyland Automotive takes shape.  I know they had some sweet Benz’s there, I’m just sayin’.

North Carolina Department of Transportation

With and incredibly full belly and excitement Marty I headed for Stop Number 3 of our day in Asheville, the North Carolina Department of Transportation District Office.  Using his trusty GPS we drove past it 3 times but finally arrived.  I had called them last week and had discussed with the chief engineer Jeff Moore Surf2TheSurf.  When we arrived we found out he had gone home sick but one of his staffers was prepared to meet with us.  Again, much to my surprise,  they were prepared (a common theme of the day). This DOT rep had printed out large maps of the district and county and had highlighted the best and safest routes out of town! They have been dealing with snow and bad road conditions so much this winter that I think my little project was a nice diversion.  I am very grateful for their help and appreciate the information they gave me regarding downloading other county maps for the state.  It is going to be a great tool for route planning.

Meeting With WLOS ABC Channel 13 Programming Directors

Through her contacts Karen arranged our last stop of today’s Surf2TheSurf planning trip to Asheville with a meeting with programming directors of the local ABC-TV affiliate WLOS.   The meeting went well and I learned something about local news programming and Saturdays.  Apparently, most people do not watch local TV news on Saturdays.  Instead, Fridays are a very important day and veiwership is up.  We discussed the possibility of WLOS doing a remote from the Hinds Feet Farm Day Program on Friday, June 4th, as an introduction to Surf2TheSurf and also a promo to the Skyland Automotive event planned for the next day.    They said they would be talking with the News Department and see what they could arrange and were very nice.  I am glad they are going to be coming out to the program because this skate across the state are about those people.  I am just doing what we are called to do and that is to serve.

In Ezekiel 22 vs. 30 it reads  ”I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.”  I am just trying to do my part to help Hinds Feet Farm to stand in the breech and stand up for those in need with brain injury.