One of the things that I neglected to do on the last ride was to chronicle the interesting folks that i met along the way and who make a difference day in and day out. I intend to add these stories and photos (need to keep the camera handy) as they occur. I did give my ride cards to these folks and I wanted to say that i appreciate their time and conversation. If you happen to read this, please chime in and say “Hi”:

Jordan drove me from my house to the airport in ST:. Jordan is 21 and lives in the Lafayette Square neighborhood. He is an Afghanistan veteran and had some interesting stories to share. Jordan unlike some of his friends came out physically fine from the war, but certainly carries some deep memories. Nice young man and I wish him the best. Perhaps I will run into him at McGurk’s when I return.

The Taxi driver from LAX to the Courtyard Marriott in El Segundo. He is also a veteran and urged me to attend some of the veteran meetings. He spoke of many comrades who carry emotional scars from battle and is active with veteran organizations.

Steven from South Africa. I met Steven in front of Walgreens. he was seeking donations for starving children. We had an interesting discussion on politics, free speech, personal change and the world in general.

Harvey from China via the USA. I saw Harvey twice while out for a walk and on impulse, I said “Hi”. Harvey is involved with Biotech incubators providing support and finance for young scientists . He is about my age, part time resident of Florida and now working with the Chinese. His exuberance is infectious. Interesting perspective on the Chinese culture, work ethic and government. I hope our paths cross again.

Jacqueline from LA : Jacqueline is a vibrant young lady who is the receptionist at our hotel. I found out that she is a budding off road mountain bike star with several high profile sponsors. She rides 100 plus mile off road races with tens of thousands of feet of climbing. Cycling has helped her recover from a bad motorcycle accident. She has only been at it for a year, but I predict great things for this young lady who is also quite the athlete. My expectation is to see her on ESPN in the near future.

I went back to ask her if i could take her picture and talked to her a little more. She is from Hawaii and did a lot of long distance rowing i her youth. She moved to LA to help take care of her sick grandmother. When she was in the hospital recovering from significant trauma, she started to help other young girls. She volunteers a a Big Sister and works with other underprivileged children. She is also working on an advanced degree in Marine Engineering. She told me that her social life is cycling and she works through her pains and issues on her long rides. Just listening to her enthusiasm is both invigorating and tiring. Jacqueline is only 22 years old.