PENTAGON ~ D.C. FD ~ WRAMC

Now THIS was an amazing day!

DC was unreal.  There are so many who made this stop one that we will remember for many years to come.   And we appreciate each and everyone of you!

First thanks have to go to Jordan, Elijah, and Joel.  Had we not met any of you, this tour would be so much less memorable.  Each of these men stepped up above and beyond for H2H.  Salutes to all!

Early morning found us at the Pentagon.  We've been there twice before, but never inside, and never knew if we'd get in.  This time, between the fine folks at Salt Lake City PD & our new friend, Jordan.

We showed up in the parking lot, as directed.  When security came up to us, they mentioned that they were told we had a marked vehicle.  I remember laughing that "Does it get anymore marked than this?!"  He told us we were cleared, and to follow him.  We assumed he was leading us to a visitor's center, but no.  He led us into the inner courtyard of the Pentagon!  OMIGOD!  (Would have loved to have seen video of our faces at the moment we made that realization!)

We were taken up to McArthur Hall,  and had fun watching the various personnel check out the tour van while we were inside.

Upstairs, we waited for tables for our presentation.  When that failed to happen, we toughed it out and the fine officers of the Pentagon Police Forces didn't stand on ceremony, they got down on their knees to sign their messages of support for our Troops.  That moment was nearly as humbling as the moment that the Chief took possession of the Honor Shirt we presented on behalf of the NCO Leadership Academy at Fort Lewis.

This shirt was beautifully done, and the impact of the heart that the Troops put into this was more than obvious.  Watching the Chief as he fully understood what this particular shirt meant, brought me to the verge of tears, and I was not alone.  (Do yourself a favor, enlarge this 1st pic - you'll see the heart in it!)

I would like to personally thank and commend the NCO Leadership Academy.  The time, effort, and meaning in this shirt set the bar high.  We salute you for this effort!

We were given a great tour by the guys, and nothing was cooler than having these big guys in their gear with weapons, escorting us through the Pentagon ... Carrying a teddy bear!  Major points!

They even treated us to a Starbucks coffee downstairs ... More points!  ( ;

These were some of the most fun bad a** shots we did, too.  I happen to think Jordan's pic looks like a movie star!  I can see him on 24.

We were all set up for an escort over to DC FD 1, when the "Capital Hill Gunman" incident occurred, and it was time for them to earn their paychecks.  We left with the lunch they provided, and a great bunch of memories.

We were told to come back next time and they'd "do it up right" for us.  Wow.  No idea what that means.  But this is an annual stop, so we can't wait!

Footnote: We ticket cops all over the country ... It was a Pentagon cop who sent in the first shirt to pay his fine!  Again, niiiice!

We made our way downtown to DCFD.  It was tough with all of the excitement about the "gunman" ... and it was HOT!  We felt bad for the firefighters, whose a/c had gone out.

So the room was hot, and the greeting was warm.  We presented an Honor Shirt, done specially for them by the 2nd Cav Reg at Fort Lewis.  These are always the best moments, when we are able to show the respect back to the fire and police from our Troops.  This will be a permanent part of the program.  we salute the 2CR, and welcome them to Fort Lewis!

The bad ass shots were even more special outside when they all geared up and did action shots with the rig.  (Love the message to Mom!)  So hot, and they don that heavy gear for us.  You rock!

DC can be proud of these folks, we are!   See y'all next year!

Then it was on to Walter Reed, to visit our friends at WRAMC FD.  Talk about a hoot!  The Chief there had us crying from laughing, and his guys are no slouches either.  We always have fun here!  Oh, and Bruce, you need to be here next time, or they'll just keep pickin' on you in your absence!

Next stop was the most personal, and heartfelt of the tour.  We'd been contacted by a wounded Troop, asking for a shirt.  I promised I'd hand-deliver him one.  So we visited the Mologne House at WRAMC.  No pity here.  Just wounded Troops battling once more, this time on a personal journey.

As it turns out, we were able to get him one and a number of others, right from their hometowns we'd just visited!  And ... We had a bunch of shirts from Destination Harley, in Fife, WA to pass out.  They were happily accepted.

We do not have many pix from this visit, as we didn't want the Troops to feel they were on display.  We just wanted to bring them some love, laughter, smiles and respect from home.  We hope they felt special.  We did when they hugged us and thanked us for the visit and shirts.  I will personally remember these young men all my days, and we'll keep them all in our prayers!  We ask you all to do the same! 

Elijah, be well, and keep that great smile!

Last stop for the day was the ER at WRAMC.  It was so cool that some of the same personnel was there from last year and they remembered us and SHertz.

Fortunately they weren't busy, cuz after that whole gunman thing, Sharen needed to be seen.  They diagnosed a panic attack, and sent her on her way with hugs and a prescription for lots of TLC.

Even more fortunate, they were able to take time to be presented an Honor Shirt from Madigan Army Medical Center at Fort Lewis.  This one was from staff to staff.  Inevitably the wounded Troops that come home to MAMC, have already been treated at WRAMC.  This was just a chance for one hospital to take a moment for another, as part of the amazing teams that truly do give care with compassion.  We salute all of the medical teams helping our wounded ... This includes the field hospitals and CSH's.

Many thanks, and much respect to every one involved with making today such an incredible memory!

V/R

lj

DAY 13 - FLORENCE - ROCKY MOUNT - RICHMOND

Heading up the East Coast, and my accent is getting thicker by the mile ... Even I can hear it now.  Dang!  lol

A day of repeat visits on this leg.  Florence was a cool stop the first year of the tour, but I only got to see it in the dark ... And this house is reputed to be haunted.  Cool, huh?

This time around it was noonish, and hot as ... Well, the east coast in summer.  We parked the van in the shade and were arranging the load when the Chief saw us outside.

Before you knew it, we were inside the cool building with glasses of sweet tea.  Niiiice!

This is a small town compared to most we visited this time.  And the house was proportionate ... But the heart was big!

Florence just has that down home, come in and relax, laugh and get to know us feel.  The folks on duty were just friendly, and we'd have loved to experience a hometown type picnic with them, you know?

As in the larger houses, there's plenty of good natured teasing between the crew, and lots of laughter.

We didn't get to see the Hag ... this house is called the "Hag Station", but then, She and I have already met and have an agreement that she can come out and say hi to us while we visit ... BUT, she is NOT coming with us!  For those of you thinking I am being rude, the Hag is the ghost.

We will visit Florence again.  They're too nice to miss!  Oh wait ... They qualify for next year's tour!  Next year we are trying to visit cities with foreign names.  This could work!

Rocky Mount was next.  Another repeat from year 1.  It's always fun to come in on a crew who has no idea that we are on a return visit.  Before we can get to the pix, we try to remember what the past crew looked like, and they try to figure out who we are describing.  Often times, my memory is really off.  But they love picking on whoever we name, never fails!

RMFD is another of those stops with that hometown "feel" to it.  As we got into town, I was trying to navigate from memory.  THERE's a great notion!  So, we stopped 2 teens and asked for directions.  We were told, "Oh yeah, they're by MY house."  No really, that was the response.  So we continued on, and finally got to familiar territory, landing on their doorstep at dinner time.

Another of those great southern cooks resides here.  Most of the houses are really good about offering to feed us, and we try to try a little something at each stop ... Which accounts for the diet I'm on now.  Sigh.  We just noshed on a small something, and afterwards both commented that we should have eaten, it looked and smelled great!  Next time.

This is another of those "watch for the character" stops.  There's one at each stop, we keep an eye open for them.  And if all else fails, we ask who it might be.  There are a couple here, and we're happy about that.

And we have apologized for misspelling Rocky Mount on the back window.  My bad.  Tried playing it off, but nah, got caught.  So we gave them extra goodies form the goody bag.  And we will double check next time.  Deal?

So Rocky Mount, we hope to see lots of shirts for the Troops coming in from your way.  And now we KNOW how to get back to you ... You're right by that kid's house.  ( ;

Richmond was the last official stop for the day.  And memory got us there on the first try.  Probably because last time I asked a young woman where the fire department was and she replied that "We don't have one here"  No really, that was her reply!  (What's in the water in NC?  lol)

This time, we arrived in dark, and the guys were just great.  they posed for our photo ops, and were so gracious.  The southern hospitality extends high up into Virginia.

Personally, this visit was just way too short.  These are some really good people here in Richmond, and both of our visits have been quick.  Next time we remedy that!  Note:  Richmond has a wounded Troop in WRAMC, and he has a great warmth ... The same as we felt from the gentlemen in his hometown.  We wish him a speedy recovery, and a quick return to his home which he spoke of with a soft smile.  Good people here. 

Salute to ALL of our stops today!  Get your shirts ready!

lj

Day 13 - Orlando - Savannah - Columbia

Orlando FD ...  Met members of the OFD Honor Guard last year during the IAFF Fallen Firefighter memorial in Colorado Springs.  They performed beautifully, and were just really good guys.  When we knew we were going to FL, it only made sense to drop in on them.

The day we arrived, the house was nearly empty ... and this is a BIG house!  They had a pretty interesting call, but then I bet they get a few of those, ya know?

When they got back and we got to meet the rest of the crew, we found connections to the military, and new parents (twins, no less!) and just really good people.

There was plenty of laughter, and a few characters ... like the one who posed for the official photo. 

With their schedule and ours, the anticipated event was not able to happen, but we are still hoping.  We were told that one of the Chiefs would be taking his shirt off for the Troops and challenging the other FL Chiefs to do the same.  THIS is something we always look forward to.  So far, we have not had a Chief make a challenge ... anyone?

Will check in on this group again in Colorado springs, maybe we'<SPAN class=spell id=sp-12 title="No spelling suggestions" style="PADDING-RIGHT: 2px; BACKGROUND-POSITION: left bottom; PADDING-LEFT: 2px; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(http://sdk.webmail.aol.com/sdk/20050527/images/bg_spellingErr.gif); PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px; CURSOR: pointer; COLOR: black; PADDING-TOP: 2px; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat-x; BACKGROUND-COLOR: yellow" _backupTitle="null"> get a take for the challenge ... You KNOW I'll try!  ( ;

Best line out of Orlando?  "You'll drown before I burn!"  (There's a t-shirt waiting to happen in that one ... And we want one!)

And to answer the question ... No, we did not go to DisneyWorld!  We may one day, but for now, we can't imagine that the First Responders aren't enough!

Off to Savannah ...

Savannah is just one of the coolest cities.  A complete juxtaposing of old and new southern life.  We drove along the waterfront and saw the beautiful old homes.  You just want to knock on a door and ask for a tour at some of these.  I'm not a big fan of mint juleps, but could have handled hanging out on a rocker on the front porch of one of these homes.  Oh sigh.

The guys at the SFD were just as friendly and welcoming as you'd imagine ... and ... they love a challenge!  We figured out halfway cross country that the best way to stay on schedule was to assign one guy as our time keeper with the promise of a special gift.  And since Scion Motors had donated all of those backpacks, we had the perfect prize!

So with limited time, we had our guy ... and he was chomping at the bit to get the rest of the team moving.  It was pretty funny.

We loved the parking arrangement for this house.  There among the tree-lined street sits the station, the rigs park right out in front in the middle of the street in a huge median area.  Very convenient ... at least for us.

The men posed for their pix and signed shirts.  As I am backfilling the posts here, I can tell you that one of those shirts has already found a home.  When we visited the Mologne House at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, in DC, we asked where the various Troops were from.  One young man, with a great smile and quiet southern drawl replied, "Ma'am. I am from Savannah.  Do you have anything for me?"  There was nothing more gratifying than seeing his face light up as we were able to open the van and tell him that we did indeed have something for him!  Gentlemen, well done!

Next stop, and all time favorite, Columbia. SC!

Hollywood and Cato were both there when we pulled in ... and OMIGOD ... Cato is in a white shirt!  lol  Congrats, bud!

Columbia ALWAYS steps up for HeroToHero.US  They were the first official shirt off the back ... Again, thank you Cato!  And have been one of the few annual stops outside of the 9/11 sites that we visit.

This time was just as good as the past.  Seeing old friends and absolutely cracking up laughing for most of the visit is ops normal with these guys.  They are one of those visits we anticipate as the miles click by.

They have had firefighters deployed to the desert each time we've visited, and always take care of their own as well as the rest.  Seriously, with rare exception will you find bigger hearts than here at CFD.

One of the nice things we got to do was deliver a shirt from the desert to them.  Sgt Blocker received a shirt on the last go round, he wrote to me that he was a Columbia firefighter, and how much this meant to him.  Before much time passed, we had come up with a plan to hand deliver a shirt that the troops out in the desert sent back to honor CFD.  We framed the photo of them with their shirt in the sand, along with his message and framed it.  During the presentation, we were able to give them this personal message.  It was great, and Sgt Blocker you have not been forgotten!  There were a few guys on shift that you went through training with.  It's always good to make connections form the sand to the States.

We stayed overnight at a very comfy hotel, courtesy of CFD.  And had a great breakfast before we hit the road again.  Saddest part of this visit?  Leaving. 

Til next time ...

lj

 

 

 

 

 

Day 11 & 12 - Brevard County, Rockledge, Cocoa and more

There is soooooooooo much to tell about our visit to Brevard County, Florida.

But before any of that, we want to thank LT Chris DiSciasio.  This guy busted his tush to make this the event it was ... and we didn't even get to all he had planned!  Dang, guess we'll have to visit again!  ( ;

We arrived very late, and stayed at the hotel arranged by the firefighters for us.  After the long drive, nothing could have felt better!

Forgot about the humidity down in this area.  Wow!  Y'all don't get paid enough ... And I have no idea what you make ... It aint enough!  I have not yet figured out how you can wear all of that material and weight, and THEN walk into a burning building!

Our day started off about 9am ... And didn't stop for a long, fun time!

Let's see.  Chris was most accommodating, He made sure that we got our Starbucks ... It was right there in the hotel parking area.  (Style points!!!!  lol)                        

First stop, over to the firehouse.  What a great bunch of people!  We had looked forward to this visit for a while, we were not disappointed!

The guys came out so we could meet, then did the photo ops.  There are some real characters down here, which only made sense to me ... being the Florida native that I am!  Would have been sad if this visit sucked, ya know?

After our station visit, it was off to the Brevard Zoo.  How cool is this place?!  You might not even notice it, but once you get in the area, you will find a choice spot for a great family visit.  The animals are so close, and each living area is just right.  From the impressive sand sculpture as you walk in, right to the flamingos, parrots, hippos, gazelles, alligators (of course), and the coolest giraffes ... this was perfect!  I have to admit that as I am going back through the journal doing the updates, that seeing the pix from here reminded me of what a neat place this was.  Kudos to the staff of the Brevard Zoo!

We weren't sure why we were visiting the zoo, it was a first on the tours, but afterward it made perfect sense!  This is a tight community, and you could see the respect from the locals for the fire department and their personnel.

We saw that same respect expressed at the ball park.  Sharen got a team shirt from the Washington Nationals and pom pom, and hung out with the staff as they prepared for a winning season for their team.  This is a farm team for the Milwaukee Brewers ... Boy, I hope I got that one right!  I can say for sure that they were just really friendly.  We'll have to come see a game some day.

We had another firehouse stop.  It's always nice to meet the firefighters.  And when you can feel the personality of the house after just a few minutes, that's a good thing!

We found just that at each house we visited here.  They were all different, but the same.  And whether it was a crazy calendar, or giant stuffed dog, or just "that guy" with all the personality ... We loved every stop and every one we met here!

And we didn't just do firehouses, aside from the zoo we visited the world famous Ron Jon Surf Shop.  That place is huge, but Sharen found lots to do.  We didn't stay long though, Sharen got a lil concerned that she needed to wax before we got to the bikini section.  Sigh.

Oh, wait!  We tried something really cool.  Have you ever had a fried olive?  Or pickle?  Really?  Well, we hadn't ... But those are good!

But the visit wasn't over!  After a small break, we geared up for the evening at a local club, The County Line.  It was open for our party, and was attended by firefighters, and local troops from Patrick AFB ... Also firefighters. 

It was a nice break from the typical tour stop.  We got to just listen to music, have some really good food, and play a bit.  It was fun!  I want to come to the County Line on a full night, bet that place rocks!  Thank you to all involved in securing this event for us.

Even better, we were able to pay honor to Brevard Country Fire from McChord AFB firefighters while USAF troops were present.  It was a wonderful feeling.  Watching them read the messages on the Honor Shirt, you knew it made an impact and the honor was felt by all present.  We salute BCFD, MAFB & PAFB for their part in this special moment.  Heroes all!

Brevard, Chris ... ALL of you ... You are amazing!!!  Thank you so much for a great visit and wonderful memories.  Get those shirts collected!!!

lj

Day 10 - Chattanooga & Valdosta

Well, let's see.  We woke up in Chattanooga, Tennessee ... Or really danged close to it but still wound up missing the turn and heading right on into Georgia.  Sigh.  So one u-turn and a set of directions from the locals, and we found the station.

Of course when we go there, they were out on a call.  This was just not boding well for us, ya know?

So we set about doing a "While you were out" photo op.  We were discussing the pros and cons of leaving a goodie bag hanging on their door handle.  (These days you want to be careful about leaving any package somewhere that you haven't made prior arrangements about.  We might be looking for a perfect media avenue, but having them show up because we left a package and the city calls out their forces to handle it ... Bad media idea.  So we did not leave the bag.)

We were writing out the "Sorry we missed ya" note and were about to stick it in the front door when we saw someone.  Woo Hoo!

Finally, a contact for Chattanooga!  What a good guy.  He even went in and got a shirt on for the photo op.  Way to rep, big guy!

He shared a story with us about a young boy who has been a real Hero to the firefighters, and will likely join their ranks one day.  It is so good to hear these stories.  Hope to get to meet this kid one day, sounds like he's got his head on right!

But it was off again ... Valdosta awaited.

Unfortunately we were not able to make a solid contact with them due to every planet in the universe aligning against us.  By the time we got to VPD, the Chief was on his way home, and call me funny, but it didn't seem like a good idea to call him back.  So the guys still at the station stepped in and did our photos.  Thanks, Guys!

Figured since we were there we'd head on over to the FD.  The guys were getting ready for dinner, and dang did that smell outstanding!  Can't beat most firehouse food, gotta tell ya!  This was no exception.

While the chef readied their meal we took advantage of the onsite crew by getting them outside for a quick photo op.

We really liked the firefighters here in Valdosta, very friendly and a great sense of humor is always a plus on the road.

But we had to get back on the road and get down to Florida, so we made sure to leave them some goodies, and we were off!

Hope to see some good rep for our Valdosta ... and Chattanooga Troops ... when the shirt drive gets under way!

Y'all take care!

lj

DAY 9 -- LEXINGTON, KY

We had so many technical difficulties getting the journal up as we went.  sometimes you could get the pix set, and they would just disappear after hours of editing ... Probably a good thing that I didn't have a hammer.

This stop was a hold up for us in the beginning.  No fault of theirs, just that sometimes it is hard to cut through the tape and find the right person.  Who knew that the right guy would be right here at home!  Fire Chaplain Tim Works is a great guy who stepped up when he heard of our lack of connection.  Turns out his brother and nephew have been, and are, Lexington Firefighters.

So when we showed up, they were ready for us.  They have a lot of guys on shift.  It's always interesting to compare and contrast the various departments.  You get an idea of their numbers from the pictures.

As with most every stop, there were Veterans on shift, so the concept of what we do (and why) is helped along by them and their own experiences in the military.  We always salute our vets!

It was a typical hot day in the south, the day we visited.  Just a touch to the humid side, but the added warmth from the firefighters was most welcomed.

I remember being happy watching them all gather in the kitchen after the banner was rolled out, as they took pens in hand and added their messages to the Troops.

They brought out shirts, signed them, and helped us load the van ... Which was already getting full.

They did a great car wash for us, so we rewarded them with Romano's Italian Sodas and goodies from our give away items provided by recruiters and businesses across the country.

When you get support from the great folks at Hertz, Starbucks, Destination Harley-Davidson, Hooter's, Scion Motors, Romano's Sodas, Military Recruiters, Defending Freedom.net, FreedomIsNotFree.com, and more, as partners in an endeavor such as we have undertaken, good things get shared with our Heroes enroute!  These are the folks that filled our give away bags.  And these are the goodies we shared at stations, such as Lexington Fire.

The guys also played with our Stunt Bear.  She found out firsthand what happens to probes ... But, I bet they don't get dried off like she did!

We had a great time in Lexington, and even flew their KU pennant on our car as we left.

Thank you all, we look forward to your participation in the shirt drive this year, and hope we meet again!

A special thanks to Tim Works ... I'll stop by and say "hi" soon!

( ;

lj

ps ... How could I forget ... We had sweet tea here!  Love that stuff!

Day 8 - Kansas City & St Louis, MO

Kansas City was a tough catch because they were out on calls when we showed up.  But once they showed up, the fun didn’t stop.  The guys went above and beyond for a short stop.  We left with our car looking shiny and new.  With more shirts and patches and the Chief insisting we follow him to another station to add his patch as well. 

 

We did have a moment of typical drama when Sharen hid the keys in the car, that bear has an ornery streak in her!  It could have been worse because we were parked in front of the bay door blocking them in.  No worries.  Their spirit and sense of humor could have lifted us out anyways.  We have a standing invitation to come back and you know we’ll see you again.  If we can’t see you next year sadly we will likely have another chance.  Sigh.  And so we waved good-bye and it was off to St. Louis by way of O’Fallon and a tourist trap or two along the way.

 

Sue Shockley was our hostess with the most.  She is the mother of a Stryker soldier from Ft. Lewis who has already deployed once, and will go again to the desert.  Sue and her mother introduced us to some really neat people at “American Hero’s” in O’Fallon, a local watering hole and all around good hang out for local fire fighters and law enforcement.  Really good food, (love the “Toasted Ravioli”), fun atmosphere, and big hearted people. 

 

This is another invitation we will accept on a future visit.  The folks at “American Hero’s” were setting up for a bachelor party of one for one of their own.  Less his fiancé worry, the long red hair belongs to Sharen and that cologne was Eau-De-Bearitall, her signature scent. 

 

We didn’t want to intrude, and needed to get into St. Louis proper to visit the guys at Station 1, and so we were off.

 

We dropped Sue’s mom and picked up her hubby enroute.  But these guys were tough.  They came on as hard cases when we first arrived, sitting with their arms folded, several smoking stogies. 

 

Before long we had them proudly showing off their station.  Most specifically their museum, which (no kidding here) is located in their bathroom!  Now when a firefighter asks if you would like to see their museum … and it is in the loo … you know you’re going to look!  So we did.  It wasn’t what you expected, tough I am not sure just what we expected.  Can’t say I’ve been in a lot of men’s bathrooms, and of those I’ve have visited, I can’t say I would voluntarily return.  But I would put it on my itinerary for St. Louis.

 

These guys wee a lot of fun once they melted and it was good sharing so many laughs.   We would like to thank the Shockley Family for their outstanding support of gas, food, and lodging for the St. Louis stop.  Sue also makes a pretty mean coffee cake!

 

We look forward to seeing Sue and the St. Louis Crew over the next few years.

lj

Back at Home on Day 8

Today while we were on the road to Kansas City & St Louis, our available Core Team members Ron & Aris Caron joined with Hero To Hero Ambassador Karen Leming to honor our Heroes on Armed Forces Day.  But they took it a bit further and named today "HeroToHero Armed Services Day" in Duvall.

 

We are so honored by this gesture, and are pleased to announce that from all the information we received out here, it was a wonderful, heartfelt effort.

 

Thank you to everyone involved with this event.  We love that they "got it" in Duvall.  And we look for a very long and positive relationship with them all.

 

Only thing that would have been better was if we could have been there to watch.

lj

 

These are Aris' words after the ceremony ...

 

While Liz and JeeNee are on the national tour, the "Rear Det."  is at work locally in WA State.  We had a phenomenal day!

 

Hero to Hero, "Ambassador" Karen Leming was the keynote speaker at the Hero to Hero Armed Services Day ceremony in Duvall, WA. She did an outstanding job.  Thank you, Karen.

 

Deputy Chief David Burke gave a brief history of HeroToHero.  This past year, the Duvall King County Fire Department participated in the Hero To Hero Morale Campaign, sending their own T-shirts to soldiers serving in Iraq.

 

In return, one group of soldier firefighters sent an American flag that had been flown at their fire station, Camp Iraqi Freedom, in Baghdad to the Duvall firefighters.

 

That flag was raised and flown over the Duvall Fire Station today before being permanently displayed in the station's foyer.

 

Duvall City Mayor Will Ibershof read the City of Duvall Proclamation which designated the date as “Hero To Hero Armed Services Day.” 

 

Representative police and fire from several departments personally presented Karen with signed T-shirts.  They collected over 80 T-shirts!

Day 7 - Topeka

Topeka was a change from the big city departments.  This is a one man department, outside the city proper.  There are three firefighters who rotate on one man shifts. 

It was one of our quietest visits.  But then, one guy doesn't usually make a lot of noise out there on his own.

But he is not really alone.  There is always family, and friends who made themselves known while we were there.  Passersby would honk and wave at him, and it was very obvious that there is a lot of local support and respect for the firefighters.  We wondered at first how we had chosen this particular station, then we saw the name of the township emblazoned on their rigs ... Soldier Township.  Can't go wrong there!

Before we left, we had signed shirts and trading cards to add to the collection ... very cool!

Thank you for allowing us to spend some time with you.  it was fun and perhaps we will meet again!

lj

Day 6 - Must be Colorado Springs

Okay, we're a tad loopy ... but hey, what's new?  We haven't had much sleep, but if ever there was a perfect stop for the slap happy ... it is 8's in Colorado Springs.

These guys were some of the funniest, most ornery, we have come across to date!

They were most receptive to just about any idea that would further the effort of troop morale.

This was the first time we have used Sharen's stunt double ... you probably won't be able to tell when the switch occurred ... but we have to be concerned about the badges  and pins that adorn her uniform.  Speaking of badges, Curt is the first to give Sharen a badge .... niiiiiiiice!

Hope you enjoy the pix.  And remember, look closely to see if you can find the stunt bear.

For the record, both bears survived their antics.  Luckily, one of the guys is "kind of a big deal", and had a rep to maintain, so he couldn't have the press of oh, I dunno ... dropping our mascot.   We explained that Sharen is kind of a big deal, too.  Then beat him severely, and will suggest he work on his catch and release techniques.  Just kidding ... He was a great sport!

Guys, thank you for one of our most lighthearted visits to date.  Laughter is a large part of the foundation on which we have built this troop morale campaign.

See you in September.  Keep smiling.  Oh, and Scott ... Nice hair. 

( ;

lj

Salt Lake City

**SORRY FOR THE PHOTO DELAY.  WE HAD A HOTEL "GLITCH" LAST NIGHT.  WE ARRIVED IN GRAND JUNCTION TO FIND OUR ROOM HAD BEEN GIVEN AWAY ... DESPITE THE PAID RESERVATION.

 

WE DROVE OVER 3 MORE HOURS, STOPPING AT EVERY EXIT, ONLY TO FIND WE HAD TO GO ON TIL WE FOUND OVERNITE ACCOMMODATIONS.  IT IS COLLEGE WEEK HERE ... NO ROOMS AT THE INN.  AT DAYBREAK THIS MORNING WE WENT TO BED, THUS THE LATE POSTING.  WE ARE INBOUND FOR COLORADO SPRINGS MOMENTARILY.  THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE, AND FOR THE EMAILS CHECKING IN ON US!

 

SLC was a return visit for HeroToHero.  I remember it very fondly, and looked forward to this return. 

 

We had a new contact this year (Robin) and she was as warm and gracious as you could hope.  On short notice she had many members of SLCPD gathered in a room signing our banner and looking at our photos.  There were stars everywhere. 

 

In fact everyone in that department was shining to us.  That includes the SWAT guys who were vacuuming when we came to visit. 

 

PS … Don’t laugh.  For the record, a SWAT guy in SLC can make a vacuum look lethal if he so chooses.  Fortunately for us, they were just great guys with big hearts! 

 

Sharen got a new pin, a SWAT patch, and you know, she somehow looks more confident to us since that visit.  I am a little concerned because I’m starting to see shades of her predecessor in her.  Oh, here we go again!  Sigh.

 

This department knows all too well the connection between soldier and police.  They lost one of their own in 2003, James Cawley was killed in Iraq.  They still honor him.  And there is no doubt that their fallen brother will be remembered.  

 

SLCPD gets our vote once again as one of the friendliest, most supportive police departments in the country . We look forward to many shirts for our heroes from them.  And we are proud to have them aboard. 

 

Right down the road, you’ll find SLCFD.  A beautiful station with a lot of pride for their service.  They sent a shirt over to the police department for us, signed by many members of their department.  We hope this is first of many and they will team with SLCPD and other first responders in their area in a true show of support for our troops. 

 

Thanks for spending time with us.  Know you guys were busy and probably as tired as we are.  Get some rest and we’ll see you again. 

 

Our stop in SLC was at the Red Robin.  We have been sending their silly birthday glasses to the troops in the desert for about 3 yrs now.  We call it Operation Iraq'n'Robin.  So seeing a Red Robin Restaurant off the side of the highway as we headed south, was perfect.  We want to thank manager, Josh, who treated us to dinner.  Always good food!!!  Thank you all, and keep those glasses coming.

 

lj

Day 4 - Reno, some Sparks, and Elko

It was overnite and a wake up in Sacramento, then off for a day of stops in Nevada.  First up ...

 

Reno ... The biggest little city in the world -- with a  heart to match.  

 

It was so hot, that you could … well, fill in the blank.  We have a few ideas.  (Stillllll sweating! lol) 

 

It was well after lunch that they were finally able to sit down and have a meal.  They’d been pretty busy.  And you know, among some of the most important things that we've learned, one is never get between hungry firefighters and their food.  So we sat in the kitchen, chatted up the program,  and joined them for some pasta salad. 

 

By the time our meals were done, they were formulating some pretty crazy ideas for photo ops.  Worst part of it was, we would of love to done any of them, but couldn’t fit it into our schedules. 

 

One of the ideas that we thought was just plain crazy talk was to close traffic down the main drag, right under the Reno sign, in the middle of the day so they could put Sharen atop their ladder rig for a classic photo op.  But you know what?  They did it, and we have the pictures to prove it!  Way to rep for Reno!

 

It was pretty cool following them, hearing music blaring, seeing the casino lights inviting people off the street for that once in a life time chance.  And here out in the middle of it all we got to feel like real winners.  If you could have seen that fire rig going almost side ways down the road while in complete control, you would have been mighty impressed.  I know we were. 

 

We asked the driver is it was scary driving in that back bucket, he replied he wouldn’t do anything else. 

 

Even the cops got in on the action and joined for the photo op.  But we didn’t see LT Dangle anywhere.  If anyone knows of his whereabouts, please let him know that we have issued an APB for the shirt off of his back too.  

 

Back at the house, we finished the photo op as they added their messages to our banner and dug through the goodie bag to find the perfect weapon.  You know … you don’t normally think of a stress ball as a weapon. But in their able hands, there was no doubt there would be some good use put to these lil USAF stress balls. 

 

As they walked in a group together from a picture we'd just taken at their memorial, we heard a loud "thwack!" followed by  ornery laughter.  We realized one of the boys and just served the first volley.  Seemed like a good time to hit the road because it most certainly wasn’t the last shot fired. 

 

Hope they had as much fun as we did.  And yes -- definitely -- We would like to come and visit you again! 

 

Before we left, it was suggested we stop by Sparks.  It was just up the road a piece.  And was a great stop. 

We lucked out, because there happened to be a BC promotion about the begin.  So the fire house was filled with firefighters, officers, family, and good spirits.  You can’t lose with that combination.  

The visit was brief, as they didn’t expect us.  But the greetings were warm and the invites to return were well heard.   Hope to see lots of shirts from Sparks.  And congrats to the new BC’s

 

Good thing Elko was so understanding because after a late start from sac., extra play time in reno, the additional stop into sparks.  Lets just say we were behind in the power curve.  But that didn’t stop them from greeting us warmly  Even though it was pitch black outside they still pulled the van out and gave it a nice wash job so we would be shiny and new in the morning. 

 

Meanwhile inside, a few of the guys were getting to know Sharen.  She made some new friends and added some cool firefighter gear to her uniform.  She got lots of pins, even one from someone in Afghanistan.  

 

Oh, and after all of her pleading we agreed she could have a pet.  Lucky for us her new Dalmatian puppy is completely housebroken and we haven’t heard him bark once. Sharen says she’s named him Elko so she’ll always remember her new friends.  Elko is being trained to guard our boot.  You’ll read more about the boot in tomorrow’s journal.  Like we said, this visit is far from over.  

 

These guys really “get it”.  Maybe it’s because one of their own has just left the station in preparation for his upcoming desert deployment.  They are all very support of him and it makes you feel good listening to them talk about him.  

 

This admiration is obviously mutual, as he presented them with a most heartfelt message and pin.  We were not only honored but shocked when this pin was placed on Sharen the next morning.  We promise it will be kept safely and she wears it with pride. 

 

This was a hard station to leave, we didn’t get to our hotel till 11:00p.m.  Oh, for the record, there is little cooler than being taken to the hotel in a ladder truck making sure you are safe and sound for the night. 

 

We thanked the gentlemen as they dropped us off at the front desk.   We went up to our two adjoining rooms anticipating a nice long comfy sleep.  But noooooooo…

 

Some how in the dark of the room, I got tangled with a TV ... and the TV won.  Please don't make me tell you about it.  Sigh.

 

It was kind of embarrassing having to call out the med crew to whom we'd just bid a fond farewell.  But they came out and assured us, and the hotel, that all was well. 

 

Ice packs and Ibuprofen can be a girl's best friend on a long, long drive.  So far the only traces remaining are some whining, some bruising, and ahitch in my giddy up.  

 

It was pretty late when all of this ended and there was no way a journal of the days events would of come out in any inteligible way.   And besides, the Elko visit was far from over as it turns out. 

 

Elko, the next morning ...

 

Overnight in Elko, back to fire station to meet the morning shift. Talk about a great group of guys! 

 

In no time, our A Shifters had it wired.  Silver Sharpies flew in their hands, making indelible marks in our memories, and on shirts.

 

This was a fun crew.  And the "team” attitude was very apparent.  They touched our hearts when Rescue Randy lost his boot ... and it magically appeared next to Sharen with their names and messages of support for HeroToHero on it. 

 

And even more impressive ... going waaaay above and beyond ... They not only put us up for the evening in a hotel, but delivered us safely there and back, and kept our van locked safely in their bay. 

 

You'd think that would be enough, huh?  But not for these guys.  Wallets opened wider than their hearts and they sent us off with that boot partially filled.  There were several tanks of gas in there ... Especially at 2.85 a gallon.  (Oh, and one of them was extreeeeemely generous ... Don't think I don't know who you are!  And, thank you!!!)

 

We want to thank Elko fire department for their hospitality and generosity and support.  This is a department that we would clone.  Salute!

 

lj

Day 3 - Modesto to Sacramento

Day  three ... We woke up in Redding, which is a really good thing after going to sleep there.

 

It was a very nice stop, and we look forward to accepting the invitation to return.  Absolutely!

 

And so we bid them adieu and headed south until we got to Modesto.  It was so hot today, and happily they are air conditioned! 

 

They are an extremely busy station, and the alarms were going off a lot during our stop, but our luck was holding and they didn't have to leave too much while we visited.

 

They had large crew on shift who were very receptive the program ... which was nice as they have been a part of our efforts since the very first national tour, in 2004

 

We made Modesto an honor stop this year ... we have ten such stops.

 

Anyway  ... the guys in Modesto were very considerate and courteous, and were the first to wash the rig on this years tour ... and boy did we need that!  Those crazy bugs are everywhere -- ok, now I'm just freaking myself.

 

With all the calls they were going on, we didn't think we'd get any photos.  They even tried twice to get JeeNee to go on a call, but both times the call was canceled.  She thought she'd never get to go on a real call ...

 

So we headed back up for Sacramento, and as I write that is where we are.  We're in the Travel Lodge nearest the house,

But sadly folks I had to choose, pix or words befoe I get some really needed sleep.

 

I keep nodding, and typing some pretty unusual words, as I fall asleep again and again.  Will post me words later today!

 

Sacramrnto, we love ya, I just cannot stay awake.  So sorry, thanks for the ride, the parking, the lift and everything.  Read more later!

 

( ;

lj

Day Two - Roseburg, a little Weed, and Redding

**We had no access to get all of these up last night after the visits ... So, better late than never!  Enjoy!  ( ;

 

Four down .. 51 to go.  Boy, time flies, huh?  Today was just as much fun as we had anticipated, and as always, a little more.

 

It was tough when that alarm went off at 7 am ... did you know there's already light out at that time?  Who knew?!

 

JeeNee took some great pix and really captured the moments of the day.  But we are at the firehouse, and it is a metal building that does not get reception for my phone and online service inside.  I could go outside where I am assured I should have coverage, but JeeNee got a pic of this biggggg bug, and I am sure it will eat me if I cross its path!

 

She is alseep right now, which sounds totally great to me.  But I needed to get this up for some of the days highlights. 

 

Be advised ... these are only a few of the many photos we got today.  But I am signed on as a guest, and don't think it's a wise move to be downloading the photo loader onto the firehouse computer.  Tomorrow, I will try to get them going for you all to enjoy as much as we have.

 

Speaking of enjoying ... Today was wonderful.  Breakfast was in Newport ... okay fine, coffee was in Starbucks in Newport.  Sheesh!

 

Our first stop was in Corvalis, to meet up with Jack at the Pepsi distribution center.  Have y'all heard about this new Italian soda in a bottle?  You need to check this stuff out!  Recently I had come down the Oregon Coast and along the way, picked up a quick bottle of soda.  Turned out to be an orange flavored drink ... turns out to be great ... then turned out to be diet, and I could not tell!  I called the company, Romano's Sodas and told them how much I liked this drink, and before the call was over we were talking about them giving us some of the soda's to take out and share on our stops ... 8 cases, in fact!

 

We've been giving it out, along with our promo bags.  Both are getting a great reaction, by the way!  Anyway, check it out, and if you're on the route, you will likely have one very soon.  Thank you Romano's Soda!!!

 

Next stop ... Roseburg, Oregon.  Now Roseburg has been on with us for over a year, and they have shirts out in the desert to prove it.  We came by the court house to see fire and ambulance rigs angle parked out front, a stack of shirts along their walkway and a nice collection of heroes out front waiting for us.

 

We shared the program details, some highlights so far, and did all of our traditional things with them.  That is, til a pager called some of them out.  So they grabbed Sharen and ran off.  We started to get a little worried when she was still on her run as we were wrapping up.  And though she has a stand in, in case Billings actually does the potato gun idea, Sharen would be sorely missed.  And of course they brought her back!

 

Next we headed further down I-5, and let's get real ... if you are going by, you know you really want to stop in Weed.  They have participated in the program, and their shirts are commonly requested ... actually second after FDNY.

 

For a no-notice heartstop, these young firefighters really stepped up.  Sharen earned her creds in their traning tower.  Can not believe she didn't lose any hair when the flames began. 

 

Love seeing these guys, they are so friendly and willing to help.  It was an honor!  And, I was serious. ... just let us know when you're up for a visit on an upcoming tour, and we will make it work!  Way to rep!

 

Watching Mt Shasta as we drove by, was often spectacular!  JeeNee got lots of pix, and we'll share when we can post.

 

Ah, Redding ... Good to be back!  This was a first year stop ... very brief, and a no-notice for them and us.  But they opened a door that allowed us to come back this year, and we are most grateful!

 

Most of the evening was spent at the house, taking pictures and sharing gifts from our backers.  They had a pretty quiet night, and that was so needed.

 

I will write more on this stop tomorrow ... later today.  But I have to drive in the morning, and would prefer not to see any of their medics in a professional duty call, ya know.

 

Besides, I just read what I wrote, and once again realize I have been sleep typing ... not a good idea ... but kinda funny!

 

Thank you all, good to see some familiar faces.

 

I am out!  Night all!

lj

Day One - Tillamook & Newport

What an incredible start to our journey!

 

Thank you so very much to everyone who participated in our send off.  As we drove down I-5 south leaving Fife through DuPont, WA., it was so heart warming to see the way above and beyond efforts of Heroes & Angels.

 

KING 5 TV covered the entire event, and though we have not personally seen the story, we are told it was an outstanding reporting job!  Thank you, Ron, for sticking with us!  You are invited anytime!

 

Our "Godzilla Gang" stepped up, as always, for the Army side of the house.  They actually took possession of SHertz, who after being enlisted in the WA Army National Guard yesterday, was retired for permanent display to the Fort Lewis Museum.  He was placed in the TFFT "Godzilla" and escorted by the Fort Lewis Provost Marshall's office representative.  They have assured us that He is now firmly ensconced in his new home.

 

From the escort through Tacoma .. where an accident had backed up traffic pretty thoroughly, to seeing the overpasses covered with fire service personnel ... there are no words to express our gratitude and pride!  Seeing all the banners, flags and smiles pushed us forward, and will stay with us forever! 

 

We want to thank Tacoma Fire & Police ... Fife PD & the D.A.R.E. car (driver, Mike) ... Lakewood FD & PD ...Washington State Patrol ... Fort Lewis PMO ... Bates Tech Fire Service Traning ... McChord AFB Fire, Fort Lewis Fire, 506th Firefighters ...Suzanne & Seamus - the Pipers.  Please advise if I have left anyone off ... we want all honored!

 

I think we both welled up as we drove closer to Bridgeport overpass where McChord AFB firefighters represented for both military and civilian firefighters.  As the civilians waved and cheered us on, behind their IAFF banner, the military troops snapped to attention with some very well executed salutes.  THAT is what this program is about!

 

Dan harris, Director of "Journey for Freedom" came to represent, participate, and film the event.  They leave on the first run from the northwest,headed for DC over Memorial Dav ... See y'all there!  Be safe!

 

Our first stop was Tillamook, Oregon.  We met them last year as a heart stop, and promised we would make them official if they got hold of us.  We have made the offer to others, but they acted on the info ... and here we are!

 

The group at the Tillamook FD was representative of the comradery between heroes.  Fire and Law Enforcement stood shoulder to shoulder today.  We all laughed, and shared our new mascot with them.  It is always great when you can start and end the tour on a high note ... we're halfway there on that one.

 

JeeNee got her first ride in a fire rig right in Tillamook ... And talk about having a fun experience!  She was only gone for a few minutes, but she didn't get just any ol rig, she was in one of their beautiful shiny ladder trucks.  Nice ride!  It was great seeing her big smile. 

 

I remember my first ride, and she will too.  I'm happy for the smiles it gave her.  This is also the first time she's been away from her husband and kids like this and it is really tough on her, you can tell she misses them all alot!  It's tough being on the road and away from loved ones.  I see her experiencing some of the emotions that military families go through on deployments ... and her hubby is doing the really tough job keeping the home fires burning.  So JeeNee, Happy Mother's Day.  And to her family, I will do my part to get her back home, safe and sound.  I truly appreciate your sacrifice for her to make this tour, and she is doing a great job!  These photos, for the most part, are all her work.  We keep her pretty busy.  Hope you are as proud of her as we are.

 

Tillamook Fire also fed us, sadly we couldn't sit down and join them.  It was pretty much drive -thru service ... but they added real Tillamook cheese to the burgers - no complaints here!  And then after filling our tanks, they filled our tank!  These things make a huge difference in the success of this effort. 

 

In between, they were warm and hospitable, and made us feel very welcome.  This group helped remind us that all the hard work on this tour is worth it.  Their laughter and heart shown through clearly.

 

They also got us hooked up with the "Jolly Roger's"/FDNY, and we are very excited to me this group.  they shave a lot to live up to, cuz the guys in Tillamook really think they rock!  Can't wait!

 

Thank you all again.  *FYI- Gas is averaging about $3.09 for regular in this area from what we can see.

 

As we headed out of Tillamook, the scenery on the Oregon Coast was dazzling!  Back a ways, we were able to do a few quick photos at the Astoria Column, and at the end of the Seaside Promenade ... the end of the Lewis & Clark Trail.  We also pulled over for the shot of Haystack Rock .... can't pass that up!  Then there was a quick stop in Lincoln City for something special, but we'll share more about that later ... shhhh, it's a surprise.

 

It is past midnight and we are posting from our room at the Inn at Laquina Bay ... made possible by our friends at the Newport Fire Department.  Thank you so much! 

 

It was good to see Newport again.  This is our second visit to them, and just gets better each time!  They knew all about Sharen, and welcomed her with open arms.  She got to show off some of her accessories in her specially made mini-duffel (Thank you Jensen Lee!  People are already talking about this bag in a great way!)

 

We went out to the car and did some pix when they had a visitor ... a cop!!!  Hehe, you just got cited buddy!  But it appears that Ms Sharen did something questionable ... because before we knew it, she was being handcuffed.  Oh Sharen, did we learn nothing from the foibles off SHertz?  Tsk, tsk tsk.  Looks like She has some spirit in there next to the stuffing.  But in her defense, there was a corruptive influence in there, and our friendly police officer saw it ... look closely and you'll see Sharen was not the only one cuffed!

 

Sharen had some great photo ops with the kitty and the troll, and almost with the Coast Guard.  We're willing to come back for that one!

 

Well all, I want to try again to get the pix to post before I fall asleep on the keyboard, so I am going to sign off here.  My mind is so scrambled by now that my dreams will probably be peanuts and cotton balls .. oh sigh.  Butwe'll do that from a comfy bed, and we thank you all for that!

 

Tilllamook & Newport are both OFFICIAL now!  They are at the start of their shirt drive for the troops for this upcoming February.  Wonder which will have the most shirts?  Hmmm ...

 

See ya soon!

( ;

lj

 

ps ... De to an aol glitch, the pix do not always post in order.  (And right now they're realllllllllllly slow loading.)  I will get a few repesentaive pix up, and add more tomorrow,  Sorry, need to sleep!

"Around the World in 30 Days" Heeeeere we go!

May 13, 2006 - And so it begins.  The photo ops are done,  Our bags are packed ... okay, most of them.  Geez, we take a lot of "Stuff."  lol 

The van is decked out, thanks to John & Pm from Military Memorabilia www.AllGaveSome.com Below are our official stops, but there may be a heart stop or two ... that's how we met Tillamook, and now they are our first official stop!

I am posting the pix from the last couple days.  There are sponsor pix, and pix of us getting ready to go, and then today we got some pretty cool ones ... SHertz was enlisted into the Washington Army Natioanl Guard!  He even signed the papers, so , really!

Also, for all you locals ... recognize the local icon in the background of some of the photos?

Gonna post, then go to bed.  Big day tomorrow.  Stay tuned here for the daily postings! 

"Around the World in 30 Days"

  ~May 2006~
13 - TILLAMOOK, OR
13 - NEWPORT, OR
14 - ROSEBURG, OR
14-  REDDING, CA
15 - MODESTO, CA
15 - SACRAMENTO, CA
16 - RENO, NV
16 - ELKO, NV
17 - SALT LAKE CITY, UT
18 - DENVER, CO
18 - COLORADO SPRINGS, CO
19 - TOPEKA, KS
20 - KANSAS CITY, MO
20 - ST LOUIS, MO
21 - LEXINGTON, KY
21 - CHATTANOOGA, TN
22 - VALDOSTA, GA
22 - ROCKLEDGE, FL
23 - ROCKLEDGE, FL
24 - ORLANDO, FL
24-  SAVANNAH, GA
24 - COLUMBIA, SC
25 - FLORENCE, SC
25 - ROCKY MOUNT, NC
25 - RICHMOND, VA
26 - WASHINGTON, DC
27 - WASHINGTON, DC
28 - SHANKSVILLE, PA
28 - PHILADELPHIA, PA
29 - NEW YORK CITY
30 - NEW YORK CITY
31 - NEW YORK CITY
31 - NEW YORK CITY
   ~JUNE 2006~
1  - NEW HAVEN, CT
1  - PROVIDENCE, RI
2  - BOSTON, MA
2  - FRAMINGHAM, MA
2  - ALBANY, NY
3 - BUFFALO, NY
4  - SARNIA, ON
5  - SARNIA, ON
6  - DETROIT, MI
6  - TOLEDO, OH
6  - CLEVELAND, OH
7  - WHEELING, WV
7  - COLUMBUS, OH
7  - CINCINNATI, OH
8  - INDIANAPOLIS, IN
8  - SPRINGFIELD, IL
9  - CHICAGO, IL
10 - MILWAUKEE, WI
10 - LA CROSSE, WI
11 - MINN-ST PAUL, MN
12 - FARGO, ND
12 - BISMARCK, ND
13 - BILLINGS,  MT
14 - BOZEMAN, MT
14 - BUTTE, MT
15 - JEROME, ID
16 - BOISE, ID
16 - PORTLAND, OR

See ya soon!

Lj

One week to start!

**WE HAVE TO KEEP THE TOUR INFO FRONT & CENTER, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REALLY FUN PHOTO OPS LATELY.  LOOK TO THE LEFT UNDER "OTHER JOURNALS"  Go to the "Meanwhile" journal for all of the pix.  As I get the chance I will post the words, but a lot of you are waiting on pix, so there you go!

Below are the official dates and stops for the 3rd annual national tour ... We will photojournal right here, every night that we have internet, to share the events of each & every stop.  Stay tuned ...

"Around the World in 30 Days"

  ~May 2006~
13 - TILLAMOOK, OR
13 - NEWPORT, OR
14 - ROSEBURG, OR
14-  REDDING, CA
15 - MODESTO, CA
15 - SACRAMENTO, CA
16 - RENO, NV
16 - ELKO, NV
17 - SALT LAKE CITY, UT
18 - DENVER, CO
18 - COLORADO SPRINGS, CO
19 - TOPEKA, KS
20 - KANSAS CITY, MO
20 - ST LOUIS, MO
21 - LEXINGTON, KY
21 - CHATTANOOGA, TN
22 - VALDOSTA, GA
22 - ROCKLEDGE, FL
23 - ROCKLEDGE, FL
24 - ORLANDO, FL
24-  SAVANNAH, GA
24 - COLUMBIA, SC
25 - FLORENCE, SC
25 - ROCKY MOUNT, NC
25 - RICHMOND, VA
26 - WASHINGTON, DC
27 - WASHINGTON, DC
28 - SHANKSVILLE, PA
28 - PHILADELPHIA, PA
29 - NEW YORK CITY
30 - NEW YORK CITY
31 - NEW YORK CITY
31 - NEW YORK CITY
   ~JUNE 2006~
1  - NEW HAVEN, CT
1  - PROVIDENCE, RI
2  - BOSTON, MA
2  - FRAMINGHAM, MA
2  - ALBANY, NY
3  - BUFFALO, NY
4  - SARNIA, ON
5  - SARNIA, ON
6  - DETROIT, MI
6  - TOLEDO, OH
6  - CLEVELAND, OH
7  - WHEELING, WV
7  - COLUMBUS, OH
7  - CINCINNATI, OH
8  - INDIANAPOLIS, IN
8  - SPRINGFIELD, IL
9  - CHICAGO, IL
10 - MILWAUKEE, WI
10 - LA CROSSE, WI
11 - MINN-ST PAUL, MN
12 - FARGO, ND
12 - BISMARCK, ND
13 - BILLINGS,  MT
14 - BOZEMAN, MT
14 - BUTTE, MT
15 - JEROME, ID
16 - BOISE, ID
16 - PORTLAND, OR