Thursday, September 16th 2010 DC Spoke

Thursday, September 16^th 2010

Washington DC Spoke

Game plan ready! We rode the bike trail into DC and Ken drove the camera crew in.

The bikes arrived ahead of schedule and we paused for a few moments to take in the Washington Monument. Everyone collected in front of the Hart building where many of the Senate offices are housed. The thought was that Ken would drop off shoes and camera crew and equipment, then find a parking place nearby. Sounds easy enough.  We locked all the bikes together while Ken searched for parking. On the map it looks quite simple. But the map does not account for all the secured parking around the offices and the capitol. Even though parking was there… Ken could not get to it.

Then there was the issue of the banners. Getting through security with banners was a momentary challenge. We were told that banners were not permitted inside, as many protesters have brought items in and some of them outrageous… and displayed them in the hallways and lobby areas. They told us stories of the “Tea Party” protests and the t-shirts they wore.

They could see that we were reasonable adults… even though we were wearing lycra. We explained the banners to them, that we were carrying dedications in honor of and in memory of those lives affected by cancer. We got permission, but we were given the “Momma” speech (at least that was what we were told it was called). “You can bring those in if you promise that you will not bring them out outside of any offices…that you will keep them to yourselves and not display them outside of the privacy of the offices. If I catch you pulling them out in public, you will be out of here!”

We were happy to comply.

The march was on! Some of our number did not exchange their shoes when the car was nearby. Laura and Jay were clip clomping down the granite hallways in their cleats. Looking at the schedule, we were going to be walking a long way between buildings. (later I suggested to Jay that we look for US Capitol “Flip flops”… and the first thing we spotted in the gift shop… US Senate Flip Flops!)

Walking through the Capitol, wearing bright yellow and black lyra cycling clothing, with large letters on the back reading “Conquer Cancer” brought a lot of eyes in our directions. They also brought quite a few smiles. It is an amazing culture. We were walking upstream in a river of black suits and grim faces. Many who had trained their eyes to only look forward and not to connect with other humans no matter what. I felt sorry for them. We on the other hand were quite happy to be there. Happy to be alive and happy to be together trying to make a difference. We were Cyclists Combating Cancer, and we were here on a mission.

In the past participants asked if they should bring a suit and tie to speak to our lawmakers. My response was, “This is my business suit!”. It has been highly successful in opening minds to speak to us. In fact, at one point after lunch Pat Fee (who lives in DC) joined us on the Hill, and he was dressed in a very nice suit. In one of the offices, it was apparent that those not dressed in cycling gear were considered invisible! Everyone in lycra was greeted and hands were shaken, and those not in cycling gear were passed over as if they were not there! Amazing!

In speaking with our legislators I was so very proud and impressed with our Team! We decided that those who lived in the State the lawmaker represented would interact on whatever level they felt most comfortable.  I was there to support them. I was amazed at just how confident and assured they were in presenting the mission and the requests. And even though Ken Youner was not there… he was! Seeing the need for more FTE’s first hand at NCI… how the KCRC foundation was able to cut the time to vaccine almost in half. Understanding that over the next few years the funding at NCI was going to be cut by another 5% … we asked for funding for more FTE’s. We asked for grants with a longer lifespan than a year. We asked for Healthcare incentives instead of paving roads in corn fields. That money be spent dedicated toward finding a cure for the terrorist that is killing a growing population of American voters every day.   We were there to change the way cancer was perceived. That cancer is affecting lives that are not going to just roll over and take it. We are refusing to die, we are fighting for our lives and we have a purpose.

The responses we got were mixed. We had a Senator who came out of his committee meeting to speak with us, we met with staff people, we met in offices and in meeting rooms. At one point just before lunch we had to divide up to make the appointments as they were so far away from each other in location, yet close in proximity of time.

We had a lot of nodding heads. The extremes went from telling us that they would only be in office a short period of time and there was nothing they could do, to others asking us for specifics in budgeting needed for FTE’s at NCI.

All in all we came, we delivered our message. We had lawmakers and staff members sign the banners. We emphasized the need to channel more taxpayer dollars into cancer research and support of cancer survivorship after discharge from treatment. We reminded them of the 2,700 Americans that will die related to cancer over the next 3 days, the same number that died in 9-11. And the difference 1 FTE researcher can make in preventing that.

We were not Lobbying, we were giving testimony regarding how cancer has changed the lives of their constituents and that they need to think of cancer in a different light. In 10 years, cancer will become the #1 Killer of American lives over heart disease if nothing changes. They have it within their power to use our money to save thousands of lives. They just need to see the priority of Human life.

We left our last appointment in Senator Nelson’s office (Florida) feeling that we had been heard. Branan also managed to get a signed 8x10 photo of the Astronaut. We ventured out into the lightly falling rain onto the steps of the Capitol building where we added a few more names of our CCC family, and our fallen members. Then we lifted them up on the steps for the world to see. We were united in our battle. Our mission complete.

We returned to our bikes, relieved them of their shackles and rode back through the mall, past the monuments. I wondered, what would be the monument of our battle, fought here on our own soil? The best monument I could think of would be life. People continuing to pursue their passions and livelihoods no matter what cancer terrorist happened to find its way into their bodies. Riding bikes if they so desired, no matter the weather, no matter their condition, because it brought them joy.

I passed by other very special monuments on our way back to Steve’s house. I passed the spot where Jeffery Rowe lifted his bike on the path next to the Potomac River to celebrate his 1000^th mile for the year last year. I passed the celebrated “Dave Mitchell restroom” nestled in the FDR monument, and I rode the Crescent trail thinking of the wonderful ride I had last year on this very path sitting on Chris States’ wheel.   And passed the Lions on the bridges, that last year marked the arrival of the dream of Spokes of Hope. Already thoughts of the future of Spokes of Hope are rushing into our heads, but we are reminded by the wisdom shared by Dave earlier in Pittsburgh to live “vertically”.

Riding the trail back was kind of melancholy. The misting rain was blocked mostly by the canopy of the trail. I did splurge a bit and ride with a commuting lawyer for a bit at a higher rate of speed, but then saw that I was alone, separated from my Spokes family and bid him farewell. Reunited with Kathy, Jay and Branan we opted to wait for the rest of our crew. We waited quite a while and began to wonder what had happened. We got a call from Sharon that Laura had a flat. Before the words had finished, “Sherpa” Jay was already moving saying “I’m on it” as he pedaled back toward them. Kathy, Branan and I waited a bit more, but were starting to chill and moved slowly on up the path. When we arrived at the base of the final bridge, we stopped and waited again. The rain had stopped and we would get volunteer reports from riders on the status of the riders with the flat. So tempted to ride back to our fellow riders, but thought we would just be in the way on a narrow path. Tempted to move forward to Steve’s house to get cleaned up and out of the damp clothes, but dedicated to waiting and finish this, our last ride together… together! This was part of our mission. No one should have to go through the journey alone. 

Then the familiar yellow and black jerseys appeared and we were once again united. Spokes of Hope Indy – DC Spoke complete.

We returned to Sharon’s house in Mechanicsburg to sleep one last night before scattering into the wind.

So many thanks to so many people who, without their support, this would never have happened.