Wake Up & Walk Tour Journal

January 2003	Monday, January 27, 2003
The Mr. Diabetes® WAKE UP AND WALK® TOUR Journal Update LOCATION:  Atuscadero, CA TOTAL MILES:  2883.5 Moved to Le Sage Riviera RV Park in Grover Beach, CA on 1/4/03.  Hosts:  Don and Pat Fouts.  This RV park is quite convenient to all amenities, including a beautiful nine hole, par 3 golf course. (Bob’s game is improving, he shot an 80 the other day.)  And it’s right by the ocean.  Interestingly, the beach is a favorite site for horseback riding.   This beach is also a training site for the trotters; trainers bring their horses into the shallow areas of the shore waters to pull the surrey(s).  Apparently, this is the perfect environment for the horses to learn/practice the very specific gait required by trotters; they must have 3 hooves on the ground at all times during a race or be disqualified.  We continue to walk up Route 101 and have reached Atascadero; about 220 miles south of San Francisco.  THE WALK was on hold from 1/9 – 1/24 because of mechanical problems with the chase vehicle.  Land Rover has been very accommodating by providing a rental car, but an “ordinary” car doesn’t cut it as a chase vehicle for this gig.  The shoulders of the roadways require a much more rugged vehicle and safety is a factor as well - THE WALK’s Land Rover is equipped with flashing lights to alert approaching traffic that I’m walking ahead. Meanwhile, the news media is keeping us busy.  The Santa Maria Times ran a great story:  reporter:  Shelly Cone Photographer:  Jeff Benson.  And, while walking through Santa Maria, reporter and photographer Matt McBride of The Santa Maria Sun came out and conducted an extensive interview.  That story appeared Thursday 1/16; an entire page describing THE WALKTM  and includes pictures of both Bob and me, and a map of the U.S. showing the route.  Thank you, Matt, for you doing your job so well!!!  And an earlier interview with The Valley Voice of Goleta, CA hit the newsstands on Friday, 1/17.  Jim Farr, publisher/editor, covered this for his paper.  I mentioned this in the last UPDATE but, it’s worth mentioning again; Jim is a kidney transplant recipient and, like Bob, is proving how productive people with this ailment can be.  Both of these guys are “players” and great role models. As a result of a woman, Diane Siminski, who read our story in the Lompoc Record, Bob and I were invited to appear on Comcast TV, Channel 22 – 1/8.  It was live for 20 minutes and hosted by Doug Black, a teacher at Lompoc High.  It was a lot of fun and included live call-in.  John McReynolds, Joe Tripe and Dale Pena head up a staff of production and camera people who coordinate various tasks and work with precision timing to make each show “appear” effortless.  We have great behind-the-scenes film showing what’s going on in the production room. And during this extended stay I took the opportunity to have my regular dental checkup and cleaning.  This is something I do regularly.  Diabetics are subject to serious dental problems so, should take extra care in their oral hygiene.  And, even then, dental problems occur.  And guess what, folks, that’s exactly what has happened with me!!!  A regular checkup, cleaning and x-rays showed a need for me to be spending many hours over several appointments to try to salvage already extensive dental work done prior by my dentist back home, Brian J. DeLisle DDS, in Largo, FL.  I feel fortunate to have found a fine dental office in San Louis Obispo, Peach Tree Dental.  My exam began with Margerie McNeill, DDS and her technician Keata Manning, cleaning by Barb Morro, additional x-rays by Kathy Brown (she also assisted Dr. Siani at a later appointment), two receptionists – Aimie Mendonca and Jenny Mlnarik, and office manager Linda Stock.  And Terra Dutra – office. And, the dentist who did the major work is Harpreet Saini, DDS and her technician Lupe Maldonado.  Plus lab work.  Imagine, all these people working on my one mouth!!!  They are all professional and quite pleasant.  That makes an unpleasant situation tolerable.  I reiterate, my oral hygiene is meticulous and still this happened; imagine if I didn’t take the time, daily, to care for my oral health !?!?  So, diabetics BEWARE!!!!!!!! And, now, a few more of the wonderful people who have stopped to talk along the way.  Sean Shaw, an 18 year old Type 1 diabetic form Grover Beach.  He has a great attitude and is a great role model.                                                We had a visit from the Bedell Family while walking into Atascadero.  6 year old Kai and 11 year old Loryn jumped out of their SUV just as it pulled off the road in front of me.  They had in hand a generous donation, for which I thank them so very much.  I soon met older brother, Will (13) and Mom, Judy.  Learned two more things about this beautiful family:  1) they own and operate a horse training facility (Indian Valley Training Center in San Miguel –(805) 467-3787); and, 2) Judy works for the local weekly newspaper, The Capitol Press.   Judy then conducted an interview and took pictures for the January 29 edition. Mike Harris of Harris Accu-Glide Sawing Systems stopped to talk with me for a while and gave a generous donation. And walked a bit with Linda Vose of Atascadero.  Linda is a diabetic and is on the pump.  She is active, interested in improving her life and has the support of her loving husband of 36 years, and family.  Thank you for your company, Linda; I enjoyed our talk. Then, there was Perry Richardson, Purchasing Agent for Ultra Stereo Labs, Inc. of San Louis Obispo.  This man was wearing a jacket adorned with a slew of pins, mostly “Raiders” and motorcycle related.  When I told him of my DDF hat with all the pins I have in it from so many people I’ve met along the way, he took off a motorcycle pin and gave it to me for my collection.  Thank you, Perry, I’ll wear it proudly. And, once again, I must thank the California Highway Patrol.  Generally speaking they have been ever watchful for our safety.  But, a special thank you to Officer Will Archibald of the San Louis Obispo station.  During a particularly treacherous and confusing part of the route where construction and detours went on for many miles, he guided and watched over me for several hours while still performing his other responsibilities.  During this time Bob managed to get a flat tire – he picked up a railroad spike!  It happened to the right rear tire and ruined a brand new tire provided by Land Rover.  The right rear tire(s) have had the most flats, so far – at least eight.  The right front has picked up a few, too.  This is because the right side is always deep into the shoulder of the road(s) if not off it completely.  As a result Bob could easily qualify for a job on any race car team’s Pit Crew. And thanks to all the others who have stopped to talk along the way and honked their horns and wave their encouragement of support.  It means a lot to us. Good Health. Andy Mandell Mr. Diabetes® AWARENESS + ACTION = PREVENTION™
December 2002	Wednesday, January 01, 2003
The Mr. Diabetes® WAKE UP AND WALK® TOUR Journal Update LOCATION:  LOMPOC, CA TOTAL MILES:  2825.7 12/23/02:  Moving day.  It was a beautiful day for walking (sunny with temperatures in the 60’s), but necessary repairs before the move took up most of the day.  Oh, well . . .   Moved from Santa Paula, CA to Lompoc, about 60 miles north of Santa Barbara.  This stretch is pretty desolate so we should make rapid progress. The 24th was a great day for walking.  It was uneventful except for being kicked off  Route 101 by the California Highway Patrol.  Apparently part(s) of Route 101 are labeled “freeway” and other parts are labeled “highway”.  Walking on “the freeway” is illegal.  But only under specific conditions.  I was given a rather lengthy and polite explanation of the difference, but for the life of me I, still, cannot tell the difference; the road is exactly the same except for the designation of “freeway” and “end of freeway”.  Anyway, ChiP gave directions that took us through the city of Santa Barbara.  It was certainly much more interesting than Route 101.  And much safer. The 25th, Christmas Day was still a walking day.  Diabetes doesn’t take a day off and neither does Mr. Diabetes®.  It was a fun day.  It began with an interview with The Santa Barbara News-Press.  Photographer Mike Weiser greeted Bob and me, took a bunch of pictures, walked with me a ways and finished w/ a few more shots.  Later I did a lengthy (50 minute) phone interview with Assistant Editor, Jane Hulse.  She got a handle on THE WALKTM  very quickly and asked some very probing questions.  She definitely knew what she was doing.  The article that appeared the next day was very well written and accurate. The 26th was another walking day.  The weather has been perfect for walking (low 60’s/high 50’s and sunny).  When we reached the next city, Goleta, we interviewed with The Valley Voice.  Jim Farr, Publisher/Editor came out to conduct this one, and take pictures.  This article is scheduled to appear in the January 10, 2003 issue.  After the interview the three of us stood around and talked for a while.  As it turns out, Jim and Bob have a great deal in common – they are both kidney transplant recipients.  Bob just celebrated his 5th year without rejection and Jim had his transplant 16 years ago and he, too, has never experienced a rejection episode.  Both received their kidneys from sisters.  Continued good health, gentlemen. The 27th found us NOT walking, but instead, going into Santa Barbara to go to the New Balance Shoe Store on  State St.  Bob had made a call to New Balance Headquarters in Boston, MA and told them about THE MR. DIABETES®  WAKE UP AND WALK®  TOUR.  They were very excited about it and asked that we go to a New Balance Store and get fitted so that they could provide us w/ footwear and other gear.  We were lucky to find a store at 607 State St. in Santa Barbara, CA  93101.  805-892-5944.  We were quite fortunate to be attended by Don McDevitt.  I’ve been wearing New Balance shoes since the early 1980’s, so I’ve been fitted by their personnel many times in their factory store on North Beacon St. in Brighton, MA (they have just moved to a new location in the Boston area – as of this writing I do not know that address).  But, as knowledgeable as NB personnel are (and they all know their product line), I got an education in footwear and proper fit from this man that I have never had before.  And his store was non-stop shoppers.  He and his assistant Brianna Price served everyone with care and professionalism.  NB is a quality operation;  I’ll let you know how well the shoes work. The rest of the year was just walking and meeting more people.  Finished up in Lompoc, CA., about ½ mile from the campsite, River Park. January 2, 2003 found me walking through Lompoc.  On this day The Lompoc Record did an interview. This paper serves a population of 40,000+ residents.  Shelly Cone, City Editor, did the interview;  Jeff Bowen handled the Photgraphy.  They both did their jobs well and quite thoroughly.  Great job!!!!   Lompoc is a beautiful and very peaceful community.  The countryside is incomparably picturesque.  Walking through this entire region continues to keep me in awe.  Those of you who follow my UPDATES regularly know that I rarely recommend restaurants.  But, if you should find yourself(s) in this neck of the woods, be sure to get a meal at Saletti’s Italian Restaurant.  It is family owned and operated.  You will be greeted with a beautiful smile and warm welcome by Faith Saletti who treats all guests like they are part of the Saletti Family.  The waitstaff are pleasant, friendly and have a fluent knowledge of everything on the menu and wine list.  Italian music in the background and surrounding décor give a distinctive Italian ambiance.  It is moderately priced.  And I think it can best be described as “quiet elegance”. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!! Good Health. Andy Mandell MR. DIABETES® AWARENESS + ACTION = PREVENTION™
Texas	Sunday, June 16, 2002
The Mr. Diabetes® WAKE UP AND WALK® TOUR Journal Update TEXAS Walking conditions improved immediately upon entering Texas.  The shoulders got wider and even existed on the bridges.  Deweyville is about 100 miles east of Beaumont and is the most eastern Texas border.  This is significant because the walk through Texas was across the widest part of the State, plus that additional distance going south from Austin to San Antonio and then along the Texas/Mexican border to El Paso and, finally, the exit from the State in Anthony.  Interestingly, Anthony is divided in half by Texas and New Mexico. We covered this 900+ miles from March, 11 – June 16, 2002.  The route through Texas was along Rte. 190 to I-290 to I-35 to Rte. 90 to I-10 to Rte. 20.  Now, to backtrack a bit . . . Upon entering The Lone Star State it was Springtime.  The weather was refreshingly fabulous.  The roads made walking comfortable, the folks continued to honk their horns, give thumbs up and “atta boys”, and stop to talk.  Again, the media continued to cover THE WALK™.  However, it was in Deweyville that my nightmare became a reality.  While walking along and being distracted by the weather, environment and lost in my tunes I was about to cross a small bridge which crossed a creek.  Here, as I hugged the guardrail (for safety), and at the beginning of this guardrail, and as my walking pole hit the ground I stirred up a tangle of about six large snakes.  When I realized what was happening, and that only took a fraction of a second, I quickly stepped to the left and, thankfully, all snakes untangled themselves and went right – dropping about 15 feet into the creek below.  Bob and I then watched them swim in the water below.  Since that time snakes have appeared many times.  I never seem to get used to them.  Oh, well ………. Reaching Houston marked the 1000 mile mark.  This landmark brought friends in to share the moment. Daniel Rasolt and Mom, Lisa, flew into town and shared the moment.  They had been traveling the U.S. checking out colleges to which Dan might want to apply.  In Houston it was Rice University.  Ultimately, he did apply there and was accepted “early admission”.  However, he decided on his first choice, Cornell University, which also accepted him “early admission”.  His Freshman year begins August, 2003.  Good luck, Pal. A real thrill for me was meeting Del Turner and wife, April, for the first time.  I had been working with Del since October, 2002.  At that time Del had convinced me to try a new and different type of shoe.  I was very reluctant to give up my New Balance Shoes, which I had been wearing faithfully for almost 20 years.  But Del provided the scientific background for the shoe and detailed corporate representations, so, I decided to give them a try.  As it turned out, we became great friends and Del has become a most valued consultant.  While in Houston, Del and April walked many miles with me, demonstrated and sold shoes to numerous people, and, generally, spread lots of joy and excitement wherever they went. From Houston we proceeded west to Austin, 200 miles away.  By that time the temperatures were regularly in the 90’s and reaching 100 degrees, or so.  Also, this is where the hills were introduced.  And they remained a factor for the rest of Texas.  The stretch from Austin to San Antonio was very interesting.  While passing by The University of Texas at Austin I saw their track and field facility and decided to visit.  There I got permission from a track coach, who was working with some athletes, to take a stroll around the track. Heading south we camped in nearby Buda, 15 miles south of Austin.  Here we serviced the RV.  About 35 miles south of Buda Bob and I spoke at the New Braunfels Elementary School.  Actually, it is a school of sixth graders, only.  The idea here is that these kids are too old to be grouped in with the K-5 kids and too young for Middle School.  So, they are given their own school in order to make a smoother transition into Middle School.  There are 450 – 500 students in this program.  And they were GREAT !!!!! Very attentive and asked great questions.  Visited another snake farm in this area.  I have this morbid fascination with these reptiles.  I didn’t learn anything new, but did buy a couple of snake bite kits – just in case !!! And some of the people who showed their support during this early part of Texas included Herb Katz who works at Trader Village RV Resort in Houston.  Herb arranged for the Park to comp our stay.  Also, Herb walked with me one day and brought bagels another. Herb, Del and April became good friends.  Herb even ended up buying some shoes from Del. Wayne and Sheila Rollins, owners of Artesian RV Park in Brenham, also comped our stay.  Then there was Ted Miller and girlfriend Amy who donated many gallons of Arrowhead Spring Water.  They had just finished support work for a major bicycle ride around Austin and had lots of water left over.  They were happy to donate it and I was happy to accept.  Typical of so many people was Donna Sibly, in advertising at The Austin Statesman, stopped to make a donation.  And Benny Perez, a grandfather and fellow diabetes sufferer spent some time comparing ailments.                                                                             And to the thousands of people who have turned out and remain unnamed I say thank you from the bottom of my heart.  Your voices and concerns are being noted.  I ask that you all continue to support this epic journey and help me and the Defeat Diabetes Foundation continue to help ALL diabetics.  Together we can rise as one voice and eventually effect changes legislatively, financially and, as a result and most importantly, improved health for all diabetics.  Your support is requested and needed.  Do what you can and be an active part of THE MR. DIABETES®  WAKE UP AND WALK® TOUR.  Thank you.