The Tour Is Upon Us
The 2008 Adoption Tour is about to start and I wanted to remind everyone of the live updates that will be available during the tour. Our very own photo and video crew will be driving along with us on every mile of our journey, taking snap-shots and video of our exploits. The very best of this material will make it’s way up to the Photo and Video tab on the main menu. New videos and pictures will be uploaded while you sleep so you can view new material when you rise the next day! It’s a great way to stay connected if you are supporting a rider or our cause from home!
Thanks for checking in with us,
-Jesse O’Hatnick
Tour Director
October 6th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Go Adoption Tour 2008!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You guys are amazing and I think this is such a great effort to spread awareness of the children that need good families. I know it’s just the first day. Stay strong. You can do it!
Oh….GO KRISTI KULESZ! YOU ROCK!!!!!!
Jennifer / B97.5
October 6th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Hello Riders and Support Staff:
Work Hard, Keep your chin up and know that you are in our hearts and minds.
Your hard work will be well rewarded.
Odessa, Karen and others at Central Office.
See you on Wednesday !!!
October 6th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
To my Omni co-workers - GO AMY I., AMY C., and Nicole Y., be safe, have fun and know we are cheering you on. I am glad I work with you. You guys ROCK!!!!! I know you all can do it.
October 6th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
To all the riders: You all are an incredible group of people for what you are doing! Your dedication to this ride and to the kids is amazing!
K(mb): I can’t express to you how proud I am of you! You are amazing in what you have accomplished! Keep on keepin’ on and stay positive! Enjoy the ride!!!
Go Cizz! “The road is long, with many a winding turn. That leads us to who knows where, who knows where”. My sources teell me it’s World’s Fair Park in K-town!
See you guys in Nashville!
October 7th, 2008 at 10:01 am
GO Todd! GO Daddy! We are so proud of you! keep up the good work, and we will meet you at the finish line!!
October 7th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
You all are absolutely amazing! Kristi Kulesz, I am so proud of you! What an incredible journey this has already been for you. Your strength and dedication to this wonderful cause has inspired so many people! I love you, stay strong and see you at the finish line!
October 7th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Hello to all from Jackson TN. Today was a day of firsts! It was the first day of the bike Tour. We started in downtown Memphis at a celebration for the children that we were riding for during this week. The Mayor and other dignitaries spoke, there was great music and then we were off - 56 riders strong!
We stopped once this morning at a place called Youth Villages, a residential facility for troubled children and for those children needing to be adopted. The children had made tons of posters to welcome us and we were able to spend time talking with them.
It was a long day - I think we all rode 90 miles today but we had beautiful weather (65-80) and sunny skies! We are very fortunate to have several THP (TN highway patrol) troopers escorting us all across the state. They have become all of our new best friends as they zoom ahead up to the intersections and stop all traffic so that we can ride through without stopping. That worked as long you could keep up with the group of riders that they were following!
It was another day of firsts for me. I saw my first armadillo (actually 3 of them and they were roadkill!). I also saw my first cotton really up close (my friend Bill from Shelby, NC will be very amused at this!). We rode past miles and miles of cotton fields and there were clumps of cotton all over the sides of the roads. Being a Yankee, I have never seen cotton that close so I had to pick up some from the side of the road just to feel it.
The terrain for the most part in this part of TN is flat with a few long inclines (those who live in West TN called them hills!). We rode all along Highway 70, which for the most part was a rural back road. We had a little change of plans this afternoon. We heard that there was a wreck on the interstate which parallels Highway 70 and all the trucks were being diverted on to the road that we were riding on. So we all had to wait at one of the rest stops until everyone had caught up and then we rode under THP escort to protect us from the 18 wheelers!! We arrived at the hotel about 5:00 and did not have time to shower or change as we went to another celebration welcoming us to Jackson at another Child and Family Service agency.
What a great first day of celebrating children, adoption and the need for adoptive parents. The children we met were the best and all of us were so proud to be able to bring awareness of adoption through our riding across the state! Tomorrow is our longest day of riding - 107 miles…..with an 80% chance of rain. Not fun! Stay tuned…more tomorrow!
A very tired Kathy
October 7th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Day One- Monday
Anticipation, commitment, togetherness….shiny bikes, happy faces, strong legs.
Downtown Memphis sunrise , outskirts of town visiting group home kids who made signs about adoption, left feeling grateful and guilty – We need to find homes for all these children. 400 children in Tennessee do not have a family, a home….this is why we ride.
Thank you Michael and Pam and the original posse of folks that started this grand tour.
I’m proud to be a part of this journey.
Nichole Young- Knoxville Omni Visions
October 7th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Tuesday, 3:30 p.m.
Incomprehensible. That’s how I feel about folks willing to ride 100 miles in the rain for a cause they believe in. That’s after riding 90 miles the day before!!
Incomprehensible. That’s also how I feel about kids who live in state custody. I can’t imagine how they feel to dream of a home, a family, someone to claim them forever.
Of course, it’s the kids who keep those pedals turning. It’s their inspiration and the realization that they struggle through a lot more than freezing rain for a day or two.
Inspirational. That’s what the Adoption Tour is to me. That’s what I hope the Adoption Tour does for hundreds more.
Four hundred more, to be exact, give or take a few. Because that’s how many kids live today in the custody of this great State of Tennessee. Four hundred kids have no parents, no fault of their own. Four hundred forever families are what the great state of Tennessee needs.
More than half of these kids are teenagers. Without adoption, they’ll age out of the system and find themselves facing adulthood completely on their own.
So, this group of awesome bicyclists, some well trained and some not so much, takes to the highway whether rain or shine. Another group of awesome servants goes along to make the trip possible, feeding, housing, laughing, soothing, nurturing, caring.
So, day one has concluded and day two continues in the rain. But Adoption Tour is unstoppable. Maybe next year, there won’t be a reason for this amazing group of people to gather except to celebrate 400 adoptions!!
October 7th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
This message is for all riders including Dawn Puster, who is a close friend and confidant!!! You all are amazing!!! You inspire and motivate so many by the sacrifice of your bodies and time to adoption. We just brought our little girl home and can praise the miracle of adoption. Thank you all for riding in this tour to bring awareness to those who need a wake up call to all the amazing little people out there who need a home and a forever family. Dawn you are an inspiration_ I have never met anyone so dedicated to families and you are such a good friend. Good luck out there- Know I am cheering and praying for you every day and night!!! Just know that when you are reaching a hill you can do it and we are there cheering you on!!!! See you soon- Love Holly
October 7th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
God Bless all of you for taking on such an important endeavor !!!! Go 2008 Tour Team !!!
Kristi Kulesz…You Go Girl !!!!
You are so awesome for taking on such a challenging commitment. I’m thinking about you every day. Keep it going every day.
Love,
Aunt Lil and Uncle “T”
October 7th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
If i had to say one thing about today it would be that it was long and we had bad weather, but everybody made it through the day with that joyful spirit!!!!!! So after all the rain and miles of the day, through it all, everybody made it with the joyful spirit of adoption!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It really help me get through the day with the energy and spirit i needed to make it!!!!!!!!!!!
October 7th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Tuesday was amazing….the riders worked incredibly hard to make it in the rain and it was awesome to see them finish! I know they can make it through this whole week after seeing what they did today. The THP have also been wonderful and have done so much to keep us safe. I have never seen a group of people so committed to a cause and willing to do whatever it takes to make it to the end.
October 8th, 2008 at 1:34 am
Hey Adoption tour! Congratulations on another successful day! I hope tomorrow brings sunshine for you all! From what I hear it was a long, successful day despite the rain! You all are amazing!
October 8th, 2008 at 1:45 am
K- Again, I am so super proud of you and it sounds like you have had an amazing journey thus far! I can’t even imagine the emotions you are experiencing. A great learning experience for you personally and professionally, as the tour is suppose to mirror the journey your kids go through. The rain, distance and hills are no match for your love and dedication for what you do to help these families! I can’t wait to see you all ride into Nashville tomorrow. Keep on keeping on!
Love, yb
October 8th, 2008 at 8:13 am
Way to go, Harmony Team! Pam, greetings and kudos from Cody, Wyoming! Wish I could ride with you!
October 8th, 2008 at 8:25 am
To all riders: You guys are Loving, caring, selfless individuals doing your part for the children. Thats what it’s all about. I can not express enough how proud i am of you all, especially to be married to one of you, Ms. Ashley Jordan. YOU GOOOOO GIRL. LOL
October 8th, 2008 at 8:31 am
To: Ash and Kritti: Outstanding job ladies, you sort of remind me of Micheal Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Teammates in the BIG championship game. All most there, BRING IT HOME …..Good Luck today. Kritti, don’t let Ashley in the van…LOL
October 8th, 2008 at 9:27 am
If I had to say one thing about today it would have to be that it was long and we had a lot of baaaaad weather. BUT through it all everybody had that joyful spirit of adoption. And that really helped me get through the day with the spirit and the energy I needed to make it.
October 8th, 2008 at 9:29 am
Greetings,
Day 2 began very early today as we had a long day ahead of us with lots of miles so we all met at 6:45 in the hotel parking lot. As we met, it started raining and it rained off and on most of the day! At times this morning the rain was torrential with thunder booming overhead.
Cycling in the best of conditions can be dangerous. With torrential rain, it can be downright treacherous! Without our THP trooper friends Brian, Andy, Brad and Kevin on their motorcycles and trooper cars, we would not have survived. They blocked intersections, led us around pools and lakes of water in the road and kept lanes of the roadway open and forced the 18 wheelers into the other lanes so we stayed safe. They were awesome!
There were several highlights of the day. In midmorning we stopped at local school in Bruceton TN. All of us riders literally rode into the gym of the school to screaming, cheering children. The kids had made signs and posters to cheer us on and we talked to them about adoption awareness. Our lunch stop was at a local church in Camden, TN. At that point we were all soaking wet and very chilled so it was a great place to stop and get some dry clothes from our support vans and our support crew who have been so incredible!. Our last stop at mile 99 was at a local KMart in Dickson, TN where the entire parking lot was filled with people cheering us on and thanking us for spreading the adoption word as we ride across the state.
We ended the day at 103 miles at our hotel in Dickson. All in all it has been an incredible day full of emotion, lots of rolling hills and aches and pains. Those of us who are riders feel so privileged to be the ones to spread awareness of adoption. It was also a day to really bond with the other riders. We laughed and talked, helped each other keep spinning through the miles when we felt like we couldn’t ride another mile and helped each other fix our flat tires (there were a lot of flats today).
We are off to Nashville tomorrow. The forecast is for more rain in the morning. I hope my wet clothes are dry before the morning……
Kathy
October 8th, 2008 at 9:30 am
Today was AWESOME. Sure it was a hard day on the bike (the weather refused to cooperate), but the celebrations more than made up for being rained on and fighting a hurricane-force headwind. I think my favorite part of the day was when we got to stop at a school…I don’t remember the name of the school or what town it was in (that’s how tired I am!!) but they brought all the kids into the gym and the kids had made awesome signs for us. We handed out bracelets and talked to some of the kids, and Jesse and Eric both stood up and talked about adoption. The school had towels for us and hot coffee, and you just couldn’t pry the smile off my face with a crowbar (at least not until I was fighting my way uphill into a wind that threatened to pick me up and take me to Oz). Then we made our way to another celebration and lunch at a church in Camden, and were very welcomed there–that celebration always has such a great meal for us!! Someone from the Northwest DCS office stood up and told us how many adoptions that had been finalized that year (and forgive me, it’s been a long day and I don’t remember the number but it was a LOT). That really put the rain into perspective…it made being cold and wet totally worthwhile. After that, it was a LOOOONG way to the next celebration in Dickson, and we hit some rolling hills and the wind kicked up and…well, let’s just say it was rough. THANK YOU ERIC AND HANS for not leaving me to fight the wind by myself!! I don’t think I would have made it alone. But I did make it, thanks to my fellow riders pulling me through the wind and up the hills, all the way to the celebration at Dickson. I’m telling you, those folks in Dickson really know how to throw a party! There was a ton of pizza and cokes and music and they just made us feel so welcome. The funny part is, everyone kept thanking us for riding. It’s like they don’t know that THEY are the ones WE should be thanking. We ride for a week to raise awareness, but the folks who work to help children find their families are working hard every single day. It is a privilege and an honor to ride in the Adoption Tour, and it seems like so little for the children who deserve so much.
So, all in all, it was a GREAT day. Cold, wet, windy…and I loved every minute of it!
October 8th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Adoption tour riders and support crew…..keep up the great work!!! You guys are doing an amazing job in raising awareness across the state for adoption. It takes special people to do what you all are doing, and I’m so proud of you all! Be safe and keep pedaling on.
Heather
October 8th, 2008 at 9:50 am
To my girls: K & A, YOU ROCK!!!!! You guys are amazing and I couldn’t be prouder of you! You are half way there so keep your spirits up and bring it home. I’ll see you on Friday, be safe!!!!!
October 8th, 2008 at 9:54 am
Amazing comments, amazing pictures - My heart swells with pride to see all of the smiling faces of both determined riders and faithful support crew. All of you are such an inspiration to everyone you meet. Stay safe, keep pedaling, and we’ll see you on Friday!
October 8th, 2008 at 11:23 am
Wow, I can’t believe you all are halfway there. Hope you’re not too soggy today…there are sunny skies ahead! This week you guys symbolize the metaphor of adoption success–coming out of the cold dark rain of uncertainty into the sunny warmth of a forever family. Can’t wait to see everyone Friday afternoon at the celebration in Knoxville!
Nichole Y.–I know you’ll be pushin’ those pedals until you get to the Sunsphere; just remember to take care of yourself! GO FIGHT WIN TEAM!!!
October 8th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Adoption tour riders! It was amazing seeing you all today in Nashville and to see how optomistic and proud you all were! Robert and crew- You are doing an awesome job with the videos and pictures! And from what I hear the support crew is doing an awesome job as well! Tomorrow is the big climb I hear and it made me think of a song by Lonestar (for those of you who don’t know (mb) it’s country! Anyway, here is a quote from it:
There are times in life when you gotta crawl,
Lose your grip, trip an’ fall
When you can’t lean on no-one else:
That’s when you find yourself
I’ve been around and I’ve noticed that
Walkin’s easy when the road is flat
Them danged ol’ hills’ll get you every time
Yeah the good Lord gave us mountains,
So we could learn how to climb
Ok, well I wish you all the best tomorrow and can’t wait to see you ride in on Friday!
Keep on keepin’ on!
October 8th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Hey Riders,
Way to go! You are on the home stretch. Enjoy the rolling hills as you head East. This is God’s country! We are glad all of you are safe. Hopefully the rain is in front of you now and you can enjoy some sunshine. Personally I am in awe of your determination and loyalty to this cause. It is a true testament to the core of who you are. Eric, Anna and I love you very much and our hearts overflow with joy for you as a person and what you are doing this week. All of you be safe. Remember to laugh a lot, tell bad jokes and enjoy the lasting memories you are making together.
Peace be with you!!!
October 8th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
What an inspirational day this has been for me! I’ve worked in adoption for many years, but I’ve never experienced anything quite like this tour to make the meaning of the adoption “Journey Home” real and palpable. I love the meaning of the theme, and Jessie’s simple and wonderful interpretation in the videos. The Adoption Tour has obviously created one big family - complete with pain and pleasure, mutual support (everything from laundry to massage to homemade salsa), challenge and triumph, dedication, focus, hard work, vision (even with rain dripping in your eyes and no sun to be seen), loyalty, fun and mischief - all of the things that make any family work! The adoption tour journey is the story of individual effort and triumph, and, even more importantly, of the focus of a whole team of people on the most important need and right of every child - to have a family for life! I am honored to have shared part of this day with you, and my HeART is with you every step of the way! Be safe, be strong, have fun, and thank you!
October 8th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
Kristacia–
You go girl!!! We are so proud of you and all that you are accomplishing with this tour! ALL KIDS DESERVE A HOME FULL OF LOVE and you are supporting that!! We are in awe of the sacrifices you are making to show awareness of this cause! The little brown indian salutes you! Love, Estacia and Jason
October 9th, 2008 at 7:31 am
Good morning, Kristi! I know you are having a great time! This ride will be something you’ll draw upon when you face some hard times, or one of the children you are serving is going through some difficulty. I send my love and hugs to you.
October 9th, 2008 at 8:57 am
Good Morning All! I hope today is all downhill. And just a note to tell you to ignore the rumor that North Carolina has become part of TN and the finish line is now at Nags Head.
The Spaulding IAATP family wishes you well as you continue your amazing bike tour. Have a safe ride home and be proud. You done good AGAIN!
October 9th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Nichole Y- You’re almost there! We are all so proud of you! We can’t wait to see you in Knoxville! Keep on pedaling and just know that we are thinking about you along your journey. Thanks for helping us keep the need for adoptive families alive. Love, Your East Omni Visions AC’s, RC’s, TL’s and admin staff
October 9th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
You are all an inspiration. Forty three yrs ago I was placed with an adoption agency and now so very grateful. Your work makes a difference in many lives.
Nichole you rock! See you at the finish line
October 9th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Amy C and Amy I - You are almost done - I am proud of both of you. You have done an awesome job on this tour.
October 9th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
K&A- Congrats on your awesome journey! What an incredible experience today must have been! You two have worked so hard to get where you are and you all are almost home!!! Looking forward to seeing you ride in tomorrow! Good luck on your last day!
October 10th, 2008 at 10:49 am
It’s Friday Riders and Support Crew!!!
It’s the last leg of the journey…. and a great one it has been.
You have done an extraordinary job and you will be well rewarded.
Children and youth who may have never had an opportunity to find a forever family will find one this week.
You are all inspirational as are the kids of Tennessee.
We are proud of you!!
See you in Knoxville this afternoon at the end of this fine journey home.
With love and encouragement.
Odessa and DCS Central office staff
October 10th, 2008 at 11:14 am
To Ash & Kritti: Last day and didn’t get in the van, WHAT!!!!!!!!!! Very proud of you two. Looking forward to seeing you guys ride in today along with some families that this journey was all about……..
October 10th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Glad everyone is back safely. Thanks to all the support staff, crew, administration, THP, etc. What a great tour!! Enjoy some much deserved rest.
Peace!