Who Are We?

Here's the two minute drill...

Two friends; one crazy adventure: to raise money for the Search Dog Foundation, SDF (a non-profit that raises and trains search and rescue dogs). How to get attention for this cause? By biking from Maine to Key West in less than two months. Chance of success? Maybe. Crazy? Definitely. Awesome adventure? Undoubtedly.

Or if you're feeling courageous, the full lecture...

Team e2 is the brainchild of a graduating high school senior (Evan Smith) and a graduating master's student (Evan Patronik). Evan Smith and I met about 4 years ago through his older brother and have become close friends, mostly through our similar personalities and tastes of outdoor activities (such as swimming in the Atlantic during early February of last year). On a whim one night, we decided to undertake a "crazy adventure" during the summer of 2008: a bike trip logging nearly 3,000 miles from the tip of Maine to the bottom of the Florida Keys. On its own, this journey would be fulfilling enough for the both of us but we had hoped to gain something more. This led us to idea of using our trip to raise money for a more than worthy cause. We have involved ourselves in a fundraising effort with the "Search Dog Foundation" (SDF), a not-for-profit non-governmental organization based out of California. Their mission is to produce the most highly trained FEMA Advanced Certified Canine Disaster Search Teams in the country. These teams are trained to search for live victims of natural disasters or terrorist attacks. The teams are provided at no cost to fire departments and other emergency service agencies throughout the country and are essential in the post-disaster rescue effort. We are spreading the word of our charity ride to individuals we meet on the ride (which is why you may be at this website) and with companies around the country. Feel free to donate to the cause using the link provided on this page, as well as check out our pictures and blog in order to follow us on this amazing and crazy adventure!!!

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Day 17: 7/24 - Home again, home again, jiggity jig

The day started off with something special: an interview with WBAL TV from Baltimore that actually aired on Thursday on the evening news!! Uncle Bob was able to hook it up through his friend Kevin who had some connections in the news department (apparently he used to be a free lance photographer...or maybe a black market news dealer...not sure) and it was a very interesting process. They shot everything from so many different angles and asked a barrage of questions, but it was fun and everyone had a good time watching us ride back and forth in front of the cameras. We even got to meet Jennifer Franciotti...now since I don't get WBAL I didn't know who you were Jennifer, but everyone else did immediately. My buddy Greg says he remembers when you were doing traffic news and has watched your rise since the beginning. In a non-creepy way.

We made great time this day as well and on our way through Glyndon, MD, a fellow cyclist struck up a conversation with me on our route. It consisted of the usual "Where you headed with all that stuff?" and bike talk continued with the already explained story of our trip, it's origins, and it's progress. The guy's name was Eric (got the biking bug about a year ago and has been biking since) and he lived right up the hill in Glyndon, so I extended him an invitation to lunch in Reisterstown (right around the corner). He said he'd call if it worked out. In the meantime, my Aunt Colleen contacted me just as we were entering Reisterstown so she came out to join us for lunch as well. Eric arrived with his beautiful wife Michelle (he said when he got home, "Honey, this is going to sound weird, but I just met these two guys on the ride while I was biking and we're going to get lunch with him...") and we all had a great Italian lunch at Tonnino's...or something like that. It was good to see Aunt Colleen because she had orchestrated several of our places of stay with relatives and friends...and also because she's my aunt and I love her. Brownie points! But keep up the biking Eric and perhaps see you around in the future!
We contined making great time and finally returned home to Rockville around 6 pm to our loving friends and family. Definitely the highlight of the day. And we were also made incredible business cards for our adventure by my girlfriend so now we look legit when we hand them out to people rather than just using stuff printed out at a library! Thank you Em!
Esmith and I went our separate ways to be with family and use comfortable beds nowhere near each other.

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