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 5: 7/12 - Leaving Smith

This morning was another struggler. We had a breakfast of poorly hard boiled eggs (they all exploded while boiling the night before when the stove decided to run on SCRAMJET mode). We passed through Brunswick (Emily's old hometown! I had no idea what to take pictures of, so I just took random shots of everything). Stopped at a farmer's market for some cheesy baguettes and Esmith and I shared a mixed berry pie. Eating is interesting on this trip. Never before have I worried about calorie intake, too much or too little, and now, we can't get enough. It's not a question of "can I eat this?", it's a question of, "can I fit this in my stomach?". You pretty much eat whatever you can get your hands on. We traded off Bsmith to the parents in Freeport, ME at the L.L. Bean store(s) after some shopping. I got rid of my sleeping bag, because it's just too hot for it, and picked up a fleece throw at the store. Unfortunately, it doesn't reach my feet. Great purchase, Evan. So after Bsmith's departure, we left on our own on that long and lonesome road. As we were passing a field, we saw a sweet hay baler that would bale the hale, then boot them into a trailer. Not just push them up a ramp or something, but from a distance it looked like a boot on the end of a lever that just punted these things into the trailer. Maybe my CHEAP EX-BOSS from Stanton Engineering Services can get one so I don't have to bust my butt getting his hay into his barn (hope you're reading this, Tom. I'll be back for Round 2 of baling in August!) On the way to the end of the day, Esmith and I both hit 41 mph, our personal bests and probably could have been faster had the bottom of the hill not been a magled set of rail road tracks. We ate lunch at a Friendly's in North Windham, where we had our first sighting of a cute girl since the trip began...maybe they're just hiding? We got into Sebago Lake around 5:30 pm, and man are these campgrounds getting expensive!! We're gonne start camping under powerlines if this continues... That night we met our neighbors, Bruce and Debbie, and their grandchildren, Jordan and Jessie. We chatted it up around the campfire for a bit and shared some stories. Bruce and Debbie had sold their home and bought an RV so that they could travel around the country to see their kids and grandkids (they also flip houses for a living...not literally), though they look very young for grandkids and we let them know it (gotta butter 'em up for those donations!).

Highlights: hay baler, top speeds, Smith's parents

Top Speed: 41 mph (ES and EP)
Distance: 48.61 mi
Time: 4.00.00
Av Spd: 12.1 mph
Odometer: 211.4 mi

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