Big Ride 4 - 2008

Big Ride 4 was a big success this year. For the first time three riders finished. This year Rick Pepper and Stuart Wilson joined me for the ride. We covered roughly the same route as last year. The weather cooperated with a beautiful day on the coast and we finished the ride in less than 11 hours, about 1 hour faster than last year. The ride raised nearly $8000 for the JCEP scholarship and library programs in Juarez, with more money still coming in. Thanks to everyone that pledged money this year.

We started the ride at 6:30 AM on Sunday, September 21st, the day after my 49th birthday. The formula is to ride 200 miles minus my age, so this year’s ride was a scheduled 151 miler. It was a little foggy on the coast as we headed over the Santa Cruz Mountains toward San Gregorio. By the time we made it to our first rest stop in Santa Cruz, the sun had come out. (Early morning start below)

We did not know that the Santa Cruz triathlon was the same day, so as we made it to the edge of Santa Cruz, nice police officers kept waiving us through intersections thinking we were part of the event. Rick had spot of bother with a puncture, so we got to watch bikes go by as he changed it.

My wife, Pat met us at the Santa Cruz Warf with the Element full of sandwiches, Gatorade and other snacks. We refueled and then threaded our way through Santa Cruz, Aptos and towns south to Pajaro.

We took a quick break at a convenience store near mile 92 in Pajaro, for more water and energy drinks. Rick had a Red Bull. Then we were off to the mountains of Aromas. It is a steep climb up, but the downhill through the eucalyptus tree groves is invigorating. (Rick hams it up on the Aromas downhill with Scott and Stuart in background below.)

Next, we headed across the fields to our 120-mile rendezvous with Pat outside of Hollister. More fuel consumed, we began the last and hardest leg of our journey to Morgan Hill. It seems flat, but Stuart’s Garmin told us later that the last 30 miles are slightly uphill. Combine that with a steady headwind and the fatigue of the ride and our average speed was dropping.

We finally made it to the end in a parking lot near the McDonalds on Cochrane in Morgan Hill. French fries and large Cokes never tasted so good. We loaded the bikes and headed back to Menlo Park for showers and dinner at Chevy’s. (With ride ride behind them Scott, Stuart and Rick pose for the victory photo below.)

I want to thanks Rick and Stuart for being part of our cause and for setting the pace all day. The ride goes so much faster with friends. Thanks too to all those who gave money to sponsor the ride and continue to support our efforts in Juarez. This year’s immersion trip for our to graduates from Juarez would have never happened without that kind of support on past rides. Those girls will live a better life because of it.

Anahi and Blanca Return Home

It was a glorious month for the girls in the U.S. On Friday the 25th, the girls graduated from their English class. After 18 three-hour classes, they made amazing progress. Each girl did a final presentation, telling us all in English about their trip. They made books with photos and presented them to all of us at their graduation. We can't say thanks enough to their teachers Stacy and Shaneka and teaching aid Kelsey. (Photo below of Kelsey, Blanca, Anahi and Stacy.)

After graduation, the girls wanted to grab a lunch at their favorite restaurant, In-N-Out burger. I chronicle that event on my burger blog.

After lunch, Judy Hobbs took the girls to Carmel for the weekend. They got to spend time at a horse show, where Brooke Hobbs was showing. They also got to go to the Monterrey Aquarium where the loved the penguins.

We had a somewhat bittersweet goodbye party at our house on Sunday. Both host families, Joni's family, my family and the teachers joined us. We laughed at all the photos from the trip and had a great time reliving the month.

Finally, on the 28th, I flew with the girls back to El Paso. Each one had an extra bag filled with t-shirts and other momentos from the trip. After landing we had one last lunch together in Juarez and I drove them back to Mexico. We went to Anahi's house first.

I was really excited to see what they had learned. Anahi's mom speaks no english. When she was talking to me in Spanish, I was understanding well enough, but was too tired to respond in Spanish. Instead, I told the girls in English what I wanted to say and they quickly translated for Anahi's mom. This is something that never could have happened before the trip.

I just want to say how much everyone contributed to this great experiment. Our financial contributors, host families, teachers and many friends that supported the girls were all part of the team. We couldn't do it without you all.

SRK

Anahi and Blanca at Yosemite

A lot of Northern Californians never make it to Yosemite - one of the most beautiful places in the world. We weren't going to let the girls miss out. So my daughter Sara and I decided to take them up.

It is a five hour drive from Menlo Park, so we left the night before and stayed near the park. We got up early the next morning and went straight to a Sequoia grove at the park. I think the girls weren't ready for a one-mile hike. They had to stop a few times on the way back which was uphill. But they did enjoy seeing the giant 2000 year-old trees. We saw one stump of a tree that had a hole cut in it from the old days. You could drive a truck through it.

Next we headed to the main valley. The waterfalls were still flowing nicely and the girls loved the "cascadas". We also stopped and waded in the Merced river and I taught them how to skip stones.

They ordered their own lunch in English at the historic Ahwahnee lodge. While we ate outside a wedding party paraded by for the coming nuptials out on the lawn.

After lunch we headed up to Glacier Point overlooking the entire park. It was beautiful and clear, despite all the fires in California. It was an awesome sight. On the ride back home, the girls had a 2 hour siesta, having been worn out from the day.

Blanca and Anahi at the beach and in San Francisco

The long awaited day arrived when the girls would finally get to see the ocean. After a vigorous second week of English classes, they were ready for a break. It was really fun to take off for Half Moon Bay and have a conversation in English. It was amazing how much they knew after a week plus of classes.

It was cool and cloudy at the coast as we walked to the ocean. The smiles were huge as the girls rolled up their jeans and stuck their feet in to the cold water. They were both shocked to feel how cold the Pacific is in Northern California. But they loved it. We walked up and down the beach. The girls wrote their names in the sand and picked up shells.
Next we headed up the coast to San Francisco. Traffic was heavy for a Saturday, so the got to experience their first traffic jam. We drove across the Golden Gate Bridge and then walked across the bridge as the fog blew across the top of the bridge.

We next headed off to the S.F. Museum of Modern Art for an exhibit by the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. I coldn't really get a read on what the girls thought of it. Maybe they were too worn out to have an opinion.

Anahi and Blanca - Independence Day

We had a great day initiating Blanca and Anahi into the American culture with an old-fashioned block party at the home of the Hobbs family, Blanca's hosts. There was a hamburger BBQ, picnic, bike parade, and bagpipes. Later, after lunch the girls participated in a balloon toss.

After the festivities we headed off for pizza before and then took in fireworks. Brooke Hobbs joins the girls on the bench by the bay in the photo below.

Anahi and Blanca – July 2 – Class and Dentist

Today, the Anahi and Blanca had their first day at their English class. With the help of Bill Elmore we were introduced to Helen Kim at East Side Prep in Palo Alto. Helen worked with Stacy Ishigaki and Shaneka Julian, two language teachers at East Side to put together a program for the girls. They will be studying three hours per day with Stacy and Shaneka trading off as teachers. Kelsey Seabolt, a young volunteer, will be helping as well. (In photo from left, Kelsey, Stacy, Anahi and Blanca)

Their first class was at 9 am. I stopped by at 11:30 to see how it was going. They all seemed to be having a good time. Stacy was teaching the girls how to talk about their past, the present and the future. Each one stood up and used drawings they had made to tell me about what they liked when they were ten years younger, what they like now and what they will be doing in ten years. I was pleased to hear that both girls had college in their plans. Blanca also envisioned herself married. Anahi said she would be an administrator. (She really wants to study criminology, but her dad thinks it would be a dangerous career.)

In the afternoon, the girls went to a dentist that Joni had arranged for Blanca. While the dentist filled teeth and pulled a tooth, Anahi assisted. Lots of thanks to Dr. Dale Weibel who volunteered his time to help.

In the evening they returned home, did homework and had dinner with their hosts. Anahi was so worn out, she took a nap before dinner.

SK

Blanca and Anahi come to the USA

The big moment finally arrived today. Blanca and Anahi would come to the USA from Juarez. After three years of studying as JCEP students and graduating from high school on June 17, they were going to visit their sponsors and get some English immersion in the U.S. (The girls say goodbye to their familes in front of Blanca's house in Juarez.)

I decided to pick them up at Blanca’s house at 8 am. I arrived about 15 minutes early. Blanca was ready to go. She wheeled out her new suitcase that we had sent her for graduation. Her Mom, sister and little brother were out to see her off. A little later Anahi pulled up with her Mom and Dad. Her Dad was very emotional. He cried as he hugged her good bye and asked me to take good care of her. I promised him I would.

We headed off to the border in the Chevy Tahoe I had borrowed from Missions Ministries. We decided to go to the Santa Teresa, NM port of entry. It is quieter and, while farther, more consistent in the time it takes to get through. The girls were very nervous as we pulled up. The border agent asked us a few questions. He then directed us where to park and see the agent in the office to obtain a “Permiso”. (In the next photo the girls pose in front of the border in Santa Teresa, NM)

The Permiso is a document that states where the applicant will be staying in the U.S. and for how long. They are required to check back in when they return. I guess this was instated to track visitors that overstay their visas. It took about 10 minutes. Blanca and Anahi were fingerprinted and photographed again. I paid the $6 each and we were on our way. As we pulled out of the lot, there were big smiles on the girl’s faces.

The trip through New Mexico and into El Paso was very quiet. Blanca seemed impressed by the freeway overpasses; particularly the cloverleaf in downtown. At one point on highway 10, we had a view into a particularly bad slum in Juarez on the right and the University of Texas El Paso on the left. The girls focused on UTEP.

After dropping off the car, we shuttled to the airport. We checked the bags at the curb. I bought the girls Spanish language magazines and we proceeded to security. As we snaked through the cue, a border patrol officer decided to check identification and ask us some questions. He was a pleasant young fellow with blonde hair. I was surprised when he started asking the girls questions in Spanish. After a nervous moment while he had a colleague double check the visas using a magnifying glass, he smiled and gave us back the passports and we proceeded to x-ray.

I could tell the girls were very perplexed by the process. They had never been far from home, let alone in an airport. They took off their shoes, jackets and put their purses and backpacks through the x-ray.

Next we went off toward the gate. The crossing had gone so smoothly that we were two hours early for our flight. We decided to have an early lunch. The girls ordered chicken burritos and were treated to a large-portioned, bland burrito that neither came close to finishing.

Finally we boarded the plane. Southwest’s complicated new numbered boarding procedure is hard for most English speakers to understand. I think they would have been lost without some help. Blanca took the window seat. I was on the aisle. Anahi was in the middle. I had warned them about the acceleration. There were nervous giggles as we took off, but they both handled it well. Blanca took some pictures with a disposable camera she had bought. The desert and mountains looked pretty impressive from the sky. I told the attendant that they had never flown before. She brought them some plastic pilot’s wings, Southwest playing cards, a luggage tag and a pen as souvenirs of their first flight.

As we descended into L.A. Blanca had some trouble clearing her ears. When the landing gear banged into position she gave me a wide-open-eyes look. I assured her it was okay. We were soon at the gate and deplaned. We had an hour to kill at LAX, so I bought them some See’s chocolate. The clerk gave us 2 samples each so the girls were too full to eat what I bought.

Next we boarded the plane for San Jose. Already pros at flying, the girls traded seats with Anahi on the window. They loved seeing the ocean as we climbed out of LAX. They had told me that the ocean was their number one site to see in the U.S.

After arriving in San Jose, we met Joni and her daughter Haley at the baggage claim. The bags came off without incident. We piled into Joni’s Prius and headed to Menlo Park where Judy Hobbs was prepared to greet the girls. (Below, Blanca on the left and Anahi with Haley and Joni Cropper)

Judy’s daughter Brooke joined us. Brooke had just returned from our Mission Trip. The Hobbs’ will be hosting Blanca while she stays in the U.S. Craig and Donna Largent, Anahi’s hosts, joined us soon after. Then my wife Pat and daughter Sara came. Despite some great fruit, and chips with guacamole, the girls still did not eat much. I think they were still a little shell-shocked. (Judy and Brooke Hobbs with Blanca)

(Below are Craig and Donna Largent with Anahi)

After Brooke showed Blanca her room, Donna gave them some gifts of greeting. We then walked to the Largent’s house just a few blocks away and across the street from our house. Blanca and Anahi got to see Anahi’s room.

It was very strange to them that all of us here have pampered dogs. We learned in meeting the Hobbs’ poodle that Blanca is not comfortable with dogs, despite the fact that she has one back home. A dog’s life in Juarez is pretty bleak. None are neutered. All are skinny. Most are strays and few live very long. As I drove around the other day I saw a man throw a rock at a dog who was following him home. I saw another dog with a stump leg. Our dogs, mine included, are given more medical care than most people in the Colonias of Juarez. I wonder what the girls must think.

As I said good night to both the girls and they went off to spend the evening with their hosts, I hoped that they wouldn’t be confused by all they saw around them. I want them to realize that we want to aid them in their lives, not by changing them or making them like us, but by giving them opportunities for education so that they can make their own choices. I hope while they are here that they can learn English and see the love we have for them as God’s children and that they will be changed for the better. Somehow though, I also hope they don’t become like us in many respects. I hope they see all the good I see in the people of their community and that poverty or wealth doesn’t make the person valuable in God’s eyes.

SK