Day 6- Lancaster to Valley Forge

Sleeping in my boyhood bed in Lancaster, PA I was awoken on Friday morning at 0530 by the sound of raindrops on the windowsill. We had somehow avoided rain for the past five days across PA, so I knew it was only a matter of time. Philly or bust, through cold, wind, and now rain. Bring it on.

We rendezvoused at the Hampton Inn on Greenfield Road in Lancaster for the start of Day 6- Lancaster to Valley Forge. The route would take us through the heart of Amish Country, by New Holland, and Blue Ball Elementary School (where I went to school up until age 12...no joke). Then onwards tracking closely to Route 23 East through Chester County and into Valley Forge National Historic Site where George Washington's army dug in during the Revolutionary War. After reaching the Raddison by Valley Forge we would load up the bikes and head into inner City Philadelphia for an interactive assembly at Hill-Freeman Middle School.

We picked up new riders at this point in the journey. One very special rider was my Aunt Mary- Dan's mom- who drove down from Rochester last night in order to ride into Philly with us. She is a multi-time marathoner and a super athlete studette.

Joining us today as well for the ride was Ben Allen, a long time friend of mine through the military triathlon circuit. Ben served in the Coast Guard and then went on to work as a SWAT Team sniper and currently is in the FBI. I was glad to have him to ride with today as "El Pistolero" Mike Montgomery had to take care of watering the golf course greens and was MIA.

Also along for the ride was Johnny Frattata, a teacher at Hill Freedman Middle School where we would be visiting later that day. A teacher who cares for his students, and is willing to step up and show his commitment by being active, is exactly the type of role model and leading by example that I encourage. Good job Frattata. You the man! You're biking the bike.


With rain drizzling on and off, we headed off on our bikes. Ellen was serious faced this morning, no doubt with sore legs, but refusing to complain or even give hint that she was miserable and cold in the rain. I must admit I have not met many women who can bike as strong and for as long as she can. There is a reason I call her "Sparky" that goes beyond the fact that she works for Spark Physical Education Programs. She's a spark plug and then some.


Jeff had a big smile on his face this morning. Philadelphia is home for him, so this marked a day closer to his goal of making it across the state. He was unmistakable in his bright yellow windbreaker gliding across the fields and past the cows.

It has been over 20 years since I was in New Holland, PA. That is where I spend my childhood years amongst the Mennonites, and Amish and also where I started swimming. There was not a pool there when I was a kid, so my Dad led a fundraising effort to plan and construct one, and by the time I was eight years old, I was on the inaugural New Holland swim team. New Holland recently completed it's first ever Recreation Center, and as we passed, we took the time to stop in and track them on the Epic Tracker and take a quick tour of the facility. Scott Houck is the manager, and he provided us with some fresh coffee, and bananas for our weary muscles. A gentleman working out there informed me that his son broke one of my longstanding records that I had set as a 10 and under at the New Holland Pool. I said "That's great!! Records are meant to be broken." I was excited. It was a true homecoming, and New Holland was continuing to making inroads toward recreation and fitness. Dan the Video Man lives nearby to the Rec Center so I made a commitment to him that I would get him a membership for his new found commitment to healthy lifestyle.

Back on the bikes we passed through Amish country, and saw Amish children on their way to school, passed horse and buggies, got up close with some cows, and didn't even notice the rain because it was so wonderful to be back on these back country roads that I hadn't been biking on in two decades.

I spent a good portion of the 60 mile ride today talking with Ben Allen about our mutual enjoyment working with kids and empowering them through sport and health education. Ben is a trained sniper, FBI agent and has many incredible heroic stories to tell (and some that he cannot tell) but his true passion lies in education and prevention. He, his wife and their son live in New Jersey where they both work full time, and also own a party and events company. We discussed our ideas for sports camps, races, and biking across other states doing similar active outreach efforts with children. There is incredible potential to influence children (our future) in positive ways which is the driving force behind my Got Your Back Network foundation for children of fallen soldiers, and also the Kids Fitness Days and childhood obesity outreach.

I had never biked through Valley Forge before, so as my Dad caught up with us, we were able to take it all in- the log cabins, Washington's Army headquarters, the stone houses, and I tried to put myself back there 223 years ago and imagine what it must have felt like. Daydreaming about this, the history ended and we were spit out onto Route 23 and basically right into the PA Turnpike. "Don't go that way!", Ben yelled.
We got diverted around King of Prussia Mall, and it was a quick transition from beauty and calm to the roaring highways and sprawling parking lots of cars and stores. Ben, Ellen and I got lost once again trying to find the Radisson hotel. I had to whip out the Epic Tracker GPS device and ask some friendly citizens at the mall for directions. By the time we got to the hotel it was 1pm and we had just 30 minutes to get into downtown Philly for the assembly.

Greg Will and Steve Shultz our Penske drivers navigated the Schuylkill Expressway and in the nick of time we unloaded the bikes a few blocks away and were off to meet the students. It was another grand cheering welcome into Hill-Freedman Middle School, and I was stopped almost immediately by Ali from ABC News 6 in Philadelphia. She was on deadline, so wanted a quick interview. I asked her to stay for part of the assembly. After what she saw she was glad she did. This was our 7th and final assembly and it would turn out to be the best. Hill-Freedman was different because it was a middle school, not an elementary school, and the students had been planning and putting an incredible amount of creative effort into this assembly.

The school P.E. and Drama teacher Mr. Weiner started out the assembly in grand style by introducing Sterlen Barr, a national champion boxer and rapper who after losing two of his family members to drug overdoses, decided to put all of his efforts into rapping about positive health messages, nutrition, physical activity, and healthy lifestyles. He had the school crowd of about 200 thoroughly engaged and then he brought out his friends who did hip hop dancing like I have never seen before. Everyone in the room eyes went wide, especially the Channel 6 news reporter. She pointed at her camera man to get that on film! It was incredible. The dancers were literally dancing on their heads, and performing moves of unbelievable style and flexibility. A handful of people came up to me and told me what I tough act I had to follow. My heart began to beat fast and mouth dry. I knew it......
What followed next I did not know about, and it made my heart beat even faster. The kids put on their very own Bachelor show! 7th grader Adu was the Bachelor and had five Bachelorettes to choose from- Ms. Pepsi, Ms. Large Fries, Ms. Big Mac, Ms. Tootsie Roll and Ms. Orange. The bachelorettes strutted their stuff and tried to sway Adu, and he eventually made the healthy choice with Ms. Orange who got the final flower. All the others got apple sauce :)


As they led into my portion of the assembly, Mr. Weiner showed a clip from the movie Men of Honor starring Cuba Gooding Jr. as Master Diver Brashears- the first African American Navy Master Chief Master Diver and the first to be a Navy Diver with a prosthetic leg. When I completed Dive School in 2005 I had the chance to meet Master Diver Brashears (a year before he passed away), and it was one of the most motivating and memorable times of my life. He told me "LT Baldwin, don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't do something. Perseverance, dedication, and the will of a Navy Diver are unstoppable. Hooyah Deep Sea!" Following the incredible performances by Sheldon, the dancers, the school Bachelor skit, and then this movie clip, I was wholly unprepared as to what to do with the students, so I just proceeded straight from the heart. I related my story from the end of Dive School with the students, and found myself almost at tears up there on the stage. I spoke with them about the work I had been fortunate to do with the Surgeon General, his program Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future, what that meant to me, and how I wanted each and every one of them to commit to taking the pledge with me to lead by example in the way they live, eat, drink, sleep and take the time to be active. I was blown away by this school's dedication, creativity, and sheer desire to get involved in a social movement toward health. Perhaps it was that positive energy that gave me the strength and ability to do the Hula Hoop for the first time ever that day. I tried the Hula Hoop once, and failed, but something in my mind, from somewhere told me to try it again. I closed my eyes, focused, listened to the drum roll of the crowd, and moved those hips, and HULA HOOPED! For the first time ever! I surprised myself and for a few seconds there (according Dorie Blacksmith) was completely alone with myself just transfixed that I had finally done it. Everyone in the crowd I bet thought it was part of the act, but those in the Health Ride Crew knew that I had been trying to do the Hula Hoop all week to no avail.

This was truly a special, special day, and one that I will remember forever. The children of Hill-Freedman Middle School inspired ME today!

On to Philadelphia and the Rocky Steps tomorrow!!!