route2outsmartcancer

Trip Update, Nov. 28

Michelle hit the midpoint of her trip a few days ago in Adrian, TX, (Thanks, Fran!) and is making her way toward Albuquerque, NM. That's almost 5 states and more than 1,200 miles down! Weather permitting (tomorrow's forecast calls for snow), Michelle hopes to make Albuquerque, NM, by this weekend.

In the News: Oklahoma City Oklahoman

OKLAHOMA CITY OKLAHOMAN, NOVEMBER 21, 2006
www.newsok.com

Sister bikes Route 66 for her brother

By Ann DeFrange
Staff Writer

Michelle Thompson came through Oklahoma last week. She was riding a bicycle down Route 66, going from Chicago to L.A., like the song says; and at almost every gas station she talked to somebody about cancer. Just west of Weatherford, she logged her first 1,000 miles.

Getting a mental picture? Forget it.

Michelle Thompson is no cyclist and no athletic contender. She's a 35-year-old business woman. She isn't a Route 66 devotee; that just seemed the straightest line from point to point as winter weather lurked down the road and the road rose higher through the mountains — and she doesn't have cancer.

Her brother does. Her older brother John lives in California, where he copes with oral cancer, which has made eating and talking almost impossible, and which has become an expensive burden.

He was the brother who helped her get her first car and who always took care of other people. So Michelle and the other three siblings talked a lot about what to do to help John. When they had talked too long without coming up with an action, Michelle took a leave of absence and bought a bicycle. In October, she put her feet on the pedals and glided west.

Hooked to the back wheel of her Fuji bicycle is a light, one-wheeled trailer, called a bob; it carries a duffel bag, a tent and Michelle's gear. Like the wagon trains that crossed the prairies, she has disposed of baggage along the way; she has even traded economy-size toothpaste tubes for lighter, travel sizes. The concept of "bare minimum" has been renegotiated several times, she said.

It hasn't been easy, she said. "As hard as it is, it isn't meant to be a vacation. ... My worst day out here is better than his best."

At the beginning, "I didn't know if I would make it out of Illinois." She started out anyway. The six-week itinerary will probably be seven now, she said. But she will be in California to spend Christmas with her brother's family, and to sit back and assess what her adventure accomplished.

The good part is the acquaintances she makes along Route 66. It's a community, she's found. A lone woman on a bike with a funny little trailer is "pretty ostentatious," she said, and people don't mind asking questions. She doesn't mind answering them. Many are cancer survivors or families of cancer patients; they tell her their stories and they make pledges to her campaign and they promise to pray for John. She gets to talk about oral cancer, a generally unfamiliar topic.

"It's such a devastating cancer," she said, discovered most often in the dentist's office. Early detection can affect cures. Therefore, she can't pass up any opportunity to talk about it.

It's important she attract attention. She needs to educate people, needs to ask for donations for John's treatment, needs to set up local screenings for oral cancer. The Oral Cancer Foundation in California ignored her until she proved she was a serious activist, she said; now they're working with her. Her fund-raising goal is $50,000, a sum she figures will support her brother's family for one year.

Before she left Chicago, she created an e-mail network of girlfriends across the country. The "route posse" maintains her Web page, which includes a blog; occasionally one will meet her along the way for brief support and company.

Her Web site is www.route2outsmartcancer.com.

It's not so remarkable that Michelle Thompson is pedaling across the continent; others have done that. It's not novel to report on the fund-raising she's done for cancer patients, no matter whose brothers they are. But we rarely meet someone who acts on principles and selects the most effective process, even though it's not the most comfortable fit for her. It's good to meet a woman who sets her sights in the direction of a brother who needs her and pedals until she reaches him. It will be seven weeks that changes her life — maybe his, as well.

"I'm amazed I made it this far," she said.

Beginning the Journey, Oct. 21

Michelle left her parents' house in Glen Ellyn, IL, on October 21, 2006, with the goal of cycling approximately 2,400 miles to her brother John's home in Costa Mesa, CA.

Many thanks go out to everyone who has wished Michelle well on her journey. She is truly grateful for every single warm wish, thought, prayer and financial pledge. In fact, she is speechless at the incredible kindness of strangers.

Trip Update, Nov. 16

Michelle hit a major milestone today!
Odometer reading: 1,000 miles near Weatherford, OK

(Actual dates of this Trip Update are Nov. 7-Nov. 12:
Lebanon, MO, to Claremore, OK)
We pick up our story on Nov. 7 (we’ll try to do better keeping up) at the Munger Moss in Lebanon, MO. Michelle had the good fortune to meet Ramona and Bob, and as they say … they told somebody (Route 66 preservationist Jim Conkle) and he told a lot of great somebodies (Rod Harsh, Ron and Coleen Yockey, and Ron Jones to name a few.)

Before she knew it, the word was out: Michelle had an instant community of 66er friends. To her delight and sincere appreciation, it has been that way ever since. (Our next trip update will be all about friends of this mission.)

On Nov. 10, Michelle only racked up 30 miles, but she hit a record of three states in one day, cruising through Missouri, Kansas and into Oklahoma.

Best place to stay in Missouri when you’re in a bind: Fire station (We don’t endorse pestering safety officials, but thank you, chief!)

Favorite Route 66 landmark in Kansas: Eisler Bros. Old Riverton Store. Michelle had the “best bologna sandwich ever” here, and Scott sang a full rendition of “Get Your Kicks on Route 66.”

Route 66 “faithful” met on this leg of the journey:
~Jim Conkle, Route 66 preservationist and general manager of The Route 66 Pulse. Michelle met Jim by chance at the Munger Moss. He bought Michelle “the best hot chocolate ever,” pulled out his BlackBerry and hooked her up with countless new friends along the route.
~Bob Waldmire, a traveling artist for 37 years and Route 66 map artist extraordinaire, who graciously allowed the use of his cool Route 66 map on the homepage of this website. Michelle just happened to meet Bob at Eisler Bros., where he gave her a hug and some oatmeal cookies!
~Ron Jones, “tattoo man” of Route 66. (Ron has 48 tattoos of Route 66 landmarks all over his body! Photos to come.)

Up next: Claremore, OK, to Weatherford, OK, and more friends along the way.

Trip Update, Nov. 14

Michelle's current odometer reading: 902 miles
More updates to come very soon!

Trip Update, Nov. 7

Election Day and ... Michelle is definitely winning her race in the Ozark foothills. (We're staying apolitical in this forum!) Besides chilly weather and a few loose screws on the bike, the adrenaline is still pumping and the hills will soon be a distant memory.

# of days spent cycling in the freezing rain: 1

# of days spent hiding out from the freezing rain: 1 (a girl's gotta get some R&R!)

Favorite Route 66 landmark in Missouri: Historic Munger Moss Hotel in Lebanon. (Thanks, Ramona and Bob!) Nostalgia buffs, check out their website. It's full of cool Route 66 legend and lore. (Click on photo to enlarge. This is Michelle with Munger Moss Hotel owners Ramona and Bob.)

# of campers it took to build a really big fire for a weary cyclist: 4

# of wipe-outs as a grand entrance to the campground: 1 doozy (We're blaming this one on the bob.)

What is the bob? Formally known as Yak Bob, the bob is the trailer Michelle has hitched to her bike. Michelle has a love-hate relationship with the bob.

Trip Update, Nov. 5

Ah, the Show Me state, land of the Ozark foothills and the pleasure that comes from trying to ride your bike vertically. To put it in perspective:

Elevation of Springfield, IL: 600 ft.
Elevation of Springfield, MO: 1,310 ft.

Michelle is intrepidly tackling the mountains, and she insists she would choose the hills of Missouri over the wind of Illinois.

# of miles ridden today in the rain: 55 (more than 500 miles to date)

# of jamborees attended: 1 (The hills are alive with the sound of bluegrass music!)

Best place to stay if you can't make it to a motel: Campground laundry room. It's quite warm in between the washer and dryer (and, as Michelle points out, "Hey, a load laundry is only 50 cents.")

Trip Update, Nov. 1

Hello, Missouri!

Leaving the Land of Lincoln never felt this sweet before. With sunglasses held together with electrical tape (don't ask), Michelle cut a dashing figure trimphantly peddling under the St. Louis arch. She is closing in on 300 miles, and that is all that matters!

Here are a few answers to frequently asked questions.

What kind of bike is Michelle riding? A Fuji Touring bike.

Has she had any accidents? No, but she's been run off the road twice by motorists. Oh, and she took a tiny topple in a motel parking lot, but we think that was more related to joy (and the promise of a comfy bed) than anything else.

How is she feeling? Pretty darn good for someone who didn't train. Her cyclist friends told her the first week would be the worst and she would have to agree. Ouch. For a while there, everything hurt. But yesterday she put in 75 miles. More on this later ... she still has seven states to go!

What has been her craziest experience so far? Every day holds a new adventure, that's for sure. But this ranks right up there: Response of one motel owner when Michelle asked for a discount on a room with a leaky toilet: "This is not a full-service hotel ... now get out!" (Now that's what we call hospitality.)

In the News: Bloomington, IL Pantagraph

BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH, OCTOBER 25, 2006
www.pantagraph.com

Cyclist hopes to raise awareness of oral cancer 

By Scott Richardson
srichardson@pantagraph.com

BLOOMINGTON -- Not even Michelle Thompson’s brother can accuse her of being “prissy” anymore.

To avoid that label, John Thompson taught his little sister to ride a boy’s bicycle when they were kids.

This week, the 35-year-old Chicago woman started a bike ride on Old Route 66 that will take her nearly 2,500 miles from their parent’s home in Glen Ellyn to Costa Mesa, Calif., where her brother, 48, is undergoing treatment for oral cancer.

Her goal is to raise awareness about oral and pharyngeal cancers, which claim 8,000 lives a year. About 30,000 are diagnosed annually. She also hopes to raise $50,000 to help his family. She expects her trip, which is taking her through Central Illinois, to take at least six weeks.

“I’m not a cyclist; that’s the irony here,” said the spunky self-employed manufacturing consultant who was awaiting word on her brother’s third surgery Wednesday. “My odometer reads 150. That’s the only miles I’ve put on a bike in two years.”

The cross-country trek came about when she saw how cancer affected every aspect of her brother’s life after he was diagnosed last year. His first round of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation didn’t halt the cancer’s progress.

He underwent a second surgery which led to the loss of parts of his palate, tongue and jawbone. The latest surgery was to open his esophagus to make it easier for him to eat and drink.

“It’s a health issue. It’s a financial issue. It’s a social issue. He is relearning how to talk,” she said. “On a personal level, I want to help him fight this. I couldn’t sell enough brownies to make a difference so I decided on the bike-a-thon.”

She bought a touring bike, a trailer to haul her camping gear and all the clothes and accessories with help from Performance Bicycle, a Chicago-area cycling outlet at www.performancebike.com. A mechanic there showed her how to change a flat.

She launched Route2outsmartcancer.com to help spread the word about cancers like her brother’s and to point people toward the Oral Cancer Foundation, she said.

She hopes others will have a checkup. Early diagnosis is the key, she said.

“If it’s caught early, the cure rate is high,” she said.

How to help
Donations to Route2outsmartcancer.com can be made online or by writing:
P.O. Box 142, Glen Ellyn, IL 60138

Copyright © 2006, Pantagraph Publishing Co. All rights reserved.

READER COMMENTS ON ARTICLE:

lostabftocancer wrote on October 26, 2006 12:05 PM: "It is a wonderful thing that you are doing for your brother and his family. My many prayers will be sent to them. Pantagraph did do a good thing to let people around here know what is taking place and to help the family. Safe riding and hope that the weather is on your side. You will be greatly rewarded."

JimmyTheBuddha wrote on October 26, 2006 9:43 AM: "Good for you, Miss Thompson. And kudos to the Pantagraph for plugging her website. It sounds like it's going to be a beautiful ride."

Trip Update, Oct 30

# of states covered: 1 (well, almost!) Illinois is almost history. Michelle is approaching the Show Me State.

Favorite songs to sing while biking so far: Gambler, Proud Mary, Friend of the Devil and the occasional “Cats” show tune. (What can we say, cycling seems to have messed with her mind! When she left Chicago she was a Dave Matthews fan … we think this is a temporary setback. )

# of farmers it took to duct-tape a light on her bike: 1

# of very cold nights spent camping with a broken zipper on her sleeping bag: 1

# of Wisconsin tourists it took to fix the zipper on her sleeping bag: 2 (Yay!)

# of McDonald’s apple pies donated by well wishers: 2

Record # of financial pledges in a single pit stop: Casey’s General Store in Williamsville, IL, where store employees and customers pledged $65. Wow!

Biggest hindrance to progress: The wind!

Acts of kindness from strangers: Too numerous to mention.

Besides the 8 or so bruises, including the pesky one on her ankle that appears permanent, Michelle is doing quite well! Is she tired at the end of the day? No doubt. But she is building stamina with each passing day.

And now … It’s on to Missouri!