Emily - June 14, 2007

THIS IS THE STORY OF HOW I ENDED UP PEDALING ACROSS THE USA IN 2007, AT AGE 58. I DID IT AGAIN FOUR YEARS LATER. I THINK I’LL DO IT A THIRD TIME, WHEN I HIT 75 IN 2024. 

I DON’T WANT TO WASTE MY YOUTH. 

Dedicated to my lovely daughter.

Emily, bottom, getting a hug from sister Sarah.

Emily

(June 14, 2007)

 

In just a few days I will begin my trip across the United States to raise money for diabetes research.

 

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One of the darkest times our family has ever faced.

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Emily, 17, our youngest daughter, was diagnosed as a type-1 diabetic in March 2005 – one of the darkest times our family has ever faced.

Still, we consider ourselves lucky. Emily had been healthy all during childhood; and we could feel for those whose children were diagnosed early. Emily was old enough to give herself her own shots...old enough to understand what risks were involved...but not so old she wasn’t scared.

We have been lucky since, too. Our daughter has never once let a complaint slip her lips. She knew from the start that being diabetic would change her life and might change her future. So she set her mind on making the best of a bad situation. I will have more to say about her in future postings. For now I can only say that her mother and I are very proud of her.

Here are a few basics of my plan. I have a family reunion in New Jersey the weekend of June 15-17. The next day my brother drops me off along the coast. Bicycling tradition says you should dip your back wheel in the ocean where you start and dip your front wheel in the ocean where you finish. I expect to complete my trip to Oregon in roughly two months.

Loveland community support has been tremendous. I have raised a little more than $10,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Anyone who would like to donate may make out a check to JDRF.

Send checks to my home address:

John Viall
750 Woodbine Avenue
Glendale, Ohio 45246

 

*I am adding notes here, in 2022, because I’m thinking of doing another cross-country ride in the future. Emily is doing fine. She’s a nurse, and has identical twin boys, a year old. Anything in italics is added. 

In the summer of 2007, I had one year left in my teaching career, spent entirely at Loveland Middle School, in Loveland, Ohio. I told my students about my plan for this ride, and, as I’ll explain later, they pitched in and helped me raise funds.

Prosper and Story. Emily's identical twin boys.