The Marsh family and I would like to thank the following people for all of their help:

    Jayma, Kim and Eric of Cycle Design in Phillipston Ma. (www.cycledesignonline.com) for all their help spreading the word and gearing me up for the trip.  Literally.  Jayma, because she is always so generous.  Kim for her efforts in spreading the word through her road racing connections and conducting the first raffle, and Eric for coordinating the local news papers.  If I needed something, Cycle design got it for me.  Simple as that.

     Jeff and Eric Wood of Penguin Roadracing school in Winchendon Ma. (www.penguinracing.com) for their generous donations towards the raffles of free tuition to their classes.  If you want to learn how to road race or just be a better, smoother, safer rider on the street, then step right up.  This is the place to do it. It’s inexpensive and invaluable in improving your riding abilities.  What is more fun than ripping around a race track and learning to be a better rider at the same time?  All you “squids” and “sport riders” out there, stop talking about it and do it.  Let some experts show you how to do it right! You won’t be disapointed.

    Cindy, Jennifer and Harry of Heli Modified inc. in Cornish ME. (www.helibars.com) for their contribution to the raffle and for saving my back and wrists over 10,000 miles.  Heli’s handlebars saved me from certain torture.  Maybeline’s stock handlebars were meant to disjoint your wrists and lower back over time.  Heli’s bars were a bit higher and angled better to a more natural position for your wrists.  They were quality made, installed easily and I didn’t lose a thing in handling.  A well thought out design.  Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

     J.T. of Zero Gravity corp. in Camarillo CA (www.zerogravity-racing.com) for another generous donation to the raffle to help out Morgan, Tristan, and Liam.  Also for promptly sending a replacement windscreen to Wendover Utah when Maybeline had her unfortunate incident.  I had E-mailed J.T. along with several other potential sponsors/contributors while planning this trip.  J.T. personally called me back within a couple of days willing to jump on board to help a good cause.  This, to me is a statement about Zero Gravity corp., considering we are on opposite ends of the country and have never met.  Maybelines new windscreen was more suited for touring, priced right, good quality and unlike some other manufacturers bolted on just like the original in minutes. (twice)  Thanks J.T.

     Pete Giammalvo of Sideways Promotions in Winchendon MA (www.sidewayspromo.com) for helping spread the word through the dirt track racing community.  And that is a community.  Check out the schedule on the sideways site and come see the grass roots racing.  For a few bucks you get to see some real warriors bang bars for some of the best racing you can find.  Just as exciting, and a bonus is watching the young kids starting out tearing it up.  It is always a good time.  Thank You Pete for keeping it alive and in the public eye.  

  A big Thank You to Barbara Buckley for setting up the group on Facebook as I am deeply, techicnicalisticly challenged. (see what I mean.) And to my wonderful, patient, wife Ellen as she held down the fort, and spent many late nights posting the blogs.

  These people and their companies listed above are a class act and we want them to know how much it is appreciated.

        Thank you from Gail, John, Morgan, Tristan, & Liam and thanks again from Mick & Ellen