Joey and Jeffrey are leaving soon. I’m nervous. Who wouldn’t be if her favorite husband and stuffed animal were leaving on a 1,500 mile bike trip from Manhattan to the Great Lakes.
You heard it before. I worry about my fellow crazy Americans. I want to take out a billboard sign warning drivers to watch out for my husband who is riding a tricycle that sits low to the ground with a stuffed kangaroo poking its nose out the back. Don’t you be texting and driving! Don’t you hit my cycling do-gooder. Leave your shotguns at home!
My sweetie loves to ride all day and to talk to Americans in small towns, like the one where he grew up, population 3,900. One block in NYC has more people than the entire town he grew up in.
There is no stopping our Mr. Jeffrey. He is driven to help the stranger and to do his part to make the world a better place. While I have lots of sympathy for his need to ride and live by his values, you can understand my concern.
I fell in love with my Jeffrey when we met in college in January 1975, in large part because he had such a big heart and was so smart (true to today). After more than 33 years of marriage, I’m just not used to being away from him for more than a few days, a few days when I’m usually the one traveling for work. On his last trip, I needed the building handyman ten minutes after he left to rescue a knife stuck in a drawer.
So I ask you to to do two things!!!!
First, please read his blog. Jeffrey writes every day about his trip. Click on the “Subscribe” link at the bottom right column at rideforhumanrights.com. Leave a comment of encouragement. Tell your friends.
Second, please support his ride. You can donate to Human Rights First from his blog page. Jeffrey has dedicated his life to serving refugees and your support will mean a lot to him and to me too.
I will be watching Jeffrey’s ride and reading his blog and doing my best to feed myself while my cook is away. At least there is plenty of takeout in NYC!
Please help me wish a Bon Voyage to Jeffrey and Joey by leaving a comment on his blog.
Nancy
Ride for Human Rights 
Best wishes for a safe and fun ride! The Golds of Cranford will be following your adventures.
LikeLike
The world is a much better place
With Jeffrey and Joey on the case
But poor Nancy is all left alone
Till her Romeo finds his way home
LikeLike
Have a great ride, Jeffrey, and may the wind be at your back most of the time! I will be following your adventures, and promise to check in on Nancy too…
All the best,
Deborah Ziffer
LikeLike
Have a exciting and meaningful excursion, but be careful, there are dangerous and crazy people out there
LikeLike
Dear Joey and Jeff,
I applaud your ambitious undertaking and will follow you closely every day. Be careful in your travels, enjoy your encounters along the way, and return to Nancy in good health and the best of spirits.
Popop Freund
LikeLike
Drink plenty of water and don’t forget the Oreos!
LikeLike
Best of luck. Still too low tech to figure out donation…please put like k in a daily post! I always fret about you. But your energy and cause have carried you this far good luck this year!
LikeLike
Wishing you a very successful and very safe trip. Looking forward to following your exciting travels. Be safe !
LikeLike
Thank you all for your kind wishes. To keep up with the latest, it’s best to visit the blog, where Human Rights First plans to map our daily progress and where you can click on my picture (look for the handsome kangaroo) to donate. Soon there will a video, too: an hour-long interview distilled into 2 minutes. More than one person has suggested that we put a donation link in the body of our posts so email subscribers easily can contribute if they wish – an excellent idea. See you on the road!
LikeLike
Joey and Jeff, safe travels. I will follow your blog. This is a wonderful endeavor.
LikeLike
Good luck, Joey & Jeffrey. Hang in there, Nancy.
LikeLike
Wishing Joey and Jeff well – safe road conditions and supportive folks along the route. B’hatzlacha…
LikeLike
Wishing Jeffrey and Joey a safe a meaningful trip. Jeffrey – you are an incredible man and we are awed by your determination. We’ll watch out for Nancy in your absence, maybe even feed her a meal or two. Joey – keep your eyes and ears open and take care of Jeffrey!
LikeLike
Wishing you a safe trip, I am looking forward to reading all about your adventures in the days to come. Betsy
LikeLike
Safe, sound travels, Jeff and Joey, and mazal tov on all the graduation celebrations in your lives. I hope you have wonderful adventures along the way, and am grateful for opening my (and everyone’s) eyes to the cause of those seeking safety and asylum here. Nesiyah tovah, Marc
LikeLike
have a good ride. Be Safe….. and know we are all thinking of you (and supporting you, now that the donate link works.)
LikeLike
35 plus years after first meeting you, you remain one of my all-time favorite people! The brave one among us. Happy (and safe) trails, dear friend. Love, Ruth
LikeLike
We’ll be riding with you Jeffrey and Joey!! May the sun be shining on you. May you meet the best of people along the way and May you share your wisdom and your generous heart on behalf of human rights and all of us! Rich and Mimi
LikeLike
Happy Trails as you pedal into the sunset (and sunrises ahead)! What a great cause! Safe travels and keep your helmet on! Looking forward to the blog and wished I lived closer to Nancy so that I could help to feed her!
LikeLike
Safe travels, Jeff!!! We look forward to a dinner in the City with you and Nancy when you return, so we can hear your stories and see your pictures.
LikeLike
Best of luck, Jeffrey. Ride safe please. I noted with interest the route through the UP of Michigan. I was there 2 years ago and it is much like the Adirondacks and St. Laurence County where you grew up. You will enjoy the people. Minnetonka deerskin mocks can be mailed home. A very special part of the USA. Enjoy the trip.
Kip & Delia Thompson
Elizabethtown,NY
LikeLike
Wishing you good luck, good weather, flat roads, good food, and interesting folks along the way! You are amazing!
LikeLike
Safe travel, Jeff, on what promises to be another remarkable trip on behalf of human rights. Your dedication to this cause is truly admirable and inspiring. As always I’ll look forward to Joey’s daily posts.
ABW,
Yola
LikeLike
Godspeed!
LikeLike
So you’ll both be off on another great adventure. We cannot wait to read your interesting reports and lovely photos. Be careful out there and Joey no nodding off- keep your eyes on the road! Good luck!
LikeLike
Good Luck, I am looking forward to reading about your journey and the people you meet along the way. Safe travels
LikeLike
Jeff, excited about your pass through Buffalo. I have a question about the donation- it looks like if I donate above last year’s amount the fund will be matched. Is there an easy way to see what I gave.
LikeLike
I asked Human Rights First to let you know. Jeffrey & I look forward to seeing you in a few days!
LikeLike