AMPUTEES ACROSS AMERICA

Lukas, AJ, and Abel discover the Rosetta Stone on the beaches of California, from which they will begin their ride.

Luke impresses Abel when he performs 500 arm presses without making hardly any scratches on Abel's new truck.

AJ laughs at her own feeble attempt at a joke while Paige doesn’t think it was very funny at all.

Kathleen Smith (CEO), Luke, OC Register Photographer Jebb Harris, and AJ

Luke scratches his chin in amazement as AJ teaches Jebb Harris how to do “Here’s the church, here’s the steeple, open the door, and here are the people.” Kathleen loses interest because she wanted AJ to play patty-cake instead.

Paige and her mom. We think they are two beautiful ladies.

Kathleen Smith (CEO) and Lee Fallon (DMO) politely ask the riders to move up their departure as they had already eaten all the food and misappropriated over 42 tubes of chapstick.

Luke pouts after AJ got the pretty pink hat that he wanted. AJ tells Luke that pink hats are for girls.

A picture of the crowd at the Tustin facility

The riders present Paige with a girly pink hat making her an honorary member of the group. Luke continues to pout. Paige truly is AAA’s biggest fan!

While Paige signs autographs for Luke, he’s busy daydreaming and regretting his lost opportunity. Last night he decided to stay in and order pizza instead of heading to the pool with the girl’s softball team from next door.

AJ tries to teach Lorraine how to do the latest dance craze: The Bilateral Boogie. After AJ’s dance, Paige is ashamed to be known as a bilateral and turns away in disgust. Upon observing AJ’s behavior, Paige’s mother anxiously whisks her away so that she doesn’t learn any more bad habits. She was heard muttering “Don’t talk to STRANGE-ers!”

Lorraine has been working hard and enjoys taking a short break. Luke is STILL pouting about not having a pink hat and, in show of defiance, decides to sign all subsequent posters upside-down. Lorraine’s physical therapist puts “standing on head” on her list of tasks to accomplish in order to read Luke’s message of encouragement.

Not finding the facilities sanitary enough to use, Luke claims that Joe told him to just go anywhere. He decides to christen Abel’s truck. Abel is heard muttering to himself that travelling with Joe last year was bad enough but this year promises to be even better.

With a look of indignation about Abel's mutterings, using all his wits, Luke puts on his Camel Back prior to his 5-mile ride. Unfortunately, he forgot to add the most important feature: water. Boy, those Colorado boys sure are smart!

After being kicked out of the truck, Luke tries to decide where to go next. He can read so he doesn’t need any stinkin’ GPS. Two hundred ninety-eight hours later, he decides to turn around when he reaches Ontario, Canada.

Luke on the bike

029: The riders have heard that “Good cheese comes from happy cows. Happy cows come from California.” Abel tries to ask the cows if they are happy, but the only response he gets is “moo.”