19 more days...

OK. Now we're getting down to the wire.  Good news today - "Brownie's on the River" has agreed to come on board as a sponsor (thanks to the help of our own Dave Draper).  Brownie's has been our after swim meal spot for several years - they have always been friendly and supportive and now it's official.  Please check them out - they are an institution on Lake St Clair just north of Nine Mile Rd. It is also a great place to party on the weekends.  Just a great spot - with excellent food. 

Also new this year is Premier Nutrition. They offer food and beverage products that are great-tasting, have compelling functional benefits and appeal to a broad range of people pursuing healthy lifestyles, including old guys swimming across lakes.  We will be carrying their products on board and using them during the swim.

 offer food and beverage products that are great-tasting, have compelling functional benefits and appeal to a broad range of people pursuing healthy lifestyles. - See more at: http://www.premiernutrition.com/#sthash.PoAo97XQ.dpuf

We offer food and beverage products that are great-tasting, have compelling functional benefits and appeal to a broad range of people pursuing healthy lifestyles. - See more at: http://www.premiernutrition.com/#sthash.PoAo97XQ.dpuf

Just wanted to put another picture in here about why I do this.  Rickie is my guy - and my hero.  He is starting to get into swimming himself - and recently did back to back lengths of the pool in 25 seconds.  I was extremely impressed.  He is going with us again this year on the boat - and he can't wait.  The picture shows the Detroit Athletic Club pool - one of the finest clubs in the country.  Before moving to Atlanta, I swam probably 2000 miles in that pool.  It was my therapy when we learned about Rickie's cf.  In the beginning you just don't know what the disease is like or what it will mean.  So I swam - a lot. Great exercise, great therapy, and if you're lucky enough to be at the DAC, great pool...

I'll report soon on the other swimmers - assuming they want to be reported on.  More later. 

It's getting close - just over three weeks left... For some reason this one feels more difficult than the rest.  Maybe because I'm another year older. Maybe because my shoulders are toast after swimming, maybe 2000 miles in the last 6 years.  But, I am looking forward to another great crossing.  Saw an article where a guy was fined $500 for swimming across the Detroit River.  The fine was levied because he crossed a shipping channel, which seems odd, because sailboats can cross shipping channels without penalty, and they aren't terribly fast either.

I'd like to welcome my friends from Atlanta as well as our old friends from Detroit.  If you're from Atlanta, you will soon be able to donate to the CF Center for Excellence (Emory University).  They are building the preeminent CF center in the country (you fans of U of M's Mott's Children's Hospital can question that assertion) and have been excellent to Rickie.  I have just agreed to sit on the Community Board of the CF Center. In addition, in partnership with the Center, and with the CF Foundation down here, we are hosting a "Hack for CF", which is a hackathon focused on cf.  "Hackforcf.com" will be up shortly for more information.

If you have any questions, on the swim or on the "Hack for cf" please feel free to email me at "ric @ 4731solutions . com.

All the best, Ric