Entry #5

March 29, 2004

Las Vegas, NV

“This is it” (the proposed schedule...and the holes in it):

Friday, 18-JuneLas Vegas

Saturday,19-June Camping at Grand Canyon

Sunday, 20-JunePhoenix, AZ (1)

*Need hotel for Sunday, June 20th night

Mon-Tue, 21, 22-June On the road, destinations TBA

Wednesday, 23-June Arrive in Houston

Thursday, 24-JunHouston, TX (2)

*Need hotel in Houston on 23rd and 24th

Friday, 25-Jun Arlington, TX (3)

Sat, 26th & perhaps Sun, 27th Dallas

Sun-Wed, 27-30th On the road, destinations TBA

Thursday,1-Jul Tampa Bay, FL (4)

*Need Hotel in Tampa Bay, July 1

Friday, 2-Jul Miami, FL (5)

*Need Hotel in Miami, July 2

Saturday, 3-July On the Road

Sunday, 4-JulyAtlanta, GA (6)

*Need hotel July 4

Monday, 5-July  On the road

Tuesday, 6-JulyBaltimore, MD (7)

*Need hotel July 6

Wednesday, 7-JulyPhiladelphia, PA (8)

*Need hotel July 7

Thursday, 8-JulNew York, NY (9)

*Need Hotel July 8

Friday, 9-JulBoston, MA (10)

*Need Hotel July 9

Saturday, 10-July  Niagara Falls

Sunday, 11-Jul    Toronto, CAN (11)

ALL STAR BREAK

Thursday, 15-JulDetroit, MI (12)

*Need Hotel 15-July

Friday, 16-July  TBA

Saturday, 17-JulyPittsburgh, PA (13)

*Need Hotel 17-July

Sunday, 18-July  TBA

Monday, 19-JulyCincinnati, OH (14)

Tuesday, 20-JulyField of Dreams, Dyersville, IA

Wednesday, 21-July Kansas City, MO (15)

Thursday, 22-JulyMinneapolis, MN (16)

*Need Hotel, 22-July

Friday, 23-JulyChicago, IL (17)

Saturday, 24-JulyCleveland, OH (18)

*Need hotel 24-July

Sunday, 25-JulyNew York, NY (19)

*Need Hotel -- could be outside NY on the way to Montreal

Monday 26-July 

Tuesday, 27-JulMontreal, CAN (20)

*Need Hotel on the 27th

On the road 28th, 29th

Friday, 30-JulyChicago, IL (21)

Sunday, 1-AugustMilwaukee, WI (22)

*Need Hotel in Milwaukee (?) -- May take a trip back to Minneapolis for National Parkinson Convention -- TBD

Tuesday, 3-AugustSt. Louis, MO (23)

*Need Hotel in St. Louis

Wednesday, 4-AugustOn the road

Thursday, 5-AugustDenver, CO (24)

*Need Hotel in Denver

Friday 6-August Las Vegas

Saturday, 7-AugustSan Diego, CA (25)

*Need Hotel in San Diego

Sunday, 8-AugustLos Angeles, CA (26)

*Need Hotel in Los Angeles

Monday, 9-AugustCamping in Malibu!

Tuesday, 10-AugustAnaheim, CA (27)

*Drive through the night to Oakland...

Wednesday,11-August Oakland, CA (28)

*Drive through the night to Seattle

Thursday, 12-AugustSeattle, WA (29)

*Family reunion in Seattle - On road or back in Bay at Mom and Dad’s where we don’t need the hotel so much...

Friday, 20-AugSan Francisco, CA (30)

*And that’s all she wrote...

I've been asked if the idea really came to me while watching "Field of Dreams". The answer is absolutely "yes". The original trip to see all the parks started back in 1990.

The most difficult step on any journey being the first one, I reached out to Major League Baseball. I started with their web site. I was directed to the teams individual addresses. I wrote them all my plea. To date, I've heard from the Twins and Cubs ("Sorry, can't help you) as well as the Red Sox and Mariners ("We can and would like to help you -- give us more details").

I also searched out Parkinson's Foundations. After contacting several (and still waiting on a reply from the most obvious one, the Michael J Fox Foundation), it became clear to me that the folks at the National Parkinson Foundation (and Mary Ann Sprinkle and Margaret Ann Coles, specifically), were immediately supportive of the journey. That initial support is so meaningful. It’s sort of like receiving "unconditional love" and I can't say enough kind words of thanks to them for their support.

They have already provided a few amazing contacts. Two Parkinsonians, one man in Phoenix, another in Baltimore, have reached out to me, shared their stories and told me how much they appreciate what we are doing.

I have proposed fundraising tailgate parties at the games we attend to fund our trip. Obviously, not all MLB teams have parking lots in which to tailgate, but I hope that there may be local bars or hangouts which may house similar types of events for us.

Our cash budget, as of today, is exactly $0.00. We will have hard costs and will need to deal with those -- but fortunately, this preproduction doesn't have a high expense (I’m covering the phone calls out of pocket and I have an excellent work-for-love assistant in my beautiful partner, Annamaria).

Today I faxed all the Major League teams as a follow up to the letter I sent two weeks ago. I expect to hear from more of them soon. The ones who said no? Oh yeah, I'm asking again. And I'll keep asking. Still following the Andy Dufresne line of pursuit for what I want (see my favorite movie of all-time, "The Shawshank Redemption", for this reference).

I called media relations with the Dodgers AAA affiliate here in Las Vegas, the “51’s”. I'm hoping to have a big local tailgate/fundraiser to get us started.

I also have some calls into some other connected friends with the Oakland A’s, St. Louis and San Diego. No telling what's going to stick and what's going to slide. Put it out there and let it be what it be.

The movie can be seen here. Please watch it and share it with friends. 100% proceeds benefit the Michael J Fox Foundation.