Bill & Jaynee at El Tour 2009.

What a great treat to be feeling good again and compete at a huge event weekend with your most special partner.
Jaynees special street in American La Can Ya Da
but in Canadian dialect with accent La Canada.



Bill, Jaynee & Chris stop on Oracle to pick up Chris's new El Tour Kit won in the NY Life prize drawing.




Jaynee Back Seat Driver supervise Chris & Bill up Oracle Road after race.

Bill & Jaynee at 2009 El Tour Finish line after race.

November 21, 2009 El Tour De Tucson

We arrived at the Tucson Civic Center on Friday to pick up our race packets and visit with sponsors, friends and associates.

Race Director Richard DeBernadis brought us over to the book signing to introduce Chris, Jane and me to Greg Lemond and Jane & Greg W who collaborated on a Champions book.

Having watched Greg Lemond in several Tour De France races it was nice to visit with him.

He told us of his mother passing away waiting for a life saving Liver Transplant and that he lives with limited kidney function. Probably needing a Kidney Transplant one day.






El Tour De Tucson is usually the end of our Cycling Race Season each year. For me it is just the beginning as I have been under the weather since Spring 2008. This year El Tour had a total entry of over 8,200 Cyclists for the different race segments of 109, 85, 65 or 36 miles. The whole adventure is always a highlight of the year.
Coming back from 18 months I would like to forget, just training was a treat much less competing on Team SynCardia Cycling. Riding well with only 9 previous rides on the bike leading up to the race.

The 36 mile version of El Tour begins at 12:30 PM in Oro Valley, AZ.
With Kidney TX Chris Paxton visiting from KC, Mo. and competing in his second El Tour.
We checked our bikes as we prepared for the start.

Chris had flown in on Thursday morning from KC. Our first stop to Landis Cyclery in Tempe to visit with Dave Kuhlman, GM of Landis who so helps and supports our efforts.
Dave had arranged Chris's new Trek Madone and Chris needed a new Bike computer.
THat afternoon we stopped by the Scottsdale Shea Landis with great help from Perry adjusting Chris's new computer. Perry had also put brand new Zipp 303's on my Madone for the race.

My bike rode like a dream.

Also riding with us Liver recipient (World Champion Swimmer) team mate Dianne Miller in her first El Tour on Bike Patrol as she is a trained Ski Patrol first responder.
We stayed at the Millers lovely Oro Valley home.

The long and winding road to the finish downtown 36 plus miles later.

Ride by John Miller Diannes Husband and my lovely Girl Friend Jaynee our crack Photo & Video crew.

Round the final corner and sprint to the finish line unofficialy 128th out of 1,400 Cyclists.


After each major race it is always so much fun to gather with Team SynCardia after the finish to visit and chat.

Team Director Sportif Dr. Marvin Slepian and other friends and team mates.

Saturday night brought a lovely celebratory dinner at the Millers.


Sunday morning a quick breakfast fun at Claire's Cafe in Catalina, AZ.
Friend, cyclist, Kidney TX, Brain Cancer survivor joining us for Breakfast and new friend also Claire Johnson, Executive Chef and owner of the Cafe.

Then back to Scottsdale. Time for an awesome Lunch compliments of Chris and Jack Stack Q from KC, Mo.



So Chris could unpack, break down his bike, back into the Bike Pro for the trip home.

Back to sky harbor phoenix airport to complete an almost perfect weekend.

History Channel TV Show "That's Impossible" Eternal Life World Premier July 2009

http://www.history.com/video.do?name=Thats_Impossible&bclrid=fullepisodes

September 2009 Phoenix Magazine Best of Issue

Phoenix Magazine September 2009 Cover, Best of Issue




Bill at the Pool after workout.




A Change of Heart BY David Liebowitz





Story written by David Liebowitz Scottsdale, AZ Summer 2009.

Magazine Story September 2009

Bills Photo Shoot on Scottsdale Ranch, AZ.





Bills second Heart the SynCardia Cardio West Total Artificial Heart.
Lycra Plastic Left & Right Ventricles.







Brady Michaels the Up and Coming Hollywood Actor/ Aerial Stunt Man Bills Heart Donor
February 22, 2000.

One month to Escape 2009.

June 14th will bring the 2009 "Escape From Alcatraz" Deemed the Toughest most Technical Triathlon in the World it is something to respect and be in awe of.
Last year in the 55 degree water 3.5 mph current (2,100 exceptional Triathletes by qualification or invitation only) Irish Transplant Athlete Turlough O'Hagan excited the water about 96th place about 2.5 minutes behind two time Winner Olympian Andy Potts.



Followed by Geof McCracken (Ireland),Ray Velasco (USA)and Steve Deakin MBE another UK Athlete on our World Team. Our friends at the CAF lost Stevies prosthetic legs for over 10 minutes he searched before the run to Marina Green.



If you look in the blue outfit to the left of Steve you will see our friend Sara Reinersen chasing him.
Steve was recently honored with the MBE from Queen Elizabeth.



After the tough cold swim and run up to the Marina Green from Saint Francis Yacht Club it is the Cyclist's time. John Fairbanks here with US Army PR People. John the only Heart Transplant on Active Duty with our US Army.



Our two "Team Dummies" Stanford University Medical School Professor, Kidney TX, PHD and Cardiologist and very strong Cyclist Dr. Randy Stafford of Pal Alto.
Liver Transplant Recipient, Nuclear Physicist from Livermore Laboratories where he plots and photographs Nuclear Explosions Jerry Benterou.



Bill Wohl of Scottsdale, AZ. with cover girl Inspirational Speaker, Ironman, my hero Sara Reinertsen.



Our four World Elite TX Teams battled up and back as we headed over to the run.
Team II Bill , Ray and Chris Domine, Kidney TX, Ironman, Restaurant MGR from S.F. ran inspired getting us in the money with ruuner up rocks for the second year with a 2:46net time finish.



Next was Dennis Lee of Alameda for TeamIV.
Then Team III runner from Liverpool, Kidney TX Kathy Cross totally lost it as she ran down the finish chute
as she heard her Daughter shout " Go MUM."
Stevie D. had secretly arranged it all.



Team Number I had John Fisher of London, England come in next as the time hunting for Stevies Legs never was made up.
John does some great Donor Awareness Activities in the UK and competes all over the Globe in Major Running Events.



What a Great Event as our Thanks Go out to
Terry Davis and all our Friends at Tri California
for allowing us to Experience this World Class Event.



Our Thinks to Team Velasco, Heather, Greg, Nike etc. and all those that made it happen for our 2008 Great Adventure at the Escape From Alcatraz.



On to 2009 Escape
June 13th & 14th as we also begin Prep for 2010
showing Transplantation
Works World Wide. Two Kidney TX and a Heart TX Runner Up two Years Straight.


Cheers.
Bill.

April is Donor Awareness Month in the US.

On Tuesday April 14, 2009 we visited the Arizona State Capitol For a Donor & Recipient Honoree Garden on the lawn in front of the House of Representaties.



What a Beautiful Day and Venue for this Event.





So nice to be one of the Honorees for the Garden.



Some of you might remember Kirby Puckett another Scottsdale Recipient Former MLB Star.


Two Former UMC Escapees, having survived both on the Cardio West Total Artificial Heart and on to a Donor Heart. Leo Corbett Former President of the Senate, Head of the Corporation Commission, Governatorial Candidate and now Head of the New Life Society.