Elmhurst Trip Intro

October 2, 2008

Helloooooooooo Bobsled Fans!!!!

Cheers to having a great weekend! Ok just as a warning this blog may be a little long so it’s ok if you need to take a bathroom, water or television break (for my gamers TV break includes all video games) LoL but just remember to finish reading the blog cause this is good stuff!!!! This Blog is actually in six parts so please continue to read all the blogs titled Elmhurst Trip.

God continues to bless me with opportunities on numerous levels. After 16 months I was finally able to make it back home to Chicago for six days (normally if I get a chance to get home it’s only for a few hour lay-over at O’Hare, so this was huge) thanks primarily to International Contractors Inc, http://www.iciinc.com/ one of my new sponsors who brought me in and Dr. John Jevitz my chiropractic friend from Elmhurst who set things up for me!

The story begins in a small town of Radiator Springs (direct reference to the movie Cars) where the evil Ogre had been attacking this village for more than a thousand years…..Oh sorry wrong story it is way to late for me to be typing this!!! LoL

Seriously now, this is how my recent trip to Elmhurst began. Every year the USA Olympic Training Centers rotate athletic trainers, massage therapist, and chiropractors, in and out of the facilities for approximately two week stints each rotation. This is actually a good learning experience for these medical professions and a sacrifice, since they are not paid to be there. On this particular rotation I had the pleasure of meeting John Jevitz (Doc Jev) a Chiropractor from Elmhurst, Illinois. Elmhurst is the Number One ranked suburb outside of Chicago (45 minutes from the city), and if you ever visit you will understand why it’s such a GREAT place!! I honestly met some really great hardworking blue collar minded people. Everyone I met welcomed me with open arms and their sincerity was true! It did not matter if I was talking to a waitress or CEO of a company there was no arrogance unwillingness to talk with me, the people I met in Elmhurst had good hearts and were quality people. But I digress, so while Doc Jev was working on the tendonitis occurring on my right patella tendon we began talking about where we were from and our background. This of course when we realized we were both from the Chicago area. We got to talking about football and how I got into bobsledding, and Doc Jev’s office and things, you know friendly convo.

Doc Jev asked me when the next time I would be in Chicago (this was Ironic cause I had been thinking of a way to get back home before team trials to see my family and friends), I informed him that the last time I was in Chicago was about 16 months ago and that was on a 18hr layover I booked just to see my family. I explained how erratic my travel/training schedule is every making it hard for me to get home and that I have to decide between the trips I want to take and the ones I need to take primarily due to funding. Doc Jev told me that he may be able to help me out but I need to get him some dates that I could come into the Chicago Area. Doc Jev thought it would be a great I deal if while I was home visiting family that I could talk at a few schools and groups in the area about bobsledding, commitment, team work, faith and work ethic. I thought that would be a great ideal especially since not many people know about the sport of bobsledding, and I liked the idea of informing people about my sport. I told Doc Jev that due to testing the only dates I could possibly be in the area were September 18-23. Doc Jev told me he would see what he could set up between now and then!

Just for the record in dealing with the level of sports that I have been in the majority of my life I have run into hundreds of people who say they want to do this, or have me do that, and this should be easy and so on and so forth! So honestly I thought this was another one of those times. Doc Jev seemed sincere enough but I was a little skeptical (sorry Doc Jev but I had my doubts). I say this with strong conviction Doctor John D. Jevitz OF ELMHURST http://www.docjev.com/ IS WORTH HIS SALT!!! THROUGH AND THROUGH. Doc Jev calls me a week later and tells me “Jesse I did not have that much time to set up things, and that he is still working on some things but this is what I have for you so far!” I am thinking ok that’s cool and expect him to say one or two things, NOT THE CASE he tells me about TEN different things in a minute as far as places that want to hear me speak and people who would like to meet me and not only that but that one of his friends Bruce Bronge President of International Contractors, Inc would be able to take care of my flight!!! Yeah that’s what I thought… I was amazed!!! I was like thanks God, you are doing your thing for me, big Time.

The next couple of weeks Doc Jev and I were on the phone every few of days confirming the schedule. I was also talking to several other people and business about appearances I was going to make!!! YEAH THAT’S RIGHT I MAKE APPERANCES NOW..LOL! I let them know what you need and I will have my people talk to your people who in turn talk to their people’s people! LoL. Seriously, though they wanted to know what I needed for my presentation and demonstrations that I would be doing, what time I would be there and so forth.

Doc Jev and I continued to talk even while I was up in Canada training just to make sure we were still on the same page. After Push Championships I was able to get in a good week of training in Colorado Springs before I needed to fly to Chicago/Elmhurst on the 17th. The flight to O’Hare went well and I landed in Chicago about 7:30pm. I then waited around for the Avis bus to come pick me up and take me to my rental car. Now I think picking up a rental car is very easy for most people. Uhm yea….I am not most people when it comes to travel and the easy things!

First of all I have two huge bags with me, a carryon bag that rolls and my laptop! Now since I am not a preferred Avis member I do not get dropped off in front of my car, instead I get dropped off at the regular car pick up. And of course when I get of the bus there are no carts for me to place my bags on, so I have to run back and forth till all my bags are together (this was really fun, I recommend it if you are bored! NOT!!) Then guess what after I get everything over I see a cart inside the building…Exactly! This is when you just smile and say “Yup that’s about right”! Ok, so now I have my cart with my bags on it, I finished up my paperwork then headed out to get my car in the sea of vehicles which is the rental lot! I began my journey to the place where my car is supposed to be. One problem there is a mini-van in the spot. (WHAT ARE YOU KIDDING ME WHAT IS THIS!!! That’s what was going through my head) I did not request a mini-van by the way. I run back to the rental counter pushing my cart of bags with me (just a little push training), they then tell me the correct number where my car…hey thank you so much now I can actually leave! No…I did not say it but I wanted to!

I leave the rental place about 9pm and head to my parents house, oh and did I mention I NEVER TOLD MY PARENTS I WAS COMING HOME! SURPRISE! LOL I ring the door bell and my father looks out he looks twice (not sure if he could not believe it was me or because it was dark out….lol I am kind of hard make see at that time of night J, I have been working on my tan). As my father is looking through the door I see he realizes it me and in the background I hear my mom asking him who’s at the door. My father says “I am not sure, I can’t see” he then lets me in; I walk up the stairs to my mother’s surprise and give her a hug! It was pretty cool actually my mom and pops were smiling from here to there! I gave my pops a manly embrace, talked a bit and went downstairs to sleep.