Taking A Break

Relaxing before the start of today's Sprint Cup race in New Hampshire, Hearsay is shown here in the window of the TNT cutaway car. Hearsay's hoping the race fares better than last night's Fisher Cats game, which was rained out.

(Endorsement of Judge Jeanie Houston by Turner Sports, TNT or any affiliated company is neither intended or implied.)

On The Road Again

Philadelphia.

The City of Brotherly Love, home of the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers and ... as Jesse Houston was so quick to point out ... Rocky Balboa. More importantly, Philadelphia is where the Declaration of Independence was signed. The Liberty Bell is here, too.

Somewhere.

Despite what would eventually become a 5 1/2-hour layover (that's another story entirely), Hearsay wasn't able to get out and see the sights of this incredible city. Maybe next time. In the photo above, Hearsay stops for a quick photo between gates. The plane in the background, the one with the light-blue tail, features the logo of the Carolina Panthers.

Amazingly, there were no Philly fans standing at the gate, booing the plane.

In what might very well be the coolest view he's ever had on the road, Hearsay's hotel room in Manchester overlooks left field at the home of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the AA affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Play ball!!!

World Headquarters!!!

There's support, and then there's the support of a lifelong friend.

I've known Debbie Childress -- way back when, she was Debbie Coe -- for years. We went to school together, from elementary all the way through high school. Today, she owns Debbie's Snack Bar in Hamptonville. Debbie has one of my decals on the door, another next to the cash register, and a brochure under glass.

Located on Old 421, near the intersection of New 421 and Asbury Church Rd., the snack bar is the very definition of a local institution. Then known as Welborn's Snack Bar, my parents frequented the restaurant when they dated and I've been going there for as long as I can remember ... and then some.

I'd just like to take this opportunity to thank Debbie for her backing ... and her friendship.

Green Flag!!!

With the field rolling down the frontstretch behind him, Hearsay gets ready for the start of today's Sprint Cup race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.

Hearsay Hits California!!!

After a 4 a.m. wakeup call to hit the road -- or the airways, whichever the case may be -- Hearsay finally made it to the San Francisco area Saturday afternoon, California time.

Hearsay's first stop was the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Opened in 1937, the legendary structure would cost approximately $1.2 billion in today's currency. At 4,200 feet in length, it's the seventh-longest suspension bridge in the world.

And ... there are 600,000 rivets in each of the bridge's famous towers. In the top photo, Hearsay gets a little help from a fellow tourist overlooking the bridge.

In the second photo, Hearsay is shown with Alcatraz Island in the background (just to the right of his ear). For years one of the most notorious prisons in the world, Alcatraz was "home" to a host of infamous criminals -- Al Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly and Robert Stroud, the "Birdman of Alcatraz."

At least three movies have been based on the island -- Escape From Alcatraz, starring Clint Eastwood; The Rock, with Sean Connery, Nicholas Cage and Ed Harris; and Murder in the First, with Christian Slater and Kevin Bacon.

Stay tuned for more ... you never know where Hearsay's going to turn up next!!!

Next Up For Hearsay ...

Somehow, Hearsay managed to sneak past security guards to make his way into the production truck for TNT's pre-race show in Michigan.

The truck is pretty amazing, with monitors and speakers and computers and Heaven only knows how many wires running all over the place. There's a green room for on-air talent to rest and relax ... and hey, comedian Bill Engvall was just spotted outside.

How cool is that?

Introducing Hearsay the Monkey

Hearsay the Monkey is hitting the road this summer, traveling the country to see what he can see and to do what he can do. You never know where he might end up next, so be sure to check back often to catch up with Hearsay's adventures.

On his first stop, Hearsay is shown here just outside Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.

Normally, the facility is known as "The Big House," and for good reason. With an official seating capacity of more than 108,000, the home turf of the University of Michigan is HUGE. A crowd of 112,118 on hand for a 2003 game against archrival Ohio State still ranks as the largest in the history of NCAA football.

However, for North Carolinians, Michigan Stadium is better known as the place where Appalachian State University put a whuppin' on the Wolverines on Sept. 1, 2007. Go Mountaineers!!!

Back At Work

I just wanted to update everybody on how things are going with my recovery.

We got some great news from Dr. Albertson late last week. Of the numerous lymph nodes that he removed, only one came back with thyroid cancer. Hopefully, since the node has been removed, no other treatment will be needed. I'll have a couple of checkups this summer and go from there.

Trust me. Being completely isolated following radioactive iodine ablations is no fun. I've had to do that twice, and I really dreaded the thought of doing so a third time. One can only scrapbook so much.

That said, I'm able to keep my disease in perspective. What I've been through has been easy compared to what survivors of other types of cancers face every day.

Also, I returned to the bench today in Yadkin County. I'm still sore from the surgery, and expect I will be for the time being. Still, it was good to get out of the house and back into the swing of things.

Finally, I want to thank everybody for all their calls and cards, and most importantly, prayers. It's funny, but a quick note or an e-mail, a visit, a call ... whatever ... can mean so much.

A Note From Rick

Jeanie's surgery yesterday went well, and we returned home as expected this morning.

Dr. Albertson removed a chain of lymph nodes from her neck, and will determine a course of further treatment once the pathology report is returned later this week. She underwent a biopsy a month or so ago that revealed at least a few cells from her previous bout with thyroid cancer still remained.

We truly appreciate the support she's received from family and friends in the past few days. The cards ... the calls ... the visits ... when you're going through something like this, such things have an incredible impact. Please remember us in your prayers.