I just had a great idea thanks to Jonathan King's kind but somewhat lame
idea. . . (He probably has an unattractive, spinster daughter he wants
to foist off on somebody!)

Just to show how all professional cyclists are cool dudes, I offer to
ride in support for your favorite charity. If you can organize and
collect 100 dollars for every mile I ride from August 1 through Dec 31,
2007. I'll document and certify my miles and you can donate the
collected money to your favorite charity(s).  I'll peddle my buns and
legs of steel, washboard abs and handsome face off as I usually do and
plan to log at least 5-6 thousand training miles during that time. One
of you who has a luxury RV (leaves out Jonathan King and his old
Mini-Winnie, I'm afraid) would have to volunteer to act as mobile
charity headquarters to coordinate everything. Must be able to pass a
background test and all donations would have to be deposited to an
escrow account daily (never trust an RVer).

Donations would come fast and furious once my good name and reputation
is revealed.  You will even be allowed to make and use video interviews
and on-the-road training reports of me.  You could organize pep rallies
I'd be willing to grace with my presence to sign autographs, etc. Your
RV would have to be equipped with Internet access via a pcmcia card like
the one Verizon or T-Mobile has so you can get hi-speed Internet from
their networks which cover most of the U.S.A. Your job would be to
create a website and organize a network of RVers who would contact as
many other RVers and RV supporters as possible to get donations, either
lump sum or per mile, from all concerned and to compile a list and give
credit for all donations (corporations will donate more freely if they
know they can reap some positive publicity). The sum of all donations
(90% - no administration fees and only 10% for me - to keep me motivated
so I crank out max miles) would be donated in the name of your RV
organization(s) and my professional team. (For example - - RV Club of
America / Team CSC).

There's only one catch. You'll have to give me a chance to have my
lawyer(s) check the fine print in my contract(s) to see if this type of
charity work is allowed. I can't think of where it might be excluded but
those contracts do have tons of fine print where a rider can't do this
or that or other. They tend to want exclusive rights to their riders
even outside of the races especially if they are talented, up and coming
domestiques with a bright future like me who happen to show great
potential and might well become a name-recognized star in the mold of an
Eddy Merckx, L. Armstrong, P. Bettini, M. Pantani, R. McEwen, F. Landis,
T. Danielson, G. Hincapie, T. Hamilton, T. Boonen, S. O'Grady, I. Basso,
L. Leipheimer, D. Zabriskie, D. Rebellin, M. Cipollini etc. in the years
to come.

Shad O'Shay