Name = Lance F. Leach

Email = lancefleach@gmail.com

Message =
Sam has been my hiking companion on over a dozen different trails in
the Sonoran Desert Mountains with the Trilogy at Power Ranch Hiking
Club.  Today I placed Sam on a “crested” saguaro cactus in San Tan
Regional Park.  Only 1 in about 250,000 saguaros grows to be
“crested” and biologists do not know why.  The San Tan trail where
the “crested” saguaro is located is a very popular one, so I hope
Sam gets found real soon.

John,
 
Sue and I went to Jordan last week and I left a Sam Stone at the Petra monument.  You'll have to turn some of these pictures through 90 degrees
 

Hugh Varilly

was where God took Moses up from the plains of Moab to the mountain of Nebo and the Lord showed him the Promised Land but told him he'd not go there. And Moses died there and is buried in the valley – nobody knows where his grave is. The stone is placed in a wall which faces out where Moses would have seen the Promised Land.
 
 

John,
 
The final Stone was left at Wadi Rum, Jordan, which is where Lawrence of Arabia and King Faisal (brother of King Abdullah I of Jordan) based their guerilla army while fighting the Ottoman Turks. I put it in the back of a big piece of sandstone on which were carved images of Lawrence and King Abdullah

Name = jill lyons

Email = jpl.lyons@gmail.com

Message =
I’ve left a couple of sam stones, and have never logged them in :-).
One is in a lovely garden behind Notre Dame in Paris France…  It
wasn’t where I thought I would leave it in France, but it is a special
garden filled with light and love.  People who go there seem to want
to take a little extra time to appreciate the natural beauty of Paris;
I think that’s why it called me.  The other sam stone is on Mount
Philo.  There’s a cool little cave on the walking trail… I feel a
bit adventurous when I go there, and that’s one of the things Sam
inspires me to do… find what I love, explore my edges…. enjoy
life.   🙂

Name = jill lyons

Email = jpl.lyons@gmail.com

Message =
I've left a couple of sam stones, and have never logged them in :-).
One is in a lovely garden behind Notre Dame in Paris France…  It
wasn't where I thought I would leave it in France, but it is a special
garden filled with light and love.  People who go there seem to want
to take a little extra time to appreciate the natural beauty of Paris;
I think that's why it called me.  The other sam stone is on Mount
Philo.  There's a cool little cave on the walking trail… I feel a
bit adventurous when I go there, and that's one of the things Sam
inspires me to do… find what I love, explore my edges…. enjoy
life.   🙂

Name = Cheryl Leach

Email = cherylrleach@gmail.com

Message =
Dear Mom & Dad
I took a really, really cool ATV ride near Florence, Arizona on April
5, 2011 with friends Cheryl, Lance, Pat, Ed, Janatte, and Dave.  It
was a hot and sunny day and I had so much fun.  I was in Cheryl's
pocket most of the time and she took many photos of me along the way.
We rode a 37 mile loop which followed old gold and silver mining
trails from the late 1800's and early 1900's.  We saw giant saguaro
and ocotillo cactus, Indiana rock art and an old stagecoach post
office.  When we reached the bottom of Box Canyon, Cheryl left me
sitting on a rock, under the petroglyph rock art.  I learned that Box
Canyon is 7 miles long and at many points only 10-15 feet wide with
many cliffs reaching nearly 900 feet high!.  I had the time of my life
and hope someone finds me soon and reports back on my next adventure.
Love Sam, but written by Cheryl

Name = Tyler Otis

Email = gotylerotis@gmail.com

File attached = Unknown-1.jpeg

Message =
I found a sam stone that had been sitting in my car for about a year
as I was driving from Colorado to Tahoe the other week. I was cruising
though the Bonneville salt flats in Utah when I stumbled upon it. This
place was amazing, I've never seen anything like it, so I tossed the
stone into the flats. It seemed appropriate. Amazing place, amazing
kid. Much love

ello John!

I was having some trouble uploading my pictures/story on the samstone website but did want to share my wonderful experience.

I received my SamStone 1 day prior to tackeling my biggest athletic acheivement to date: The Tempe, AZ Ironman Race.  Yes.  Just prior to setting out to complete a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and a 26.2 mile run, I received a Samstone from a family friend, Cheryl Leach.  Admittedly, I was a little skeptical when she asked me to carry a rock with me on the 140.6 mile journey.  Afterall, I had spent the last year training and spending money to be the lightest, fastest, and most aerodynamic I could be!!  She briefy shared the touching story behind the special stone and I was committed. I could not pass it up.  What touched me most is how your family in its darkest time made one of the greatest gifts of all:  donating Sam's organs.  I have been active in the Donate Life campaign and hearing your family's story renewed my interest and commitment to this life-saving cause.  Thank you for the gift.

Where is Sam you ask?  Well. 2 places actually.  One stone started with me in the leg of my wetsuit.  He saw a beautiful sunrise and jumped in a balmy reservoir the morning of November 21st.  He then joined my second stone in my bike bento box (along with gels, salt tabs, and a Cliff bar)  as I set off into the Tempe desert.  At mile 73 (when I was 100% sure I was going to finish this race) I dropped one stone at a breathtakng location in the desert very near a modest memorial site for someone that passed away.  Sam #2 finished my bike ride, transitioned into my tri top pocket and hit the road for the marathon.  After seeing the same sun we started the day together viewing set againest the moutains, Sam and I turned the corner and bolted into the straight away to complete the ultimate atheletic test: THE IRONMAN.  Sam and I finished in 12hours and 2 minutes.  Now my SamStone sits next to my Ironman Finisher medal.  We did it!!!!

Thank you for sharing and I look forward to checking back often to see where Sam's travels bring him next.

God Bless,

Krisa Urchell

I just got a wonderful note from Senator and Marcelle Leahy. The Senator told me he now has a SamStone on his desk. What a great guy !