Where I'll Be Riding This Weekend

Just in case you're wondering where the MS Road, Sweat and Gears ride is this weekend, here's a look:

DAY ONE RIDE

And the elevation:






Both the day one and day two rides are "out and back" rides, which means I'll be on either side of the road, depending on the time of day. I'm excited about the ride, but the elevation should prove to be quite a challenge. I find that the harder the hills, the more I think about my Mom...so Mom, your ears should be itching or burning--or whatever they do when people think about you--almost all weekend!

I Am Awesome!

Okay, so that title is a bit presumptuous, but I accomplished something yesterday that was totally unexpected. Background: I had read in Bicycling Magazine about a year ago that the best way to teach a kid to ride without training wheels (and also the fastest) was to take them to a grassy hill with a slight incline and basically send them down it. That's the first video you'll see below.

After breakfast-for-dinner last night, I took Nate out on the "hill" in our common area behind the house and got him on his bike for some "lessons." Nate took about four trips down the grassy hill and wanted to hit the pavement (not literally). That's the second video you'll see.

The time difference between the two videos is fifteen minutes (Carrie said it was actually fourteen). The article in Bicycling promised fifteen minutes. They delivered. Nathan rode his bike to TCBY last night (about two miles) and wanted more this morning. He's doing so well! Plus he learned to ride a bike two years before Riley did and three years before his old man. (I've made up for my late start!)

GREAT WORK, NATE! Ride on, my brother!

Ride of Silence

This past week, we joined a couple of other cyclists to participate in Boise's version of the Ride of Silence. This is a worldwide gathering--dozens of rides--dozens of locations--to honor those who have lost their lives in automobile-bicycle accidents. Last year we had a woman killed here in our hometown by a woman who shouldn't have been driving, as she was on medication which carried the label "do not drive while taking this medication." Worse still was that the woman was driving a Hummer. A Smart car would kill a biker. A Hummer leaves no doubt. There was a ghost bike at that corner for months.

At any rate, I brought my two oldest kids to ride with me on the Ride of Silence here. My daughter rode alongside me, and my son in the Burley. Because of the timing and the local community advocacy groups being tied up in other pursuits, there were only five of us on the ride--after hundreds last year. I think it was a wake-up call for us. This sort of thing is only impactful if it is done in volume. I've posted a couple of pics below of the ride and its participants.

Next time you're out in the car, take a look around you. The life you save by being aware of cyclists may be mine. It's definitely someone important--to someone.

Start to Finish MS

Due to some creative computing (read: a hard drive crash!) since my last MS ride, I have been nothing short of a schmuck in sending personal thank yous to all who donated to the cause last year. Seriously--the first year I planned to do something really unique and special--and wait until after the ride to thank anyone "personally"...my hard drive crashes. No files salvageable. No backups. No files available on the MS site to rebuild my donor list. I couldn't even image the hard drive to recreate anything. Now I know how Mom's synapses feel. We just couldn't do what we wanted to do--no matter how much we wanted to do it.

So here I am getting a late start on this year's MS ride support drive. My personal page link is here. Please log on and donate whatever you can. Just click on the green "donate to Craig" button and follow the easy steps. We ride in October--so time is of the essence. Thanks in advance for your help!

I did a little calculation. Last year, you helped me raise $1500. This year, I'd like to reach out to one hundred people and get each to donate $30. That will double last year's total. If you'd like to donate more than $3o, please do, as not all will be able to give $30. I'm going to get it started with the first $100.

Will you donate to help me beat Multiple Sclerosis?

A Note from Mom

A rather neat little "coincidence" happened this evening. I knelt down for bedtime prayers with my son who is three. He always asks for a little guidance, so in asking God for help, I asked him, who do you want God to help? He answered, "I want Heavenly Father to help Grandma get better."

I got an email from my Mother after my son went to bed regarding government funding for MS research, which included this link. Please visit the site and sign the petition. MS has robbed my Mother of mobility and a normal life for the better part of the last decade. It has done similar things to others I know. I've always said that there are more "glamorous" causes. One fact remains, however: No one chooses MS. It happens as a result of genetics, not choice. It slowly debilitates and eventually, because at present there is no cure, finishes its work with the affected.

Help fight MS...and thank you!

MS Bike Tour

The weekend of October 21-22 included a trip to Santa Barbara for me. I participated in my fifth MS 150 Bike Tour in California. The more I ride the more humbled I am by those who ride with me. This year was no exception.

I've ridden since 2003 with the "Rockin' Jalapenos" a group of friends I connected with at the Palm Springs Challenge that year. As head Jalapeno Arvin Torio said, "we would stop at the rest stops and he (me) would be there every time...it was like he was stalking us!" Thanks for not getting a restraining order on me, Arvin. I've ridden three tours with the Peppers, but this was our first Santa Barbara ride, defecting from the Orange County/San Diego Bay to Bay after two rounds.

The route was much more difficult this time, with major climbs both days, something lacking in the OC ride. It's a fledgling effort, marking a comeback for the LA Chapter after two years out of the MS 150 business. The volunteers were energetic and resourceful (PB & honey sandwiches at day two's big stop). And there will be growing pains, but the tour was overall a qualified success.

The Peppers had an additional advantage over the other riders, though. We had THREE SAG vehicles. Two hubbies and a brother of riders provided motor support to our team (in addition to illegal traffic control and much in the way of action photos). That was huge.

At the end of each day, Santa Barbara Body Works volunteered for hazardous duty and provided sports massage services post-ride. I say hazardous becuase normally when I go to the spa for a massage, I'm recently showered and clean. After 75 miles, we were all a little gamey...but they gave us the rubdown regardless. Kudos to SBBW.

The highlight of the ride for me had to be having the honor of riding with Jennica on our team. She was diagnosed with MS recently, and, due to support and programs from the MS Society, has been able to find hope and support. I only pray we augmented the resources she's already benefitted from. I was definitely inspired riding with her. It put life and all of this into perspective. An interesting happened to me at church on Sunday, too. A man mentioned that his daughter's sister-in-law was diagnosed on 10/27 with MS. I was grateful to be able to know enough to give him some info as to who to contact, what resources the NMSS provides, etc.

I'll try to post other links to the photos for the ride. I can't wait to go do it all again next year.