If you have any information, pictures, stories or articles to share, please send them to me as we try to recover the old blog information.

Thank you to everyone who was involved..... stay tuned for more to come. In the meantime- read what adventures we had and think of creating an adventure...

Gary G

Montana- Big Sky Country. We experienced it. It was a beautiful crisp morning and we headed out to get the ride in before the sun even came up. The early start was so we could keep the time “in the bank” in hopes of having a couple minutes of rest before the flight back to Vegas.

We were lucky to stay with one of my friends from college, Pete. He is a crazy adventurer who was training for this ride. He sure did train enough. With his help and Scot’s help on van support- we kept our efficiency up and our time down. We made Missoula a great ride 48. Pete and I had frozen toes as we trekked out before sunrise- with Scot just ahead- he pulled over so we could throw on an extra layer. Then it was up for a little more of a climb. As we climbed there was snow covered mountains around us and the BIG SKY took over. It was hard to watch the road at times…. until an 18 wheeler came by and reminded me that I was on a busy stretch of road. Anyway- Pete- thanks for the company on the ride- you are a strong rider.  It was very generous of you to open your home to us and provide us with coffee and energy pre and post ride. Keep on riding buddy-

California was also a good ride- it was a bit slower than anticipated, however, after flying from Missoula to Vegas, then getting in the car and driving through the night for 4 hours, Scot and I were exhausted. I only had 3 hours of sleep and Scot had about 1. So we were dragging a bit as I reassembled the bike and we talked with my friends, Stafford and Lydia, who met us at the ride start. I run the LA marathon with Staff and Lydia every year, so it was good to get some cross training in with them.  Sorry for holding you guys up. The 4900 miles were taking a toll on my legs yesterday. It was a nice ride as we traversed farmland and then headed for the hills to avoid the brutal winds. The hills were what took us around the mountains. It was a hillier ride than I was hoping for, however, I still mananged to get ‘er done. It was great to ride out of the mountains and into the San Bernadino Valley knowing there was only one ride to go….in Hawaii.

So California and Montana are done, Scot and I caught our flight out to Hawaii and I am about to head out on my last ride. I’m not going to lie- today was a more relaxed start. I am elated to be here with friends, family and so many wonderfully fit athletes. I met several Austrian triathletes on the way out here. I am inspired and poised to finish mile 5000.

Stay tuned for one more blog and more to come.

Gone riding- and Aloha.

Gary G

PS- Highlight from Montana and California was when we were on the plane and the flight attendants announced something about the “Freeburgers” in row 18. I asked if there were “FreeFries” in row 19? Everyone on the plane started laughing and had a pretty jovial Las Vegas attitude.

The other highlight was listening to the flight attendant bargain with someone about their seating assignment as we got on the plane. The person said they were in seating section 3. Then, the attendant was saying that only section 4 could board and section 4 trumps section 3. So the the passenger sat down. I started laughing and said to the attendant, only in Vegas do seating sections “trump” others. She laughed and said…. “exactly”.

Ride 15- South Carolina was very good to us.

Today was a good day. It did have a low point, but overall we are moving forward and things are progressing favorably as we complete ride 15.

It all started by saying goodbye to Steve our operations manager. He is the team hero for today. He left to head back to Connecticut after spending a week on the ride as a last minute driver. I am well aware, as is everyone else, that Steve is one of the most dedicated people I know. So, because of this- I sent him off with a reccomendation letter for his boss- who he called Sunday to tell that he won’t be at work all week. I bet his employer will give him a raise due to his dedication to service organizations. The Ride For Your Life team has all been very appreciative of Steve’s effort. We have reached thousands already thanks to his efforts. Thanks buddy!

While it was sad to see him go back to work- We got a new team member. Scot- who is pictured below at the start of ride 15. After a huge breakfast and mingling with the friendly staff at the Marriott, we headed out for a later than usual start. Scot manned the van (his office) as I manned the bike (my office) -as Scot put it. He ran out to get some errands run and refuel the van and I started riding.

About mile 20 or so- I heard vantasauras pull up next to me, I have gotten used to this sound. It was Scot with a big grin… I looked at him- he looked at me and I said let’s hold a steady pace around 40 and I’ll ride behind ya for a few. It ended up saving us an hour and got the ride back on track. Then Scot rode ahead in the van and got sandwiches (Thanks Tameka at Subway- the fuel was much appreciated). After food freshness comes body freshness. Keeping clean is paramount for this kind of trip to ensure we get ‘er done. Saddle sores would be no fun. Thanks to Jigna at the America’s Best Value Inn, I got a shower and I am super clean as I write this blog. Kids- showers are good- don’t fight your parents on this one.

I need to say a special thank you to the “Mike’s” at the Courtyard by Marriott. You have to see this place. The place was immaculate, the staff was amazingly attentive, and friendly and the food was spectactular. We also met David Daniel- the executive chef who gave us “to go” containers…. I just finished the last of the corned beef hash. David- you can see the calories in action on the right side of this blog under the tab “GPS outputs”. I burn 6000 calories a ride so eating is important to me and good eating is even better…. this was just that. You guys and girls at the Marriott made life good today. THANKS!

So the South Carolina ride and the people we met there were awesome! Another food thanks goes out to James and William for helping Steve, Scot, and I, with dinner at Ruby Tuesday in Columbia.  The salad bar was awesome… I had my 4 trips and a big bowl of pasta. Good fuel again. Seeing a theme here? Finally, the last thanks is to Shirdean at the Hampton Inn for keeping Scot comfortable while he waited for us to arrive from North Carolina. He looked refreshed from his rest at the Hampton and kept saying how helpful you were.

You can see there are lots of people making this possible. I want to emphasize why we are doing this. I want to say why I am riding 5000 miles and pushing my body to it’s limits physically and mentally.

THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART OF THIS BLOG.

This is why I ride…. I ride for you, for your family, for those affected by cancer…..

I received an email from a participant in our CT event. He is a friend who lost his mom to lung cancer this past Friday. In his words he said:

“I wanted to thank you for letting my friend Joe and I ride with the team in the Steeplechase.  It really meant a lot to me”…… then he said: “Being able to participate in the ride with you let me feel like I was doing something.”

Finally as I read this email over and over again with tears in my eyes… I read the concluding paragraph.

“She needed a lot of strengh to raise our family - and she was fighting the disease until the very end.  I hope I can send some of her strength to you as you complete your journey.  Knowing you are out there doing the rides, helps me and I hope you can think of our family as you ride to help you on your way and help us on ours. “

My CT friend- I will ride my butt off tomorrow for you and your family. I want you to know you are in my thoughts, prayers, and spirits. You are who I ride for.

Thank you and I wish you and your family well in this time of loss.

With a chill I am off the bed.

Goodnight.

See you in Savannah.

Gary G.

Flatsonville Florida- what a place to see the sea.

Today I am in Tennessee. It is time for ride 19. It’s also 5:00 in the morning and just like almost every other day on this trip- we are waking up at a hotel and getting ready to ride before the Southern heat swelters in…. Today is supposed to be another day in the hundreds. I am hoping for no new pavement. It gets pretty steamy on that.

We were lucky to stay with Jerry and Robin in Jacksonville. They are the ride directors for the Jacksonville ride. I can not say how great it was to stay there after the rainy ride in Savannah. The first question that Jerry asked was “do I need a bike stand?” I had just said that I needed to clean my bike after the rain. It couldn’t have been better timing… Then to top that- Robin asked if we like Gumbo…. Because that’s what was for dinner. It just got better and better all night and the next morning. It was awesome to stay with these “newly founded” surrogate parents in a home instead of a hotel…. THANK YOU. This was one of the best nights sleep on the trip so far.

So refreshed and ready to ride we headed out to meet Paul Calewarts and Donna Jackson (Paul’s better half- as she put it). Paul and I rode the Jacksonville ride together and it was so awesome to hear that he quit a 31 year smoking habit to start riding. He now said his bike is magical and takes him places he never thought he could go. It was truly great to met you guys and to have a good hearty lunch afterwards. (Thanks Donna) I was also motivated to ride since cancer had affected Paul and Donna Personally, with Donna losing 3 family members and Paul losing 1 to the disease. They both proudly wore Livestrong bands as well.

The ride was a good one- nice and flat a couple rollers and one flat tire… the flat tire had to happen after 1700 miles of travel.. I was okay with that and we only lost a couple minutes. We got back on our bikes and headed for the hills to finish the ride. The hills are the bridges in Florida… see it is as flat as a pancake. Mmmm pancakes. .. It was a good change of pace to be flat again though..

Also in Florida- Scot took care of business and I need to say thanks to him and the others who helped “get ‘er done” while I was riding the 17^th ride. We got several things donated. Without this support- we would be broke, hungry, and tired and never be able to give anything back to cancer survivors. So a big heartfelt thanks to:

Crystal at Fleetwash in Jacksonville the Van looks awesome after the car wash.

Tom and Nick at Gemini Automotive care- The oil has gotten us to Tennessee.

Jeff at Panera- Scot was able to use your Panera Bread shop as an office to get things done online.

Bill and Sam- Thanks for sharing your stories- the team’s thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

I sign off wishing everyone in Florida, happy riding and great weather. It seems like the perfect place for a family to rent beach cruisers (or road bikes) and get out and ride….

~~Gary G

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 5th, 2007 at 3:43 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

One Response to “Flatsonville Florida- what a place to see the sea”

1. Paul Calewarts Says:
   September 5th, 2007 at 5:02 pm

It was a pleasure Gary. Good luck and Gods speed on your journey.

Livestong

Paul

Indiana shores.

Today was a “live” event with the ride. It was a good one because I was well rested from the night before. Scot and I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn in Chesterton, IN. Michelle Pentecost set us up with a great room and an even better basket of energy foods and water. This might have been the most welcoming hotel yet. Thanks to everyone the service was AMAZING!!

 After waking up rested and heading out to the event, Scot went out to set up our table and I got the bike ready. Time to ride…..Today I saw the beach. Not a normal beach with salt water and sharks. But a beach on a lake that was enormous. It sure is a great lake…. Lake Michigan. The ride today meandered through some rollers and through some sand dunes… never would have expected that in Indiana. I was very fortunate to enjoy the ride today thanks to Bobbie, the event director, and her team of volunteers. The course was well marked, well staffed, well stocked with food, and generally awesome.

A big thanks to the city cyclists. These guys helped make this my fastest century ride in 23 days…. Thanks to Jim, he pulled us the whole way. The whole group was pulling strong. I joked and said that on the brochure for the ride it looked a lot different…. They didn’t have uber athletes asking me to catch the wheel of the guy in front of me to keep the pack together.  Then as I explained I had ridden 2257 miles to that point they eased up the comments. J These guys race, rode cross country in 23 days, do ironman races, and are just generally strong riders… Thanks guys.

The highlight of the day was when we tried to rely on technology and use the GPS to get to a hotel in Chicago… However, It proved useless. After it told us to make a U-turn on a state highway, we decided it might not be the most reliable method of navigation for today. The funny part was that Scot actually thought about making the U-turn… maybe the chili from lunch went to his brain or he didn’t have enough Red Bull today.

Other thanks go out to the Red Bull girls- Amy and Ashley. Thanks girls- Now Scot can drive without sleeping…the “wings” you gave him were much appreciated.

One more point to note is that as we left Indiana Scot reminded me- we have 27 rides to go…then at dinner- a woman told me, “Oh honey you are on 23. You are almost done.” I loved her positivism. It was refreshing while I play number games every day. I guess it depends if we look at things as half full or half empty… either way- as Yogi Berra said. “It’s not over till it’s over.”

 Either way we made it to a hotel and here we are, and there you are as I reflect on what we are doing out here on the road. 

Overall, we had an awesome day, we raised over $100 and that will count towards our goal. Although it might not seem like a lot. It is. Every bit counts and more importantly, we can’t put a numeric value on the people we met. Survivors, athletes, people doing their first group ride and families affected by cancer. It was exciting and energizing. Scot also had a great time as this was his first “live” event, he successfully and quickly set up the table, got our products and information out and got involved engaging cyclists immediately. People were commenting on his positive energy.

Overall, we had a great Ride For Your Life Day at the Lake Shore Century in Indiana. It was a great place to visit and a great ride. We met a lot of great people and ate a lot of great food (as usual) including some really awesome chili at the ride this afternoon.  We even had a good dinner when we got to Chicago. We hit a buffet. Surprise! Saundra at the Old Country Buffet hooked us up with all the eating we could possibly do, and also some very intriguing conversation about walking for cancer and cultural awareness.

Off to the hot tub to soak for a few-

Ride 24 tomorrow Illinois—here we come.

~Gary G

Toto- we’re not in Kansas anymore….

So here are a few entries all in one. Sorry for the delay. It has been a couple days of long drives and we are coming up on some tougher rides. We have traversed Kansas, Nebraska and now we’re in Wyoming. It is awesome.

We are making great progress and we are headed further West every day. One day at a time.

Kansas was awesome! Thank you Holiday Inn (and Charlotte for setting it up) and Laura Farmer- the ride was awesome! Even after Jim getting up clse and personal with a horse trailer and me having 5 flat tires in one ride- we still had a blast. It was one of the best rides yet. I will add that despite what everyone says….Kansas is NOT flat. More details to come. (hopefully when I get Wifi soon)

Nebraska was awesome! We stayed with a friend from grad school- Jess- The Nebraska ride was awesome! The rollers were awesome and the prairie views and corn fields were tranquil. We even saw some some wildlife and beaches. It was definatel good around mile 80 to have someone to ride with- it felt like 3700 miles in my legs. My heart felt like 10 miles. I felt inspired from all the great people I have met along the way. It has been great to get this far and as we move forward. Things get busy.

There will be more pictures to come and more info to come. The next couple days are busy.

 I am heading into my hometown of Steamboat Springs tonight and today is the celebration of life day. I lost my mom on this day 5 years ago to an awful disease that we all need to fight against. As I move forward in these next couple days it will be great to see friends, and training partners, but most importantly to think about why I am riding… for my mom and my family, and my friends, and for you… I am riding for your life… I am riding for those affected by cancer.

Let’s all work together to do what we can to take care of our health to prevent the onset of disease. Do somehting new… So- do something this week for your health- do something that you haven’t done before.

Get out this week, make it active and have some fun. !!

BIG smiles to you and yours.

Sincerely,

Gary G

bring on ride 38.

Today I got to soar with the eagles.  After a good night’s sleep at the Santa Fe Hotel- Thanks Charlotte for setting that up!

As I left Santa Fe New Mexico and headed out towards the mountains- I rode down some really nice roads that were long straight and flat. It was awesome! There was a bald eagle on one side and the mountains in the distance. This was the second day in a row that I saw a bald eagle. I also had a hawk follow me today for about ¾ of a mile. I guess they were checking to see if I left any Honey Stinger Bars behind. 

The ride itself was about 5500 feet of climbing- a well needed change- there was one hill “heartbreak hill” which was a 27% grade. It was so hard to climb I had to switchback to get up it. It felt great to get to the top and see mesas and adobes as far as the eye could see. New Mexico is a wonderfully temperate state with tons of beautiful views. I am still trying to figure out why more people don’t live there. The city is also something to brag about. Santa Fe has the mix of low buildings to make it look suburban but the conveniences of a true urban setting. I realized this as I rode through at the beginning of the ride. Definitely a town to go back to, they even have a Dunkin Donuts!

So after the ride we headed out to Arizona and the drive and sunsets are awesome down here. Because the scenery is so nice- the time flies by. Normally I would take a nap on the drive to the next state- today I couldn’t. I had to get the views in while I can. It was spectacular to see the oranges of the rock and the oranges of the sky- it looked mystical.

Several people have asked what my day schedule looks like, below is roughly how a typical day goes:

4:45- get up have coffee and breakfast

5:00- write blog, download pictures, check route map for day

5:45- get dressed and ready for breakfast

6:00- Eat a yummy hotel breakfast- sometimes have to make my own  (usually oatmeal and fruit)

6:30- on the road driving to ride start

6:45- Tuning bike- getting ready for ride

7:00 ish- On the road to ride 100 miles

1:00-2:00 ish- finish ride- pack up bike- eat a snack

2:30- shower

2:45 lunch

3:15- drive to next state

On drive- download GPS, Powertap, make calls, check emails, take a nap, EAT, look at maps for upcoming rides, work out media relations

7:45- Arrive in next state- eat dinner

8:45- get back to the hotel-

9:00- return calls to friends and family (depending on time zones)

9:45- get ready for bed

10:30 asleep

Just a typical day- there are things that come up day to day that we have to deal with, however, between Scot and I and very importantly, the team of people in CT and Steamboat, Steve, Charlotte, Wann, and Joan. We have been doing very well.

Now onwards to Flagstaff, Vegas, Portland, Anchorage, Seattle, Couer D’Alene, Mizzoula, Hemet, and…….

Gone to ride again-

Gary G

The Boston ride on Saturday was a great success!  The enthusiasm at the event was awesome!  We received so much support from local bike clubs, riders and community members.  Thank you to everyone who showed up to ride for a great cause.  Thank you Paula and Charlotte for all your help in organizing a great event! 

On Sunday we participated in the Philadelphia LIVESTRONG challenge.  Lance Armstrong was the first to leave the start line and (not suprisingly) the first to finish with an almost unbelievable time of 3.5 hours!  Charlotte rode the 40 mi. route, while Jim and Gary attacked the century. 

New Jersey:

The Rumph’s and McGrady’s were nice enough to house, feed and clean this motley crew.  We rolled up in style with Vantasoarass last night and were fed a feast of pasta, chicken, grilled vegetables and salad.  It was DELICIOUS and NUTRITIOUS.  Thank you so much for your hospitality.  Early to bed and early to rise…

With one down and 48.5 to go, Gary is feeling really good.  Dropped him off this morning to start his ride at Brookdale Community College in Fair Haven, NJ.  Just spoke with him and he’s already at mile 42+.  Making great time, just watch out for the jug-handles…

Our plan today is to divide and conquer, in order to execute Gary’s list of tasks.  Charlotte, Jacea and Kate are traveling around buying some supplies.  Me and Marin are downloading pictures and working on cue sheets.  We just met some nice folks interested in the ride and wish Gary best of luck and a safe journey.  Off for a donated lunch from Tavolo Pronto after the ride and then on to the Empire State.  More to come soon.

Steve B.

So today was the first real ride that hit me-

Luckily I can now recover at a Residence Inn in Lebanon, New Hampshire. The managers, Doug  and Carol, are AWESOME!!!! They helped us with a room and also got us an interview with Gary Dutton from the Connecticut Valley Spectator. While we were at the hotel we met several other people who had a lot to share. Julie Ackley- who is organizing a trail ride to benefit substance abuse: www.headrest.org and Dr. David Marshall who was a pleasure to talk to about training and prevention of overuse injuries.

What a great place to stay.

Thank you for your generosity.

So the ride today was good- hilly but good. Jacea and I sat in the van and figured out that I had about 26296 pedal strokes today. These are the things you figure out when in a van and not eating or riding. Eating does take a good share of my off the bike time.

I logged my 400^th mile and completed the 4^th ride. It was tough at mile 70 to come to the realization that I still have over 4500 miles to go. I did though and it was invigorating after the cold and rough start.  Mist that was rising from just about everything… including my bike and hot coffee. Joanna- thanks for the Dunkin Donuts cards.

 I headed out as Marin asked “what do you do if it gets cold on the ride and you need more clothes”. I said- “I’ll pedal faster” It ended up warming up- thank God- Jacea was there too, and she was all bundled up and ready to ride with me again…. However, she thought twice when she really realized how cold it was…. I think we were all in shock since our minds told us it was August but our bodies told us it was October. So this ride was solo-

 It was pretty chilly and I was getting cold. The ironic part was that at mile 30, I entered the town of Barton- There was the smell of wood burning stoves and several tall church spires and stoned walls that greeted me in the typical New England fashion that seemed so familiar. The funny part was that on a small table near someone’s house was a pile of clothes and a sign that said- “free”. I thought- wow- wouldn’t those have been nice a few hours ago. I left them there for someone else.

I felt pretty good when a guy came off a side street (Brooks) and I rode with him for a bit. He had a strong pace and promised to share our website and ride information with his family. That inspired me to keep riding. I rode on and got back to vantasauras, where Marin and Jacea met me at mile 100.

 Today was a great day- the highlight was riding the rolling hills of Vermont and seeing the beautiful hills in the distance. The funny part came when I passed a tractor and the farmer driving looked over and gave me a thumbs up and later passed me while asking if I wanted to race…. I couldn’t pass the opportunity so I sprinted…… All I could think about was getting to Lebanon and getting a tune up for my bike at EMS and a Subway sandwich…… The sprint paid off and I beat the tractor and made it back in time to meet Jacea and Marin to drive to Lebanon to fulfill all our Subway dreams…. A huge Shout Out goes to Charlotte for making these dreams possible and making it possible to dream tonight at the Residence Inn…

Down for the Count- but up for the ride…

Gary G

Sorry about not blogging yesterday. I was in “zombie mode”.

I literally had 4 hours of sleep from Alaska and had to get out an ride 100 in Enumclaw Washington the next morning. It has been a busy couple days.

I will make this a quick one, as I am still trying to dry clothes from the last 3 very rainy rides in Portland, Alaska, and Washington. I have to re-tune my bike, do laundry, eat a lot, re-hydrate, pack the right clothes, and get to the ride start. The last couple days have been very frenetic.

Thank you for all your help yesterday Scot- It came at a much needed time. Also a huge thanks to Gene Smith, and Black Diamond cyclery in Black Diamond Washington. Janine and Pete, you guys were awesome- It’s no wonder why your shop was so busy while we were there. Thanks for making space for us.

So Alaska- another epic ride- lots of rain, wind, and glaciated views. It was raining hard at the start and then as Peter from Downtown Bicycle Rental in Anchorage drove me to the Portage glacier, it cleared. Peter- thanks for all your help and for letting me borrow the bike. It worked well. I would highly reccomend this ride to anyone…. just do it in the summer. It was pretty cold and wet and I was on the cusp of hypothermia… again.

The highlight was the gorgeous views, the beautiful bike paths, and the glaciated mountains. one word- WOW!!! I even saw an iceberg and it flipped over while we were there taking photos. What a sight. This truly is what America was.

I did manage to make it back to town and met up with Peter and rode the last 35 miles with him and Ian. Thanks guys- it made the time go by. Then it was off to the airport after an awesome impromtu meal, that Peter threw together while I showered. I caught my 8:00 flight and then made it safely back to Seattle to meet Scot and to head to Eric’s house.

Thanks for letting us stay wih you Eric Johnson. You were a savior. It was nice to have a bed for a few hours to crash. I also want to say thanks to Luke for helping with airfares and letting Scot stay with you in Seattle. He really enjoyed taking a break for a few to go indoor climbing. We have to keep our cross training up.

So then it was onto Seattle. Thanks Gene for riding with me- the weather provided us with a wet ride- quite possibly the wettest I have ever been. Thank goodness it was warmer than Wyoming though. You helped tremendously as you guided the course tha tyou marked so well. I highly reccomend this ride as well. It has great views of Mt. Ranier on “good” days. I am looking forward to getting back and riding with you on a dryer day. A highlight was the  Hot Chocolate Scot brought- Thanks! That was fuel for at least 30 miles. The ride seemed like it went on forever, visibility was so limited we couldn’t break the 16 mile per hour mark. I was also so tired that I was actually dozing off on some of the straight aways.

Note to self- don’t ride and sleep. It is harder to stay focused.

Better rested and ready to tackle ride 47-

Gone riding.

Gary G

I could not do what I do if it wasn’t for other generous people in these towns helping out. The hot chocolate was from Beverly at Cole Street Coffee. Breakfast was at The Kitchen. Amy was very nice and had a great place there. And the awesome lunch that we enjoyed was from the Quizno’s in Maple Valley thanks to Matty and Kristian. Without your support this journey would be a lot tougher to acheive. Thanks to everybody we only have 3 more rides to complete.

-Scot

Moab- Halfway- 40 rides down- 10 to go. 4000 miles.

The proverbial halfway point has been reached. Now it’s time to buckle down for the last half- this is where it gets tricky-

 Moab is a beautiful town and I enjoyed the brief stay there. Thanks to Charlotte for setting us up at the Moab Valley Inn- the ride start for the Skinny Tire Festival.

 It was short but definately sweet. We woke to a belgian waffle breakfast and yogurt and oatmeal (a staple), the hotel usual. Then we ended up heading out to get the tires changed (after 3 flats yesterday) and the bike ready. It was awesome to see the sun rise as I was changing the tire on the bike- the red rocks around the town lit up like there was a spotlight on them.

So then it was off to ride another 100 miles. This was an important one. It felt great to ride. Scot and I both agreed that the pace of this trip was crazy! It has been a whirlwind of a trip and we have both had times of fatigue and exhaustion. We also both experienced the times of jubilation and excitement! Moab had all of this. With 4000 miles in my legs the hills were tough. I still maintained a steady pace with the help of the van and cold drinks, thanks Scot. It ended up getting us back in time to have lunch at Pasta Jay’s. I had my celebratory halfway beer and pizza. MMMMM

Then it was on to enjoy some great views on the way to New Mexico. I even had a coffee to keep me awake to enjoy the views. That worked for all of about 6 seconds until I was snoring in the front seat.

The highlight of today was seeing the faces of all the mountain bikers in Moab as a road cyclist rode by. I guess they don’t have as much road riding- it may be due to the lack of roads. It was beautiful to see. Maybe I’ll do the century on a mountain bike next year.

On a different note- We may need some additional support-

We have been having a hard time getting airfares switched from our previous driver to Scot so he can fly out for the conclusion event. It seems Alaska and American Airlines keep putting the ticket on the other airline. I will be very dissapointed if Scot might not be able to get out to Hawaii with me for the last ride. If anyone has any connections at American or Alaska Air- please let us know. Scot had worked very hard on this trip and I would love to see him come out to Hawaii for the final ride. In addition- he is looking forward to staying ther eto live and work....this would be a great opportunity for him, and a great way to reward him for his efforts.

Due to the fact that we are committed to raising funds for cancer survivors- we need to work within our budgets to provide money for this cause. This is why we can not afford to just go out and buy a new airfare at $1000. This is a trip dedicated to empowering people to be active to prevent disease and to raise awareness about cancer survivorship.

We were recently written up in the Coal City Illinois Newspaper- I really liked the way Ann wrote the article- it touches on some good focal points of Ride For Your Life.

http://www.coalcitycourant.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=975&SectionID=14&SubSectionID=14&S=1

 Off to see Santa Fe and complete ride 41.

Riding onwards-

Gary G

I chose both. The winds were howling as we left the Hampton Inn- thanks again Charlotte! We headed to the ride start after a huge breakfast of oatmeal and pastry and eggs. Thank you everyone at the Hampton Inn. Your place is awesome! I also owe a thank you to Dwayne at Ruby Tuesday’s for providing us with dinner the night we got into town. He provided these to us despite the gift card we had. Thanks. Finally on a food note- I want to thank Priya Davis at New Frontiers for helping out and providing a healthy lunch. You stuffed Butternut squash is unbelievable.

So onwards- I headed out for the ride- we had to pry oursleves away from the breakfast room and several people wished us luck on the journey. We said thank you and talked for a few minutes but needed to kep to our tight schedule. We get very busy in these next few days. Blogs may be shorter.

It was off to the ride start and for me to start the ride- through volcano fields in 20-30 mile per hour winds and for Scot to work on finding a hotel in Vegas. The ride went well and the hotel hunt went well. I even made it through the volcano field without any eruptions. It was cool to see all the lava theat flowed abot 1000 years ago. Arizona had a very active volcanic field from my understanding and brief discussion with a national parks employee.

It was an exciting ride and I would encourage anyone to try it if you want some nice scenery. Pick a shady day though. It looked like it would get hot if the sun was out. the road was freshly paved and the lava fields are all black. Made me think of Kona.

Onwards to Vegas and beyond.

Gary G

So we’re off.

Vegas- well need I say more… It was a trip to Vegas. All the craziness trips to Vegas should be. Except- No gambling- no buffets- no shows- no Barry Manilow- Just pure unadulterated physical activity. 100 miles through the hills and on the Vegas strip.

It was definitely a challenging 2 days as I took the wheel of vantasauras from Arizona to Vegas, then made dinner and got some sleep while in between setting up a ride route and getting things ready for the trip to Portland. Scot fell asleep on the drive from Arizona to Vegas and was out for the rest of the night. I guess he was tired from our long 32 days on the road and he has been working hard. Needless to say- we had to make sure we continue to keep our grueling pace and get to the next state. So I tried my hand at the wheel again. I noticed 100 miles by car is a lot faster than the bike. Scot worked hard while I rode in Arizona to set up lodging with Penny at the La Quinta Inn in Vegas. Thanks!! What a team we have!

On the way to Vegas we passed awesome rock vistas, saw the beautiful sunset and drove over the Hoover Dam. These things are what make America so awesome! What a great drive and a great day despite back to back centuries and a 3 hour drive. The splendor can make me forget about the soreness for a while. The things in this country are amazing and getting to see them has made me very grateful to be alive.

The Vegas ride was great- we headed out around 6:00 AM and it was still dark. We headed down

The highlight of the day was the bright red of Red Rock Canyon as the sun rose in the East.  It made me think of a line from a Travis Tritt song- It’s a Great Day to be alive- the sun’s still shining when I close my eyes…

What made the day even better was when the Manager from Johnny Rockets in Las Vegas heard about what we are doing and donated us lunch. Thanks Mykel Lawson! You provided the fuel to keep up tomorrow.

That said- I am going to get some zzz’s as we fly to Portland for the Livestrong Challenge tomorrow. Maybe I will be able to keep up with Lance.

Onto Portland and the single digit rides… Here's wher eit gets tricky with flights.....

Gary G

Savannah Georgia….. I still got it on my mind. The reason Savannah is on my mind is because from the arrival we were received by great people. Despite the rainy weather and the clouds it worked out to be a good ride 16. We should call people from Georgia hospitable.

Scot and I settled into the hotel… 16 nights in a row in hotels… I never thought I would live a life like this. People have generously donated rooms, most of the time, knowing full well what this ride is about and other times, not always even realizing how appreciative we are for these rooms.

The hotel in Savannah was different. Joan Farcus was able to donate this room with points she had saved with Hilton. It was good to not have to bring in all our paperwork and know exactly where the hotel was and not have to try 15 different places.

 Then after talking to the managers and explaining what we are doing they quickly and generously donated breakfast to us. This helps with my bad eating habit. So knowing we had a morning meal set up we foraged for dinner. As I went upstairs to the room to warm up with a bowl of cereal before I thought about what I would devour for dinner, Scot scored a donated dinner from Jennifer and Debbie at Molly McPherson’s. The salmon salad was awesome!

The breakfast was great but we had to eat quick to get to the ride. The “wake-up call” never rang. We still woke up with time for a good all you can eat breakfast with grits, home fries, bagels and carbs galore. I managed to create a pile of trach on my plate of boxes of cereal, soy milk cartons, fruit leftovers, jelly containers, oatmeal flakes, and egg shells.

So it was off to the ride, as I said to Scot “wow- at least it’s not raining too hard, the clouds opened up and the city proceeded to get 2 inches of rain in an hour or so. Note to self…never talk about weather before a century ride…. The ride was a couple blocks away and we got there with seconds to spare (always watching the clock). Scot later told me at dinner that whenever he does cross country bike rides that it rains 70% of the time…

The ride director Dave Sanderson who is 80 years old was awesome and let me ride for free!!! He lost his wife to cancer a few years ago and has a kind heart for these sorts of events. He honored myself and 2 time cancer survivor, Patrick Booten, at the beginning of the ride. It was such an honor and a privilege to lead out the riders with a police escort. I felt like I had to ride with purpose after standing next to these great guys at the start of the ride. I was inspired. Thanks Dave.

 So I took my inspiration and left. With the rain pouring and the tire spray from dozens of bikes and road grime getting blasted up my nose, I pedaled. I pedaled fast. I wanted to get this one done because of the weather, however, I knew I would need to be cautious as I didn’t want to slip on wet roads again and crash (as what happened a couple months ago and 8 stitches later). I met Larry , Jim, and Lenay who I managed to draft with and ride with for a while before getting picked up by a larger group of about 25 people. The 25 or so of us pulled together and stayed tight through the bad weather to average a 20 mile per hour pace on the flat roads of Savannah in a deluge. It turned into a great ride with great people. We even had some boy scouts putting together peanut butter sandwiches and making Gatorade in the rain at rest stations. What troopers….. haha. Get it.. troopers… J

So as we finished the ride all the local riders started to fade off and I was left pulling with Larry towards the end. After 1600 miles it was tough but it felt good to have so much good energy pushing. I truly was touched by the great energy, humor and enthusiasm of the Savannians… Is that what people from Savannah are called?

What a crew-

Just before we pushed on to the next state Scot talked to Judy at Wild Wings Café- She provided us with some good lunch/fuel for the ride South. Judy that smile and the garlic bread were awesome!!! Thanks. The garlic worked out well- the guy behind me today rode a little farther back.

Then it was on to Jacksonville. We had a quick lunch where people were asking questions about the schedule and wanted to find out if they could join other rides. We did get one taker, Jim who will join me in Huntsville. I am looking forward to riding with someone again on ride 18.

Onwards.....

Still pedalling

Gary G

The morning came quick after a late night. Gary shot out early for a training ride, while Marin and I dropped off Vantasoarass for the check-up.  It turns out that he may need new brake pads, probably due to pulling the 900 lb. trailer. He may need a new set of treads also. This will have to be done tomorrow. A quick photo shoot for the media required Gary to ride his bike down

We have put together a team of 21 riders for the kick-off event this weekend.  Many thanks for everyone’s participation - we are grateful for all the support. The weather report for the weekend looks great and Gary is ready to roll. All the training and hard work will pay off soon enough. 

The Trumbull Times featured a great article today on our event. It is linked up on the website (under media) and also available to view at:  http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18713142&BRD=1350&PAG=461&dept_id=432601&rfi=6 

See you at the starting line….!

Steve B.