June 12, 2021
I just happened to be mindless scrolling Facebook, like you do, and fell upon this new fundraiser. This is the first year the Hypersomnia Foundation is trying this sort of fundraiser, and I am so ready fo support. It’s like they know me! I’m not officially in the club yet, but I emailed the organizer and asked to join.
Late last year Heather told me she wanted to do a reunion ride. I doubled over with joy. We haven’t ridden together since 2013. We registered as soon as we could at the turn of the year. It got even better when Heather’s long-time friend Katie signed up too. Then Katie’s friend and co-worker signed up. Heather is sort of like that (and I suppose we all are in a way). One action is contagious, and leads to a train of actions behind it. Speaking of contagious….
You know where I am going with this. We started tracking Coronavirus overseas in shortly after we registered for the ride. B asked me if I thought it was going to impact us. I thought not. I was wrong. That second week in March Washington state shut down. Heather, in Colorado, didn’t face a shut down until a few weeks later, but she called it right then and there. She said Bike MS would be canceled. I disagreed. Bike MS was so many months away. I thought we’d have it under control by then. A few months passed, infection rates continued to rise, and Heather wondered why ride still wasn’t canceled. We heard nothing, but I assumed the ride had to be going to some other format rather than cancel altogether. Bike MS is the biggest charity ride in North America and the main source of the MS Society’s funds. The whole world is under great stress, half the nation is unemployed, and I’m sure few are thinking about giving to the MS Society. As an autoimmune disease, people with MS are at a high risk or complications or death from COVID-19. So many people are having long-term complications, I can’t imagine people with MS living with one more symptom. We still needed to contribute. Turns out I was right about something. Bike MS went 100% virtual.
Bike MS had virtual riders before; that label went to people who wanted to support the ride, but couldn’t actually ride the course. I’ve known some people who have done this, riders who got injured before the ride, riders with MS who had an exacerbation, and non-riding spouses who just wanted to be part of the action.
I didn’t really get the point of it at first. It didn’t feel very exciting. I didn’t get to go to Colorado and ride with my friend. There seemed no point in riding at all. What for? I could collect donations and not pedal once, and no one would know. Heather lost all interest too. I didn’t even bother asking for donations. I stopped riding entirely.
The the Colorado MS chapter held a Team Captain rally online using the remote meeting platform, Go To Meeting. I signed on. Why not? I was sitting at my desk for work anyway. I participated in meetings like this now every day. I joined a small group of ragamuffins, team captains just like me. Some people didn’t know how to use their computers very well, many didn’t have cameras on, but MS employees was there, and one guy showed up riding his bike on his indoor trainer, sweat towel and all. They started talking about the virtual concept and how we’d all be connected through social media. The ride dropped its minimums, encouraged everyone to take part, and shared ways they would make is fun for us. They published printable bib numbers and photo props on their website. They challenged us to do all sorts of things online. They brought a whole lot of enthusiasm (it was happy hour after all). Enthusiasm crept up inside me like it always does around ride time. I contacted Heather. Proving that enthusiasm goes both ways, she talked about doing the ride with her friends over the course of the month. They planned to quarantine so they could get close along the ride and even planned out friends they could visit who had yards they could eat outside picnics at. I decided to do the same, but over a week. I planned for 150 miles in 5 days. I hadn’t been riding hardly at all, but I could do that.
A few weeks later the Team Captains had another meeting to firm up our plans and share all the neat things teams were doing; how they were fundraising and how they were going to ride. Riders would go out and serenade neighbors who donated, or in one case, serenade the neighborhood until someone donated. People did crafts and made team face masks just like team jerseys.
It took a little longer for me to actually start riding than I planned, but once I got it together, there was no stopping me.
Donate now!
Lance invited me to join Team F5 as they ride Bike MS Deception Pass this year! It’s going to be AWEOME!!! It will be here before you know it, I have some work to do!
At the start line in 2014
Will I be able to ride 169 miles and 7000+ feet elevation? Only time will tell. I have to start training!
Scenes from 2014
Scenes from 2014
Scenes from 2014
I rode Bike MS Deception Pass back in 2014. It was a spectacular and varied route. I am excited to ride it again and looking forward to being part of an awesome team.
At the finish!
Buena Vista Park
I sat under the Team Slugfish tent with my face nose-deep in berry cobbler and ice cream. I tried to chat with another team member when a high-pitched voice on loudspeaker told us the evening program would be delayed due to a rider still out on the route. Then she urged us to go to the finish line so we could cheer her in. People gathered at the finish line, not far from our tent. I looked at my watch. It was nearly 6:30. The course maps made very clear that the route closed at 5pm and that there’d be no support afterwards. I shrugged at all the people passing me. I’ll just politely cheer from my table, thank you very much. I rode so slowly my first several MS rides that I wanted to paste a sign on my back that said, “Yes I’m ok, I’m just slow.” I remember those final hours: smelling the truck exhaust from vehicles waiting for me to pass so they could pack up the rest stops. No one cheered my finish when I came in so late. I’d just roll into a quiet road with a few volunteers taking down decorations. But then someone urged me to get up, so I did. I guess there’s no reason to deny this finisher cheers just because I’m tired and bitter! As I folded into the crowd, I began to feel the energy. OK, so this last person out on the route is riding her very first century. OK, it makes sense now. The first century is the hardest. It was a hot and humid day out. The weather got pretty miserable in the afternoon, but she didn’t give up. Her first century. Then they tell us that this woman riding her first century is also a rider with MS. That’s what we are all about. I glanced around at the crowd. “She’s 3 minutes away,” the loudspeaker announced. Even though many faces showed the tired we all felt after riding a long, hard, hot, emotional route, there was still this unmistakable anticipation. We felt the combined urgency to share the joy steeping underneath the tired. “OK!” the voice on the loudspeaker prompted, “she’s probably getting close, let’s start cheering so she hears us as she comes around the corner!” The claps started, along with the bells, whistles, cheers, hoots and hollers. The entire River Village group stood there, cheering. I started to feel moved. It felt good to clap. But then we kept clapping. And clapping. And she never came. No one stopped, but some people started to look at each other, questioningly. Did we miss her? Did she make a wrong turn? Everyone kept clapping and cheering. I don’t think anyone knew what to do, but no one wanted to be the first to stop. Then. We see a bike turning the corner. The crowd exploded! I saw that she wasn’t alone. A small group of people pedaled down the chute, in a protective, supportive clump. That’s when I lost it. She wasn’t alone. Tears streamed down my face as I clapped. The people around me jumped and screamed like she was a rockstar. As they pedaled in, I expected her to smile from all the cheering. I’ve never heard so much cheering at an MS ride in all my 20 years. But her gaze was fixed forward, he glance unwavering. The determination was still on her face, she needed every last bit. She looked like she could vomit. Her expression brought all the feelings back. All those rides I did where muscles, energy, lungs had long gone and sheer determination was the only thing left pushing you forward. I don’t mean to sound melodramatic or overly severe; it’s hard to capture this amazing feeling in writing. We’ve all been through unsurmountable challenges and came out ahead. It’s the beauty of pain like this. There is some pain that really does make you stronger. No, stronger isn’t the right word. There is some pain that makes you better. Perseverance. Stamina. Bike MS taught me a lot over the years, and I am a better person for it.
My White Bicycle at Buena Vista Park
Sweaty Selfies…
I never would have predicted this years’ ride after last years’ ride. Last year I reached a new personal physical peak. I felt stronger and healthier than I ever had before. This year has been met with a lot of fatigue and an undefined feeling of ick and sluggishness. Perhaps Slugfish is finally a fitting name, except the “f” is a “g” for me. I rode less in July than I had since….since before 2002. I opted to ride the shorter 85 miles ride for Saturday. When the sticky humidity rendered my entire body sweaty after just 20 minutes, I knew I made the right choice. I rode well. But that night I ate too much food and overslept by some 5 or 6 hours.
Bigfoot!
Shoes!
Participation was down by half. The ride had a generic feel to it. The decorations all had this 80’s motif that felt like “the 80’s package” from a corporate party planner store. I loved the days when the Harley riders had Alf and other decor covering their hogs. I loved all the SAG wagons adorned with signs and streamers and honkers and cheering volunteers. Now they are slow driving white vans that make you feel like you are surrounded by the CIA. I loved the decoration contests that each team and rest area participated in. I loved the sandwich lady, who had her own sandwich making assembly line every year. Sure, the catered food is more exotic and classy now, but it doesn’t have the same honorable grass roots feel. I loved the days when each rest area had is own unique array of snacks, usually promoting local brands and foods. I loved the ride-specific jerseys with their awesome designs. However, I did find bigfoot this year! I also rode by fence of shoes, so there is still a little bit of “Oregon” left in the Oregon ride!
Map from Bike MS Washington
So…I a friend is thinking about doing this ride with his work team. I did this ride once, and was nonplussed doing it as a solo rider. The ride had such a corporate preference that a solo rider had nowhere to fit in. But…if I could join a corporate team….well, that temps me like you’d never believe! Let’s do this!
I hear about this ride years ago, and always had a little interest in doing it. It never seemed like quite as exciting as it should be. But, I have a van now and I can camp wherever, whenever. Suddenly, the Viking Tour sounds like a lot more fun. Well, this year it’s going to happen! Stay tuned for the ride report.
Still the best ride ever, 2011’s Reach the Beach did not disappoint. I rode with a group of friends at all different riding levels. A drizzly, cooler ride this year, and still the best.
I can’t find a previous blog I wrote about this ride, but I’m sure I did somewhere. It was a magical day. I forgot my sunglass and bought a new pair at the start line. How convenient that they were sold there! They turned out to be one of the best pairs of sunglasses I ever had. Zoe and I started out together and quickly picked up the other 2 dudes in the photo. I don’t remember who they were, but we ended up pacelining together almost the entire ride. We all rode at complimentary paces, which is hard to find! There we a few stretches that randoms added to out caboose, making our line 20 people long at one point. Amazing day!
This ride is a fundraiser for The American Lung Association, and remains to this day my favorite route of all time!
Give MS the Boot! Stomp MS! Our sole purpose! Thanks, John, for the pun overload!
Friday Amtrak delays meant I arrived to Rider Village in Monmouth too late for dinner. I filled up with hard kombucha and wine at the free bottomless beer garden. That counts as carbo loading, right? Saturday I rode 98.6 miles and the temperatures were perfect (coincidence?) The valley spared us the heat, headwinds, and thick smoke of last year. The route took us through rural Willamette Valley, including Ankeny Wildlife Refuge (they’re renovating the viewpoints!), Jefferson (the “big city” near my first-grade home), Scio (covered bridge capitol of the west), farmlands including a trees-as-biofuels research site and a creepy “quiet qarden” that boasted such loud birdsong that it had to be fake, and the tiny Buena Vista ferry. I finished in plenty of time to get my free massage and eat 2 dinners (pizza from the mouthwatering Yeasty Beasty and spaghetti feed with berry cobbler from the catered buffet). Evening entertainment included Star Wars movies, popcorn and candy in the park, but my tired self skipped all that in favor of sleep.
This is the ride that started it all for me. I didn’t even know what padded shorts were the first time I bike for MS. I did the whole thing on a rusty Schwinn mountain bike at about 9mph. I finished after the route closed and cried the last 30 miles just trying to get to the end. Now I’m a top fundraiser, average about 15mph and finish ready for more. I still cry a lot. These days I might ride more miles, climb more feet, or face greater dangers on other rides, but Bike MS is reliably my most challenging ride every year. This is one weekend where hundreds of compassionate people touched by this disease rally together spreading support and hope.
On day 2 at the start line microphone, a person with MS read a poem about their experience, leaving the entire crowd with leaking eyeballs. This opened the floodgates for conversation with fellow riders and volunteers the rest of the day. Each person I met had a story to tell. I shared tears with strangers; the woman with MS who rode her first century ever on Saturday, the guy who lost his sister in ’99, the SAG driver whose wife lost her ability to walk in ’08, my teammate who only rode his recumbent the 1 mile loop this year because he didn't get a chance to train, and the young woman who was just diagnosed a few years ago and is scared of her future.
Distance: 150.51 miles over 2 days
Pace: cheerful
Mechanicals: Just the terrifying moment mid-ride that I suddenly thought I put my bike shorts on backwards (I didn’t).
Flats: 0
Wildlife: numerous turkey vultures, hawks, a gopher, a busy barn cat, wandering chickens (do livestock count?), 2 very angry fenced Pitbull’s, and ample roadkill (deer, raccoon, opossum, mice).
New Viewpoint at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge
This is one of the main reasons I do anything. I do it for the food.
Another amazing ride for MS. I arrived to Rider Village late Friday, tired and haggard from the long drive. I met up with various SlugFish at the team tent, ate some pizza and shared freeway horror stories. I crawled into bed early. I slept much better than I ever had before a MS ride. I slept in my very own camper van for the first time ever. I enjoyed the quiet along with the easy access to a toilet (gotta hydrate!).
The next morning I awoke feeling ready to go, inhaled a piece of toast and started riding. I began before the official start time, which the organizer encouraged due to the predicted heat. She even mentioned that the routes would close earlier than planned, but didn't say exactly when. I ride slow, so I had to get moving! The first stretch of road felt familiar, comfortable, calm and quiet. The bucolic livestock scenes made me argue with myself; stop for photos or pedal on?
The clear skies told me the Willamette Valley wasn't affected by the massive fires in British Columbia, but by the time I rolled into Marion a gray haze blocked out the blue. I didn't know the route changed from last year, and thus didn't know I'd be riding through my old hometown of Marion. I hoped I would pass a road I recognized. I didn't. I did get to scream down some speeding descents- 40 mph! Riding along a flat road that paralleled railroad tracks, a deer crossed my path. Rather than run away, the deer bounded along the road in front of me. The deer and I maintained a similar pace for a while. I watched it go from a walk, to a run, to a bounding gallop. I realized I never get to follow animals in the wild for more than a few seconds, so this deer gave me a real treat. She kept me company longer than I imagined, and then finally veered off into the brush.
Temperatures climbed and still I rode alone. A goal materialized in my head. Suddenly, I wanted nothing more than to get to the Century stop, the spot where Century riders get a special patch, before any other women. A few men passed me already, so I knew I had a fighting chance at being the first woman. I also had a fighting chance at being the first "top fundraiser". Top fundraisers have differently colored bib numbers, and none of the guys who passed me had them. It was just after this new goal gave my feet more fire that pealing suddenly seemed impossible. Breath left me. I kept moving, but so slowly. What was wrong with me? I didn't feel particularly good all morning. My knees stung with pain, and my thighs felt like they were encased in lead sheaths. But this new level of slowness was of great concern. Was I having a medical problem? Could I be going up a hill? Was I riding into a head wind? I saw no hill and felt no wind. I sweated. Nothing could pick my speed into the double digits. I knew a woman would pass me any moment and all my effort would have been wasted! I pushed. I panted out loud. I grunted out loud. I started yell-grunting. I grunted as loud as I could. I passed a sign that a rest stop was near. Thank god, I thought to myself. But it seemed to never appear. I started counting at the top of my lungs, trying to distract myself. Finally, after what felt like 100 years and 100 deaths, I made it. It was the Century Stop! I was the first woman! I was the first top fundraiser! I learned that whole stretch was a hill, one that I couldn't see based on the landscape. Since I hadn't studied the route, not knowing it would be different, I didn't know where the hills would be. Sometimes just knowing is half the battle!
I thought I was going to die, but I turned out being the 2nd fastest woman of all time!
The next couple of hours still felt painful, but the wheel kept turning. Women passed me. My route intersected with others taking shorter routes. Finally, I saw other people proving this was an organized ride! My legs hurt more, my head and neck began to quake. The heat started to clog my lungs, making my breath hot and slow. I began to feel like this was one of those days that are only worth while for the memory.
At mile 70, the lead peeled off my legs. The sweat rolled off my arms. The daggers lifted from my neck. Music filled my ears. I was back! I rode those last 30 miles like they were the first 30. I flew through the air. I approached the finish line before I was ready. I pumped my fist in the air as hands clapped and onlookers cheered. I crossed the orange arcs. Usually I want to cry at this moment. But, I had taken care of all the emotion hours ago. I didn't even want a rest. I actually hoped back on the bike to ride to the showers.
The next day, I hoped on the bike eager to ride more. I hadn't really even planned on riding a second day. Usually the first time my butt hits saddle on day two results in anguish that only goes away after 10 miles. This time I felt nothing but comfort. I rode another 30 miles quickly, easily. My body needs to ride. It needs the challenge! This is my comfort zone.
Each rest area had a decoration and a theme this year. I loved that! I also enjoyed the new route. Day 1 riders got to enjoy the Buena Vista ferry. It's a short but picturesque ferry ride. I think those on shorter routes got to ride it before, but I had only used it on non-MS rides.
Team Slugfish got to eat Yeasty Beasty pizza for being a top fundraiser, but I arrived too late for the good flavors. I didn't have much for breakfast the next day. However, iced mocha drink at the Wildlife Refuge tickled my fancy, and I drank 2 full cups. This new route had me reaching the lunch stop at noon (gasp!) instead of the usual 10am. I inhaled salads and chicken and tasty sauces. I drank iced tea. I snaked on fruit, nut mixes, and sno cones. I don't remember much about dinner, other than the server secretly snuck some tempeh on my plate (only vegetarians are supposed to eat it). It was worth the risk of getting scolded. Yum! I am not a fan of coleslaw, but we were served a cilantro slaw that had me going back for seconds.
Overall, another great ride that was worth training for. I raised a lot of money for the MS Society, and I am still raising more. One of the hardest things for me doing these rides is thinking about the people who sponsor me. I know so many amazing people. So many of the people I know donate to this cause for me every year. Yet, I don't get to see them very often. I'd say I see most of my sponsors about once a year, if that. There's only a few that I see more than that, and still it's only every once and while. I ride the long hours thinking, how can I make connecting with all my amazing friends and family more of a priority? I don't really know. Fellow sponsor, if you are reading this know that you are treasured. And, non-sponsor, if you are reading this, know that you are amazing too!
Wow. I'm already registered for 2017. Just like that. You can already donate. It's not even 2017 yet! How is this possible, you ask? Why, just go to the link here: DONATE!
I want to change things up a bit. It's been 16 years. If I were an infant when I started biking for MS, I could drive a car now while biking for MS. Yup. Time to do something different. Not sure what yet, though. More on that to come. You are just going to have to stay tuned to find out what that is.
Ankeny Wildlife Refuge
The Willamette Valley blessed us all this year with its perfectly mild weather, ample sunshine and low winds. I headed out early Saturday morning, in the company of the century riders even though I had no ambitions to ride 100 miles.
I really enjoyed the rest stop at the refuge. I missed it last year, and really felt like I missed out. This years’ ride jersey highlighted the refuge, so I wanted to make sure to take some time to enjoy it this time around.
A line of bikes taking a rest
Early on, some vandals moved the ride signage so a large group of us, including support vehicles went off track! We pedaled in the wrong direction for several miles before the SAG drivers figured out the error. A lot of riders were frustration and angry. I was pretty happy to be in the company of others. I can’t count how many times I’ve gone off track completely alone!
tasty lunch!
The worst part of the ride was when I separated from all the century riders to do my 83. That entire stretch until met up with them again was uphill, with a steady, penetrating headwind. That stretch was also pretty desolate, I only saw maybe one other rider for an hour. But then I got to the lunch stop and it was amazing! While I miss the camaraderie of the sandwich team that used to prepare our lunches for so many years in a row, this fancy catered food was a treat! We had Korean style marinated and grilled chicken, jasmine coconut rice salad, and summer veggie pasta salad. It was all incredibly good and I wanted to eat more and more even though my belly said, “NO!”
Some of the Salem drivers shocked me. Some honked and one yelled, very clearly, out the window as he passed, “Get off the road, asshole!” This was while I pedaled on a marked and divided bike lane. I wanted to ask them what decade, what century, they thought they were living in. Bikes are everywhere whether you agree with it or not.
The token Salem Sno-Kone
I didn’t see Bryan all day, who was driving SAG support on the family route, which didn’t intersect with mine. I also didn’t run into any Slugfish until the very end. The 2nd day made up for that.
Bryan and his SAG wagon at the distillery
The 2nd day was a much more social ride. I ran into Bryan at every stop. I pedaled with at least one or two Slugfish the entire time. I didn’t feel like riding at all, so I stayed at the rest stops for an inordinately long amount of time. I was so disinterested that after the first rest stop, I was 98% ready to call it quits. For some reason, I kept going and finished the route. The highlight of the 2nd day is always stopping at the distillery. We were treated with coffee-liquor ice cream cups. Yum! Towards the end we were showered with a little drizzle. It was just enough rain to remind us how happy we were that we didn’t have to ride in the rain. I also got stung by a bee on my calf. The rest of the ride was pretty good, and then it was time to take down the tent and be finished with another year.
Look! I'm on the list! That's me!
It was a good year for fundraising. In 2015, thanks to my mom's help, I raised so much money I got in the top 100! I got "yellow" numbers and was highlighted on charts of Top Fundraisers around the camp. I felt really proud of having those yellow numbers, even though it was my mom who did the leg work on this one.
Post-ride hurrah! Medal and all!
Check out my donor Thank You letter. It really has been an amazing year; an amazing 15 years.
This year's bike MS crept up pretty quickly. I have just 3 weeks to go! I am incredibly grateful and excited about how many donations I've gotten so far. Every year I am amazed, but this year I am especially happy. What I am sad about is this years' Facebook thanking process. No one has mentioned anything to me, but I worry about overloading my Facebook feed thanking people who have donated. It is a super awesome thing to do, and everyone who contributes deserves recognition, I have no problem with that. It's just that not everyone has the means to give, and not everyone has the energy to focus on my own cause. We all have our causes and passions, and I imagine a daily reminder of my cause could appear repetitive and annoying to those not involved. This year I decided to focus all my gratitude on my facebook page, instead of my personal feed. I asked everyone I am connected with to "like" my page, so those interested could stay in touch. Since then, I've posted every day. Facebook allows me to see the reach of each post, and it's been interesting. Of those posts that no one interacts with (the reach is multiplied with activity), the most popular posts are photographs. However, my thank you's have practically zero reach. I post them at peak login times, and they just aren't seen. This method isn't working. I want people to know I am thankful. I want them to know that this is really important.
Waiting at the start line, day 2 photo courtesy @Roadkill Warriors
My uncle and I left just before sunrise to meet his friend, Dominic, and drive to the start of the ride at Moraine State Park. My father remembers us riding rental bikes at Moraine State Park one time when we visited Pittsburgh in my childhood. This trip makes this bike ride even more full-circle than I originally thought. We waited at the start line for the mass start, something I tend not to do any more during MS rides, but something that adds to the whole experience. We biked the residential areas, small towns, and fields of rural PA to Allegheny College in Meadville. After resting and relaxing from the heat and humidity of the day, Lonnie and I took the ride's school bus ride to the Days Inn. We ate an amazing dinner at Chovy's Italian restaurant and then slept away the day. The following day we biked north to Conneaut Township Park in Ohio. The would-be flat to downhill ride challenged us with a steady and strong headwind. After hanging out on windy Lake Erie for a time, we took a slick charter shuttle bus the long drive back to Moraine State Park to finish the adventure.
Riding in rural, rolling PA. Photo courtesy @Roadkill Warriors
After chatting with folks, calculating ride averages, arrival times, and other distraction-math, and cycling meditations (updownupdownupdown), there is just enough time left over for deep thoughts. Yes, today I am sharing thee deep, deep thoughts brought on by riding Bike MS Escape to the Lake 2016. Read on if you dare:
All MS rides start the same; inflatable orange arch, music, cheesy DJ cheering on teams and various fundraisers. Nothing will ever beat the start line of the MS Walk in '97 in Avery Park, Corvallis, Oregon. The walk organizer works all year to put on a walk of this magnitude. Sadly, just days before the walk itself, her MS put her in the hospital with no known release date. A friend put her cell phone on speaker and the hundreds of people hushed in silence to hear her voice from her hospital bed. She gushed thanks for all the help organizing the thing. It was such a small phone, but we all heard. There was not a dry eye in sight. I tear up just thinking about it. These rides are always emotional for me. I cry every time.
I got a flat tire just 3.5 miles into the ride. As I pedaled across a bridge, I heard something metallic catch on my rear wheel. It sounded like a metal leaf got stuck in my spokes, something like that. Then I heard the air hiss out of my tire slowly and steadily until I was riding on wheel. I stopped and walked the bike to the edge of the bridge. Several SAG vehicles stopped, not just because the ride has just begun, but because several other riders coincidentally had other issues at the same time in the same place. A friendly guy stopped to lend me his air pump and then proceeded to tell me about how he delayed his honeymoon on account of this ride. He told me he and his new bride in the truck got married just last weekend. They had plans too go to Disney World, but not until after they finished their SAG duties. He used to be a cyclist himself until an injury left him on the sidelines. I thanked him for his dedication and wished him a happy honeymoon. There is an awful lot of dead opossum on this route (day 1). This is ironic because opossum play dead, but sadly the flies and other indicators told me it wasn't a game this time around.
In biking with a pack of the RoadKill Warriors, they do a call-and-reponse chant, "Roadkill"...."Warriors" whenever a roadkill is spotted. The sight of a deer lead to a long line of chanting. They'd also chant a few other phrases, "How long?"....."Too long!" or "How strong?"...."Too strong!" I am not sure which they were actually saying.. There is a strong likelihood both played in the evening.
I have never seen so many families sitting on their porches, in their yards, or on their driveways watching the cyclists go by. While this ride didn't boast a whole lot of spectators cheering us on from the roadside, the porch-side beer-drinking tea-sipping folks more than made up for it. I tried to wave at all of them!
Roadkill warriors were a super fun and friendly bunch. Apparently they partied until rider's village shut down. I could have easily hung out with all of them all day and not run out of things to talk about. Cycling! Travel! Adventure!
That guy yelling, "OH GOD! OH GOD! OW! ARGH!" Was he really suffering that much or was he the kind of guy who just needed to vocalize everything?
I didn't see any teams kitted out looking all slick and fast and pro. I only saw one pace line out of two days, and it was clearly an impromptu one of strangers
I make noise when I ride. I grunt going across railroad tracks and over lumps and bumps. So does my uncle. Maybe there is a gene linked to bike-grunting?
The guy with prosthetic legs who hand-cycled the whole ride rocked it! And, yes, he had some big guns.
Molly saved the day! Her bluetooth backpack pumped out the tunes when I needed them the most, and her conversation was great, too. As was everyone on this ride.
I kind of felt like a celebrity. My rear-facing Go Pro got a lot of attention. Countless guys came up behind me to make goofy faces, giggling. Sadly, once they got up to talk to me about it, I would have to tell them the battery was dead. Sad day. My hair also got a lot of attention. I have it died blue. I also have blue tires, blue spoke nipples, blue valve caps, blue bar tape and blue and orange MS-themed nails. I kind of matched too much.
This ride didn't have any of the signs and posters on all the porta-potties and rest areas spouting facts about MS (symptoms, research, etc.) However, several strangers struck up conversations with me about the reason they were riding. It got around that I came all the way across the country to do this ride, which is kind of a big deal. I shared with them that my mother, the reason I ride, was born and raised in Pittsburgh. And while I have no memory of living there, it was sort of a coming home for me. People talked to me about their cousins, sisters, nephews who had MS. The people I talked to all had a loved family member who had been diagnosed in the past few years. Worry and denial seemed to be a theme, and these folks just wanted to talk to someone who cared as much as they did and and knew what was going on. I told them about how much has changed since my mother has been diagnosed. Since I started riding, drugs have been developed that can prolong the relapsing-remitting stages for decades, and really, the outlook was pretty good for their loved one. I feel like I may have actually helped put a few people at ease. It was weird feeling a bit like the old sage of the ride.
I saw Amish families in traditional dress passing by on horse and buggy. I chuckled to myself; this isn't something you'd see in other states.
On day one, after drinking a lot the night before, I drank 130-some ounces of water and emptied my bladder once. On day two, after not hydrating the night before, I drank 30 ounces of water an emptied my 5 times.
Nearly every intersection had 2 volunteers, and nearly all of them stopped traffic for us riders. It was fantastic to confidently ride through so many intersections. I didn't see hardly any Harley dudes. My uncle tells me there always used to e a whole fleet of volunteers on Harley everywhere you go. I agreed, remembering these trusty HAM-radio Harley dudes from so many rides, They seem to have once swarmed the country and are not completely absent. Where did they go?
There were some really enthusiastic rest stops, but no decorations. The team tents didn't decorate, either. If the chapter asks for feedback, I may recommend that. It may be a little silly, but it is entertaining.
I got a long string of bug bites. They spanned from my left wrist, up my left arm, across my back and over to the right arm, in a perfect line. They are large, raised, and incredibly itchy.
The first day was hot and humid. Sweat dripped from me pretty much constantly for hours on end. I couldn't keep my sunscreen on. I staged ice cubes everywhere I could, and drank a lot of water. I am incredibly thankful for my cooling sun sleeves.
The second day was much cooler, but we were met with a brutal headwind that didn't let up the entire ride. It blew off of Lake Erie and just kept on blowing. When we finished, we rolled over to a park and I was able to see the light green hue of the lake in the distance. It looked like and ocean.
Waiting at the start line, day 2. Photo courtesy @Roadkill Warriors
overnight bike storage at Allegheny College. Photo courtesy @Roadkill Warriors
Happy Cookies!
Food is always one of the most important things about biking.
cinnamon swirl bread! Yum!
The typical PB&J, bananas, clementines, fruit snacks and Quaker chewy bars (borrring).
Pickles (what?! Who wants a pickle while riding? The thought of it makes my stomach turn!)
Snyder's of Hanover snack packs (swoons. I wan to marry this man, if he were a man, and his swarm of tasty snacks)
Udi's or Udu's or Umo's snacks or something like that. They had a tasty parmesan popcorn. This was not just any popcorn, it was "tender baby kernels of popcorn". Whatever that means. Tasty stuff, though.
Lean energy bars and protein bars. I can't remember the brands, but I ate a ton and pocketed more.
Super delicious pasta salad. They put garbanzo beans in it. Garbanzo beans are my current obsession. They may even trump pumpkin! Some forgettable sandwich.
Roadkill Warriors tent boasted coolers overflowing with IPA's and pop. Yup. They call it pop here. Home-made burgers and dogs, veggie trays with tasty spiced dips, tasty broccoli salad, and a variety of meats and cheeses.
Green salad, warm table bread, seafood linguine in some sort of flavorful beer bisque type sauce. The drink special, a strawberry lemonade moscato drink in a fancy glass and floating strawberries.
Forgettable breakfast buffet at Days Inn. It seemed confused. There was an uncharge, a host, and restaurant seating with napkins. But the food was pretty much the same a the complimentary breakfasts you get at any old hotel.
The finish line lunch had veggie cabbage tacos on corn tortillas, pulled pork sandwiches on thick buns covered with cilantro and cucumbers, and giant skewers of BBQ chicken. This was easily one of the best last-day MS ride lunches I've ever seen.
Roadkill Warriors at the Ohio border. Photo courtesy @Roadkill Warriors
Lon, me, Dom at the Ohio/Pennsylvania border on day 2. Photo courtesy Lon
Finished! Photo courtesy @Roadkill Warriors
It's barely a week away, Escape to the Lake, the BikeMS charity fundraiser riding from Pittsburgh to Erie, Pennsylvania. I'll be meeting up with my uncle Lon and Team Roadkill Warriors and riding my bike to raise money for the National MS society. The goal is to support people living with multiple sclerosis. The goal is to end this disease and what it does to people. Will you support me? A little bit goes a long way!
I'm going "home". That's right. The 2nd weekend of June I am riding one of Pennsylvania's Bike MS fundraisers; Escape to Lake.
I've ridden BikeMS in 6 different states so far, and each ride has it's own, unique personality. Pennsylvania has several BikeMS events all across the state, something the other states I've ridden in don't share. I can't wait to see what the biking culture is like in Pennsylvania, in a place that has so many different rides and routes. If Oregon had that many rides, I would be a very, very busy biker! I visited Erie on a family vacation when I was just 14 years old. Other than that one time, I haven't been back since my birth days. I remember the long drive at being incredibly green and lush with dense trees with thin trunks. But that was back then, back when Oregon's landscape was still heavy with old growth. Those early teen years, the unforgettable years of the Spotted Owl debate were really the last years of thick trees in Oregon. I wonder how Pennsylvania will look to me now. Will the trees look just like the trees I am used to on the west coast? I've been pleasantly surprised and amazed with some of the landscapes on MS rides (hellooo Valley of Fire State park!) and disappointed with others (ahem, Best Dam ride, your Dam was not the best dam!). This the first ride I've been curious about.
I don't ride in the heat much, and I certainly don't ride in humid climates much at all, so this ride may pose some new challenges. The weather will determine how far I ride. The route looks amazing, and more hilly than I expected and more hilly than I can get riding around Seattle. I'm very excited about riding in the area, however. I can't wait to see the trees and landscape and compare how it differs from places I ride on the west coast.
Donating is easy! All you have to do is click here and follow the "donate" now buttons to donate to this ride.
A large portion of donation money goes to research. I've seen more progress in disease-modifying drug developments than in any other area. A person diagnosed with MS today has a much better prognosis than a person diagnosed with MS 20 years ago. It took a lot of money, a lot of research, and a lot of participation and involvement from people already living with MS to get there. The MS Society played a big role in that. The whole diagnosis process is much improved as well. Before the MRI, a professional couldn't make a confident and timely diagnosis at all. With improved techniques, diagnosis is faster and more accurate than it's ever been. I am proud of these advancements and would like to think that the money I've raised over the years impacted them. But there is so much more to do.
Help me choose!
I am registered for Bike MS in Oregon! This is the ride of the year. This is what it is all about. I’ll be riding with Team Slug Fish again this year. Since I finished at $1820 last year, my goal for 2016 is to raise over $2000. I am pretty sure I can do it! Especially with the help of people like you! I also hope to ride a full 150 miles, in honor of how a started the ride 15 years ago; riding the "MS 150". I haven't actually ridden the full 150 miles in the last few years. With your support to motivate me, I think I can do it.
I have a whole page devoted to my ride and fundraising here. Check it out!
