We need your help: The Lance Armstrong Foundation- Ride for the Roses - Wild Texas Forums: Parks, Travel & Recreation

kai · 07-17-2004, 05:13 PM

While watching OLN's coverage of the Tour the other day, I came across an ad that sent me to the Lance Armstrong Foundation's (LAF's) website . On this website, I discovered that one of the benefits of becoming a member of the Lance Armstrong Peleton Project, is an invitation to ride in the "Ride for the Roses" in Austin on October 17, 2004.

As members of the Peleton Project, my husband and I are trying to raise funds and awareness for the foundation and their mission of enhancing the quality of life for those living with, through, and beyond cancer. Although it will be fairly easy to raise the money required to participate in the Ride for the Roses, the foundation needs all the help it can get, so that in turn, it can help cancer survivors. The LAF is working to identify and improve cancer survivor services and facilitate the delivery of those services—and a large dose of hope—to the patients, their families, and other loved ones touched by the disease.

My mother, several aunts and uncles, as well as some personal friends are included in the group of cancer survivors. Perhaps you know some folks who have also faced the challenge of fighting cancer, and all the trials, fears and complications that go with it- if so, then you know how very important it is to support this cause.

If you have it in your heart to donate any amount of money- one dollar even- please use the following links to donate by August 17th:

Donate to the LAF on behalf of KAI
or, for my husband (because we are a team, and as we approach all challenges together, we'll approach this together as well):
Donate to the LAF on behalf of KGI

Our goal for the Ride for the Roses is to ride all 100 miles. I've never done a century before, but this opportunity seems like a perfect time to try. I'll be sure to post my "results" on Wild Texas upon completion... although its not a race, I'll be sure to let you know how far I make it.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Shannon · 07-17-2004, 11:10 PM

This is a terrific cause and one I hope other Wild Texas members and users will want to participate in, either as riders or simply to donate. Most of us do not have to look very far to find someone we know who has had cancer impact their life in some way. Many of us know a cancer survivor or someone whose life was ultimately cut short by cancer. My aunt Stephanie dealt with cancer for years, and ultimately lost her battle more than 5 years ago. Her memory, and the strength and resilience with which she led her life -- before and throughout her cancer -- remains a powerful testament to how important things like the Lance Armstrong Foundation's work is. I received even more vivid reminders in the last couple years as two co-workers were diagnosed with and received treatment for cancer. I am happy to say that both are cancer survivors, and that means more to me now that I have their examples, as well as my aunt's, to refer to.

I commend Kai and her husband for participating, and for sharing their participation with us. Justin and I are donating $10 to Kai and $10 to her husband. Nothing would make me happier than to hear that other donations came in from the friendly and supportive folks who frequent WildTexas.com to help them reach their participation goal, and ultimately help the Foundation in achieving its goal.

Best of luck, and do let us know your progress Kai!

kai · 07-18-2004, 09:07 AM

We thank you both very much. We are so pleased that you chose to help us help others. It is estimated that one out of every two American men and one out of every three American women will eventually have cancer. Thank you so much for helping the Lance Armstrong Foundation give hope to all of us, and thank you for sharing your own personal story. I don't know that there is a single person that I know who hasn't loved someone who has had cancer, but I think that the more stories we all hear, the more the gravity of the situation sinks in.

When my mother was diagnosed with cancer (twice) while I was in elementary school, cancer was not something that people talked about openly. There was definately a dark cloud over the subject, and I think people were not comfortable discussing it because of the fear the subject invoked. I am very pleased to see that as the incidence of cancer increases, so does our willingness to discuss the subject openly and offer to support to each other when it is needed.

I am pleased to be able to count my mother as a survivor, and her strength is admirable. She has turned her experience into a way to help our friends, neighbors and other family members through their own treatment processes, and is able to give them support whenever it is needed.

For those of you not able or not comfortable donating to the LAF, and those of you who cannot join us in the "Ride for the Roses", I encourage you to share your stories if you are comfortable with it. The more awareness there is, the more we see how deeply cancer affects us all, and the more it underscores the importance of groups like the LAF.

Thanks again, Shannon & Justin, for your support & your story.

Shannon · 07-29-2004, 10:56 AM

How's the training and fund-raising coming along? I'm sure Lance's sixth Tour de France win can serve as some good motivational training "fuel".

kai · 07-29-2004, 04:05 PM

Well, the fundraising is going great - yesterday both Ken & I reached the $300 mark, which makes me feel very good. (it was my birthday, and I think that as people thought about my b-day, they also thought 'hey... i'll donate to them right now!').

Training is going fairly well. However, I have a piece of somewhat bad news. It looks like we will be moving back to Boston Mid-October (Ohhhh, i love surprises... but this is short notice). We will continue to train, and we will do the ride (we can't stop now!), but I don't think we'll be able to train as hard as we had planned, with all the house buying/selling and job changing that will be going on. But the fact that this is the last (and first) event we'll do in Texas just reinforces my will to complete all 100-miles... especially since we know we'll have that long New England winter waiting for me as soon as we're done

. We can't go back to Boston without reaching our goal! I would be ashamed...

Last week we completed just a ride that was just shy of 35 miles. it rained on us. not the safest feeling in the world. The next day, I worked in the field all day (i am an environmental scientist), and I wasn't all that sore- I was really expecting to be feeling it more. The ride was real hilly, and the roads were rough, but we had a good time anyway.

Shannon · 07-30-2004, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kai

Training is going fairly well. However, I have a piece of somewhat bad news. It looks like we will be moving back to Boston Mid-October (Ohhhh, i love surprises... but this is short notice). We will continue to train, and we will do the ride (we can't stop now!), but I don't think we'll be able to train as hard as we had planned, with all the house buying/selling and job changing that will be going on. But the fact that this is the last (and first) event we'll do in Texas just reinforces my will to complete all 100-miles... especially since we know we'll have that long New England winter waiting for me as soon as we're done

. We can't go back to Boston without reaching our goal! I would be ashamed...

I know you've been hoping to work something out so you could move back North in the future. I'm happy for you and your hubby, though I think I speak for everyone here when I say, "I'll miss you!" It's been good having another female around these parts, and one who's in environmental science is even better (a career path I nearly chose, until I got sidetracked by computers/information systems!

)

Anyway, glad to hear the training is progressing. You're training in the hottest, humidest conditions which thankfully you won't have to bear in October for the Ride. I'd say you're doing pretty good!

Thanks for keeping us informed! I don't know if I'm the only one living vicariously through your experience or not, but it's cool!

kai · 07-30-2004, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shannon

I know you've been hoping to work something out so you could move back North in the future. I'm happy for you and your hubby, though I think I speak for everyone here when I say, "I'll miss you!" It's been good having another female around these parts, and one who's in environmental science is even better (a career path I nearly chose, until I got sidetracked by computers/information systems!

)

Anyway, glad to hear the training is progressing. You're training in the hottest, humidest conditions which thankfully you won't have to bear in October for the Ride. I'd say you're doing pretty good!

Thanks for keeping us informed! I don't know if I'm the only one living vicariously through your experience or not, but it's cool!

It has occurred to me, as I work out the house buying/selling/moving logistics, that I am training in the hottest, humidist part of the year... and i am becoming acclimatized (since I also work outside)...thats great, and all, that I can handle the heat now... but when its mid-january in Boston, and I am working outside all day in 10 degree weather (or minus 10... whatever) and its all snowy and icy out, I am not going to be able to handle it very well. I am going to freeze to death

oh well, just something else to over come! when i think of all the yummy food to keep me warm up there, and the beauty of the snow... its worth it.

we had been trying to work something out so we could move north, but we did not expect it so soon. just last week, we were told we weren't moving until at least next spring... but we should be there in time to enjoy the last few somewhat warm days of fall

dunno that i'll be able to ride up there in the cold though... which is too bad, because after all this training, i'll be in really good shape for it, and damn, do i miss my country roads up there.

kai · 11-02-2004, 09:31 AM

Post Script / Update

Well, we did it. We didn't do the 100 miles- unfortunately, we didn't have nearly enough time to train (we had to sell our house twice). However, we did complete the 40 miles in about 3 hours or so. Then we rushed back down to San Antonio so that we could get ready for the movers who were coming the next day. Even with all the confusion and the stress, we were very, very glad we went.

In the end, my husband and I raised about $900 between the two of us. It was great to feel that we had made such a large contribution (in our eyes)- but there were people at the ride for the roses that had raised thousands and thousands of dollars. But given our circumstances, I feel we didn't do too poorly.

The ride itself was great: calm, and not very competitive. Everyone was very friendly and supportive. The most touching thing, in my opinion, was the people who had pinned pictures of the people they were riding in the memory of to their jerseys- friends or loved ones who had either died from or survived cancer. It was very touching and very real.

There were entire families riding together. I saw what looked like an eight year old coasting up a hill with his father riding beside him, hand on his sons back, pedaling them both up the hill. I saw one couple on a tandem bicycle pulling a trailer behind them with their child in it.

On the 40-mile route that Ken and I did, I struggled up the hill the only large hill (around the 30-mile mark) next to an older gentleman who I would place in his 70s. At the time, it appeared that he and I were the only ones not walking, and the only reason I didn't give up was that he was between me and the side of the road (which is why I didn't see Ken on the side of the road getting water, and became separated from him). If that man hadn't been in my way- I would have fallen off or gotten off to breathe. But as he was in between me and the side of the road, and there was no way I could pass him, and there was no way I could slow down without loosing all momentum and falling over, I kept going. If I had quit, someone behind me would have potentially hit me, or at least would have to waste precious energy trying to go around me- so I kept going. I gagged, I threw up a little bit, but I kept going. The old man & I made it to the top, and beyond. I'm sure he finished ahead of me.

I wish we had had time to train a little more. By the time the ride came, we hadn't been on our bikes for almost 3 months. I hadn't even run in about 2 months. If we do this again, I am going to be sure to make the time to train a little bit. But i think 40 miles is pretty good, considering how long it had been since we'd last ridden.

So now we are on our way out of Texas (almost). We are in temporary lodging on Lackland AFB- soon we'll be staying with friends for our final night in town (finally reunited with our two dogs, who are staying with our same friends). Our furniture is already up in Massachusetts and has gone into storage, just waiting to be delivered once we close on our new house. The holidays are fast approaching, and we are still hoping to be unpacked enough by thanksgiving to have it in our new house (we don't close until Nov 17).

The time changed last weekend, but we have made the decision not to reset our clocks- we'd just have to change them back in a few days anyway, and why be constantly readjusting your personal time zone? The weather has suddenly turned colder, so I will wash all of our warm weather clothes, and pack those away until next May, which will be the next time we can expect to see 70 degrees. We'll be up in Massachusetts in time for Veterans Day. Its cold up there now- frequently in the 30s at night, and I've heard that our cats (which are already up there, at my folks' house) are eager for us to get up there and snuggle them. Will be bicycle when we get up there? We might. We'll have to get a new headset for Ken's mountain bike, but if there is still no snow, we might get a chance to go mountaing biking one sunny day. If we we can handle the 40 degrees.

Funny- on our first honeymoon, we were mountain biking in Acadia Nat'l park in Maine in late October. Cold- on the 40s, and rainy. It didn't bother us too much then, but now that w've aclimated (somewhat) to Texas, I don't know whether we could handle it

Looking at the weather, we might hit some snow in western pennsylvania on our way up- the first time our texan dogs will get to see snow.

At any rate, Good luck to all you Wild Texas people. Thanks for your friendship!

-kai

PS- we haven't made up our minds yet, but we may be coming back down next year to do the ride for the roses again. If we do, I'll be sure to let Wild Texas know!

ploddinTod · 11-02-2004, 02:09 PM

Well, Karen, it was always nice to read your posts. Congrats on your bike ride and fund raising efforts. Don't be a stranger. You do have the internet up in Mass.??

I trust that the Red Sox celebratory parties will still be going on when you hit town. Good luck and watch out for that slippery ice.

Shannon · 11-03-2004, 07:54 AM

Karen,

Thanks for the post-ride recap and the occasional emails we have traded over the past several months. Your account here on WildTexas.com is non-expiring (PS: everyone else's is, as well -- we don't have strangers, here!) so you are welcome to pop by anytime. It's been a treat having you around and I wish you and Ken a terrific return to your "native soil". I know it will be nice to be closer to the people and climate you are more familiar with, but I hope a little bit o' Texas will be with you always -- and I hope it's not caliche soil or the smell of a cattle truck on the highway.

Truth be told, we have members from all over the world, so don't feel like you need to be a stranger just because you can no longer comment on how hot it is in November or how strange it is to see the city shut down because the temperature hit 29 and one misguided snowflake fell in sight of a city official.

Take Care and take some time out of the hectic packing-moving-temporary housing-moving-unpacking to enjoy each other, another year, etc. Time goes by so quickly... Justin and I celebrate 6 years married (16 years together) on December 12. Time flies.

kai · 01-03-2005, 10:06 AM

Hello !!!!

Moving back to Massachusetts has been really very strange, actually. I spent the first month freezing to death, but now it seems like I'm less bundled up than other people, so perhaps I'm acclimating back to the colder climate already.

I had to join a gym. Its too cold to get reliable exercise outside up here. I haven't unpacked my road bike yet, even. But we did buy Ken a snowboard

You know how that saying goes 'you can never go back' ? well- its true. you can't

but thats ok.

so biking here has been reserved for the recumbant stationary bike at the gym. but its kind of nice to have an off season, where we can focus on being cozy

In the spring, though- watch out! all the windy country roads out here (we live in central mass, now- before we lived in the more densely populated eastern mass) are incredible. we can weave our way just about anywhere, it seems, without having to deal with any bad roads or real traffic. we'll be able to bike out the door- you know- when we're not remodelling something

one of our goals is to ride up Wachusett Mountain (where we snowboard in the winter)- there is a road that goes up it. Ken tried to do that once before, but misjudged the distance from our old house to the Mtn- and ended up riding 50 miles or so just to get to the base of it- he ended up NOT ascending it that day. Wachusett Mountain is a little mountain, just about 2000 feet tall, but its a good starting goal for us, I think.

I wont bore you all with irrelevant details- just wanted to let you know we made it safe (the dogs love their acre of freedom to run) & that its mighty cold here at times. We had a week or so of zero degree nights just before christmas. And the snow - for now- is nice to watch.