Eddie and John
Bookmark this category
Hi boys. You may want to save this
Jim Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Team 3 (via postie)
Bookmark this category
What a day, what a day. Smokey the Bear and UFO’s all in a day’s work…
Well it ended up that we had the 2nd Leg today and not the 3rd so we ended our ride in Roswell instead of starting there.
Like everyone else on the team I had packed away the cold weather gear because we were in New Mexico afterall – in our minds a hot, desert-like climate….bad idea! No more than an hour into the ride we stopped in at Smokey Bear restaurant in Capitan, New Mexico to go from shorts and a simple biking jersey to full on winter gear – I moved into full-length cycling tights (I feel way-athletic in them, not!) a sweater, a jacket and a helmet cap to shield out the wind…oh plus I went from short gloves to full-length. The day had gone from bearable to freezing in under an hour. Jon & I headed into the restaurant for take-out coffee’s, but we snuck a piece of apple-pie a-la-mode prior to exiting with coffee’s for everyone else (shhh, the team doesn’t know 
) and then headed back on the ride! Did you know that Capitan, NM was home to Smokey the Bear, plus a whack of real cowboys? It seems that we were the only ones in town not wearing cowboy hats!!!
Our ride today was lengthy, roughly 92 miles/144kms and it took us about 7 hours. Two of finished the entire leg including teammate Pam Fardy obtaining a personal high and was absolutely stoked! We felt that today was our best yet as a team, each stepping up to act as a cohesive unit to accomplish our largest challenge to date. Our ride ended in Roswell at the city’s official UFO Museum, which all of us considered touring until we walked through the front door. Our recommendation is to save your $5.00 admission fee and buy yourself lunch or dinner. The place is corny, plain and simple…
That brings us to Big Springs, TX for the night…where we’ll spend the night – all 5 hours of it before we head out again, driving 370kms to the start of Leg 5 of our final day on the road before we hit Austin.
None of us can believe we’ve been on the road for the last 12 days!!! We all have favourite moments from the trip and I’ll share more of those over the weekend – from Port Angeles, home of famous Edward from Twilight to the Oregon Coastline to the Grand Canyon to UFO’s in Roswell…we’re bringing home memories that will last a lifetime and experiences that have shaped our views for life. We’ve even managed to live in a van, all 6 of us, our luggage, bicycles, groceries and personalities…somehow we started out as strangers to one another but will leave as friends and happy to call each other as such!
Til tomorrow!
Mike aka Phatty!
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Tuesday’s Adventures (via postie)
Bookmark this category
Las Vegas – Leg 9
Vegas in 12 hours, we did it and managed to have a blast and best of all, survive somehow. I can’t go into detail because it is Vegas after all, but can tell you that we made it to Margaritaville to meet up with friends from Chicago, a late night dinner and good old rock and roll. We then hit Caesars Palace for a little gambling and bar shenanigans. That’s as much detail as I can give you…
Post Vegas left all of us moving a little slow (ok ok, a lot slow ) but we managed to get out of dodge unscathed. Our initial ride had us start at Circus Circus and ride out through Las Vegas which was surreal as Eddie & the gang pointed out the places they had randomly ended up the night before.
Shortly after leaving town we were lake side along the world famous Lake Mead where the head-winds were absolutely unbearable. The wind nearly stopped a few of us as we pedaled forward and on the downhills it slowed us down even more. After LM we headed further East along US 93 and towards the Hoover Dam – not something I thought I’d ever have the desire to see but have to say that it was impressive and equally impressive to ride over by bicycle! We stopped and took a few pictures with some of the tourists and I have to say that whomever hears our story thinks of us as superheros, but all of us know that we’re simply a group of volunteers doing something we love and bringing awareness to an incredible fight against a terrible disease.
After our ride we had grand plans to hit the grand canyon but darkness foiled our plans. We ended up at our Motel for the night, the Caverns Inn, around 8pm. Surprisingly we were the first to arrive which provided several benefits – immediate access to the washers & dryers – I for one had no clean anything so it was well in need, we also had immediate access to the buffet that was ready and waiting. Oh my god!!!! The buffet was delicious, Debbie our hostess was one of the nicest people we’ve met along the way too, she shared with us that the Motel was ‘Haunted’ and although we personally hadn’t experienced anything too unusual ourselves, she shared a few stories of her own which set the stage…..
Grand Canyon – Leg 10
We started out the next day from the motel once again, a chilly start – 3 layers of clothing but we started out with a tail wind and the sun was shining – needless to say we had a great ride. Did I mention thin Inn was on the Historic Route 66….so we ended up stopping in Saligman and taking a few snapshots before heading to the Majestic Grand Canyon. I’ve personally been to Ayers Rock in Australia and was impressed then, but have to say that the Grand Canyon takes the cake! A hike, a few pictures, several laughs and the hours spent as a tourist had come to an end. A long 4 hour drive South took us to Camp Verde for sleep and the start of our next leg.
Camp Verde – Leg 11
Today’s ride provided a few of our group with a personal challenge, to climb roughly 2800 Meters in 4 Miles aka a steep mountain!!! We managed to find our starting point at Kohls Ranch in Arizona, saddle up and hit the road. Our ride today ended positively, with the bulk of our team cycling 115kms and tackling the big climb with ease, which was awesome!!! Midway through the ride we stopped by a lookout and met a great couple from Sedona. While speaking with Dominique, the wife, she shared with us that she was currently battling Breast Cancer and had been through two surgeries and was awaiting a 3rd. She was scared, emotional and very interested in our purpose. I shared my personal story with her and my reasons for doing the ride and left her feeling positive and hopeful of her outcome.
We successfully completed our 11th leg of the trip and were both excited and sad, all of us knew that we only had 2 more legs before it was all over. Along the way to Socorro, NM we stopped in for Gas at an eclectic spot filled with all things hunting – the people, the wall trophies and the menu – so we stayed for awhile and immersed ourselves into the culture and loved it!
On our way back it happened!!!! We came head to head with an Elk, a 7 foot tall Elk – that fortunately, we avoided!!!! It gave us all a bit of a scare and we immediately slowed the vehicle speed by half!
We’re 7 miles away from Socorro, New Mexico, our home for the night…once again we’re all exhausted and can’t wait to fall into our beds for a lengthy 6 hour sleep!
Back tomorrow with news about our 12th leg and our starting point of Roswell, New Mexico, home of the infamous Area 51….can’t wait!!!
Bye for now Mike T
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Canadians bike to Austin for LiveStrong Challenge (Biking Biz Website)
From the Biking Biz Website
About 40 bike riders from across Canada are currently in the middle of a 3,100-mile relay ride to this weekend’s LiveStrong Challenge in Austin.
Calling themselves Give to Live, the group crossed over to Port Angeles, Washington, from Vancouver on Oct. 12 as they began their 12-day bike tour to the heart of Texas.
Read more here: http://www.bikingbis.com/blog/_archives/2009/10/20/4356674.html
Death valley california (via postie)
Bookmark this category
Team tree hittin the desert highway for a cycle that will take us right into death valley, then its a night on the tiles in vegas baby!!! Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Death valley adventure (via postie)
Bookmark this category
Hey everybody today I had the pleasure to cycle from Lone Pine to Death Valley California with my team, team 3, a truly magnificient supportive bunch of people. The cycle saw us trek through the eastern californian landscape on route to Death Valley, including a initial decent 12 miles long which saw us reaching speeds of 90 km:incredible but just a taste of what was to come. That decent saw us reach Panamint valley where our van died for a few minutes but for the kind assistance of Nick and Kerry who lend some jumper cables and got us on our way, thanks guys! We were then treated to a fighter jet display on the valley floor before the steepest ascent I have ever encountered: an incredible 10 miles climb @ 9% grade which with the help of Jon Baillie and Rod Sallmen, with Katherine Pam Mike and Dean: we didn’t just climb- we wrestled into submission! Reaching the top gave me a feeling of being alive like never b4 that has motivated me to travel on in the crazy planet, Team tree ended the day with a crazy decent into Stovepipe Wells that saw the trio joined by Mike T with the support van in tow reach mindblowin speeds of 92 km. What a day, just again proving to me and my team that anything can be achieved with determination and the support of great people. Celibrate Life people, Eddie Clarke team 3 Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Separating Mice from Men – Team 3 (via postie)
Bookmark this category
Hi All,
This place has separated the men from the boys. Rod Sallmen, Jon Bailey & the Leprechaun Eddie Clarke continue to climb a 10 mile, 7% Ascent. Unbelievable. One either has Natural Ability or Natural ability, oh, did I say that? 
Fantastic day to be spending in the desert with an amazing group of cyclists!
Talk to ya soon!
Mikey T Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
