A Reminder, a Plea, a Warning even....

This conversation is probably overdue and for that I apologize. But it's been on my mind and I kinda want it to be on yours as we wrap up the summer and head into Fall and all that promises.....

I've attended two 2011 Rides already - and from the driver's seat of a SAG wagon I've seen the same issue in VT and WI. Namely - JDRF riders (and , sadly, coaches) violating the single-file rule and blocking the road.

I see it on team rides too, not to mention the shop rides, club rides and pretty much every dang ride I do.

But - when it comes to the Tahoe Ride, or Death Valley, or Tucson (but especially DV) here's why it matters so much, why you're gonna hear WAY more about it that you have in the past (trust me!!) and why Coach Derek and I are gonna be beating this drum @ every training ride from here on out:

We can't afford the $5,000,000 rider!

What (or who) is that, you ask?

That's the rider that causes the Ride Program to go away. Shut down. Disappear. We're gonna raise 5 mil + this year & that's a lotta money to spend on research so that your friends and mine won't hafta deal w/ diabetes!

The rider that gets themselves seriously injured or even worse (shudder!) could be that rider.

The rider that wears out our welcome in DV...or on the streets of Burlington, or the country roads of MN or Iowa could be that rider too.

And that'd be a damn shame!

So - when we ask you to ride legal (which means no more than 2 abreast!) that's the reason.

And when you get to Death Valley (or any Ride venue) and Tim or I plead w/ everyone from the microphone @ dinner or the pre-ride meeting to ride single file...that's why.

For the first time in the Program's history we got a complaint from the authorities...the MN State Police contacted us about the conduct of our riders during the La Crosse Ride. And this was after Tim had pleaded w/ the coaches and riders the day before to stay single file and share the road!

Disappointing to say the least.

So - that was the reminder and plea section.......this is the warning portion of this note: Based on the level of frustration amongst the Nat'l Ride Staff and the Head Coaches I won't be at all surprised if someone gets pulled from a Ride this year. I got a decent amount of backtalk from riders AND coaches in La Crosse as I tried to get folks to move over and behave themselves and that didn't go over very well when I shared that fact w/ Trish, Aly and Tim after the Ride.

So - I'll be preaching this gospel at every Team Ride from now on and I apologize to those of you that "get it" & don't need to hear it.

Please be safe and keep riding and being the Rock Stars that you are!

And thanks for listening..................Coach Mike