Team Ride Details for Sunday, August 5

Start Location: Long Lake Park on Krauskopf Drive - map here: http://goo.gl/maps/2xQ8a

2 loops, 2 start times, plus more if ya want it:

Loop 1, 30 or so miles, rolling out at 11 am
Loop 2, 40 or so miles, rolling out at 2:15 pm

Early morning "gotta getta century" Loop Zero: 8am rollout time for 30ish miles.

Post ride snacks and hangin' out time, naturally! And there's a nice lake to jump in, so bring your suit (or swim in your kit, or whatever - there are bathrooms there you can change clothes in).

See ya Sunday!

A note about what we do

A few years ago I was at dinner before one of the JDRF rides. We had made our way from Michigan out to Death Valley. The 100 mile ride through the desert would start early the next morning. A variety of people spoke that evening. They talked about how much money we had collectively raised. They told us to be safe out on the road. And they gave awards to the top fundraisers and recruiters. One speaker, unfortunately I don't remember who it was, said something that has stayed with me ever since. He said "What you're doing here is important. You never know whose life you are going to impact." That lesson was made very clear this week.

Every year, as part of our fundraising, we send out a donation request letter to our friends and family. One year we also put a notice in our church bulletin. That year we received a donation from a woman from church. We knew who she was, but she was barely an acquaintance. She was one of those people you say hello to every week, but it doesn't really go any farther than that. In subsequent years we would send her a letter and she was always one of the first to send a donation. And every year the amount of the donation grew. We were perplexed. Why was this woman being so generous to the cause? Yesterday we found out. Included with her check was a note card that said this: "Best of luck with this year's ride. Appreciate your commitment to JDRF. It was 25 years this summer that I lost a sister to J.D. She died at the age of 34. God bless. Mary Ellen" You never know whose life you are going to impact.

Team Ride This Sunday!

HOT ENOUGH FOR YA?

Har. If you’d like to smack me for saying that, might I suggest you come to our next TEAM RIDE?

This SUNDAY, April JULY 22, we’ll roll out at 10am from Grand River Riverfront Park near Lowell – map is here: http://goo.gl/maps/VSPg. We pass this park all the time when we ride from Ada Park, so it’s nice and easy to get to. We’ll ride about 56 miles with some shortcuts available, and then Lori Huver has offered up her house for some of the usual post-ride hangin’ out and eatin’! Her place is just down the road from the park; we’ll have directions to her house at the park for those who show up to ride, or if you can only make it to the post-ride festivities get in touch with me and we’ll get you there.

So, deets:

• ·         Sunday,  April JULY 22, 10am rollout time (be there early, please!)
• ·         Rolling from Grand River Riverfront Park, here: http://goo.gl/maps/VSPg
• ·         Up to 56 miles, some hills (but we’re not going up Snow, so don't freak out!)
• ·         Post-ride eats! Bring a dish to pass and something to sit on
• ·         PLEASE RSVP by Friday, July 20!

Hope to see you this Sunday –

Y’all rock!

Tour de Taco - in the bag!

Ahoyhoy, rockerinos!

Interestingly, the "rockerino" is a force-carrying particle predicted by the Standard Model of physics, like that Higgs boson everyone's all twitterpated about. The rockerino, however, is responsible for awesomeness.

Clearly our rockerino field is unusually strong.

OK, nerding out aside, we had a fantastic ride this past Sunday - many thanks to Coach Mike and Linda for opening up their house and yard, and to John Jasker for providing us with the flat tire demo that we neglected to do before rolling out.

In attendance:
Vern VH

Lori H

Tom & Donna

Heather & Brian

Pea

UberStoker Kaat

Michelle

Heather A.

(Hmm. Both of our Heathers are "Heather A's". Interesting.)

Tessa

MC & Lin

did & K

Jasker

Nicole & Cliff

Paul B

Perpetual New Guy Rob A.

Chris & Becky

JD & Maggie

And we were joined by Tom & Mary and Diana S after the ride to help us with the chicken taco preparation and consumption, while House Canines Max and Jasmine provided numerous sweaty leg licks and longing stares at overflowing plates of food. Much hangin' out goodness was had, much love was felt!

This coming weekend, bend your thoughts eastward to Burlington, Vermont as Ride to Cure Season kicks off! I believe I saw that the Vermont ride was sitting well north of $800,000 raised - how kickass is that? It's worth noting that, while the BikeFace is certainly strong with us, ultimately it's about that number with the dollar sign in front of it. That's the number that lets JDRF fund research, and that research has made remarkable strides even in the last few years - improved insulin pumps, continuous glucose meters, and greater understanding of what causes this disease are making lives better, and bringing a cure into sight.

And that's what we're here for.

Next team ride will be July 22, most likely in the Grand Rapids area - watch this space for details. Thanks, y'all!