I ride for Mike

My friend would be 27 years old this year – a husband and a father of his little angel. Early on June 16, 2007, Mike finished his fight with cancer. It didn’t win, he simply became perfect as he went to be with his God.

My first participation in the Palmetto Peloton Project was in 2006.  I had just started riding a road bike and the only reason I signed up was so I could complete my first organized metric century.  Sure, I was aware the money was going to a worthy cause, but it didn’t carry a lot of personal meaning to me.

Soon afterwards my friend, Mike McCaskill, learned he had a cancerous brain tumor.  His battle had begun and I watched the toll it took on him and his family.  I knew at that time the next Palmetto Peloton Project would have new meaning.

My goal was to raise as much money for the fight as possible and then at the conclusion of the ride, present a special jersey I had created for the event to Mike.  I did not have that opportunity.  The $3000 dollars I raised and the ride I rode was in his memory — not for his encouragement.

I determined at that time that I would participate in a ride each year in memory of my friend.  Of course, when I learned of this ride, it was obvious that it was what I needed to do for the 2008 version of my Ride For Mike.  www.rideformike.com