One of the regrets I have from last week is that I don’t have video footage of every team. Ideally, what this project needs is a film production crew to follow it on its journey. Every team could then be involved in the telling of the story. A group devoted to the development of the narrative could interview the various riders and warriors. It could be a great way to experience the week for those thinking of joining the crew for future attempts.

So, having said that I point you to my last video of the ride.  You can find it at LowCadence.com in the post, “Decompression.”  I’ve included all the video I could of the group as a whole.  Perhaps the remaining footage of Team Green will serve to remind everyone else of the experiences they enjoyed even if they don’t see themselves in the frames.

I’m back home. It has been a busy time trying to get everything settled — getting the children from their grandparent’s home and various other odds and ends. One thing on the list was to type out a blog entry for LowCadence.com. No lie – I dozed off twice while typing it! However, I do want to put a word here and a link to the video of our final ride before hitting the sack.

I am often asked, “Did you enjoy this year more than last?” Many times this was concerning the route. In answer to that specific question I answer, “Yes!”  The route this year was much more varied and enjoyable.  Sure, the climbing was a little tough in the beginning, but – at least for me – it wasn’t any worse than last year. This year, more teams got to experience the joy of climbing!

The Natchez Trace was great.  The walking horse country of Tennessee was some of the nicest riding I’ve experienced. It wasn’t until we entered Texas that the 2009 ride began to seem like the 2008 one.  I vote they do this one next year.

Now, as far as the other aspects of the ride… I can’t say that I liked one year more than the other.  For me, they were so different, they just don’t compare.  They were both wonderful experiences for completely different reasons. I enjoyed my teammates from both years. 2008 was a bunch of guys out to hammer the miles. 2009 was a mixed group that was just as serious about getting the job done, but not quite as strong as the previous team.

So, as I said in my blog post at LowCadence.com – in 2008 we gloried in our strength – and I loved it.  In 2009 we gloried in each new accomplishment – and I loved it. I would not trade either experience for the other. The two together complete a memory that will be with me always.

Read about my attempt to catch Lance and see video from the LiveSTRONG Challenge in the post “I didn’t ride with Lance” at LowCadence.com.

Our final leg before arriving in Austin adequately fulfilled the definition of “epic” – very imposing or impressive; surpassing the ordinary.  Certainly any six hour ride that begins at midnight has the potential of such a description.  However, throw in a tropical storm and you’ve got reality!

Team Green rode into that storm.  It’s name was “Rick”.  We rode through it.  It didn’t beat us, but rather built us up.  I guess it is true, what doesn’t break you makes you stronger.  Many parallels between these struggles and those of our courageous warriors whom we ride for, don’t you think?

Any way, I hope to put down into words my thoughts on that night when I get a little more time and the screen doesn’t seem so blurry in front of my eyes.  Until then, enjoy some video from that Day Four at LowCadence.com:  Have you ever ridden in the middle of a named storm?

Thanks for following us all online this year.

Dear Family, Friends, and Followers,

A quick hello from the “quiet” Jerry.  Raining in Huntsville, TX just hours before our next leg.  Had a great meal of Italian and sitting in a crowded Starbucks sipping coffee and blogging away.

Almost lost my bike today with a bad skewer connection on the Team Awesome van’s rack.  Led to Bo putting a sign on it that he found that read “Free Bike”.  Earned me the mantle of Calamity J.

Thanks from the bottom of my heart for all your support.

LOVESTRONG, LIVESTRONG.

JERRY

The Green Team is on the way to College Station, TX. Last night was a great experience. The other rides have been fun, but in the darkness we truly began to gel as a team. We are ready for our last opportunity to ride together this evening.

I’ll be honest, I knew we had a good bunch of people for the “in-between” times. However, I wasn’t so sure how it would be on the bikes. I have been very pleasantly surprised.

Jerry – he is a BIG dude. Normally that translates into some problems climbing. Sure in that very steep first leg he struggled just a little, but he was right there with us. On these flat sections he is a God-send! He is powerful and because he is big, he punches a huge hole in the wind. I’ll ride behind him any day!

Meggan – I call her “Meg-a-watts”. She is my favorite wheel. Her cadence is like butter. Oh, we both share a sadistic attraction to climbing. I now understand why her nickname given by others is “Afterburner.”

Bo – again, I was surprised after that first night. Bo fell back a bit on that ride and I thought it might be the way it would be for the week. Now I call him “The Closer” or “Horse”. I found that by the end of the ride when I am feeling tired and I look back I find Bo right on my wheel. Then he is around me chomping at the bit heading for the barn.

Then there is Nikki. After her very hard fall that first night and the subsequent pain and stiffness, I would have expected to hear someone complain or stay in the safety of the vehicles. Nope, not her. Tape her up and prop her on the saddle. She IS going to finish this memorial ride for those she loves and supports. I’m not getting in her way!

Me? I feel like this is MY team. As the most experienced rider, I feel some responsibility to their safety and success. After finishing the century last night – three of the five on our team got there very first – I was beaming like a proud papa.

In case you are wondering, there is a video up of the day. You can find it at LowCadence: http://wurl.ws/zYai

Disclaimer: This is a long one… but I had to share both parts with you…

Part 1:

Hooray for awesome hotel staff!

Our first night (Sunday) due to the good heart of the general manager at the Doubletree in Chattanooga, TN we were offered rooms at the employee rate of $29/night.  It may not seem like a big deal, but every $ we save on the overhead of this trip is another $ that goes to cancer research and survivor advocacy!

Today was no different… The Hampton Inn we found last night in Tupelo, MS was nice enough to offer us the federal rate but could not go any cheaper without a manager on site.  So, this morning after we’d already been charged $70/room, I spoke to the front desk receptionist, Bridgette and explained to her what we were doing and asked if there was any way to get a further discount.  She proceeded to call the general manager to ask if that would be possible.  30 minutes later we received a call to our room saying they had already adjusted our rooms down to the employee rate of $29/night.

TeamAwesome with the awesome Hampton Inn Tupelo staff

And tonight… we had a very good idea of where we’d end up, Natchez, MS… so who did we call? No… not ghostbusters, but the Hampton Inn.  I spoke to the manager, explained what we were doing and she didn’t hesitate to offer us rooms for the employee rate, $29/room.

I look at the generosity of these folks as a testament to the fact that cancer touches everyone, and if you’re just willing to ask, people want to be involved and help out in any way they can!  So thank you Bill Mish, Stephanie Browning (& Bridgette), and Janelle.  I’ve always been loyal to Hilton properties and this has only reaffirmed my reasons for sticking with them.

Part 2:

Hooray for awesome Team Awesome teammates!

First things first… today aside from riding the priority was laundry… Loren, Megan, & Jerry got up early and headed to the local laundromat to wash our stinky riding gear… It was not only nice to have clean clothes again… but riding in the van was no longer filled with the stench of dirty cyclists.  You three rock!

Our shift today ran from 6 pm to Midnight.  We had a smooth transition with the Polka-Dot team close to 6 pm… Transitions are such great times to catch up with the other teams and cheer them on… you cheer for them as they arrive and they do the same when you depart… and the Polka-Dot crew absolutely killed it today… riding more than a century during the “Happy Shift” (noon-6) which got our hopes up.  After all, Megan, Bo & I had never completed a full century.

We rolled out to cheers from Keith, Reuben, Rene and Dennis (towel boy), along with the entire Polka Dot crew and our support folks… it was exciting and I was more than pleased to be starting my first full shift!!  We headed off into Jackson, MS commuter traffic… Bob Kramer started out riding with us as well to help pull in the daylight… which turned out to be a great thing since in the first few miles… Jerry’s rear wheel went “soft”.  Bob took a look at it, pumped it with CO2 and we were off again… for another 1/2 mile when it decided to no longer hold air… aside: if you’ve read about the polka-dot outlaws you know that for this shift we couldn’t have a lead or follow vehicle… so no NASCAR wheel changes… and at times no radio and no other cars for miles around us.  Bob thankfully had another CO2 cartridge and Jerry had a spare tube… in less than 5 minutes he had the tube changed out… and we were off… for real this time!

This slow start was a bit of a downer for the group, along with the fact the support vehicles had to leap-frog us… our goal of hitting a century was in jeopardy.  Traffic was steady for the first hour or so but man… the Natchez Trace Parkway is smooth… clean… and has little wind.  Animals were everywhere… and when I say animals, I mean deer… lots and lots of deer.  We saw a few cross the road ahead of us… and it was at first kind of neat… then there were more deer… and then… out of no where, no more than 10 feet in front of Jonathan 1 deer jumped in front of him and crossed the road, then another!  I thought we were going to have a Matt Lauer moment on our hands.  Alas, Jonathan is a great rider and wasn’t phased… He just kept pulling.  Everyone kept pulling.  Which brings me to how awesome my teammates are.  They pulled me through this shift… without them I definitely would not have made it.  We paced it out on the road and I hugged wheels… pulling some… but really relying on my teammates for support and strength.  Negative thoughts would pop into my head regarding how I couldn’t keep up with them and wouldn’t make it… but Megan, Jonathan, Jerry, & Bo were there… when I was gapped, they’d slow up for me to catch onto someone’s wheel.  I thought of my list and why we were riding.  I thought of Scott Shuey’s bike on our support van and his rear light leading the way… and kept going.

Our goal was to make it over the Mississippi River into Louisiana to complete our full century… and with an hour to go we were getting close to the end of the Natchez Trace Parkway… our goal was in sight… it was as if we acquired new legs and everyone kicked it up a notch.  The mile markers on the Parkway continued to decrease until before we knew it we were exiting… 5 miles to go to the Mississippi River!  News was coming over the radio that we’d be transitioning before the river and we said no way!  We needed that extra push… a full century has been a goal for Bo & I for a long time and what better time, place, and cause to accomplish it… plus we knew we could do it with time to spare!

As we approached the river there was a huge parking lot and I thought some of my teammates we telling me to turn off… thinking that was the transition point I slowed up… only to hear, “No… go… sprint zone… go!!!” from my hubby.  So I took off and started climbing up to the bridge… I reached our support van and was yelling “Go! Go! Go!” as I was about to overtake them.  My legs were so exhausted but I looked up and could see the sign, “Louisiana”.  We did it… we made the state line… my teammates could have easily caught me… they could have jumped ahead and made it to the other side of the river while I was still making it to the top of the bridge, but they pushed me, they cheered me on… they were that extra strength in my legs pushing me to make it.  On the descent Bo joined me and we rode into the transition point with 101 miles behind us.  Our first century and we did it together with our Team Awesome on the Ride to Austin. Team Yellow was there cheering for us as we arrived. It was amazing and I know I was grinning from ear to ear.

So thank you to my awesome teammates.  Without your help and support, there’s no way I would have been able to complete this 6 hour shift, much less a full century!  I am truly blessed to be riding with each of you for this amazing cause!!

Boy how things change.  I was supposed to be riding this year. September 2, 2009 marked five years since I was diagnosed with cancer.  On September 5, 2009, the clock was reset.  I have cancer AGAIN.  I hate cancer for making it so I couldn’t ride with my team when it was SO cold. I hate it for making it so I couldn’t ride the Natchez  Trace.  But, because of a supportive husband, an understanding team, and a doctor who was willing to let me have a little fun,  I am along for the ride.

It is amazing to be along on this journey.  Last year, I saw it all from the road.  This year I am seeing it from the team car.  Each shift I have ridden along with Anne to “birddog” the course and provide some comic relief for the riders.  It’s really been fun.  It has been great to be involved and not sitting at home feeling sorry for myself.  I took my first chemo treatment almost 2 weeks ago.  It’s about time for me to start loosing my hair.  I know it is about to happen, but when you are looking for small animals and transition points along the way- it’s easy to forget for a while.

We often say that this trip is not about the bike ride, it is about the cause.  My team is the perfect example of this statement.  When I can’t ride, I can’t share the workload.  Every member of the team has to ride a little bit harder because there is one less person to pull.  My teammates still have me stand in the rider pictures and watch out for me just like I am on the bike with them.  I wish every person who ever  has to get chemo could have an experience like I am having this week.  It just takes the sting out of having cancer.

So things change, but I am gettin’ by with a little help from my friends.

Sorry for not putting any blog posts up here on RideToAustin.com.  Things can get pretty hectic on the road and I’m doing good to get LowCadence.com updated.  However, in order to kill two armadillos with one bicycle tire, I am pointing to yesterday’s LowCadence.com entry that includes two videos from our first two days on the road.  Enjoy! Getting in gear and picking it up.

Yesterday I crashed… and it was only 10 miles into our ride… it was painful, I was royally pissed (not very awesome of me) and wasn’t sure if I’d be able to ride today.  I woke up this morning in a place that is like home to me… raised my arm and shouted to Bo, “Look… Look… I can lift my arm!”  Well… I did it once… it hurt… really bad but only broken legs and arms were going to keep me off my bike today (or a missing bike…).

We first hit my favorite coffee shop in Chattanooga, Chattz, then headed off to try and find team Polka-Dot.  TN is beautiful country… but rather hilly… It seemed like every twist and turn in the van was meant to make me question if I should be riding.  At each switchback I’d tense up and the pain would make me wince.  But then we made it to Spencer, TN and decided to change into our riding gear at the local library.  That’s where we met Denise.  A woman fighting breast cancer. We added her name to our van and things started to come back into perspective.

It made me think of my buddy David, to whom Bo and I dedicated this ride. David Beadles was a friend of ours from Grad School who was diagnosed with skin cancer last year.  Early thirties, seemingly healthy, married with a beautiful little girl and a rock-star at his company.  By the time he left us in September 2008, there were painful spots of cancer popping up all over his body.

It made me think of my old Sunday school teacher Jan Dybdahl who has been fighting breast cancer for years and the pain inflicted upon her and her entire family as she has battled this disease.

It made me think of Laurens , who is a breast cancer survivor, was suppose to be a rider this year, however she got cancer again and is currently undergoing chemo… did I mention she STILL came along with us in the midst of treatment??

It made me think of Jerry Scroggins.  My coworker who was definitely brought into my life for a reason neither of us knew when we first met… maybe this is it.  Jerry was recently diagnosed with bladder cancer that has spread to other areas, including his lymph nodes… I remembered reading his caringbridge site post after his last chemo treatment and talking to him on Saturday as we were getting packed up and ready to go on this ride.  I thought about him mentioning how surprised he was regarding how painful Thursday’s treatment was… and how much pain he’s been in for the past few years trying to figure out what’s wrong.  He was trying to figure out a way to drive 9+ hours to meet us on the route… or to find ways to make it to Austin to meet the entire team when we roll in.  He’s lifting me up, praying for me… supporting me… What have I done to deserve all of this? That’s my job!  I’m the one who is suppose to be lifting him up, supporting him, praying for him, riding in his honor.

So… I would ride today come hell or high water.  Our wonderful medics got my shoulder wrapped so the pain was manageable and then went to find my bike.  With my crash the night before the mechanics grabbed it to give it a once over before our next shift… it was about 15 miles up the road so jumped in the van, got my bike… rode back to the team with Bob (one of our awesome trusty mechanics from The Great Escape)… jumped on the pace train my teammates were rockin and we rolled on…

At first it wasn’t bad.  I just got into my bike position and pedaled.  The flats and downhill were great because I really didn’t have to change my position, which meant my shoulder was okay.  About 1/2 way through our shift I could start to feel it getting worse… there were a few rollers and a couple of times where I needed to get out of the saddle… and that’s when it was really bad… and that’s also when I thought of my list.  Specifically I thought of Jerry… his words of encouragement to me on Saturday, “use my cancer, my pain to get you through.”  Jerry is fighting for his life.  It’s painful and scary.  My pain? My fight? It’s nothing.  He’s the reason we’re doing this.  So all those doctors who couldn’t find his cancer when he first started showing symptoms find it sooner.  So we don’t have to wonder, “will I be the 1 in 3 who gets it?”

I go to sleep tonight, praying for Jerry and all of those on my list.  Using their cancer, their pain, their fight to put things in perspective and keep me going.  In a few days my shoulder pain will just be a dull ache, but they will still be fighting for their lives.

So RideStrong P3C3 friends and never forget why we’re doing this… in the cold, in the rain, in the light, in the dark… we ride to pick a fight with this awful disease called cancer!

Bo here posting as Nikki in the hopes that some of you will actually read this if you don’t know it’s me. Team Awesome is holed up in Tupelo, MS for the night, trying to stay up late so we can be on a good schedule for tomorrow’s 6-midnight shift.

Today could not have been more spectacular for us. We had a little bit of consternation as we tried to track down Team Polka Dot for the 12PM switch. We’d been hearing horror stories all morning about temps in the 20s, brutal climbs, and bone-chilling descents, which really brought our internal whining about our “difficult” 3-hour shift last night into perspective. So, we were ready to get on the road and eat up some miles to do some justice to the suffering that teams white, yellow, pink, and polka dot had endured to get us where we were.

We hooked up with Perry, Jeni, JD, and Ed just in time to transition, and the look on their faces told the story: they were shredded by those three Paris Mountains in a row. I know that I was super-motivated to ride hard for them and really move the ball forward in our stage. Nice job, Team Polka Dot.

We set off fairly sedately, as we had some directional issues with unmarked turns (hey Tedd: where were all the Nellies?!), and Nikki’s bike was MIA on the Great Escape van. Before long though, Master Jonathan got us organized in a rotating paceline and we started gobbling up the miles. I can honestly say that I have not had a more satisfying group ride than I had today with the Mean Green Machine (aka Team Awesome). With a crystal blue sky, rolling Tennesee countryside and perfect riding temps (55-65) all day, we rolled down the road like a steam engine. Before long we grabbed Nikki, bum shoulder and all, and kept the pace set to “SLAY.”

Gratuitous proud husband moment: I gotta give props to my wife for EATING THE ROAD ALIVE with a bad shoulder and not once batting an eyelash. It’s that type of heart that reminds me why we’re doing what we’re doing on this ride. Way to go babe, you did the entire P3C3 crew proud!

Anyway, I could keep babbling about how awesome Team Awesome’s ride was, but I don’t have the words. 85 miles later Team Mellow Yellow, caught us, took the baton and sailed on. Hope they had an awesome ride as well. Keep riding strong and safe everybody, and check out Jonathan’s video of our day if he ever gets it up!