(This is Chasse hi-jacking the blog)

Dang, this is harder than I expected – reading the blog, following on Facebook, watching the map and NOT being with you guys this year riding to Austin!!!!  This is made harder by the fact that a local breast cancer survivor is going to hospice today leaving me as one of the few remaining survivors from the group diagnosed at the same time 8 years ago, by seeing a 25 year girl diagnosed with breast cancer several weeks ago, and by hearing of the courage of one rider who is pedaling through this trip as she has recently learned of her own breast cancer recurrence and will be building strength to prepare for victory in her fight.  The Ride to Austin is about resiliency and this is only learned and developed through trial, tribulations and being pushed to your limit.

The 1^st Ride to Austin was unbelievable because we didn’t know what to expect, weren’t sure we could make it and I didn’t know anybody prior to the ride.  The 2^nd Ride to Austin was much more emotional due to cancer recurrences, having Scott Shueys bike with us and really focusing on why we were doing the ride rather than how fast or how  much we could climb on our bikes or just wheel suck in my case.  Throughout the ride, teammates will bond and develop deep level of friendships at an accelerated pace due to the physical and emotional demand of the trip.  Just look at Kim and Barry – they met on team Pink last year and now are married!

Overall the Ride to Austin is a good analogy to the cancer journey and with it the good, bad and ugly components.  

The bad – recurrences, side effects of treatment, hardship on families, fear

The ugly – life cut short, fathers/mothers/sons/daughters/siblings taken from families too soon

The good – friendships made that never would have occurred otherwise, faith strengthened, life purpose found, resiliency developed, survivors changing the world and changing “what is” for “what could and should be”

So from the book of Joshua: “be strong and courageous, be strong and very courageous, do not be discouraged” and continue the Challenge to Conquer Cancer. Ride strong my friends and keep Kerrie away from shopping until Austin………….

Chasse

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

Today was the send-off for the riders on the trip. Great sunny brisk day, and lots of family, friends, and love at the send-off. Long live P3C3, and may the donations and efforts of everyone involved find it’s way into the lives of thousands of cancer warriors and inspire all!

You can keep track of the group’s current position here: http://wurl.ws/91cG

Have a great ride guys, we’re all here rootin for ya!

Dear P3C3 Team,
I wanted to take a few minutes to plant a few thoughts with each of you before the upcoming journey to Austin. First, I want to thank each of you for amazing experience I have had while just entering the world of road cycling. You are an amazing group of people who have taken me in an allowed me the pleasure of getting to know you & grow as a person. While my life was touched by cancer by losing my Dad 18 years ago, I have generally been one to ignore the impact that it has on our lives (probably just so I wouldn’t have to deal with it emotionally). Being a part of this group has brought home just how much we as individuals, families & as a race are in a battle against cancer and that it has real warriors & real victims.
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