Is that from the charity ride last week?
I hope you follow this up with some words… :-)

This year I participated in the Qualcomm Million Dollar Challenge again. For those of you unfamiliar with the ride, it is a supported ride down the coast from SF to San Diego. It raises money for the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF). This year we had some guest riders along.

Let me tell you, there is nothing like drafting off a pro. :)

I hope you share some more of your week. More pics, more words, more about how you got into it.
It’s all great and we’d love to hear about it.

How was Timmy doing? So far everything I’ve read says he’s doing really well. Good times?

Hopefully these are all good signs that he is recovering well and next year will be a good one!

Sounds like you had a good time.
Can’t wait to read more about it!

Sounds like a lot of fun. And you actually got a photo of Pate smiling! That’s a major accomplishment.

QMDC Day -2 – Arrival in San Francisco

After 20 weeks of training, we finally are in SF. The group leaders and a few riders all took the same flight from San Diego to SFO. The flight was pretty uneventful, which is noteworthy given my experiences flying into SFO. I usually avoid this airport like the plague, but as my ticket was provided gratis, I’m not going to argue.

As group leaders we are just hired help. We’ve managed the herd for 20 weeks, and we’ve all put in a lot of hours both on and off the bike. Now that we are in San Francisco we get to do a lot of the pre-ride heavy lifting. Our reward for all of this is a great ride down the coast.

This night we unloaded all the riders’ bikes. There were at least 125 bikes to unload and put in overnight storage. I suspect that there was well over $500,000.00 in bike on that truck. Truly amazing.

In what has become a tradition we made the trek to Meisterburger for dinner. Or is it Burgermeister. I can’t remember. Too many bad animated Christmas specials in my childhood. ☺ Anyway, this dinner trip is now associated with and in some remembrance of Brett Saks. Brett rode last year, but did not get to finish the ride after we cancelled due to the So Cal fires. Bret was on board this year to do the ride and was training hard. Tragically Brett was killed while on a 70-mile training ride just weeks before we were to leave. Needless to say we were all devastated. Brett, you will be missed.

The evening’s activities started with the hotel bar. That’s never a good start. We were just about done for the evening when Greg brought over a tray of Patron shots. That was bad, it only got worse. I bought 4 of my good friends some 18 yr old Scotch. Then, before you know it, the bar is closing. Well, that won’t stop us! Four of us walk down the street to a nice Irish bar for some Guinness. Well, I didn’t make it in until 2:00 AM. I was damn glad we weren’t riding the next day.

QMDC Day -1 – The Riders Arrive

Today was the day that all the fundraisers arrived. We had a lot of work to do to get ready for them; each rider would receive a registration packet, two T-shirts, arm warmers, leg warmers, a jacket, and a sweatshirt. This is in addition to the 7 jerseys that we provided before leaving San Diego. Each jersey is themed to match the City we are leaving that day.

The group leaders packed the clothes, put together all the route maps, manned the registration stations, etc. There was a little time in the morning for a ride across the Golden Gate, but I missed that due to a mix up on the departure time. Anyway, the rider registration began at 4:00, and was followed by a reception/dinner. After dinner there was a presentation on the ride, what to expect, how it would go, etc. But the highlight of the night was a speech by a one of the Challenged Athletes. Each night we would have a guest speaker, and these folks really bring the purpose of the ride home. Each of these athletes has overcome so much just to do such a simple thing as ride a bike. My little problems at work pale in comparison to what each of these men and women overcome on a daily basis.

Once the evening’s festivities are done a few folks go back to the hotel bar, AKA the scene of the crime. Knowing what’s up for tomorrow, I go, but don’t drink.

This is also the weekend of the Nike Women’s Marathon, and there are quite a few runners in the bar. It looks like they are well on their way to the same destination I reached the night before. I say good night to all. Tomorrow we leave.

QMDC Day 1 – The Ride Begins

Today is the day. We are finally going. I’m pretty excited, but I try to contain myself. Last year I jumped out of the gate only to cramp fairly early in the ride. This year I tell myself I will take it easier on Day 1. We’ve got 620 miles in front of us.

We all gathered in front of the Hotel (Hyatt at Fisherman’s Wharf) for our send-off. We will get a police escort out of the city. But before we begin there are pictures to take, and speeches to make.

To send us off one of the Challenged Athletes will sing the National Anthem, a Capella. My memory from last year is that this man can sing. And I am not wrong in my recollection. What a beautiful voice.

Finally it’s time to go. There is the blast of an air horn, and the wail of a police siren, and we are off. We get an escort to the city limits from the SFPD. I think to myself that they just want us out of town. ☺

Today’s route takes us from San Francisco down to Santa Cruz.

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=18959

Last year I did a large portion of this ride alone because I went out too hard. Today I’m just going to chill.

Five miles in and someone calls "Flat!" Poor Kevin, last year he broke a spoke in the first mile. Well, we are fully supported, and before too long Kevin is back on the road.

The first challenge we face is Devil’s Slide. It’s not a big climb, but it’s early, and everyone is amped. Mike J decides to go to the front and sit on the pack to keep everyone in check. Mike is a former age group national champion mountain biker. The peloton respects his wisdom and we have a nice manageable pace up the climb.

Once that’s out of the way the rest of the ride is simply enjoyment. No serious climbs to speak of, and beautiful coastal scenery all the way to Santa Cruz.

Lunch is at San Gregario State Beach. It’s lovely, but you’re hit with a small climb as soon as you leave. It seems like all the SAGs and lunch stops are at the bottom of hills. Or perhaps it’s because we spend too long there. ☺

The rest of the day is non-eventful. But there is a surprise waiting at the hotel. We don’t tell the first timers. We want them to get the full impact. We are staying at the Chaminade in Santa Cruz. If you’ve been there, you know what I’m talking about. As you turn the final corner and enter the hotel ground you are greeted with a short 15% grade. After 86 miles this makes for some unhappy campers.

Totals for the day: 86 miles, 5554 ft elevation gain.

QMDC Day 2 – Santa Cruz to Big Sur

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=18962

Today is the calm before the storm.

The ride to Big Sur will take us through Monterey, Pebble Beach, and Carmel-by-the-Sea. We will have lunch on the beach in Carmel.

Today’s ride offers some of the most beautiful vistas in Northern California. The views on 17-mile drive are breathtaking. The historic homes in Monterey. The literary connections of Cannery Row. Even after doing this ride last year I am still taken in by the sights.

Today we will have a low average speed. Not because of the terrain, but because of all the photo stops. I encourage everyone to take as many pictures as they like.

Lunch is in Carmel today, on Ocean Avenue. Of course we have to go down a hill to get to lunch, which just means we have to climb on the way out. ☺

Last year I misjudged the distance from SAG to lunch, and was out way too long without food or water. This year I don’t make the same mistake. I now stop at all SAGs, even if just to top off my bottles.

When we arrive in Carmel the sun is finally out. It’s been overcast and cloudy since yesterday morning.

The SAGs and lunch stops are supported by Trek Travel. If you are looking to do a bike tour, I would definitely look them up.

The ride into Big Sur after lunch is non-eventful. We have one decent climb, but mainly it’s just coastal rollers. My buddy Bryon is in our small group as we leave the lunch stop. Bryon is a big diesel. Not a crit racer, but he kicks it in TTs. I know that we’re going to have some fun the rest of the day.

With about 20 miles to go B starts to ramp it up. By now it’s just four of us. Todd, Mike H, Bryon and Me. A nice solid group. We all can pull, and we start to lay it down.

At about mile 82 B really puts it into overdrive. There is a slight tailwind, and a very slight downhill. (-100 ft in 5 miles) At one point I looked at my computer and it said 42 mph. It was at this point where I start to talk to myself. "Jesus Christ, 42, WTF? At mile 82? I really don’t need this" Right around this point I am saved by Todd. Something comes flying out of his back pocket and we have to stop to get it. "Thank you Baby Jesus" I say to myself.

I should point out that Todd has had a very weird day today. Stuff kept falling off his bike. On the bike path in Monterey he hit a stick, which popped up and destroyed his bottle cage. So this makes incident #2.

We are now almost at the lodge, and the last few miles are slightly uphill. We’ve got a good pace going when the lodge entrance appears on the left. We slow down and pull in. Next thing you know Todd is dumping CO2 cartridges all over the road. Incident 3. Seems as if he forgot to zip up after an earlier flat. He’ll hear about that later.

At dinner that night we hear that we will be joined by 4 riders from Garmin-Chipotle the next morning. Everyone is excited, but the dinner talk is all about the next day. Big Sur to SLO. This is the day that strikes fear into the hearts of most of the riders. Lots of climbing and long.

The Big Sur lodge is not that big, so we all have to share rooms. As Group Leaders we pack 4 into a room. It’s a little like camp with a lot of story telling and a lot of joking around.

I don’t get a good night’s sleep, and I will pay for it.

Totals for the day: 88 miles, 6204 ft elevation gain

QMDC Day 3 – Big Sur to SLO

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=20945

This is it. The big day. We will ride 114 miles, with three kick ass climbs in the middle.

After breakfast Kevin gives an impromptu speech/memorial for Brett. It was very moving. On this day last year Brett had to be sagged in due to darkness. His goal this year was to complete today’s ride, and to finish all 620 miles. Kevin talked about riding with Brett and helping him over the climbs. It brought tears to my eyes, and I wasn’t alone.

Because today was to be long, we left as early as we safely could.

Now, I generally take about 10 miles to warm up. And generally I’m a good climber. I’m 6’ and weigh about 163. Not super slim, but I’ve got decent power to weight. But today will not suit me.

As we leave the lodge, we go left, and then it’s just a lot of up.

The first climb actually feels pretty good. I take a nice pace and stay within myself. I crest the first climb with Todd and Mike H. We’re taking a lot of photos and generally taking it easy.

On the descent I pull away. Not that I’m trying to drop them, but they are just rolling easy. So, I ride a fair portion by myself. But I love it. The sun is coming over the mountains, it’s chilly, and the clouds are providing a wonderful filter for the sun.

Soon enough the next climb is upon me. I had been soft pedaling some of the rollers, so Todd and Mike roll up on me, and they’ve got Bryon in tow. We ride together for a while, and then the hill turns up. Todd is a great climber and soon he’s away. Mike H is a decent climber, as is Bryon, but I can usually stay ahead of them. But something is not right. I am struggling. My HR is low, and I can’t raise it. B senses my pain and starts to work his Zen. "Change the channel, Johnny", "Turn of the HR channel", "Turn your mind to something else". Whatever it is, he gets me though this climb to the SAG stop. At this stop I start to jam in whatever I can. I need something, anything to get me over the next climb.

We depart the SAG and descend for a bit before the next climb starts. As soon as the road turns up I fall back. It’s ugly and it’s on. I am having a "very bad day". Not good. Luckily the last climb is not too long. I regroup at the last SAG before lunch. I need something, and I need it bad. I jam anything and everything into my mouth. It’s at this SAG where we are joined by Timmy Duggan. He tells us of the perfect food, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I jam a few of those in. I manage to pee, and we’re off.

This is an epic descent. It’s fast, not too technical, and a lot of fun, if you’re playing with a full deck. Not so much for me today. In the best situation I’m a decent descender. When I am this side of bonking it gets a little ugly. I’m staying at the back because I know I’m tired. But I want to stay attached. I’m bombing into the corners, and I’m a little off my line on some of the tighter corners. Finally, I’m coming into a sharp left-hander when everyone in front of me slows waaay down. I hit the brakes, but come in a little hot. I have visions of pulling a Schleck. The guardrail is right in front of me, and it’s a good way down. Luckily I’ve got enough sense to get off the brakes and LEAN hard. I miss the sand on the shoulder by inches. Any further to the right and it’s over the guardrail for me. Having soiled myself I sit up and let the rest of the pack get away.

Strangely, that marked the darkest point. Perhaps the sugar was kicking in, but I started to feel better. I managed to get on the back of the group and sit in for a while. I got some recovery in and was feeling much better.

Right about then Timmy D went to the front and pulled. He just sat there and turned it over. On the ride into Hearst Castle for lunch he had us cruising at 25+. Sitting in his draft was unbelievable. And what a great guy. We would roll up on his right (we were 2×2) and he would match whatever pace you wanted to go. That, and he must’ve answered the same stupid questions 20 times.

Lunch was at the Hearst Castle Boat Launch, and boy did I need it. But, at the end of lunch I felt much better.

The rest of the day was long, but with no serious climbing. I managed to recover and stay with the group. We finished at Seal Beach and sat our collective asses down. Everyone wanted to socialize with Danny and Tim and after dinner there was more drinking. After my epically bad day I decided to skip the alcohol and hit the bed.

Oh yeah I forgot, tomorrow would be 120 miles.

Totals for the day: 114 miles, 11985 ft elevation gain

QMDC Day 4 – SLO to Santa Barbara

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=20951

After yesterday’s ride today was going to be a bit of a breather. Yeah, it was going to be longer, but it would be much more enjoyable.

Today we would be riding to Santa Barbara. In the past we have gone the coastal route, and passed through Lompoc. Not the most scenic route. This year the route was changed to take us through Solvang. And we would be stopping at the Fess Parker Winery for lunch. Yes, Davy Crockett has a winery, and it’s pretty good, too!

We left SLO at about 8:00 with the intention of recovering after a hard day of climbing. The group I led out was used to a moderate pace, so I had plenty of opportunity to spin my legs and try to get some snap back.

If you were to look at the profile of the day, you might scare yourself. There is an imposing peak at mile 58. But upon closer inspection you’d notice that you only gain 1000 feet in about 12 miles of climbing. This is Foxen Canyon. Those of you who have done the Solvang Century are probably familiar with this climb. It is a long false flat that you can really have fun with.

As you know this ride is a fundraiser for the CAF. As such we have some challenged athletes riding with us. Andy is a below the knee amputee who lost his right leg to an IED in Iraq. Jim Penseyres (of RAAM fame) lost his leg in Vietnam. Giberto lost his leg in a construction accident. Anthony was stuck by an RPG in Iraq and lost his right arm, and the use of his right leg. David Lee was struck by a car and is a paraplegic. Dale was struck by a car in 1967 and had his right knee fused. There are more, and I could go on. But the common theme is that each of these athletes took what they were dealt and moved forward. I spoke about my terrible day on Day 3, but Dale and David did that ride on handcycles. Picture that. Go to a gym and if they have a "Krank" cycle, try it. Now do it for 8 hours. These guys are truly inspirational.

I mention this because today I rode the entire day with Andy. You haven’t been dropped until you’ve been dropped by someone with one leg. That’s all I’m going to say. Dude’s a bad ass.

Anyway, back to the ride. Today was gorgeous. The weather had warmed up, and the backroads were serene. The climb to the Fess Parker winery was long and very gentle. Nobody was ever put under any stress, except for the very last part of the climb where is kicked up to 10% for a short bit. But nothing major. After that climb we rolled into the winery for lunch.

Lunch was amazing. Prosciutto and pepper sandwiches, among other things. Yum. And did I mention it’s a winery. Wine Tasting! A group of us went over the reception area and had a few sips. Very relaxing.

During lunch I got to sit with Danny Pate and chat with him a bit. Also a very nice guy. And he does smile quite a bit. ☺

We eventually had to leave and ride to Solvang. Solvang is Solvang. Or Duloc as one of my friends calls it. It was a downhill roll into town, and to the coast. There were some rollers mixed in, but generally it was a gentle downhill the whole way. We took it easy and got to Santa Barbara at around 3:00. All in all, a good day in the saddle.

In Santa Barbara the riders are on their own for dinner. A few of us went to the Enterprise Fish House for dinner. At this point in the ride the riders begin to sense relief and also that we are on the downhill slide to the end. The stress and fear of the two long days is over, and everyone relaxes. Around this time the riders start to feel like they need to thank the group leaders. This is usually in the form of alcohol. Tonight as we were getting ready to leave Todd bought a round of very large beers for Bryon, Pat, Greg, and Me. Not really what I needed, but who am I to complain? ☺

Totals for the day : 118 miles, 7257 ft elevation gain

QMDC Day 5 – Santa Barbara to Santa Monica

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=21483

When I went to bed the night before I checked the weather for today. What I saw scared me. Santa Ana conditions with gusts up to 50 mph. Not a recipe for a good time.

When I woke up I checked the forecast again. Yep, it’s gonna be windy. Crap. We have trained the riders for 20 weeks. And as much as they have improved, nothing will prepare you for a day of headwinds. It’s gonna suck, and that’s all there is to it.

I left with a group that included two other group leaders, Mike J and his wife Lisa. For the first 10 miles or so we were relatively protected from the wind. We rolled out of SB along bike paths and surface streets. But once we got along the 101 the wind hit us hard. So, Mike and I went to the front to take control and protect the group. We were buffeted hard. Riders wanted to relieve us, but we felt it was safer to take the front and keep the less experienced riders out of the wind. As a result we pulled all the way to lunch. 40 miles. Ouch.

As we were rolling in to Point Mugu we were hit by the hardest crosswind I have ever felt. The wind changed direction, and came off the water, when it had been blowing out all day. I was fully leaning to the right, about 30 degrees, and I was still being pushed. It was so bad that I was pushed fully into the middle of a traffic lane, and came within a foot of traffic. I pulled over and stopped to make sure everyone was ok, and to collect my breath. Luckily lunch was just a few hundred feet away. I slowly rolled in and gathered my thoughts and ate lunch.

After lunch John Wordin, formerly of Mercury, joined us for the ride into Santa Monica. Luckily the wind had died down somewhat, and we all agreed to take it easy for the rest of the day. The wind had really made a lot of folks tired, and riding through Malibu is always dangerous.

That was the plan anyway. John and his buddy were pretty fresh, and they were on their home turf. The pace picked up and we were soon drilling it. I was happy sitting in, and having a good time, but some of the fundraisers were having some difficulty. We sat up and slowed it down to keep everyone safe and happy.

The day really was divided into two distinct sections. The morning was windy and hard, the afternoon was much more relaxed and calm. As we rolled in to the hotel we were all pretty beat. As a matter of fact, we beat the Garmin group to the hotel. Granted, they started an hour after us, but they usually pass us on the road. I think this points out how much the wind bothered everyone.

Our speaker for the evening was Scout Bassett. Her story is absolutely amazing. She was abandoned at a state orphanage in China when she was less than a year old because she had lost her leg in a fire. She was so malnourished that at age 7 she only weighed 22 lbs. Now she is an accomplished triathlete and a sophomore in college. You can find out more through a simple Google search.

After dinner everyone relaxed. The next day would be a short 56 mile ride into Newport Beach. This is the day that everyone has some fun.

Totals for the day : 96 miles, 4452 ft elevation gain

QMDC Day 6 – Santa Monica to Newport Beach

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=21493

Today is the fun day. Flat, and short. Everyone leaves a little late, and takes it easy on the ride. The group I led out was no exception.

When we get up in the morning each day, our bikes are on racks, prepped and ready to go for the day. Today group leader Greg had a little surprise waiting for him. Earlier in the week Greg had given the mechanics a hard time for putting a reflector on the back of his bike. It’s a safety rule, but he didn’t want it on his bike. So he took it off. The next day when he came down there were 4. He got the message, and left one on. But the mechanics weren’t done. Greg awoke to find a white wicker basket attached to his Cervelo SLC. Now, you have to understand, Greg is a Master Sgt in the Marines. I think he could kill me before I knew what was up. But he is also a great guy with a great sense of humor. So, in the spirit of the day he left it on.

So, in addition to Greg, I had GL Pat with me, and a few other good natured folks. We decided that today was about Coffee and Pastry. We rolled easy out of Santa Monica in search of a good Cappucino.

Soon we were at the Hermosa Beach Pier. We pulled over to find some coffee, but were disappointed. But, we did find a little shop that sold bike license plates. I quickly found one that read "Greg" and attached it to the basket.

Leaving Hermosa we came upon a wonderful Café. We stopped and I had a great cappuccino and croissant. All in all, we were there about 35 minutes. As I said, today was a lazy day.

We rolled though Palos Verdes. As we left PV we came upon a pet shop. We need Toto! Off to the pet shop to get a stuffed dog.

So now we’re rolling through the LBC, Long Beach, with a large black marine with a basket, license plate, and stuffed dog. Who’s gonna mess with us, I ask! ☺

But the day is not done. Somewhere near Huntington Beach I spot a bike shop. We roll in. In our group is a Pinarello, a Cervelo, a BMC, and a Specialized Tarmac. A few nice steeds. We casually roll our bikes into the shop and ask, "Do you have any tassles?" So a set of red tassles, and one bell later and we are on our way.

We are almost complete.

Pat felt Greg needed one more thing, Pine Tree Air fresheners. Once we found those, in a dive liquor store at that, we were done.

We rolled into the hotel in Newport in full parade mode. It was a blast.

But the best part was that Greg kept all this on for the final day.

Totals for the day: 56 miles, 2867 ft elevation gain, 1 bell, 1 stuffed animal, 1 set of tassles, 2 pine tree air fresheners, 1 license plate.

QMDC Day 7 – The last day – Newport Beach to La Jolla

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=21502

The thing about this route is that I could do it blindfolded. I have ridden this section of road so many times I have lost count. But today is a special day. Today is the completion of the MDC. Last year I didn’t get to do all 7 days in a row, because of the fires. This year I have made the whole ride. I’m a little worse for the wear, but I could do this last day with no problems.

One of the riders is local radio personality, Scott Kaplan. He’s a former NFL kicker who sponsors a spot for a lucky rider. His cousin was Brett Saks, the rider who died during training. Scott has been doing his radio show from local stations along the way. Today the plan is to meet up with Scott along the way, and ride in with him to the finish. We leave a little late because his show is on until 9:00.

The group today has Bryon, Pat, Todd, Mike H, Me, and a few other horses. If this was a baseball team I would be batting ninth in the lineup. These guys are all strong, and we were going to have fun.

The ride takes us through San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, and down through Camp Pendleton before you hit Oceanside Carlsbad, Encinitas, and finally San Diego. The fun really doesn’t begin until you leave San Clemente. We are riding on 101 and a bike path until San Juan Cap, and then another path by Trestles, a famous local surf spot. Once past Trestles you are on abandoned section of 101. Here’s where it gets fun.

We start taking turns and we really have the speed up. We’ve got a nice pace line rolling and were having a blast. Today we have a slight tailwind, and that only helps. We cruise through this section quickly because we want to hook up with Scott.

When we get to the meet point Scott’s not there. We call him, and there’s no answer. We wait and wait, and still no Scott. Turns out he saw another group and thought that was us. He jumped on with them.

Here’s the problem, we have a deadline. We need to be in La Jolla no later that 1:00. We’ve just wasted 30 minutes. Where we had plenty of time before, now it’s going to be close.

We enter Camp Pendleton with a mission. We need to drill it and make up some time. The great thing about Pendleton is that there is very little traffic, and it’s relatively flat. There are a few climbs, but nothing significant. If you want to go all out, you can.

Bryon was the first to pull, and he did not disappoint. He gave us a big start. Pat picked up next, followed by Todd, then Mike. Next was my turn. Why is it that whenever it’s my turn I’m going up a hill, or into a head wind?

I give it all I can, and take a nice long pull. I’m spent as I roll off the front, but I get the tap from everyone as they roll by. "Thanks for the pull" It hurt, but I felt good at the same time. I had plenty of time to recover for my next effort, and soon we were off the base.

Once you’re in Oceanside it’s all stop and go on PCH. But, we had made up enough time where we were no longer in jeopardy of missing our time. We rolled though the O’side and Carlsbad and were headed into Encinitas when we got a call from Kaplan. He had turned around and was going to hook up with us in Encinitas.

Now, it was right around this time that I got an unwanted hitchhiker. A bee had made it’s way into my helmet and was not happy about it. Damn it! I just got stung. Over 600 miles, less than 20 to go, and I get stung. Crap. Oh well. I remove the helmet and Todd scraped out the stinger.

We finally hook up with Scott, and we roll towards La Jolla. There is only one obstacle remaining. Torrey Pines. This is the location of Torrey Pines golf course, and something of a local proving ground. Our club holds a hill climb TT on this hill. It’s about a mile at 6%. Not tough, but at 610 miles, you really don’t want to climb anymore.

As we are climbing there is a group going really slowly ahead. As we get closer we realize it’s Anthony and a few GLs. Anthony is the rider who had an RPG go through him, and has no right arm, and no use of his right leg. He’s having a very hard time. Mike J has Anthony’s jersey in his hand and is pulling him up the hill. Pat is pushing Mike, and a third rider is pushing Anthony from the other side. It’s all he can do to keep going, but we are so close we will not let him quit, and he will not quit. We are all cheering him on, offering support, and he finally makes it to the top. This is in some way a metaphor for the CAF. We can help, but in the end it’s the desire of the challenged athlete that makes the difference.

When we finally arrive at La Jolla shores we ride in as a group. First the GLs and fundraisers, and then the Challenged Athletes. We are all met by our friends and family and other challenged athletes who hand out medals to the riders.

There was also one special rider as we came in. It was arranged that Brett’s wife, Kim, would join us for the ride in, in honor of her husband. She came in alone, at the end. It was very emotional, and I don’t think there was a dry eye to be found.

So there it is. 7 days, 600 miles. I really can’t convey the experience of riding with and for the challenged athletes. This is my second year doing it, and if I’m lucky, I’ll be selected to be a group leader again next year. I’ve learned many things doing this ride, but perhaps none is more important than the knowledge that life is what you make it. You can overcome whatever obstacles life places before you. If you have the will.

For sharing the stories, and more importantly, for helping out with such a great cause.

The was the best thing I’ve read in weeks. I’m thrilled you shared your week with us and it sounds like you got just as much from it as those that you helped did from you. Huge kudo’s for doing a ride with a great cause. Well done and congrats for finishing!!! Huge kudo’s also to the athlete’s out there riding with you. Amazing stories!

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Huge thanks for sharing your amazing week with us!