What is that little sliver of a picture? Great question! That is part of what I'll be seeing at various times of the 90-mile ride around Lance Armstrong's neighborhood. That's right folks...
HEADIN' TO AUSTIN!!! ...well not yet, but for the weekend of October 15-16, 2011. As you likely recall, last June while Sarah was walking with Gabbie (Pip at the time) around Seattle, I was out biking the 70-mile route of the Livestrong Challenge Seattle. It was my first Challenge. Exactly 2 months to the day from the last drip of chemo, and it was such an emotional ride - at the end my face was wet with tears of happiness, tears of pride, and Seattle rain/road grime. Unfortunately, going forward the TEAM LIVESTRONG group has decided to pull away from the Seattle market. The explanation, though unfortunate for us, made sense - it was Father's Day weekend and they just couldn't get the return on the investment and as Lance would say "It's not about the bike." It's about the funds and support raised in fighting the global battle with cancer.
I couldn't see not doing a challenge, though I realized that it would be difficult to make work. If we did the San Jose Challenge we could have stayed with Mark Vega's family, however, they moved it to Davis which is farther away, earlier in the summer, and HOT. So if I was going to travel, might as well hit the big kahuna - Austin.
Austin doesn't offer a full century so I'm going to be doing the 90-mile ride with the Cyclists Combating Cancer team - joined with my friend Patrick and many others. I'm setting lofty goals for myself which I know will be a challenge and I will have to figure out some added ways to raise money - $10,000 is the goal. That would be $111 per mile. Want to be the first to donate? I've got 10 months so why not.
I have a strong feeling that it will be a great ride. I've found that balancing riding with being a dad can be a challenge and you dont get out as much as you'd like. But with this ride late in the year, I know I'll be ready for it. So here are the plans:
June 2011 - Flying Wheels Century - Redmond, WA
July 2011 - Seattle to Portland
July 2011 - Seattle Century - we are working with the Grassroots group at the LAF to keep a Livestrong ride in the area. It will be a lot of work and I really want to help Patrick make it happen. Hopefully it will be either the STP or the Seattle Century (read - I might just do 1 of them)
September 2011 - Ride 542 - Up in the air, but I'm still really tempted to get climbing and do this climb up Mount Baker
October 2011 - Livestrong Challenge Austin
Join the fight. Think of what you can do to help me. Every little bit helps - the big bits help even more toward my goal. My goal is financial, but it all goes to help the fight. I'm riding to the end - the end of cancer. Please support me! http://austin2011.livestrong.org/steinaj
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