Paws To Help

The sunrise. The swallows return to Capistrano. Taxes. All things that you can count on. So too is our quest to shed some light on animal rescue via our Ride 2 The Rescue efforts. For the fourth year now, a group of dedicated cyclists will head out this fall for long distance rides to generate awareness and hopefully raise some capital. Plus, this year, because of several personal ties, we have added the Susan G. Komen Foundation as a recipient of our efforts.

Okay, if you are interested, you want to help, you love the under-dog (or cat, rabbit, whatever) and you despise cancer, this is where we ask for money. Our first ride event is our own, The Riverlution – a 75 mile ride around Lake Pepin in Minnesota, Saturday, September 25. Our ranks have swelled to about eight so far and with folks joining in from Florida and Illinois. There will hopefully be others this fall, but this ride is our primary opportunity to raise as much funding as we can. Our goal is $5,000 this season. We have a long way to ride and a long way to go in order to achieve that mission.

Many of you have helped in the past. We have great corporate sponsors who gave generously to fund our team jerseys this year – I know, that sounds just like a little league team. But, the challenges for the rescuers, the researchers, the animals and patients is big league. We all need your help to succeed. If you chose to open a helping heart, there are now two ways. You can visit our web site and donate by clicking any amount posted on the dog bones. Those funds go to animal rescue. If you want to support cancer research or you are more of a traditionalist, checks can be sent to Team R2R, Inc. as a tax deductible contribution, address below.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I, along with all my saddle sore compadrés hope you will make our miles count!

Steve Martin
Spiro & Associates
12651 McGregor Blvd, Unit 4-402
Fort Myers, FL 33919

My Shadow Rides A Litespeed

Long-time-no-post. There really no appropriate explanation, I have been riding, I have been involved in some novel bike related activities and I am excited about the upcoming Riverlution. Guess I just didn’t want to. Facebook and Twitter have so much more immediate gratification. I can usually sum up my activities in 140 characters anyway. I am just not that deep or verbose.

This summer has been a battle of my riding mojo (or rather lack there of). Seems I have to really talk myself into saddling up. When I do, the results are typically good and lately, better than expected. I attributed last years riding troubles to the heat. I always try to blame work related stress, cuz it is true. I have been trying to get into a schedule of any sort as the Century Season approaches. First is the Riverlution (70 miles) then the Seagull (100) possibly Ride 4 Hope (50) and then the Horrible Hundred (obviously 100). I am kind of worried about making even the first one at this point.

I have been trying to build up distances and my climbing strength. The two seem to be quite at odds with each other. One day I have a great climb workout, the next I can’t fulfill my miles without wanting to up-chuck on my top-tube! The week before last for instance. I did not feel terribly inspired to ride Saturday, but I eased into the idea, my chamois and then the bike. It felt rough out of sorts. I ended up having the fastest ride of my “season!” In fact I had ridden Thursday, Friday and then Saturday. So planning for a 50 on Sunday I was tired but determined. “Los Mojo” was not going to win this week. I felt pretty good, only to determine later that I had enough of a tailwind to fool me into going further. At on point I caught a blue and yellow helmet approaching just out of the corner of my eye. I waited for the rider to pass. I held my line despite being hit repeatedly by branches jutting out like a Deutscher’s Mussette bag just waiting to take me down. I pushed, kept pace and never let up. For four miles all I saw was a shadow hanging there, never really retreating, certainly not gaining. Just there about a yard back. That probably pushed me a little harder than I had hoped because all the way back the headwind pushed back at me.

This last Sunday was a scheduled 60 in prep for the Riverlution. I had ridden Friday and Saturday with a magnificent climb Saturday. A pittance for any one else with any elevation, but something for me to aspire towards. I woke up Sunday and Los Mojo was sitting on me like a cement truck. Coffee, puttering around, the threat of increasing heat, nothing inspired me to get out. I came close to going back to bed but prepped a bottle instead. Then another. Then pulled out a jersey. Slowly I readied myself for a ride of any length. I figured maybe 20 miles. Okay then 30. Finally decided I could do 40 and make it back in time for a meeting over some Belgian beer(s).

I came around a bend and noted two riders turning around at an intersection. Ah, rabbits to chase. I set out in pursuit. While one got away, I gained on the second, in true predator fashion I sectioned off the weaker from the herd. When I did catch up I noted a man, in his late 60s no doubt, wearing a blue kit riding a Litespeed. Could this be the Shadow from the prior week? Was it a look back or a look forward, to be pretzel thin and venous. I am still not sure. But, he was a nice guy – looked like an anemic Grandpa Walton, and chatty – couldn’t have been The Shadow. We took turns pulling, held a great pace until he turned off and I headed on.
Though I had scheduled 60, settled for 40 I ran out of water with no where to refill and had to call it at 38. My hope is this week Los Mojo will take a beating and surrender for the summer.

Spin On