I met MM_QFC

MM_QFC as you know has posted about her upcoming NY state Empire AIDS ride, I had let her know that I was going to try and meet her on Monday..I DID!!!:D . I met her and her fellow riders at the morning break area, and while I waited for her to come in, team members and fellow riders were introduced by her road traveling "coach/helper/captain". THese people were all so gracious. When Mary rolled in she asks out loud, "wheres shelly?" So I knew that was her..IT was a fantastic experience to meet someone from across the country doing what an event that means so much to them/her. She has traveled to several states to do these events as have some of her team mates and fellow riders. I am in awe over that. Such passion. She had a problem with her bike during transport so she was struggling with that and trying to keep her spirits up. Mary was every bit a pleasure and bundle of joy to be around. She has given me inspiration not to quit at even the smallest of things.
Aside from meeting Mary, I was impressed at how the road traveling coaches knew where every rider was at all times and the traveling bike mechanic was with them. They had, I think, 56 riders for this event but I was still amazed that everyone called each other by their first names. It was a personal experience that I will not forget for a long time..
Good luck to Mary as she continues on this ride and future rides that she endevors..You are an angel..;)

WOW sounds like a great ride. Glad you got to meet up with another TE girl.:)
GO MARY!!!!

This a long-delayed follow-up, as I stayed on after the ride to visit with family and friends in the NE. Since I grew up in NY, there are plenty to visit! Also, my father lives on the Cape, so I had to get out there to spend some time with him too...whew! Back at work now and digging out of a mountain of emails, of course!

I want to thank you again SO much for driving to Penfield, so I could meet you and have a quick visit (your husband too, although I apologize that I can't recall his name). I got a later start than I wanted that morning, as I was conferring with the bike mechanic in camp when everyone rode out. He took a long time to work on my rear wheel but didn't have the right spoke wrench with him to true it as well as he wanted. He's Jay from the Bike Zone in Rochester, by the way, and he was so good to me...he contacted one of his customers who has lots of Rolf wheels identical to mine and she loaned him one for me to use! Then I could enjoy whooping and hollerin' downhills again!
Anyway, it was a great week and hard, of course, too. I don't think that I've ever experienced the camaraderie that's so awesome with any other experience than on an AIDS-fundraising bike ride. No matter the situation: whether you're standing on line for the bathroom (no porta-potties for us!) or sitting down next to someone new (a friend that you've just met is how one of the riders phrased it - nice!) to eat breakfast, struggling up yet another un-ending hill in the heat of the afternoon or walking sleepily to your tent at night and hearing greetings, good night wishes, kind words from everyone you pass...it just is indescribably wonderful.
We had pretty good weather for most of the week...got into the last night in camp at Bear Mtn, where a rider and her fiancee, the camp mgr had their wedding ceremony! It was a rainy afternoon, and their families were there under the tents and canopies we had strung among the trees...all dressed up of course and us in our spandex best! The next morning the temp was in the low 40's and we were all huddling and shivering around the campfire, as Marty, the ride director gave us our last updates...we rode into NYC and regrouped on the upper west side at the Cathedral of St John the Divine, then all rode together to the closing ceremonies in lower Manhattan. Then it was time to get to the hotel, shower and meet everyone again at a bar in Brooklyn...that the ride medic owns...very fun.
So, I hope that the rest of your day of remaining vacation was fun and maybe we can do it again next year, as I'll be back!
I've attached a couple of pics...1 has my long-time riding buddy, Tracy (she and I have been riding to fight AIDS for 10 years together), Randy from our beneficiary ARI/UCSF, Marty the ride director and me on Day 1 at Niagara Falls and the other is a team shot of us at the last day's lunch stop, courtesy of the Alpine, NY police dept!
All the best, Mary