Alc 2009

[ClockworkOrange]

Hi Eli

Have just been reading all through your website etc. I so enjoyed that, all about your family and travel and some lovely photos.

I think it's brilliant doing the ride again but as you said, all in a very good cause. I will definitely make a small donation but not until 25th, when I get paid.

BTW many thanks for your Christmas card and enclosure.

I am really in awe of anybody riding over 500 miles!

Clock

[uk elephant]

Thanks Clock!
Loved seeing your holiday card too with the pictures from your bike adventures. Your ride in London was such a great accomplishment! Hope you are staying warm with the big freeze we are having this week-end. Warmer weather for riding must be just around the corner (or so I hope).

[Trek420]

I am really in awe of anybody riding over 500 miles!

Clock

Clockwork, yes it's quite the ride. The thing about ALC (or any multi day tour) is not so much the distance and climbing although there is that but what I call the back to back to backness.

Do a century, sleep in a tent, get up and do another, try to find the porta potty in the night, do another, pitch a tent and take it down, do another ...

We have us some hills here and the climbing is significant. I don't know for sure but have heard figures of about 27-28,000 feet of climbing. And since they'll start and end at sea level there's equal amount of descending

Yet as California rides go it's not the hardest. There are doubles that V and others here do that have almost as much climbing in one day. don't even think about the Death Ride

But on most doubles or rides like T.D. R. one can take a rest day the next day This one you can't and that makes it tough but also rewarding

[ClockworkOrange]

Cheers Trek for explaining.

I am now in even more 'aweness' than I was before, in fact I must increase the amount I was going to sponsor her for.

Like so many others, I wish I had discovered riding many, many years ago.

Thanks again Trek.

Clock

[Trek420]

Is "aweness" a word? Well it is now

Everything I know that let me to do this ride before I learned right here on TE Yeah, there were club rides and official ALC training rides and I even led training rides one year ...

But the stuff that really made it work ... right here on TE. This is still the best place in cyberspace for women (and some men) cyclists.

Long live TE. Other than UK & Dr. Duck is there anyone else on the board doing the ride this year and are we gonna have a TE tent section?

[ClockworkOrange]

Is "aweness" a word? Well it is now ...............

Awê-ness noun. The name of an annual charitable awareness-campaign of which the highlight is a youth-rock festival


And I thought I had introduced the word into the English language.............

Clock

[ACG]

I am riding, I am number 1220. This is my fourth ride. I am riding with a very good friend who has wanted to do this ride for a long time now.

I just wrote a great request for donation letter. I'm doing a mass mailing now. I even got the aids lifecycle, watermark on the paper! I'm so excited to do this again. Best of luck to all in the TE family

Here is my letter:

At some point in your life you realize there is more than your little circle of the world. This is why I ride. I ride the AIDS lifecycle, 454 miles, to see outside my circle. I ride across a desert to know there is more to life. I ride behind my friends to feel a semblance of togetherness. I ride in the morning to see my home in a new light. I ride at my age to show my daughters that someone over 45 can do anything they can do. I ride every day to keep something familiar in this ever changing world. I ride on holidays to feel the freedom of an empty street. I ride with extra tubes to know that if I fall I can ride again. I ride and I ride and I ride. And if I could do anything right now, I’d be ridding. I ride to breathe deep. I ride to stand tall. I ride to fall hard and I get back up to prove that I can. I ride because one day I felt like seeing the world. And I continue ridding because I haven’t seen it all yet. With two wheels moving fast and my legs pedaling hard, I ride to experience something more than myself. I ride to live.I will ride the Aidslifecycle ride from May 31 to June 6 so that people with Aids, people of all colors, all religions, all ages can live with Aids. Please donate to my Aidslifecycle ride. You may use the website link highlighted on the form attached or use the form and mail it in.If nothing else wish me good thoughts and prayers May 31 to June 6, while I ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
With much love, Audrey Urquidi

[Trek420]

So there will be a TE tent section, yes? We have 3 on the ride so far.

[ClockworkOrange]

Hi Eli

Have just been reading all through your website etc. I so enjoyed that, all about your family and travel and some lovely photos.

I think it's brilliant doing the ride again but as you said, all in a very good cause. I will definitely make a small donation but not until 25th, when I get paid.

BTW many thanks for your Christmas card and enclosure.

I am really in awe of anybody riding over 500 miles!

Clock

Hi Eli

I didn't forget and a couple of days early!

Not much but better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick!

Keep the training up, especially around wet Wales.

Hugs

Clock

[uk elephant]

Thank you, Clock!!! And a donation is far better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick!

Edited to add: I can now make it up the hill to work at least. Still a lot of training left to do, but I am slowly getting started....

[uk elephant]

Finally gotten out on a couple of decent training rides. Today, I did a ride in the morning on my way to work. 15 miles in beautiful wintery landscape. Had to take it a bit slow on the back roads which were not cleared or gritted yet. I am definitely getting my climbing training in around here. Just downloaded my garmin data from the two rides. Each was just under 20 miles, with over 1700ft of climbing! Puh!!. I must admit, I had to walk a few of those feet, but I am definitely getting stronger. Need to decide what to do about my bike, though. It needs a full overhaul after two winters of riding through salt, grit, mud and flowing rivers whenever the bike path flooded. It needs new wheels, new chain, new cassette, new cog and new rear deraileaur apparently. Not cheap. But I need the bike in good condition, not just for alc, so I suppose it's worth it.

[ClockworkOrange]

Hi Eli

Hey, you are doing so well, what part of Wales are you in?

When my partner completely overhauled my bike, wheels, 9 speed cassette etc, for the London Bikeathon I did last year...........yeah, an itsy witsy 25 miles, I bought most items on ebay from an outfit called Woolly Hat Shop. They were terrific, when I ordered my 9 speed cassette, I ordered the wrong size chain and it was no problem for them to change it for me.

It's always a bonus having a telephone number where you actually get to speak to somebody and not just a machine.

Also they sell via Amazon, so it is worth checking out prices.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sram-PG-980-.../dp/B000VSWCZ2

or direct on

http://www.woollyhatshop.com/

I am sure if you contacted them direct and asked for a good deal, they might come up with a good price.

Clock

[uk elephant]

Problem is, I would need the bike shop to install it all for me as I don't have the tools, skills or facilities for such things. And I don't think they are very happy about installing parts that I buy cheap somewhere else.

[ClockworkOrange]

Hey, a young girl like you, just try flattering your eyelids and ask nicely if they could do a deal with you, as you already have the parts, nothing to lose have you?

Or explain your budget and just be honest, if you got the parts, would they be prepared to fit them................and that you will bake them a special cake for St David's Day celebrated in Wales on 1 March!

Clock in helpful mode