24 hour charity ride--want to form a TE team?

[Cataboo]

this is apparently in the BF's office park. One of his female coworkers is looking for team members if you want me to get her contact info?

[owlice]

I'm still interested and it looks like registration closes on September 11, so there isn't a ton of time left to do the necessary fundraising. If someone, anyone, is forming a team, I'm willing to participate. Will bring tent and some chairs if necessary, and lots of enthusiasm!

[divingbiker]

With some reluctance, I've decided that this is not the type of event that's meant for me. By 4pm, I'm fading, and there's no way I can stay up through the night, so I'm going to pass. If someone signs up, I'll donate!

[Cataboo]

I gave Owlice info on a team to join & she did. She'll probably know if they're still looking for more members if anyone else is interested.

[owlice]

Yes! I did sign up! If anyone wants to sponsor me (or other riders), please send me a PM and I'll send the link!

divingbiker, I'm really glad you brought this event to my attention; thank you! And thank you, Catriona, for putting me in touch with a team looking for riders!

[Cataboo]

Given the weather, I'm glad I didn't sign up for this.

Owlice, I hope you're staying reasonably dry.

[owlice]

I did not stay reasonably, nor even unreasonably, dry; I was completely soaked! Someone somewhere has a picture of me wringing out one of my socks.

I have GOT to get at least a waterproof jacket; the little windbreaker I had on definitely isn't waterproof. I was so wet, the water I was wet with had water on it!

But it was worth it. I didn't ride nearly as many miles as I'd hoped -- next time, I'll check out a course before pronouncing my lofty goals for it! -- but I did get in a solid 66 miles, and will go back to that loop and ride another 34, by God and kittens, I will!

Here's part of the email I sent out to those who sponsored me:

There is a saying: Melancholy is incompatible with bicycling. I have found this to be true (yes, even when riding in the dark in a cold rain). I have often put it this way: It's impossible to cry on a bike.

I was wrong, however. One of the things I learned during this event is that it is, indeed, possible to cry on a bike.

The route had some people along it cheering riders on; these cheerer-on-ers were all near the start/finish point, most notably on the hill leading to the start/finish line. The rest of the route was devoid of cheerers.

Except, here on my fourth lap for one set, I saw a man on the other side of the loop standing on a corner, holding a handwritten sign which said, "Thanks for riding." Since I ride slowly enough to have whole conversations with people standing by the route, I said, "Thank you for being here." He held out his hand for me to slap as I rode by, and that is when I noticed the text in orange below the "Thanks for riding." The text in orange -- the Booty event color -- read "Son has leukemia."

And that is how I know that it is possible to cry on a bicycle, for I did so the rest of that lap. As I do now, remembering this, and wishing now, as I did while I was riding, that I had a tissue handy and more importantly, a cure for leukemia.