Alc 2009

[uk elephant]

Both mom (Duck on Wheels) and I are signed up already and getting excited (and possibly a little nervous). Anyone else signed up?

Both of us live rather far away from any organized training rides. So I thought I'd start this thread as a place to keep eachother up to date, motivated and encouraged and to post ideas for fund raising or times for virtual training rides....Anyone else up for it?

[Trek420]

Go UK, Go DOW And you have at least two other current or future potential ALC'ers here.

Where's the signature?

[uk elephant]

is there a signature now? should be....yup, it's there

On my list for this week when I have time:
personalize donation web-page
make up some cards to give to people in case anyone asks
make a donation letter to e-mail around to anyone and everyone
make some little tags/cards to attach to the socks and mittens I'm knitting for the local craft sale

next week I'll start cookie-sales at work again.

[Duck on Wheels]

Ah yes. Signature. Check. Getting too cold to ride with bare arms anyway for a while.

[Trek420]

You'll need arm skins. It's cold in the morning. Not what you consider cold but then you get warmed up, sometimes you're stopped in the shade ... it's a good way to vary and cope with changing temps.

I learned that from our mutual cousin; vest and a pair of arm skins are the best jacket around.

Want to borrow mine?

[Duck on Wheels]

You'll need arm skins. It's cold in the morning. Not what you consider cold but then you get warmed up, sometimes you're stopped in the shade ... it's a good way to vary and cope with changing temps.

I learned that from our mutual cousin; vest and a pair of arm skins are the best jacket around.

Want to borrow mine?

I've got 2 pair of arm skins -- black ones and the Amici Veloci red ones with matching jersey (mebbe a red skort could go with those for red dress day?). Also light-weight bright yellow jacket with removable arms. Also 1 pair of leg warmers, plain black. Probably enough jerseys (four of my own and three of your old ones). Will need more shorts, but they're s'posed to be new for the ride, right? Cd mebbe use a warmer vest underneath the jacket, but will have to try out what works and can be stuffed into the Camelbak backpack as I shed layers. Will need more sports bras. Plenty of time left to get all that. Meanwhile, bike is in shop getting an mtb crank (the better to climb hills with, my dear). I'll also be looking for a better saddle and handlebars. Working out at the gym enough for now (or so it feels today), and will bike as much as weather permits. Next week, when I'm back from another busy trip, I'll get my presentation letter and so on done and ask if I can put up a display at the gym, at my ostomy supply store, and here at work. Will contact the local paper, the national cycling magazine, the ostomy patient org magazine, and get back to the gym's publicity manager with my promotion proposal. Download my address book to my ALC personal page and get letters sent out. Oh, and make a donation to UK's account. Anything else ...?

[uk elephant]

No need to make a donation to my account just yet....I'm getting lots of knitting done and have already got two people lined up to buy stuff. I'll start the cookie sales at work again next week too.

Well done on the training so far! I need to get going. But I did cycle to my appointment at the hospital today (just a follow up, nothing to worry about) and then to the shop and then to uni and then home. 12 miles just for running errands. Still counts. Especially since it is windy and wet!

Oh, and one thought on the shorts. Don't get them new for the ride. Get them in time for a test ride or two just in case. You don't want to find that seam digging in just as you start a 100 mile day! I need to buy a few more shorts too. My favourite ones have a hole in them and some of the other ones have seams that dig in. I'll be putting in an order or two for things that you maybe can forward when you are in CA in december....

[Trek420]

Cd mebbe use a warmer vest underneath the jacket, but will have to try out what works and can be stuffed into the Camelbak backpack as I shed layers.

I don't think you'll need both jacket and vest. I rode with cycling capris, jersey, vest, arm skins.

Vest and arm skins make a jacket. Still cold? Add a buff. Still cold? Base layer like light Craft shirt. You'll probably only need that first thing as you ride out. You quickly warm up.

In my 7 zip lock baggies of gear I mark one "cold" which has long sleeve jersey, craft or other base layer, wool socks, full length padded tights, full finger gloves.

There's usually one day I'm thankful for that. Day 6 can be foggy.

I'd save weight by packing 6 jerseys, get the official ALC jersey in the camp store early or at registration.

[uk elephant]

I finally got around to updating/personalizing my fundraising web-site. Now that it is up and running, I thought it was time to let people know. So my first fundraising effort has been to send a message to all my contacts on facebook. It's a start.....

Now back to the knitting. The craft sale is only three weeks away and I already have buyers for most of the things I've made!

[Trek420]

Now back to the knitting. The craft sale is only three weeks away and I already have buyers for most of the things I've made!

Whatcha knitting? I'm thinking ALC armwarmers? How's the training going?

[uk elephant]

So far I'm knitting socks and a few mittens and hats. Perhaps after the craft sale, I can knit a few arm warmers and try selling them to cyclists....

But the facebook stint has already paid off! I got my first donation today! Wahooo! Only $2975 to go!

The training is going ok. I have seriously slowed my bike down though. I got fed up of fixing flats several times a week because of all the flint chips and twigs with spines on the ground. So I got puncture resistant tyres, but they are a bit fatter and slower. Then I got fed up of carrying a heavy backpack when riding to carry rain gear, change of clothes, extra layer for when its cold etc etc. So I got a rack and panniers which makes my bike weigh quite a bit more. But imagine how strong I could get riding with all this extra weight!

[uk elephant]

Just thought I'd give a little update on the fundraising...Did the first cookie sale at work last week. I made £14! Not bad for selling only 10 bags of cookies at £1 each. Some people must have put in a little extra. I don't expect to do that well each week, but it all adds up.

On the training front, I've had a little break. Came down with a bad cold which is proving difficult to shake. Hopefully yoga tomorrow will get me back on track.

[Duck on Wheels]

I've also got my first donation. My gym is giving me 3 months free membership, for which I will participate in some publicity stuff around training with them for the ALC. They're also giving me a session with a personal trainer to set up a tailored training program. The membership months come to about $175, and for the PT session I'll round that up to an even $200. Haven't logged it yet, but will do next week when we've worked out the details.

And tonight I sent out another fundraising letter, this time to Her Royal Highness, Crown Princess Mette Marit. I kid you not! HIV/AIDS is high on her charity priority list. She just got home from visiting an AIDS centre in the Ukraine. So I thanked her for contributing not only money but all the dignity royal visits can offer to a tabu-stigmatized group, and then said that it would be really cool if UK-E and I could bring greetings from Her Royal Highness when we ride ALC8 this summer Well, we'll just have to wait and see how the Palace responds. Fingers crossed.

Oh, and on the training side of things: I'm over my cold. Don't know how much my spin "prowess" will translate into speed and endurance on the road, and now that we have snow and ice it'll be some months before I find that out, but for warmups I am now doing 4 sets of 15 reps @ 150 kilos on the sitting leg press machine. I was doing 3 sets of 12 @ 90 4-5 months ago.

[Trek420]

it would be really cool if UK-E and I could bring greetings from Her Royal Highness when we ride ALC8 this summer Well, we'll just have to wait and see how the Palace responds. Fingers crossed.

Keep up the training, it sounds like you are doing well.

Practice that royal wave from the bike "I bring Greetings, from the Queen of Norway!!!"

You will do fine! I got e-mail today from Russ who now works for ALC. He told me he talked to you and our mutual Mom. So you and or UK may have a donation from her.

[uk elephant]

I just finished the local craft sale this week-end, and managed to sell most of my hand knitted socks and mittens and even got some donations in my change jar. I made a total of £140, which is over $200 (not sure of the current exchange rate). I am tempted to try getting a table at the next craft fair too in a month, if I can manage to knit enough stuff by then.

And now to bed....it's been a long week-end.