Thanks to our donors

We would like to take a moment to thank the many people who have already donated to our 4th annual Ride to Cure Diabetes.

Michelle Bassett
Chris Behrens
Jack Clark
Dawn Dempsey
Jim & Connie Hennip
Tim Jackson
Mary Ellen Koziol
Marc & Jane Longstreet
Dennis & Kim Moline
Janice Piereson
My-anne Muir
Mike & Jean Oele
Don & Janet Rutgers
Steve & Karen Salyer
George & Tina Schmutz
Chris & Collette Smiley
Henry & Mary Stoklas
Kim Summers
Hank & Mary Weiten

Sunday night update

We had a good team ride today hosted by Scott and Linda "It's all downhill from here" Poeder. We left from their house in the Caledonia area, traveled past the Steelcase pyramid, then through Middleville and Alaska. It was a 52 mile, very hilly loop on a beautiful, if challenging, day. We had 18 of our fellow team mates there. The half of our team that is riding in Asheville N.C. is just a bit less than 2 weeks from their ride. The Death Valley part of the team has almost 10 weeks of training left.

This week's ride totals:
7/22 - 17.1 miles, WPT north (Tom)
7/24 - 16.6 miles, Cannon Trail to Townsend Park and back (Tom)
7/27 - 52.6 miles, Caledonia, Middleville Alaska loop (Tom)
Total: 86.3 miles (Tom)

4000

This is a Tom only report, as Mary is in Branson, Missouri with her mother and sister-in-law.
Tonight I did a little 16 miles ride and the odometer on my bike went over 4000 miles. I got my Cannondale just before the 2005 Death Valley Ride. So in a couple months less than three years I've logged 4000 miles, 4 century rides, dozens of rides over 50 miles, and had one crash that left a scar on my butt and broke my camera. And to think I didn't get serious about cycling until I was in my late 40's.
Also, we want to thank XS Energy Drinks for agreeing to be a West Michigan Ride Team sponsor again this year.

Team photo

Here are 17 members of this year's West Michigan Ride Team sporting our new "Pancreas Pink" team jerseys. This was right before yesterday team ride in Montague.

Big weekend

Yesterday we helped out at the JDRF Ride Team booth at the Holland Hundred. Before our shift started we got in 31 miles in a constant rain. Sometimes drizzling, sometimes pouring, but always raining. We rode from Holland to Saugatuck and back. Then we were giving away free Popsicles and helping sell tickets to our post-ride party at New Holland Brewery. It went pretty well for a first time event.
Today we traveled to Montague for a team ride and did a great route designed by fellow team member Derek Dykstra. We started at Nicole Nellis' grand parents house just north of White Lake. We rode past Stony Lake and over to New Era before returning to a pool party and cook-out. It was a 46 mile ride with plenty of hills and even a little wind to keep things interesting.

This week's ride totals:
7/14 - 12 miles; WPT south (Tom)
7/19 - 31 miles; Holland to Saugatuck and back
7/20 - 46 miles; Montague, New Era loop

Total: 89 miles - Tom
Total: 77 miles - Mary

Some people just don't get it

This photo of this year's Tour De France is from Reuters News Service. Apparently this rider didn't get the memo about using a ROAD bike.

Sunday Night, BABY!!!!

It's time for another training update. We had a good week, especially Wednesday when we checked out the Muskegon end of the Musketawa Trail. The Ashville part of our team is doing their ride in just 5 weeks. The Death Valley contingent has a little more training time but we are doing pretty good miles already.

This week's ride totals:
7/8 - 20 miles; Rockford and west loop (Tom)
7/9 - 30.3 miles; Muskegon to Ravenna and back

Total: 50.3 miles - Tom
Total: 30.3 miles - Mary

The 5 x 55 Ride is Coming Soon

This was an idea spawned by a ride on the Musketawa Trail with our friends Elvin and Susan Hayes last summer.
The 5 x 55 Ride takes place Saturday, August 16. We'll ride the Musketawa from Marne to Muskegon, that's the 55, as in miles. The 5 is the number of bar stops along the way. We'll be stopping for a cool beverage at Fenien's Irish Pub in Conklin, the Ravenna Pub, and the Dog House in Muskegon on the way out and then revisitng Ravenna Pub and Fenien's on the way back.
The Musketawa Trail is flat and crosses mostly country roads. The bars are small town quaint and the beer will be cold. We are expecting 20 to 50 riders for this self supported event. In other words, don't plan on a SAG wagon and bring your own cash for food and drinks.
This is a fun ride, not a fund-raiser. However, we are selling t-shirts at http://www.cafepress.com/rideteam and a portion of the proceeds go to support the West Michigan JDRF Ride Team.
So come on down and have a good time on what promises to be a very fun ride. Drop us an email if you'd like more info or plan on attending.

It's not the heat, it's the humidity

Tom went out for a hard ride tonight. Took the hilly route from our house to downtown Rockford. Then rode the WPT to 13 mile. Took that west to Algoma and then south to 10 Mile and a jog to Herrington, which is a very twisty turny rolly kind of road. Ended up on Pine Island just north of Post Road and headed home. A little over 20 miles. When I wasn't working on hills I was trying to keep my speed in the 18 to 20 MPH range. Trying to get faster and stronger to battle the winds out in DV.

Happy (Summer) Holidays

What a great weekend. Beautiful weather, lots of get togethers and cook outs with friends and family, and even some bike riding. Today we were at our friends Susan and Elvin Hayes' cottage on Lake Paw Paw. We did an 18 mile loop, more or less around the lake.

This week's ride totals:
6/30 - 16.4 miles; Rockford via the WPT (Tom)
7/1 - 27.9 miles; Loop east and north of Rockford
7/6 - 18 miles; Lake Paw Paw loop

Total: 62.3 miles - Tom
Total: 45.9 miles - Mary

On a more somber note, one of our son Jake's friends, Jay Gephart, passed away this week. Jay graduated from Rockford High School this past May and on Wednesday night was struck by a car while riding his moped. Please remember Jay's family in your prayers. And say a prayer for all the cyclists who have been killed or injured while riding.
Thanks.

Back in the saddle

No ride report this past Sunday because there was no riding done last week. This week we are making up for it. Tom rode Monday and we both rode, along with teammates Cindy alley and Chris Radford, on Tuesday. The four of us did a nice loop from our house up past Our Lady of Consolation church, out 11 Mile and back down Ramsdell. almost 28 miles. We are hoping to get some more miles in over the long holiday weekend.