The Road Begins

Hello, and welcome to my very first blog!

I don’t just mean that for the Connor’s Army website, I mean ever. For those of you who know me, you know that I’m only one step above Luddite (sorry, I started as an English teacher so you’ll have to go look that up!) on the technological food chain. My kids at school are constantly razzing me about my “old school” cell phone and the fact that, although computer literate, I still don’t know how to access most of the stuff on the internet.

So, I’m not so good at the techno stuff but I am good at the physical stuff.

I guess that’s why I wanted to find something I could do to give thanks to the American Cancer Society for all they did for my sisters that would use my physical abilities. I had thought about a dance concert but I realized that I wanted something that would be more visible and that could hopefully “recruit” people from many walks of life. I also wanted to start something that might become an annual event.

So once again my Executive Director (a.k.a. wife Amy) came up with a brilliant idea - combining my love of bicycling with a great idea for a fund-raising event for ACS. (Incidentally, she’s also the brilliant mind behind our Theater Club’s annual Bard-a-thon!) As a matter of fact, since she’s a lot more techno-savvy than I, she’s the one who came up with the website and the one who’ll actually be putting the blog page together.

I have to admit, I’m very lucky. I have a fantastic wife, three beautiful and healthy children, and I’m in the best health that I have been in for a few years.

As far as the ride goes, I am still gearing up for January 1, 2007 by getting my body used to the constant commuting. I try to ride at least twice a week - weather permitting. I have to admit heat, cold and wind don’t bother me so much but I hate riding in the rain. I guess a big part of that is because my “Frankenbike” (a Diamondbike compact geometry cyclocross frame salvaged from the trash with FSA cranks, nine-speed Shimano 105 componentry, Bontrager stem, bars and saddle, Weinman cyclocross wheels, Avid Shorty 4 cantilever brakes) has a steel frame and I’m trying to protect it against the damning ravages of rust!

Right now my cyclocomputer (which I reset every year) reads 1,377 miles since last January 1 and 1,225 of those were commuting miles.

Unfortunately, I had to take off two and a half months because of reconstructive surgery I had on my right ankle. Fortunately, my podiatrist Dr. Barney Martin (yes, Doc Martin, for those of you who remember the craze) did an incredible job and I’ve had very little pain since I started riding again last June. I’ve been dancing and riding and chasing the kids, and I have very little discomfort.

A lot of that is also due to the help of Mary English and the staff at Northport Physical Therapy. She really put me through the paces and got me rehabilitated quickly. As a matter of fact, before the surgery in mid-April I had only logged about 400 miles of the 1300, so I’m doing pretty well. My goal is to reach at least 1500 miles this year to get ready for the push in 2007.

I have to say, I’m very excited about being able to actually do something to help my sisters and to give something back to a group that I feel is so responsible for them being healthy today. My goal is to log 2000 commuting miles next year but I honestly think I can do even more!

What you’ll see here going forward is less about my past life and more of a weekly (perhaps sometimes even daily) progress report on how the ride is going, my bike, what I experience on the road (especially in December and January when it’s cold) and any other life observations that pop up.

I hope you’ll join me on my journey - at least on this cyber-journey - and if you feel like joining me on an actual ride, just drop me a line.