Monday, May 28, 2007

Connor's Army is a Family Affair!

I have probably the most amazing family anyone could ever hope to have! Not only do I have an incredibly supportive wife without whom this project would ever have gotten where it is; but I have some truly awe-inspiring children. Let me ‘splain.

My daughter Sarah (if you look on the “Gene’s Story” link you’ll see her adorable face in the middle of the family picture) decided last month that she wanted to sell lemonade to raise money for Connor’s Army. She had a lemonade stand two years ago to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, in which her Aunt Winnie lost her home. She called it “Lemon-Aid”. We set up a booth in the front of the house, and during Cow Harbor day she sold lemonade and raised more than $200.

This year she decided she wanted to do it again on Memorial Day before, during and after the parade that passes right in front of our house. We set up the stand, amazing Amy put up signs on the white picket fence to advertise and we mixed up the lemonade - pink this time. I loved the smell in the kitchen. We figured she’d make about $75 this time.

The parade started at 10:00, and she began bright and early at about 9:30 selling Lemon-Aid for fifty cents a cup. Some of our friends joined us to watch the parade from our porch - the Oliveri’s with their two girls and the other Connor’s with their three. The girls all helped and with six adorable little girls selling there was no way they weren’t going to do well.

When it was all said and done, Sarah had raised $187.30!!!!

She has now become one of my biggest contributors - not that she isn’t already. I’m really proud of her, not only for doing so well, but for having such an empathetic heart. So many people would think of doing something nice, but not follow through when they realized they’d be working during the parade instead of watching it. But Sarah did it and wants to do it again for Cow Harbor Day.

She also wants to do a junior version of my ride and pledge to ride ten miles (ten trips to the park and back) without training wheels on her bicycle - she is indeed a special little girl!

Peace to you all and stay well.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

With Apologies to Monsieur Dickens - Part Deux

Today it was another one of those, "It was the best of rides, it was the worst of rides". The last time I wrote with this heading it was back in February and it was cold.

Today, it was one of those days when the sun was shining nicely, the temperature was a relatively balmy 52 degrees, and I had the added incentive of knowing that when I made it to school today I would have passed 1000 miles!!!!! I left with a nice bounce in my step and ready to tear it up.

That’s when my body decided to remind me to never get too cocky.

For some reason I just didn’t have any legs today. No matter what I tried I just couldn’t get into the groove - the rhythm just wasn’t there. I was cruising along at a decent tempo, but every time I checked my times I saw I was falling further and further behind. For those of you who don’t know the route I follow every day it goes like this:

I start my morning with the big hill up Church Street and cross 25A to Elwood. From there I take a right onto Pulaski and pretty much follow that all the way to the Cold Spring Harbor train station. I take a right at the station (I never remember the name of that road and am constantly reminded of the time I got my mother-in-law totally lost because of that) and go about ½ a mile to Stillwell Lane. I turn left onto Stillwell and climb that hill all the way to the end at Cold Spring Road. That left and another put me onto Southwoods Road, and from there it’s just ¾ of a mile to the entrance of the teacher’s parking lot.

Today each of my split times just kept dropping steadily behind. No matter how hard I kept working it, I just couldn’t feel any zip in my cadence.

The absolute worst came when I met this guy I’ve been seeing on the road lately who’s obviously also commuting to work. He’s a fit looking guy on a mountain bike and usually I see him going up Stillwell. Now, I’m definitely not one of those elitists who thinks anyone who isn’t riding an $8,000 semi-custom road bike is scum - remember I have relatives who live in mobile homes and my own bike is cobbled together. So I always try to wave to those I see passing me in the other direction. I usually see this commuter on his mountain bike on the hill ahead of me; and then pass him easily as I go up the hill, always saying “good morning” as I pass.

Well, today he spanked me hard.

I saw him about a hundred yards ahead of me at the base of the hill. But today not only could I not catch him, he pulled away from me - on a mountain bike! That’s when I knew the cycling gods were not smiling on me today.

So of course the competitor in me just got mad and, although I didn’t catch him, I did manage to do a pretty fair job at coming up with a good split time for the last leg.

When it is all said and done, though, the reminder is there - I’m doing this to help other people, some of whom are too sick to even get on a bike and pedal.

I’m doing it out of thankfulness that the people I’m riding for are well and are winning their personal fights against the disease.

I’m doing it to help the American Cancer Society fund research to develop new tests so that my wife and children can stay cancer-free.

So I remind myself that it’s not about getting to the top of the hill first on the fastest bike, it’s just about getting there and fighting the fight.

I’m now halfway to my goal - here’s hoping I reach 2000 and then some!

Peace to you all and stay well.

Monday, May 14, 2007

This is the Way We Bike to Work, Bike to Work, Bike to Work

In three days we open A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Everyone’s worked really hard to put together a GREAT show, and the kids are having fun doing it. They’re really into the 1960’s setting. We spent part of Saturday’s rehearsal tie-dying show shirts and they’re really psyched to go onstage.

On the Connor’s Army front, I was asked by Huntington Town Councilman Mark Cuthbertson to help him and Huntington Township kick off “Bike to Work Week”. So this morning instead of going to school at my usual time I rode to the Councilman’s house at 8:00am. Also in attendance were Steve Jimenez and a few other dignitaries, one from the State Department of Highways! We cruised along at a reasonable pace, and had the chance to talk to the people from Channel 55 so they could use their footage on TV that night.

I’m now at 870 miles and going strong. I’m hoping to be able to at least finish out the school year on June 22nd with at least 1200 miles. I have a little more than a month to do it. Of course, if I can get more that would be great! Since this is “Bike to Work Week” I plan to ride as much as I can - as long as it’s dry!

And so for now, to any of you reading the blog - get on your bike and ride at least once this week to work (unless of course you work more than 25 miles from home - then do it part way!) - you’ll be saving money, doing your heart good, and saving a little bit for the environment as well!

Peace and stay well.

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

National Bike Month

Hooray, Hooray, the First of May…..Riding to Work Begins Today!

Yes, I began National Bike Month with a great ride to work. It was one of those days when the temperature is just right and there’s no breeze - just a perfect day to ride.

Last Sunday, the Town of Huntington sponsored a kick-off to National Bike Month. They set up some stations at Huntington Town Hall to help promote the upcoming month and to encourage people to ride their bikes to work. When Steve Jimenez from Councilman Mark Cuthbertson’s office called to ask if I’d like to participate, I was both flattered and excited. And I was especially pleased when I found out that representatives from both the Huntington Bicycle Club and Adam’s Cyclery were going to be there.

Chuck Adams is one of my most enthusiastic sponsors and I say again to any of you out there reading this - GO TO HIS SHOP! He and Darren are really knowledgeable about road bikes and he’ll go out of his way to help you. He’s really one of the best sponsors a guy could have.

Anyway, about Sunday.

We were there for about three hours and no one showed up - not one single person. And it was cold! However it wasn’t all bad. I got to hang out with some great guys and talk about bikes. And I rode over so I got a good bike ride in and even a boring day on the bike is a great day! So despite the disappointing turn-out, I really enjoyed the day.

As far as my progress goes, when I start this month I’m at 776 miles and counting. I’m hoping to hit 1200 by the end of the school year so the fall isn’t so bad - although if I hit 2500 that’s okay too!

So, get out there and ride your bike this month!

Peace to you all and stay well.