I can’t believe that it’s the last day of the school year and I’ve exceeded my goal by two hundred miles!
Going off of last year’s tally I figured I could get about 1,100 miles by the end of this school year. Then I’d be able to do the remaining 900 miles in the fall pretty easily.
As of today, though, Connor’s Army has logged 1302 miles for the year.
Through rain and sleet and cold and heat (okay, not so much heat yet) I’ve managed to rack up a good chunk of mileage, and now I’m thinking I’ll do more than 2,000!
We’ve also managed to raise (drum roll please) $5,647.30! So, it’s been six months and we’re past our halfway mark in fundraising, too.
Although I won’t count the miles I ride over the summer, I’ll still be riding and I’ll still be writing the occasional blog entry. I’m signed up to do 70 miles of the Huntington Bike Club’s Gold Coast Ride for fun with Steve Jimenez and I’ll let you know how that goes. I’m planning to ride to work at Park Shore Camp and I’ll give you an update on how they react to my cycle wear.
Already, though, I can’t wait to get started again in the fall and work my closer and closer to the 2,000 mile mark.
And, of course, I’d be completely remiss if I didn’t wish a Happy Birthday to my sweet Sarah!
Stay well and I’ll see you on the road!
Friday, June 22, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Take That Trekman!
If you’ve been reading my blogs on any kind of consistent basis, you know that I have a bit of a competitive streak - okay, a little more than a bit. That being said I have to gloat just a bit, because the times I can are few and far between.
Today without really meaning to I was involved in a good old-fashioned road rider smackdown! And it happened, of all places, going up Stillwell.
As I was turning on to Cold Spring Harbor Road I noticed a guy on a road bike about 50 or so yards ahead of m. I was doing about 25 miles per hour so I thought, “Okay, I’ll catch him at the bottom of the hill and just ride with him a while and try to hold on. I won’t ‘race’ I’ll just try to maintain and ride my own ride.” As I drew closer I saw he was on a shiny Trek wearing riding tights, a CSC team jersey and aero shoe covers. He looked pretty hardcore so it was going to take some doing. I figured I’d just try to hang on to his wheel up the first bend and he’d probably drop me before the first stop sign.
I caught up to him at the base of the climb and I held on to his wheel. When I checked my odometer I realized I was only going 8 mph, so I decided to just ride my ride and see what happened. I figured he’d probably blow by me and leave me in the dust like that other guy did before.
Well he actually latched on to my wheel for about fifty feet until I started cranking it at about 14 mph. I don’t know if it’s the new frame, but it felt like nothing!
After a while I looked back and he was way behind, and when I checked again at the top of the hill I couldn’t even see him. I have to admit I felt good. Here I was on a no-name brand of bicycle that I (and the boys from Adams Cyclery) had put together and I left his nice shiny Trek way down the hill. It made my day! Of course, as my in-laws would say, “Not racing”.
To cap it off, when I got home my odometer read 1,274! I have one more day of riding and then I have to stop logging until September. I’ll definitely take the long way home tomorrow!
Stay well and peace to you all.
Today without really meaning to I was involved in a good old-fashioned road rider smackdown! And it happened, of all places, going up Stillwell.
As I was turning on to Cold Spring Harbor Road I noticed a guy on a road bike about 50 or so yards ahead of m. I was doing about 25 miles per hour so I thought, “Okay, I’ll catch him at the bottom of the hill and just ride with him a while and try to hold on. I won’t ‘race’ I’ll just try to maintain and ride my own ride.” As I drew closer I saw he was on a shiny Trek wearing riding tights, a CSC team jersey and aero shoe covers. He looked pretty hardcore so it was going to take some doing. I figured I’d just try to hang on to his wheel up the first bend and he’d probably drop me before the first stop sign.
I caught up to him at the base of the climb and I held on to his wheel. When I checked my odometer I realized I was only going 8 mph, so I decided to just ride my ride and see what happened. I figured he’d probably blow by me and leave me in the dust like that other guy did before.
Well he actually latched on to my wheel for about fifty feet until I started cranking it at about 14 mph. I don’t know if it’s the new frame, but it felt like nothing!
After a while I looked back and he was way behind, and when I checked again at the top of the hill I couldn’t even see him. I have to admit I felt good. Here I was on a no-name brand of bicycle that I (and the boys from Adams Cyclery) had put together and I left his nice shiny Trek way down the hill. It made my day! Of course, as my in-laws would say, “Not racing”.
To cap it off, when I got home my odometer read 1,274! I have one more day of riding and then I have to stop logging until September. I’ll definitely take the long way home tomorrow!
Stay well and peace to you all.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
How Sweet It Is!!!!
It may not be the 2007 special edition Trek Madone but I’m in heaven!
I finally finished putting all the parts on my new Scattante frame Monday night! I couldn’t ride it on Tuesday because I had to stay for the ACT Spring Showcase and ITS (International Thespian Society) Induction Ceremony, and it’d be very late and dark by the time I came home. My wife hates it when I ride home late at night so I generally don’t ride if I’m going to be very late at school.
But boy was I itching all day to get on that bike!
The kids who performed last night were wonderful! I’m very lucky as a teacher that I get to spend my days - and afternoons, evenings and sometimes weekends - with such good kids. They’re caring and generous. Many of our contributors are either current or past ACT members. They’re really a part of our family no matter where they go in life. It’s strange to think that many of the faces I saw last night were performing for the very last time at SHS. Tonight they graduated, and soon they’re moving on to the next part of their lives. I’m going to miss them in September as I greet the new students. I’ve gone through this every year for ten years now, and it never gets easier.
I was a bit nervous when I rode out this morning because I wasn’t sure how the new ride would perform and if there would be any appreciable difference to make the change worthwhile. I also wasn’t sure if I’d dialed in all the adjustments correctly, and if I’d fine tuned all my shifting and braking adjustments right. I didn’t want to be stuck on the road trying to make major adjustments.
Not to worry, though, Black Betty was a dream to ride. Yes, I know I had also called my last bike Black Betty; but I figure if BB King can call all his guitars Lucille, then I can call all my bikes Black Betty.
She’s so much easier going up the hills, and I can almost feel myself flying on the roads since the down tube and top tube have aerodynamic tear-drop shapes. Supposedly aluminum is a stiffer ride but I didn’t notice that much difference - I guess it’s a result of the carbon fork on the front. She shifts well and I feel good on her. The only thing that bothered me is that there’s a slight amount of toe overlap. It really shouldn’t be an issue unless I make a quick, sharp turn at slow speed when my feet are in the three and nine o’clock positions so I guess that’s okay. I ordered a medium frame and the label on the seat tube says it’s a 54, so at my towering height of 5’6½” I don’t think I really could’ve gone with a bigger frame. I’ll just have to be aware of it when I’m rolling slowly. Other than that she’s a beaut!
So if you happen to be on Pulaski and you see a black, white and yellow streak - it’s probably me logging more miles for ACS. I won’t be put off if you holler encouragement!
Stay well and I’ll see you on the road!
I finally finished putting all the parts on my new Scattante frame Monday night! I couldn’t ride it on Tuesday because I had to stay for the ACT Spring Showcase and ITS (International Thespian Society) Induction Ceremony, and it’d be very late and dark by the time I came home. My wife hates it when I ride home late at night so I generally don’t ride if I’m going to be very late at school.
But boy was I itching all day to get on that bike!
The kids who performed last night were wonderful! I’m very lucky as a teacher that I get to spend my days - and afternoons, evenings and sometimes weekends - with such good kids. They’re caring and generous. Many of our contributors are either current or past ACT members. They’re really a part of our family no matter where they go in life. It’s strange to think that many of the faces I saw last night were performing for the very last time at SHS. Tonight they graduated, and soon they’re moving on to the next part of their lives. I’m going to miss them in September as I greet the new students. I’ve gone through this every year for ten years now, and it never gets easier.
I was a bit nervous when I rode out this morning because I wasn’t sure how the new ride would perform and if there would be any appreciable difference to make the change worthwhile. I also wasn’t sure if I’d dialed in all the adjustments correctly, and if I’d fine tuned all my shifting and braking adjustments right. I didn’t want to be stuck on the road trying to make major adjustments.
Not to worry, though, Black Betty was a dream to ride. Yes, I know I had also called my last bike Black Betty; but I figure if BB King can call all his guitars Lucille, then I can call all my bikes Black Betty.
She’s so much easier going up the hills, and I can almost feel myself flying on the roads since the down tube and top tube have aerodynamic tear-drop shapes. Supposedly aluminum is a stiffer ride but I didn’t notice that much difference - I guess it’s a result of the carbon fork on the front. She shifts well and I feel good on her. The only thing that bothered me is that there’s a slight amount of toe overlap. It really shouldn’t be an issue unless I make a quick, sharp turn at slow speed when my feet are in the three and nine o’clock positions so I guess that’s okay. I ordered a medium frame and the label on the seat tube says it’s a 54, so at my towering height of 5’6½” I don’t think I really could’ve gone with a bigger frame. I’ll just have to be aware of it when I’m rolling slowly. Other than that she’s a beaut!
So if you happen to be on Pulaski and you see a black, white and yellow streak - it’s probably me logging more miles for ACS. I won’t be put off if you holler encouragement!
Stay well and I’ll see you on the road!
Friday, June 15, 2007
Just Another Day in the Saddle
I really don’t have much exciting to report write now, but I wanted to give you an update on mileage and money raised so far.
The ride is going well and my endurance is getting better. The ride is getting easier each day (most of the time) and I can pretty much depend on getting to school in well under 40 minutes. I’m fairly consistently averaging 19+ miles per hour on my commute, so I’m really getting the hang of it. On the way home I try to go up Snake Hill Road with its killer hill as much as I can and I usually average about 9-10 miles an hour up that hill. For those of you who know it, that’s not bad!
And now for the big news …
The new frame arrived yesterday!
However, as much as I want to, I can’t yet switch all the parts over. I’ve installed the new Bontrager select seat post and the Shimano 105 brakes, but I need to go to my good sponsor at Adams Cyclery (if I haven’t said it enough before, you need to give them your business - they’re absolutely the best service and help around!) and get an adapter for my front derailleur. My old frame uses a 25.4 derailleur clamp and the new one is larger so I have to get a new derailleur clamp before I can finish switching everything over.
We got good news about Randi’s mother the other day. She seems to be responding well to the treatment and the doctors are optimistic about her prognosis. Our friend Michelle is also responding well to her treatment. My sister Angela also is getting positive news in her check ups, and she and her husband been told they can start trying to have a baby so we’re very happy for them.
Although the riding is just another day in the saddle, I’m constantly reminded that the money I’m trying to raise is going to help our friends and even people we don’t know get better, and to aid in the research that keeps them hopeful.
The mileage so far is 1,215. I’m hoping in the next week - the last week I’ll count my mileage until September 5th - to try to squeeze in another hundred miles and end with 1300. I guess I’ll take the long way home a few times.
Stay well and I’ll see you on the road!
The ride is going well and my endurance is getting better. The ride is getting easier each day (most of the time) and I can pretty much depend on getting to school in well under 40 minutes. I’m fairly consistently averaging 19+ miles per hour on my commute, so I’m really getting the hang of it. On the way home I try to go up Snake Hill Road with its killer hill as much as I can and I usually average about 9-10 miles an hour up that hill. For those of you who know it, that’s not bad!
And now for the big news …
The new frame arrived yesterday!
However, as much as I want to, I can’t yet switch all the parts over. I’ve installed the new Bontrager select seat post and the Shimano 105 brakes, but I need to go to my good sponsor at Adams Cyclery (if I haven’t said it enough before, you need to give them your business - they’re absolutely the best service and help around!) and get an adapter for my front derailleur. My old frame uses a 25.4 derailleur clamp and the new one is larger so I have to get a new derailleur clamp before I can finish switching everything over.
We got good news about Randi’s mother the other day. She seems to be responding well to the treatment and the doctors are optimistic about her prognosis. Our friend Michelle is also responding well to her treatment. My sister Angela also is getting positive news in her check ups, and she and her husband been told they can start trying to have a baby so we’re very happy for them.
Although the riding is just another day in the saddle, I’m constantly reminded that the money I’m trying to raise is going to help our friends and even people we don’t know get better, and to aid in the research that keeps them hopeful.
The mileage so far is 1,215. I’m hoping in the next week - the last week I’ll count my mileage until September 5th - to try to squeeze in another hundred miles and end with 1300. I guess I’ll take the long way home a few times.
Stay well and I’ll see you on the road!
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Holy Town Proclamations Batman!
Okay, so I’m flabbergasted beyond belief!
Remember way back last month when I wrote about how I was asked by Huntington Town Councilman Mark Cuthbertson to help him and Huntington Township kick off “Bike to Work Week”? Well, last week I got a call from Steve Jimenez telling me that the Council wanted to award a proclamation to me at the next Town Council meeting. I figured it was either for the “Bike to Work Week” ride, or for the Sunday I spent with Chuck Adams and Huntington Bicycle club promoting “Bike to Work Month.” Steve told me it wouldn’t take long and when I asked if I could bring the family he said sure.
Tonight when we got to the meeting there were lots of kids being honored for a spelling bee competition in which they scored very well. It was great to see a large group of kids being honored for being smart and accomplished. I figured that everyone else from the ride or the promotion would be there, but I didn’t see anyone.
Then they called my name and as I went up Councilwoman Glenda Jackson read a proclamation in front of everyone praising my efforts with Connor’s Army. I couldn’t believe it! Steve had told me that Councilman Cuthbertson was really impressed with my efforts and was behind us all the way, but this was something else! It was so unexpected and I was truly touched. It belongs as much to everyone supporting me as it does to me.
In addition, the councilman has also put his money where his words are and has supported us with a very generous donation. I have to say that I’m proud to live in a township where the elected officials care so much.
Afterwards the family and I then went to celebrate at Ben and Jerry’s. We had fun getting lots of goopy ice cream and watching the people going by. It’s a great thing to be able to share these things with my family because I want them to remember that we’re not alone on this earth. We’re here to help others any way we can. Some do it by making laws, some by writing books that change the way people think, some by giving lots of money, some by teaching, some by using their bodies to make a difference. I’ll never make laws or write a book that changes the way people think, but I hope by using my body to raise money to give to ACS I can make a small difference to help others. I want my children to see that example and to see that we’re part of a bigger family - one that we need to help no matter where they are. And that when help is needed by anyone, it’ll be there for them.
Well, that’s all for now. See you on the road.
Stay well.
Remember way back last month when I wrote about how I was asked by Huntington Town Councilman Mark Cuthbertson to help him and Huntington Township kick off “Bike to Work Week”? Well, last week I got a call from Steve Jimenez telling me that the Council wanted to award a proclamation to me at the next Town Council meeting. I figured it was either for the “Bike to Work Week” ride, or for the Sunday I spent with Chuck Adams and Huntington Bicycle club promoting “Bike to Work Month.” Steve told me it wouldn’t take long and when I asked if I could bring the family he said sure.
Tonight when we got to the meeting there were lots of kids being honored for a spelling bee competition in which they scored very well. It was great to see a large group of kids being honored for being smart and accomplished. I figured that everyone else from the ride or the promotion would be there, but I didn’t see anyone.
Then they called my name and as I went up Councilwoman Glenda Jackson read a proclamation in front of everyone praising my efforts with Connor’s Army. I couldn’t believe it! Steve had told me that Councilman Cuthbertson was really impressed with my efforts and was behind us all the way, but this was something else! It was so unexpected and I was truly touched. It belongs as much to everyone supporting me as it does to me.
In addition, the councilman has also put his money where his words are and has supported us with a very generous donation. I have to say that I’m proud to live in a township where the elected officials care so much.
Afterwards the family and I then went to celebrate at Ben and Jerry’s. We had fun getting lots of goopy ice cream and watching the people going by. It’s a great thing to be able to share these things with my family because I want them to remember that we’re not alone on this earth. We’re here to help others any way we can. Some do it by making laws, some by writing books that change the way people think, some by giving lots of money, some by teaching, some by using their bodies to make a difference. I’ll never make laws or write a book that changes the way people think, but I hope by using my body to raise money to give to ACS I can make a small difference to help others. I want my children to see that example and to see that we’re part of a bigger family - one that we need to help no matter where they are. And that when help is needed by anyone, it’ll be there for them.
Well, that’s all for now. See you on the road.
Stay well.
Friday, June 1, 2007
A New Ride is on the Way!
Okay, so if you’ve been following my blogs you know I’ve been really putting myself into this. Each time I hear about someone in my life battling this disease I’m more inspired to get out and ride. I wish I could afford to just give $10,000 on my own. If I had it, I would give billions of dollars to fight this disease. Not only so my sisters and my mother won’t have to deal with it anymore, but so my wife and my children and everyone’s families could be protected from ever having to worry about it. I really hate this disease!
For all of you supporting me you’ll be glad to hear that my efforts are going to be a bit easier going forward - I’m getting a new ride!
My Diamondback hybrid (go back and check out my very first blog for all the specs) has been a great ride, but a “performance” machine it’s not. Oh, it’s very solid and has a forgiving ride; but it’s heavy, especially on the hills. If you read my May 23rd entry you know just how heavy it can be. I’ve been through a variety of parts on my meager budget (okay, I do a lot of scavenging and even some dumpster diving) to try to optimize this frame; but it’s still heavy.
So when people began asking what I wanted for my birthday I asked for gift cards from PerformanceBike.com. You see, I’ve been saving up for a while and I had a 10% off coupon from buying my cycling jerseys (which were printed up by Nelson Quimby of ElsoGraphics and look great btw). I’ve been keeping a covetous eye on a Scattante frame they sell, and I’ve watched the price fluctuate from as low as $199 to as high as $299. Well, it finally came back down to $219 and, with the help of gift cards from my very generous wife and family, I went for it!
In a few days a medium-sized, GLOSSY BLACK, compact race frame will be delivered to my door! I can’t wait to shift all my parts over and get the fit fine-tuned so I can ride up Stillwell even faster and easier.
I’m now at 1,078 and the miles are rolling by. My deepest thanks to each and every one of you who has given your support - not only with donations and sponsorships, but through your prayers, your well-wishes, and your spreading the word of what we’re doing.
Peace to you all and stay well.
For all of you supporting me you’ll be glad to hear that my efforts are going to be a bit easier going forward - I’m getting a new ride!
My Diamondback hybrid (go back and check out my very first blog for all the specs) has been a great ride, but a “performance” machine it’s not. Oh, it’s very solid and has a forgiving ride; but it’s heavy, especially on the hills. If you read my May 23rd entry you know just how heavy it can be. I’ve been through a variety of parts on my meager budget (okay, I do a lot of scavenging and even some dumpster diving) to try to optimize this frame; but it’s still heavy.
So when people began asking what I wanted for my birthday I asked for gift cards from PerformanceBike.com. You see, I’ve been saving up for a while and I had a 10% off coupon from buying my cycling jerseys (which were printed up by Nelson Quimby of ElsoGraphics and look great btw). I’ve been keeping a covetous eye on a Scattante frame they sell, and I’ve watched the price fluctuate from as low as $199 to as high as $299. Well, it finally came back down to $219 and, with the help of gift cards from my very generous wife and family, I went for it!
In a few days a medium-sized, GLOSSY BLACK, compact race frame will be delivered to my door! I can’t wait to shift all my parts over and get the fit fine-tuned so I can ride up Stillwell even faster and easier.
I’m now at 1,078 and the miles are rolling by. My deepest thanks to each and every one of you who has given your support - not only with donations and sponsorships, but through your prayers, your well-wishes, and your spreading the word of what we’re doing.
Peace to you all and stay well.
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