FLYING WHEELS SUMMER CENTURY 2012 COMPLETE!

First Century of the Season: We Did It! 



Mike, Patrick and AJ at the first rest stop.  Still feeling the love.

Neither rain, nor sleet, nor hail nor snow will stop us ...

Yeah, right. 

Actually, it had just rained earlier in the morning, it was cool, the storm clouds hovered overhead and the roads were wet when we first started.  Honestly, I figured that if it started to rain, we'd head to the closest watering hole and talk about the previous years' rides, and how wonderful the weather was. And call a taxi.  Why be miserable on my birthday?

Luckily, it didn't rain and we had a GREAT time on the road last Saturday, with what seemed like 3,000+ of our closest riding buddies.  The ride was adventurous, the scenery was fantastic, the rest stops were well supported, and our hats off to Cascade Bicycle Club for another successful event.  You know how to run a good ride!

Was it easy?  Ummm, no.

As in previous years, we were slammed by the three major hills ... but since we had 'street cred' from our earlier experiences, we knew what to expect, took everything at our own pace, and shuffled through it.  It was the first Century Ride of the year for most of us, and this ride was a refreshing slap in the face, to remind us how out of shape we were (and how long the off-season is in the northwest!  Well, at least for some of us...).

Here is a selection of photos from our ride - enjoy!

AJ and Patrick at the start - whooping it up for Patrick's birthday (thank you, Mr. Announcer).

Mike (our day's photographer - thanks Mike) rolling ahead of Patrick.

And to mix it up, Patrick rolling ahead of Mike.

All smiles on the ride!

  

Beautiful rural scenery...



Rolling in with the gang that we pacelined with the last few miles ...



Finish Line (and chocolate milk!)

We shared some good memories on the ride - including the breathless ascents, beautiful scenery, rolling topography, sharing bananas and rice krispy treats at rest stops ... and last but not least being part of a 'freight train' paceline with 5 other riders that catapulted us the last 8 miles at around 23-28 miles per hour to the finish!  Wow.

We also were able to talk to a few people about our group and why we were riding for LIVESTRONG, which was rewarding in itself.  We also told them about our Seattle Century ride on July 28th, and how they could join our group (see previous posts, including discount code!) - who knows, we may just have a few more recruits!

As always, we're out to have fun during a ride (training, social or organized), or during an event that serves LIVESTRONG and the local cancer community.  We welcome you to join us - please reach out and be part of our gang!

(... and if you're lucky enough, maybe we'll ride on your birthday, too!)

LIVESTRONG -

Patrick
Team Captain, Ride for LIVESTRONG Seattle
Senior LIVESTRONG Leader

JUST TWO DAYS UNTIL OUR FIRST 2012 CENTURY RIDE!

The Flying Wheels Summer Century Ride is upon us!  Aaack!

Well, in just two short days - Saturday, June 9, 2012 - our small band of grassroots LIVESTRONG riders will be out to participate in our first century ride of the year.

Are we prepared?

Uh, no.

But, despite the forecast cold and rainy weather, we WILL get out there and ride in honor/memory of the 28 million people currently affected by cancer worldwide.  We WILL wear our LIVESTRONG cycling kits proudly, to raise awareness of this organization and the noble work that it pursues, fighting to improve the lives of people affected by cancer.

We'll also be wet and cold.

But that's temporary!  Hopefully we'll warm up during the ride (and afterwards in the car with the heat turned up to 11) - and be able to celebrate our accomplishments on the road.  It may take a while to feel our fingers and toes again, but the experience will make us stronger ...! (That's what I was told as a kid, anyway).

Hope to see you out there at the event! If you cannot make it, how about supporting us with a donation to one of our LIVESTRONG team members here - it's tax deductible, and will warm our hearts (and we'll need that, too!)

And did I mention that it will also be my birthday?  Yes, I like to celebrate in style.  Good times.  Good friends.  Great organization to support. (You can support my 'LIVESTRONG birthday fundraising' efforts here, too!)

LIVESTRONG,

Patrick
Team Captain, Ride for LIVESTRONG Seattle
Senior LIVESTRONG Leader

JOIN US FOR THE SEATTLE CENTURY IN 2012!

Join us for the SEATTLE CENTURY on July 28, 2012!

Great news!

The folks organizing the Seattle Century are once again supporting our grassroots LIVESTRONG cyclists during this fantastic bike ride.  Please join our group, ride this ride, and save some money!

Join our LIVESTRONG group (it's easy and free!):

1. Sign up on the LIVESTRONG website as a group rider or supporter:  www.tinyurl.com/ride4lsseattle - which also sets up a "fundraising HQ" to help facilitate your LIVESTRONG fundraising activities.
2. Send me an email - rideforlivestrongseattle@gmail.com so I know that you are out there! (I'll let you know when we have training rides, or planning a community outreach event! 

Join us at the Seattle Century:

**WITH BONUS COUPON CODE ($10 OFF REGISTRATION) IF YOU SIGN UP WITH US***

Be part of a great ride through the Seattle Area, supported by gourmet food, culminated by a fantastic beer garden and salmon feed at the end.  Similar to last year, Seattle Century will provide a LIVESTRONG area at the finish where, regardless of speed and distance, we can all meet at the end and celebrate our ride together!  How cool is that?

1. Go to www.seattlecentury.com and click on the "Register" button.
2. Select "Advanced Online Registration"
3. At the bottom, key in the promotional code LIVESTRONG96 to receive your discount. (If you don't bike with us and are taking advantage of the discount, how about donating your discount to our LIVESTRONG efforts here.
4. Continue the registration process, and be part of our group!

We look forward to riding with you, and celebrating at the end!

LIVESTRONG,

Patrick
Senior LIVESTRONG Leader
Team Captain, Ride for LIVESTRONG Seattle

Know and Join our Awesome Group!

"RIDE FOR LIVESTRONG SEATTLE":

WHAT WE'RE ABOUT (and please join us)!

As we make more inroads into our community in 2012, people have been asking about us, and how they can join our group, whether on or off the bike.  This should help!


Who we are:

• We are a dedicated group of Seattle cyclists and cancer survivorship supporters, promoting LIVESTRONG and its programs through fundraising, local outreach, and community rides.  We began in 2011, after the LIVESTRONG Challenge relocated from our area, to show our continued support for the local cancer community.
   
• We're inclusive. Want to help out in the cancer community but don't know how? Support LIVESTRONG and want to do something about it in your neighborhood?  Want to know what LIVESTRONG has done locally, and help to support it?  If you said yes to any of these questions, and you have passion and dedication, you're in the right place and we'd love to hear from you.
   
• We're volunteers.  Our group consists of volunteers who support LIVESTRONG on our own time.  We do what we can.  We have daytime jobs, families and responbilities ... but we ARE passionate about LIVESTRONG's mission and goals to "fight to improve the lives of people affected by cancer" ... whether directing survivors and their families to the LIVESTRONG website or free navigation services, or reach out personally to support those that we can.

We also try to leverage our real-world skills and contacts to help advocate and support LIVESTRONG in the community.  

Know a restaurant or bar owner who would support a LIVESTRONG fundraising event?  A bike shop owner who can help promote us?  Have PR/Marketing skills from work that could help promote our group?  Know of someone who has been recently diagnosed, and could use our help and support?  These are the personal, grassroots-level things that will help us succeed!

• Most of us bike.  We aren't fast, but we are somewhat intermediate in pace and distance.  We have fun on our rides and push whenever we can, but most of all try to enjoy the experience of getting on our bikes, and enjoy our time together before returning to our other 'real world' responsiblities.
• Some of us don't bike. That's totally cool.  We have events that we attend off the bike where we need presence.  Bike Expos.  Cancer-related events. Rest stops at bike rides.  Talking to folks and handing out flyers about us and LIVESTRONG.  It's all fun, and it adds up to opening conversations about cancer, and what LIVESTRONG can do to help.
   
• We're a community. Yes, off the bike we are equal and like to hang out with each other. Want to grab a beer and talk about the week, your challenges, riding, LIVESTRONG, or your cancer experience (or not)?  We're all about that, too.

Help us grow!

 

We're out and training in the Seattle Area!  The usual cast of "Ride for LIVESTRONG Seattle" riders above (AJ, Mike and me [Patrick]) are out on the roads and trails, and we would love to grow our group of riders and volunteers!  We're also out in the cancer community at various events!

It's easy (and free!):

1. Sign up on the LIVESTRONG website as a group rider or supporter:  www.tinyurl.com/ride4lsseattle - which also sets up a "fundraising HQ" to help facilitate any fundraising activities.
2. Send me an email - rideforlivestrongseattle@gmail.com so I know that you are out there!
3. We'll let you know when we ride, or planning a community outreach event! 

UPDATE!  Join us for the Seattle Century on July 28, 2012!

**WITH BONUS COUPON CODE ($10 OFF REGISTRATION) IF YOU SIGN UP WITH US***

Be part of a great ride through the Seattle Area, supported by gourmet food, culminated by a fantastic beer garden and salmon feed at the end.  Similar to last year, Seattle Century will provide a LIVESTRONG area at the finish where, regardless of speed and distance, we can all meet at the end and celebrate our ride together!  How cool is that?

1. Go to www.seattlecentury.com and click on the "Register" button.
2. Select "Advanced Online Registration"
3. At the bottom, key in the promotional code LIVESTRONG96 to receive your discount.
4. Continue the registration process, and be part of our group!

We identified several events for this year, including:

• "Seattle Bike Expo" in March, 2012;
• "YACFest" (Young Adults with Cancer Festival) on May 10, 2012;
• "Flying Wheels Summer Century" on June 9th, 2012; 
• "Seattle Century" on July 28th, 2012;
• "LIVESTRONG Day" on/near October 2, 2012;
• ongoing events and training rides around the Seattle area.
• "Team LIVESTRONG Challenge" Austin, TX during October 21, 2012 weekend (typically part of the "Cyclists Combatting Cancer" team - another awesome group);

More information when you join up!

Any questions? I'd love to hear from you -

LIVESTRONG,
Patrick

Senior LIVESTRONG Leader

Team Captain, Ride for LIVESTRONG Seattle
  

RIDE WITH US ON SUNDAY!

SUNDAY MAY 6, 2012

SPRING TRAINING RIDE - RIDE WITH US!

The weather forecast is looking GREAT for this Sunday!

Want to ride an intermediate pace with us?  Check out a good loop ride around Seattle?  Put in about 70+ miles with a few hills thrown in for good measure?  Meet some cool people who support LIVESTRONG in the Seattle area?

Here's the route that we are planning to follow: http://g.co/maps/7fa3a

(Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish loops, with some hills and a good climb halfway in!)

Of course, we're throwing in the 'dreaded' Montreux hill climb for kicks. If we survive it, the rest of the ride is a walk in the park!

Depart: 9:00 am from the Gas Works Park parking lot!

(North side of Lake Union.  Free Parking if you are driving there.)

We'll be going at an INTERMEDIATE pace (18-20mph in terms of exertion) to stretch our legs and get some base miles in - and enjoy the ride together.  We're not super-fast, but we ride at a fairly consistent intermediate pace.

***

On a personal note, I will be riding in honor of two wonderful people, great friends and fellow LIVESTRONG survivors and leaders - Steve Bartolucci (California) and Ashleigh Moore (Australia) - who have been re-diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer within the past day.  We're with you in spirit here in Seattle, and support your fight!

***

Hope to see you!

LIVESTRONG,

Patrick

Team Captain, Ride for LIVESTRONG Seattle

Senior LIVESTRONG Leader

rideforlivestrongseattle@gmail.com

As a general disclaimer, this is not an organized ride of any sort: Riding with us is at your own risk and peril (and pleasure!) - we cannot be responsible for you.  Wear a helmet.  Make sure your bike is in good running order.  Make sure that YOU are in good running order - ride at your own pace and stop/turn around if you are not comfortable with the distance and/or pace of the ride.  Bring extra tubes, flat repair kit, water and bottles, energy food, and a good sense of humor.  Wear sunscreen. Wear clean socks.  Understand and obey the rules of the road and ride responsibly.  There will be occassional stops and regroups at hills.  Bring a phone and cash/ID, just in case of an emergency.  Cheering is encouraged.


-----

Post-ride update!

We had a great ride - just over 70 miles (albeit we trimmed off the south Lake Washington loop in favor of the Mercer Island return route ... we'll blame our legs after the Montreux climb!). 

The weather was perfect and we had a lot of fun.  If you're interested in riding with us, just send me an email for notifications.  At this time of year, we ride practically every weekend, as schedule and weather permit!


Patrick and Mike with the pre-Montreux hill climb jitters ...



WOW! 2012 IS SHAPING UP!

What an amazing past month and a half!

I wanted to share with you the highlights from our "Ride for LIVESTRONG Seattle" group, on so many levels -

1.  Seattle Bike Expo Wrap-Up
2.  LIVESTRONG Assembly in Austin, Texas
3.  Looking Ahead!


Seattle Bike Expo Wrap-up
(March 10-11, 2012)

Wow!  Thanks to everyone in our group who volunteered to help out at the LIVESTRONG booth this year.  This was the FIFTH year that we had a LIVESTRONG presence, and it was great to connect to the almost 10,000 visitors over the two day event period.  It was fantastic to reach out to the cycling community and feel the love.

We shared stories, communicated the LIVESTRONG mission, raised funds, told people about our riding group and anticipated rides (including http://www.seattlecentury.com/ in July), and also helped a few people who were recently diagnosed by providing LIVESTRONG notebooks, as well as the number to the FREE LIVESTRONG Survivorcare (1-855-220-7777) where cancer survivors and their families can receive support.  Please forward this number to anyone you know who has been diagnosed with cancer - an amazing resource.

Thanks a ton to AJ, Mike, Jackie and Kent for your support.  Also, thanks to Magnolia Audio Video (http://www.magnoliaav.com/) for lending flat screens for the event, ARC Reprographics (http://www.e-arc.com/) for the banner, and to our booth roommates Cycling Camp San Diego (http://www.ccsd.com/) and Holland Cycles (http://www.hollandcycles.com/). It was a great time that we hope to repeat again next year!

...

LIVESTRONG Assembly in Austin, Texas
March 27-30, 2012

As a Senior LIVESTRONG Leader, I was invited to the LIVESTRONG Assembly in Austin, Texas at the end of March.  I, along with other Senior LIVESTRONG Leaders joined Leaders from around the world (about 200 of us!) to learn more about LIVESTRONG mission, advocacy and fundraising. 

It was an incredible few days connecting with Leaders who I had only met virtually, hear about what they are doing in their respective communities, and learn valuable information that you can only do with face-to-face interaction.  In addition to information and friendship overload (!), we were also introduced to some of our community partners. 

One of note is Camp Kesem (http://www.campkesem.org/) which provides a FREE week of camp to children whose parent(s) have been affected by cancer.  Amazing.  If you are in the Washington area, check out the local chapter - this is their first year, and the counselors that I met are passionate about their work!

Enough cannot be said about this Assembly. We all left Texas feeling united and energized!

...

LOOKING AHEAD!

(Riding the Burke Gilman from Gas Works Park to Marymoor and back - base miles!)



(Riding to Richmond Beach, North Seattle)



RIDING:
(Almost every weekend!)

We're out and training in the Seattle Area!  The usual cast of "Ride for LIVESTRONG Seattle" riders above (AJ, Mike and me [Patrick]) are out on the roads and trails, and we would love to grow our group of riders!  We're not especially good or fast, and we enjoy the camaraderie.

It's easy:
1.  Sign up on the LIVESTRONG website as a group rider:  www.tinyurl.com/ride4lsseattle
2.  Send me an email - rideforlivestrongseattle@gmail.com
3.  We'll let you know when we ride!

So far, we have identified our first ride to be the "Flying Wheels Summer Century" to be held on June 9th, 2012.  Join us - hell, it'll be my birthday - and make the day special!


COMMUNITY:

This year, once again, we will be part of the Young Adults with Cancer Festival (YACFest), along with other local youth organizations,and organized by Seattle Children's Hospital.  Here's what I do know - please join us!

When:  May 10, 2012  6pm-9+pm
Where:  South Lake Union Portage Bay Café, downtown Seattle
What:  A way for your organizations to connect with young adult cancer patients and survivors in the community. 
Yum:  Catered by Portage Bay Café, beer and wine available

Guests: 
Glenn Rockowitz, author of Rodeo in Jolliet – a young adult cancer survivor’s memoir
Mike Lang – cancer survivor and founder of Survive and Thrive and maker of the films ‘Wrong Way to Hope’ and the newly released ‘Ebb and Flow:  Storytelling for Cancer’ (which we will screen)

...

Well, that's it for now - thanks for following us.  Keep an eye out for updates - another coming soon on our list of rides and events as they unfold for 2012. 

We're a group of volunteers who passionately support LIVESTRONG and their support of cancer survivorship.  Please contact me if you'd like to support or join our group!

LIVESTRONG,

Patrick
Captain, Ride for LIVESTRONG Seattle
Senior LIVESTRONG Leader

Ride for LIVESTRONG Seattle at the 2012 Seattle Bike Expo!

Our first "official" 2012 event is upon us!

This weekend we will be representing LIVESTRONG at the 2012 Seattle Bike Expo (see http://shop.cascade.org/content/events/expo), held this year on Saturday, March 10th and Sunday, March 11th!

This is our 6th year at the Seattle Bike Expo, and enjoy it immensely - it totally gets us riled up and thinking of the year and events ahead of us, and what our 'message' will be to the nearly 10,000 people who will be visiting the event!  (Of course, it also gets us scrambling to get organized for the event, too!)

If you're in Seattle this weekend, please come and experience the Bike Expo. There's a ton to see and do (and buy ... nice, shiny bikes ... drool, drool ...), but most importantly, drop by the LIVESTRONG booth on the first floor and say hello to either myself or my other volunteer friends! 

See what we're up to! 
See how you can join and/or support us!

(... for a sneak peek, check out www.tinyurl.com/ride4lsseattle ... and sign up!)

We willl also be handing out information about our ongoing local 'partner' event, the Seattle Century (www.seattlecentury.com) which was a blast last year and promises to be better this year.

Enough said - see you there!