Bike to Work Day / LIVESTRONG Day 2014

Please Join Us! 

 

Hello, Local LIVESTRONG riders and supporters, and Seattle Bike to Work riders!

Here are the details of this year’s LIVESTRONG Day event in Seattle – I hope you can join us THIS FRIDAY to have some fun for an extended Friday lunch hour … coinciding on "Bike to Work Day":

 

 

WHAT:	“LIVESTRONG DAY - Spin for LIVESTRONG”: a celebration to support those affected by cancer, part of a series of worldwide events. A number of Seattle-area LIVESTRONG Supporters will take to the streets and spin during lunch hour while fundraising and raising awareness for LIVESTRONG and the foundation's programs to help and empower people affected by cancer. This event coincides with “Bike to Work Day”, as part of Bike to Work Month, encouraging healthy and safe commuting.
DATE:	Friday, May 16, 2014
TIME:	11:45-1:15 (ride time noon to 1:00pm) - please arrive on time for setup.
LOCATION:	Union Street, south side, between 4th and 5th Avenue (Rainier Plaza).
HOW:	Cycling.  Spandex.  Survivorship. Need we say more?  Cyclists and supporters will ‘spin’ on stationary trainers for an hour in support of cancer survivors on the downtown streets of Seattle! We will ride in unison to raise awareness and fundraise, and heckle pedestrians as they pass by our line of cyclists. Grab a wristband!  Cheer us on, or cheer with us!  Every donation gets a round of applause.    What to bring: -     Your bike (!) -     A stationary trainer (we will try to source one if you don’t have one, please let me know, or if you have an extra to lend) -     Your cycling kit/clothing! (I will have extra jerseys to lend if needed) Always good to have a change of clothes/covering post-event.  If you’re not biking: come cheer us on, wear yellow! Be ready to make some noise!  Some snacks provided.  Please bring full water bottles!

Thanks again – and in advance – for all your help supporting, participating and promoting this event!

LIVESTRONG,

Patrick

Team Captain, Ride for LIVESTRONG Seattle

LIVESTRONG Leader

LIVESTRONG Challenge Austin - A Great End to 2013!

Wow - thank you, Austin and LIVESTRONG!

All smiles at the end of the LIVESTRONG Challenge Ride.

I was lucky enough to be part of the Team LIVESTRONG Challenge Austin event again this year, and even more so, part of the "Ride for the Roses" (RftR) group of fundraisers.

For those of you who haven't been to Austin, Texas - or better yet, to a Team LIVESTRONG Challenge event - this is an incredible city to visit and event to attend.

The weekend (October 18-20, 2013) was nothing short of magical - reuniting with the LIVESTRONG Community, both staff and supporters/survivors alike, attending events both on and off the bike, touring LIVESTRONG HQ - and raising my appreciation and energy for the Foundation to another level.



A beautiful, magical outdoor venue for the RftR Dinner

One highlight was to meet up with Jimmy Fowkes and his family.  Jimmy is the son of two awesome parents, Dan and Margo, and brother to Molly. In January 2006, at the age of 13, he was diagnosed with medullablastoma, a highly malignant brain tumor - and has since been battling recurrences while trying to lead a 'normal' life, growing up and attending college like most kids.  I met Jimmy briefly in 2006 in Portland, during the Portland LIVESTRONG Challenge, since he had won a fundraising award (and our hearts!), and had casually 'followed' both he and his family over the years.  Jimmy was battling a recurrence this time around, and everyone rallied alongside him, wearing our JIMMYSTRONG  t-shirts in support.



 

Jimmy Folkes delivering his speech during a RftR dinner in Austin, October 2013

[Edit:  Sadly, this was the last time I was to see and talk to Jimmy, who passed away in February 2014 after a long and valiant fight. He will truly be missed by his extended LIVESTRONG family.]

During our Team LIVESTRONG dinner Saturday evening, which was held under a tent in the parking of the LIVESTRONG Headquarters, our team - Cyclists Combatting Cancer - received the award for the team with most funds raised (thank you to everyone who contributed).  Scott Joy from our team spoke eloquently about the Foundation and its mission, and the support he and his family was receiving, following the recent diagnosis of his wife.  Everyone was moved by his words, which further strengthened our resolve to help survivors and their families through their fight.

[Edit:  Sadly - again a sad update - Scott's wife passed the following month.  We continue to hold the Joy family in our hearts and support Scott through this difficult time.]

Dining under a large tent. Pretty awesome.

Another highlight of the weekend was a visit to LIVESTRONG Headquarters, which I appreciate as an architect.  The mood this year was sharpened with a more "we know why we're here" attitude by the staff, who have been working tirelessly to continue the mission of the Foundation in light of last year's events and media scrutiny.  My hat's off to their dedication and perseverance.

Tribute Wall within LIVESTRONG Headquarters

After a few days of Texas heat and heaps of Texas food (how on earth can a vegetarian survive around here?), Sunday morning rolled around and it was finally time to get into the saddle and ride the Team LIVESTRONG Challenge ride.

Ride for the Roses jersey - ready to suit up!

The day started off rather chilly in downtown Austin - in the mid 40's.  Luckily, for this Seattleite, it was a 'regular' walk in the park, so to speak.  Within a few hours it was a beautiful, warm (by Northwest standards - in the 70s) and sunny day.  Perfect for a ride in the Austin countryside!

A cool morning start with friends Steve and Scott.

The photo below at the finish line says it all - a fun, victorious ride.  I rode in memory of my Dad, who passed away 20 years ago - and who I continue to hold dearly in my heart.  But I also rode in celebration of all the survivors and friends around me who truly do not take their time on this earth for granted.

 
And with that, and a few celebrations in between, I bade farewell to Austin - and my LIVESTRONG Family - for another year, ready to return home to my family, and energized to continue my volunteer work back in the Northwest!

Check in with you all again in 2014 - enjoy the rest of your year!

LIVESTRONG,

Patrick

Team Captain, Ride for LIVESTRONG Seattle

Senior LIVESTRONG Leader

PORTLAND CENTURY 2013 - THAT WAS A HOOT!

Thank You Everyone in Portland!

Wow!

I was at first trepidatious to drive down to Portland and try out a new ride.  But, knowing the area, previous awesome experience with event organizers (who put on the Seattle Century), and great communication and support from my local LIVESTRONG contact, I was quickly put at ease ... and what a great ride it turned out to be!

The day started out in downtown Portland - Portland State University, to be specific - under the shade of the plaza trees.  Riders were busily downing a breakfast (The Portland Century, put on by Good Sport Promotion, is known for their spread of food) of cereal, yogurt, eggs and berries.  Our group quickly found each other ... and we were off at 7:00am!




Part of our LIVESTRONG contingent at the start - note the smiles and energy!

 

Our first rest stop was one that I was much anticipating - the LIVESTRONG Rest Stop!  The ride organizers continued their support of LIVESTRONG from previous years: while they provided us with a group registration discount code and a place to meet up at the finish, we drove riders to the event and also provided the volunteers for the rest stop.

It was great to roll in and be greeted by the sea of yellow - t-shirts, banners and wristbands - as well as a terrific group of volunteers (who our local LIVESTRONG volunteer Stefan managed to organize, and Scott who ran the show) with an awesome level of energy and excitement!



Rest Stop #1: the LIVESTRONG stop! Busy preparing food, handing out wristbands and ... yes ... hugs.

 After some catching up, peanut-butter sandwich refueling, and a group photo, we were back on the road!



LIVESTRONG Rest Stop Volunteers and Riders! A great bunch. 



And what a road it was!  The course went west out of Portland, through the beautiful countryside (many miles of which followed the same course as the LIVESTRONG Challenge Portland routes from years past!), and on many quiet and less-traveled roads.

The weather was perfect - cool morning, blue skies, high in the low 80's - and our group had a good time on the road, regrouping at the rest stops.



Beautiful ride through the Portland countryside. We had many roads to ourselves!



Ahhhh, the rest stops!  Similar to the Seattle Century rides of years past, the stops were well situated and well placed.  Berry farms! Pasta! Sandwiches!  All appreciated and quickly consumed.

At this time, I would like to mention my one regret: I did not take a photo of the rest stop where an Elvis impersonator served me a peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwich.  Life did not get much better than that moment ... if only I could have captured it on film.



Two rest stops to the end: build-your-own sandwiches. Ahhh ...

 I would also be remiss to not talk about my main Portland contact, and LIVESTRONG volunteer extraordinaire: Stefan.  He was truly the glue of the riding and rest stop groups, offering up much of his time to be sure that everything was organized locally, and that everyone was accounted for and taken care of.  Stefan is a rare breed of person who is selfless, energetic and hard-working - without a single request in return.  Thank you so much for all of your hard work!

Of note is also Stefan's son, Paul, who rode his first century ride with us!  A quiet, determined rider, Paul (pictured behind me in the first photo of this post) impressed us all with his cool cycling prowess.



Our fearless Portland-area LIVESTRONG supporter, Stefan.  What a great guy - I don't know what we would have done without him!



All good things must come to an end ... and after a long climb into Portland, and brake-heavy descent through the zoo area (yes, staying on roads), we arrived at the finish line to enjoy our dinner feast, Hopworks beer, and reflect on the day's ride adventures.



The Finish! (You think this was about cycling?) Always a good spread put on by the ride organizers.



It was truly a great day on many levels - connecting with more LIVESTRONG supporters, both on the bike and off, continuing the supportive relationship with the ride organizers (thank you Chad!), and enjoying a beautiful, well-supported, food-rich ride with new friends.

THank you everyone for your support - direct and indirect - to make this such a success!  We hope to build on this support and energy into the next year, and continue to build awareness and support for the LIVESTRONG Foundation in the process.

Next stop: Austin LIVESTRONG Challenge in October ... join us ...!?

LIVESTRONG,

Patrick

Team Captain, Ride for LIVESTRONG Seattle

Senior LIVESTRONG Leader

Next Stop: PORTLAND CENTURY (and a recap) ...

Coming up - in just a month!

The Portland Century!

(http://www.portlandcentury.com)

We’re switching things up this year! 

After a great couple of years with the Seattle Century, we are teaming with the same organizers for the Portland Century.  The ride is generally the same idea: a large, well-organized group ride through the beautiful countryside, where the rest stops and finish line are based on a simple premise: gourmet food!  And lots of it!

As the organizers call it, "A catered tour around Portland and its fringes"!  What a tour!  What a catered feast!

Want to ride with us at the Portland Century?  It's simple:

1. Register: http://portlandcentury.com/register/ and use the discount code LIVESTRONG13 for $10 off your registration cost!  It's that simple!
2. Support our "Ride for LIVESTRONG Seattle" group and raise some money for the LIVESTRONG Foundation?  You can set up your own Foundation webpage in just a matter of minutes here:  http://laf.livestrong.org/site/TR/Grassroots/Grassroots?team_id=6981&pg=team&fr_id=1530Stay and click on "JOIN TEAM".  Your efforts will support those affected by cancer to access a myriad of free support programs. 
3. Ride: Breakfast at the start line begins at 6am, and riders for the 100 and 70 mile routes (which will be us, at least to start!) begin at 7am.  Look for us at the start (we'll be in our yellow and black kits) around 6:30am-ish, as we get our start numbers, grab a bite to eat, slap on some suntan lotion, and get ready to ride!
4. Join us at the Finish Line Festival?  We will have a LIVESTRONG dedicated area at the finish line, for cyclists supportive of our case, where we can raise a glass (or several) of beer from the hosted bar, enjoy a scumptious salmon dinner, and exchange stories! See Portland Century site for details on how to get non-rider access to this feast.

It's that simple!  Depending on other logistics, we may meet up for dinner the night before - email me at rideforlivestrongseattle@gmail.com if interested and we'll see what we can do.

We look forward to seeing you at this great event!  Please join us!  Remember, YOU are the LIVESTRONG Foundation.  You support us, and you and your loved ones are the beneficiary of the Foundation's efforts.

Thank you for your support!

LIVESTRONG,

Patrick
Team Captain, Ride for LIVESTRONG Seattle
Senior LIVESTRONG Leader

@patchatfield

SEATTLE! JOIN US FOR LIVESTRONG DAY FRIDAY MAY 17, 2013!

More Cycling.  More Spandex. More Survivorship.

Need we say more?



Don't make me ride alone! (2007) ...

... Join a great group for a midday spin! (2012)

LIVESTRONG Day has been moved to Friday, May 17th this year!

Come out and join us for our SEVENTH annual "Spin for LIVESTRONG" event in downtown Seattle.  It's a hoot! It's a holler!  It's full on heckling of passing pedestrians and drivers!

Be ready to make some noise! If you are a cyclist, bring your bike and your trainer and spin with us.  If you aren't a cyclist, come down to cheer us on and heckle as well!  Wear your LIVESTRONG jerseys, t-shirts, or something yellow to support us!

Here are the details of this year's LIVESTRONG Day event in Seattle - hope you can join us, bring a friend, and have some fun for an extended lunch hour frolic on ... "Bike to Work Day"!

WHAT:	“LIVESTRONG DAY - Spin for LIVESTRONG”: a celebration to support those affected by cancer, part of a series of worldwide events. A number of Seattle-area LIVESTRONG Supporters will take to the streets and spin while fundraising and raising awareness for LIVESTRONG and the Foundation's programs to help and empower people affected by cancer.
DATE:	Friday, May 17, 2013
TIME:	11:30am-1:30pm, including15 minutes setup/takedown on either end. Be ready to start spinning by 11:45am!
LOCATION:	Union Street, south side, between 4th and 5th Avenue (Rainier Plaza).
HOW:	Cycling.  Spandex.  Survivorship. Need we say more?  Cyclists and supporters will ‘spin’ on stationary trainers for two hours in support of cancer survivors, on the downtown streets of Seattle! We will ride in unison, raise awareness and fundraise, and heckle pedestrians as they pass by our line of cyclists. Grab a wristband!  Cheer us on, or cheer with us!  Every donation gets a round of applause.   What to Bring:  If Biking: bring your bike and stationary trainer (need one? Let me know and I may be able to scrounge one up!), and your cycling kit.  Wear LIVESTRONG colors - yellow/black - but we may have a jersey to lend if you need it, too. If you're not biking: come cheer us on, and wear yellow!  Some snacks provided.  Be sure to bring full water bottles! We're riding rain or shine!  This year, we will have canopies overhead to keep us dry, just in case, compliments of our local Performance Bike store!  (As well as some raffly giveaways, too ...!)

It would be great to see you - please show up (RSVP's encouraged to rideforlivestrongseattle@gmail.com) and support us!

LIVESTRONG,

Patrick
Team Captain, Ride for LIVESTRONG Seattle
Senior LIVESTRONG Leader
@patchatfield

BACK IN THE SADDLE!

Hello, 2013!

Well, it’s been a rocky few months since the last posting in October of 2012, both personally and cause-driven, for our little Seattle team:

Ahhh, the accident.  Note the LIVESTRONG jersey (!).

-        Personally, I was unfortunately hit by a car while bike commuting to work in Seattle, just two weeks after the Team LIVESTRONG Challenge/Ride for the Roses Weekend in Austin, Texas in mid-October.  A car drove out in front of me, causing me to hit and ‘superman’ over the vehicle and land on my head, injuring me and totaling my bike.  Not great at all.

-        Cause-driven, and now with several weeks’ perspective, we are all affected and disappointed with the recent revelations of Lance, but the sentiment remains that LIVESTRONG is not about one person, nor about the professional cycling word: it is about the mission to serve people affected by cancer and to empower them to take action against the world’s leading cause of death.   LIVESTRONG's mission has not changed, nor should that powerful personal meaning of the yellow LIVESTRONG bracelets. Lance is no longer associated with the Foundation, but we thank him for his dedication to the cause in transforming cancer victims into cancer survivors.

But now, we’re improving and recuperating, focusing and forging forward into 2013!  Let’s get back in the saddle, physically and metaphorically!

Pre-accident, at the LIVESTRONG Challenge in Austin 10/12

Bring it on!  Please join us!

(You can register to fundraise with us here: https://secure.livestrong.org/site/TRR/675010060 - search under “Seattle” for our team!)

There’s much to be done, and a lot of fun to be had along the way.

There’s a lot to look forward to as we plan our events for this year.  Our team has been discussing what rides and events to participate in, and ask that you plan to join or support us however you can – and help us continue to build a LIVESTRONG community in the northwest!

Riding Events on tap this year (so far – keep watching as we update this post and blog):

1.      2013 Seattle Bicycle Expo: March 9-10: https://shop.cascade.org/content/events/expo Please join us at this annual landmark event, where we kick off our season – talk about the upcoming season, connect with survivors and caregivers – and meet YOU!

2.      Flying Wheels Summer Century: June 8: https://shop.cascade.org/content/events/flying-wheels-summer-century We have ridden this ride for the past handful of years, and enjoyed it as a humbling century (depending on your course length) for the start of the riding season. Please register and join us!

3.      Chelan Century: June 22: http://www.centuryride.com A couple of us are planning to attend, after hearing a colleague’s account of the harrowing three hills. Meh!   

4.      Portland Century: August 18: http://www.portlandcentury.com We’re switching things up this year!  After a great couple of years with the Seattle Century, we are teaming with the same organizers for the Portland Century.  Stay tuned for more details – working to still have the same discount, semi-group ride, gourmet food and finish line dedicated area for LIVESTRONG riders.  A great late summer ride!

5.      Austin Team LIVESTRONG Challenge: October 20: http://www.livestrong.org/Take-Action/Team-LIVESTRONG-Events/Ride/Team-LIVESTRONG-Challenge-Austin A highlight by any measure – riding a fantastic ride through the Texas hill country, in LIVESTRONG’s back yard.  You are part of the LIVESTRONG community the moment you arrive.

In addition, we will have representation at the 2013 LIVESTRONG Assembly in Chicago at the end of February, and will connect and join forces again with the likes of Camp Kesem (http://www.campkesem.org) and other organizations, as well as YACFest (http://www.yacfest.com) and other community outreach events.  More to come!

Rest up! Please join us! 

It’ll be another fantastic year.

LIVESTRONG,

Patrick

Senior LIVESTRONG Leader

Team Captain, Ride for LIVESTRONG Seattle

@patchatfield



SUCCESS! 2012 SEATTLE LIVESTRONG DAY!

SPIN FOR LIVESTRONG SEATTLE 2012!

Last Friday we had our “Spin for LIVESTRONG Seattle” event on the downtown urban sidewalks. 

There were men and women in spandex, spinning on their bikes but going nowhere, loudly heckling Seattleites (including cowbells), handing out LIVESTRONG wristbands, and raising funds & awareness for cancer survivorship. 

It was a sight to be seen – and experienced, let me tell you.

2012 LIVESTRONG Day spinning on the streets of Seattle!

We were interviewed by a few news media outlets, which was great.  But most importantly, we heard a lot of “thanks” from people who know what LIVESTRONG does, and how this organization has helped them and their loved ones.  It’s those moments of unsolicited appreciation that keeps us going.

We couldn’t have pulled it off without the help of the riders/volunteers: from back to front in the photo – Dan, Damon, Jon, Nina, Patrick and Rob! Well done, everyone!

Of course, a HUGE thank you to Unico Properties (http://www.unicoprop.com) for hosting us again on their sidewalk, Gregg’s Cycles (http://greggscycles.com) for lending us their canopies, and Urban Nomad (http://www.urbannomadseattle.com) for the very tasty (and highly recommended) food truck pasta lunch at the finish.

We’re looking forward to next year’s event – and other future opportunities to “Spin for LIVESTRONG” around the area!

Thank you, Seattleites – for all your support this past year!

LIVESTRONG,

Patrick

Senior LIVESTRONG Leader

Team Captain, Ride for LIVESTRONG Seattle

@patchatfield

---

Next (and last) official event stop for 2012:

The Team LIVESTRONG Challenge in Austin, Texas!

Our 'Cyclists Combating Cancer' team at the beginning of the ride in 2011.

From the October 19-21 weekend, a few of us will be at the birthplace of LIVESTRONG – participating in the final fundraising ride of the year, making connections within the LIVESTRONG community, and organizing for 2013.

“As our organization celebrates its 15th anniversary, the Team LIVESTRONG Challenge takes great pride in our history of cycling events. What started as a small ride called the Race for the Roses that Lance Armstrong began in 1997 has blossomed into a premiere fundraising event for LIVESTRONG.

We hope you’ll join us as we aim to make this year’s event a monumental cycling experience for LIVESTRONG. Our goal is to have over 4,000 cyclists raise $2 million to support our programs and services.”

We’ll let you know how it goes when we return!

LIVESTRONG LOVE AT THE SEATTLE CENTURY!

SEATTLE CENTURY 2012:

WHAT A FANTASTIC RIDE!

Enough cannot be said about the fun and pride that I had captaining the LIVESTRONG presence at the Seattle Century this year.  In every respect, the ride has grown for our local grassroots LIVESTRONG group - in terms of rider numbers, presence during the ride, and generosity of the event organizers - but especially so about the people: the upswell of support and kindness and community of riders and non-riders alike.  We are gaining momentum and team spirit - and will continue to work on building our group and LIVESTRONG presence in the Seattle area community. That's a promise.

That said, let's talk about the ride!

I must admit, I was a little tentative early in the morning: I had emailed all of the people from the past months about the ride, and hoped that they would all show up.  Some I had met before, others I had "met" virtually, and others were strangers who were planning to ride with us, as part of a group of friends.  Some were locals, and others drove or flew in to participate in this ride - from Oregon and Nevada.

And show up they did - in all, we had TWENTY people (yes, twenty - I had to count everyone on my fingers and toes) ride with us through the day.  While keeping together on the initial flats, and separating into smaller groups during the hill climbs and pacelines, we did regroup at the rest stops and especially at the finish line festival.

Items of note throughout the day:

1. The Start:

Only part of our gang, getting ready for the start!

Our motley crew of LIVESTRONG riders found each other in the registration crowd, before 7:00am at Magnuson Park in Seattle. It was great to meet old and new faces alike.  After fueling up, we warmed up on the first 20+ miles of relatively flat route - trading stories, getting to know one another, and trying to keep from running each other down while distracted in conversation.

2.  The LIVESTRONG Rest Stop

Nina, Ron, Patrick, Paul, Rob, Amanda, Stefan
and Anthony at the LIVESTRONG rest stop!

New this year, we worked with the Seattle Century organizers to have the first rest stop be 'sponsored' by LIVESTRONG: we provided volunteers (thank you, Nina and Kevin, as well as Claire and Michelle from Camp Kesem who were there at 6:15am!) as well as decorated the stop with our LIVESTRONG banner and handed out LIVESTRONG wristbands.  Many riders were delighted by our stop, let us know they were survivors, and shared their stories.

3.  Hills

After the initial flats, reality hit quickly (Novelty Hill) with the introduction of what Seattle rides are infamous for - hills!  Novelty Hill was the first, but definitely not the last of a series of epic climbs.  Each was a great challenge ... making the last smaller climbs feel 'epic' on our tired legs.

4.  Pie

Ron and Patrick enjoy ... PIE!

A close runner up behind LIVESTRONG as the reason I participate in the ride is the food.  While the ride is challenging, riding with a food coma is even more so.  The Seattle Century is known not only for being "all about Seattle", but "all about food": There is a sandwich stop within the first half of the ride.  There is a strawberry shortcake stop in the last quarter.  MOST importantly (according to me) is the PIE stop mid-ride - in the middle of a farmer's field - serving the freshest and best pie imaginable (according to me again). 

5.  Stefan and Paul

Rob (far left) and Bill (far right) enjoy a rest stop with
the father-son power duo of Paul and Stefan.

One of my highlights of the day was finally meeting - and riding with - two cyclists who joined us from Portland: Stefan and his 14-year-old son, Paul.  I am in awe of a father-son relationship that includes cycling to support a cause (rather than, say, sitting at home playing Wii or Playstation).  Both Stefan and Paul actively raised funds for LIVESTRONG through our grassroots webpage, and I was in awe of their email campaigns, relating that they were riding in honor of colleagues and teachers who were cancer survivors.  Great people.

Stefan is an accomplished rider, and this was Paul's first long ride.  We were all amazed by Paul's determination and tenacity on the ride - he basically kept up with us the whole way!  I can hardly wait to see how he rides next year (he may be pulling us most of the way, I just know it).

6.  Amanda

Patrick and Amanda at the start.  I think that's the only
photo we have of her that's not a blur ...

I met Amanda back in March of this year, during the LIVESTRONG Assembly in Austin, Texas.  Being from the Northwest, and working for Nike-Livestrong, we naturally started chatting, and struck up a friendship. Amanda decided to join us ... and only two days before the Seattle Century, was informed that she would be competing in Ironman Kona in 2-1/2 months' time.

With that competition hanging over her head, Amanda related that she would need to turn up the heat, and would likely be pulling for most of the ride.  And pull she did!  It was like watching a blur ... 

7.  The Scenery

Snoqualmie Falls - beautiful, majestic ...

... speaking of beautiful and majestic:
Bill, Meredith, Patrick, Kenny and Ron at the falls!

The route for the Seattle Century was perfect, highlighting both the great urban trails and well as rural road routes around the Seattle Area. We passed through forests and small towns, alongside lakes, viewed mountains, saw abundant wildlife ... a ride where locals pinch themselves at their luck for living in such a beautiful and diverse area.  Challenging uphill climbs were matched by "woohoo!" downhill descents.  Loved it.

And did I mention we had a stop at Snoqualmie Falls?  Not a bad "bonus" for completing the 100-mile course!

8.  More Food

Enough cannot be said about the food stops.  Did I mention the pie?  A cyclist-architect colleague of mine, Bill, who was riding this ride for the first time, remarked at the first stop, "There's food like this at every stop?  I don't think that I could eat at every stop!" But eat he did, as well as everyone else ... with room to spare for the food-climax: the finish.

9.  The Finish

After the long ride, long hills, long stops for food (did I mention the pie?), floating bridges, amazing scenery and great downhills, we finally arrived mid-afternoon at the finish ... to be greeted with - you guessed it - more food!  It was the infamous grilled salmon feed and (open) beer garden, complemented with salads, rice dishes, grilled asparagus, cheesecake ... and the list goes on.

The organizers supplied us with a reserved LIVESTRONG section which we fully took advantage of, and we spent a few hours together, swapping stories, growing our friendships and finding how cancer had all touched our lives in one way or another.

10.  Old and New Friends

I am humbled by all of the people I met, and the support that we received as part of "Ride for LIVESTRONG Seattle" this year at the Seattle Century.  During the ride, every rider in our group commented at how wonderful the other group members were, and that they would love to ride together again. What a HUGE compliment. 

Yes, I would love to ride and meet up with you all again, too - and invite like-minded friends to join and be part of our cycling and cancer-fighting LIVESTRONG community.  We have more rides, and other events in the cancer community - such as LIVESTRONG Day (end September/ beginning October), and the Austin LIVESTRONG Challenge (October).

To Kenny, Claire, Meredith, Patrick, Stefan, Paul, Ron, Rob, Nina, Kevin, Anthony & crew, R4C, Amanda, Bill and anyone I might have missed (my apologies) - thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support and participation.

Let's keep this great group together - along with our other riders who could not make it - and I look forward to more adventures in the future.  You can always reach me at: rideforlivestrongseattle@gmail.com

LIVESTRONG,

Patrick
Team Captain, Ride for LIVESTRONG Seattle
Senior LIVESTRONG Leader