On Again ... Off Again ... And On Again !!

NO ... that's not a description of my love life!

It does, however, describe my participation in June's Tahoe Century Ride. YES ~ IT'S ON AGAIN! (Thanks to my brother, Rob and Craigslist.)

 

*(Just to recap: first I was riding Tahoe; then, I wasn't because I transfered my funds to the Seattle to Portland Ride with the intention of registering as an individual for Tahoe, but it was sold out.  But on Friday, my bro. found someone who can no longer make it to Tahoe, and now the registration is mine!)

As I mentioned in my previous post, yesterday was Tahoe's benchmark ride ~ 75 miles from Petaluma to Jenner and back.  We cycled through some of the most beautiful sites I've seen yet ~ Valley Ford, Occidental, Jenner, and by the many beaches of the Sonoma Coast along Hwy 1.  

SPECTACULAR is all I can say!  I most definitely want to do that ride again.

The weather was not the blundering heat we were expecting. In fact, along Hwy. 1, it was actually cold because of the fog, which we welcomed.  (Below is a picture of a wave having just come into shore ... it's not so clear because the fog was so dense.)  We realized that the fog was a gift to us, as we probably would have run into each other and crashed from being in awe of the sights, had it been a clear day.

On Friday, I received an email that a new friend of mine was diagnosed with MS.  She's decided to train for Waves to Wine in hopes that she'll start "living again."  

I was mindful of her while riding on Saturday and of her newfound perspective.  I made it a point to take in the beauty of God's wondrous creation ~ the colors of flowers along the road, the sounds and views of waves crashing onto shore, the smell of the ocean and even the not so pleasant aromatics of cows, skunk, and roadkill. 

As painful as my lungs and legs were at times, they served as reminders that I can breathe, I can move, I can ride.  And many cannot ~ whether it's because of leukemia, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, and numerous others too many to list.  So while I can, I want do my part to help those who can't.  So can you ... will you?