I agree Mike - not much activity happening on here this year....maybe people are getting discouraged with the melt/snow/melt/snow that's happening which is hindering our abilities to get out training and meeting up with each other??? Usually by now, there is lots of activity on here. Perhaps we can get it going! My fundraising has been going good and I will reach my goal no problem before the ride. Got about $600 to go to get to the $2500 mark - how bout you? How's the fundraising/training going?
I am sitting about $1100.00 ... got a big fundraiser happening this month... fingers crossed ... last year we raise a little over $4000 at the same fundraiser. Training sucks... haven't been on a bike since fall... and I am still suffering from back problems from the car accident in May 2011 ... I am not giving up!!!
Well, I got out on the big bike for a Ride on Saturday...43 km that were a lot tougher than I thought it would be. Managing a good bit of training in general, so I hope to do better than last year.
Fund raising wise, the team has had some good events (with some more to come) and I've managed to get a few folks to post slightly higher donations than last year (something about my offering to shave my legs and / or head and moustache maybe?)... as a result, I'm already over the minimum and pushing hard toward the leg shave milestone.
Keep up the good work and hopefully both of you will top up quite quickly :)
I usually remember the boards around this time each year. lol This is my 4th ride. I was with the Food Crew for the first, and Sweep ever since. Sweep is so much fun.
I drive the F150 - last year I had "THANK YOU" across the tailgate. This year I haven't figured out what I'm doing, but curling brooms were mentioned.
I watched your video in the other post, lots of fun. That rain....shudder. I picked up 64 riders that morning. I still have a bunch of the foil blankets too in my truck.
Christine.
-- Edited by hypermama on Friday 13th of April 2012 11:12:28 PM
I just remembered the message boards when I signed on my co-captain/navigator for this year. This'll be my third year on the sweep team, third navigator too. But I think this one'll stick, she's my sister in law and a paramedic.
Husband is one of the motorcycle crew, they've been working hard all year too (but they're a part of the Walk, Ride and the Underwear affair).
I'm one of the nuts who registers as a rider and then also volunteers with the medical crew. I think we've met because I seem to recall the tale of sweep and motorcycle crew :)
I remember the truck from last year...but I don't think I would have stood out quite as much. I was riding a big, green, full suspension mountain bike (yes, the one from the video) and had a "Medical" placard across the lower part of my hydration pack. I survived Day 2 with foil leggings that looked like "Tron pants" or silver "MC Hammer pants" but hey, you do what you have to in order to stay warm :)
I'll be back with the same bike this year (barring any minor miracles that might put me on a proper road bike) and I am still planning to volunteer with the medical crew as well.
I guess we'll see you on the Friday night and then on the route :)
Glad to see you back!!! I ride again myself this year and my oldest daughter is joining me... talk about stressing out .. lol she can see that people have riden 200+ K but I don't think that she truely thought it was possible for her. We did a training ride on Sunday and today she's still feeling great so now she sees the light at the end of the tunnel. I told her that this was nothing compared to those that fight cancer and that this is the least we can do!
You probably remember me... last year was the pits for me for riding I was in a car accident last May just before the ride and I only managed to do 109 K total. But feeling better this year and hope (fingers crossed) to do it all this year!!!
My hubby was part of the sweep team last year as well ...
Hey Psycho,
Lol ... After you passing me on that bike of yours I have decided that it fits...lol I miss the team this year. The talking I guess more than anything! Nervous now only 3 sleeps to my teams big fundraiser and being captain I seem to be in charge of everything last minute ... Pick up this ... Throw this into a basket... not complaining just venting ... Fingers crossed, prayers made... I have lost 3 more people that I knew and cared for die from Cancer this year already... Don't want to lose anymore!!!!!!
Another training ride tomorrow night .... let's see how the kid holds up to that one ... I am thinking that if Nigel is doing the Bragg Creek run this weekend (barring no white rain that is) that it might be time to take to kid on a good 75K and see how she likes it ...
So Pookie, how'd the fundraiser go? Inquiring minds want to know and all that jazz ;)
I definitely know what you mean...I think we were email chatter boxes with the 'Crusaders. The board and my email box seem much more quiet this year.
So far, so good on the training front...50km on Sat, including 10 km of hauling the kidlet. She's a trailer junkie...every stop when I turned around to check on her it was "more!" :) I do believe I've created a monster ;) Maybe in 15 more years she'll be able to tag along with good ol'd dad for the Ride :)
My Grand daughter Angelina was a trailer junkie... now she's 5 she thinks she's big enough to ride with Nana... lol .. she's not ... her mom has enough trouble keeping up ...lol...
The fundraiser...
The evening was a success!!! $3900.00
We had a company that Corrie sub contracts from come to last years and purchased a print from us at the silent auction for $1000.00. The print was donated by a gallery owner who's wife was fighting brain cancer... One of the owner of the company that purchased the print, well his mom was just diagnosed with cancer. That was last year ... the print sat in my office all wrapped up and ready for delivery for a whole year. I contacted them to let them know that I was once again riding and once again holding a silent auction and asked what would you like me to do with this print? They said we are donating it back to your auction. So once again I put this print out for auction. At closing bid time I picked up the bid sheet for the print and standing close by was both of the partners in this business from last years' auction. They had once again bid on the print. This year just before my silent auction the other owners mom was dianosed with terminal cancer. I looked down at the bid sheet and almost cried... they bid $1500.00 and they told me that this year they would take the print and hang it in their office and then next year when I do my silent auction they would donate it back and once again they would bid for it again. I cried... and now here telling you of it I can feel the tears holding themselves back...
SO I the night was a success!!!!! I just haven't had the time to put the money on our names....
Good job, Tammy! And great support from that company...It's great to see them get behind the cause (even though there are rough circumstances associated).
My hubby was part of the sweep team last year as well ...
Really? Who was your hubby? A lot of us sweep from last year have kept in contact through the year. We're planning a couple of things to get the vehicles more noticed this year (I'm begging them to let us set up at the start gates, which would also hold back the vehicles from making the mass exit as 'their rider is gone' so they can go).
Hypermama...that start thing sounds like a good idea! Hopefully that will take both our suggestions and run with them (I had suggested last year they make a medical jersey for the medical crew out on the route....use the same jerseys, but instead of the blue for the ambassadors, drop red in there...there are enough rides across Canada and they use the same base jersey that it should be practical).
Hypermama - My hubby drove the bright blue Ford F150 and no he is not crew this year. He is having surgery on his eyes the week before the ride and therefore can't...
Oh neat! I remember him (not the name but the truck lol) and that they work in drywall? I recognized the mud coated work pants at the team meeting last year.
I'm working on magnets for my truck this year including a "medic on board" magnet so people know.
We've got a new crew coordinator this year so it's the task of having to try and explain what we need, a new coordinator every year us a bit tiring.
Hypermama, I know the feeling. Although the crew coordinator has changed every year, Medical had been pretty lucky with Diane being around for the first three years. They have someone new for Medical this year (Diane is down under working with the Ride there...double whammy on the newness :) ).
I'm just hoping for an update call before too long just to make sure I am doing double-duty again this year :)
-- Edited by Psycho Mike on Friday 11th of May 2012 04:07:48 PM
Tammy, that's horrible news....I'll add you and your aunt to my prayers. Hopefully though, they have caught it early enough that it represents a challenge (and one you've been working at to make easier to overcome) rather than something worse.
This is her 3rd time to fight the good fight! She had breast cancer 43yrs ago and beat it. She had colon cancer 9 yrs ago... and now lung cancer. Her attitude is positive! She says that she will beat it! I love her and can not imagine my life without her as part of it. I'm not so angry anymore. If she's not giving in or up I sure am not giving in or up! And the ride is how I fight!!!!
She called my grandma's cousin to have a blessing, he is dieing of lung cancer and he is so overwhelmed by it that his bones are so brittle that they can't even move him in fear of breaking them and they have given him less then 2 weeks. It seems so unfair that a man who has given his life to do for others and who has blessed so many should come to such an end. He is in my prayers as well! It looks like another family member within the church will be giving Auntie a blessing. And I believe in the power of such blessings!
My training is going well, I did a 100 km ride on Thursday and felt pretty good. I generally ride 40-50 km about 5 times a week. I'm not quite there for fundaising though...still about $450 short so I'm hoping the "holdouts" will come through for me.
things went sideways on me....my navigator has a job interview for paramedic in Vancouver on Monday the 25th. She'll be travelling all weekend (too broke to fly).
I need a new navigator. uhoh....
this'll be interesting.
But if push comes to shove my husband who is on the motorcycle safety crew will ride with me instead of the motorcycles. :(
Hey there, Psycho Mike & Corries - good to see you back at it this year!
I had a very late to my fundraising, but thanks to some amazing support I'm at $2300 in just 7 days, so I should be good to go in the next day or so! The training....well that's a different story. I just hope the weather is a little better than it was last year.
Is everyone already assigned tents? I'm riding solo again this year and am wondering if the random assignment thing is still going on? I guess I'll find out once I crack the magic $2500 and am able to check in.
Can't wait to see the sea of yellow, I'm really looking forward to it.
D'oh...well, hopefully things will go well for you, Hypermama...even if you are "stuck" with the hubby ;)
As for me, I'm hoping to get a few holds outs in as well...only $650 to go before I have to shave the legs.
-- Edited by Psycho Mike on Sunday 10th of June 2012 02:44:09 PM
Yay I'm not 'stuck with the mr'!! He gets to stay on the motocrew.
I have a navigator! So my sister in law can run off to Vancouver to be a paramedic there.....
Trailer is down at camp already - I was just down checking on it and filling the fridge today and they were putting up the white event tents. ohhh boy.
Can't wait!
I think there are 15 sweep this year, and 40 motocrew.
The forcast isn't that bad, actually...yes rain on Saturday (10-15 mm) but fairly calm and 20c. Sunday a bit better, just 5 mm of rain and some sun, calm and 22c. That's looking at forcasts from Okotoks, High River, Longview, and Chain Lakes PP. One ? is the possibility of T-showers south along the foothills which could affect Chain Lakes.
