The Dempsey Challenge 2013

This will be my 5th year doing the challenge!  I haven't missed one yet.  With your donations I have raised $6270 to help people struggling with cancer.

Donate Here!  

The Deadline is coming right up so don't wait.

Here's a summary of years gone by:

• Year - Mileage - Bike - Amount Raised 
• 2009 - 50 - Univega Viva Sport - $840
• My first BIG group ride, pretty exciting!  I was so cute back them, I thought this ride was long.
• 2010 - 100 - Univega Viva Sport  - $2550
• My first century, also exciting!  Even though I have been biking more I had never ridden this far and was a little worried about riding for that long.  I was pretty proud to be riding it on my almost 30 year old bike. This was also the year I lost my dad to cancer
• 1011 - 100 - Scott CR1- $1660
• My fastest century, still exciting.  This was the year I set out to see how fast I could go.  I remember the temps hitting near 90 in October.
• 1012 - 100 - Surly Cross Check $1220
• My slowest century, less exciting.  I decided to do the ride on a slower heavier bike this year, pushed it pretty hard and paid the price.  All's well that ends well.
• 2013 - 100 - ???? - ????
• What's it going to be this year?  Let's see, if I can raise $10,000 I'll ride the fatbike around the 100 mile course.  (I feel pretty safe in saying that; but it would be a fun story)

The Dempsey Challenge raises money to support The Patrick Dempsey Center For Cancer Hope & Healing.  In most years they raise around $1,000,000 which goes directly to the center which offers free counseling, care & support to anybody impacted by cancer.  Your donations support local people to help make their lives better at a time when they need support the most.  

Thanks for making a difference!

 

P.S., I really want to get the jersey which takes a fundraising minimum of $1000!!!

Loon Echo Trek

I did my first Loon Echo Century over the weekend.  It was a beautiful day and a beautiful course.  Actually, the day started out pretty darn foggy but by noon the sun was out and by beer and BBQ time it was warm and clear.  Mrs Candid Cyclist did her second organized 50 mile ride and I'm sure she will be itching to try a century within the next year.

Beer O' Clock

 I spent the first 60+ miles riding with my friend John who was pacing with the lead group for the whole time despite a relatively low number of training miles and a bike that was a little heavier than the average steed in the pack.  We stopped to enjoy 2 of the well stocked rest stops.  Many of the roads in this part of the ride were beautiful traffic free back roads, awesome!  After the second one John was starting to fade on the hills so I bid him farewell and joined the next pack of riders coming by.  I knew Even's Notch was coming up and I like to climb.  The group dropped off and I got to ride the notch by myself.  At the top was a group of riders just starting to descend.  I got "stuck" behind them for the several mile ride down which kept my speed in check but made me think about replacing my brake pads.  I stopped at the rest stop at the bottom of the notch for a quick bite and was off for the last 25 miles.

In this stretch I rode with a group of 3 other riders for a while, then with another rider who was doing the 50mi+ and then alone for the last 10 or so miles.  By the time I crossed the line at 1:55 I thought I might have worked my way up to be the first across from the century riders.  Ultimately I think I was 3rd with a moving average of 18mph for the whole ride.  But it's not a race, it's a ride, Right?  Right, unless you are passive competitive like me.

The after party was great as we hung around to cheer our friends and other riders over the line.  We left in time for a trip to Rene's to by tea and toothpaste.  What a great day!

And for my next trick: I've signed up for the Dempsey Challenge Century.  Donate Here

And that's all I have to say about that.  Actually, it isn't.  We hit the hay by 9:00 and slept until 7:30 the next morning.  I recent sleep record for me.

Friday September 13, 2013: A Shameful Day (And a Month In Review)

Not just because it has been 5 weeks since my last post, although that is pretty shameful too considering how many bike related activities have come and gone.  Note that it even took me a few days to post this.

Friday the 13th was shameful because it was the first day in about 2 years that I could have biked to work and didn't, not because I needed the car at work but because I just couldn't haul my ass out of bed.  In my defense, I had stayed out late at a JJ Grey & Mofro concert and didn't get to bed until almost 1:00.  OK, I'm over it.

In other news, I rode in the Great Adventure Challenge and came in 3rd overall, ignoring teams of course, cheaters.(Results), 2nd in my age group and was first at the end of the bike leg, not too shabby.  Unfortunately, it's gone past the statute of limitations to write a full blog on the subject.

This about sums it up.

Lake Region Photography got a lot of good shots that I'm not at liberty to post since I'm to cheap to buy them but you can find them here.

Then came a week of camping, admittedly, the first part of that week had no biking and not much walking.  Coming in third does have it's consequences.  But by Friday I was up for a little hike up Mt Washington.

Awesome Views

Followed on Saturday with a ride up Burnt Meadow Mountain.

And I use the term "Ride" loosely

Since returning from the camping trip my weekends have included 3 Saturday morning group rides with Team Loon of about 40, 50 & 60 miles in preparation for the Loon Echo Trek next weekend.

And lastly but not leastly I "completed" my stable with an amazing machine!  Because I needed another bike.  More on that to come (probably a 12 step program in bike buyers anonymous too).

Felt F4X