Thank You!!!

Thanks to all who made it out last Friday to the Brew Bash to benefit the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF)! I hope you had fun!

I'm still waiting on the final numbers, but we were able to raise over $8K for CAF! Awesome!!

Tremendous thanks to all the donors--especially my mom and Joannie at NovelProducts.com, Kelly Flores at Unbeatable Travel, Claudette at the La Jolla Brewhouse, and many, MANY others--who so generously provided items for the goody bags, silent auction and raffle. I got a TON of positive comments on the number, variety and quality of items we had available and that translated to $$ for CAF!

To the Scott & BR Cycling Team crew--Joe (and Danielle!), Adam, Brian, Pat, Mark, Rob, Mike and Alex--special thanks for your amazing help and support...I couldn't have done it without you!

Big, fat thanks as well to James Delliquanti, our fabulous emcee who helped make the singles auction so fun and successful! And to all the singles who agreed to allow me to auction them off--Romina, Rand, Sara, Brendan, Molly, Tom, Elaine, Peter, Bekah, Rick and Ruthy--thank you! You were all absolutely fantastic!

And last--but certainly not least--thanks to Scott Richardson for the terrific job of managing the huge task of manning the door. You did an amazing job under trying circumstances and I really appreciate it!

Now that I can breathe again, time to catch up on training and blogging. =)

Thanks again and stay tuned.....One more contestant will be eliminated from the Scott & BR Cycling Challenge on Wednesday and the winner will be announced the following week!

4 Guys, 4 Envelopes, 2 Spots: The Eliminations Continue...

That's right, sports fans! Even though I already know I'm safe, I think I'm probably about as nervous as the guys. I'll be heading in to the studio soon to see Scott & BR and have no idea what is ahead of me. For each of the four remaining guys, the contents of an envelope will reveal their fates. Sort of like a fortune cookie, but much scarier. ;-) Tune in to xx1090 AM (or listen online) this morning at 6:45 to find out what happens.

Then come celebrate with me and the other finalists who make it through (and help console those who don't) this Friday, 9/25 at the La Jolla Brew House. It's the Brew Bash to benefit the Challenged Athletes Foundation!

Final Three!!!!

I'm IN! Such a relief! Five envelopes...one for each of the remaining contestants, each with a declaration: in or out. Mine got opened: IN!!! But, Scott & BR ran out of time and now the poor boys will have to wait to hear their fates until tomorrow...same time, same place. Tune in to xx1090. I'll be on, too. =) Come celebrate with me this Friday, 9/25 at the La Jolla Brew House. It's the Brew Bash to benefit the Challenged Athletes Foundation!

Great Western Loop - 40 miles, 3228'

The Great Western Loop is known to be a tough ride with lots of climbing packed into a relatively short distance. I have to say, though...after back-to-back centuries last week, the ride this week was a piece of cake. We were done by 10:30...even with several stops along the way! That was perfect because it gave me just enough time to get out to the Triathlon Club of San Diego's 25th Anniversary party for some last-minute Brew Bash promotion. Both Adam and former contestant Mark Vandierendonck helped me get the word out. Thanks a bunch, guys!

The bedazzled and bedecked immunity pump is now at rest. After winning the immunity challenge last week, and to memorialize recent events, I added a few final items: a pair of goggles, some xx1090 banner, and a picture of my late sweet angel, Lulu. The pump has had an interesting journey that amazingly both started and ended with me. In between, it got to travel with Brian Brillo, Pat Thomas, and Adam Beck, each adding his own personal touches in turn. I think you will agree that the final result is in an amazing creation....or something. ;-)

Two of the final five contestants--Adam, Alex, Brian, Rob and myself--will get the boot this week. And none of us are safe. Tune in to the Scott & BR show on xx1090 around 6:45 a.m. to check it out. I'm really nervous but am trying to focus my attention on making final arrangements for the Brew Bash to benefit the Challenged Athletes Foundation coming up in just a few days! Please come!

A Banner Day: Naked Swimming

ay two of the xx1090 AM Sports Radio banner campaign, part of the Scott & BR Cycling Challenge to win a spot to ride in the Qualcomm Million Dollar Challenge. Got to the La Jolla Cove around 5:45 a.m. and decked the place out in xx1090 fare.


Then my swim pals showed up and things got more interesting. Thanks for bringing the waterproof camera, Jiea! What a fun morning!




Banners were gone by the time we were done swimming but the pics will live on in cyberspace FOREVER. =)

Commuting is Fun!

I hope they were beeping in support of me and not at me. =)

Psych!

Immunity kept me safe this week, but...surprise! No one was eliminated! So, while I thought I was assured a spot in the final four, I'm actually back in the same position I was in before I won immunity...in the final five. I guess you never know what will happen in this contest. So, the playing field has been leveled again with no chance for immunity from here on out. And next week, TWO people will get the boot. Does anyone have a Tums?

Oh yeah, and our latest assignment? Do "something" with a roll of xx1090 signage by Friday at 9 a.m. and then call xx1090 and let them know where you are and what you did. Can I have an extra Tums for the road? ;-)

Stay tuned....

Elimination Drama Tomorrow

It's that time again! Tune in to xx9100 AM Sports Radio tomorrow morning around 6:45. The five remaining contestants in the Scott & BR Cycling Challenge--including yours truly--will be live on the air. I am thankfully immune from elimination this week, but one of the boys will unfortunately be cut. Who will it be? Adam Beck? Alex Hamlow? Brian Brillo? Or Rob Millum?

One of us is going to win a spot to ride in the Qualcomm Million Dollar Challenge to benefit the Challenged Athletes Foundation and I hope it's going to be me!

2 days, 206 miles, and Immunity!

I am so excited and relieved. I won immunity! That means I'm in the final four and my chances of getting to do the QMDC ride from San Francisco to San Diego just got that much better. The challenge this week was to name the ride leaders. Good thing I'd had my coffee because I somehow managed to pull the most names out of my sleep-deprived brain to win it.

The ride up was great. I rode with group three as usual and we poked along the coast enjoying the perfect weather and comraderie. Loved the rolly rollers through San Clemente and made it through the bigger stuff through Laguna. Got to Palos Verdes and was amazed. I'd never been there before and it is absolutely beautiful.

Nestled in along the coast, the Terranea Resort where we stayed was elegant and impressive. It was nice to see everyone in their "normal people" clothes for a change. This was the first time I'd seen most of the the QMDC folks out of spandex, helmet and sunglasses. Some were easier to recognize than others. ;-) Over cocktails and dinner, we had the chance to mix and mingle with those we don't otherwise get to talk to on the road. I finally got to know David Lee. He is hilarious! And apparently very thoughtful and kind. (Thanks for the Carbo-Pro, David!) I shared a room with Julie Shapiro and it was fun getting to know her since we'd really never had a chance to talk before. Turns out we have some interesting things in common and had a lot to talk about. I was actually bummed we had to get sleep because I could have talked all night.

Anyway, the post-ride blog update is a little late this week because I was just flat out TIRED yesterday after the ride back from Palos Verdes. 103 miles out and 103 back the following day is a new distance record for me. Having completed it gives me a bit more confidence that, given the opportunity, I'd be able to handle the mileage on the big 620-mile ride.

The Brew Bash, my big CAF fundraiser, is less than two weeks away on Friday the 25th! So much to do and so little time. Hope to see YOU there!

Final Five!

Phew! Made it through one more week, but I feel terrible that Joe W. has been cut. He really is a great guy and has been so helpful to me personally. I hope he will be considered for a ride leader position for the QMDC...he would be perfect in that role.

Good thing this was on the radio. I look like hell. My eyes keep leaking evey time I think about my Lulu and this morning my face is a puffy mess. Thank God they didn't bring up my dog on the radio or I would have lost it for sure.

On With the Show...

My sweet Lulu has passed away. I miss her so much that my eyes are leaking. Yet the show must go on. Tomorrow morning around 6:45 a.m., I'll be on the Scott & BR Show on xx1090 AM. Adam is safe with immunity, but the rest of us--Alex, Brian, Joe, Rob and I--are all on chopping block. By 7 a.m., we will know our fates. I hope my angel Lu will be smiling down on me for luck.

Elfin Forest Loop - 40 Miles

Ah, the thrill of winning immunity...and the agony of deciding who to give it away to.

So, immunity this week was seemingly simple...literally, a luck of the draw. We each chose a water bottle out of a bag and one of the bottles contained the treasured immunity. Lucky me! As soon as I got the bottle, I could see something inside. Yippeee! And then the news...I get to pick one of my teammates to give immunity to. Oh torture. Who to pick?! I must have looked like a deer in headlights.

Mike (a.k.a. Col. Mike) Hower's suggestion was to use this as a fundraising opportunity. I laughed it off at the time, but looking back, that was a brilliant idea!

In reality, though, I gave it to Adam Beck since we've been working most closely together on fundraising. It didn't even occur to me at the time that he had just gotten immunity the previous week. I don't know how that slipped my mind, since we'd just finished oooing and ahhhing over his latest additions to the immunity pump...a lovely Incredible Hulk replica complete with CAF tatoos and coin slot for donations. Oh, and the break-in-case-of-emergency-type box containing a dose of testosterone. (Cancer survivors only, please.) Clever, that Adam.

But that was a tough decision! There are compelling reasons I could have or should have given it to the other four, too. But...it's done and Adam gets to add another touch or two to the pump for next week.

On to the ride. This one was a real treat because I hadn't been on Harmony Grove Rd. since they repaved it. Sooo much nicer! I loved this ride before and now it's even better!

But...my chain kept droppping and I got separated from the group a couple times. Col. Mike brought me back once, but then it happened again around San Elijo HIlls and I had some unlucky red lights that got me too far behind to catch up. I met up with Mark and Pat and...once again...I/we missed a turn and did a slight detour. We got an extra gnarly hill in, though, so we got our punishment...and I liked it. ;-)

Back in the parking lot, I was suprised to see Bob Babbitt--one of the founders of CAF, Competitor Magazine and the Muddy Buddy race series--along with Rudy Garcia Tolsen, Paralympic Gold medalist bound for the Ironman World Championship in Kona! Keep your eye out for this guy. If he achieves his goal on Oct. 10, he will be the first bilateral above-knee amputee to complete this event! Good luck, Rudy!

And then...some not so good news. With everything that's been going on in the last few months...family issues, sick dog, craziness at work, training, fundraising, contest, etc., my mind has been less than the sharp, steely point of focus it might otherwise be. ;-)

I'm driving into my carport and...WHAM!!! My heart sunk lower than low when I realized I'd just driven in with my bike still on top. Just what I needed.

Actually, this could have been much worse. I've heard of people completely wrecking their bikes AND cars, so I guess I got off easy. It was pretty much a clean break of the seat post. No real damage that I could see to the car or the rest of the frame or components. Took it over to B&L and they luckily had some new seat posts (complete with fancy, schmancy infused gel for a smoooooth ride) in stock. Going to go pick it up right now.

Worse news...Lulu is not eating again. We will be back at the vet tomorrow so they can run some additional tests. Please send your most positive vibes to help her heal. =)

Next week? Back-to-back centuries! I'm so excited for this, but am concerned I may not be able to make it if Lulu doesn't improve soon.

Thank You, Mystery Donor!

Someone just made a $100 donation to CAF on my behalf and I have no idea who it was. All I can say is....Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And then there were six...

And I am one of them!!! Congrats to all who made it through: Adam Beck, Brian Brillo, Alex Hamlow, Rob Millum, and Joe Weickgenant! That was a nailbiter and bittersweet for sure. After giving comeback kid Alex Hamlow a good scare, Scott and BR announced that Pat Thomas and Mark Vandierendonck had been eliminated. I've been riding with these two fine gentlemen in group 3 since the beginning and we've become better and better friends over the many miles. Both of them are straight-up great people and I hate to see them eliminated. Fortunately, I fully expect them both to continue to do the training rides and hopefully we will all make it to the big ride in October.

QMDC Team xx1090 Massacre, part Deux

Queue the Survivor theme music! Just got word that the eliminations are on for tomorrow morning...again. Two more Team 1090 contestants will get whacked and again...I'm hoping to avoid the chopping block. This just gets harder and harder. By now, we've all spent a lot of time together and have become friends. I really don't want to see anyone go.

Tune in to xx1090 AM tomorrow between 6:15 and 6:45 a.m to find out what happens....