Tour de Cure

After many previous emails and posts asking for support, I'm sure you all know about the bike ride that we were doing for Diabetes.  As it usually does, the months of preparation went by so fast, and the big day finally came last Saturday.  Miraculously, it was an absolutely perfectly gorgeous Saturday, which for May in Seattle is definitely not a guarantee.

We ended up with six people on our team, each with different reasons for riding, and each ended up with different adventures.  I was so proud of my sister Kathryn, who has had Type 1 Diabetes since she was 11, ride 15 miles on a hilly course on an old bike with only a week of riding a bike other than her indoor recumbant.  Plus she got lost out there!

Our good friend Rachel was great moral support.  Did I mention it was a gorgeous day?!  I had to stop to take a pic of the great scenery along the way.  

I was also really proud of my mom, who decided at the very (and I mean VERY) last minute to ride the 45-miler with me instead of the 25-miler she had intended.  She rocked it, especially those hills--1500 feet of elevation gain, including a level 4 and a level 5 climb.  Here we are crossing the finish line.

A couple hours, a salmon burger, some good sun tanning, and a conversation with Detlef Schrempf later, Aaron and Steve, our 100-milers finally crossed the finish line too!  They were almost the last ones to make it back...not due to their slowness but Aaron actually wrecked while they were out there!!  You will have to read his whole story on his blog.  It sounds like his grandma (who passed away from diabetic complications when he was 13) was definitely watching over him.

I was sad I couldn't do the 100 miles with him (I sprained my back and started having some circulation problems in my legs that made biking long distance very painful), but despite all of our setbacks, we had a great experience and are ready to do it again next year.  So if you are so inclined we would love for you to join us.  

A huge thank you to all of you who donated to the cause of diabetes, and to all of my family who took care of our kids during our long training rides and the main event.  It wouldn't have been possible or meant as much without you.