Twas the Night Before the Heart and Stroke Ride for Heart

Well folks, it is just a few hours to go before the Heart and Stroke Ride for Heart, and I just wanted to chime in with a last post.  Thanks to a generous donation from my parents, who have had more cause than most this year to support the Heart and Stroke Foundation, I have passed my goal of $1000.00 this year.  Thanks for one of my long time supporters, it is $1000.42 to be exact.  So a HUGE thanks to all my amazing donors!

Erin is still down below her goal, I think many of you know we have been a touch busy for all of May, so it has spared you a lot of fundraising spam.  All things being said, she is doing amazing, and I know it has all come in the last week for sure.  Still we would love to have you guys push her over the top.  So here is Erin's Donor Link.  You can also track her progress with this handy badge!

Please join me in supporting the Heart and Stroke Ride for Heart

Hey Folks, this is my annual, and one time, email asking for you my peers and friends help in supporting the Heart and Stoke Foundation, as those who have received this email in past years may recall, this is an organization that means a great deal to me and my family.  Heart Disease is a pernicious thing, often striking suddenly, altering the shape of its victims lives, those who manage to survive that first unexpected heart attack.  For our family that became all to true when my father found himself in the emergency ward this November.  It was only through the technologies and techniques that have been developed with the aid of research supported by the Heart and Stroke foundation that my father is still with us, and starting to return to a more normal life.  This is not the first time we have been touched by this, only the most recent example.  Too many of my friends have parents going through this same process, and I know my grandfather is only with us today through the technological marvel that is his pacemaker.

In past years I've extolled the virtue of Heart and Stroke Foundation, for not only its active role in research to save lives, but its strong educational message aimed at preventing the need for these measures.  Through their Spark program targeting childhood obesity, or their efforts to work with retailers, manufactures and restaurants to surface heart healthy foods.  If you would like to read more about what the Heart and Stroke Foundation does, you can learn that here, or if you want more information on the Ride for Heart go here.  

This year, for a twist, and to make you feel I'm really working to earn your support, it won't be just myself and Erin riding, but our whole family.  What that entails is my wife cruising about at full speed, while I drag 70 lbs of kid/trailer over 25 km up and down the DVP. 

I hope I can count on your support in this, you can donate by clicking this handy link, I've set a modest goal of $1,000 dollars, but I hope we can blow past that like we've done in previous years.

Thank you all for you time and support.

First Bike Commute

Alas those bygone halcyon days of vacation are now behind me, and I'm on my way to work.  I got my first spin on my new commuting bike, and by new I mean new to me.  Honestly this baby has to be the best piece of garbage picked treasure I've ever found.  When rescued from the edge of destruction she had rims made of rust, and tubes who hadn't held air in 30 years.  The tires so dry they were crumbling to dust at a touch.  But the frame was sound, and the gearing merely cried out for a tune up and some grease.  

I did what I could with the tires and the tubes, but the tune up I left up to the professional, all and all she cost me less then $80 to get back on the road and running smooth.  So this morning, for the first time since moving to Milton, I cycled to the go station.  The ride was a lot faster then I expected (sure I've done it in no time flat with my good bike, appropriate cycling attire, and no luggage, but today I was ready for work and trying not to break a sweat.  So leisurely, I got to the station, feeling good, and happier for it.  The best I can I'm going to keep this up until the fall, maybe skipping the really wet, windy or hot days, but 20-30 minutes of cycling a day might not be the best exercise, but it is some exercise and it is exercise that I will enjoy and hopefully be better for.

Check out those retro fenders (the back one will probably come off to fit the rack.)

On a side note, I did realize two things about my good bike I seriously missed, 1) peddle clips, seriously I always thought my cycling form was poor at best, but the number of times I lifted my feet off the peddle on the upstroke as I tried to lift it (in proper form) gave me cause to realize how much I love my clips.  2) My shifters.... this bike has the classic tension only shifters on the down tube, between position and the fact they don't click I was a little befuddled by them.

Heart and Stroke Splash For Heart

Our bedraggled heroes have returned from their quest to ride 25 km for the Heart and Stroke Society.  In  actuality they traveled about 36 km because they snuck a few extra (ill-advised) km in there, and instead of cycling that distance, they swam.

Erin and I are still collecting donations until the 14th, you can donate to our individual links here: 

Erin's donation page is here
Geoff''s donation page is here

Now enjoy pictures of  our soaked, and heroic selves:

To quote a book of recent popularity "Blub, bluuub, bluuuuuuuuubbb"

The hose coming down the left is normally my water hose, but today it was a snorkle

Heart and Stroke Ride for Heart

Hey all, I know we have been slacking, on the biking, and the fund raising, but Erin and I are both riding in the Heart and Stroke Ride for Heart this year.

Erin's Donation page is here

And my donation page is here

We would appreciate any donations, Heart and Stroke really is something that is meaningful to us, and I'm just not able to do it justice.

2009 Heart and Stroke Ride For Heart

Hey folks that Bryan picture was just a teaser. I'm far far behind in my fund raising efforts, but work has been an absolute zoo, so here starts the 2009 Heart and Stroke Ride for Heart Fund Raising Kickoff! So please, before I get all begging and pathetic, please donate to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

This year both Erin and I will be riding. Bryan, probably won't be, but just because I think 2-3 hours being dragged isn't up his ally (yet, next year though.)

Erin will be riding the 50, and had her first big ride this weekend, not sure if she can walk yet, but she mastered 26 with aplomb. I will be doing the 75 because I said I would, and foolishness before pride any day :)

It also looks like Erin and I will be riding in good company, with Emma, and Chris Bardon, and Brad and Jodi.

More posts, and emails will follow, you have been warned :)

Donate

Out for a ride

Up early this morning and did a great ride out along side road 15 all the way to Highway 25. It is one heck of an elevation change, but a great 40 k. I need to practice it a few more times, as I think any route building up to my 100k is going to have to include some big hills. On the up side, or more correctly on the downside, once you climb the damn thing, you get to go weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee all the way down the other side. A definite plus, and the reason why I finally, officially, broke 60 km/h.

Other ride stats, um, 40.5 km, at a pace of 26.5 km/h (still trying to bring that up.

In other embarrassing bike related news I now wear a "bib-short" instead of just a bike short. It is basically a bike short with suspenders instead of an elastic waste. Much more comfortable, much more ridiculous looking.

Cheers

g

The Completion of Fort Tomato

So last few weeks have been really busy, with training and fundraising, and then riding in the H&S Ride for Heart, in the midst of all that I have been trying to get my damn tomato's in the ground before I kill them from neglect. Thus was begun the planter to end all planters, the planter so immense (relative to my back yard) that planter doesn't encompass its true nature. This box of mythic dirt capacity is properly known as F O R T T O M A T O!

Erin and I have been in that garden all day Saturday, and all day Sunday (the weekend of the ride) when I wasn't riding, (40+k on Saturday, and 50k on Sunday.) Two full days of busting sod, and leveling the earth, combined with lumber hauling and cutting amounted to the meager completion shown here:



For the rest of the week, working until the hush of night, and the politeness of hammer would allow layer upon layer was added until completion of the structure on Thursday. Each night as dusk settled in the brood would arise from the tall grasses, the humming wings, the stinging proboscis*, and the itching welts. All the furies of the mosquito plague.



Next began the trial of a billion grains of earth also known as dirt lugging... Over 2000L of soil was poured down the gullet of Fort Tomato, and still it cried out for more. Four additional dirt runs beyond the initial dirt delivery were executed to fill the gaping maw, again night began to settle, but with the noise of hammering gone, planting began. Erin, who had not been idle, far from it, had finished planing the rest of the garden by now, and turned her hand to fortress. With each plant came two mosquito bites. When it was done, it was GLORIOUS!



Thus ends this tale, but not the legend of the fort. Journey back this way come high Summer and we will speak of, the harvest.

*may not be technically accurate for Mosquitos

Coming soon

Big wrap up post is in the works, just not something I can rip off quickly, so here is a stub to let you know that I am in the processes of writing a bigger post wrapping up all the fundraising and riding.

g

Ride-Appetizer

Well we are down to it, the ride is tomorrow and donations are up to 1070. I think they will crawl a little bit higher as the last of the donations come in, but a big thanks to everyone who contributed. Now it is time for me to do my part, so tomorrow morning bright and early (around 5:30 AM) I will head down town to get my ride on.

Just to make sure I was up to it, Kevin took me out riding North of Milton for a nice ride-appetizer, about 40k, with some fierce winds for the first 20 or some, we climbed some good hills and it was good, we only mustered an average of 24 km/h, but seriously, strong head winds up hill for the first half.... It was a tough 24 km/h.

Anyways time to get some rest, my bike needs one too, as it has rolled over 400 km since I got it in early May!

Cheers

g

Coming up quick

Well we are coming up on the ride soon, we had one ride last night about 16km, and another one tonight before the big show. I want to thank everyone who is following my ramblings for participating and donating. We have raised over $700 and I hope to see that climb in these final days before the ride. Please think of me out on the DVP while you are all still in bed Sunday morning.


Thanks!

Geoff

Past the Post and Keep on Going

Well last night I had a nice 16 km ride, at a good pace, just keeping limber and strong, with out pushing it. I also broke $500 in collected donations (some are in cash that haven't gone up yet.) To celebrate reaching my goal, I moved the goal post. So $1000 here we come. I know a lot of donations are pending from folks who want to give, but are busy, don't worry I'm an annoying person and I will hound you all week. :)

So please, donate here, before I get to you :P

Weekly Update

Well it was a bit of a crazy week, so I'm sorry the posting wasn't a bit more regular, I got my big ride into my twitter feed. So there was probably a little bike ride somewhere last week, but the big one was Friday. Friday morning I got up at 5 AM and road to work, yes all the way to work. The ride turned out to be 63.8 km. It should have been more like 55, but I got lost twice, and took the scenic route. The ride took me 2h 25 minutes, and I think my top speed was 49.5, so that makes my average speed around 25-26 km/h.

The lesson learned in this whole shenanigan, is 1) don't bike on a Friday (end of day traffic and taking computer's home for the weekend suck more.) 2) Just stick to the main roads, the waterfront trail is designed as a scenic thing that locals might use for short walks, and not to be ridden from end to end. It is discontinuous, circuitous, and dead-endy (or at least for bikes in certain areas.) Otherwise the ride was awesome, I showed up at the office at the same time as my train would normally pull in, so while still on my ride high I buzzed everyone and walking to work and gave them a hard time.

I wasn't nearly as sore as I thought I might be, stiff, but manageable. The ride home wasn't, in fact Erin picked me up from Oakville, I probably could have done it, but I'm glad I didn't. One way on the first go is more then enough thank you.

The only other ride I did this weekend was a nice jaunt with Erin on Sunday morning before our class. It was such a beautiful weekend, a shame we were inside for most of it, but we stole what we could of it.

The bike's Odometer is now some where over 300 km, I won't break 500 before the ride, but that is neither here nor there. As for donations, I think the totally pledged amount is over 500 now, but not the website amount which is at $470. So as we pass 500, the next number is 1000, I don't see any reason to stop once I meet my preliminary goal, as I really do believe in the Heart&Stroke Foundation.
so...
Thanks so much everyone!

Ride is less then a week away, so training will ease off as I don't want to start the ride sore, but I will keep you all in the loop as we countdown the days.

BYO-Spinning Class

So I did spinning today at the gym, sort of... I showed up at the gym with only my spinning clothes, including my cycling shoes, and hip spinning shorts (yeah bike shorts are just stupid looking.) When I'm told the spinning teacher is sick (this girl seriously needed to take a week off and get better, I just wish I had more notice.) Anyways sans gym teacher, and all gussied up for spinning, I said forget this, and just hopped on the spinning bike by myself. So I did some pretend hill climbing, and some sprinting, and I tried but was too embarrassed to shout encouragement at myself. In any respect I managed a respectable spinning class by myself, and I'm glad too, once again an evening not worthy of biking (grrr) maybe I'm getting fussy.

Instead I reseeded the front lawn, and watered both lawns.

Cheers

Late Bike Update

Ooookay, so my computer did go battery while I was out riding, but I think it worked out okay, so here are the details for last Friday:
36.8 km
Avg: 26.3 km/h
Peak: 49.5 km/h

My total for the week was:
78.2 km

Donations are up to 315 posted, and an additional 50 pledged. We are almost there everyone, so please folks who are waiting to the end, the end is nigh!

Last week update will be late

Hey all, I don't have an update for last week yet because I forgot to post about my friday ride. Last week was maybe a touch disappointing from a ride perspective, but the weather was unforgiving. I can deal with most stuff, including the rain I cycled out into last week, but I think I only got out the twice. Sadly gusting winds are my kryptonite, especially when combined with cold. So I will get that update in tonight, but don't let that stop you from donating.

Sloshy

No not some terribly hip non-heavy metal band, but to the state of my shoes, last night I rode out into that slop or a rain storm. The rain wasn't so bad as to blow me around, or get in my eyes, so I figured what the heck. So I headed out for a brisk 26.4 km, peak 47.1 km/h and an average of 24.75 km/h. I did end up completely soaked, except for my shirt which by some miracle of of plastination (not the creepy body worlds kind) stayed more or less dry, and my shoes were small lakes. My hope is that the shoes which are designed to wick sweat dry without issue, and I also toweled the mud and grime of the bike as best I could to make sure nothing jams up. I don't think I will be in a hurry to do that again, but I thought I would give it a try at least once. Needed to know I could ride in the rain, incase it rains on June 1st while I am riding in the Heart&Stroke Ride for Heart.

Little Sprint

Last night I didn't get out until about 8:30, and that was after both a heavy dinner and a lot of gardening. So the sun was down and it was chilly in my shorts and a t-shirt, but I did manage to keep warm by just going faster. I tried to keep an average speed of about 30 km/h but I think the real number was closer to ~28.3 km/h or so. I kind of hit a wall (figuratively) out there, and in keeping it closer to home there were more lights slowing me down. So In total a fast 15 km to start the training week. Today I spin at the gym.

Week in Review

Well lets see, last week I rode about 135 km (almost a century (over 7 days))  all though the lion's share was in that single big ride.  

As fundraising goes we went from 170 to 295,  we are leaping and bounding towards that goal of 500, and I hope to be there soon.  If there is anyone who wants to make a cash donation, please let me know, I've prepared a little donation sheet so I can gather your information for tax return purposes.  Just let me know if that is the case, otherwise you can still donate at the link.

G

Bah, Gah, Fah, Mah Legs Are Hurting

Well that was one [Epic Ride] by the numbers 55.2 km, pace 24.5 km/h, max speed 59.8 km/h.  Now I will spare the physics of it, but I I think if you look at my leading pedal tow coming forward while the bike was traveling at that velocity, and I think you will agree that the leading toe, relative to the ground was probably going in excess of 60 km/h.

Now I'd like to point out that this is in excess of my last ride by a fair margin, and in excess of what is required for the Heart&Stroke Ride For Heart so yeah, but now I'm tired, very very tired.  Really who puts a town called Lowville at the bottom of a really big hill, really!