We have.  We rode through tropical storm Rick as it moved across Texas.  It certainly was a dark and stormy night.  Team Green was ready.

I’ll spend some time later blogging about exactly how the ride progressed.  For now, I am still very tired and after a busy day of Palmetto Peloton Project related activities, I’m ready to hit the sack.  I’ve got to get some rest for the ride coming up Sunday.

However, before I climb in the bed, I’m putting up two new videos for you all.  By the way, thank you so much to those who let me know they actually watch these things.  I do wish they could better capture what happens out there.  At least I know that as my teammates come back to view them the videos will serve as a spring board for bringing back to their minds the events surrounding these feeble attempts to portray those memories.

First, Part One of Day Four – it was a very interesting day on the road — in the van that is.  We learned to practice that informal motto of the Marine Corp: adapt, improvise, and overcome.  Team Green did!

Next up is Part Two of Day Four – or was that the beginning of Day 5? Hmmmm, it started at midnight and ended around 6 AM in the morning.  Most amazing was that once it was all pedaled and done we learned we had ridden straight through the middle of a named tropical storm!  Rick dumped his best on us, but we came through together as a team.

I believe that the connection that cyclists have with cancer warriors is the suffering.  A cyclist may be 70 miles into a ride with a 20 mph headwind and rain beating down on him.  His body is cold with his muscles and joints aching from the exposure to the elements and exertion.  Yet, he pedals on to reach the goal ahead of him.  He attacks the pain – or at times locks it away in the corner of his mind.  He finds away to go through the pain.

I do not have cancer and don’t mean to speak for those who have fought – or are fighting that battle.  However, I have seen in those whom I have been privileged to know that same spirit.  I cancer patient has much more pain and aching than I’ll ever know on the bike.  Still, she will attack this invader and go on with courage.  What an inspiration these brave warriors are to all of us.

Thank you.

 

Tags: Cancer, Challenge to Conquer Cancer, LiveSTRONG Challenge, Palmetto Peloton Project, RideForMike.com, Video

This entry was posted on Friday, October 23rd, 2009 at 10:19 pm and is filed under Rides. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.