As I finished last year’s event, I was already thinking of 2012 and beyond. It was — and is — my desire to start a foundation in Mike’s honor. The I Do It For Foundation would exist to provide support and tools for individuals and groups who want to show support to for individuals going through a trial. While I am supportive of groups such as Livestrong and other large organizations pooling resources to fight cancer, etc., I also see that sometimes it is easy for individual needs to get lost in the larger “corporate” focus.

It was what we were able to do for the family of little Rebekah Ellis during the 2011 Ride for Mike that really convinced me this could be a possibility! What if there were hundreds of people around the country who given the knowledge and tools would go out and create their own Ride for “Mike” or “Rebehkah” or “Steve” or “Holly”… you get the idea. These individuals would be able to receive direct encouragement and help for their immediate needs.

Sounds like a great idea, doesn’t it? It is. However, it isn’t always easy to pull something off like this. 2012 would be a busy year setting up the foundation and planning its first event. That event I had hoped would be a fund raising ride for the foundation in the Memphis, TN area.

Unfortunately, 2012 has been an interesting year for me with my time and my finances. The freedom I once had in these two areas has been curtailed a bit. The bottom line is that I have gotten behind in my plans for both the foundation and the Memphis ride. While I am still committed to taking steps to get the foundation underway in 2012, I do not believe we will be able to have an organized charity ride in 2012.

Tomorrow’s blog post will give you an explanation of part of my 2012 Ride for Mike goals. It is going to be a really short time frame! However, I hope some of you will be able to support me in the event. I think after you read the post, you will understand more why I am targeting this event.

I have not closed the door on a more “epic” ride in the fall of 2012. Do you have any ideas? In what way would you like to see me suffer?

Also, as I take steps in my foundation, there are things I need to do. I am looking for help in these areas:

• Forming a board
• Forming a 501c3
• Branding materials for the foundation
• Programmers to help create an online tool that will be the key to the foundation

I’m sure the list will continue to grow. If you are interested in helping in any way, please contact me at lowcadence@pait.org. Be sure to read tomorrow’s post for the next steps in the 2012 Ride for Mike.

1. The Altamont Crash
2. The Low Cadence Honda Fit bike mount system
3. 2010 Ride for Mike
4. My final word on the Quarq CinQo & Garmin 705
5. Help me support my habit
6. Garmin Edge 500 saga continues
7. Boyd Bikes c50′s – First impression
8. First date and I’m in love
9. A different kind of bike Fit
10. One more reason for cyclists to love the Honda Fit

The top viewed page over the last year?

1. 2010 Ride for Mike

That reminds me. I am finishing up the plans for the 2011 Ride for Mike. I hope to be able to create the page for the 2011 ride in the next week or so. Once again I’ll be tackling a feat I have never accomplished before. Mostly though, I am excited about this year’s fund raising project.

Stay tuned! Thanks for reading!

$19,600

That is the total raised so far with my goal of $14,000 already being surpassed. I know there are still people who have expressed a desire to give, so I am going to keep the total open until the end of this week. It would be awesome to be able to announce a total of $20,000 once the official period for giving ends.

I also spent some time last night putting pictures up on Facebook. You can check them out at the following links. The first set are those I put up myself, the others are links to other folks pictures.

Jonathan Pait’s 2010 Ride for Mike photos

Photos taken by Mike’s sister, Beth Chenault (pictures of the departure in Collierville)

Some photos taken by my uncle Eddie Bordeaux (pictures of the arrival in Apex)

A question I get asked is, “When are you getting back on the bike?” Well, I’m hoping my saddle sores will heal up soon. I’m already feeling somewhat better in that regard. Thursday coach has me doing an easy set of drills to get my legs moving again. I should be up and going again by next week.

Maybe then I’ll have something new to write about… though it is going to be hard to forget last week. It will color my view of things for some time. Thank you for sharing it with me.

I trust everyone will have a wonderful weekend with the USA Cycling Professional Championships coming into town. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to join you all for the fun. I’ll be leaving out of town Saturday morning for the 2010 Ride for Mike.

Once the pros have left town and you find your way online to check out Interbike and your favorite cycling sites, be sure to swing by rideformike.com to follow along with me as I ride from Memphis, TN to Greenville, SC to Raleigh, NC. I’ll be covering these 700 miles in 7 days.

It would be nice to know that I have some friends following along with me! There will be links put up each day once the ride starts that will allow you to track my progress with an update every 5 minutes (depending on the AT&T network). You can also follow the blog reports each day as part of my blog Low Cadence.

Thanks to the many Spinners who have given support in any number of ways — especially after my accident in May when I broke my neck and fractured my skull. While this email is to inform everyone of the ride, it is also a way to publicly thank those who have helped me — especially, Sunshine Cycle Shop, Chris Hartzler, David Mruz at Eastside Chiropractic, and Hincapie Sportswear. There are others as well and to you all I say, “Thank you!”

Jonathan Pait

The neck brace remains until at least July 27. He also would not clear me for higher risks activities until later. Basically, he laid out that I will not be cleared to race until November. What that means is that my racing season is over.

The beautiful redhead and I have talked about it and we do not see why I shouldn’t be able to continue with my plans to start and finish the 2010 Ride for Mike. However, there will be no more racing for me this year… That stinks.

I’m going to have to step back here for a bit and let this sink in. I don’t know what all of this is going to mean to the blog. I have no desire to be writing stuff about me complaining all the time or asking you to give to the 2010 Ride for Mike. I’m certain you will see less (just as you have probably noticed over the last couple of weeks).

So, the next thing on my calendar is the 2010 Ride for Mike. I trust that once I start training again in earnest and planning the logistics in earnest, you’ll find more here at LowCadence.com. Follow Low Cadence on Twitter and on Facebook and you’ll know when that begins to happen.

Thank you for your support.

You guys have now given $6650! 90 pounds of coffee have gone out the door and we now have a minimum order of Low Cadence kits. I have been overwhelmed by the support and I know there is still more to come. It is motivating me more and more to get healed up and back on the bike.

I do apologize that I haven’t blogged much recently. Frankly, these have been some of the hardest days in my life. Actually, it would be more correct to say hardest nights in my life. I am finding it very hard to get a good night sleep. It all comes down to the fact that I have to sleep on my back due to my neck injury.

Sleeping on my back causes me to have sleep apnea. I wake up in the morning feeling like I need to go to bed! Finally, I have started trying to sleep sitting up in bed. I seem to be sleeping more once I get to sleep, but it takes me forever to fall asleep.

The bottom line is that it leaves me going through the day like a zombie. I lose my train of thought and I’m very lethargic. Not to mention that I have a constant headache.

I say all that to explain why I haven’t blogged much. I don’t want to fill this blog with me complaining. Unfortunately, most of my life right now is dealing with all this stuff. So, it is about all I have to write about!

The plan is for me to swing my leg over the top tube this evening. I’ll be putting the Giant onto my trainer and giving it a go. I’ll probably start with about 30 minutes — or maybe I’ll go an hour while watching the Tour de Suisse. My body is crying out for some exercise!

Now, back to the positive! Things are really coming together for the 2010 Ride For Mike. Remember, you can participate by giving a donation and certain donations receive some primes. Give $15 and you get a pound of the Low Cadence Coffee. Give $150 and you get the awesomely designed Low Cadence kit. If you are just interested in a jersey, we can do that as well for a donation of $75. Of course, 100% of the donation goes to the Michael T. McCaskill Memorial Scholarship.

I promise there will be no more blog posts of me complaining. I’m just a couple of weeks away from getting the neck brace off and I’ll be out of my arm cast mid-July — just a month away. I have to remind myself that I am actually progressing faster than the original prognosis.

It is going to be fun to start posting about the bike again! Until then, thanks for hanging in there with me. You guys are awesome!

We will place the order as soon as a minimum is met. To assure that you receive your order in a timely manner, please place your donation before June 28, 2010. We will run another order if needed after that date, but we cannot guarantee the arrival of the items before the event.

The kits are a race cut. This is a tighter fitting garment. The following charts are meant as an aid in helping you determine which size will best fit you. Click on each chart to enlarge it (It will open a new window). Please include the size you would like when placing your order.

Men’s Jersey and Bib Shorts:

Women’s Jersey and Bib Shorts:

Remember, here is how you order:

1. Go to the following secure site: https://protect.bju.edu/bju/giving/
2. Choose as your Designation: Demonstrative Need Scholarship Fund
3. In the Gift Instructions area enter: Ride for Mike (It is important to note this)

IMPORTANT NOTE: Indicate the number kits requested along with gender and size for each. Any special instructions (such as a different shipping address) should also go here.

4. Submit the form and your gift will be processed.

We are working through those things now and I hope to soon get the update on the site that will give instructions on how to order your Low Cadence Cycling kit. All the art work is done. Hincapie Sportswear has the files. All we need to do now is get them an order!

Stay tuned…

Several of you also let me know of your interest in the kits. I will be contacting you via email as soon as the site is set up. Remember, a full kit is $150 and a jersey is $75. The cut will be a race cut. I’ll be including some sizing guidelines on the updated page.

Thank you for your support! The hand surgery went well Friday. However, I did not realize how painful it would end up being. I’ll take surgery to fix a broken bone over a ruptured ligament any day!

The good news is that the surgeries are now done. The only “work” I’ll need to have done is a tooth implant in my upper jaw and a crown on a lower molar.It will be a couple months before they’ll do that.

It has been a full two weeks since my accident. I figure every day off the bike from this point is more fitness lost. At some point here, I’ve got to get my bike situation sorted out so I can start spinning some on the trainer. September will be here before I know it and the 2010 Ride For Mike will be upon me.

Yes, you asked for it and now it is here… a darker roast of our unique Low Cadence blend. There is plenty available as we just got a new shipment yesterday. If you like good coffee and you enjoy supporting worthy causes, consider giving a donation to the 2010 Ride for Mike.

It is really easy, you can go to the above link and fill out the donation form. When you do so, make sure you specify that you would like the coffee and what type of roast you desire. Gifts of $15 or more will receive a pound. If you are local, we’ll try to deliver it to you (and snap a photo while we are at it).  If you are out of the area, we’ll be glad to ship it.

Thank you for your support of this project and Low Cadence. Really, right now, you just don’t know how much it means to me. I apologize that there has not been a lot of interesting stuff lately. It is just that it is pretty painful to type and the thoughts just aren’t coming easily right now.

1. Get a friend to fan the Low Cadence Facebook page and then leave a comment on the page with your name and you will be entered into a drawing for a free pound of our Beans with a Mission. Also, $20 will be given toward the 2010 Ride for Mike in your name.

2. If you currently are not a fan of the page, just visit the page and click the “Like” button at the top. You will then be entered into the drawing. $20 will also be donated to the Ride for Mike in your name.

So, if you’ve been putting it off, now is the time to act. Another advantage for this contest is that the winner gets the opportunity to choose between two roasts of the popular Low Cadence Coffee. We are adding a new dark roast option this week. It will be available to ship to the winner!

Go become a fan of Low Cadence to keep up with all the plans for the blog and the 2010 Ride for Mike!