Posts Tagged ‘Ride for Mike’

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Ride for Mike plans: Up and down

Thursday, September 2nd, 2010

September has gotten off with a bang! A lot of great things are happening for the Ride for Mike. More attention has been brought to the ride than ever before and it is exciting to be able to know that one of my goals — keeping the memory of Mike alive — is definitely being fulfilled. I just keep praying that it will translate into more support for the scholarship. At the same time, I am very thankful for the support I’ve been shown by so many wonderful people.

An update on the scholarship: we have now reached $11,380.00 as of this morning when I type this. Only about $2,600.00 more to go! The opportunity to give will continue through the ride, but if we could break the $14,000.00 barrier before I leave… Well, that would just be a huge shot in the arm. Please consider helping at RideForMike.com.

Another UP is the fact that I have my new wheel from Boyd Johnson. I’ve been looking forward to getting it back so I can use it on the ride. Here is a photo of what my wheel looked like following May’s accident.

Crushed Boyd wheel

Carbon wheel / (concrete block + 25 mph) = above

Now we are back in business with a new wheel. This wheel is a new design. The braking surface is improved over my original c50. We did have a bear of a time getting the Specialized Pro tire over the new rim, but now it is on and tight as a drum. Can’t wait to get out and test it. I appreciate Boyd’s support. Give him a visit at BoydBikes.com.

New Boyd 50

These things look better round

So, what is there to be down about? I hesitate to even mention it because I don’t know how things are going to work out. Could be this is nothing, but it is the first curve ball to be thrown at me for the ride since my accident. It involves my transportation on the ride.

I have learned it is good (though not necessary) to have an extra bike. Many times I have found that my training has been disrupted because of an issue with my bike. It was good to have a number two to hop on when discovering a last second flat or when bike number one is in the shop. Of course, bike number two bit the dust back in May.

Having a second bike became more important to me as I planned the 2010 Ride for Mike. Since my only support on the ride would be the beautiful redhead and any delay on the road could cost me major time and distance, I wanted to minimize any chance for mechanical delays. My plan was to take two bikes. If one had a problem, I would do a quick bike change and get back on the road. It could be the difference between one minute and hours depending on the mechanical issue.

Better yet, I ordered the frame from Boyd. Thankfully, all the parts from the “Devil Bike” can be moved over to the new frame. This isn’t just any old frame. It is the Boyd Bikes B930 with a custom Low Cadence paint job.

Here is the problem. This is the last order of Boyd Bikes frames. Boyd is going to wheels only. One of the reasons why is because of the hassles he has had with his frame supplier. You can see where this is going… Boyd tells me that the frame goes to paint September 5th. It will be in paint for one week. It then will take one week to ship. If you count that up, in a best case scenario the bike will arrive at the last minute. Boyd is even concerned that it won’t arrive before I leave.

What should I do? There are some options… 1) Take my chances and plan on having the bike for the ride. 2) Take my chances using one bike and plan on only wheel problems on the road. I would then get the Low Cadence bike when I returned. 3) Go ahead and not use the custom frame and get another one to build up before the ride. Can you think of some other options? What do you think I should do?

Really, when I first learned of this delay, I was pretty bummed. As the day continues, I realize this isn’t a major setback. I mean, people make solo rides across the United States on one bike! My only concern is that I really don’t want to deal with bike issues on a day when I’m supposed to cover 120+ miles.

Besides, I admit it… having a custom Low Cadence bike for the trip would be pretty cool!

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2010 Ride for Mike route: Day Four

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

Greenville, here we come!

Here is one of the legs of my journey on the Ride for Mike that I get asked about the most. “When will you be in Greenville?” The answer is on day four. It is the final push for the long days and the end (I hope) will find me in my own bed that Wednesday evening.

Day Four Route

Dawsonville, GA to Greenville, SC

This is also another ambitious leg – Dawsonville, GA to Greenville, SC. The Google maps estimate is 124 miles this day. I’m hoping on two things… 1) that I will be farther along than I have planned by this point — which will help shorten the distance on this day, and 2) that the fact that I will be riding into Greenville will give me extra motivation — the old “horse smelling the barn” syndrome.

It is now 18 days before I start this journey. Actually, the journey started  little less than a year ago when I hatched this idea while riding my bike from Greenville to Austin with the Challenge to Conquer Cancer ride. September 19 will just be the beginning of the end of a longer journey — but it will also be the toughest part. Still, I am getting that excited feeling in the pit of my stomach!

Friends have been asking about riding along with me once I get near Greenville. I certainly would appreciate some help on this leg, but I will also be looking for some help on the leg out of Greenville. I should be publishing that part of the route in the next several days. I’m thinking that I will leave out of Greenville that Thursday morning from the campus of Bob Jones University. It will probably be a later start (around 9 AM) so we can avoid the early morning traffic.

If you do want to join me on the Day Four leg (GA to SC) you might want to have someone drive you backward on the route until you come across us. You can then join in and help pull my tired body up the Calhoun Memorial Highway. I plan to end the route that day at Bob Jones University, so you can call your ride to pick you up there — or just ride on home if there is still enough light!

Yes, I realize that 123 can have some traffic and speeds. However, the more I have looked at the route, the more convinced that staying on these divided highways is the best option. Though the speeds will be higher the traffic will flow more smoothly if the chase car and I don’t clog the only lane of traffic. Also, these types of roads are typically engineered with fewer step inclines. They help level out some of the terrain. Frankly, I just feel safer about it than riding on a hilly rural road with blind curves.

Thank you to all of you who have supported me up to this point. If you have not supported the 2010 Ride for Mike yet, please consider giving to the cause. I announced yesterday that we will be placing a second order for the Ride for Mike bibs and jerseys. It is a fun way to support the ride AND have something useful to remember it by later. Check it all out at RideForMike.com.

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2010 Ride for Mike route: Day Three

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

It has been a while since I have updated everyone on my plans for routing my way from Memphis to Raleigh. This is such an important part of the trip and it is something over which I keep arguing with myself. I think I’m just going to have to make a commitment and do it.

If you are new to this endeavor you will find my plans here for Day One and Day Two. Those are the first two days of a seven day ride from near Memphis, TN through Greenville, SC and then on to a town near Raleigh, NC. That is around 700 miles that I’ll cover over those 7 days.

Day Three is going to be a challenge! While I will be facing some rollers in that those first two days, this third day is going to send me into an area with a bit more climbing toward the end. I also have myself putting in around 120 miles. This route from Collinsville, AL to Dawsonville, GA is going to be a gut check.

The thing I keep telling myself is that I am not limited by time. This is not a race. Though I wouldn’t want to do this (and don’t know that I physically could), I could fit 12 hours or more of riding into a day. That would mean I would be averaging 10 mph through that terrain. The scary thing is, that is about the average I would expect! Bottom line is, I’m going to have to turn the pedals with anger on those first two days out. I have a feeling I’m going to need to “bank some miles.”

Of course, my hope is that I will be able to average at least 15 mph for the whole trip. That turns a 120 mile day into a loooong but a manageable 8 hour day. I have completed several centuries at over a 20 mph pace (finishing at or under 5 hours), but that was on flat to slightly rolling terrain. Those efforts also left me spent. That isn’t going to work on a 7 day effort.

Have you figured out yet that this is starting to scare me? Folks, my confidence level isn’t very high right now. I take that back, I have no doubt I can do it. The thing is I am starting to realize just how bad this is going to hurt!

I’ve just got to plan the best I can. I’ve got to train as much as I can. Then I’ve just got to go out there and do it.

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Pardon me while I think out loud

Saturday, August 14th, 2010

In just five days it will be one month before I head out on my adventure called the Ride for Mike. Up to this point, I knew it was this dream and plan that I have. However, it just seemed that… a dream… something in the distant future. Well, folks, if I keep that perception, I’m going to have a very rude awakening to reality!

It is time to take all the planning and dreams and codify them. I’m going to take you along for the ride as I convert all the thoughts that have been swirling around in my head down into bits stored on my blog’s server. It’s got to be done and I might as well start now.

  1. I need a route. This is pretty much done. However, I still have some areas where I am arguing with myself about how best to approach the ride. I can go out on rural two lane roads where there won’t be as much traffic, but this choice will add miles and complexity to the ride. I also realize that while there is less traffic, it will also be harder for what traffic there is to get around me. That equals more frustrated drivers.

    The other option is to take more of the four-lane, divided highway roads. Yes, there probably would be higher speeds and more traffic. However, it gives the traffic more opportunity to flow around me and these routes would definitely cut down on the complexity and mileage of the trip.

  2. That leads me to the next important part of my plan = the follow vehicle. This is going to be a important part of the plan. The 2010 Ride for Mike is more than just a cross country tour. There is a definite time limitation and a lot of miles to cover. In someways, it is like a stage race. With a need to average 100+ miles a day, I’m not going to be able to leisurely tour and camp along the route. I need support!

    My wonderful and beautiful redhead will be my support. She will be following me in our 2009 Honda Fit. On top will be the spare bike and a couple of spare wheels. I’ve yet to order the Yakima wheel fork racks. I’ll need to add them to the list. Another “car top” item to add to that list is a blinking hazard light. We will place this on top of the rear of the car to draw attention to us.

    I’m talking with my friend Chris about some vinyl panels we can put on the car to alert drivers to our presence while at the same time giving some publicity for the ride. We’ve talked about it, but I really need to sketch something out with him so we can get the car prepped. It would be cool to have it set up a week before I leave… hmmmm. Yes, that would be neat.

  3. That leads us to the obvious next question… what goes in the car? I break it down into the following areas:

    - Supplies for the bike
    - Supplies for the blog
    - Supplies for the bloke

I’ll stop here for today. There is much more to come, but I’m pretty confident that my experiences with cross-country rides with the Palmetto Peloton Project will help me nail all this down and I’ll be ready to go. Besides, like I always tell the beautiful redhead just before we head out on a trip… “Stop worrying about it. If we forgot something, we can always buy it on the road.”

The one thing I can’t buy on the road is health and fitness. Right now, that is what concerns me the most. At least I have a little over a month to get as far along as I can.

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The first kit pics

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

Okay, I’m pretty excited about the new Low Cadence kits. So far the reviews have been positive — both from people wearing them and those who have only had a chance to see them online. They love the design by Chris Hartzler. A big thank you to Hincapie Sports for getting the design right and back to me in good time.

Here are the first two pictures of recipients of the riding gear.

Kirsten Dietz

Kirsten Dietz FINALLY gets her kit

This is Kirsten Dietz, she is a designer extraordinaire at The Worthwhile Company. She just started riding within the last year and is really starting to catch on. Now she has a cool outfit to go with her new clipless pedals! Plus, she can now stop bugging me about when the order will arrive.

The Things Three

Thing Three, Thing One, and Thing Two model their kits

This is the one I love. Yes, those are my offspring. Yes, that is my 5′ 6″ daughter who starts Junior High this year. Poor Thing Three is just a little small for his, but he’ll grow into it soon enough! Thing Two there looks like he is ready to turn pro! You can soon look for the whole Pait family out on the Swamp Rabbit Trail sporting our spiffy duds.

Oh, did I mention that there are only 8 more days before I’m “On the Road Again”?

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At last! Low Cadence kits are here!

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Sure, it is exciting that I have only 9 more days before I can throw my leg over a top tube that isn’t attached to a trainer. However, the most exciting news came in the form of a phone call late yesterday afternoon. It was Diana from Hincapie Sports letting me know that the Low Cadence kits had arrived and were ready for pick up!

I don’t have a lot of time to exult about it this morning. I’m at work and I have to get to it. However, I couldn’t help but upload a couple of pics here this morning.

The new Low Cadence cycling kit!

Here is the front of the Low Cadence jersey

In between shots here, I’d like to issue some thanks. First of all, Thank You to the McCaskill family who made it possible for me to purchase the kits. Thanks to Chris Hartzler for designing the kit. Of course, a big thanks to Hincapie Sports for giving me a deal. Then I have to say thanks to all the people who ordered the kits. Because of everyone’s involvement, we were able to raise thousands of dollars with the kits.

The new Low Cadence jersey

The back of the Low Cadence jersey

I’ll be sending out the kits — or delivering them personally to save a little bit of money. Please be a little patient as I get them processed. You will receive them as soon as I can get them out. I want you to enjoy them and get on the bike with them ASAP!

When you do get yours, please, please send me some pictures. I would like to show some of the wonderful people who have helped to make the 2010 Ride for Mike a reality! You mean a lot to me.

Finally, want one? I can place another order, but I’ll need to have a minimum of 10. If you are interested, just email me. We’ll see if we can get enough for another order.

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Ride for Mike update

Friday, July 23rd, 2010

I’ve been on vacation this week. There hasn’t been a lot of blogging going on during that time. I have enjoyed watching the Tour De France each morning and you can see a few tweets from those times. I also spent some time to getting the Ride for Mike planned out.

Things are progressing quite well. We are now less than two months away from the first pedal stroke! We are also just now crossing a milestone. Going into August the Ride will have raised $10,000! Thank you so much to everyone who has helped us reach this goal. There is still time and more opportunities to raise funds for the Michael T. McCaskill Memorial Scholarship Fund.

There have been some changes from the first plans. The Ride will now start in Moscow, TN instead of Memphis. That is a good thing for me because it cuts off about 50 miles in the overall length. It keeps the distance much closer to 700 miles.

Day One: Ride for Mike

Day One: Ride for Mike

So, now I’ll ride from Tennessee through Mississippi with the first stop coming in Alabama. This is the Moscow, TN to Muscle Shoals, AL. This is the beginning and will start off as a challenge. I’m going to attempt over 100 miles this first day. It is important to get the miles early because the terrain gets tougher toward the end and I’m sure I’m going to be tired. I’d like to have those last days with sub-century rides.

Day Two: Ride for Mike

Day Two: Ride for Mike

Day Two now has me riding nearly 120 miles. Here is hoping for a major tailwind! That is one of the reasons for starting in the west and heading east. The chances of tailwinds will be much greater. This day I hope the wind will be pushing me from Muscle Shoals to Collinsville, Alabama.

It is also important for me to get in as many miles as possible these first days because I really want to arrive in Greenville by Wednesday. If I can do that, I will be able to start cutting back on the distances Thursday to Saturday. If I have to, I also have the safety valve of being able to use Sunday at the tail of the week to finish the route.

Am I ready? No. I am not ready. Regardless how I feel, I’ve got to get the legs going when I get back to Greenville. I hope that not long after I am brace free I will be able to get back on the road. It will be a while before I’ll take the risk of riding in a group, but I cannot put off getting in some road miles.

Stay tuned! More daily routes to come…

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2010 Ride for Mike route: Day Two

Friday, June 18th, 2010

I didn’t mention this in yesterday’s post, but I will not be doing the 2010 Ride for Mike route alone. The beautiful redhead will be my support driver. She will be following me and supporting me from our Honda Fit along the way.

I call that love! It has been a hard year on her. I know it was very hard for her to be there the day I crashed. If I let my mind wonder, it can be dangerous. Both my wife and children were there the day I broke my neck. My oldest son was one of the first to arrive on the scene. I don’t think very long about what it would have been like had I been more badly injured… or worse.

However, Annette is a wonderful woman and she understands her husband. Sure, she lets me know that it is going to be hard for her to get used to me getting back on the bike, but she understands that I do not intentionally seek danger. The statistics are in my favor. Fear of something that probably will never happen shouldn’t keep me off the bike.

So, not only is she allowing me to get back in the saddle, she is also going to support me as I cover the 700 – 750 miles from Memphis to Raleigh. Wow! That means some long days traveling along at 15 to 25 mph! I think that has got to be harder than riding the bike.

What will happen is we will leave from Memphis with her driving the car and me following on the bike. The car will have a flashing light, extra bicycle, and decals alerting drivers that a cyclist is in the area. We will communication via two-way radios and the car will be equipped with Internet and GPS so Annette can navigate and prep for the trip ahead. Once we reach Corinth, I will continue alone on the route while the beautiful redhead gets us checked in at the hotel, etc. She will then drive to meet me at the target stopping area. We will then go back to the hotel together.

The next day we will start the route for Day Two – Burnsville, Mississippi to Somerville, Alabama. We’ll take the car together back to the point where I stopped the day before. Then we start to cover another 100 miles or so to the east side of Decatur, Alabama. We’ll do the same thing we did on Day One when we passed through Corinth.

It is going to be pretty hard to avoid riding on two-lane divided highways in this section. However, they are not Interstates. These roads remind me of some of the ones I’ve traveled on when riding from my parents’ home to Fayetteville, NC. It is also similar to the roads we had to ride on at times during the Challenge to Conquer Cancer ride last year. It certainly makes the role Annette will play with the SAG car that much more important.

The good news is that as I work through these routes, I’m starting to get excited. This is going to be doable. At least for these first 200 miles the terrain will allow for some good speeds. Just a little over 500 more to go.

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2010 Ride for Mike route: Day One

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

It is time to start seriously mapping out my route for the 2010 Ride for Mike. It is a 700 – 750 mile trip from Memphis, Tennessee to Raleigh, North Carolina. My plan is to go southeast out of Memphis to go below the higher elevations of the Appalachians. It will take me near Atlanta before swinging northeast toward Greenville and then on to Raleigh. Whatever the route, I’ve got to do it in 7 days.

I’ve set some target cities along the route. These are the locations where I will bed down at night. I plan to reserve some decent hotels so that I can make the most of the rest I can receive. I’ll ride to get as close to each city as I can… or ride past it if possible… then I’ll stop, get in the car, and head to the hotel. The next morning I’ll get up and drive back to the spot where I stopped the day before. Then it is off to the next target city.

Here are my plans for Day One. The target city is Corinth, Mississippi. If I can get 100 miles in, it will put me near the town of Burnsville. The two major roads that would take me in the direction where I need to be are 64 and 72. However, the road I’d like to get on is Hwy. 57. My plan is to conceive of two to three alternate routes. If I find that traffic will allow me to take a road like 64 or 72, I will in order to make the best time.

The third route I am considering is to Hwy. 57 as quickly as I can. I would then continue on that road until I reach Wolf Pen Road. Of course, it would be a simpler route just to head down 72! The problem with that is there are numerous sections where the traffic lanes are three wide. The 57 route would allow me to take a rural road for most of the route. The distance would be only about an extra 7 miles.

Anyone have any suggestions? I’d also like to find a good bicycle shop in the Corinth area just in case I need a mechanic. If you live in the area, I’d love to have you come out and ride with me. I’ll be leaving from Eastside Baptist Church, 3232 Covington Pike, Memphis, TN on Sunday, September 19. I’d appreciate some company… and a good draft!

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Why I am riding

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

Today is June 16. It probably isn’t a significant day for many people. For those of us who knew Michael T. McCaskill, it is a day that brings both sadness and a smile to our faces.

It was in the early morning of that day in 2007 that Mike went home. He left behind a lovely wife and a beautiful baby daughter — and many friends who loved him. We still miss him today. While there is sadness at recalling his passing, as the years pass I find myself remembering more the times I was with him. We simply said farewell — not goodbye. Then before I know it, I find a smile on my face.

Michael T. McCaskill with baby Grace

I remember well that time. I was planning on my very first Ride for Mike. It was the charity ride now known as the Stars and Stripes Challenge that takes place when the USA Cycling Professional Championships come to Greenville. The plan was to raise funds for this charity that provides money for cancer fighting causes. I had a jersey made up for it and I planned to present the jersey to Mike when I was done.

The ride that was planned as a  means of encouragement to Mike as he fought his battle, became a ride in his memory. I still have the jersey and it is a means of motivation to continue my goal of riding in his memory each year.

So, that brings us to today. I’ve had my own challenges this year and for a while the fourth annual Ride for Mike looked like it might be in doubt. However, I am happy to say that last night for the first time in 24 days after breaking my neck, I climbed on the trainer and turned the pedals. Granted it was only for 30 minutes at about 150 watts… but it was a start back.

Today, I am more determined than ever to climb on that bike in September and finish the job. It will certainly be the hardest thing I have ever attempted on the bike. However, this year has been the most fun year planning and fund raising. That is all because of YOU. The support I have received has been a great motivator to make this a reality. Thank you.

On this day when we remember Mike’s passing would you consider giving in his memory? Your gift would be appreciated.

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