It's been a very hectic week and not all cycling. Last week I went to California for meetings with Oxy and Anthony Kennedy Shriver, founder and Chairman of Best Buddies to look at a possible continuing relationship between Oxy and Best Buddies through cycling. Following the meetings we headed to Taft for a fundraising event. I'm sure Anthony was wondering what he had gotten himself into by the time he reached Maricopa. However, it was an incredible event with a standing room only crowd to hear Anthony praise Taft College, their Transition to Independent Living program and their community. The TIL program serves as a model for what Best Buddies ultimate goal is in getting students with intellectual disabilities mainstreamed and then placed into the workforce. The fundraiser will support the upcoming October 14th Volvo Best Buddies Challenge: Hearst Castle of which Oxy is a key sponsor and host committee member.

Anthony Kennedy Shriver, Alan White of Oxy Elk Hills and me in the background

Following the Best Buddies event, I got an hour sleep and headed back to Los Angeles to catch a flight back to Houston. Upon arrival in Houston I immediately drove to Corpus Christi for the Conquer the Coast ride and as it's called "The toughest 18 miles in Texas". Oxy LNG was a sponsor of the event and it definitely lived up to it's name. I really was in no shape to do the time trial but I had signed up so I gave it my best effort. What I didn't realize was that you had to reach the beginning point of the time trial before a certain time. What that did was make it a 48 mile time trial instead of an 18 mile time trial. I made the deadline for the start by two minutes. The 18 miles was tough with the 13mph head wind, but the last 20 were a breeze with speeds between 18 and 32 mph thanks to the welcomed tailwind. Overall, the 65 mile ride was good and much needed in preparation for the Best Buddies Challenge.