Cycling 4 Charity

2011-07-05T12:27:00.000-07:00

Wow, it has been forever since I went for a serious ride. Even though work is taking so much of my time I have to find a way to make time for riding and to support the charities that so need the donations that charity rides bring.

2010-02-02T13:42:00.001-08:00

Well, I am a glutton for punishment. Just signed up for my 4th BP MS150 from Houston to Austin. It's only 74 days away and my bike is still in the case from my attempted CA trip in September. Looks like a lot of difficult days ahead to get back in shape for this, but it's worth it. I'll do my best to keep you all posted both here and on Twitter. @CAtransplant

2009-11-16T06:24:00.001-08:00

Hasn't been a good year. The night day before leaving for the Best Buddies California ride I came down with a recurrence of the H1N1 flu. Bad enough to have it once but twice??? No way I could ride, let along fly to California. I was told it was a great event as usual and Best Buddies fundraising was a new record. Thanks to all who support them!

It's time to finally get back on the bike and do some serious riding. Weather in South Texas is very nice now so there are no excuses. I'll keep you updated and get back to raising some funds for some worthy charities. Keep an eye out for the "Big Texas Ride" coming soon.

2009-09-03T10:28:00.000-07:00

Almost one week before the Best Buddies Challenge Hearst Castle. It's just incredible that it's here already. I am not in shape, but riding and I have done a pitiful job of fundraising to this point. However, that means that the next week will be a flurry of activity. Hopefully those who have supported my efforts in the past and participated in the BBHC in the past will support my drive this year. I'll have more information online later in the day. I look forward to your support.

2009-05-26T12:08:00.000-07:00

I have been cycling regularly and feel pretty good about my progress to this point. I've ridden in nearly 100 degree weather and torrential downpours and both were fun. Have to get busy fundraising though.

I did take a little time off from cycling to walk in the Race for the Cure in Taft, CA to help raise funds for cancer research. It was a great event and had the best time walking with and visiting with great friends. Thanks to Sarah and Beth for getting me involved! They're the best!!!

2009-04-29T10:36:00.000-07:00

Just signed up for the 2009 Best Buddies Challenge - Hearst Castle the weekend after Labor Day. For anyone who has never ridden this ride, it is one of the best anywhere and I highly recommend it. Not only do you get a great ride but you also help a great cause. Riders are also treated to great food (bbq at Hearst Ranch) and a first class private concert (Blackeyed Peas 2008) and tour of Hearst Castle. This year's band is yet to be announced but they will be a headliner again. For those who don't ride there are family rates, runner, walker rates and this year, Sebastian Siegel (now appearing on LOST) will lead TeamOxy's runners and walkers as part of the team. Hope to see you participating and for those who can't I hope you'll become one of my sponsors for the event. Just click on the donate link to the right. Training starts today!

2009-04-20T13:55:00.000-07:00

Senator Rodney Ellis after a ride around Havana on Easter Sunday before mass at the National Cathedral. Only one bike available..... :-(

2009-04-20T13:52:00.000-07:00

Not much success at either since my last post but I promise to try. Missed the BPMS150, was in California. Ended up being a one day affair though. Too much rain on Saturday. Work has to start now to get ready for the Best Buddies HC ride in September. I have lost 6 lbs so time to build on that and get in real shape for the 8,000+ feet of elevation change.

2009-03-02T10:23:00.000-08:00

I desperately need to not only update this blog but get my butt back on the bike!!!!

2008-09-17T13:19:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay in updates to the site. With hurricane Ike hitting Houston upon my arrival and not having power it's slowed updates. I have a generator running and broadband is back up so I'll update the blog this week with some great content and photos. Off to clear the tree limbs out of the back yard now. Look for more on the Best Buddies Hearst Castle ride this weekend. I might even throw in some hurricane photos taken from my bike. They're becoming more fashionable in the neighborhoods with the power off and gas stations closed.

2008-09-05T22:47:00.001-07:00

Tonight was the kick off for the Best Buddies Challenge with a VIP reception hosted by California First Lady, Maria Shriver at Chateau Julian Winery in Carmel. Every year this event reaches new heights. This year the event was again attended by Clint Eastwood, Rob and Cheryl Lowe, Carl Lewis, The Shriver family, Senator Rodney Ellis and others. We all enjoyed several songs performed by Kenny G who attended with his family.

Kenny G and one of the buddies from Seattle

Tomorrow morning the 100 mile ride kicks off at 7am, headed south to Hearst Ranch in San Simeon. The rides are great, but for those running, it will be a once in a lifetime experience, Carl Lewis will be leading the run!!! Again, thanks to everyone who has donated to my participation in this event. I hope to see those funds continue to grow throughout the weekend. Thank you so much!

2008-09-04T21:26:00.000-07:00

What a great day! The wonderful folks to the right added another $2000+ to the fundraising. You and those others on the list are just incredible. Your contributions mean so much to the Buddies. It's going to be a great weekend and great success for Best Buddies as well as the Taft College Transition to Living program.

In addition to the record funds we have raised this year for Best Buddies, the Best Buddies organization has made a significant donation back to the Taft College TIL program in support of the Buddies associated with their incredible program.

I hope to see our fundraising total continue to grow through the ride and beyond. Donations may be made through the month of September.

Again, thank you all for your support, from both me and all of the Buddies!!!!

I'll do my best to update the blog during the weekend so you can see the daily events.

2008-08-27T20:51:00.000-07:00

I actually rode today!!!!!! Think it's a too little too late? Every day from now through next Saturday. At least I have a three day weekend to get some serious mileage in. Although, I do have to move back into the house this weekend too. Guess I can do that at night.

It's great to see TeamOxy's fundraising moving up at about $1000 per day. Looks like we'll make our $100,000 goal!!!!!!!!! Incredible. Everyone on the team is doing a great job.

I just heard from Sebastian and he plans to lead the run for TeamOxy. That will be really cool for the runners. Nothing like having a guy who's probably in as good as shape as any Olympic athlete leading you on a 5k.

Sebastian Siegel

2008-08-25T08:47:00.000-07:00

A couple of my friends that will be at the Hearst Castle ride....

Floyd Landis, me, Sebastian Siegel
(look for Sebastian's upcoming new movie, "The Families that Prey Together")

2008-08-24T12:50:00.001-07:00

Fundraising is coming along. Still a long way to go but working to get there. TeamOxy is only about $14,000 from our $100,000 goal and we're adding about $1000 per day so it will be close but I think we'll make it. On the riding side of things, definitely not enough time in the saddle but hopefully I'll be ready in two weeks. Heading out in just a couple of hours to get about 40 miles in. That's one great thing about being on the edge of The Woodlands. I don't think there is anywhere with a better cycling environment, wide shoulders on the roads and an additional 80+ miles of hiking and biking trails. Back tomorrow!

2008-08-17T10:07:00.000-07:00

Wow, August 17th. Days are just flying by. The Best Buddies Challenge is in just three weeks. It should be a great event. I have three riders going with me from Houston to ride, State Senator Rodney Ellis, one of my co-workers, Shanna Graves and my neighbor Michael Gabrellise. This ride is especially important to me because my neighbor Michael, who is 17, is slowly losing his sight. This may be one of the last big rides he does and it will be really special to see him with the likes of Floyd Landis and the other professional cyclists.

We all appreciate all the support everyone is giving and hope to reach our fundraising goal in the next three weeks.

2008-05-12T19:51:00.000-07:00

Well it's been a one step forward and two steps backward year to this point. The steps forward have been terrific and the steps back, just small setbacks in the overall scheme of things. Have one of those setbacks at the moment. I was just diagnosed with Vertigo. Makes it a little difficult to ride when you're dizzy all the time. However, I've got medication for it and physical therapy and hope to be back in the saddle in a couple of weeks.

2008-04-28T11:28:00.000-07:00

As I said, I'm getting ready for the 2008 Best Buddies Challenge - Hearst Castle. Anyone interested in a really great ride down Highway 1 in California should try this out on the weekend of September 6th. Not only is it one of the country's great rides but the amenities, bbq and after ride concert are outstanding. This year's concert is the Black Eyed Peas with Fergie. As i mentioned, I'm getting ready. Here is my new jersey for the ride. Thank you Team Estrogen!

Very appropriate I think!

2008-04-28T10:49:00.001-07:00

I know, I'm just a little slow at editing this thing. It's been a little hectic since the Tour of California. I did get a couple of short rides in, the Tour of Houston and the Tour of Dallas. Both were nice rides and it was great to ride with the OxyChem folks in the Tour of Dallas. I just love that ride.

Thought I'd do a little something different so I wore my Oman Cycling Club jersey which we sponsored when I was at Oxy. It's the jersey the Omani national cycling team will wear in the Asian Games. Pretty cool! You can see from the picture below part of the reason I love this ride. You have a great view of downtown and then you go out around White Rock Lake and back to downtown.

Of course, the week after the Tour of Dallas was the 2008 BPMS150. Another great weekend for a great cause. Richard Fries came from Boston to ride and Mark Lewis from Best Buddies in Miami came to see how the really big rides are produced. I rode part of Saturday with Richard, but after not riding very much and having the worst headwind the ride has had in years, my day was pretty much done by Bellville. I gave Mark the tour the rest of the day and photographed Oxy riders along the way. Richard rode the second day with Gordie Wilkinson and several of the Oxy riders but he and Gordie were the only two who ended up finishing together. They almost got to Austin before Mark and I did in the truck!

I'll add pictures as soon as I get them from Richard. Here's one I have of him finishing in Austin.

Of course my real adventures didn't start until mid day on Sunday when I get the call that says don't worry, the fire department is here and the fire is out!!!!

Just a little kitchen fire. Unfortunately, the smoke damage and rebuilding will keep us out until August. The upside, we needed to paint and our hotel, for now, is in The Woodlands and I can go our the front door and ride on great streets and bike paths without having to ride up a very dangerous stretch of Gosling Road to get there. There's always a bright side!!!! Did I mention that I was with Richard Fries during both the truck accident and the fire? Hmmmm.

2008-03-03T20:48:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's March!!!!!! I've had a very busy few months and unfortunately it hasn't included riding. That's about to change though with the BPMS150 coming up in just over a month, not to mention the Tour of Houston this weekend and the Tour of Dallas the first weekend of April. Let me give you a little update on the personal side of things since my last posting.

The end of 2007 ended my 28 1/2 year career with Occidental Petroleum. Some might say that's too bad after all that time but don't be too hasty to send condolences. As of January 1st I have been incredibly busy doing things that I love. Half of my time I work with a great company in Houston, The Tagos Group, who specializes in "Green" supply chain services for business and industry.

The other half of my time I am Director of Event Development for Best Buddies International. After leading the largest team, TeamOxy to the largest fundraising effort in Best Buddies history, Best Buddies asked me to help in creating three new rides in the US. We hope to see them in Texas, Washington DC and Seattle. Along with developing these rides I'll also be supporting the California ride by working with TeamOxy and assisting other corporate teams in corporate team development and fundraising for the Hearst Castle ride and other charitable events. It doesn't get much better.

Well, maybe it does........Spending a week promoting Best Buddies and the Best Buddies Challenges at the Tour of California, meeting all the top cycling professionals, seeing them with the Buddies, riding in the Tour Caravan and just enjoying the company of all those associated with putting on one of the greatest cycling events in the world. That's GREAT!!!!! I'll post a few pictures from the Tour of California over the next few days. Got a few folks to put up here, Paolo Bettini, George Hincapie, Tom Boonen, Levi and Floyd Landis.

Stay tuned, we're about ready to really rev things up. There's even a new website coming.....www.bicycleamercia.net

2007-11-04T16:33:00.000-08:00

Back on the bike this coming weekend! I hope we have a good crowd at the Novemberfest ride in San Felipe, west of Houston, to support Willow River Farms and adults with intellectual disabilities. I'm signed up for the 62 mile ride so I'll need some folks to pull me along. :-) Willow River Farms also has a great bbq, last year provided by Halliburton, and a great crafts fair. Hope to see you there!!!!

2007-11-03T20:11:00.000-07:00

Today starts a new chapter in my personal and business life. Oxy eliminated the Corporate Communications group in Houston, which included communications, web development and administration, photography, executive presentation support and community relations as part of a company restructuring that is eliminating numerous executive, management and professional positions across the company. My responsibilities were as Director of Communications and Web Development for the corporation. That also included development and support for TeamOxy.

With this change, I have many new exciting opportunities that will actually allow me to do even more to support those in need. For the next year, I will be working 1/2 time for Best Buddies International as Director, New Event Development. My responsibilities will include developing new rides in Texas and Washington DC as well as support for the California Hearst Castle ride. In addition to this great job for the near term I will be working on projects utilizing my communication skills ranging from Trade and Cultural exchange initiatives between the US and Libya to communication and motivational consulting for various companies.

Another great benefit to this change is that I will not be spending 3 hours a day on the freeway! I will be spending much more time on the bike and working to bring cycling to the forefront of health and fitness initiatives in the US. What better way to stay healthy than riding to support individuals in need.

I hope you all will join me in my support for the organizations that are supporting those in need. I will make sure that I have the weekend rides posted that I will be riding in as well as information on the major fundraising rides throughout the year.

I hope all of you will keep in touch and I'll see you on the road! As Timbuk 3 once sang, "The future's so bright I've gotta wear shades".

2007-10-12T20:53:00.000-07:00

I was back on the bike today for the first time since the Best Buddies ride. Hard to believe it's been a month. Rode about40 miles through The Woodlands and it really felt great. I've been in serious discussions with Best Buddies about doing a Texas ride and it looks like we may begin work on it in the near future. It would be from both Houston and Dallas to Centerville and then back to each city on the second day. The ride itself will probably be in the fall of 2009. We'll begin lining up sponsors over the next few months. Stay tuned to see how it's going and to keep up with the latest rides.

2007-10-12T20:22:00.001-07:00

For those waiting to see more photos, sorry I haven't posted them yet. Over 12,000 photos were taken. Here are a couple though.

Heading for the start at Chateau Julien near Carmel

Kevin McNulty, riding with TeamOxy leads the racers along Highway 1

TeamOxy being recognized as the largest team and receiving the trophy from Carl Lewis for being the top fundraising team in Best Buddie's history

More pictures as they come in....

2007-09-11T18:42:00.000-07:00

What an incredible weekend!

I can't begin to tell you all what a great weekend the Best Buddies weekend was. It was more than we could have ever expected. Yes, the ride was great, the weather was perfect, the bbq, the concert, the VIP parties, all outstanding.

Friday evening's VIP party at Chateau Julien was full of surprises. I was able to meet the new sponsors from CSC and some of the folks from T-Mobile. Spent a while visiting with Lars Mendelson who just rode in the Tour de France. Great guy! Had dinner with Alan White and his girlfriend Robin Swen. We sat with Greg German (Ally McBeal co-star) and his girlfriend. Rob Lowe and his family were also at the reception as was Clint Eastwood and his wife. Maria thanked Clint for becoming involved and for his support in coming years.

The ride started Saturday morning at 7am with the pros (Zabriskie, Mendelson, Mercyx, Olsen and others leading the way. I rode most of the first 10 miles with Anthony Shriver and his daughter. After that I rode most of the way with the Oxy team, Alan, the Dudics, Patricio, Senator Rodney Ellis from Houston and others off and on. Everyone was having a great time. Of course the big hill at Big Sur was just as formitable as last year. I did feel a little better riding it though.

I did get to ride with Dave Zabriskie for about a second and a half as he flew past me trying to catch the front group. From what I was told, Joe Peterson and Kevin McNulty of TeamOxy and Race Across America record holders pulled the 10 racing guys for the first 45 miles. Kevin finished with the first group in 5 hours and Joe finished 3 minutes behind them after having to stop for several minutes for treatment of a back spasm. The top 10 did not include Mercyx, Zabriskie and all. They rode with the team riders.

The last several miles of the ride were just as beautiful as last year with the elephant seals along the beaches and the beautiful view of the lighthouse. It was great to welcome in the other TeamOxy riders. Everyone had a great time no matter what distance they rode.

Trevor Lucken, Anthony Shriver, Doug Lucken at the finish

The BBQ was excellent. TeamOxy was presented with the trophy for being the top fundraising team in the history of Best Buddies events. Carl Lewis presented me with the trophy as all of our riders were recognized in front of the Governor. The buddies from the Taft TIL program were also recognized as was Alan White who raised nearly $40,000, giving several thousand to TIL students for their fundraising and ride. I was introduced as Co-Chairman for the 2008 ride. We finished the evening with a VIP party at the Castle and a quick swim in the Neptune Pool. Governor Crist from Florida made an appearance at the party and Anthony invited Trevor Lucken and his dad Doug which was really special. Trevor raised $4600 all by himself. He's a freshman in the TIL program this year.

Like I said, what a great event. We wrapped everything up with breakfast at Moonstone Landing with Mark Lewis and Aaron Gershenberg from Silicon Valley Bank.

Can hardly wait for next year! More photos to come in the coming days......

2007-09-06T12:22:00.000-07:00

I am just overwhelmed by the response and support from friends and family for the Best Buddies event. This is such a great cause and we all really appreciate everyone's support! Thank you all so much. Tomorrow it's up to Carmel and a little riding I hope and then Saturday it's 100 miles down the coast. I'll be posting pictures from the ride and the associated events so everyone can enjoy the event with me and the rest of the team.

Thanks again from myself, TeamOxy, Anthony Kennedy Shriver, Best Buddies and everyone at Taft College!

2007-09-03T11:55:00.001-07:00

Rode a quick 40 miles this morning. It will probably be the last ride prior to the Best Buddies ride next Saturday. I felt good and am looking forward to the CA ride. Need a little gearing adjustment but other than that the bike is ready also.

On the fundraising front, I'm seeing a few hundred dollars a day coming in so hopefully I'll get to the $10,000 level by the ride. Hopefully the team can bring in another $200 each this week to take us over the $100,000 target. We've fallen behind Silicon Valley Bank Financial Group but hopefully by ride time we'll overtake them again. They are furious fundraisers as the event approaches. We saw that last year. The best thing of all is that Best Buddies is approaching $3million in total donations for this event!

I hope everyone in the area of the ride takes some time to travel to the coast to cheer on the team cyclists as well as the buddy participants.

Thank everyone for your support!!!!

2007-08-31T12:30:00.001-07:00

Surpassed the $9,000 mark, on our way to $10,000! Thanks to everyone who is supporting Best Buddies through this fundraising effort!!!!

2007-08-30T16:34:00.001-07:00

A week from today I'll be in California registering for the Best Buddies ride. It's hard to believe that it's already here. I'll be riding a lot this weekend, probably 150 miles +. Have to get the bike tuned up also. Sorry to say that the article in my community paper about Best Buddies and cycling for charity did not generate $1 of donations. Hopefully it will lead to others sharing their causes and getting people ultimately to give to help others.

We're holding our donations raffle through TeamOxy until the 10th. Those who donate get a chance at a round trip ticket on Continental or a Trek 5000, all carbon, bike priced at $2000. Contributions tied to the raffle at work have been pretty good. We'll see how it goes this weekend in the neighborhood.

2007-08-18T17:08:00.000-07:00

Today's note is more about giving than riding as well as getting back when you give. Every day when I drive home from work there is a homeless guy, I assume, offering to wash windshields at one of the intersections for change. I rarely have cash with me but last week when the heat index in Houston was 110 I knew I'd drive by him so I stopped on my way out of the building and got a couple of fresh brownies and a large bottle of ice water. As I stopped at the light and he came by I gave them to him and he was so grateful for the ice cold water. Why this story and how does it relate to my riding?

Today I was riding between home and The Woodlands. As I rode along on one of the new roads behind Augusta Pines there was a truck following me. I turned up one of the new streets and the truck passed me and then turned into one of the side streets about a quarter mile ahead and stopped on the corner. A guy got out and went to the back of his truck and opened his ice chest and offered me a bottle of ice water as I rode by. I had a bottle of ice water already and thanked him and rode on. It just made me think about giving and getting back. The other thing that struck me was that this man looked most likely to be an illegal sub contractor working in the area and he stopped to offer me cold water. This is the first time anyone has ever done this. Usually it's BMWs, Mercedes, and other high dollar cars speeding by, not a look, not a wave, a honk to get out of the way. It's amazing how those with the least seem to be the most willing to give the most.

Well, back to riding. It was a good ride today, quick because there was rain, lightning and thunder on the horizon. Thankfully it stayed on the horizon. Tomorrow it's The Woodlands Sunday ride. I think Senator Ellis is coming up to join in along with the state Senator from The Woodlands. I'll let you know how it goes.

2007-08-12T15:40:00.001-07:00

It was a quick neighborhood ride this afternoon as 30 seconds after we stopped it started pouring rain. Big Drops. Hopefully with the temperatures as high as they've been the roads will be dry in the next hour or so and I'll be able to get the road bike out for 20 miles.

2007-08-12T09:24:00.000-07:00

Last night was the 9th annual Midnight Ride in The Woodlands to assist the Montgomery County Food Bank. They moved the start/finish this year but it turned out to be a better route and they had a turnout of about 500 cyclists. This event usually has a lot of families riding the 11.5 mile ride. There were quite a few that rode the 25.4 mile route.

I rode the 25 mile ride and rode it on my mountain bike since I don't like to ride my road bike in the dark. Lights were required but I'd rather have thicker tires when I really can't see as well. I finished about 16th overall, even on the mountain bike, and averaged 18.5 miles per hour. From time to time I rode with the younger guys on road bikes and at those times rode much to fast but took time to recover and keep my speed up. Since I've had a couple of weeks off the bike I was a little sore after the ride but I'll be back on the road bike this evening once it cools off a little.

2007-08-11T17:10:00.000-07:00

Haven't had a chance to ride this week but it's been a great week none the less. The publisher of the Northampton news was kind enough to run an article about my cycling for charity and listing this blog's url so people that might be inclined could donate.

On top of that I attended the Willowcreek Leadership Summit the end of the week and it really recharged my batteries when it comes to fundraising and supporting those in need. In listening to Richard Curtis, who has raised $1billion in the last 10 years for those in need throughout the world the one thing he focused on was that everyone has the means to help those in need. He said he has no problem asking those who he knows can help to support the causes that he does. We can all give so much and most of us give so little. At present I'm working to bring awareness to kids, primarily with intellectual disabilities, down syndrome, autism, etc., to bring them into situations where they are part of society, living and working on their own, with friends who treat them just like everyone else. I know everyone who reads this can help.

I will be back on the bike tonight, for the Midnight Bike Cruise, supporting the Montgomery County Food Bank. The ride takes place at midnight in The Woodlands. It's only 20 miles but it's for a great cause. Back on the streets of Northampton tomorrow morning.

2007-08-04T10:09:00.000-07:00

No riding this weekend as I'm in California for business meetings early next week. That doesn't mean the work stops on the Best Buddies fundraising though. I have been in contact with Anthony Shriver and Jeff Ross of the Taft Transition to Independent Living program. Today I collected information from Kathy Evarts at the TIL program to send to Anthony as I am working to put together an agreement to have the Taft TIL facility named in honor of of Anthony's mother Eunice Kennedy Shriver.

Kathy and I discussed ways that we might elevate the coverage of the Best Buddies ride in the Taft area to bring additional business supports onboard for the TIL faculty participants.

2007-07-31T18:39:00.000-07:00

Had a great ride this past Sunday with Paul and Jeff Algra and the Woodlands cycling club. With my ride to and from the official start of the ride I put in about 60 miles. We kept a good pace in great weather, about 19mph. Not a bad speed for a social ride. Jeff did find that teenagers who don't ride regularly can't expect to keep up with the folks that ride regularly. Only got lost once but it was just because I was more sightseeing than not knowing the route in an area where we hadn't ridden before.

Rode again today on a new section of road near home. Great road with almost no traffic at this point. The picture below is after the ride in my new Oman Cycling club jersey that was funded by Oxy. This jersey will also be worn by the Omani National Cycling Team in the next Asian Games. Congratulations go to Brian Casey, who is a member of the club and suggested Oxy get involved. Brian is, by coincidence, the guy who got me back into cycling.

Photo by Jessica Dykes

2007-07-22T19:19:00.000-07:00

Rode this morning with the social group of The Woodland's cycling club. It was a great group to ride with and with my ride to and from the start I rode about 35 miles. Roxanne, Paul and the boys came to ride also. I rode with Rox and Davis most of the way since it was their first group ride. About 10 miles into the ride it started to rain and by the halfway point it was pouring. It was still a lot of fun and cleared up about three miles from the finish.

I'm feeling good about my training for the Best Buddies ride at this point but still need to get to some hills in the Montgomery area.

2007-07-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

Back in the swing of things in Houston. Love the humidity! I rode about 15 miles yesterday and a fast 25 today in The Woodlands. You may think I'm being sarcastic about the humidity but compared to the heat in Bakersfield I'll take the humidity any day. Having that breeze with moisture in it cools you much more than the blast furnace heat of California's Central Valley.

Tomorrow morning I'm riding the 20 mile Woodland's Cycling Club social ride with the Algras, Roxanne, Paul, Jeff and Davis, along with the other cycling club folks. Usually when I do this or other club rides I just ride from the house to Market Street, about 5 miles, make the ride and then ride home.

Next week it's back to charity rides and serious fund raising. I'll be at about $8,500 this week with the addition of part of the Bakersfield fund raising amount. Still leaves $16,500 before September!

2007-07-20T14:03:00.000-07:00

While traveling back to Texas I was notified by Texas State Senator and avid cyclist, Rodney Ellis, that he will be joining TeamOxy in supporting Best Buddies for the Hearst Castle Challenge. Senator Ellis will be riding the 100 mile ride from Carmel to San Simeon with the likes of Axel Mercyx, Mari Holden, Carl Lewis, Anthony Shriver and myself to raise funds for Best Buddies International. Senator Ellis hopes to bring Mayor Bill White and Councilwoman Carol Alvarado with him to challenge California governmental participants such as State Senator Dean Flores and others in fund raising and supporting Best Buddies in both states.

The Houston contingent's fund raising will go to support Best Buddies programs in the Junior Highs and High Schools in the Houston area. A list of those schools is on the Best Buddies website at www.bestbuddies.org.

If you would like to support Senator Ellis, myself or other fundraisers please visit www.hcchallenge.org. To ride with the Senator and pros from T-Mobile, CSC and others and support this great cause you may register with TeamOxy through www.oxy.com/bestbuddies or with another or your own team at www.hcchallenge.org.

2007-07-20T10:30:00.000-07:00

Back in Houston but not before a couple of last training rides in CA. Rode last Friday from Pine Mountain Club to Sagebrush Annies for dinner. It was about a 45 mile ride along the ridge from Pine Mountain at 5500' to Ventucopa at 2000'. A lot of fun and I'm getting much better climbing the hills. Had a great dinner to finish the ride with Larry's award winning wine. For those interested in a great dinner and incredible wines, www.sagebrushannies.com.

The day before I rode from Pine Mountain up Mt. Able. It was the first time this visit to climb the big mountain and it went very well. Much easier than I thought it would be. I still have to keep at it to make sure I'm really in shape for the September ride though.

2007-07-05T18:26:00.001-07:00

Pine Mountain Club to Bakersfield

Finally, after a 30 minute, 2 1/2 mile climb from Pine Mountain Club its a quick downhill on Cerro Noroeste before the next climb. I left Wednesday morning, the 4th, at 6am to ride to Bakersfield from PMC. It's about a 65 mile ride with plenty of early climbing. The first part is the hardest with the 1000' climb. From that peak, it's a roller coaster for about 15 miles before it turns into a 5 mile downhill to Highway 166. The 29 miles took one hour from Camp Condor turn off to 166. Quite a bit of wildlife was along the way too, coyotes, rabbits, eagles, etc.

You have to be creative taking your own picture so I've done my best. This is about half way down the mountain where the trees and junipers turn into sage and scrub oak. The nice thing was that there was no traffic this early on the holiday. After reaching 166 it was a quick 30 minutes flying down Grocer Grade to Maricopa. After a quick stop in Maricopa to load up on water - it was 104 yesterday - I was off, east on 166 to Basic School road. From there, since 166 across the Maricopa flats doesn't have much of a shoulder to ride on, I rode over to Copus Road to cut down on traffic. Unfortunately the tomato truck drivers don't take the 4th off. There were dozens of big trucks but they were really great, giving me a lot of room on the road. I road east on Copus to Old River road and then north to Bakersfield. The entire ride took about 4 1/2 hours, including rest stops so I felt good about the trip.

Tomorrow it's a quick early ride from PMC up the road toward Mt. Able. We'll see how far I can get. My knee is a little sore but nothing too serious. More tomorrow.

2007-07-03T15:23:00.000-07:00

Training for the 2007 Best Buddies Challenge - Hearst Castle is well underway in the mountains of Southern California. It's going to take lots of training too. I am so out of shape. The last couple of days I've ridden from the cabin (5500') up to Camp Condor (6500') and back. Climbing 1000' in 2.5 miles is not all that easy when you're just getting started. Take a look at the road, and it is that steep!

PMC road West of Pine Mountain Club

Cerro Noroeste road going up to Camp Condor

By the end of the week I plan on being able to ride from this point, just below Camp Condor (6500') to the top of Mt. Abel (9000') nonstop. Last summer the ride took me 2 1/2 hours to get to the top. It's an elevation gain from PMC of 4500' in nine miles. It's a great ride down though.

Tomorrow I plan on riding down to my moms in Taft. Even though the ride is from PMC down to the floor of the San Joaquin Valley there are several tough hills. The entire ride is about 46 miles. I'll take a few pictures and let you know how it goes. Hopefully the fireworks will be after I arrive. Keeping an eye out for bears and lions since it's been very dry out here. They move down to the more populated areas for food and water when it's this dry.

2007-06-08T21:47:00.001-07:00

SERIOUS TRAINING STARTS TOMORROW MORNING!!!!

I definitely need it. It's been three weeks since I've been on the bike so it's time to hit the road.

2007-05-23T18:23:00.000-07:00

With Maria Shriver at 2006 Best Buddies Pre-Ride Event

Time has really flown since the 2006 Volvo Best Buddies ride in California. I've been to Libya twice and who knows how many times to California and back. I rode in the Tour of Houston where Oxy introduced the Oxy Corporate Challenge this year. It was a great ride as Mark McCormack, 4 time US Pro Champion came to Houston to ride with TeamOxy. Mark also returned to ride in the BPMS150 with TeamOxy. Unfortunately I was sick and unable to ride but his legendary second day ride of 3 hours from La Grange to Austin will always be remembered by all the TeamOxy riders, especially Gordie Wilkinson who rode the entire 85 miles with him.

Mark McCormack riding with Darryl Bergman of TeamOxy in the Tour of Houston

Last weekend I went to Boston to ride in the Volvo Best Buddies Challenge - Hyannis Port. It was cold, rainy and windy but an incredible event just the same. I rode the 20 mile ride so I would be able to attend some of the events at the finish. Too slow to ride the 96 miles and make it for those. I was fortunate enough to attend the luncheon hosted by Senator Kennedy, participate in the Celebrity Criterion with a Buddy, Arthur, and play foosball in Eunice Shriver's gameroom. Doesn't get much better for a weekend. It really got me motivated to fundraise and train for the California ride which will be September 8th this year.

After ride lunch with Senator Kennedy, Anthony Shriver and other invited guests

I'll keep everyone up to date on training, fundraising and all other personal cycling news as we move toward the California ride.

Please encourage your friends and business associates to support my ride buddy Arthur and all those with intellectual disabilities through donations to my Best Buddies ride.

My Hyannis Port Ride Buddy Arthur following the Buddy Criterion.
Racing with Arthur on our tandem was the best ride of my life!

2006-12-31T18:07:00.000-08:00

Sorry for taking so long to get back to the site. The Best Buddies Challenge in CA was an incredible event, a fantastic ride and great events before and after. I'd recommend it to any rider in the country! We had 500 riders experiencing one of the toughest and most rewarding rides in the nation. Highway 1 from Carmel to Hearst Ranch in San Simeon is just gorgeous and the ride was one of the best. It was definitely one of the toughest I've ever ridden. Unfortunately, for those who rode only the 62 mile ride, they had the same BIG hills the century riders did. Finishing a ride along the Pacific coast with thousands of elephant seals cheering you on just doesn't get any better. Oh, and did I mention that we had a great post ride bbq at Hearst Ranch, concert by Third Eye Blind and a tour of Hearst Castle, all part of the ride.

Hope to see you all there next October. And, we hope to bring a Best Buddies ride to Texas in the near future. How does Dallas to Houston sound?

2006-10-12T15:00:00.000-07:00

Well, chomping at the bit to get to CA and of course the plane is delayed because of weather. It's been a very hectic week and I didn't get more than about 10 miles on the bike. Got it taken apart and packed last night so I hope it makes it ok, and I hope I get it put back together ok once I get there. Keep your fingers crossed!

2006-10-10T20:10:00.000-07:00

Four more days and I'll have finished the ride. It's been a great experience working with an outstanding organization. Planning has been pretty hectic to this point but calming down now. TeamOxy's fundraising has been great considering it's really the first big fundraiser TeamOxy has done. Tough to match Silicon Valley Bank's venture capitalist donations but we're in the top five and hoping to move higher.

I feel pretty good about the shape I'm in. The Conquer the Coast ride helped and I've ridden pretty hard for several days. Not a lot of distance but hard and climbing whatever I can find.

Heading for CA on Thursday so wish me luck.

2006-10-04T15:35:00.000-07:00

Presenting Anthony Kennedy Shriver with a TeamOxy jersey at Taft College Transition to Independent Living fundraiser for TeamOxy and Best Buddies in Taft, California

Taft Daily Midway Driller Articles:

September 26, 2006

October 3, 2006

2006-10-02T20:04:00.000-07:00

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.

2006-09-24T16:11:00.000-07:00

Getting closer to the Best Buddies Challenge and trying to ride every day. It's tough to find the time though since I'm also working on promoting and helping teammates get ready. We have an event in Taft on Thursday with Anthony Shriver and that has taken a lot of planning. It should be a great event though. I leave there and go directly from the airport in Houston on Friday to Corpus Christi for the Conquer the Coast ride. It's 65 miles around Corpus Christi bay. That then gives me only two weeks to finish getting ready for the 100 miles from Carmel to Hearst Castle. Lots to do still!!!

2006-08-13T00:02:00.000-07:00

Tonight, or this morning was one of the more fun rides in the area. It was the Annual Midnight Ride through The Woodlands to benefit the Montgomery County Food Bank. It was very hot and humid and one fast 20 mile ride. I started with the first group and finished in the top 15 cyclists, even though it wasn't a race. We rode the first 10 miles at about 15 mph through several neighborhoods and then picked things up to about 25 mph for the second 10 miles. It was tough from about 12 to 16 but then I got my second wind. Keeping up with guys on road bikes isn't easy with a mountain bike but mine really rolls well. I just don' t feel real comfortable riding my Specialized in the dark. Too easy to hang a tire in a crack. The ride was a lot of fun though. Next up, looks like the Tour de Pink for breast cancer awareness on September 10th.

2006-08-05T19:42:00.000-07:00

Today training for the Volvo Best Buddies Challenge-Hearst Castle started in earnest. I've probably only ridden five time since the Lake Tahoe ride so it's almost like starting over. I rode 25 miles today at about 15mph. Not too bad. Between riding, fundraising, promotion and working on the TeamOxy aspects of the ride there is a lot to do!

2006-07-20T20:19:00.000-07:00

As expected the Katy Flatland was extremely hot. There were about 8 TeamOxy cyclists riding, several of which signed on for the 100 mile route. As with most of the riders we found the 100 mile route just too long with the heat and the humidity. Most stopped between 45 and 65 miles. Except for the heat it was a great ride. Good to be back together as a team. Next up will be the Mosquito Festival ride and then the Conquer the Coast ride in Corpus Christi which Oxy is sponsoring.

Preparation for many of us has begun for the Volvo Best Buddies Challenge-Hearst Castle ride in California this coming October.

2006-07-15T10:59:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately due to a family illness this past week I was unable to go to Midland for the Cactus and Crude MS150. However, it did not stop me from raising funds for the MS society which is the main goal. On the cycling front, since I was unable to make the trip, I will be riding in the Katy Flatland ride on Sunday. It's pretty warm but I'm signing up for the new century route they have this year. I'll be riding with at least two other TeamOxy cyclists.

2006-07-07T15:56:00.000-07:00

In full preparation for next weekend's Cactus and Crude MS150 from Midland to Post, Texas. It sure is different riding around The Woodlands after riding the mountains in California. The weather has been great here for riding but is now starting to get hot again. That is good though since the Midland ride is supposed to have temperatures about 100 degrees. The plan is to finish before noon though so it shouldn't be too bad. This will be the one that I ride as fast as I can. It will also be great to ride with another TeamOxy group. We'll have about 15 TeamOxy cyclists from our Permian operations participating.

2006-06-25T19:49:00.000-07:00

Went to Bakersfield on Father's Day. Decided to ride the Kern River Bike Trail from Enos Lane into Bakersfield. It was a 15 mile ride into town and was just beautiful. It seemed like I should see aligators, because it looked just like the bayous of Houston. There was a lot of wildlife and I guess since it was Father's Day, few riders. I saw five or six. Could have been that it was 101 degrees too. After getting to Bakersfield I went by Action Sports to see about getting some new padding for my bike helmet. They were great, not only gave me some new padding but a really nice case for my helmet. Left CA on Tuesday and am back in Houston. Had my bike tuned up yesterday and will be hitting the road at home again this week getting ready for the Cactus and Crude MS150 in Mid-July in Midland.

2006-06-10T22:51:00.000-07:00

Rode from Pine Mountain Club, CA to Taft, CA this morning. Even though the ride goes from 5,500' to about 500' elevation, it is not your typical downhill ride. The ride starts with a 2 1/2 mile climb to 6,200' and then the next 10 miles are 30 to 40mph decents followed by 5mph uphill climbs of a quarter to half mile each. After the 10 miles of up and down, it's pretty much flying downhill with a couple of good hills to remind you you're in the mountains. Once you get to Hwy 166, it's a 7% downgrade for 4 miles and 4% the rest of the way into Maricopa. The road has good clean shoulders and traffic is fairly courteous. From Maricopa it was rolling hills on the old Petroleum Club Road for seven miles to Taft. This is a road that my dad roller skated on in the 30s with steel wheeled roller skates behind an old model-T for the seven miles from Taft to Maricopa and back. So it did have some special memories to be riding the same road thinking about my dad's stories of his childhood on the same road. That seven miles today wasn't real difficult but it had gotten pretty hot, low 90s. I finished the ride going up Center street in Taft to my moms house. It was a great 43 miles in just over 2 1/2 hours.

2006-06-05T16:19:00.000-07:00

I've been in California for a week and a half. I didn't ride the Heartbreak 100 due to the early morning weather. At the start the chill factor was 16 degrees and I didn't have any riding clothes for that type of weather. The forecast the week before had been for a low in the 60s and high of 94. I did however ride Memorial Day from Pine Mountain Club to the top of Mt Able and back. That's a climb of 4,500 feet in nine and a half miles. It was tough but well worth the ride.

I left for Lake Tahoe and "America's Most Beautiful Ride" on Saturday the 3rd of June with the ride at 6:30am Sunday, June 4th. I figured that if I could do the Mt. Able climb then I wouldn't have any trouble with Lake Tahoe. Wrong... It was an incredibly beautiful day and the weather was perfect! We started at 6:20 and the ride to the first climb was nice and easy. The morning climb was about 600' in about three miles but starting at over 6,000' made it a little tougher but it wasn't too bad. We were slowed about a half hour or more due to several crashes on the decent, three requiring ambulances and one a life flight helicopter. From what I saw, two of the accidents were very serious. After the decent, the ride was nice and relaxing for about 40 miles before the second ascent of the day. This one was about 1000' and very long. It proved very difficult but taking my time I made it. I had cramps in my quads for about the last 20 miles and had to take it very slow on the climbs to keep from cramping completely. From the summit to the finish was another nice decent.

Riding near the south end of Lake Tahoe

This ride is truely one of the great rides anyone who is a serious cyclist should take and Sunday was just spectacular! Next on the list is probably a ride from Pine Mountain Club to Taft or Bakersfield, down Cerro Noroeste to Hwy 166. I may also ride part of the day Thursday with Alison and the group riding in the Aids/Lifecycle ride on Highway 1. Just have to see how timing works.

Upon returning to Texas it will be the Katy Flatland and maybe one more ride before the Midland MS150 in mid July.

2006-05-14T10:13:00.000-07:00

It's been a few weeks off after the MS150, but it's time to get back on the bike. I have the Heartbreak 100 in Lebec, CA followed a week later by America's Most Beautiful Ride around Lake Tahoe. I've decided, even though I only have about 5 riding days available between now and then that I'm going to ride my Giant Yukon mountain bike to help get me back in shape. It's steel and pretty heavy. These should both be great rides and I'll update the blog as I get ready, travel out there and during the ride weekends.

2006-04-25T20:52:00.000-07:00

Just crossed the finish line in Austin

Sorry for the late post but WE DID IT! The entire Oxy cycling team successfully completed the 182+ miles of the BPMS150 from Houston to Austin. The ride was great.

We started at Rhodes stadium in Katy, Tx at about 7:15 am on Saturday the 22nd. It was a cool morning with a light breeze behind us so we cruised into Bellville for lunch just before 9:30am. We spent about a half hour in Bellville and set out for La Grange. The afternoon got very hot, 90+ and the last couple hours were a challenge just from the heat. I arrived in La Grange at 1:30pm where we had a relatively short line for the showers and almost no line for dinner.

The La Grange fairgrounds were like an oil industry convention with teams and tents from all of the major companies, contractors and suppliers, as well as other large corporate teams. BP, of course, has the largest team with over 700 riders however I don't think there was any more spirit or commitment than the folks I rode with from TeamOxy.

We left La Grange about 7:45am on Sunday with about 1/4th of the team choosing to go through Bastrop State Park and 3/4 going around on the bypass. I chose the bypass because of the stories of major congestion in the park and difficulties on the hills because of people that were really slow or stopped. The bypass was great, rolling hills with some good climbs. It turned out that the park wasn't as congested this year as folks expected so next year I'll definitely take that route. We had a terrific ride Sunday, finishing in Austin at about 1:30pm.

After showering my pedal partner, Russell Scott, and his kids arrived. We visited for quite a while and he told several of us about his battle with Multiple Sclerosis. It's incredible how someone who was a promising cyclist (member of the US National Cycling Team and the 7Eleven Professional Cycling Team) who had it all taken away by MS could have such a great attitude about life. He was a real inspiration. You'll notice in the picture below, Russell is wearing his original Team 7Eleven shirt.

Russell Scott and his kids with me at the finish of the BPMS150

Being part of TeamOxy this year was a great experience, the team members were the best, the volunteers gave their all for the team and the cause was really brought home by the pedal partners. I look forward to next year and hopefully we will have Russell ride with us. Keep him and all those with Multiple Sclerosis, and those caring for them, in your prayers.

We'll move on to preparation for the next big rides. Upcoming for me are the Heartbreak 100 in Lebec, California on May 27th followed a week later by America's Most Beautiful Ride, around Lake Tahoe. The next big TeamOxy rides are the Tour de Pink for breast cancer research near Houston in June and the EOG Resources MS150 in Midland, Texas in mid July.

2006-04-20T08:43:00.000-07:00

Only two days to go and it's off to Austin! Weather is looking great, tail wind predicted for the whole weekend. Doesn't get much better than that. We're getting all of the team gear organized and ready for transport to La Grange and then on to Austin. The company has really stepped up the support this year for both the ride and employee cycling in general. And, the volunteers are terrific! Vickie Irvine, our new volunteer co-captain has just been incredible. If we can all just channel her energy and drive, we'll finish each day hours before we planned.

I'll do my best to update the blog as often as possible. I can update text from the Blackberry so there may be some entries from the road, well, the shoulder of the road. I'll also update from La Grange and Austin if circuits allow.

Our team had a short ride last weekend following our bike maintenance class. Lucky we had the class, we had three flats among us on the ride. Got a lot of practice changing them. Hopefully that will mean no flats this weekend! Overall it was a great ride though and I hope to see monthly or quarterly TeamOxy rides throughout the year with increasing ridership.

2006-04-11T18:35:00.000-07:00

Last official ride weekend was a tough one. I rode with several of TeamOxy cyclists on Saturday. We rode either 65 or 76 miles in the Brookwood Spirit Rally. It was a familiar route, but the difference was that the wind was out of the Northwest instead of the Southeast. Normally that would be great, but with this route, 90% of the ride was into the wind. And, not just a wind, but a 15 to 20mph wind. We finally turned out of it with about six miles to go.

Mary Weiman, Renee Rogers, Darryl Bergman and me

I determined the wind would not get to me today though and I took my time. It was a good ride, followed by a good bbq lunch. A few of our team rode Sunday also in the Space Race. I rode in the morning in The Woodlands.

We'll be having a team ride on Saturday in The Woodlands as our last organized ride before the MS150. We'll do about 40 miles with a few hills.

2006-04-01T18:39:00.000-08:00

Great ride today in Dallas. It was the Tour Dallas and I went up to ride in support of Juvenile Diabetes Research with some of our TeamOxy Dallas riders. It was a very nice route, especially around the lake and it was very well supported. The weather was overcast, but the rain held off until about 15 minutes after we finished. It did sprinkle a little over the last few miles and we were careful of slick streets, but fortunately no incidents. Tomorrow I plan to ride in The Woodlands early in the morning and then nearly every day between now and the 15th since the time changes tonight.

I also sent notes to my pedal partners for the MS150 this evening. I'm really excited about riding for them and look forward to hearing back from them.

2006-03-28T19:25:00.000-08:00

It's now less than four weeks until the MS 150 so fundraising has kicked into high gear, as has training. If you're considering donating to support MS research please do so now. We still have a long way to go to reach our goal. I picked up about 1/3 of our team's ride packets today along with 50 signed pedal partner bandanas so we'll all be riding personally for someone with Multiple Sclerosis.

This week is the Tour Dallas. It's a short ride through downtown Dallas but it's an opportunity to ride with my TeamOxy team members from the Dallas area. Then, time permitting, Sunday is the Katy Ram Challenge in Houston. It's time to start putting in some distance back to back on the weekends.

2006-03-18T19:17:00.000-08:00

Tour de Houston was this morning. It was a great ride! About 5000 riders. The weather was nice and cool with only difficult wind for about 15 of the 70 miles. There were several TeamOxy riders and everyone did well. For the first time I almost had someone wreck in front of me while traveling pretty fast. Somehow he saved himself and managed to miss everyone. Could have been really ugly though. Rode with Emily again, and again, at about 50 miles she just kicks it into another gear and puts the pedal down and is gone. It's amazing. Keeps me motivated though. Dave Dietz finished the ride with her. And, he had just returned from Argentina. His plane landed at 6:35 and he was at the ride by 7:30. He had left his bike in his car at the airport. That's dedication!

2006-03-15T14:35:00.000-08:00

New 2006 TeamOxy jerseys arrived today so they're a great compliment to the beautiful Texas bluebonnets in The Woodlands. We'll debut the new jerseys on Saturday for the Tour de Houston. It will be a 70 mile winding ride through Houston, beginning downtown, going west to the energy corridor, north to I-10, and back along one of the bayous to downtown.

Seems appropriate that during MS Awareness Week the jerseys we designed ended up being mostly red, the color worn to honor those with MS.

And fortunately, you can't see my left elbow in this picture. Fell down trying to do the picture. Clip-ons......

2006-03-13T09:41:00.000-08:00

This is why we ride!

MS Awareness Week is March 13 - 17. The week is a time to highlight exactly why we ride in the BP MS 150. This week marks a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about multiple sclerosis and the 400,000 Americans living with the daily challenges of this debilitating disease. This week is dedicated to strengthening the understanding of living with MS and inspiring people across the country to join the fight to end MS. Help us raise awareness. Spread the word about MS Awareness Week to friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, employees, customers and business partners. The more people who know about MS, the more united we all become in the ongoing mission to stop it.
MS Awareness Week

Red is the Color of Hope on Tuesday, March 14

The National MS Society has designated Tuesday, March 14, as the Day of Hope for those allied in the fight against MS. Raise awareness of multiple sclerosis by wearing red MS identifiers on Tuesday and passing them along to others. For example, you can wear a red MS Band of Hope wristband, Ribbon of Hope pin, a Lone Star Chapter event T-shirt or simply the color red.

Become a Part of the Face of MS

The Face of MS is an online, interactive project dedicated to representing the many faces of multiple sclerosis. It is a platform for everyone allied in the fight against multiple sclerosis, enabling them to share their stories, to hear from others, and to give the general public and those within the MS community a better understanding of this disease. Only by putting a face on MS will we begin to understand what it means to live with the disease. To achieve our goal, we encourage everyone in the MS community to participate by going to faceofms.org and submitting their stories about how MS impacts their lives. The Face of MS will continue to evolve as more people contribute stories through video, photos and written testimonial, creating a more complex, personal picture of multiple sclerosis.
Face of MS

Did You Know ...

MS affects more women than men by a ratio of 3-to-1. * Each week, 200 Americans are diagnosed with MS. A new case is diagnosed every hour. * 90 percent of those diagnosed with MS are between the ages of 16 and 60. * For workers and employers, MS has a tremendous economic impact. 75 percent of all people who develop MS are unable to work within five years of diagnosis.
What is MS? What are the Symptoms of MS?

Pediatric MS Cases Growing

Multiple sclerosis historically has been viewed as an adult-onset disease; the majority of research and support programs have targeted adults. Since 1980, however, more than 400 cases of childhood MS have been recorded in more than 25 medical publications. Initial symptoms have been seen in children as young as 13 months old, with diagnosis as young as 2 years old. Largely because of new technology, the numbers of children and adolescents diagnosed with MS are steadily growing.
Pediatric MS

Fund-Raisers Support MS Research and Services

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society supports more MS research, offers more services for people with MS, provides more professional education programs and furthers more MS advocacy efforts than any other MS organization in the world. Since its founding in 1946, the National MS Society has invested more than $420 million to find the cure for MS and develop effective treatments for the disease. As the largest chapter in the United States, the Lone Star Chapter serves more than 17,000 people with MS in 141 Texas counties. Of the funds raised through Lone Star Chapter events such as the MS 150s and MS Walks, 83 cents of every dollar is spent toward ending the devastating effects of multiple sclerosis. Once again, the Lone Star Chapter earned its second consecutive four-star rating for sound fiscal management from the watchdog site, Charity Navigator. Less than 12 percent of all charities rated by Charity Navigator have received at least two consecutive four-star evaluations. The Lone Star Chapter provides more than $5.3 million for ongoing research at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, UT Health Science Center at Houston, Texas A&M Health Science Center, University of Houston and Baylor College of Medicine.

2006-03-12T19:28:00.000-08:00

Today was the first time I rode the day following one of the long rides. It was only 17.5 miles but pretty quick, just over an hour. The route was pretty windy with quite a few hills. I was a little sore for the first few minutes but was fine after that. Looks the the MS won't be a problem.

2006-03-11T18:41:00.000-08:00

Great ride today. Rode in the Continental Airlines Classic in Montgomery, Texas this morning. Rode the 68 mile route. Lots of hills, but only two were a real challenge, one just before entering Anderson and then one about 20 miles from the finish. The second wasn't too steep but the wind was blowing about 15mph into our face. I'll take the hills anytime compared to the wind. But, Texas this time of year, there's always wind and it seems to be in your face for the second half of the rides. Easy day tomorrow and then time to get ready for the 70 mile Tour de Houston next Saturday.

2006-03-04T15:48:00.000-08:00

Back on the bike in Houston this week. Today was the Gator ride in Baytown. It was a unique ride beginning with a ride over the Houston ship channel on the Hartman bridge, then down through the Battleground Chemical Complex where Oxy's Vinyls group is located. From there we rode past the San Jacinto Monument and Battleship Texas to the Lynchburg ferry. All the riders rode the ferry across the ship channel and completed their rides in the countryside north and east of Baytown. It was a beautiful day with 10mph wind out of the ESE later in the day. I rode 63 miles today. The wind is tough for me. I'd much rather have hills, but wind is what we have in Houston, especially when riding south of town. Tomorrow I'll probably just ride in The Woodlands. I'm signed up for the Spring Breakaway in Katy but I've ridden that route several times, and yes, it's windy. So probably 40 miles or so near home and point toward the Continental Airlines ride next week in Montgomery county. Hills and little wind!

Photo: Crossing the Houston Ship Channel

2006-02-26T16:20:00.000-08:00

The ride was great! Lots of hills and the Lightspeed was incredible, most of the way....I had done about 15 to 20 miles and was in between the two big hills when there was a loud pop in the rear end. Fortunately I was on the flat going through Hidden Hills because there was quite a wobble. I stopped and at first couldn't find the problem but after riding to the gate to Sophia Loren's home, I found that one of the carbon spokes had broken. Unfortunately, end of the ride and Sophia was not around to even offer a glass of wine. But what a great day. I rode nearly all of the ride with a great lady, Audrey Wolitarsky, who is training with Team in Training for the Hawaii triatholon. Can this lady climb hills on a bike! I've added a link to her fundraising page on the site so please support Audrey and her efforts!!

I do think the rides in Texas are much better managed and supported and the riders are by far safer and more courteous though.

2006-02-24T22:05:00.000-08:00

The Tour of California was great today! And, I found a bike in Santa Barbara for tomorrow's ride at Amgen. Thanks to my good friend Sara Jenkins, she found Dave Lettieri, Lance Armstrong's mechanic and 1988 US Olympian who provided a titanium Lightspeed Ultimate for me to ride, so it will be a special day tomorrow. Here's a shot from today's leg of the Amgen Tour of California, rounding a corner in Santa Barbara after racing down from San Marcos Pass.

2006-02-23T21:19:00.000-08:00

It's a vacation day tomorrow. I'll be on the California coast to watch some of the Amgen Tour of California. Hopefully I'll get to see the real riders a couple of places along the route from San Luis to Santa Barbara.

I'm planning on riding in the Breakaway From Cancer ride in Thousand Oaks Saturday morning. It's only 25 miles but will be fun, finishing at the same point the Tour of California will finish Saturday afternoon. Just have to find a bike. I'm trying to either rent or borrow one.

It's also time to really start working on the fundraising. If you would like to donate to my efforts for the Multiple Sclerosis Society just click on DONATE NOW on the links on the right of the blog. Thanks to everyone for your support!

2006-02-19T14:23:00.000-08:00

No common sense today. I intended to ride 83 miles but ended up riding only 63. Felt good all the way so why not the entire 83? Well, today was not your typical Houston weekend day. The ride started later than usual, about 8:35. It was 37 degrees at the start with about a 5mph wind out of the northeast. It didn't get colder, but the wind picked up a little and we had light rain for about half of the ride. At the end of the 63 miles the temperature had soared to a toasty 39 degrees. The rain had stopped but the wind had picked up to about 10mph. My toes did thaw out after about an hour.

Tomorrow is supposed to be in the 50s so maybe I'll get a few miles in.

2006-02-18T10:44:00.000-08:00

Common sense took over. Looking at chill factors in the low 20s I thought riding in the afternoon in The Woodlands made more sense than risking frost bite.

2006-02-17T22:11:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow morning is the Sam Houston Pedalfest in Huntsville. It's only a 60 mile ride but......let's see what my thoughts are after the ride. I think it'll be mountain bike day. It's supposed to be about 38 with light rain at the start and 31 and cloudy at noon. Wind chill is expected to be between 26 and 22 with 15mph winds. I'll dress warm!

2006-02-12T12:29:00.000-08:00

Today was the West U Warm Up, but it was nowhere near warm. This warm up ride for the BPMS150 offered the same range of rides that most of the preparatory rides do but today we had to ride our chosen distance in 30 to 40 degree temperatures. Hard to believe our ride today was colder than the Olympics in Italy. I rode the metric century and after taking it easy for a couple of weeks I wanted to see how I'd feel. And, it was a great ride. I rode most of the way with a guy named Larry who was probably 15 years younger and an avid cyclist. It is considerably easier riding with someone or a group than it is riding alone. TeamOxy folks were out there but we just seemed to miss each other today. Anyway, the first half of the ride was fast, we were probably in the top 20 of the 63 milers at halfway. Then, we turned into the wind. Fortunately, the wind wasn't too strong and we managed to maintain 15 to 16mph. That lasted about ten miles and then we had a cross wind until we were about 5 miles from the finish. It's great having a tailwind to finish with. So, great ride, I felt great. Just a little soreness in my left knee because with all the warm stuff I couldn't wear my knee support. Looking forward to next weeks Sam Houston Pedalfest and Wild West End. It's a two-fer weekend with probably 40 to 60 on Saturday and 85 on Sunday.

2006-01-29T12:53:00.000-08:00

Well, the serious preparation for the 2006 BPMS150 has begun. There were probably 2000+ riders out this morning for the Frost Bike ride, fog and all. It was nice as far as temperatures go, but foggy for the first hour and a half. After the fog burned off it was beautiful. Longest route was 50, actually 56 miles, which I rode. Pretty easy ride, about two miles near the end of really rough road but rode with other TeamOxy riders and had a very good ride.

The fundraising is in full gear also. Now that I have my pedal partner, Jack Engle, it's time for the full court press so get ready to hear from me again. I met Jack at the kickoff event Friday night. We'll get his picture up here in the next few weeks so you can meet him. Jack's wife also rides in the MS150. This is her sixth ride! As noted on the website, our goal for the MS150 is to raise $20,000. Still a long way to go but with everyone's help, we can get there. Just sent this site url to everyone you know and let them know all they have to do is click on Donate Now. Thanks for all your support! Next weekend in the Big Chill ride and we raise the mileage from 56 to 62 miles.

Also, don't forget to drop by Alison's page for the Aids Lifecycle Ride. She's really putting the miles on and her donations are starting to come in. I hope you will also support her efforts. Aids research is critically important to the world today.

2006-01-21T19:11:00.000-08:00

It was a 40 mile day today. Rode the first 22 with a fellow TeamOxy rider who is just getting started riding but determined to ride the MS150's 182 miles in April. She did great today, riding 22 miles in a couple of hours.
Tomorrow is the RiderReady qualifying for placement in several of the upcoming official MS150 training rides. It's a 10k timed ride. Not really a race just timing over the 10k to see where we would start and what level group we would ride with.
It's also time to really start the serious fundraising effort for the MS150. Still a long way to go to $20,000.

2006-01-15T15:29:00.000-08:00

Getting back into a regular routine. Rode about 20 miles in The Woodlands this afternoon. Nice and easy ride. Fell for the first time though. Almost stopped, no traffic, just not paying attention and didn't get my feet out of the clip-ons. Pretty dumb. No damage and no injury thank goodness. Had planned to ride in the Rider Ready time trial today to get categorized for some of the upcoming charity ride starts, but the organizing group didn't do too well on posting starting times so I just rode on my own. Hopefully, TeamOxy will ride in most of the charity rides together leading up to the MS150.

2006-01-02T18:28:00.000-08:00

Rode on New Years eve and it was great! Who would have thought that it would be nearly 60 degrees at the end of December in Northern New Mexico. Did about 32 miles today and would have done more if the wind had not been blowing about 25mph out of the west. Still, it was a beautiful ride.

2005-12-28T19:20:00.000-08:00

We're in New Mexico for New Years, visiting my sister and her husband. They live between Clayton and Springer, New Mexico. The ranch is at 5500 ft and there is a 42 mile county road that has literally no traffic. I rode this morning about 7:30am. Did about 18 miles to the main highway and back. It's pretty hilly and at a mile high a little more of a challenge than Houston. Oh, and it as 31 degrees this morning so I had on long johns and winter riding gear. The only thing I did not have were shoe covers and boy did my toes get cold. Tomorrow it's supposed to be around 60 so I plan to ride to Roy and then back to the main highway, probably about 50 miles. It sure is beautiful country to ride in!

2005-12-15T17:15:00.000-08:00

It's back on the bike tomorrow finally! Had a bad cold for a few days and a lot to do at work. It's hard to believe I haven't ridden in almost two weeks. It will feel good to get back on the road. Probably a short ride tomorrow and maybe twenty-five on Saturday.

2005-12-03T15:40:00.000-08:00

Good intentions....I headed for Bellville and about a 110 mile ride this morning, but I should take the weather forecast a little more seriously. The first 10 miles was nice, calm and about 70. But then, I headed out onto highway 1488 and made that left turn into the SE wind. It blew about 20mph, with gusts around 25 to 30 for the next 40 miles. Still, the ride went well but I stopped at Hempstead after 50 miles. My left knee was a little sore and I'll tell you, having a semi-truck pass you and add their wind to the other wind, that's tough.

Vicky and Jessica picked me up after 50 and I had planned to ride another 50 home but we spent too much time in Bellville and it was just too late. I'll probably ride 20 or so tomorrow just to keep my knee loose.

2005-12-02T18:07:00.000-08:00

Didn't get to do much riding over the holiday or this past week, just a few miles. However, I'll make up for it tomorrow. I'm trying my first century. I'll be riding from The Woodlands to Bellville and back. It's about 110 miles. The weather is supposed to be warm with a fairly strong SE wind of 10-20mph. Hopefully the wind won't pick up until later in the morning so I'll have it at my back on the way home.

I got a new saddle this week and I think it will be much more comfortable than the one that came on my bike. We'll see. I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow evening!

2005-11-24T17:18:00.000-08:00

Back on the bike today. Had a short 15 mile ride before Thanksgiving dinner. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be back in the saddle for a little longer ride. I was in CA for almost a week so I have to get back to it. Might ride next weekend in San Antonio. The Mission to Mission ride is the 3rd of December. Could be fun but looking at the website it might require my Diamondback. The road sounds a little rough. We'll have to see.

2005-11-13T13:06:00.000-08:00

Well it's recovery day. Actually I took Jessica for about a ten mile ride this morning with my mountain bike and her trail-a-bike. It was the farthest we've gone with the trail-a-bike and it works very well, especially where traffic is concerned. Legs feel pretty good today as does the rear end. But, it's nice to have the padded seat on my mountain bike.

2005-11-12T20:26:00.000-08:00

Today was the Novemberfest Metric Century ride for The Center to benefit mentally retarded adults. It was without a doubt my biggest challenge to date. The ride started out great, flat, cool, wind at our backs. That lasted 20 miles. Then, no road signs and the main group for the 63 mile ride was lost and unaware. Finally we reached highway 159 but we were not at the rest stop. It was five miles north of us. Someone had stopped at a house to see where we were so we had to head north 5 miles and determined when we stopped for rest that we'd gone about 8 miles out of the way. No problem, when you're riding 63 what's it matter if you go 70. Well, it matters, because when we left the rest stop we headed into the wind and into the rolling hills. For the next 50 miles we rode into about a 15mph head wind. It was tough! But, I made it. I wasn't sure at times just how I was going to make it up some of the hills, but thankfully, I had my road bike. I never would have been able to ride up some of the hills with my mountain bike and that kind of wind.

Now that it's over, it was tough, but I know the MS150 will be no problem. Even with the wind, I still was able to average 15mph for the 70 miles. Tomorrow is another day and Jessica and I are going to ride 20 miles in The Woodlands with the Trail-a-bike.

2005-11-10T10:40:00.000-08:00

I'm discovering some unanticipated benefits to cycling. When I started riding a few months ago I had began to experience some of the effects of genetic neuropathy, tingling in the bottom of my left foot and the outside of my left calf had been numb for about two years.

As I began riding the charity events I found that with the longer rides on my mountain bike I would end with numbness in three fingers of my left hand and a little numbness outside my left arm. I assumed this was due to the disk removal I had a couple of years ago and the vibration and position on the bike. It was something I had decided to deal with because the cycling was so enjoyable.

Now, after moving to a carbon framed road bike, and having just ridden in a 55 mile ride I find that not only is the numbness in my fingers and arm not there after the ride, but I also discovered that the numbness in my left calf is completely gone. I had read a few weeks ago that riding had also aided another person suffering from neuropathy and the shooting pains in his legs were going away. If the symptoms of neuropathy continue to disappear and remain gone it will make the riding all the more enjoyable and all me to do things in the coming years that I had thought I would not be able to do.

If you don't cycle, start! If you do, don't stop!

2005-11-06T14:15:00.000-08:00

Today was the Tour de Doughnut in Katy, the kickoff for the MS150 training rides. The weather was pretty foggy, had to ride without my glasses but it was a great day overall. This was the first real road ride with my new bike. I can't believe the difference the bike and the clip on pedals make. All new muscles are sore this week. I've been working on balancing the pushing and pulling, but hadn't done anything close to 55 miles on the new bike until today. Overall it was a much more comfortable and faster ride than with my Diamondback.

The other fun part of the day was riding with a couple of different cycling clubs. Much more enjoyable than riding alone and the draft makes such a huge difference. Most of the ride was spent with several of the Southern Elite team members. Hopefully as we get closer to the MS150 we'll get more TeamOxy members turning out for the training rides. Only one doughnut today though. I can't believe someone ate 30 during last years ride.

Next week it's the Novemberfest Metric Century for The Center at Willow River Farms, which serves the Foundation for the Retarded.

2005-10-25T19:30:00.000-07:00

Well, this is it, my new Specialized Roubaix road bike. I can't believe the difference in performance and comfort over my mountain bike. As I thought, the different seat is going to take some getting used to. After an hour ride this evening it wasn't too bad though. I can hardly wait for the Tour de Doughnut in a couple of weeks. The ride will be fun too.

2005-10-24T18:16:00.000-07:00

I began riding about six months ago after a 25 year layoff. I initially alternated days with walking as part of a doctor ordered diet. After losing 30lbs in the first three months and finding the health problems were gone I decided to focus on the riding.

I converted my Diamondback Response mountain bike to a semi-road bike with smooth tires and down the road I went.

In July I rode in my first charity ride, the Good Ole Summertime Classic in Fayetteville, TX where I rode 25 miles. That was followed by the Katy Flatland ride, a forty mile ride which ended with ten miles of riding in the pouring rain. Still a great ride! Next, it was a twenty mile midnight ride in The Woodlands to raise money for the Montgomery County Food Bank. The next ride was the 63 mile Tour de Pink ride for Breast Cancer research and support at Praire View A&M. And finally, the last ride on my mountain/road bike was the 63 mile Texas Cycling Classic to raise funds for the Elves and More charity to buy and build 25,000+ bicycles for underpriveledged children.

Yes, that was the last serious roadtrip for my Diamonback. Today I started riding my new Specialized Roubaix. The weight and performance of an all carbon road bike is so far from riding an aluminum mountain bike I can hardly explain. My only comparison would be like going from a 4x4 truck to a BMW Z4. I see a lot more miles in the future! I'll give it a real test either this weekend at the Paws and Puddles ride in Galveston or definitely on November 6th in the Tour de Doughnut!