Door to door and 1st ride of the season

Saturday was a busy day.

After softball practice we knocked on the first doors of the year. We only did about 1/2 our street. We didn't get to collect a lot of money though, because a lot of people were out working in their yards. Hopefully, they'll mail the money in to us.

Then later in the afternoon, we took our first ride of the season. Just about 5 miles or so, on our mountain bikes. It was fun.

Time to get started!

Hi again everybody. Spring is finally here, and around our house that means it's time to start our fundraising for the March of Dimes and the American Cancer Society.

At the end of April, we'll be walking in the March of Dimes March for Babies, and then in July we'll be riding our bikes in the American Cancer Society Bike-a-thon.

The walk and ride are fun, but we also like raising a lot of money for the two charities. Our sponsors are the best, and thanks to their generosity, we are usually among the top fundraisers for each event.

We hope you can help again this year.

And if you don't have much to share this year, check out our new 5x5 Challenge on Facebook.

First you make a $5 donation and then you challenge 5 of your Facebook friends to do the same thing.

Thanks for visiting our blog -- come back again so you can see how we're doing.

We hope you can help us make a difference in these fights.

Noelle and Kate
the assisters

I did it -- 100 MILES!

I did it! I rode my bike 100 miles in the American Cancer Society Bike-a-thon on July 13th, 2008 – and became the youngest rider in the 36 year history of the event to do it.

The day started early. I had to get up at 5 a.m. Our team picture was at 6:15 a.m. and the ride started at 6:55.

The ride across the Ben Franklin Bridge was fun. I went faster this year than I did before.

We (my dad rode with me) skipped the first rest stop and peddled on to the second where we took a short break.

Then it was back to peddling. But it got really windy, so it slowed us down.

We got to the third rest stop in time to check in for the Century Loop! While we were there we had lunch – a cool PB&J sandwich with no crust.

At the next rest stop we refilled our water bottles and CamelBaks and it was on to the Century Loop.

The Century Loop was lonely. We only saw 8 other riders the whole time. At the last rest stop they were really surprised to see me. I guess they didn’t think a 12-year-old could ride so far.

Then it was on to the finish line. The course got really hilly, but I didn’t care. I was determined to finish. And I did.

I crossed the finish line just before 3:00 p.m. – even before some of the other riders.

After we finished they gave me a special patch for finishing the Century Loop.

And after a quick bite, it was off to the pool and mini-golf.

Then we went home.

Kate

Riding in Beantown

Our mom had to go to a conference in Boston, so our dad took off work and we all went together. We took our bikes because we needed to get a few rides in, including one for 4 hours.

Our aunt told us about a couple of places we could ride. On Saturday, we rode around the Charles River. During a little break, we watched a bunch of sail boats crash into each other. It was really funny. Then on Sunday we rode for 4 hours on the Minuteman Trail.

Then it was into the car for the long ride home.

Kate and Noelle

A Really Late Start

Now that softball, and our gymnastics meets, are over we can start to train for the bike-a-thon. We've only got about a month to go, so we'll have to work really hard.

Kate and Noelle

We Are The CHAMPIONS

Today the Lady Pirates won the championship. And then we got to dump ice water on our coach -- my dad.

Noelle

Walk America is Now March for Babies

WalkAmerica is now called March for Babies. And the event was today. Just me and my dad walked this year. And we didn't even do any fund-raising yet. :-(

It was a little rainy overnight, but the walk went on.

At the start of the walk we saw Miss Tracy (Davidson, from TV) and her dog and her husband up ahead of us. So we walked really fast to catch up to them. I really like animals. I like Miss Tracy, too.

After we caught them we walked together to the first rest stop. They needed to rest, but we didn't so we kept going.

We kept walking fast and before you knew it we were at the turnaround.

On the way back, we stopped for a quick break so I could play on the rings -- they're one of my favorite things to do along the way. Then it was back to walking.

We finished really early. And after a ride on one of the ponys (I like animals), me and my dad were off for some pizza and a ride home.

Even though March for Babies is over, I'm still fund-rasing. To learn where to send your check payable to the March of Dimes, just click here. Thank you for helping save the tiny babies -- like me!

Noelle

Cold, Wet, Hilly Ride

Today was the very first American Cancer Society Bike-a-thon Cycle Splash in Pittsburgh.

Since I was not able to ride in the Philadelphia Bike-a-thon because of my knee injury, I wanted to ride in Pittsburgh.

After 4 weeks of physical therapy for my knee, and only 3 weeks of outside riding (2 while on vacation) it was time to ride.

It was very cold (only in the 50's) and wet (it rained all night, and most of the day).

We got up at 5:30 and headed to the start line. We met Miss Dawn from the Cancer Society and she said I could wear my #49 from Philadelphia - that made me happy.

Then we were off. We hit our first hill in less then a mile. And then another one, even bigger than the first. And then another one even bigger than the second.

They just kept coming, and coming.

At the bottom of one, I crashed. My Dad patched me up and we were off and riding up more hills.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to complete the entire route -- too many hills, not enough training, and my parents think I am sick (I've been coughing up a lot of gunk for a week or so).

It was a hard day. I'm glad I tried.

Thanks to my sponsors, I still raised a lot of money to help people fight cancer.

And I can't wait for Bike-a-thon 2008 back in Philadelphia!

Kate

Fund-raising deadline

Today is the fund-raising deadline for the 2007 American Cancer Society Bike-a-thon.

Thanks to our generous sponsors we have each raised more than $2,500 to help fight cancer.

Thank you to each and every one of our sponsors! Together we can make a difference.

Noelle and Kate

Nothing could be finer

We're on vacation this week in South Carolina, but we know the Pittsburgh bike-a-thon will be here soon, so we brought our bikes.

We've ridden through our grandparents neighborhood, along the ocean, and by the plantations.

We also got lots and lots of bug bites!

Kate and Noelle

On the road again

After three weeks of physical therapy, and three weeks of not riding at all, I finally got to ride outside on the road again, today.

I only road for 30-minutes but it felt good!

Kate

Halfway there

Thanks to our sponsors, today we passed the halfway mark towards our goal of $6,500. With three weeks left to collect we only have about $3,000 to go.

Thank you sponsors!

Kate and Noelle

70 Miles Down . . .

Today was the bike-a-thon.

We had to get up at 4:30 in the morning so we could be there at 5:30 so Kate could help volunteer.

That's early!

First we had our team picture taken. We ride on one of the biggest teams - so it took a while to get everybody ready.

Then it was off to the starting line.

Once the Rocky music started we were on our way up the Ben Franklin Bridge.

What a way to start. Riding uphill for a mile!

We always have to be careful when we ride with so many people. At the bottom of the bridge, a lady crashed and got hurt. But not me. I made it across safely.

Sometimes a lot of people would start yelling "bottle", or "hole", or "pump". They were letting the riders behind them know to be careful of things in the road. I called them pigeons - because they repeated everything. My Dad told me it's parrots that repeat things, but I still liked calling them pigeons.

Going up one of the hills when the pigeons were saying slow down we heard a loud "pop". Somebody behind us got a flat tire. At least it wasn't Daddy this time.

We skipped the first rest stop and passed some of the pigeons. When we finally stopped for the first time, we had already ridden more than 25 miles. It was the longest I have ever ridden without stopping. But we didn't stop long. Just long enough to eat two bananas and some cookies. Then we were on the road again.

We continued riding with the pigeons.

The next rest stop was a long way away and it was getting hot out. So we took a Power Bar break under a tree.

And then it happened ..... WE GOT WET! One of the houses had their sprinkler on and pointed at the road for the riders. It felt REALLY GOOD.

Then we turned into the rest stop and had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I'm glad they had enough this year. I also had another banana and more cookies.

Only 16 miles to go!

The rest the ride was a little different this year, because there was a new end point.

We made one last stop so my Dad could get some more water and call my Mom to let her know we were almost done.

The last three miles only seemed like three minutes.

And when I crossed the finish line, I had ridden 70 miles -- the longest ride of my life!

The end point was fun. There were games. There was a water slide. A beach. And a pool. I even did some more peddling on a hydro-bike.

I liked it and hope to go back some day - other than the bike-a-thon.

Now that the ride is done, we have four more weeks to fund-raise. To help us reach our goal, click here.

That's all for now. TTYL

Noelle

and $4,000 to Go!

Well, today was the first bike-a-thon in five years that I did not -- could not -- ride.

But the people at the cancer society were really nice and still let me be a part of the event by volunteering. I worked at the starting line with my Mom. We handed out boxes to the safety riders, zone monitors, and handed out envelopes to bike shops.

When we were done working we watched everybody go over the bridge. Then we got doughnuts and drove to the end point(my Mom got lost on the way). We got to the end point at 8:50, because it was so early we tried to meet my Dad and Noelle at one of the rest stops. (We got lost again.) When we finally found where we were going, we found out the road we needed to get on was BLOCKED!!! So we went back to the end point.

At the end point we got the second farthest away parking spot. Inside the park we tried to find the lake, water slide, and pool. They weren't on the map (we didn't know our way around yet because it was a new park.) Once we found them we went to the pool first. There was barely anybody there. But as the day went on the crowd grew. By the time my dad and sister got there, the pool was REALLY crowded!

As they arrived we video taped them riding in and took their picture. When we were done we ate a wonderful lunch (I had a delicious chicken Cesar salad. Lunch was over and it was time for more fun!! Time to hit the pool, paddle boats, canoes, the sandy, shallow lake, and the deep, sea weedy, dock filled lake!!!!! We had such a great time!!!

Even though I didn't ride in Philly I hope to ride in the Pittsburgh Bike-a-thon in August. It all depends on my knee.

I (we) are still able to fund-raise and have until August 15th to collect $4,000 to reach our goal.

If you can, please help us make a difference in the fight against cancer.

Kate

One last training ride

Today was my last training ride for the bike-a-thon.

I've now peddled more than 415 miles getting ready.

I think I'm ready.

Tomorrow's going to be a lot of fun.

Talk to you later,

Noelle