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

$2500 and Counting! Thank You Sponors!

Today we stopped by our Official UPS Store Personal Mail Box and picked up our mail. We had more checks today, than any other time this year.

And the best part is, when we totaled them all up we have now collected more than $2,500 for this year's bike-a-thon.

We still have a ways to go to reach our goal of $6,500 -- but we're getting there, and we still have 4 weeks to collect.

Thanks to all our sponsors. You are the best!

the assisters

The Disaster

Today was supposed to be a short, easy 1/2-hour ride. And then IT happened...

I FELL.

HARD.

I hurt my knee, my hand, my wrist, and my elbow. And this time there was blood!

My hand was so stiff, I couldn't work my brakes, so we had to walk our bikes back to the car.

I hope it doesn't hurt in the morning.

Noelle :((

Closing in on $2000!

Our sponsors are the best!

We picked up more mail from the UPS Store today, and did a little more door to door in our neighborhood.

We have now collected more than 25 percent of our goal and are closing in on $2,000.

Thanks everybody!!

Kate and Noelle

A hot, hilly ride.

Today was my last long ride before the bike-a-thon.

We rode all the way into Philadelphia. Not just the city line, but all the way into the art museum and the Rocky statue.

And let me tell you, there are some steep hills between our house and the museum.

And did I say it was hot? Well it was.

We also met one of our team sponsors - Tom Dilsheimer.

Only three more rides until the big day!

Noelle

More door to door.

We went door to door collecting money again today. But only for an hour -- our friends were coming over and we were going to make smoores.

Once again, a lot of people weren't home.

We have raised more than $1,000 so far. But we still have a long way to go to reach our goal of $6,500.

We hope they mail their donations.

Kate and Noelle

Boy did we get wet!!!!

My Dad thought we could get a quick ride in before the rain.

He was WRONG!!!

We got SOAKED!!!

We hadn't even gone 2 miles when it started to rain.

We turned around right away, but it was too late. It started raining harder.

And we got SOAKED!!!

Only 5 more rides before the Bike-a-thon.

Noelle

Mommy Called the Doctor and the Doctor Said ...

... No more riding, PT instead. :-((

We heard from the doctor today and he said I can't ride my bike in the Bike-a-thon this year.

And I can't go to music camp.

And I can't go to soccer camp.

And we need to change our vacation.

Instead I have to go to physical therapy three days a week for FOUR weeks, aagh!

My Dad said, if I want to I can still help at the Bike-a-thon by volunteering to help the riders. We are going to talk to Miss Cathy next week and see how I can help.

I can also still fund-raise.

And if I do well in PT my Dad said I could ride in the Pittsburgh Bike-a-thon in August.

Kate :-((

Another L O N G Ride

Okay, remember last week when I told you about the second longest ride of my life.

Well, now it's the third longest ride of my life. Because today I rode even longer, 32 miles.

Not only that, but I didn't wipe out today, either!

Noelle :)

Not again!

Just when I thought things were getting better, my knee started hurting today.

But its not the same place, so I think it might be something else.

My Mom says no more riding until we hear from the doctor.

Kate :(