Woo-hoo, I've been back in the saddle for two straight days now...about time, huh?
So, let's see, what's been going on? For starters, Grandma is doing good. Back home and back into her routine of gatherings with her close friends. Thanks to everyone for your prayers and thoughts!
Here is the latest additions to both the "Peleton" (those who have donated) and the "Challengers" (those that have pledged based on my performance)...
"Challengers" include:
Bob Elliott
Jim Kolba
"Peleton" includes:
Aspen Dental
Amy & Peter Bright
Lynne and Colin Tribble
Lyndsey May
Troy & Natalie Bell
Payton Cole
Thank you to everyone for your contributions...yup, I'm feeling sort of confident that even those that made a pledge are truly contributors because, "I'm Feeling Good!" Ha!
As of tonight, we have cleared the $3,000 mark (sorry Jandy, but need your help with the update - :)) and hopefully we are still climbing towards our goal of $7,500. Only a couple weeks before the race so please help us spread the word and raise the bar.
Training is getting back on track now. Had a good spin last night for 26+ miles to get the legs back. Was a bit warm with some tasty humidity. Tonight was even better. The temps were down in the 80's with the humidity seemingly lower. Cruised an easy 40+ miles in just over 2 hours. Did a quick look at my training log and even though I had hoped to have way more miles than what's logged, I'm okay with just over 1,500 miles to date. We've had a busy year in emergency management and of course, some wonderful Illinois weather (NOT!). So, it is what it is...we'll still be ready!
My new tires arrived today. Looking forward to putting the new Kenda tires on my bike. Will wait until early next week before retiring the training tires to the recycle bin and starting the new knobbies. Also got my new brake pads...going "organic" with the disc brake pads now! Woo-hoo! Okay, so I am really not sure what that means but my "live-in" mechanic (my son Alec) tells me that they are awesome. Guess we'll find out this weekend, won't we? Ha!
Well, that's about it for now. I want to close with asking everyone to take a minute and say a prayer for Gary and Shelli and the entire extended Wilmarth family. If you get a moment please share a comment with them. And if you are lucky, some day you'll be fortunate to get to know them and realize how lucky you are to have made their acquaintance. Love You Guys!
So, in traditional TNT Style, I close with simply reminding you that it is time to "Saddle Up, Dig Deep, and Ride Hard"...Kailey's Krew would expect it no other way!
TNT OUT-
This BLOG is dedicated in memory of Kailey Wilmarth and in support of Kailey's Krew, a not-for-profit organization. This BLOG will share the story of Kailey as well as my challenge to complete the Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race. Our mission is to give Hope to other families that need support during their trying times. Your contributions to Kailey's Krew can help us reach our goal.
29 July 2011
26 July 2011
Taking Care of Things
Hey everyone, all is good here. Sorry for the long wait for my next post. Sometimes things come up that take priority and making sure Grandma was okay and back home safely was my latest mission over the past couple days. All is well, thank you!
I've only managed one ride since my last post on the 21st. I once again fell for the "no problem, you'll be fine" when I checked on joining a local group of riders. This time I was in Sterling, IL, joining a group of riders at Meads Cycle Shop. Yup, a group of "Roadies", again. We had a good out and back for what I recorded as 42 miles. The last 4 were the "loneliest" as I did end up getting dropped by the group...oh well, it was a good ride regardless and felt good.
Since my last post, we have gained a few more supporters of Kailey's Krew. Joining the "Peleton" (donations to Kailey's Krew) include:
Russ and Melissa Thompson
Donald and Betty Gail
Aspen Dental
Thank you for joining the Peleton! You are part of a great group and we truly appreciate your generosity!
As for donations, we're up to $2,300 raised so far. We are doing great but could really use your help to reach our goal of $7,500!
And finally, only 18 days until race day. Only 11 days until we head to Colorado for the final week of training and preparation. I've had a slight delay in meeting my training goals recently but will be hitting the trail hard and heavy over the next 10 days to get myself ready for the big day...
Stay tuned in and share the word about what we are doing.
Until my next post..."Saddle Up, Dig Deep, and Ride Hard"! Is there any other way?
TNT OUT-
I've only managed one ride since my last post on the 21st. I once again fell for the "no problem, you'll be fine" when I checked on joining a local group of riders. This time I was in Sterling, IL, joining a group of riders at Meads Cycle Shop. Yup, a group of "Roadies", again. We had a good out and back for what I recorded as 42 miles. The last 4 were the "loneliest" as I did end up getting dropped by the group...oh well, it was a good ride regardless and felt good.
Since my last post, we have gained a few more supporters of Kailey's Krew. Joining the "Peleton" (donations to Kailey's Krew) include:
Russ and Melissa Thompson
Donald and Betty Gail
Aspen Dental
Thank you for joining the Peleton! You are part of a great group and we truly appreciate your generosity!
As for donations, we're up to $2,300 raised so far. We are doing great but could really use your help to reach our goal of $7,500!
And finally, only 18 days until race day. Only 11 days until we head to Colorado for the final week of training and preparation. I've had a slight delay in meeting my training goals recently but will be hitting the trail hard and heavy over the next 10 days to get myself ready for the big day...
Stay tuned in and share the word about what we are doing.
Until my next post..."Saddle Up, Dig Deep, and Ride Hard"! Is there any other way?
TNT OUT-
21 July 2011
Making Progress
Happy Hot July Everyone! Instead of be concerned with the 100+ temps we've had in Central Illinois this past week, remember the winter storm we enjoyed earlier this year or how about the current temps in Leadville, CO - 71 degrees as I write this compared to 94 degrees on my home thermometer. Hmm, look out Colorado, here we come!
Let's start with the newest members of "The Challengers" and "The Peloton" group, Tommy and Emily Johnson. Thank you for the donation and especially thanks for the pledge...I love the challenges!
As of today and what I have seen thus far, we have raised over $2,100 in pledges and donations for Kailey's Krew. Closing in on our $7,500 goal but we still need your help.
Even with the temps holding in the "HOT" category, training still must be done. Over the past 4 days, I've had 3 rides. Took Wednesday off as my bike was getting some mechanical attention from Alec. Temps stayed in the 99+ range for all three ride days and I put in just shy of 100 miles total. I wonder how much water I consumed? At least 3 bottles per ride (pit stop at the house on one ride; Alec, Brady and Hannah met me on the course with refills on another ride) I believe.
Gary, Brady, and I had some fun on Wednesday morning. We went to the WYMG 100.5 FM Radio station and had a great chat with Liz Willis on the Liz and Lynch morning show. Heard from several folks who all said Brady was the hit of the show. We are hoping to put a link to the sound byte on the blog soon. Liz put a link to the blog on the radio website as well.
Have some plans for the weekend to get some good miles in but will tell you all about it in my next Blog post. For now, I just want to remind everyone what Kailey's Krew - Pedal of Hope is all about and what we are trying to accomplish...
Pedal of Hope is going to complete a bike race in the high mountains of Colorado. Simply that. But more importantly, we want to raise awareness and funding for Kailey's Krew, a not-for-profit organization with the mission of providing financial support to families in the Central Illinois area that are enduring the challenges of having a son or daughter suffering from a serious illness and undergoing lengthy and costly medical attention.
SO, IF YOU CAN HELP US OUT, YOU ARE NOT ONLY HELPING US MEET OUR GOAL, YOU WILL BE PROVIDING HELP TO A FAMILY THAT COULD REALLY BENEFIT FROM YOUR DONATION.
Pass the word and help us exceed our goal.
Thank you and God Bless! Until my next post, saddle up, dig deep, and ride hard!
TNT OUT-
Let's start with the newest members of "The Challengers" and "The Peloton" group, Tommy and Emily Johnson. Thank you for the donation and especially thanks for the pledge...I love the challenges!
As of today and what I have seen thus far, we have raised over $2,100 in pledges and donations for Kailey's Krew. Closing in on our $7,500 goal but we still need your help.
Even with the temps holding in the "HOT" category, training still must be done. Over the past 4 days, I've had 3 rides. Took Wednesday off as my bike was getting some mechanical attention from Alec. Temps stayed in the 99+ range for all three ride days and I put in just shy of 100 miles total. I wonder how much water I consumed? At least 3 bottles per ride (pit stop at the house on one ride; Alec, Brady and Hannah met me on the course with refills on another ride) I believe.
Gary, Brady, and I had some fun on Wednesday morning. We went to the WYMG 100.5 FM Radio station and had a great chat with Liz Willis on the Liz and Lynch morning show. Heard from several folks who all said Brady was the hit of the show. We are hoping to put a link to the sound byte on the blog soon. Liz put a link to the blog on the radio website as well.
Have some plans for the weekend to get some good miles in but will tell you all about it in my next Blog post. For now, I just want to remind everyone what Kailey's Krew - Pedal of Hope is all about and what we are trying to accomplish...
Pedal of Hope is going to complete a bike race in the high mountains of Colorado. Simply that. But more importantly, we want to raise awareness and funding for Kailey's Krew, a not-for-profit organization with the mission of providing financial support to families in the Central Illinois area that are enduring the challenges of having a son or daughter suffering from a serious illness and undergoing lengthy and costly medical attention.
SO, IF YOU CAN HELP US OUT, YOU ARE NOT ONLY HELPING US MEET OUR GOAL, YOU WILL BE PROVIDING HELP TO A FAMILY THAT COULD REALLY BENEFIT FROM YOUR DONATION.
Pass the word and help us exceed our goal.
Thank you and God Bless! Until my next post, saddle up, dig deep, and ride hard!
TNT OUT-
17 July 2011
Back Home
We made it back home after a long weekend in the Ozarks. Had a couple opportunities to train and some opportunities to enjoy some friendly company from the local establishments in and around Lake of the Ozarks. Before I chat about Ozark BBQ, I want to introduce the newest members of "The Challenger's"...those that have pledged to Kailey's Krew based on how many miles I complete in this year's Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race...
-Jim and Dawn Hartman
Thanks for raising the bar Jim and Dawn...make sure you have a good pen and a blank check ready to be endorsed to "Kailey's Krew"! Woo-hoo!
So, we decided on barbeque Saturday night. We went to Ozark BBQ and had a good time. We were all very impressed with the service! For those that have visited the Blog daily, you probably already noticed that our server from Ozark BBQ beat me to the punch with a posting! How awesome is that? So...Thanks to Megan and staff at Ozark BBQ! Not only is the food great but the atmosphere was wonderful. And what's up with Megan? We chatted a few minutes about "Kailey's Krew" and the "Pedal of Hope" and she was very interested. Told me she would visit the Blog and wow, she not only visited, she was on the Blog before we could make it back to the house that night!
A huge smile and thank you to Megan, the Ozark BBQ staff, and Megans' "Sisterhood", Alpha Delta Pi from Arkansas! Send me a logo, Alpha Delta Pi, and I will put you on the Blog for the whole world to see...hey, we're up to 6 Nations and over 1800 views in about 4 weeks! How awesome is that?
Hey Jandy! I've set my goal for "Kailey's Krew"! I want to raise $7,500 for Kailey's Krew! I'm a long ways from my goal...not sure I'm up to $1000, yet...but that's okay! Now that everyone knows my goal, maybe you'll kick it up and lend a hand. I'm all about the pledges because that's just going to fuel my fire to ride faster and harder in order to give a little something back to a family with an ill son or daughter, through the efforts of "Kailey's Krew"!
For those from the Springfield, IL or the surrounding area, stay tuned to WYMG (100.5 FM) on Wednesday, July 20th as Gary and I will be joining Liz on the "Liz and Lynch" show to talk about Kailey's Krew - Pedal of Hope"! Liz doesn't know it yet, but we're going to have a good time! Has anyone found me access to Conan O'Brien or Dave Letterman, yet? Come on now, let's think big and go for big time!
Thanks for following and look forward to hearing from you! Note my goal, watch for updates on how I'm doing towards reaching it, and help me out if you can! Will be greatly appreciated!
In closing, I simply have to say, "HAPPY 50th BIRTHDAY GARY WILMARTH!" We love you "G-MAN"!
With temperatures rising and the humidity thickening, I can only say, Saddle Up, Dig Deep, and Ride Hard...because the other guy isn't willing to push himself like you and I! Be safe, see you on the trail, and God Bless!
TNT OUT-
-Jim and Dawn Hartman
Thanks for raising the bar Jim and Dawn...make sure you have a good pen and a blank check ready to be endorsed to "Kailey's Krew"! Woo-hoo!
So, we decided on barbeque Saturday night. We went to Ozark BBQ and had a good time. We were all very impressed with the service! For those that have visited the Blog daily, you probably already noticed that our server from Ozark BBQ beat me to the punch with a posting! How awesome is that? So...Thanks to Megan and staff at Ozark BBQ! Not only is the food great but the atmosphere was wonderful. And what's up with Megan? We chatted a few minutes about "Kailey's Krew" and the "Pedal of Hope" and she was very interested. Told me she would visit the Blog and wow, she not only visited, she was on the Blog before we could make it back to the house that night!
A huge smile and thank you to Megan, the Ozark BBQ staff, and Megans' "Sisterhood", Alpha Delta Pi from Arkansas! Send me a logo, Alpha Delta Pi, and I will put you on the Blog for the whole world to see...hey, we're up to 6 Nations and over 1800 views in about 4 weeks! How awesome is that?
Hey Jandy! I've set my goal for "Kailey's Krew"! I want to raise $7,500 for Kailey's Krew! I'm a long ways from my goal...not sure I'm up to $1000, yet...but that's okay! Now that everyone knows my goal, maybe you'll kick it up and lend a hand. I'm all about the pledges because that's just going to fuel my fire to ride faster and harder in order to give a little something back to a family with an ill son or daughter, through the efforts of "Kailey's Krew"!
For those from the Springfield, IL or the surrounding area, stay tuned to WYMG (100.5 FM) on Wednesday, July 20th as Gary and I will be joining Liz on the "Liz and Lynch" show to talk about Kailey's Krew - Pedal of Hope"! Liz doesn't know it yet, but we're going to have a good time! Has anyone found me access to Conan O'Brien or Dave Letterman, yet? Come on now, let's think big and go for big time!
Thanks for following and look forward to hearing from you! Note my goal, watch for updates on how I'm doing towards reaching it, and help me out if you can! Will be greatly appreciated!
In closing, I simply have to say, "HAPPY 50th BIRTHDAY GARY WILMARTH!" We love you "G-MAN"!
With temperatures rising and the humidity thickening, I can only say, Saddle Up, Dig Deep, and Ride Hard...because the other guy isn't willing to push himself like you and I! Be safe, see you on the trail, and God Bless!
TNT OUT-
15 July 2011
Ouch, It Still "Hurts"
Hey there everyone. It's been a few days since my last post but I am sure you have enjoyed the suspense and are just all excited and giddy to see that I am back at it...??? No? Yes? Well, I hope so!
I had a couple days off due to the crazy weather and then was busy getting packed up for our long weekend trip to The Ozarks. No excuses for not training but hey, I promise that when I am mounted on my ride, I push myself to make up for any "slacking".
So, we made it to The Ozarks on Thursday afternoon and it's a bit warmer down this way. But before I get into my chat about the past couple days, I have some more important news to share...
As of yesterday, we gained a new supporter. Curt Smith Sporting Goods has joined our Krew and in the next few days I will be adding thier logo to our Blog. You'll be seeing more about them in future postings as well. Thanks to Mr. Pat Dowling for your support and willingness to help us out.
And next, we want to make our first posting recognizing the "Peleton" of Kailey's Krew. A huge thank you goes out to you for your donation to Kailey's Krew! The newest members of the "Peleton" are:
Mark and Lori Beagles
Ken and Jandy Arnold
Craig and Brianne Rutherford
Greg and Jan Andersen
Anne Conwill
In addition to the "Peleton", we have another group that we'll call "The Challenger's". The following folks have made a pledge, setting a minimum donation with a chance for it to grow based on my performance in the Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race. Newest members of "The Challenger's" include:
Frank Marcy
Marty Dwyer
Bill & Janet Zimmer
Thank you so much to those that have contributed and those that have pledged. And please, if you have donated or pledged and I did not recognize you, send me an e-mail so I can add you to my next update. We're new at this and are doing our best to track everyone so your reminder to us would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again!
So, spending a 4-day weekend in the Ozarks sounds like a great time on the lake, boating, floating, and soaking up the rays, huh? Yah, not exactly. We arrived on Thursday and at 5:30 that evening, I was linked up with a group of riders at Oz Cycles on Bagnell Dam Boulevard in Lake Ozark. Now, before I tell you about the "quick" ride, let me just give warning to the fat-tire riders out there. When you call a shop and ask about group rides and they say, "Oh sure, you'll be fine" after you ask about whether a mountain bike will be fine with the roadies, well, that should be a warning. Ha-Ha!
So anyway, what a great group of guys to ride with. There were only six of us that decided to push the heat and humidity of the evening but none-the-less, a ride was had. Umm, it was great sucking their dust and hoping I'd find them after each corner but they were great gentlemen as they would stop once in a while to make sure I didn't lose my way. So, we finished the ride with just over 23 miles but it was like riding a speed-work "fart-lick" as we pushed speeds up to 28 miles per hour...hmmm, been a while since I've heard my knobbies make such a hummmm. So, if you are ever traveling away from home and call the "local" bike shop to find a ride or riding partner, I hope your experience is as cool as that provided by Oz Cycles...I'll be back guys! You're awesome and good luck with your racing season! Everyone else that finds themselves near Lake Ozark must make a stop at Oz Cycles!!!!
Today saw the temps raise a bit more. By the time I got out on the bike it was sitting right at 100 degrees with little to no wind. I followed the same sort of "route" as when with the Oz Cycles krew but I stayed over in the Horseshoe Bend area. Lots of up and down hills, some shade, and only warm winds blowing at any given time. IT WAS HOT! I pushed just shy of 27 miles today, went through 3 bottles of fluid, and yah, just felt sweaty-hot the entire ride. But there was something sort of strange about this ride. Everyone knows about food cravings, right? So how about this for a craving while riding...a cold salad with "pea pods" on it. That was on my mind for much of the ride. What in the world? "Pea Pods"? Anyone have a story to match that one? So, while at dinner at "Shorty Pants", I asked our waitress if I could get pea pods on my chicken wrap...she thought I was nutty. And by the way, I didn't get pea pods on my wrap! Ha-Ha!
So, not your typical idea of what to experience in the Ozarks but there are still a couple days to go and guess what, tomorrow morning has some boat time in the plans...that's right, brought the 20' kayak with us and I'll be on the lake for a couple hours of paddling before I head to Oz Cycles for directions getting me to the "tech trails" for some fun. I'll post some pix tomorrow for all to enjoy.
And finally, the latest on the "injury"...still sore, still gross scabs and/or fresh skin, and still making it work. Dr. Taylor (my chiro buddy) worked me over the other day and scolded me for not "taking care of myself"...come on "Doc", I crashed. Not like I dumped my bike on purpose! Ha!
That's all for now. Until next time, saddle up, dig deep, and ride hard! Life's too short for anything else!
TNT OUT-
I had a couple days off due to the crazy weather and then was busy getting packed up for our long weekend trip to The Ozarks. No excuses for not training but hey, I promise that when I am mounted on my ride, I push myself to make up for any "slacking".
So, we made it to The Ozarks on Thursday afternoon and it's a bit warmer down this way. But before I get into my chat about the past couple days, I have some more important news to share...
As of yesterday, we gained a new supporter. Curt Smith Sporting Goods has joined our Krew and in the next few days I will be adding thier logo to our Blog. You'll be seeing more about them in future postings as well. Thanks to Mr. Pat Dowling for your support and willingness to help us out.
And next, we want to make our first posting recognizing the "Peleton" of Kailey's Krew. A huge thank you goes out to you for your donation to Kailey's Krew! The newest members of the "Peleton" are:
Mark and Lori Beagles
Ken and Jandy Arnold
Craig and Brianne Rutherford
Greg and Jan Andersen
Anne Conwill
In addition to the "Peleton", we have another group that we'll call "The Challenger's". The following folks have made a pledge, setting a minimum donation with a chance for it to grow based on my performance in the Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race. Newest members of "The Challenger's" include:
Frank Marcy
Marty Dwyer
Bill & Janet Zimmer
Thank you so much to those that have contributed and those that have pledged. And please, if you have donated or pledged and I did not recognize you, send me an e-mail so I can add you to my next update. We're new at this and are doing our best to track everyone so your reminder to us would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again!
So, spending a 4-day weekend in the Ozarks sounds like a great time on the lake, boating, floating, and soaking up the rays, huh? Yah, not exactly. We arrived on Thursday and at 5:30 that evening, I was linked up with a group of riders at Oz Cycles on Bagnell Dam Boulevard in Lake Ozark. Now, before I tell you about the "quick" ride, let me just give warning to the fat-tire riders out there. When you call a shop and ask about group rides and they say, "Oh sure, you'll be fine" after you ask about whether a mountain bike will be fine with the roadies, well, that should be a warning. Ha-Ha!
So anyway, what a great group of guys to ride with. There were only six of us that decided to push the heat and humidity of the evening but none-the-less, a ride was had. Umm, it was great sucking their dust and hoping I'd find them after each corner but they were great gentlemen as they would stop once in a while to make sure I didn't lose my way. So, we finished the ride with just over 23 miles but it was like riding a speed-work "fart-lick" as we pushed speeds up to 28 miles per hour...hmmm, been a while since I've heard my knobbies make such a hummmm. So, if you are ever traveling away from home and call the "local" bike shop to find a ride or riding partner, I hope your experience is as cool as that provided by Oz Cycles...I'll be back guys! You're awesome and good luck with your racing season! Everyone else that finds themselves near Lake Ozark must make a stop at Oz Cycles!!!!
Today saw the temps raise a bit more. By the time I got out on the bike it was sitting right at 100 degrees with little to no wind. I followed the same sort of "route" as when with the Oz Cycles krew but I stayed over in the Horseshoe Bend area. Lots of up and down hills, some shade, and only warm winds blowing at any given time. IT WAS HOT! I pushed just shy of 27 miles today, went through 3 bottles of fluid, and yah, just felt sweaty-hot the entire ride. But there was something sort of strange about this ride. Everyone knows about food cravings, right? So how about this for a craving while riding...a cold salad with "pea pods" on it. That was on my mind for much of the ride. What in the world? "Pea Pods"? Anyone have a story to match that one? So, while at dinner at "Shorty Pants", I asked our waitress if I could get pea pods on my chicken wrap...she thought I was nutty. And by the way, I didn't get pea pods on my wrap! Ha-Ha!
So, not your typical idea of what to experience in the Ozarks but there are still a couple days to go and guess what, tomorrow morning has some boat time in the plans...that's right, brought the 20' kayak with us and I'll be on the lake for a couple hours of paddling before I head to Oz Cycles for directions getting me to the "tech trails" for some fun. I'll post some pix tomorrow for all to enjoy.
And finally, the latest on the "injury"...still sore, still gross scabs and/or fresh skin, and still making it work. Dr. Taylor (my chiro buddy) worked me over the other day and scolded me for not "taking care of myself"...come on "Doc", I crashed. Not like I dumped my bike on purpose! Ha!
That's all for now. Until next time, saddle up, dig deep, and ride hard! Life's too short for anything else!
TNT OUT-
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