tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36898731121301395632024-03-08T13:07:19.561-05:00More Than 100 Miles...We ride our bikes to raise money for JDRF.Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10653127059026411053noreply@blogger.comBlogger383125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-83889745676508112442022-06-08T10:26:00.000-04:002022-06-08T10:26:21.767-04:00GR Ride is this Weekend<p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBO1p3ntgc9CVAWAAXHHT_djD6SPVzwybwgJ6-ry0n1D-UyNkVi9IFbzFmIQ21UoV3HFqyUa2tx09gvYsgesIIGSaXaUScLZIlOwuggbS76c4ZKCTBSupPeFNQUkCOsKljiJKvLWkSRJIfk5dwAzyBf65EaZAV6TKL2lhcqjKq0vM_58q_i3xbufJxuA/s2016/IMG_4949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBO1p3ntgc9CVAWAAXHHT_djD6SPVzwybwgJ6-ry0n1D-UyNkVi9IFbzFmIQ21UoV3HFqyUa2tx09gvYsgesIIGSaXaUScLZIlOwuggbS76c4ZKCTBSupPeFNQUkCOsKljiJKvLWkSRJIfk5dwAzyBf65EaZAV6TKL2lhcqjKq0vM_58q_i3xbufJxuA/w400-h300/IMG_4949.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tour de Taco team ride last Sunday.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>It seems really early in the season to be talking about our JDRF Ride Weekend. That's because it is. Normally we do our big ride in the fall, after a spring and summer's worth of training and fundraising. This year the ride season is kicking off in June (a month earlier than usual) here in Grand Rapids. It's great to have the whole JDRF road show here in our town, but my legs would have appreciated a couple of more months to train.</p><p>Considering the short time frame for getting prepped, Mary and I have adjusted our mileage goal for this ride. We usually attempt a century ride, which is 100 miles. In fact, our first JDRF ride ever was a century ride in Death Valley in 2005. The Grand Rapids ride will have two starting locations. The main start is at Millennium Park and the route heads out to Lake Michigan south of Grand Haven. If a rider does that entire route it's 100 miles. Also, since it's an out-and-back route, a rider is halfway done at any point. Just turn around and head back. This is how to get a metric century (100 kilometers or 62 miles), turn around when you've ridden 31 miles.The second starting line is actually on the Lake Michigan shore. Riders who start from there will ride back to Millennium Park. It is a 44 mile route, with no way to shorten it. That's the route Mary and I have decided to do. Although it's not our usual amount of miles, it will be the longest ride we've done in 2022.</p><p>We are looking forward to everyone arriving here tomorrow and riding on Saturday. Thank you to everyone who has donated so far. Watch for ride day photos soon.<br /></p>Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-21996574145011678402022-06-01T19:28:00.000-04:002022-06-01T19:28:21.886-04:00Back in the Saddle<p><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfnhSAKRpg9ze4r6Akil7TFnKsXyF6seepXPpScWryurlITTWhZXUwPSbT-5tz9gBqRd6G06Xf2I34o2CBxVf1_7_2X4W7wS-AJ_blwcjkkMwslQMpru2yPJePN5Nr-eijxGNcm1uhSgI9vB-1DEgJKC8UqeZ0JBGJgDBoGJN0tPG9N81vvoibhN7_w/s2048/IMG_4838.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfnhSAKRpg9ze4r6Akil7TFnKsXyF6seepXPpScWryurlITTWhZXUwPSbT-5tz9gBqRd6G06Xf2I34o2CBxVf1_7_2X4W7wS-AJ_blwcjkkMwslQMpru2yPJePN5Nr-eijxGNcm1uhSgI9vB-1DEgJKC8UqeZ0JBGJgDBoGJN0tPG9N81vvoibhN7_w/w320-h240/IMG_4838.JPEG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary and Tom at a training ride in May</td></tr></tbody></table>I haven't written much on this blog in the last couple of years because the JDRF Ride Program has been in kind of a holding pattern as a result of the pandemic. Sure, we were still raising money, but there were no destination rides for two years. But we are back at it for 2022 and we are very excited. This is our 18</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> year of riding to cure Type 1 Diabetes
and we have set a pretty big goal for ourselves. But before we get to our goal,
let us give you a little background.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; text-align: justify;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt; text-align: justify;">In
September of 1997 our oldest son Jake was diagnosed with T1D as he was entering
first grade. Our lives changed overnight. We had to carefully watch what Jake
ate, check his blood sugars several times a day, give him shots of insulin, and
worry about the long-term complications of the disease. Would our little six-year-old
someday go blind or have to have an amputation because of diabetes? We couldn’t
sit back, we had to do something to help hasten a cure for this terrible
disease. So, we got involved with the local chapter of JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes
Research Foundation).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt; text-align: justify;">We
started by participated in the Walk to Cure Diabetes. We also took part in the
Promise Gala. We started Jake’s Music Festival to use music and a positive atmosphere
to raise funds and bring the message of JDRF to a new audience. Then, 18 years
ago, a small group of us from West Michigan started our ride team. Since then,
we have raised over 2.5 million dollars for diabetes research.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt; text-align: justify;">The
money raised by JDRF has helped immensely. Things like the insulin pump and the
continuous glucose monitor exist today because of JDRF donations and advocacy. We
feel very proud to be part of an organization that is helping to improve the
lives of people with T1D.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt; text-align: justify;">This
year JDRF will be holding one of its national destination rides right here in
Grand Rapids on June 11 and we will be there. Our goal for the Grand Rapids
ride is $4,000. We have also set a stretch goal for ourselves. JDRF is hosting
a ride in Tucson, Arizona on November 19. If we can raise an additional $8,000,
we will be riding there as well. That’s a lot of money and we can’t do it
without your support.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt; text-align: justify;">Donating
is simple. Checks can be made out to JDRF (or </span><i style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-style: normal; text-align: justify;">Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation</i><span style="font-size: 11pt; text-align: justify;">) and sent to us at 6184
Archer St. NE, Rockford, MI 49341. You can also donate over </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; text-align: justify;">on the left side of the
page, click on “Donate to Tom” or “Donate to Mary” and follow the easy directions.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-spacerun: yes; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; text-align: justify;">You can also track our training progress and
see photos of the ride.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt; text-align: justify;">On
behalf of Jake and everyone suffering with diabetes, we thank you for your
support.</span></p>Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-50562295295142773792020-12-31T16:05:00.001-05:002020-12-31T16:05:25.958-05:00Good bye and good riddance<p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ohRtrLOWTtI/X-48GYT6ieI/AAAAAAAAM_I/5_1Ven9fRLA6Cu3Y029WH0HIOrulimKDwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/IMG_2483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ohRtrLOWTtI/X-48GYT6ieI/AAAAAAAAM_I/5_1Ven9fRLA6Cu3Y029WH0HIOrulimKDwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/IMG_2483.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tom and Mary not riding with the team<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>I haven't written much on this blog this year. It's difficult to write about training for a destination ride where there is almost no training and no ride. The entire JDRF ride season was cancelled because of the pandemic. While the national staff tried to do virtual events, it just wasn't the same. After raising money to cure type 1 diabetes, one of the biggest parts of the ride is getting to be with dedicated people from across the country. We couldn't do that in 2020. I missed riding with my team mates here in Michigan. I missed seeing Aly and Tara and Lindsay from the national office. I missed Jerry from Jersey, Ian from North Carolina, and Moira and Brock and that guy who dresses up like a pickle. I missed the goosebumps at the starting line and the cheers and beers at the finish line. I missed hiking in a new area on the Friday before the ride and the hall party on Saturday night after the ride. I missed all of it and I am hopeful that 2021 will bring it all back - bigger and better.</p><p>Even though the ride was cancelled we still did the fundraising, and that's the most important part. Tom raised $5,225 and Mary raised $2,020. Every one of those dollars will go toward helping find a cure for type 1 diabetes. See you next year and i promise to write more often.<br /></p>Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-37578921903764821352020-07-25T20:24:00.000-04:002020-07-25T20:24:23.989-04:00Not a JDRF Ride<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Zpbap2AccY/XxzMXlULTnI/AAAAAAAAMvE/CwLEuT6Umy8MR5onVoel9JQLY2NlubPcgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/image0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Zpbap2AccY/XxzMXlULTnI/AAAAAAAAMvE/CwLEuT6Umy8MR5onVoel9JQLY2NlubPcgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/image0.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We are not happy to not be riding in a JDRF event today.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Today was supposed to be the first ride of the 2020 JDRF ride season. That ride was supposed to be right here in Grand Rapids. But because of the pandemic the entire JDRF ride program was cancelled. It's been disappointing not to be able to get together with our team mates all spring and summer to train and hang out. But today it's even more poignant. Before the plug was pulled on the season, the Grand Rapids ride was on pace to be the largest JDRF ride ever. That would have been quite a feather in the Michigan team's cap. We've been doing this since 2005 in rides across the country. Death Valley. Lake Tahoe. Nashville. Florida. Colorado. And many more. To kick off the 2020 season with a huge ride in our hometown would have been awesome.<br />
<br />
We should have been toeing the line with hundreds of cyclists in the blue JDRF jerseys this morning. We should have met up with old friends and gotten motivated at the group dinner last night. Tonight we should be having the celebration dinner and giving out awards. And having the after-the-festivities hall party. Lots of shoulds, that have all been pushed back to next year.<br />
<br />
Now here's the important point. The ride was cancelled, but Type 1 diabetes was not cancelled. We still need to raise funds to help find a cure for this disease. If you have donated to our ride in the past we thank you. Even though we are not riding this year we would ask you to still consider a donation. The need is as great as ever and your support is crucial.<br />
<br />
Thank you.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>365 days until the next JDRF ride.</i>Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-17551346424513275152020-05-31T21:36:00.000-04:002020-05-31T21:36:13.591-04:00Ride Location Update<div>As I mentioned in the last post this is going to be a very strange ride season because of the ongoing coronavirus crisis. Since then the JDRF national office has decided to cancel all of this year's rides. That means no ride in Grand Rapids this July. While we are saddened by this news we understand that the safety of the riders comes first. JDRF is currently developing a virtual ride program for this year. Here's what we know:</div><div>No JDRF in-person events until July 1 at the earliest, which means no training rides for those of us in west Michigan.</div><div>There will probably be some kind of Michigan team event later in the summer or early fall, if conditions allow.</div><div>While the rides are cancelled the need for fundraising continues.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-94e0Dd9OrMo/XtRarmLy0qI/AAAAAAAAMkM/g9cCugAhB6Uwn1utli5heDV1MYqltxw7ACK4BGAsYHg/IMG_2424.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-94e0Dd9OrMo/XtRarmLy0qI/AAAAAAAAMkM/g9cCugAhB6Uwn1utli5heDV1MYqltxw7ACK4BGAsYHg/w320-h240/IMG_2424.JPG" title="Tom and Mary trying out a new gravel trail north of Lowell" width="320" /></a></div>At one of our team Zoom get togethers recently it was mentioned that, while the rides are cancelled, diabetes has NOT been cancelled. The disease is still out there and affecting our loved ones every day. So while we won't be participating in a destination ride this year, we will keep fundraising, because we need to have a world without diabetes.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you have donated to our rides in the past we ask you to do so again this year. Please <a href="https://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR/?fr_id=8086&px=1266855&pg=personal">click on this link to donate to Mary</a>. Tom has already reached his fundraising goal so our efforts are to get Mary to $2,000 of donations. Only $1,900 to go. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for your support over the years and we look forward to whatever this ride season brings.<br /></div><div><br /></div>Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-29093917447740734832020-04-21T12:03:00.001-04:002020-07-25T19:06:16.718-04:00Riding During QuarantineThis has started off as the strangest ride season in recent memory. Michigan has been on lockdown because the Coronavirus crisis for the past month. That means no team training rides or even getting together for a ride with a couple of other people. I've been solo riding, which is fine, but that's not as much fun as riding with friends.<br />
<br />
As of now the Grand Rapids JDRF ride in July is still on the schedule. However, as the crisis develops the ride may get pushed into the fall or cancelled completely. There is no way of knowing, but the national ride folks are on top of the situation and keeping us informed.<br />
<br />
Plus, we've had pretty typical April weather in Michigan. Sunny and 60 degrees one day, followed by temperatures in the 30's with snow the next. That definitely impacts the amount of riding I do. Hopefully the whether will even out soon and the virus will abate so that we can start putting in some serious miles.<br />
quarentine<br />
<br />Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-79237054651646595772020-03-08T16:41:00.000-04:002020-03-08T16:41:35.011-04:002020 Ride Season has begun<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">16 years ago I was on the board of the West Michigan</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> chapter of JDRF. Our Executive Director walked into a board meeting one </span><span style="font-size: 14px;">day and said "I'm riding in Death Valley this year. Who's riding with </span><span style="font-size: 14px;">me?" And with that the West Michigan (now Michigan) Team was born. </span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vs-Tzm7Hd30/XmVXx1gcfuI/AAAAAAAAMWk/jDkZpPrqZ0wdIeO1NW7CBwplVY5_-5mPACKgBGAsYHg/s1600/IMG_1828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vs-Tzm7Hd30/XmVXx1gcfuI/AAAAAAAAMWk/jDkZpPrqZ0wdIeO1NW7CBwplVY5_-5mPACKgBGAsYHg/s400/IMG_1828.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary and Tom at the start of the 2019 JDRF Ride in Saratoga Springs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">Since
2005, our team has raised over $2,500,000 for type 1 diabetes research.
This year we are very excited because the Ride to Cure Diabetes is
coming to Grand Rapids. On July 25 over 700 riders decked out in JDRF
blue will pedal through some of the most beautiful parts of West
Michigan as we raise funds to find a cure for T1D.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<span><span style="font-size: 14px;">Our
son Jake was diagnosed with T1D 22 years ago when he was only six years
old. We have seen great strides in the treatment of disease, thanks in
no small part to the efforts of JDRF. But there still is no cure and
that's why we keep riding.</span></span>Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-20514537245285384482019-12-26T17:36:00.001-05:002019-12-26T17:36:40.422-05:00December Riding<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mp2mVx-gTnE/XgU1aeSe-YI/AAAAAAAAMR4/R7jI5XjdGp8JpRuOcOjDJy5b1k9urM_wQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_2132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mp2mVx-gTnE/XgU1aeSe-YI/AAAAAAAAMR4/R7jI5XjdGp8JpRuOcOjDJy5b1k9urM_wQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_2132.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the dam in downtown Rockford.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I have several riding friends who are outside on their bikes, regardless of the weather. Once the temperatures are consistently 45 or below, and there is snow on the ground, my bike stays indoors until Spring. But today - today was beautiful. Sunny skies and sixty degrees - practically unheard of in Michigan in December. Since I had the day off I decided to saddle up the trusty steed and go for a little ride.<br />
<br />
I rode one of my usual routes, north on the White Pine Trail, through Rockford and then home. Today I went up to 13 Mile Road and turned around, but took Summit Road south for about a mile so I could ride along the Rogue River. I turned on 12 Mile so I could rejoin the WPT. The trail was so busy today. It was like riding on a summer Saturday afternoon. Bikes, joggers, dog walkers, and skate boards all jockeying for position. It was great to see so many people out enjoying the trail and the weather.<br />
<br />
I ended up with 17 miles, leaving me just a bit short of 1,200 miles for the season. Another day like this and I may make that goal.Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-56631607504698895702019-10-02T10:00:00.000-04:002019-10-02T10:00:23.788-04:005 x 35When you train a lot and ride long distances for a cause, sometimes it's nice just to do a fun ride. Last Saturday was one of those. A group of us rode the White Pine Trail, stopping at breweries along the way. We did a couple of rides similar to this a few years ago and we finally were able to get folks together to do it again.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6JUcFkd0sY8/XZSrYUKjF9I/AAAAAAAAMFo/MTubngq3l6UrDBF4hy5UwqVhzWNHHJ22ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Cedar%2Bspings%2Bbrewing%2Bstop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6JUcFkd0sY8/XZSrYUKjF9I/AAAAAAAAMFo/MTubngq3l6UrDBF4hy5UwqVhzWNHHJ22ACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Cedar%2Bspings%2Bbrewing%2Bstop.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cedar Springs Brewing - the halfway point</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The 5 x 35 is 35 miles of riding with stops at five breweries along the trail. Our friend Susan and Elvin from Chicago (the originators of the idea) came up to join us. It was rainy in the morning, but by the time we pulled out of Comstock Park at noon the rain had stopped, although it was still a little damp. As the day went on the weather warmed and the sun came out. It was a beautiful day to ride.<br />
<br />
For the first stop we didn't even get out of Comstock Park. It was three miles to the <a href="http://bierdistillery.com/" target="_blank">Bier Distillery</a>. This stop required us to hop off the WPT and cut thru a small side path and across West River Drive. Bier Distillery makes beer and spirits. We had a drink and got back on the trail heading north to Rockford.<br />
<br />
Stop 2 was at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Depot-No-36/629727270808978" target="_blank">Depot 36</a>, part of Kayla Rae Cellars. They make mostly wine, but a couple of beers as well. Rockford was full of people participating in Harvest Days. Anyone want to build a scarecrow?<br />
<br />
We stopped for lunch at <a href="https://csbrew.com/" target="_blank">Cedar Springs Brewing</a>, our turnaround spot. At this point we were 16.5 miles into the ride. We sat out on their back patio and drank German beers and ate giant pretzels in the sunshine.<br />
<br />
On our way back south we stopped at <a href="https://www.rockfordbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Rockford Brewing</a>. Because of Harvest Days they had a beer tent set up, which meant music and a party atmosphere. Also, in my humble opinion, this was some of the best beer of the day.<br />
<br />
We finished up back in Comstock Park at <a href="https://www.elkbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Elk Brewing</a>. We had started the ride at noon and it was now after 6:30 p.m., which means it was almost dark when we left the brewery. Luckily it was only a mile back to the cars and there are street lamps along that section of the trail. All in all, a great day and were looking forward to the next one.Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-91393608495834424932019-09-21T17:53:00.001-04:002019-09-21T17:53:34.902-04:00Saratoga Spring Ride Report<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZG5Le9ahna0/XYaaFMl6OTI/AAAAAAAAL-M/AEfIg6CNXE0hMyiu6ZlBf7qub3yuneKnQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_5263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZG5Le9ahna0/XYaaFMl6OTI/AAAAAAAAL-M/AEfIg6CNXE0hMyiu6ZlBf7qub3yuneKnQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_5263.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary and I getting ready to start our 15th JDRF ride.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The ride was great. Getting to Saratoga Springs was anything but. I don't want to go into a lot of detail, but because of weather in Chicago we missed our connection and ended up spending over 10 hours in O'Hare airport. We finally checked into our hotel room shortly before midnight, so we lost our entire Thursday prep day.<br />
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On Friday morning we had the rules of the road meeting. There were almost 400 riders at this JDRF ride and 30 of them were from our Michigan team. We then did a quick shakedown ride to make sure the bikes were in good shape after their trip. In the afternoon a group of us went into the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains for a short hike. We hiked around Lake Bonita, a 2.5 mile jaunt. The scenery was beautiful. There was one spot where we stopped and sat on a big rock that sloped into the lake.<br />
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Saturday morning dawned cloudy with the threat of light rain. Mary and I decided on different goals for the day. I was going to try for the century (100 miles) and Mary wanted to try the metric century (100 kilometers). We ended up getting separated right after the start line. The group I was riding with was moving a little faster, so I would see Mary's group rolling into the break points as my group was rolling out. Our group kept adding riders, and as we left break point 3 (about 42 miles in) there were 10 of us. We also decided that we needed a team name. Because of things that happened Thursday (while I was in the airport) we became Team Grandpa Shots.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KP3yo2bCh2M/XYaaE6HpO_I/AAAAAAAAL-Q/-aAYJ_o2StMnQMLLY-ygRONDLF81T2-TwCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_E1837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1288" data-original-width="1600" height="321" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KP3yo2bCh2M/XYaaE6HpO_I/AAAAAAAAL-Q/-aAYJ_o2StMnQMLLY-ygRONDLF81T2-TwCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_E1837.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Team Grandpa Shots at Break Point 3</td></tr>
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The route was very hilly. That shouldn't be a surprise since we were riding on the southern edge of the Adirondacks. There was over 4000 feet of climbing. Normally I'm a pretty decent climber, but in the second half of the ride I could hardly climb at all. I developed pain on the top of my calves on both legs. The entire Grandpa Shots team passed me on every climb. On the downhills I was doing great. In fact I was coasting past people who were already pedaling at the bottom of the hills. But then we'd start going up again and I would slow to a pace that barely kept me upright. I'm not sure what was happening, but I stayed with the team and moved closer to my goal.<br />
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We finished as a group about 10 hours after we started. Another century ride in the books. Mary had a finished her metric century two hours earlier and was waiting for me, already showered and changed. The Michigan team did very well. We had six people that set personal distance records. But most importantly, the ride raised $1.5 million for diabetes research.<br />
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This marked the 15th year and 15th ride for Mary and me. Thank you to everyone that has donated this year and for the past decade and a half. Because of you, we will one day soon be able to celebrate the end of Type 1 diabetes.Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-86488782098610917532019-09-11T15:40:00.001-04:002019-09-11T15:40:54.193-04:00Last Ride Before Saratoga SpringsYesterday afternoon I did a 25 mile solo ride on the White Pine Trail, traveling north to 17 Mile Road in Cedar Springs before turning around. Since my new Cannondale Topstone is on it's way to Saratoga Springs (as I will be tomorrow) I had to ride my 15 year old Cannondale SR500. It is amazing how quickly I have adapted to my new bike. I knew that my old bike was, well, old, but I didn't realize how much better the new bike is. On the first stop on the old bike I really noticed the lack of disc brakes. I had to work a lot harder to stop the bike. Speaking of working harder, the old bike just isn't as smooth as the new bike. 15 years and over 15,000 miles probably have a lot to do with that. I'm really looking forward to being on the new Cannondale this weekend.<br />
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That's right, this weekend is what we've been training for all year. We registered back in January, did a some perfunctionary indoor training in February and March, and then got outside in April. It's been a hit or miss year for riding because of the weather. I've only got 900 miles in so far and my goal was to be well over 1,000 before we headed out to New York. Oh well, I still feel pretty good and think I'll be able to ride the full century.<br />
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<i>Thank you to everyone who has contributed to support our ride this year. If you'd like to make a donation to help find a cure for Type 1 diabetes <a href="https://www2.jdrf.org/site/Donation2?20032.donation=form1&idb=2099917049&df_id=20032&FR_ID=7736&mfc_pref=T&PROXY_ID=1266747&PROXY_TYPE=20" target="_blank">please click here</a>.</i>Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-3043965929867176402019-08-28T14:11:00.001-04:002019-08-28T14:11:30.279-04:00Sartoga on the HorizonBack in January we signed up for our 15th <a href="https://www2.jdrf.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=ride_homepage" target="_blank">JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes</a>. This time we'd be riding in Saratoga Springs, New York. The town is in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, an area I'm quite familiar with. I've gone rock climbing and hiking out there, but never ridden a bike. In April we started our training. It was tough to get a lot of miles in this spring because it seemed to rain every day. Once summer hit we were able to ride more often and in July we purchased new Cannondale bikes. After 15 years in the same saddle it was time.<br />
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Now we are just over two weeks away from the ride. We leave for New York in 15 days. This is always the part of the season where the questions start popping into my head. Did I train enough? Can I do 100 miles this year? Am I going to make my fund-raising goal? How is my bike getting to the starting line? Usually a deep breath and the knowledge that I've done this before calms my mind.<br />
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So, on September 14th, Mary and I will be mounting our bicycles in Saratoga Springs for our 15th ride. I have fond memories of the previous 14 and I'm sure this one will create more of the same. If you've already made a donation - I thank you. If you'd still like to donate you can click where it says <a href="https://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR?fr_id=7736&pg=personal&px=1266747" target="_blank">Donate to Tom</a> in the upper left hand corner of this page.<br />
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<i>Riding to turn Type One into Type None.</i>Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-35969010645268882302019-07-29T20:25:00.003-04:002019-07-29T20:25:42.257-04:00Riding the gravel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Since we bought gravel bikes it makes sense to ride some some gravel. Sunday we headed north on the White Pine Trail, something we do often. But our farthest north point has always been Sand Lake, because that's where the pavement ends. However, on our new bikes that doesn't matter. We kept riding north on the now cinder and gravel trail bed. The Topstones handled very well. It was slower on the gravel than on the pavement, and a little bumpier, but we were able to keep going with ease. Something we couldn't have done with our skinny tire bikes. We rode past the little burg of Pierson and turned around in Howard City. We then stopped at Cedar Springs Brewing Company for a pretzel and a pint (and a few chicken wings). When we arrived at home we'd put 50 miles under our tires, with 14 of those being on gravel. These bikes are really going to open up our cycling opportunities. We talked about several trails we've seen where these bikes would be perfect. Travel awaits.Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-38968636192502530132019-07-25T21:52:00.000-04:002019-07-25T21:52:01.799-04:00New bikesAfter 14 years and thousands and thousands of miles it was time for us to get new bikes. My black Cannondale SR500 and Mary's pearl and blue Bianchi have been thru a lot. Fourteen JDRF rides, including seven in Death Valley. We've climbed small, medium, and large hills. Ridden thru rain and sand storms. Suffered thru 38 degree cold and 100 degree heat. We've both had serious crashes. (Only one of us ended up in the hospital.) Our trusty steads have taken us to a wonderful variety of places, but it's time for them to be retired.<br />
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So this week we picked up new bikes from our shop sponsor <a href="https://www.algerbikes.com/" target="_blank">Alger Bikes</a> (Thanks Mike Clark). They are Cannondale Topstone 105s. They are both dark gray. Mary's has pink accents because of the <a href="https://www.iloveconniescakes.com/" target="_blank">cake shop</a>. Mine has blue accents because most of my riding clothes have blue in them. They are gravel bikes, which means they are road bike frames with wider forks to accommodate fatter tires. This comes in handy when hitting a piece of gravel road or on the unpaved portions of the White Pine Trail. We've taken them out a couple of times. The gearing is different than our previous bikes, so that will take some getting used to. Also, different saddles mean different pressure points on the posterior. All in all, we are very happy with the bikes and look forward to riding them for many years to come.<br />
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<i>Seven weeks to Saratoga Springs.</i>Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-92209959939287126732019-06-22T09:25:00.001-04:002019-06-22T09:25:22.337-04:00First day of SummerYesterday was a beautiful day, warm and sunny with light breezes. A perfect day for a ride and to complete a goal. This spring the weather has been pretty crappy, so I haven't ridden the amount of miles that I normally would. At the start of the day I needed 26 miles to hit 300 for the season so far. So I made it a goal to get to 300 miles on my afternoon ride. I started by heading south to the credit union to cash a check. I then came back north across the Jupiter bridge, taking advantage of the new bike lane. Then it was onto the White Pine Trail. I rode all the way to Indian Lake Road before turning around. On the way back I stopped at <a href="https://www.rockfordbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Rockford Brewing</a> to have a pint outdoors on their trail side deck. After that little reward for closing in on my goal, it was a short five miles home. 26 miles in total and exactly 300 miles for this year.Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-15217454902677127822019-06-15T10:17:00.001-04:002019-06-15T10:17:38.791-04:00Little RidesThe weather this Spring has not been cooperative to getting any long rides in. I've done several 15 to 25 mile rides, but nothing longer than that. It seems that every weekend, when we could out and get a 30 or 40 miler, it's been cold, rainy, or both. We've also been gone a bunch. So I'm trying to make do with stacking the shorter rides. This week I got out on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Now that it's the weekend -that's right- cold and rain. Our JDRF ride is in 3 months. I hope I'm ready by then.Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-56694422716875600882019-05-02T15:27:00.001-04:002019-05-02T15:27:20.639-04:00First Team Ride of 2019<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another post about firsts. This time it was our first JDRF team ride of the year. This past Sunday was one of the better days we've had this spring. By that I mean it wasn't raining. Lots of cold and wet so far this season. Temperatures were in the mid 50's and the wind was swirly but fairly light. The ride started in the Holland suburbs and tracked thru the villages of Overisel and Jamestown. It was a 25 mile loop and was the longest ride so far this year for Mary and me. After we rode, we ate. It is a bit of a tradition with the west Michigan team to hang out after team rides and have food, drink and camaraderie. We like that tradition.<br />
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<i>4 months until we ride in Saratoga Springs.</i>Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-65118017174249456512019-04-25T14:17:00.001-04:002019-04-25T14:21:50.483-04:00First Ride with Mary<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N2TYNfSE37E/XMH5LTQfmMI/AAAAAAAALfM/W83k8EIAAV4rArpIJn7qLJTbh1lES_1kgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_1072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N2TYNfSE37E/XMH5LTQfmMI/AAAAAAAALfM/W83k8EIAAV4rArpIJn7qLJTbh1lES_1kgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_1072.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary on the unintentional river crossing.</td></tr>
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Monday was the first ride of the year for Mary and I as a duo. We took the White Pine Trail north, all the way to 13 Mile Road and back. That's a 17 mile round trip. The weather was beautiful again. It feels great to be riding when it's sunny and warm. We both realized that we don't have our riding legs yet. But that's why we are training.<br />
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On the day before we went hiking instead of riding. There is a nice set of trails at Lamerouex Park, along the Grand River. In a couple of places there was river where the trail should be. On more than one occasion we had to get creative in order to continue the hike and not backtrack. We even did a little bridge building. The total hike was 3.3 miles. I guess we should have gone for a swim on Tuesday to complete the triathlon.<br />
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I also did a solo mountain bike ride on Wednesday on the Rouge River Nature Trail. It's the closest trail to home so I can ride my bike there. A little bit over 4 miles on that route. Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-24893635783406059862019-03-29T10:15:00.000-04:002019-03-29T10:15:01.862-04:00First Ride of 2019It has been a long cold winter. It even snowed on the first day of Spring. But things finally look like they are coming around. When I got home from work yesterday the temperature was 60 degrees and it was mostly sunny. So I kitted up and headed out for my first ride of the year.<br />
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I have been on the trainer a few times over the winter months, but not enough to really build up any bike fitness. So I took it easy on the inaugural ride with an easy cruise up to Rockford on the White Pine Trail. There aren't a lot of hills on that route, but enough to tell me my legs are not in shape. The 15 miles felt good, however. Now I only have 1,485 miles to ride to meet my goal for this year.Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-57287425261001216082019-03-05T15:13:00.000-05:002019-03-05T15:13:24.614-05:00Head East Young ManThis marks our 15th year of riding for the cure. Mary and I did our first JDRF ride in 2005 in Death Valley. It was also the first century ride for both of us. Since then I've ridden over 18,000 miles in the quest to find a cure for Type 1 diabetes.<br />
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This year we will be riding in Saratoga Springs, New York. The ride takes place on September 14th and I'm going to need the six months to get ready. Riding the trainer a couple of times a week through the winter is not enough to prepare me for what lies ahead. Saratoga Springs is a beautiful and historic area, located on the edge of the Adirondack Mountains. Yep, we're going to be riding in the mountains again. Luckily, we have plenty of hills for training in west Michigan.<br />
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For the past 15 years we've ridden lots of miles, in various weather and different types of terrain, in order to raise money to help fund research into a cure. Mary and I have each set a goal of raising $5,000. You can help by donating using these easy links.<br />
<ul style="background-color: #ffffcc; color: #003366; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.25em 15px; text-indent: -15px;"><a href="https://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR?fr_id=7736&pg=personal&px=1266855" style="color: #1b703a;">DONATE TO MARY</a> <a href="https://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR?fr_id=7736&pg=personal&px=1266747" style="color: #e1771e; text-decoration-line: none;">DONATE TO TOM</a></li>
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You can also mail us a check made out to JDRF. Please send it to 6184 Archer St. NE, Rockford, MI 49341. <br />
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Thank you if you've donated in the past, and thanks in advance for your donation this year. Because of your generosity we will one day soon find a cure for this dreaded disease.<br />
<br />Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-70074229154837848802018-11-15T14:44:00.000-05:002018-11-15T14:44:21.754-05:00Santa Fe Ride Recap - Part 2The morning of November 3rd dawned cold. 38 degrees to be exact. We had been expecting frigid temperatures so we were prepared with cold weather cycling clothing. I was wearing a base layer, arm warmers, my JDRF jersey, a long sleeve jersey, and my wind/rain cycling jacket. Additionally, I had on shoe covers, two pairs of full fingered gloves, and a warm hat under my helmet. I don't think I've ever worn that much gear for a bike ride. We knew it was going to warm up during the day, so the plan was to drop excess clothing at the various rest stops.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R9z53TC3UQE/W-yJVd_QZBI/AAAAAAAAK04/x6uBfeC0pW0JLvxsE8oaevNjNvGa342cgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R9z53TC3UQE/W-yJVd_QZBI/AAAAAAAAK04/x6uBfeC0pW0JLvxsE8oaevNjNvGa342cgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_6107.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary and Tom after their 14th Ride to Cure Diabetes</td></tr>
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385 riders stood at the starting line, listening to the national anthem in the cold, as we prepared to head south out of Santa Fe. In the first 15 miles of the ride we descended 1,200 feet. At times I was going 20 mph without pedaling. That was an easy start to the ride, but since the route was a modified out-and-back, that meant we would have a 15 mile climb to end the day. Along that first descent there were a couple of small climbs. On the second one it felt like an elephant sat down on my chest. Between the elevation and the cold it was very hard to breathe. My plan had been to do the full 100 mile route, but on the second climb I rethought my plan. The group I was riding with was going to do the 67 mile route and I figured I would join them.<br />
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The first break point was 17 miles into the route. The sun was up and it was getting warmer, but not warm enough to drop any gear yet. My group was riding well but definitely noticing the effects of the altitude. Now we were on the jagged tooth part of the elevation map. Long climbs, followed by fast downhills, followed immediately by another climb. It went on like this all day. There was very little flat ground that we rode over. It seemed like we were always going up or down.<br />
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The second break point was at 33 miles and located at a brewery. Because it was still early in the morning it wasn't open yet. I was able to remove the long sleeve jersey and one pair of gloves. This was also the turnaround point for the group I was riding with. Mary was in our group and I had told her I would ride with her. She said I should try for the 100. I let her know that the century ride was off the table but I still wanted to try for the 87 mile route. She told me to go for it, so I hopped back on my bike and chased down a few of our west Michigan teammates that had left the rest stop just ahead of us.<br />
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I caught up with coach Mike first. He was helping along another rider. The three of us rode together for about 10 miles and then I pulled away, finding the people I was actually chasing at rest stop 3. From this point everyone turned around. In about 10 miles the 100 mile riders would turn left and the 87 milers would turn right and head back into Santa Fe. I ended up riding the 43 miles back with two of our new riders, Dennis and Timmie. They are both strong riders and we were making good time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oMrCd13wl_4/W-yJsJwc62I/AAAAAAAAK1A/-9Nx8eSOjaEvIcNzy0QOnRjInyjUPo2JACLcBGAs/s1600/45361437_10215792592300739_9213318909984243712_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="958" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oMrCd13wl_4/W-yJsJwc62I/AAAAAAAAK1A/-9Nx8eSOjaEvIcNzy0QOnRjInyjUPo2JACLcBGAs/s320/45361437_10215792592300739_9213318909984243712_n.jpg" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dennis, Tom and Timmie getting ready to climb "The Hill".</td></tr>
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Our pace started to slow as a headwind came up over the saw tooth sections. Each of us had some struggles. About five miles before the final break point my left leg started to tighten up. I had no power in the leg, which made climbing up all those hills very difficult. I kept falling behind my ride partners. Thankfully there was someone giving neck massages at the rest stop. I asked her to massage my leg instead. She did a great job of working out the tightness and I was able to continue.<br />
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The final 10 mile stretch was a long, slow, uphill slog. The elevation, wind, and long day in the saddle were starting to take their toll. The three of us took frequent breaks and vowed to just stay together. As the sun was starting to dip very low in the sky we rolled through the finish line. Our teammates were there cheering and volunteers hung medals around our necks. I've done 14 of these rides, and the finish line is always an amazing experience. Only minutes before it took everything I had just to make the pedals go around. Once I crossed that line I had a renewed energy. I stayed around and cheered for our teammates who still were finishing. As is the west Michigan custom, our whole team stayed around and cheered until the last rider finished.<br />
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The Santa Fe ride raised $2,000,000 for diabetes research. The west Michigan team was the number five team in terms of amount of money raised. Thank you to everyone who donated to the cause this year. Because of you we are closer than ever to finding a cure for type one diabetes.Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-35373169128019527132018-11-14T14:39:00.000-05:002018-11-14T14:39:28.298-05:00Santa Fe Ride Recap - part 1JDRF ride #14 is finished. Santa Fe was one of the hardest JDRF rides we've done yet. The city is 7,000 feet above sea level and there was over 4,000 feet of climbing on the route I did. Oh, and it was 38 degrees at the starting line. But more on all that later.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tom and Mary at the San Antonio Springs trail head.</td></tr>
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Understanding that the New Mexico elevation may be an issue, Mary and I went out there a few days early. Our plan was to do some hiking and get acclimated to the conditions. Our first two nights we stayed in a bed and breakfast in Jemez Springs that was 6,300 feet above sea level. Figured that was a good start. We noticed right away how dry the air is. We immediately started using our Death Valley hydration protocol. We both had mild headaches the first two days, but those went away as we drank more water and took a little vitamin I.<br />
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On Wednesday we drove the rental car up into the mountains to the San Antonio Hot Springs Trail (8,000 feet above sea level). It was snowing as went up the mountain. We wanted to drive the access road and park at the trail head that is only a mile from the hot springs. However, the "road" was barely passable. When we found an abandoned car in a mud hole about two miles in, we decided to park and walk the remaining three miles to the springs. The hike was worth it. The view was great and the hot springs felt great, even though it started to snow on us as we were getting out of the water. We hiked for about a mile in the snow. Although it was cold out, it didn't feel as cold as a similar temperature in Michigan. The dry air and lack of wind are probably to account for that.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3RLqI-1J2GQ/W-x3UeXAPzI/AAAAAAAAK0s/MWD9_azjZ1wl_QvmRzbSefcxUTtJYekKACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_5152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3RLqI-1J2GQ/W-x3UeXAPzI/AAAAAAAAK0s/MWD9_azjZ1wl_QvmRzbSefcxUTtJYekKACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_5152.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The canyon at Bandelier National Monument.</td></tr>
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On Thursday we met up with some of our JDRF team mates and went hiking in <a href="https://www.nps.gov/band/index.htm" target="_blank">Bandelier National Monument</a>. It's interesting getting to the monument, as you have to drive past the national laboratory in Los Alamos. That's where the built the first atomic bomb. You still need to go through security checkpoints when entering or leaving the city. The hike was done in two parts. The first was through a canyon to a waterfall. According to the ranger at the information center we were in luck because the waterfall was actually running that day. It's been very dry in that part of New Mexico and for most of the summer there was no waterfall. We saw some amazing rock formations that looked like tents that have been eroded away. The second part of the hike was to a 500 year old cliff dwelling. We were able to climb up into a few of the dwellings. It's amazing that anyone could live in a space that small.<br />
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After Bandelier we headed to Santa Fe to check into the hotel and get ready for ride weekend. I'll go into more detail about the ride in Part Two. Did I mention that it was hard?Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-14340408258280147722018-10-27T16:00:00.000-04:002018-10-27T16:00:25.154-04:00One week to go<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q_nhip9uaPU/W9TDbU9z7HI/AAAAAAAAKzc/3_YDA-gYPxYwVY8quyc8j7nrFE5dnokcQCLcBGAs/s1600/Finish%2Bline%2B06a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1305" data-original-width="870" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q_nhip9uaPU/W9TDbU9z7HI/AAAAAAAAKzc/3_YDA-gYPxYwVY8quyc8j7nrFE5dnokcQCLcBGAs/s320/Finish%2Bline%2B06a.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
One week from today we will be participating in a JDRF ride for the 14th consecutive year. This year's adventure takes us to Santa Fe, New Mexico. For a variety of reasons this could be our toughest ride yet. To start with the elevation in Santa Fe is 7,000 feet above sea level. That's more than the Lake Tahoe ride in 2012. The 100 mile route features a 1,300 foot climb over seven miles. Which is about the same as Jubilee Pass in Death Valley which we rode in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, and 2014. The temperature is predicted to be in the low to mid 40's, or the same as we had in Killington, Vermont is 2009.<br />
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Our bikes were shipped out last week and we are leaving Tuesday. We want to get out a few days early so that we can start to get acclimated to the elevation. According to the science types, at one mile in elevation there is 50% less oxygen than at sea level. That takes some getting used to. Hopefully it won't negatively impact our ride next Saturday. My plan is to ride the full century (100 miles) and Mary is planning on the metric century (100 kilometers).<br />
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Thank you to everyone who has donated to our ride this year. Mary and I have to raise $5,000 each. As I write this she is about $400 short of our goal and I'm about $700 short. If you'd like to help close the gap we'd greatly appreciate it. <a href="https://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR;jsessionid=00000000.app362b?fr_id=7376&pg=personal&px=1266855&NONCE_TOKEN=886D939E5116A1808023D8BC8662C8B3" target="_blank">Donate to Mary here</a> and <a href="https://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR?fr_id=7376&pg=personal&px=1266747" target="_blank">donate to Tom here</a>. Thanks again for helping fund the search for a cure to Type 1 diabetes.Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-24819854466507673682018-10-15T22:29:00.000-04:002018-10-15T22:29:57.418-04:00Final Team Ride<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n9P4oIACo4A/W8VMg_UZQEI/AAAAAAAAKyA/rE8L5Adb5XQBc5N0xiZ0WcgEOeFGmBk7ACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_5121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n9P4oIACo4A/W8VMg_UZQEI/AAAAAAAAKyA/rE8L5Adb5XQBc5N0xiZ0WcgEOeFGmBk7ACLcBGAs/s400/IMG_5121.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The team heads out the final time before Santa Fe.</i></td></tr>
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Yesterday was our last team ride of the year. The Santa Fe ride, on the first weekend of November, is the last of six JDRF ride events for 2018. So except for the 22 of us riding in Santa Fe, the rest of the team has completed their respective destination JDRF rides. Also, our bikes leave on Thursday, so the season is just about done.<br />
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We had a great fall day for the last ride. Sunny skies, light wind, and temperatures in the mid-50's. There were two loops of 30 and 40 miles. Mary did the 30 mile loop and I did the 40. We all started from the Taylor's house near Ada and rode north to Wabasis Lake. We returned thru Cannonsburg. One of the roads we were on was Honeycreek. Anyone who lives in this area knows how hilly that road is. We will be riding a lot of hills in Santa Fe, so it was good to ride a lot of hills on our team ride.<br />
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Santa Fe will be the 14th consecutive year that Mary and I have participated in a JDRF ride. Because of the elevation (7,000 feet above sea level) and all the climbing (6,000 feet) this could be the toughest ride we've ever done. I feel pretty good, but I'm concerned about how my body is going to deal with the elevation. This is higher than either Lake Tahoe or Loveland, Colorado. Plus it's probably going to be cold at the start and I don't really like cold weather. But my goal is 100 miles and I will do everything I can to achieve it.<br />
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<i>Thanks to everyone who has donated so far. You can still donate by <a href="https://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR;jsessionid=00000000.app362b?fr_id=7376&pg=personal&px=1266747&NONCE_TOKEN=9494DBECF19DD11B455DA511B6C3FE3F" target="_blank">clicking on this link</a>.</i>Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3689873112130139563.post-79324624755982101092018-10-08T19:57:00.000-04:002018-10-08T19:57:46.759-04:00Great Night for a RideMary and I just got back from a little 20 mile ride on the White Pine Trail. We rode north up to Russel Road and then back. The trees along the trail are turning golden and some light rain earlier in the day put a shiny slick on the pavement and the already fallen leaves. There were many cyclists out on the trail tonight - more than I've seen on that stretch in a long time. Everyone probably wanted to get out an enjoy the 80 degree temps and relatively non-rainy conditions.<br />
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I also did a 20 mile ride on Saturday, going south on the WPT and then thru Riverside Park before heading back almost along the same route. Last Thursday I was on the northbound leg of the WPT again, riding to 15 Mile Road before turning around. A 22 mile round trip. That gives 62 miles in the last five days and 1,096 for the year, so far.<br />
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We leave for our ride in Santa Fe three weeks from tomorrow. Mary and I are going out a couple of days early to get acclimated to the altitude (7,199 feet above sea level) and do a little hiking. The ride takes place on November 3 and I'm getting close to my $5,000 goal. If you'd like to make a donation to help find a cure for Type 1 diabetes, <a href="https://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR;jsessionid=00000000.app363b?fr_id=7376&pg=personal&px=1266747&NONCE_TOKEN=1ADF15AAA58211AF80F44557CF6DBA33" target="_blank">please follow this link</a>.<br />
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<i>26 days until we ride in Santa Fe.</i>Tom Scheidelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761477609336746251noreply@blogger.com0