Beaming with pride!

T has embraced the challenge of training for a CRAZY mountain century with zest this spring/summer. He's only picked up a golf club twice as most of his evenings and weekends revolved around building up his endurance and leg strength. Hours on an indoor trainer when the weather is bad is not exactly 'fun'. Some of his weekend training rides took over 6 hours! My man sets a goal and gets after it :)

As most know our local Mountains of Misery was the goal. 104 miles, with 10,000′ of climbing. Unfortunately some wheel/tire issues that seemed to have been plaguing him cut his day short when he broke a spoke. Disappointed but not defeated we set out to find another similar ride to complete!

Enter the 2010 Garrett County Gran Fondo "Savage Century". 102 miles and over 11,000' of climbing. Not only did he sign up for another month of training BUT this ride had a new goal - the option to raise money for the Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation. You guys know I'm a 'sunscreen nazi' and skin cancer is on my list of 'hates'. What a great organization to support! Thanks to our generous friends and family T surpassed his goal and has raised $850 for Melanoma research! He's a winner before getting on his bike this morning!

A note posted by the event organizers about the course he's riding today... "We do not exaggerate when we claim the Diabolical Double is as tough a single-day ride as exists on the planet, and this claim is backed by professional cyclists from the Rapha Continental team who rode the route on their 2009 North America Epic Ride tour as well as two ride leaders of a Tour de France cycling tour company who rode the Diabolical Double and claimed they've experienced no Tour de France stage so tough. The Fabulous Fifty and Savage Century are just as extreme, simply shorter. Please do your homework and come prepared for the ride of your life!"
I really hope he's having the ride of his life and can't wait to see him cross the finish line in a couple hours!

Babe you inspire me! I'm so proud of you :)

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The 2010 Garrett County Gran Fondo raised over $20,000!!

The Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation is a non-profit charity, known nationally as "the voice for melanoma prevention, detection, care, and cure!".

Alarming facts about Melanoma:
~Melanoma is the most serious and lethal form of skin cancer.
~One person dies every hour in the U.S. from melanoma.
~Melanoma is the most common cancer for young adults ages 25-29; and,
.......Second most common cancer in adolescents and young adults 15-29 years old.
~Over 121,500 new melanoma cases will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2009; and,
.......8,650 people are expected to die.
~The lifetime risk of developing melanoma is 1 in 53