Tour de Cure 2013

For the ninth consecutive year, Aaron and I rode in the annual Tour de Cure ride to help support the American Diabetes Association (ADA).  It was the 5th ride for Elianna and Lori.

First things first:  We are still accepting donations through the end of June.  The link is:  http://main.diabetes.org/goto/teamorel

We may have a date conflict next year, so this ride may be our last for a while. So I am posting some pictures of our rides over these past 9 years...

Aaron during the first ride, in 2005

At a rest stop in 2006. Elianna was still using the bike in 2012.

On the ride, in 2007

2008: Prepared to leave

2009: The first full family ride, and the last at Island Lake.

2010: Aaron and Elianna at Brighton High School before the ride

Lori and Elianna during the 2011 ride.

Before the start of the 2012 Tour de Cure

2013: At a rest stop. Aaron says he wants to go 62 miles next year.

2013: After the ride.

We've gone from 7 mile rides to 15 to 25, from just myself and Aaron to our full family, from trips along Island Lake and Kensington Park paths to Brighton streets, from a medium size Sunday morning event to a very large Saturday event (I'd greatly prefer a return to Sunday, but I don't expect to get my way any time soon). We've gone in rain and also in sweltering heat. And, of course, we've had the continuing bike rack adventures, that I noted in last year's blog piece. I bought a new bike rack this year.

In 2005, the ride was a good way for Aaron -- then age 8 and just a few months in to cycling on two wheels -- and I to do an organized ride. I didn't think too hard about the cause, even though Lori and I each had grandparents who suffered from diabetes. That first year, I raised a little more than $1600, and another $800 for Aaron. When I picked up a brochure for the 2006 ride, much to my surprise I was listed as the 4th highest fundraiser for 2005! I was hooked.

Since 2005, we have raised a total of $33,712.50 for the ADA, not counting occasional matching gifts. That includes $3543 so far this year. Conditions were ideal, but by the 10th mile my legs were hurting: I'm no longer coasting to stay with Aaron. He's grown, he has a new bike, and now it is up to me to keep up. He barely stopped even to sip his Gatorade, while at the rest stop is was I noticing just how wonderful that quarter orange felt going down.

The Michigan 2013 Tour de Cure 25 mile route -- unchanged from 2012. 

Conditions this year were ideal, and Aaron and I completed our 25 mile course in just over 2 hours. If we ride next year, we're going to graduate to the 62-mile ride.