Orel Family

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, ...

After the ride. WE DID IT!! Tour de Cure 2009 is in the books. For the first time, all of us did the ride. This morning in Brighton, Aaron and I participated in the 25-mile bike ride out of Brighton, and Lori and Elianna participated in the 10-mile ride. I am incredibly proud of both kids. For Elianna, it has barely been two months since she learned to ride a bike. And for Aaron, what a ride: All the hills. No walking the bike. No stops at all between the rest area, except for a very brief moment when our path crossed with Lori and Elianna. Conditions were perfect, nearly erasing memories of last year's excruciating heat. Perfect, except for the one moment on the way home when my bikes decided they'd like to fly right off the car (fortunately, they stayed attached). Business part first: Now, then: Donations may still be made through the remainder of June, 2009, via the American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure website. Our pages: Me: http://tinyurl.com/ma...

WE DID IT!! Tour de Cure 2008 is over. Sunday morning, Aaron and I participated in the 25-mile bike ride out of Brighton. This was an ambitious ride for Aaron; he'd never gone more than 15 before. And, it would be a special challenge, as predictions called for extreme heat. Everything in the basic setup for the right involves a bit of nerves. There's the fundraising, of course (and there's still time for a bit more of that). The liability waivers and emergency contact forms. And... the bike rack. When I was 16, my dad loaded me up in the station wagon to go off to summer school in Massachusetts, and we loaded my 10-speed bike up on the rack. Out the driveway he backed, oblivious to the angle of descent in to the road and the many little bumper scrapes over the years. I remember feeling a repetitive bumping sensation in the car, followed by a scream to dad to stop the car! But it was too late, my bicycle resembled Curious George's after he hit the rock. ...