Hello everyone, this is Tony. For the past five
days I have been on a bike trip that will take me and a group of nine riders and four
support personnel across nine states in twelve days for 2,800 miles. We have raised
money through the Chicago Fire Department's charitable organization Ignite The
Spirit to help fund research into pediatric cancer through the 41 and 9
foundation.
We started in Torrence, California, by dipping our bikes in
the Pacific. We left that town accompanied by a police motorcycle escort.
Needless to say within 30 miles debris on the road flatted both my tires. At
least it happened quick in the route and hopefully won't happen again for the
duration of the trip.
Since California we have been in Arizona, staying
in Tulsa, through unbelievable elevations with many cat 1 climbs. In New Mexico we
stayed in this haunted hotel in Maintainaire (elev 6600). We also saw Billy the Kid's
grave. We were then in Texas where we have taken in our fair share of smelling cows. We
are just outside of Amarillo and almost half way through our trip.
I
would like to thank my sponsors for letting me use their equipment. My LAS
helmet is not restricting any airflow to my head and I forgot as I was waiting
my pull once that I already had it on. Also my Serfas sunglasses and my new 500
lumen light. It's pretty neat that this thing is so bright I can see it shining
on the ground when the sun is still out. And of course, can't forget my horse-
Giant TCR SL bike. In 6 days I look forward to dipping my bike in the
Atlantic at Myrtle Beach.