Night 3 of 4...almost done

This is what happens when one is cooped up in a 12x 14 room with a 6 year old (going on 16 attitude) and a 6 year olds mom who is claustrophobic for 72 hour eeg / video monitoring.

Why I Ride why I cycle for Cures

Testing and monitoring at Boston Childrens Hospital....hoping for some answers...praying for some relief.

2013-10-20 CTF / Sound Cyclists Fall Foliage Reservoir Tour

Closer to Free October "Foliage Ride" What a "colorful group"!!!!!

I apologize for the  wear and tear on the map.  It truly does show its age. I have used and marked this map for about 10 years now.  For this ride I added the logos via cut and paste on the copy machine...I promise to make upcoming maps and cue sheets cleaner!.

Sunday October 20, 2013 9:00am.  Photo tells the story of the skies, the foliage colors and the light breeze.  It was not windy, yet we all had our share of slight head winds ahead of us.  The morning temperatures were in the hi 50's.  It appeared to warm up around mile mark 7.....maybe the hills had something to do with how warm we felt.

Sign In and Rules of the Road..

the first 7 miles were flat

 

pancake flat

view from the loop around the reservoir

view from the road along the reservoir

view from the road along the reservoir

view from the road along the reservoir

Paula before the wrong turn that gave her an extra 10 miles and an extra 1,000 ft of climbing

WHAT THE?????? IS THAT A WILD PIG ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD?????YEP!!!!! Thank you Diane Krause for taking the photo.....I was too "Chicken" to do so..... SOOOO glad she didn't start chasing us!!!!!

"chitter chatter".....it is not all about the ride...it is about the friends we make before, during and after the rides"

marking the calender for the next ride!

Ed and Douglas at Redding Market. keep your eye on the Closer To Free website www.rideclosertofree.org and please join us for the next ride.....this one was extremely fun, short and proved to be quite the workout!!!!!

A Little Inspiration from Ed

While we all continue to practice deep-restful breathing; while we drink so much pre ride H2O that we can personally refill Poland Spring;  While we consistently stretch our legs, back, neck and arms to the point where everyone around us at the grocery store and restaurant thinks we are weird; while we check our pile of gear for the umpteenth time to assure that we have helmet, shoes; 24 GUs, extra tubes, pump or CO2 cartridges, sunscreen, I.D., 6 packets of Butt butter, cash, bottles filled with ice and water, etc.  While we overload on Ronzoni, Ragu and Spinach salad,  while we prepare to get 12 hours of restful sleep and think back to...."when the heck is the last time that I even get 5 hours of restful sleep?. 
While we ask ourselves..."what the heck am I going to do now that I am not training for Closer to Free??"

I would like to offer you a few inspirational quotes for your ride day.  I wish you all a safe enjoyable ride. I thank you all for doing what you are doing and hope that you accomplish what you came out to do.  May your legs be as strong as your hearts, May the wind be always at your back, and Please Lord or Please let the hills be as pancake flat as Guido said they were.  I hope that at least one of these quotes will stick to your memory and help motivate you up a steep climb or through out a long flat.  Ride safe......and most importantly.....stay ahead of me so that I can draft off of you!!!!!

2013-8-31 Shooting the (Whirlwind) Monster in the Closet

Whirlwind is a monster of a hill in Connecticut. Many of us fear it. And then one day, Ed sent us an email suggesting we shoot this monster in the closet...

So we came with our weapons, made of carbon and steel. The monster leered at us but we pushed on...

Suddenly, Ed attacked! The monster groaned!

Next, Karen came swinging. She hardly broke a sweat. We knew then the monster was trembling...

And Diane attacked too! Five times! The monster began to wobble...

Victory was ours! It took 10 full-on strikes, but Whirlwind was vanquished. We will never fear you again. (Thanks, Ed, for suggesting this great ride.)

-- Ben and Betsy Kunz

2013-08-24 Before and After

Uncle Ed and Eric "Figo Goncalves  "Damn Are Keith & Becca ever gonna get married????"

Uncle Ed and Eric "Figo Goncalves . YEAHHHHY! Keith and Becca are married!!!!!!do you think they will ever ride with us???? probably not....but we will make sure their kids do.!!!!!

Ed and JD   "Can't wait for Dinner!!!!" photo

Ed and JD " Can't wait till our next ride" photo

Bela, Little "A" and Papa on a nature ride....Little "A" directing traffic!. "Daddy go that way!"

My wonderful wife Bela and I "thank goodness for Weddings or we would  never dress up, I feel balder without my helmet"