Hooo-Haa! (from Scent of a Woman; what a rascal that colonel was!) pretty well sums up where I'm at and where I'm goin'! This is my new blog and I have a new Ride Ataxia fundraising site (see above), lots of optimism and we're keeping the thermastat low at home to help me acclimate for the coming ride! lol

Thank you for coming to this blog site and for being interested in Ride Ataxia and my small part in it. If you choose to help sponsor me in this ride I thank you [it's tax deductible ;-) ], and if you choose not to I hope you have somewhere else you are sharing some of yourself with your community.

3 years ago a young man with late onset Friedreich's Ataxia (FA) rode a recumbent trike 2400 miles from San Diego, CA to Memphis, TN to bring visibility to FA. His family went with him and he gained supporters as he rode accross the country. Last year he and more supporters rode almost 700 miles from Sacramento to Las Vegas. Because of his effort FA researchers were given about $350,000 over the 2 years! Now about 50 or more riders in the 3rd annual Ride Ataxia ride from Portland to Seattle where the 2009 NAF Conference will be held; 500+ ataxia-interested people gathering to learn, talk and network about ataxia.

Why am I riding? Easy; here's my reason. If my daughter Brianne can continue living life abundantly
after 22 years with FA I can certainly ride 4 days in the cold and rain! (I am praying for sunshine though!)

So, how am I doing??

- Last year I rode two 50-mile Ride Ataxia legs separated by 11 days; my buns had recovered by the second leg and the new seat (I wore the fabric off the nose of the first seat -ouch!) worked well. Temperatures ranged from 60 - 75 degrees. Since my preparation consisted of pulling the bike out of the garage and filling the tires with air I considered my 10mph average and lots of good conversation a real success!

- This year the 4 days in a row plus cold/rain/headwind have me a little nervous; so the FreeCycle mountain bike has been out of the garage for awhile.

* Averaged one 16 mile ride a week -Hey! That's good!

* Knobby tires replaced with road "slicks"

* Another new seat with a groove toward the front! ;-)

* My hands were going numb after an hour so my bro-in-law Mike (thank you Mike!!) welded extension hand grips atop my extender bars so I can sit higher. I know, I can't reach the brakes! No problem; I'm not stopping anyhow! lol

* Replaced my acquarium tube sucker straw with a new one;

black stuff growing in it; yecht. Who needs a Camelbak?!

* Yesterday bought a rain suit! Just in case.

* My lovely Susan sewed arm and leg warmers, plus foot warmers with the scraps!

So, I'm just about ready! Susan will drive the truck as part of the support crew and I will keep her number on my cell speed dial. Between now and our departure for Portland I will post a few more times to keep y'all up to date on my "intensive" training regimen. Tomorrow Dave Wait and I again take on Robert's Road and Sonoma Mountain. 920 feet elevation increase in 1.5 miles; we may not go far but we bust our buns doing it! lol Don't forget my other website: http://www.active.com/donate/rideataxia/PKonanz ! ;-) God bless, and have an adventuous day!