As many of you may know, I completed the Red Ribbon Ride 2008 last Sunday. I have posted my photos here. As usual it was a great time. This year’s weather was different from the previous years though. On the first day we had to sit in a church for 3-4 hours while it stormed out. After that though, the weather pretty much cooperated with us for the rest of the ride. This year I slept in a tent every night instead of staying in the gym. I wish I would have done this all the previous years because it is much cooler than the hot gyms. It was very convenient that I had friends that were doing gear this year so I didn’t have to worry about putting up my tent or taking it down. We ended up staying at a park in Lake City.
On Day 2, I ended up getting a flat tire. Luckily for me, I got a flat a couple of weeks earlier on busy HWY 23, so now I have learned to change my tire in about 30 seconds. Thank god for CO2 cartridges. That night we stayed at a Rochester School.
On Day 3, we spent the night in Northfield. That night was Friends & Family night. Jeanne White, who was the mother of Ryan White, came and gave a presentation. Ryan White was a hemophiliac in the 80’s that contracted HIV through contaminated blood. It was very interesting to hear her story and what their family had to endure.
On Day 4, the final day, we had a short ride (50 miles) to the capitol in St. Paul. Usually we end at Richfield middle school in previous years, so that was a really nice change.
Overall, it was another great year. I was able to ride every mile despite the weather. I am also very fortunate for my donors. This year was my best year for fundraising due to my continued donations from friends and family and also the company I work for, W3i. I raised over $2,300. Without everyone’s support I would not be able to do this ride, and without this ride, many of these organizations would be able to keep their doors open. I have already registered for next year and happy to say that I was the 3rd person to do so. By the time the ride ended, over 100 people had registered, so next year could be the largest year yet.
