Prize Winning Bike Rides

Tim and I bought our first mountain bikes in 1985 when we lived in Vail, Colorado. I loved my pastel pink and sea foam green bike. As mountain bikes evolved to sleeker and lighter frames, I lovingly nicknamed it the “school bus.” We rode the mountains of Colorado in the summer. During mud season in the spring, we travelled four hours to Moab, Utah, to ride on the smooth slickrock trails.

When we moved back to West Virginia in 2002, we discovered Rails to Trails, which were old railroad lines that had been converted to graded bicycle trails. It was typically a gentle climb up and a fun descent down through the beautiful Appalachian forests.

One day, I saw an advertisement that the American Lung Association (ALA) was planning a 100-mile ride over 2 ½ days on the Greenbrier River Trail. It followed the river from Snowshoe Ski Resort and ended in Lewisburg, West Virginia, near the world famous 5-star Greenbrier Hotel and Resort.

The ALA was near and dear to our hearts because several of our family members had recently been diagnosed with lung issues—my father with lung cancer, mother-in-law with COPD and emphysema, brother-in-law with pulmonary fibrosis and father-in-law had a cancerous lung removed. We had no problem recruiting Tim’s sister and her husband to ride with us.

The “easy” ride was not so easy. It rained almost the entire time and the well-graded dirt trail turned to mud. At times it was like slogging through deep sand. Through it all I thought of the people who would love to be doing this ride, but couldn’t because of their lungs. We raised a lot of money for the Lung Association by having people sponsor us. We had so many generous friends and family who donated that our team received an award for raising the most money!

Recently I was sent an email from a friend who is riding in a Multiple Sclerosis Society bike ride. I wanted to help him like so many people had helped us.

Today’s gift was to the National MS Society, Greater Illinois Chapter to support my friend. It looks like he has already raised more money than his goal. He has won regardless of whether he is awarded a prize for the most money raised.

In Giving,

Robin