Support Me in Tour de Cure!

I will be cycling in the American Diabetes Association's Tour de Cure fundraising event. Please support me with a donation by selecting the "Sponsor Me" button. Our efforts will help set the pace in the fight against diabetes. So let's get in gear and ride to Stop Diabetes!

Help Make a Difference in the fight against diabetes!

Each mile I ride, and the funds I raise will be used in the fight to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

No matter how small or large, your generous gift will help improve the lives of nearly 24 million Americans who suffer from diabetes, in the hope that future generations can live in a world without this disease. Together, we can all make a difference!

Thank you for making a generous contribution to this cause that is so important to me!

This cause is so important to me because it affects so many people who are important to me; my mother, my family, my friends and many, many people who I care for professionally and personally.

The Tour de Cure in Rochester Minnesota Through The Years;

There and Back Again;

An Epic Tale of Many Journeys!

In Minnesota conversations, stories, score big when you talk about the climate or the cuisine. You score really big when you talk about both in the same sentence; for example, it was SNOWING and the SNOW FLAKES were as big as ... MUFFINS!

Diabetes has to do with food and its metabolism, the Tour de Cure has to do with riding a bike in Minnesota Weather; both of which can provide some interesting challenges and opportunities!  ;-)

Craigslist of meterologic cycling opportunites and experiences with the Tour de Cure through the years.

2007 - The year of the eye of the storm.

2008 - The year of the hail.

2009 - The year of the wind.

2010 - The year of the graduation and rain.

2011 - The year of the down pour, the big rain, the rain was so torrential that the previous year of the rain was renamed the year of the drizzle.

2012 - The year of the gale, the big wind, it was so windy that the previous year of the wind was renamed the year of the strong breeze.

A link to the 2013 100 kilometer bike route for the Rochester MN Tour de Cure: http://main.diabetes.org/site/DocServer/62_mile_ride_ROCHESTER_2012.pdf?docID=132405

2007 was the first year that I rode in the Tour de Cure. There was a huge tri-state thunder storm, that looked like a land hurricane on the weather maps, which was slowly making its way across South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. It had an "eye" which was at least 100 miles across that hit Rochester at about 8PM on Friday night and left Rochester at about 2PM Saturday afternoon. We rode in the "eye of the storm" for the entire bike route. The "eye" had the courtesy to stick around so the after ride festivities could take place. That year the Tour de Cure was preceded and followed by fairly intense thunderstorms. Lucky us, the "eye" did not blink! There was a morning, an evening, my first Tour de Cure was finished, we went  82 kilometers, 51 miles, and we saw that it was good.

2008 was the year of the hail storm. I checked the weather maps at about 6AM that day and the skies were crystal clear. By 6:30 AM there was a small green spot that had developed by Mankato, signifying a small storm. We then left for Silver Lake Park to start the Tour de Cure. As we left to start our fateful journey on our bikes we could see a small thunder storm in the distant southwest sky. By 9 AM we were just finishing the southward leg of our journey and the small storm had rapidly grown into a monster of a thunderstorm cell that was moving very very fast toward Rochester. It was such a high energy intense phenomena that some of us still believe to this day that was a portal into another universe. We were asked to abort our 50 mile journey and take the 30 mile alternative because of the threatening weather. At that point we seriously thought about renaming our team the SS Minnow. As we turned from Highway 30 (the road to Hayfield) to go north, the wind and rain hit. While going north we were drenched with a down pour and struck by small pieces of ice, fortunately not the big pieces of hail that pummeled other parts of Rochester. We were on a road going north with very steep and narrow shoulders surrounded by trees, there was no place to stop where we could avoid being hit by any traffic. Fortunately for us, the people who drive cars had too much sense to be out in that kind of weather, which made it safer for those of on bikes. Water gushed out of my shoes each time I pedaled. Not only was it raining cats and dogs, I believe it was raining flying monkeys. There were lightning strikes occurring once a minute on either side of us, which made high trees a less than ideal shelter. Never seek protection from a lightning storm by hugging a large lightning rod such as a wet tree. ;-) The storm left as rapidly as it came and was gone by the time we returned to Silver Lake Park, where our journey had started. A special thanks to Dr. Linda Williams who was the leader of Team-OMC at that time and led us well through some challenging Minnesota weather, I believe that it was a combination of her good leadership and her clicking the heels of her ruby bike shoes together that got us home safely. There was a morning, an evening, my second Tour de Cure was finished, we went 52 kilometers, 32 miles, and we saw that it was good.

2009 was the first year to be called the year the wind. There was no rain, but winds of 20 to 30 mph from the west and north kicked in shortly after we completed the southward leg of our journey and began the westward and northward legs of our journey. That year taught me the joy of drafting while cycling into the wind. A special thanks to Dr. James Hoffman, a partner, friend and cycling mentor who showed me the ins and outs of drafting. See "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drafting_(aerodynamics)" . There was a morning, an evening, my third Tour de Cure was finished, we went  82 kilometers, 51 miles, and we saw that it was good.

2010 was the year of the graduation and rain. My youngest daughter graduated from college in the Twin Cities on the same day of the Tour de Cure in Rochester, so I had to make a choice. Of course I went to the graduation on that day; however the Tour de Cure leadership graciously allowed me to participate as usual, except we rode in the Twin Cities Tour de Cure 2 weeks later, 1 week after Memorial Day Weekend. We arrived at the Mall of America at 6AM and took our bikes on the Tram to Minnehaha Falls where the Tour de Cure started. It was overcast at the beginning, began to drizzle en route, and by the end was raining. The lakes and trails in Minneapolis, the rivers and trails in St. Paul were gorgeous; the rain was cold and wet. There was a morning, an evening, my forth Tour de Cure was finished, we went 100 kilometers, 63 miles, and we saw that it was good.

2011 was  year of the down pour, the big rain; the rain was so torrential that the previous year of the rain was renamed the year of the drizzle. We started at Silver Lake with overcast skies. Shortly after Salem Corners it began to mist. On the road going south out of Kasson Mantorville it became a gentle rain. It continued to rain as we went through Rock Dell, turned south and then east and rode into Stewartville. As we left Stewartville the rain turned into a torrential down pour, although some say it was worse than that. The rain came down so hard and fast that that we were riding in over an inch of water on crowned roads without curbs. We could only see a few yards in front of us at times. I ended up giving an earthworm the ride of its life on my bike for the last 30 miles of the tour. The down pour relented and turned to a rain by Pleasant Grove, a drizzle by Simpson, overcast sky without rain by Fugel's Mill, and partially sunny by Rochester. Things I was grateful for during the Tour de Cure 2011 Rochester MN bike ride, rain, wind and down pour:

We saved so much sun screen! No risk of sun stroke or heat exhaustion. No risk of dehydration, hydration was not a problem, water was everywhere. No risk of melanoma or other skin cancers. A good cause to ride for.

A special thanks to Bob Gritman from Bicycle Sports; his store supported the event, he rode with us, he stopped in the rain and helped many riders with flat tires, bike issues and bike problems. There was a morning, an evening, my fifth Tour de Cure was finished, we went 100 kilometers, 63 miles, and we saw that it was good.

2012 was the year of the gale, the year of the big wind; it was so windy that the previous year of the wind was renamed the year of the strong breeze.  The forecast was for winds from the south at 18 mph, gusting to 29 mph.  The winds were recorded at 33 mph from the south with gusts up to 43 mph. I believe we hit close to 50 mph winds at times in the SE quadrant of Olmsted County, just before we turned east. The wind really slowed down southward cycling and sped up northward cycling. We did 5 to 10 mph going south into the wind, 20 to 40 mph going north with the wind. Most people describe the wind as blowing, that day the wind sucked. Not only was it so windy that birds were actually flying backwards when they were trying to fly into the wind; the birds were landing and walking to make forward movement against the wind. A special thanks to Nick and Dr. Vincent Canzanello, we took turns drafting with each other and helped each other live through the year of the big wind. Doing 100 kilometers in the wind was so fun that 2 weeks later we did 140 kilometers in the Tour de Cure in the Twin Cities. The weather was perfect, the scenery was gorgeous, I had great company (Sharon Chambers, my roommate and wife). There were a couple of mornings, a couple of evenings, we went 100 kilometers, 63 miles, and then 138 kilometers, 86 miles, my sixth Tour de Cure was finished, and we saw that it was good.

It is now time for my seventh Tour de Cure; it is not a time for rest, and we see that is very good. With weather permitting we will train, with good or bad weather we will ride. Diabetes is taking our country and world by storm, so we ride to help find treatments and ultimately a cure for diabetes. I strive against diabetes and its effects in my work, in my community, in my family, in my cycling. We need riders, donors, fund raisers, people with rich friends, encouragers, and people to get the word out. Spread the news. Support the team. Join the team. Help find the cure for diabetes. Thanks for your support and involvement.

A special thanks to the American Diabetes Association who has assumed the title and role of being our sextant and compass when we navigate the dangerous waters of diabetes as this illness storms our country, hurting our families, friends, and the people we care for.

A very special thanks to Sharon Chambers, my very special partner and wife, who supports me, and joins me in this great cause.

Live long and prosper to all who have diabetes!

A link to the 2013 100 kilometer bike route for the Rochester MN Tour de Cure: http://main.diabetes.org/site/DocServer/62_mile_ride_ROCHESTER_2012.pdf?docID=132405