Hello Stranger!

Well hello there and welcome to my fantastic adventure! You don't know me (yet) but I have a story to tell so settle in and read on.

 Once upon a time, back in 1968, a man & a woman got together.. Uh, not THAT story, THIS story!

I've always been a cyclist. I'm happiest when the wind is blowing in my face, the bugs are lodging in my teeth (grinning while you ride is a great way to get extra protein in the form of little flying creatures), and the world is whizzing by at 12 miles per hour (20 kph) - faster if it's a terrific downhill. My love for cycling started with my first bike back in 1982 - a red & grey, second hand, repainted, banana seated beauty that I received for Christmas and rode EVERYWHERE until I graduated to borrowing my mom's powder blue 3-speed complete with wire basket. From there it was a heavy gold 10-speed and then (how I wish I still had this beauty) a sleek silver ancient Motobécane.The Motobécane hung around for about 8 years before finally giving in, dropping its chain, blowing a tire, and generally falling apart on a long ride. Feeling stranded and betrayed, I opted for a shiny new bike - the Specialized Crossroads - in 1992. You might recognize it from my blog. Yes, it is still around and yes, it is the bike I rode in the Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer last  year (and probably will again this year unless some nice person donates a more street-wise bike - I'm only 5'3" so something small and fast would be delightful). And that brings us to...
 
My latest adventure started on March 4, 2013 when I leapt off of the cliff named "Doing something MUCH bigger than yourself"which I fondly refer to as The Ride of Insanity. Sounds much better than The Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer, which is what it is, of course.

I am still not really sure which megrim possessed me to sign up for a 220 km, 2-day bike ride in the hilly area west of Calgary, AB in 2013. Whichever one it was, it grabbed hold of me again this year and I am once again a registered rider.

Now at this point, you may be wondering what this has to do with you. Perhaps you thought that I was putting these wonderful stories out there simply for amusement purposes (though I'm not sure who would be the most amused by them, me or you). But alas, I have a grander scheme in mind. It is my hope that you will find it in your heart to donate to my ride. Yes, you, a total stranger whom I have never met! Why you ask? Because it is THE fashionable thing to do of course! Well, that and you are a really nice person, who feels immense satisfaction simply from knowing that you did a great deed today. See how that works? Oh, and also because I will do (almost) anything for a donation. You'll need to read the post for the full set of "rules" but basically; You make a donation and then a request, I complete the task and then document it with pictures and a blog post. Instant fame for you (or as close as you can get out of a blog)!

Are you up for the challenge? Start by donating here.