Giving Tuesday

Happy Giving Tuesday! It's a great day to donate to your favorite cyclist (that would be me!).

Click here (right here) to read about why I ride in The Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer and to make your donation to me or to The Melan Heads - the great team that I am riding with this year.

And while you are sipping your morning coffee and learning more about our team and what drives us, we'll be at the gym, cardio'ing our little hearts out - getting ready for the challenge facing us in August - 200+ KM over 2 days to to raise funds to KICK CANCER'S BUTT!

The Melan Heads

Fundraising Update

The ride: Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer

Distance: 220 km over 2 days

Location: Calgary, AB to Okotoks, AB and back again! 

The Goal: $25,000

Raised to date: $1,915 - Thank you to all of my current donors!

Days left for fundrasing: 59

Why I rode last year: Why I Ride Blog Post

Why I ride this year: 

I ride for those who have been touched by cancer. 

For those who survived, for those who did not, for those who are still fighting, 

and for those who love them. 

I ride for me as well. 

I ride to be a part of something bigger than myself. 

I ride to make a difference.

Events I am participating in: 

Bikeology Festival Day - June 14th - Edmonton - Churchill Square - 12 - 4pm

Canada Day Celebrations - July 1 - Spruce Grove - Jubilee Park - 8am - 11pm

I'll be attending both events as an exhibitor - providing information on The Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer. I'll also have a couple of free prize draws (no purchase necessary) at both events. Come out to learn more about the ride, enter the draw, and say hello!

No one has taken advantage of my offer to do (almost) anything for a donation yet. Will you be the first?

UPDATE: an additional donation has come in bringing the total to date to $2015 - THANK YOU!

UPDATE UPDATE: another donation! Total is now $2065 - THANKS!!!

Spruce Grove Cycling Event

Join me on Sunday, May 25th, 2014 from Noon - 2:00pm for a bike tour of the Spruce Grove Heritage Trails led by Mayor Stuart Houston.

Start at the parking lot of Second Cup, Superstore, etc in Spruce Grove - be there at 11:45am. 

It all started on Twitter  - you can follow the conversation here.

Join the event via Facebook here.

Dust off your bike and come out on Sunday, May 25th from Noon to 2:00 for a bike tour of the Spruce Grove Heritage Trail in support of Tammie MacDearmid Garcia's Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer fundraiser!

Tour will be lead by Mayor Stuart Houston who has promised a donation towards the ride and Frozen Yogurt after the ride. Who doesn't love frozen yogurt! :)

Info on the Enbridge Ride & Fund Raiser can be found here.

Bring your bike, yourself, and your friends & let's make this a fantastic day on the trails!

UPdate

Fundraising Update: 

Goal: $25,000 - I decided to create a much larger challenge for myself. Help me to reach it?
Donated to date: $935.00

Days remaining: 102
Donations needed per day to reach the goal: $236

A couple of stories:

40 km

I'll do (almost) anything for donations
 
Last Year's Ride

Will (insert option) For Donations

UPDATE: July 17, 2014 - Sadie (the bike) here just to let you know that I too will do (almost) anything for a donation - Paint myself a different color, add decorations, ride in your town, ride with you, get brave and roll down a very big hill, try my hand at mountain biking, the list goes on and on! Just follow the rules below to make a donation and then email Tammie to let her know what you want me to do!
~Sadie

I'm looking for donations. You want to be amused. Let's combine the two for some epic fund raising!

Here's how it works;

1. Donate to sponsor my ride in the 2014 Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer. I'd like to raise $25,000 before the ride. Every donation helps. 

2. Message me with your request - keep it clean, safe, and family friendly. Be creative, I like a challenge!  You can send requests to me by email, on Facebook, Twitter, or right here in the comments section of the blog.

3. I'll write a blog post with picture(s) of the request being completed and highlight your request & you, including links back to your blog, social media accounts, and/or website. Or if you prefer, I'll simply say nice things about you.

I get donations, you get notoriety (or at least a blog post, picture, and bragging rights to something or other)

Win-win!

Let the fun begin!!! 

Bunzilla

Fundraising update:

Goal: $10,000
Donated to date: $435.00

Days remaining: 114
Donations needed per day to reach the goal: $83.9
(of course a larger donation is always appreciated as is a smaller one - many drops of rain will fill a bucket!)

As fund raising is not going quite as quickly as I had hoped, I've enlisted the help of Bunzilla to increase sponsorship. To avoid a visit (and loss of many carrots) from said orange-eyed beast, I suggest donating today.  In the event that a donation cannot be made today, tomorrow will do just fine.

Thank you and enjoy your carrots while you still can. ;)

Seeking Donations

Days until the ride: 116
Length of the ride: 220 km over 2 days.

Fundraising goal: $10,000
Raised to date: $215
Daily required donations to reach goal: $86

Will you donate today and help me to reach my goal? In return, I will amuse you with bike stories, dog stories, life stories, recipes for tasty foods, and general musings wherever my mind happens to wander.

http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/nhkayakgirl2014

Here is the story of last year's ride to get you started (after you donate!).  

The bike is ready, can you help me to meet my goal? 

Global Community

I'm setting a new goal for the 2014 Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer - a Global Goal.

My goal is to raise funds from as many countries as possible this year. Cancer is a global epidemic. Not only do I ride to raise funds for Alberta, Canada but also for the world. How will these funds be used?

Money I raise for the Alberta Cancer Foundation through The Ride will directly support patients and families at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary, the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton and 15 cancer centres throughout Alberta. The Alberta Cancer Foundation provides funding to a team of top doctors and scientists whose search for new discoveries and improved patient outcomes will have a real impact in Alberta, across Canada, and around the world.

Discoveries made in Canada don't stay only in Canada. They are shared with the world. Won't you help me to raise donations from as many countries as possible in 2015?

My fund raising link: http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/nhkayakgirl2014

After you've made your donation, I am asking you to share out my story with as many people as you can - though email, social media, word of mouth, however you can. Together we can make an epic impact!

<3

Donations have come in from:
United States of America
Netherlands Antilles
Vietnam

Donations have been promised from:
Canada
England
Ireland

Let's grow these lists!

My Bike Made Me Do It

I was minding my own business when, out of nowhere, my bike jumped me and pinned me down.

I admit that I haven't ridden since that day in September when Gwen and I took a 2.5 hour ride on a beautiful sunny day but I had no idea that my bike has been scheming ever since. Apparently she's been thinking about the Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer since we had finished the ride in August and was eager to sign up again. And so, she committed an act of bike mutiny; Jumping me when I wasn't looking, pinning me down, and giving me a very stern talk on the merits of riding again in 2014.

While she didn't go as far as poking me with her spokes or lashing me with her chain (thank goodness because man, is it greasy!) I guess I can say she was persuasive as here I am - signed up again.

And so that leads to you. Before my mutinous bike can make the rounds of last year's donors, won't you head her off and make your donation today? The goal this year is $10,000.

See you on the ROAD!

Amazing

You are all amazing! I have to send a big THANK YOU out to my sponsors. Some of you I've known for years and some for only a little while but you are all pulling together to help me with this HUGE and amazing journey that I am on.

THANK YOU!

For those of you just joining me in this journey, start here: The Blog

Wondering why I have decided to take on an amazing 2-day bike ride that covers 125 miles (200 KM)? Read about it on my personal Enbridge Ride to Conquor Cancer page. And while you are there, consider making a donation towards my ride. 

And again, Thank You to all who have donated so far!

Be Epic!

I have an epic goal:

To raise $5,000 before I ride 200 KM (125 miles) in 2 days as part of the Enbridge Ride to Conquor Cancer - June 22 & 23rd, 2013. 

All proceeds benefit Alberta Cancer Research

Where it all started

Why I am riding

My Training Programs:
TRX
B&G
Spin
Hiking

MY CHALLENGE TO YOU! - Be Epic! I can't do this without you. Will you help me to reach my goal?

Spinning - Day 1

Training re-commences today with an open spin with the Bulls-Eye Bike Shop Club (drop in whenever) and a scheduled spin class with The Boxing Club. The goal is 2 hours of riding (spinning) today. The protein and electrolytes are mixed and ready to go. Stay tuned...

1st hour down - 25 KM completed. Finally met Herb of Bulls-Eye Bike shop and spent an hour on a bike for the first time in a week. My inner thigh muscle on my right leg is a bit tender after yesterday's hike (would help if I had actual hiking boots, not the 20LB Boots of Death that I wear) so I took it fairly easy but managed to kick out 25 KM anyway. Still learning to ride while standing on a stationary bike. Not as easy as you would think. Nice to be dry, warm, and on a flat surface but I really can't wait to start riding outside!

Next up - 1 hour spin class at The Boxing Club - taught by Svetlana. Small class today, myself, Ashley "Crunchy Frogs" Lydia, and Crystal.

Did you know that you can do push-ups on a bike? Neither did I until today. I have never attended an actual Spinning Class before so today was a day of firsts. First time spinning in a class, first time doing push-ups on a bike, first time doing squats on a bike (yes, while riding). Another hour under the belt (along with 30 jumping jacks and 30 actual squats) and I'm looking forward to pushing it up to 2.5 hours total next weekend.

Gear note: I love my Camelbak, I managed to get 2.5 liters (litres) of water/protein/electrolytes down in 2.5 hours. Padded bike pants are a blessing too!

If you've just joined my blog, you may be wondering why I'm doing all of this. You can read about it here.

Beautiful Skies

 

We get some beautiful skies here in Alberta. And yes, I quite frequently stop my truck in the middle of the street to check them out. :) Fortunately it is a very quiet street (dead end) and I work in that building down there on the left. 

If you missed yesterday's post on the Enbridge Ride to Conquor Cancer and my challenge to you, you can read it here.

If you'd like to see some beautiful pictures of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, visit my album.

Lastly, if you'd like to donate to my Ride to Conquor Cancer, I'd appreciate it!

Have a fantastic day!

My Challenge to You

Hello There!
      By now many (most) of you know that I am participating in the Enbridge Ride to Conquor Cancer on June 22nd & 23rd. While I have registered for the ride, I must raise $2,500 in order to actually participate. And I want to ride this one, not just sit on the sidelines!

The money I raise for the Alberta Cancer Foundation through this Ride will directly support patients and families at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary, Alberta, the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton, Alberta and 15 additional cancer centres throughout Alberta, Canada. The Alberta Cancer Foundation provides funding to a team of top doctors and scientists whose search for new discoveries and improved patient outcomes will have a real impact in the community, across Canada, and around the world.

A bit about the ride:
Date: June 22nd & 23rd, 2013
Distance: 200 KM (125 Miles)
Location: West of Calgary, Alberta
Donation Link: http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/nhkayakgirl
Fundraising required to ride: $2,500.00
Money raised to date: $610.00
Money left to raise to date: $1,890
Days left for fundraising: 80
Dollar amount needed per day to make Minimum goal:  $23.65
Personal fundraising goal: $5,000.00
Dollar amount needed per day to make Personal Goal:  $54.88
Dollars that I have personally donated towards my goal: $100.00
Dollars that I have personally spent on training, nutrition, and equipment to date: $300.00 (note: this does not count the past 12 weeks of fitness training at The Boxing Club nor does it include the next 12 week session that starts next week).
The Challenge to you: Become one of my sponsors by donating at least $25.00 towards my goal.
The BIGGER Challenge to you: Match what I have donated.

Questions for me about this ride, my goals, my training, etc? Email me.

Want to learn more about my training, my life musings, my dog, and myself? Read my blog.

A couple of posts about the fitness training I've been participating in:
Butt & Gutt
TRX Suspension Training

The dangers of becoming a zombie in Alberta are high!

And I cook a lot!  So expect to see a few food pics and perhaps I'll share the recipes. 

And above all, a HUGE thank you to my family, friends, clients, and co-workers, on both sides of the border, who have sponsored me to date. I can't do this without each and every one of you!