Well, now I REALLY Have put my foot into it!!

I finally broke down and did something really stupid, I agreed to help out one of my wives friends at work and ride in the "Tour de Cure" for Diabetes Bike Ride in June! A few weeks ago my wife said she had a co-worker that asked if I could provide moral support and ride with her in the "Tour de Cure" for Diabetes, this is supposed to be more of a ride then a race, so after giving it some thought I said "Okay, sure, no problem, it's just a bike ride, right?"

The only problem I see it that this is not just a leasurely bike ride, it's a 106 mile course over various terrain and road conditions and I think to myself; "Bruce, are you crazy? You have not ridden over one-hundred miles on your bike since you were eighteen!" now please keep in mind, I still have that very same bicycle that I had when I was eighteen, so it not only is a bit "long in tooth" but probably should have been long retired.

As to the condition of my bicycle: the back rim is all bent out-of-shape, the breaks squeek badly, a few spokes are missing, the seat is uncomfortable and frame is scrapped and rusted in spots, it shakes badly when I ride it, I think it has arthritis too, something like my knee joints! I think it's going grey too, or are those just my hairs?

I could go on and on about this. So, I suppose I have to start looking for a new bicycle, because if I were to take that "antique" to this race I would no doubt get a few chuckles and rude comments hidden "under the sleeve" as they quietly laugh to themselves. Either that or my poor old bicycle will try and ride away and hide from embarrassment, if only it could pick itself up and hobble away!

Anyway, I sign-up for this thing and now see that I am required to get a minimum amount of donations from others in sponsorships besides paying an entry fee myself. I think to myself, "Don't sweat it Bruce, your friend and buddys will come though!" Well, I have another couple months to reach my target goal, I decided to "chip-in" a chunk myself as I was getting worried that I would never reach that goal, but who know? One thing is sure, I'll be peddling until I bleed so everyone who sponsors me will take pleasure in knowing that I'll be working my you-know-what-off to earn every dollar in sponsorship!

Now, I have to seriously consider getting a new bicycle too! Just one additional cost I suppose, but I figure, I bought that bicycle around the time Skylab was launched, used it all during high school, took it a on a trip to Toronto and back, I also took it with me while I was aboard the BOSTON, through new construction and even took it down to Newport News, VA when we were in PSA overhaul after commissioning, it served me through trials and troubles when my car was broken-down, carried my children when they were babies (in back). Geez, it even outlived the submarine! If anything, maybe I should have it mounted atop the sail! Naw, they would never go for that...

So if you want to help me out, follow this link:

http://tour.diabetes.org/site/TR?pg=personal&fr_id=3190&px=2798631

That should do it!! Just think, here I am pushin' fifty and I'll be peddling away for hours at end, sweating like a pig trying to earn the money you sponsored, while you kickback and have a few cool beers and enjoy the warm June sunshine! You know, you can only "relish the moment" if you sponsor me though....