Good morning, and happy Tuesday!
This is gonna' be short and sweet for now. I just got home after 3 intense days in Louisiana, where a bunch of us participated in the Baton Rouge Tour de Cure, and I need some sleep in a bad way. We were there to show our support for the ADA in this event, plus to help launch the brand new Velo Valero teams from Valero's Krotz Springs and St. Charles refineries. This was the final event in our Spring campaign as a first year National Team for the Tour de Cure, and what a way to end it! There were a total of 46 Valero riders in the event, which consisted of employees, friends, and family from San Antonio, Krotz Springs, St. Charles, and Memphis. Velo Valero - Krotz Springs was the largest team in the event (24 riders) and the top fundraiser ($8455). Valero Valero - St. Charles was the second largest team (22 riders) and the second largest fundraiser ($7235). And the dollars are still coming in! These are incredible numbers for first year teams, and I'm so proud of the work that Team Captains Monika Harper and Darrel Plants have done! Later in the week, I'll be posting photos from this event, so all of you can see first hand what an incredible experience it was for all us that got to be a part of it.
The ride itself was amazing. Lots of twisting country roads shaded for the most part by a constant canopy of trees, and lots of rolling hills that provided over 3500 feet of elevation. Most of us opted for the 52 mile route, but a few hardy souls - Darrel, Jeff Peterson from Memphis, Chuck, and PJ - did the longer 95 mile option. We got to see plenty of gorgeous Louisiana countryside, including some incredible plantation style homes. At the end of the ride I was so pumped up, that I kept going back on the route to help Valero riders finish up - I think I crossed the finish line over 10 times during the day. I expected the humidity, but I was totally blown away by the beauty of the route. This is one we're definitely putting on the calendar for next year.
Many of the Louisiana riders that rode this event are so jazzed up they are already planning on participating in the Valero MS 150 Bike to the Beach, on October 20-21. There's plenty of slots available, and the good news is that if you register before June 15, the fee is only $25; after that, it goes up to $40. To register on-line, click here. Make sure you register with team Velo Valero!
More to come later - I need to get some sleep!
- El "Running on Fumes" Hefe