Good morning and happy Tuesday! Yesterday a group of us that did the Napa Tour de Cure were in transit between the wine country and San Antonio (with a few microbreweries along the way), so I was unable to do a blog posting. To make it up to you, you're getting a Tuesday edition focused specifically on the Tour de Cure!
Napa Tour
The Napa Tour de Cure was held this weekend in the gorgeous California wine country. Sixteen folks from San Antonio joined with Dan's team from Benicia to constitute 50 total riders representing Velo Valero in the event. I'll be posting photos and narratives from the ride later in the week after I catch up on things, but I can assure you it was a great ride and a great weekend. I'm so excited about all the Tour de Cure events Velo Valero will be participating in this spring - Napa is just the first of 6 over the next two months! - can't you jus' feel the energy in the air??? We are making a difference, each and every one of us that rides, volunteers, and donates for this incredible cause.
San Antonio Tour de Cure Checklist
If you're participating in the San Antonio Tour de Cure, click here for a checklist of everything you need to do to get ready for the ride.
Packet Pickup
Today is the day, my friends, for those of you riding in the San Antonio Tour de Cure! Mark your calendars for May 6th, from 04:30 to 07:30 pm, when Velo Valero will host a Tour de Cure packet pickup at Valero HQ. At the pick-up, you'll be able to pick-up your ride materials from ADA, drop off any fundraising monies you have raised, pick up a team jersey (if you ordered one this spring), obtain your team "goodie bag" (which is just oozing with goodness this year), and meet your fellow Velo Valerians before the big ride. Hope to see you there!
Raffle
To help boost our team fundraising for the TDC, we are once again raffling off tickets for a chance to win a swank new cruiser bike to compliment that sleek road bike you have. This year we're doing it with a twist - we're actually auctioning off two bikes, one male and one female. You can purchase your raffle tickets conveniently on-line at our team store using a credit card or PayPal. Tickets are only $5 apiece - what are you waiting for? Click here to buy those tickets and get a chance to win that cruiser bike of your dreams. The winner will be announced May 17th at the Saturday night celebration during the San Antonio Tour de Cure - but you need not be present to win. Don't be bashful - send this link to friends and family - everyone is eligible to participate in the raffle, and all monies raised goes towards our goal of raising $100,000 as a National Team for the American Diabetes Association. We'll be selling tickets all the way until the 17th (or until we sell them all). We'll also be selling tickets at the packet pickup today, so you'll get a chance there to buy a few then.
Fundraising Update
As of today, we are at $45,413, just barely over 45% of our goal of $100,000 as a National team this year. We have 187 riders registered on 8 teams in 6 events (including the recently completed Napa ride). We are making great progress, but still have a long way to go. If you haven't registered for a Tour ride this spring, what are you waiting for?? To see a list of events and team captains, click here. If you are registered and you haven't raised the minimum yet, now's a great time to start. To see our current fundraising totals, click here.
As always, if you need assistance with your fundraising, please contact our fundraising Wizard, David Sloan.
Upcoming Rides
Looking for a ride or two this week?? If you're planning on doing the San Antonio Tour de Cure int wo weeks, you need to get some time int he saddle. As always, we at Velo Valero are all about choice, and so we have plenty of options.
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John and I will lead the HillFest on for Wednesday at 5:45 pm from Mays Elementary
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Ken Mayfield will lead his Wednesday night from Bullis County Park with wheels up at 06:30 pm
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The Family Friendly ride is scheduled for Thursday at 06:15 pm from Bullis Country Park
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Ken Mayfield and our friends from NuStar will lead the joint TDC training ride and packet pick-up on Saturday (more details to come!)
As always, check our Event Schedule for all the ride details.
Weekend Rides
Here's an update from John Tenison on the Saturday ride -
...Looking forward to hearing about the Napa trip. We had a light but enthusiastic turnout for Saturday's ride from Bicycle Heaven. Velo Valero was represented by Donna Escobar, Andrea Shull on her Superbike, and yours truly. Dave Shorr and Ken Mayfield were there for NuStar, as well as a few other folks. The shop was open and Matt gave our bikes official Tour de Cure inspections while we waited. We started out up Blanco Road into a headwind that intensified as the ride progressed - it was howling by the time we got to Specht's Store. I opted for the 40 miler, and turned south on Stahl from Rt. 46 - with the wind behind me I was clocking 35-40 mi/hr on the downhills! I got lost trying to follow the route through Stone Oak and added on a few more miles (and hills). Oh well - I never could read maps and ride at the same time. After crossing 281 at Bulverde Rd., Andrea decided she hadn't had enough headwind and headed back up to Specht's, returning on Blanco (oh, the things a Superbike will convince you to do!) Everyone made it in safely, though I think Andrea has had enough headwinds for a while.
- John
...see ya' on the road!
- Peter