It's early Sunday morning, and I'm wrapping up a few loose ends before boarding the plane for San Diego and the Burton Catalyst Conference I'll be attending next week. Before I go, I have to do a quick blog entry, because (as usual) we are just bursting at the seams with Velo Valero news...
Long Beach Updates
As promised, we have more photos and testimonials from a very successful Long Beach Tour de Cure. To get all news, click here. Hats off to Captain Bob Roger and all his riders and volunteers - you guys (and gals) really kicked it up a notch this year!
Bob (second from right) enjoying the moment!
Oklahoma City
Our final Tour de Cure event this season is the Oklahoma City TDC next Saturday on June 28th. Steve Evans is the Captain from our Ardmore Refinery, and Team Vice President David Sloan (on his brand new bike) will be leading a handful of San Antonio riders to join Steve and his team. (As mentioned earlier, I won't make this event because I had promised long ago to DJ at the wedding of team members Diane and Pat, and I can't bail on that commitment.) It's so good to see David back in the saddle again and doing what he enjoys so much - after the car accident this spring, we didn't know how long it would take him to get back to full strength. This is the first of hopefully many years that Velo Valero participates in this TDC event, raising funds and awareness for the American Diabetes Association in that part of the world.
Mr. Sloan crooning for Andrea during the San Antonio Tour de Cure overnight
PJ Taking Baby Steps
I received this very exciting e-mail from Team Treasurer Patricia "the Funky Pirate" Jones this morning. PJ unfortunately developed some knee problems while scaling those endless hills during the LBJ 100 ride we did this spring, and has been going through therapy and plenty of rest since then. Well, the doc has cleared her for some short, flat rides, and the news so far is good. If you see the Pirate - wish her well and give her plenty of encouragement - we all want her back on the road with us again.
The therapist said I could try riding my bike on the flats. I parked at the Exxon at 471/211 and rode nearly to Castroville and back for 25 miles (avg. 17.2 mph). It was a perfect distance for my first time back on the bike since Napa. No knee pain. I am very happy! In fact, I have felt better today than I have in many weeks. I have really missed my bike! I see the therapist again Tuesday morning and the orthopedist on Friday. This is why I really want to try a little bit of hills to have a report for the doctor... to help determine if Alaska is a "go". Am hoping so...
We're rooting for you PJ - no one (except maybe Andrea) gives me the type of on-target grief at the rest stops that you do!
PJ climbing the massive hills around Luckenbach in her leopard print jersey last winter
Velo Valero Around the World
Received the following note and photo from Tony Ralf, VP with the Lone Star Chapter of MS. Tony is in Austrailia for the funeral of his sister, Pauline. Before he left, I gave him a few Velo Valero-logoed items and asked him to pose in front of famous tourist sites down under, so we could add the photos to our Velo Valero around the World Gallery...
Me and my brother David, team captain for Team Qantas, a team formed to help our sister Pauline. The team flies to Texas each year to participate in the
Valero Bike to the Beach. David has also ridden in the BP MS 150, Houston to Austin, for the past 2 years. David claimed the Valero baseball cap from me after he arrived in Sydney June 19. We are posing in front of the Harbor Bridge, not unlike the Harbor Bridge we are adding to the end of the BTTB this year...
Tony and brother David in Sydney. Tony's wearing the 2008 TDC shirt, and David is in the hat from last year's BTTB.
Volunteer of the Year Luncheon
Finally, Friday was a special day for me. My wife Debbie and I attended the 2007 Volunteer of the Year Luncheon hosted by Valero CEO (and Velo Valero team member) Bill Klesse. As I said when I won this thing earlier this year, the VOTY award really belongs to the entire Velo Valero team and to all the volunteers who support our events throughout the year and across the country. There's also no way in hell I could have done this without the efforts of the Board of Directors and in particular, Patricia Jones, who did (and continues to do) so much of the dirty work for the team (jersey orders, budgets, bylaws, etc.), and who never seems to receive the type of recognition for it that she truly deserves. Finally, I have to give a shout out to the Velo Valero Team Captains across the country - these are the guys and gals who allowed us to become a National Team for ADA over the last two years, and (hopefully) will help us grow into a National presence for MS this year.
In attendance were my former boss David, my new boss John, and the head of the IS Division, Hal, who is also a team member (he rode his first BTTB last year). Of all the things we've accomplished since I took over this job in December of 2006, I'm most proud of the fact that we've collectively raised almost a half million dollars for ADA and MS, and we haven't even begun our fall fundraising for MS yet. I'm not worthy of this award, but I gladly accept it on behalf of each of you. Now, let's roll up our sleeves and get ready for the biggest and best Bike to the Beach ever!
Accepting the VOTY Award. Don't know how I had the strength to hold up the award, since I had gone to the dentist that morning, and was unable to eat until dinner.
...see ya' on the road!
- Peter