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November 2008 - Posts
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Greetings and happy hump day! For those of you who celebrate the holiday, those of us at Velo Valero Command Central wish you a most enjoyable Thanksgiving. You've been riding your bikes with great friends for really great causes all year, so it's time to stop and smell (and eat) the turkey, and spend time with those closest to you.
Velo Valero Adopts a Family for the Holidays
Andrea suggested we do this, and I think it's a great idea - I'm not sure why we didn't think of this sooner. This year Velo Valero will adopt a family for the holidays. This gives us an opportunity to continue to give back to the community long after our riding season is over, because this year more than most, there is a lot of need out there. If you are interested in helping out, please send an e-mail to andrea.shull@valero.com. She has all of the details on the needs and wishes of the family as well as when and how to deliver your donations. Cash donations are welcomed as well and can be made at the awards banquet on December 4th. Or mail to Valero Energy, c/o Andrea Shull at One Valero Way, San Antonio, Texas 78249. All cash donations must be made by December 5th or gift donations by December 9th.
...This also give me an opportunity to display for the first time this year my all time favorite team logo. I'm speaking, of course, about the jolly, rotund Velo Santa on his bike. Every time I look at this I smile. After all these years, I still haven't figured out how he peddles with those short little legs. So, with any further adeiu - here he is!
 Velo Claus is in da' house!
Cruiser Bike Ride on December 5th
Former team captain Rusty "Broken Spoke" Ferguson sent me an e-mail today announcing that there is a Cruiser Bike ride scheduled for December 5th. Since this falls conveniently between the Awards Banquet on December 4th and the Mission to Mission ride on December 6th, we're offering you that rare trifecta of Velo Valero things to do on three straight days (what a deal in tough economic times). As usual, the gang will assemble between 8:00 and 08:30 pm at Sam's Burger Joint and will meander through downtown San Antonio enjoying all the mischief and mayhem of the massive street party on the Southside known as First Friday.
To see our entire Calendar of Events, click here.
Obligatory shot of stylish cruiser bikers in front of the Alamo from our 2007 Holiday Ride
Bike to the Beach Awards Banquet
Speaking of the Bike to the Beach Awards Banquet, it's coming up quick. This year it will be held on December 4th at Valero HQ on the 4th floor of the D Building (the same place the Kickoff Party was held), and will be from 5:00 pm to 08:00 pm. All Velo Valero riders, family members, and volunteers are encouraged to attend - we worked hard this year and achieved great things, so it's our time to shine. Team Member Nerissa Muniz sent me an e-mail indicating they still need volunteers to help with this event, if you know someone who would like to help out. Folks are needed beginng at 10:00 am to help set the party up, and then from 08:00 pm to 09:00 pm to tear things down. Please send an e-mail to nerissa.muniz@valero.com if you want to lend a hand!
Board Member Lucy Hernandez and El Hefe accept the most Spirited Team Award at last year's Awards Banquet (we shared this award with the Warriors of Freedom)
Winter Rides
We received this from the always enthuiastic Glennis, who joined Andrea, John, Chuck, et al, for a ride Sunday afternoon ride from Bullis County Park. (I was, unfortunately, unable to attend because of the Father-Daughter banquet at IWHS...). We'll keep riding throughout the winter as we did last year - we'll be sending out announcements on routes and dates in the weeks to come.
Fall is the best time of the year to ride, and Sunday's ride was the ideal portrait of fall. The weather was cool and sky was overcast only to highlight the colors of the leaves and the colors of the jerseys of our riders. John Tennison, Ken, along with the rest of the group rode into the wind and hills which were the order of the day. It was a great pre Thanksgiving ride where everyone left grateful to have friends on the road and to live in a country that allows the freedom to pursue this beautiful sport. Thanks Andrea for all you do and CONGRATULATIONS to you and Chase on your anniversary!
God bless,
Glennis
Glennis has been a great addition to the team this year. She was unable to ride the Bike to the Beach because of other commitments, but showed up anyway at the Day 1 Start to cheer us on. She took many great photos, including one that earned 2nd Place in the Express-News Shoot the Ride contest. Her winning photo is below, and captures so well the color and pageantry of the ride start that we all enjoy so much.
See you on the road!
 Andrea  Not Andrea
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Good morning and happy Monday!
Upcoming Events
Mark your calendars for the following dates -
To see our complete Calendar of Events, click here.
Bike to the Beach Videos
As promised, the videos from the 2008 BIke MS: Valero Bike to the Beach have been posted to the web site. Click here to access.
Family Focused Weekend
After so many months doing training rides and cycling events, and then training for and participating in the San Antonio Marathon - well, there's no other way to put it - I needed a break. I spent this weekend hanging out with my family - dinner out on Friday, going to the live broadcast of the Whad' Ya Know show on Saturday, touring downtown condo projects with Deb during the afternoon (it's still our dream to move downtown in a few years when we become empty nesters), watching Texas Tech get hammered Saturday night, attending the Incarnate Word Father-Daughter Banquet Sunday afternoon with Verne, and then going with Verne and a friend to watch the Alamo City Rollergirls Sunday night (more on this later). I even squeezed in a short mountain bike ride with Alex to nearby Walker Ranch Park, although he took a spill and scraped himself pretty bad. I look forward to many more weekends like this during the holidays.
MIchael Feldman (center) enjoying the music as the Krayolas play, including San Antonio legend Augie Meyers (far left)
El Hefe, looking like a Secret Service agent, with his pride and joy before the Father-Daughter banquet
Alamo City Rollergirls
...As mentioned, on Sunday Verne and I ventured to the venerable Rollercade to catch the season-ending match for the Alamo City Rollergirls All Star Travel team, the San Antonio Las Tejanes, as they battled the team from New Orleans, named (surprisingly!) the Big Easy. If you've never seen a live flat track roller derby event before, you don't know what you're missing - these are SO MUCH FUN! Flat track means you get to sit right on the track, and you get to feel the breeze as the ladies skate by, and once and a while, one of them ends up in your lap as they get banged by one of those fierce blockers. This is definitely a sport for enthusiasts, and it reminds me so much of why I enjoy being part of Velo Valero. Each of the ladies who are do flat track have day jobs, but when they put on those skates and those jerseys, they are a team - and they do it not for big paychecks or personal recognition, but because they love the exhilaration of their chosen sport, and they love the comraderie and joy of being on a team. Friends, I have felt that in the two years I have been your Captain, and I hope you feel it too.
I'll close with a few photos from the event - to see more, click here.
Posing with the incredible Barbara Coa
The Honey Man enjoying the action
Fomer skater and current referee Maui Owie (still one of the greatest names in the history of the Alamo City Rollergirls)
Both teams pose for a combined group photo at the end of the match
...see you on the road!
 El Hefty (yeah - it's the holidays, and it's party time!)
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Team Luncheon
...Yesterday’s End of Season Team Luncheon was a huge success and a lot of fun. Hope to add this to the list of Velo Valero traditions. We had a few unexpected visitors bearing gifts, which was a very welcomed surprise. It felt a lot like Christmas. Cindy Rodriquez and Lisa Shaw joined in on the festivities and brought a beautifully decorated cake for us to enjoy. They know how hard all of us worked this year and wanted to show their appreciation. Hats off to all those at the MS office, they are a great bunch of folks. They only add to the joy of riding in this event and their enthusiasm is definitely contagious.
Pat O’Brien and Ken Mayfield also made it to the luncheon, which was also a wonderful treat. We don’t get to see them very often. Pat did an outstanding job this year helping organize the Tour De Gruene. A ride several of us on the team participated in a few weeks ago. We had a great time and look forward to doing the ride again next year. Last but certainly not least, Ken Mayfield. Former board member and extended member of the Velo Valero family. Ken also deserves credit for the success we have had during our family friendly rides from Camp Bullis. Thanks Ken for all you continue to do for our team, it is greatly appreciated.
AND THE WINNERS ARE
| Item |
Name |
| $100 Gift card to Bicycle Heaven |
Bryan Lardizabal |
| $100 Gift card to Bicycle Heaven |
Tom Kennedy |
| Alamo Bag |
Seth McConnell |
| Baseball Hat |
Mike Ashton |
| Baseball Hat |
Nerissa Muniz |
| Bicycle Heaven T-Shirt/Socks |
Tanya Carraseo |
| Camo Hunting Bag |
Carl Crawford |
| Camo Hunting Bag |
Christine Acuna |
| Dillards Perfume Raffle Tickets |
Paige Wright |
| Golf club cover |
Teri Garcia |
| Golf Glove |
Ray Housley |
| Golf Shirt |
Carmen Britt |
| Golf Shirt |
Chuck Divelbiss |
| Golf Shirt |
Jackie Robertson |
| Golf Shirt |
Lance Ulrich |
| Golf Shirt |
Stella Rocha |
| Golf Towel |
Joseph Garlitz |
| Goretex Jacket (Black) |
Gene Clapp |
| Gulf Glove |
Davis McCracker |
| Gulf Glove |
Jim Robichaux |
| Gulf Glove |
Robert Serna |
| Lightweight VTO Shirt |
Megan Lehnhoff |
| Pen & Pencil Set |
Candice Pierce |
| Pen & Pencil Set |
Curtis Lang |
| Pen & Pencil Set |
Eric Moeller |
| Pen & Pencil Set |
John Tenison |
| Red Line Extreme Drink (blue) |
Peggy Knox |
| Red Line Extreme drink (red) |
Linda Roach |
| Tiffany Picture Frame |
Dora Esparza |
| Tiffany Picture Frame |
Peter Ray |
| Tubes and Tires |
David Sloan |
| TX Open turtle neck shirt |
Beatrice Gonzalez |
| Valero Blanket |
Elise Holmes |
| Valero Blanket |
Dave Keith |
| Valero Blanket |
Pat O'Brien |
| Valero Texas Open Visor |
Rob Eads |
| Valero Texas Open Visor |
Seymour Battle |
| Waterford Crystal |
Jorge Gracia |
Please contact Andrea Shull at (210)345-2565 or by e-mail at andrea.shull@valero.com to claim your prize. Congratulations to all the winners, and thanks to all those who came and enjoyed the 2008 Bike to the Beach video that Master IT man Peter Ray put together. It was fantastic. (We'll be posting to the web site next week!)
Weekend Rides
A quick reminder regarding our weekend rides. Two opportunities to work off a few pounds before the holiday and make room for that extra piece of dessert, without feeling guilty.
Saturday: Pat O’Brien will lead a ride down beautiful river road. Wheels up at 9:00am from the parking lot across from Gruene Hall. If you plan on riding please contact Pat at (210)365-6424 or e-mail pat@satx.rr.com. This will be an out and back either 30 or 40 miles depending on who rides.
Sunday: John Tenison will lead a ride starting at Camp Bullis County Park at 2:00pm. There will be three distances to choose from: 20-25, 25-30, or 30-40.
Current Weekend Weather Forecast
- Saturday: Cloudy. High 66F. Winds light and variable. .
- Sunday: Showers ending by midday. Highs in the upper 70s and lows in the upper 50s.
Plan accordingly and remember hydration is still critical in cooler weather
Training Ride Hotline is (210) 345-BIKE for information regarding cancelled rides
Velo Valero Around the World
Velo Valero is a force for good spanning the globe, and we have the pictures to prove it! For years we've been collecting photos of team members in our team colors as they travel the planet for work or for play. If you travel somewhere interesting during the holidays this year, take your jersey and have someone snap a photo or two of you. Send it to us with a caption, and we'll post it to our Velo Valero Around the World photo library and share it with the entire team.
I received the following pictures recently from team members on the road. To see our entire gallery, click here.
Sylvia and Zora in front of the Bean in Chicago's amazing Millenium Park
David Sloan at the Emperor's Summer Palace in China
Lupe and Christine in Cozumel
Android Pedro
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Greeings and happy hump day!
Team Luncheon
Here's one last reminder on this -
Remember to mark your calendars for our end of season Team Luncheon Thursday, November 20th, from 11:45 am to 1:00 pm in the private dining room in the Valero Cafeteria at Valero HQ. This event is open to both employees and non-employees, riders and volunteers. If you aren't a Valero employee, park in the main visitor's parking lot, and enter the building through the main entrance. Tell the security guard you are there for the Velo Valero luncheon and then head into the building to the right to go to the cafeteria. At the luncheon, we'll watch the world premier the 2008 Bike MS: Valero Bike to the Beach video, and then we'll draw prizes for all the folks on the team who raised $300 or more. Some prizes will only be available if you are present, so hope to see ya' there! NOTE: Lunch will not be provided - you can bring a sack lunch, or pick up something in our cafeteria.
Relive all the good times of the Team Tent at our luncheon on Thursday!
Weekend Ride
This weekend we have a ride scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 2 pm from Bullis County Park. Distance and pace to be determined based on who shows up. Send an e-mail to cycling@valero.com if you plan on joining us!
Mission to Mission Ride
On December 6, 2008 Velo Valero will once again be participating in the Mission to Mission Bike Ride. Early registration ends on 11/24, so you still have time to pre-register if you are planning on riding. Make sure you sign up with Team Velo Valero to get the discount!
The "Mission to Mission" benefits community charities including: "Rape Crisis Center", "Seton Home", "Rotary Foundation-Polio Plus", "Meals on Wheels", and "Los Padres". Four bike routes and one walking tour are offered.
The Family Tour pedals along the San Antonio River on the historic Mission Trail from Mission Concepcion to Mission Espada. The route is principally on hike and bike paths with opportunities to visit four of the five Spanish Missions. A 15 mile option meets BSA merit badge requirements.
Extended Tours continue beyond the Mission Trail along city and county roads toward Braunig Lake. The 34 mile route proceeds past Mission Espada onto Hwy 181 to Braunig Lake Old Corpus Christi Hwy and back. The 50+ mile route continues south on Old Corpus Christi Hwy through the community of Elmendorf to 1604 and along "El Camino Real" (Spanish Colonial Royal Road) and around Calaveras Lake to north on Hwy 181 and back to start.
The Walking Tour is a five mile round trip that includes a loop on the Mission Trail from Mission County Park to Mission San Jose to Espada Dam Park and back. For more information visit: http://www.teamcure.org/missiontomission.htm.
Safety Officer Chuck gives a pre-ride briefing to riders at the 2007 M2M
...see you on the road!
Too Tall Too Short
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Good morning and happy Monday!
San Antonio Rock and Roll Marathon
Well, after my three week crash course in running, I participated in the first annual San Antonio Rock and Roll Marathon, and completed the half marathon in my first ever organized running event. It was an amazing experience for me - from the near freezing temperatures to start the day, to the drama of a start that had over 30,000 runners, to the incredible course that snaked through the heart of downtown San Antonio, and to the incredibly supportive fans and volunteers that lined the route and offered enthusiastic, heartfelt encouragement to me and the other runners throughout the event. (I lost count of all the kids I slapped high fives with along the way!) And, of course, to the 50 bands that played that heart-pounding rock-and-roll music throughout the day to keep everyone energized. According to the timer chip on my shoe, I ran the 13.1 miles in 2:14:59, which didn't set any records, but sure made me feel proud. I was 387th in my division (45-49 year old males doing the half) which is more than I thought I would do (I just wanted to finish!) (Side note: My Garmin recorded 2:04 of actual running time - I just wasted too much time taking bio and fluid breaks - I need to do a better job of break management in the future!) It was a real humbling moment at mile 12 when I saw the Alamodome in the distance and I started to pick up the pace knowing the end was near, and some runners doing the full marathon passed me at a blistering pace. (One of the runners was the Kenyan who won the full, and who finished less than a minute before me - but who ran twice as far!) But, hey - that's what this is all about - you need to keep pushing your boundaries. I finished with a respectable time and no injuries in my first year - maybe next year I'll do the full... Hats off to all the runners in the world - I have more respect for you now than I ever did. Running is a lot harder on the body than cycling is, and is not something you should take lightly. And, finally, hats off to Elite Racing for running a great event. There's a reason this event attracts so many runners - these guys know how to rock the house and the road.
Runners assemble in near freezing tempuratures
Board Member David "Guido" Gross (who did the full), friend Shelly, and El Hefe
Runners wrapped in trash bags to stay warm before the start
Peter and Pat in corral 12 ready to start the half marathon
Flashing the Hook 'Em sign at mile 6
One of 50 bands that lined the route
Pat Moore and Peter at the finish line - my legs were tired but my spirit was strong
Dates to Remember
Mark your calendars for the following dates -
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On November 20th we'll have a Luncheon at Valero HQ where we'll watch the 2008 Bike to the Beach team video and draw prizes for our fundraisers -
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To see our complete Calendar of Events, click here.
...see ya' on the road!
- Peter
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 This article appeared Friday, November 14th, on the Inside Valero coporate portal. It was written by team member Diane Moore, from the Valero Corporate Communications Department. Feel free to share this with friends and family - as a member of this incredible team, you have much to be proud of and deserve to toot your own horn!
Valero earned “Corporate Star” status this year through its commitment to the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society. The company was recognized for its outstanding commitment to helping people with MS move their lives forward and to raising awareness of the disease and the National MS Society.
A delegation of Valero employee volunteers traveled to the Society’s national conference in Chicago on Nov. 7 to accept the award. Velo Valero Bike Team President Peter Ray, Velo Valero board member and Valero’s Manager of Community Relations Sylvia Rodriguez and MS Society Lone Star Chapter board member and Valero’s Manager of Territory Sales, Unbranded – Southwest Jay Bailey took the stage together to receive the award from Society President and CEO Joyce Nelson.
Posing with MS CEO Joyce Nelson
“The collective commitment from our Corporate Stars and Corporate Partners is equivalent to millions and millions of dollars in donated time, resources and services,” said Joyce Nelson, President and CEO of the National MS Society. “But it really is invaluable to know that some of the most well-known and most respected companies in the world are side-by-side with us in our commitment to people with MS as we move towards a world free from multiple sclerosis.”
The National MS Society Corporate Star program recognizes corporations that encourage volunteerism, lend their good names to fundraising events, contribute in-kind and cash sponsorship, support the establishment of corporate teams, provide expertise and leadership for Society chapters, advocate for increased accessibility for people with multiple sclerosis and other disabilities, as well as fund programs and research for people with MS through foundation grants or corporate gifts. Corporate Stars support the MS movement to the tune of half a million dollars a year or five million dollars over the life of the relationship.
Valero and its employee volunteers support the MS Society and its Lone Star Chapter in many ways, including:
- $225,000 in title sponsorship for the San Antonio, Texas, Bike MS: Valero Bike to the Beach over the next three years,
- innovative marketing assistance valued at over $600,000,
- local in-kind support for the MS Society’s Lone Star Chapter, which includes participation in the MS Walk, Camp Can-Do -- a weekend retreat for people with multiple sclerosis -- and other MS events throughout the year.
The company’s bike team VeloValero shattered all records for the Bike MS: Valero Bike to the Beach event by being the first-ever team to raise more than $300,000. The team’s fundraising as of Nov. 13 stands at $305,138.99! Leading by example, Valero Chairman Bill Klesse and his wife made a personal commitment of $100,000 to the Valero Bike to the Beach event.
The Valero Bike to the Beach event fundraising continues to surge ahead. Already in record-breaking territory, funds stood at $1.72 million, up 4% from the entire-event fundraising in 2007 of $1.65 million. Last year’s total was itself a record, but was not reached until five months after the ride. There is a growing excitement that this year could just be the year the Lone Star Chapter reaches a new milestone, raising $2 million!
“The corporate award and the record-breaking bike team fundraising reflects the corporate environment of ‘giving’ that’s lived daily at Valero,” said Tony Ralf, Vice President of the National MS Society’s Lone Star Chapter, which includes Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio. “Congratulations from us all at the Lone Star Chapter for a wonderful two record-setting years, and thanks for making your mark on working towards a world free of MS!”
Jay, Peter, and Sylvia accept the award during the Friday luncheon
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Good morning and happy Thursday!
Weekend Rides
 John "the Punisher" Tenison sent me this e-mail announcing the first of what will be many opportunities to ride this winter.
Weather permitting, this Saturday I thought we'd do an approx. 40 mile ride from Boerne to Comfort via Big Joshua Creek, sample some breakfast tacos at the Exxon there, then ride to Waring for Dublin DP's. Wheels up at 8:00 AM from the parking lot formerly known as Fiserv. Thanks, John
Please send an e-mail to john.tenison@valero.com if you plan on joining him!
Also, Andrea "Too Tall" Shull will be leading a ride Sunday afternoon from Bullis Country Park with wheels up at 03:00 pm. Send her an e-mail at andrea.shull@valero.com if you'd like to join her.
As always, check our Event Schedule for all the details!
Rock and Roll Marathon
This Sunday is the inaugural Rock and Roll Marathon in San Antonio. An amazing 30,000 people have signed up to participate in this event, and 50 bands are lining up along the 26-mile route to blast out high octane tunes to energize the runners. I'm doing the half marathon, and I'm as ready as I can be after my intense three-week crash course in running (hah!). Physically I think I can handle it - nine years of cycling have given me a pretty good aerobic base - I'm just a little concerned about the logistics of hanging out with 30,000 new friends on the course, which winds through downtown San Antonio and has lots of twists and turns which are sure to give me fits and get me lost (since I won't be following John "the Human GPS" Tenison like I normally do on our bike rides). I'm really anxious to see how Elite Racing runs this event, because I've heard so many good things about them. Hopefully I can see some good ideas we can apply to the cycling events Valero sponsors and that Velo Valero participates in. I'll have a full report for you on Monday morning.
MS Bay to Bay Photos
I received this update from Rod Quines, Volunteer Coordinator at the Valero Wilmington Refinery.
I’m forwarding some pictures taken from the MS Bay to Bay Bike Ride, which was held on October 11-12 this year. The ride started in Irvine, CA and ended the next day in San Diego, CA. Team Captain was Bob Roger.
- Rod
Way to go Wilmington - looks like a gorgeous ride, and as usual you had a great turnout.
Velo Valero riders and volunteers at the annual Bay to Bay event. To see all the pictures, click here.
Team Luncheon Next Week
Remember to mark your calendars for our end of season Team Luncheon next Thursday, November 20th, from 11:45 am to 1:00 pm in the private dining room in the Valero Cafeteria at Valero HQ. This event is open to both employees and non-employees. If you aren't a Valero employee, park in the main visitor's parking lot, and enter the building through the main entrance. Tell the security guard you are there for the Velo Valero luncheon and then head into the building to the right to go to the cafeteria. At the luncheon, we'll watch the world premier the 2008 Bike MS: Valero Bike to the Beach video, and then we'll draw prizes for all folks on the team who raised $300 or more. Hope to see ya' there!
Dora proudly shows off her century patch in the Saturday team tent during the Bike to the Beach. Come join us during our team luncheon if you want to share memories with your team mates of this incredible weekend!
...see you on the road!
- Peter
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Good morning and happy Saturday! I'm actually in the middle of a weeklong vacation, once again entertaining relatives from Germany with a tour of Texas. I wanted to get a quick blog out today, since I'll be on the road (again) next week.
Dates to Remember
Mark your calendars for the following dates -
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On November 20th we'll have a Luncheon at Valero HQ where we'll watch the 2008 Bike to the Beach team video and draw prizes for our fundraisers -
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To see our complete Calendar of Events, click here.
Fundraising Milestone
Well, we did it my friends - we've achieved another first as a team in the Bike MS: Valero Bike to the Beach. Many of you worked diligently to raise your fundraising totals before the November 7th deadline for prizes, and as a result, we pushed our team total over $300,000, which makes us the first in the history of this event to do so. I still remember earlier this year when the Board and I agreed to set our fundraising target to $200,000, because we were worried this would be a down year for us. Well, I apologize for a lack of faith - once again, this team rose to the challenge and soared far beyond it. To see our current totals, click here. Remember - we still require every team member who rode one or more days in this event to raise at least the minimum ($300), and there's still time for you to do this before the Awards Banquet on December 4th.
National MS Conference
I'll end with a few photos from the incredible trip I attended in the last few days with many of the senior Board Members. We spent two days in Chicago at the National MS Conference, where we proudly accepted the coveted Corporate Star Award for the amazing levels of support, financial and in-kind, that Valero and the team provides to the MS Society. Every week there seems to be a new highwater mark to my time as Captain, and this was one of them. I can't describe how proud I was to represent the company and each of you at this event, and to do so with many of the Board Members who have worked so hard at my side for the two years I've held this post.
The slogan of this year's conference
Velo women looking regal in their festive party hats - throughout the conference, they got compliments on these hats!
Jay, Peter, and the Godmother accept the Corporate Star award
High energy marching band excites the crowd during the Friday luncheon
Posing with Joyce Nelson, CEO of the MS Society - what an amazing group of cyclists and volunteers!
To see all the photos from the event, click here.
See ya' on the road!
- Peter
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Good morning! The good news is that I woke up Sunday morning after enjoying an extra hour of sleep (thank you, Daylights Savings Time!). The bad news is that I woke up in a world where the Longhorns are no longer undefeated. (Hats off to you Red Raider fans - your team played a great game!) I have to head out on my last long training run for the Rock and Roll Marathon this morning, so I'll keep this blog very short and to the point.
Upcoming Dates
Mark your calendars for the following dates -
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November 7th (this Friday!) is the deadline for submitting funds to the MS to become eligible for any of the fundraising prizes they offer
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On November 20th we'll have a Luncheon at Valero HQ where we'll watch the 2008 Bike to the Beach team video and draw prizes for our fundraisers
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To see our complete Calendar of Events, click here.
Tour de Gruene
This weekend many team members ventured to the quaint and historic town of Gruene, Texas, to participate in the 25th Annual Tour de Gruene, and to enjoy the amenities of the area afterwards - Gruene Hall, lunch at the Grist Mill, suds and sausage at Wurstfest, and then catching a little of the high speed time trials later in the day. The route along River Road was wonderful as usual, but the event coordinators need to look at segmenting the start between faster and slower riders to prevent some of the early congestion. (I had a guy fall right in front of me at the start, and then again on that long, agonizing hill as we exited Landa Park - pretty scary stuff!) I have to admit that although I'd been working out pretty regulalry to get ready for the run, I had not been on my bike since the Bike to the Beach, and it took a few miles to start feeling comfortable riding in a tight pack again. But once we were gliding along River Road and the Guadalupe, everything was fine.
Oh yeah, there was some guy named Lance who participated in the event also. To see a slideshow of Lance Armstrong riding his time trial along River Road, click here. To read Bob Rivard's stirring account of doing the trial (and being passed by Lance), click here. Next year maybe we can some Velo Valerians to do the time trial... (NOTE: I incorrectly reported earlier that Henry Martinez participated in the Individual Time Trial (ITT). He was in fact a spectator, and he watched Lance clock in at 33 minutes...)
Here are a few photos from the event -
Posing with my DJ buddy (and my original cycling pal back in the day!) John "Brown Sugar" Holt
Velo cyclists line up in the dawn's early light once again!
Carl, Leo, and the gang ready to attack River Road
Stella and Peter pose with two of the Wurstfest Opas
That lucky ol' Flat Peter gets to go everywhere - including 42 miles on Andrea's back
Tony Ralf from MS joins us at the start. This was Tony's third organized ride this year - he's becoming quite the cyclist!
That guy from Austin works his way through the crowd
Lance is a portrait in concentration before the time trial
Some of the gang feverishly rehydrating at legendary Gruene Hall after the ride
Karin poses with some dude in 19th century Barvarian Guard costume at Wurstfest
Carl, our very own Dancing (and Singing!) Bear, poses with a couple of bears spotted in downtown Gruene
El Hefe's Caad 9 poses languidly by a cactus bush after 42 wonderful miles on the road in the gorgeous Texas Hill Country
...See you on the road!
- Peter
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