Good morning and happy Thursday!  I'm still at home enjoying the most relaxing, do-nothing staycation ever, but wanted to take the time to get a quick weekend blast out.   Hopefully everyone gets to enjoy a long holiday weekend, and is ready to start gearing up for the Bike to the Beach when we all get back. 

Special Holiday Ride

 Andrea Shull has volunteered to lead a holiday ride on Friday.  Wheels up from Bullis County Park at 07:30 am.  We currently have no rides scheduled for Saturday or Sunday, but check our Event Schedule periodically - things could change...

Bike to the Beach Dates to Mark on Your Calendar

As mentioned, the paceline is beginning to accelerate for the Bike to the Beach - 

Next Saturday, July 12th, there will be a joint training ride for all Bike to the Beach riders, along with a work session on how to customize your personal web site to maximize fundraising.  Wheels up at Valero HQ at 07:30 am, with the session occurring from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm.  More details to come later.  Please RSVP for the training by sending an e-mail to crodriguez@NMSSLONESTAR.org.

 In addition, David Sloan will be conducting an evening workshop on web site customization on Wednesday, July 9th, from 06:00 to 08:00 pm at Valero HQ. Don't miss this opportunity to pick the brain of a fundraising Jedi Master. Please RSVP by sending an e-mail to crodriguez@NMSSLONESTAR.org.

The San Antonio Official Kickoff Event is scheduled for July 23rd at Valero HQ, and the Corpus Christi event is scheduled for July 26th.  Here's all the details from Cindy Perkins-Rodriquez from MS -

• Kick Off Party (San Antonio) – July 23, 6-8 pm – Come one come all.  Be a part of the San Antonio Kick-off Party hosted by Valero Energy Corporation and Presented by VISTA Infusion.  Bike shops will be on hand with the latest and greatest products.  Take a spin on the spin bikes.  Bring your Kids to the Special Kids Corner.  Visit vendors, team recruitment tables and sign up for door prizes!  Wear your favorite Beach cloths, bike jersey or come as you are.  Pappasito’s will feed us, Sweet Leaf Tea and E.J. Gallo will hydrate us, what more could you ask for!
• Kick Off Party (Corpus Christi) – July 26 (NEW DATE & TIME), 11:30 am – 1:30 pm –   Here we go Corpus!  It’s time to rally the community!  We are pleased to announce that our friends over at Brewster Street will host the Corpus Christi Kick-off Party!  Snack and non-alcoholic drinks will be provided free of charge courtesy of Brewster Street.  Bring the whole family!  Brewster Street offers a kids playground, there will be music, team recruitment tables, door prizes and much more!  

For more information on these events, please contact me at crodriguez@nmsslonestar.org or by phone at 210-694-3224.  Happy Fourth!

- Cindy

Finally, the event itself is scheduled a little earlier this year, on October 4th and 5th.  So far, we are the largest team (again) with 118 members signed up (and counting).  To see the roster of riders participating this year, click here.  If you've registered for the BTTB and don't see your name on this list, there are instructions on the page for how to get added to the mightly Velo Valero cycling machine.

Jersey Orders

The team store is open for new jersey orders!   We'll be taking orders until August 15 for delivery in mid-September, prior to the Bike to the Beach.  The cost of the jersey is $70, and if you are an out of town person participating in the Bike to the Beach, we won't ship the jersey to you - you'll need to pick it up at the Friday Night Expo before the ride. Remember - all riders participating in an organized fundraising event with Velo Valero such as the BTTB need to wear a current team jersey each day of the event.  We don't ask you to pay dues to be on this team - we just ask you to buy and wear the best looking jersey on the road (which you get to keep afterwards!!)   To access the jersey order site, click here.

Tour de Cure Fundraising

Well, the final numbers are in for our Tour de Cure fundraising.  As mentioned earlier this week, we once again came up big for our friends at the American DIabetes Association.  We had 205 riders on 8 teams participate in 6 events all across America - from the lush vineyards of Napa to the spring-fed waters of the San Marcos River, from the canals outside of Philadelphia to the plantations outside of Baton Rouge, and from the rolling surf of Long Beach to the rolling hills of Oklahoma City.   (Sheesh - I'm starting to sound like Woodie Guthrie!)  Our goal as a team was $100,000 and we raised almost $77,000, which is absolutely nothing to be sneeze at.  I'm an eternal optimist with an unfailing ability to see the positive side of everything, including the indisputable fact that our glass is 77% full - this is something I'm very proud of.  In the two years that we've been a National Team for ADA, we've raised almost $200,000, which is a whole lotta' cash for a very worthy cause.  Mr. Sloan and I will be attending the ADA San Antonio Chapter Board Meeting on July 15th, where the two of us and the amazing team we represent will be recognized for our efforts over the last two years.  

Thanks so much for all your hard work!  To see our final fundraising totals, click here.

Surgically enhanced photo of the Board of Directors - it's amazing what you can do with Photoshop these days!

...that's it for now!  Need to return to the very satisfying endeavor of doing absolutely nothing....

- Peter Raycation

Good morning, and happy Tuesday!   I returned from SoCal late Friday night, spent the weekend on the Third Coast pumping out MP3s for the nuptials of Pat and Diane, and finally found a little time tonight to crank out a Velo blog.  Clip in my friends, and enjoy the ride - there's a never a dull moment with this team!

Oklahoma City Tour de Cure

 Team Veep and Fundraising Czar David "Show Me the Money" Sloan provided this update on this weekend's Oklahoma City Tour de Cure, with a little help from Chuck "the Rock" Divelbiss -

This was the second year for the Oklahoma City Tour De Cure, and their number of registered riders increased to around 200, doubling last year's total.  163 riders braved the line of thunderstorms to actually take the start at this year's ride.  Eight intrepid Velo Valero members participated, including Monika Harper from Krotz Springs on her way to Yellowstone, and Steve Evans and Lance Wood from Ardmore Refinery.  All of the Velo Valero team members except Chuck and Paige had planned to do the 48 mile route, but David Sloan opted to cut it off to finish the 30 mile route after suffering cramps at the 16 mile mark.  Speaking of David, he almost gave Paige a panic attack when he put both wheels into a gap in the concrete pavement and nearly went down less than a mile from the start.  Luckily, he didn't lose his balance and avoided a bad spill in traffic.  Paige and Chuck elected to ride the long route which was the Metric 100 kilometer and mirrored the 48 mile route until it split off in the Oklahoma country side.  We started off riding  toward a storm front which had dumped rain and was still throwing off some pretty impressive lightening bolts when we began.   At least the lightening was far enough away that we couldn't hear the thunder after the start was delayed by a half hour.   Fortunately,  the route turned, the storm moved off and the rest of the ride was under a welcome cloud cover with little wind and warm, humid air.  Most of the ride was over rolling hills which was kind of a surprise because we were anticipating a flat route in this part of Oklahoma.   The thing that made these rolling hills different from what we usually experience was that they were noticeably not "false flats", and once you were on one, it seemed to stretch on for a two mile steady incline with several "pitch ups" along the way.   The Tour de Cure organizers had done an excellent job marking the route with both signs and painted directions on the ground.  The rest stops were spaced about every 10 miles and were manned by enthusiastic volunteers.  Our favorite was the rest stop which served both the 20 mile stop going out and 40 mile stop on the return.  We called it the cookie boy stop because the seven year old helper was forcing cookies on you before you could get unclipped and off the bike.  His method was to give two cookies to each rider and then eat one himself.  Paige and Chuck were both confronted by the same bull dog who had a good time chasing all the riders but fortunately didn't bite or get under the wheels.  One dead rattlesnake and another snake on the road shoulder added to the scenery.  Paige hooked up with a group of male riders and soon had them organized into a well disciplined pace line.  Chuck found two military officers to ride with and they provided both good company and a break from the head wind.  All in all, we thought it was a great ride and one to keep on the calendar for next year.  

- David  

Group photo at the ride start.  For more photos from the OKC TDC, click here.

Thanks for the update David, and for leading the San Antonio riders that made the long journey to join up with Steve and Lance. (And hats off to you Monika, for stopping off to do the ride while on the way to Yellowstone for your vacation - that, my friends, is V2 dedication!)  This was the first year Velo participated in this event, and I can assure you, it won't be the last.  The Oklahoma City TDC marks the end of a long and successful two month campaign of support for the American Diabetes Association.  We had eight teams and over 200 riders participate in six events all over the country; I'll send out the final numbers later in the week, but we have nothing to be ashamed of as a National Team this year.  I want to personally thank every rider, every volunteer, and every person that contributed money on behalf of Velo Valero this year.  This is a terrible disease that affects so many people in each and every town that we live in, and friends - we are making a difference!

Sunrise Wedding on the Beach - Vanilla Thunder and Brown Sugar Rock the Surf and the Pool

...I mentioned this earlier, but the reason I couldn't attend the Oklahoma City ride was that I had previously promised team member Diane Mitchell I would DJ at her wedding.  The ceremony was held at sunrise on the beach in Corpus Christi, and it was beautiful.  I set up my gear on the seawall at 7:00 am, and pumped out unbelievably romantic music by Italian Tenor Andrea Bocelli to the seagulls, the waves, and the sunrise crawling across the waters for fifteen minutes as guests arrived.   Then, the bridal party began marching down to the beach - first the men, then the women, then Diane in her resplendent gown - as I cranked out the songs from her carefully selected playlist and adjusted the volume based on the frantic "thumbs down" and "thumbs up" hand signals being directed at me by the evil (but necessary) Wedding Planner.  After the ceremony, we took a break for a few hours to hang out on the beach, then headed to the Padre Isles Country Club where the reception was held.   John "Brown Sugar" Holt and I set up right next to the bar, and proceeded to kick out the jams for 4 hours while guests ate, drank, and splashed in the ginormous pool.  The highlight of the afternoon was Pat and Diane jumping into the pool together while 300 pulse-pounding watts of Van Halen's "Jump" blasted out of our system.  All and all, a wonderful event, and something I truly enjoyed and felt honored to be part of.  And yes, Vanilla Thunder and Brown Sugar are available for future bookings! 

Diane at sunrise, gliding towards the surf...

Southside and Northside rock the pool. For more photos, click here. 

See you on the road!

- VT

I'm still here in San Diego, but wanted to get out a quick blog with the weekend updates for Velo Valero -

Oklahoma City Tour de Cure

 As mentioned ealier this week, the final Tour de Cure event this season is the Oklahoma City TDC, which is being held tomorrow, June 28th.  Steve Evans is the Captain from our Ardmore Refinery, and Team Vice President David Sloan (on his brand new bike) has already departed with his merry band of San Antonio riders to join Steve and his team. Good luck, and I can't wait to see the pictures and hear the stories!

Weekend Rides

We have a trifecta of rides for you this weeknd -

 John "the Punisher" Tenison has a medium distance ride schedule from the Starbucks parking lot at Leon Springs with wheels up at 07:30 am.  

 For those that want to start a little earlier on Saturday, Andrea "Too Tall" Shull will lead a group from Leon Springs with a 7:00 am start.

Finally, Pat O'Brien has a ride scheduled on the Northeast side of town on Sunday morning.  He will leave from Comal Elementary with wheels up at 08:30 am.

As always, please check our Event Schedule for all the details. If you plan on riding, as a courtesy please send an e-mail to the ride coordinator letting him or her know you will be participating. Also, I know I sound like a broken record on this, but PLEASE BRING PLENTY OF WATER - hydrate before, after, and during the ride.

Bike Rack Installed in the North Garage of Valero HQ

Received a note from Randy Mellinger on Thursday that the bike racks for the Valero HQ garage have been installed and are ready for use. They are located in the parking space next to the Security Golf Cart parking area.  For those of you who commute to work, this should be a lot more convenient, because this is closer to the locker rooms.  The bikes are also in the shade, which is great during the Texas summer.  Hats off to Randy for turning around this request so quickly!

Close Encounters of the Gorilla Kind

Finally, I will conclude with a photo from the front lines of my never ending quest to recruit riders to participate with us on the Bike MS: Valero Bike to the Beach.  I encountered this prospect at the world renowned San Diego Zoo.  I thought the guy was a natural for our team and this event, because he aleady lives near a beach, and frankly, he could lose a few pounds.  Unfortunately, I was unable to persuade him to join us - there was this huge language barrier I couldn't overcome, plus - well, to be quite honest, he lives in a cage, and would have trouble escaping...  But hey - I tried! 

El Hefe and El Gorilla - the sloped forward and vacant stare these two creatures share is uncanny...

See ya' on the road!

- Peter

 I received this update from Board Member Kirstin Silberschlag, who just returned from Idaho where she successfully competed in one of six Ironman events held in North America each year.  (For background on the Ironman event, click here.)  The Ironman is a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride, and a full 26.2 mile marathon - all in one day!  Kirstin finished this in less than 13 hours.  I'm in complete awe of what she accomplished, but I also know how hard she worked to get in the kind of shape to do this.  Congratulations, Kirstin - you are beyond amazing!

I’m back and glad that I can now say I’m an Ironman finisher!  I had an amazing time in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, site of one of the six Ironman races in North America.  The race course is one of the most beautiful venues I’ve ever seen.  We started with a 2.4 mile swim in Lake Coeur d’Alene, which was uncharacteristically cold (59 degrees) because of late spring snowfall.  The sight of 2000+ athletes rushing into the water as the canon blasted at 7:00 a.m. was truly a spectacle; this mass-swim-start was much different than the orderly age-group wave starts in most triathlons.  More than a few of us joked afterwards that we now know what spawning salmon in the raging whitewater rivers nearby must feel like!  The water was so cold that the race director set up hot tubs and warming tents in the transition area for those athletes who needed to warm up before continuing.  

Next was the 112-mile bike course that took us through more astounding scenery, from Lake Coeur d’Alene up through the mountains to another glacial Lake in Hayden.  Luckily, the hills around Boerne provided good training!  Whether we were riding past isolated farmland or seemingly remote forest, the local community came out to cheer on the participants…I saw people on horseback lining the roads, a family in the bucket of their tractor, and locals camped out in camp chairs, all cheering for the Ironmen!! 

Finally, it was back to Coeur d’Alene for the final leg – the marathon.  Everyone starts doing the math in their heads once they get off the bike…will they finish the 26.2 mile run before the cut-off at midnight??  I started out strong and was again buoyed by the crowds lining the streets of Coeur d’Alene as I set out along the lake.  Unfortunately, at about mile 13, I had a meltdown.  I don’t know if it was going out too strong on the bike, or the first part of the run, slight dehydration, or simply exhaustion setting in after 8 hours of exertion, but I got terribly nauseous and had to stop running.  I’d walk and try to run, but after about 25 yards had to stop because my entire body was in pain.  Other athletes and spectators offered encouragement and told me to just keep going – one foot in front of the other no matter how slow…just don’t stop.  As I tried to purposefully propel myself forward, I took time to read some of the signs family and friends had posted along the course.  Some of them had inspirational sayings, some were heartfelt, some humorous: “Pain is temporary, pride is forever.” “Daddy, you were always an Ironman to us well before today!”  “Hurry up, we want to drink beer!”   I ended up hobbling along for about 7 miles and told myself if I made it up the final big hill, I’d at least have to start jogging as I turned around and headed back towards town.  Miraculously, at mile 20, my body recovered and I slowly started jogging, somehow getting my strength back as I got closer and closer towards the town center and the finish line.  I calculated that if I kept running the final 6 miles to the finish, I could break 13 hours.  This, and the sound of the crowd getting louder and louder as I neared town infused me with energy.  The crowds grew again as I entered the final stretch down Sherman Avenue to the finish line…at this point, I knew I was going to finish, and knew I was going to come in under 13 hours, and I took time to look at the faces lining the last mile of the course.  I am convinced there is no finish line like an Ironman finish line – people are waving flags, cheering, screaming.  All of this was like an adrenaline shot and I bounded towards the finish line, high-fiving people along the barricades.  The best part, as volunteers held up the finish tape for me to cross, was the announcer exclaiming: “Kirstin Silberschlag…you are an Ironman!” 

Not to belabor this lengthy recap, but I really have to thank all the Valerians over the past year that helped me get to that finish line: John, Chuck and Peter pushing me on numerous training rides throughout the winter (especially up the hills); PJ and Donna acting as my own personal SAG vehicle on long runs; Donna and Mark kayaking next to me making sure I didn’t drown during long swim workouts in Boerne Lake; the Valero lunchtime swim contingent; and all the Velo Valero board members who kept encouraging me and wishing me luck.  

 Kirstin crossing the finish line...check out that final time: 12:52 and change!

- Peter

P.S. We have rides planned on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend, in addition to our usual weekday rides on Wednesday.  As always, please check our Event Schedule for all the details.  I'll be back in Texas soon!

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

As promised, here are some more photos and testimonials from the 2008 Long Beach Tour de Cure -

The 2008 Tour de Cure event held at the El Dorado Park in Long Beach was another Valero “moment to remember”.  Velo Valero was represented again this year, with 15 riders representing the Wilmington Fuels and Asphalt Plant facilities. Six (6) Valero volunteers helped setup the different areas for the event, welcome riders and their families, register and check in riders, and cheered returning riders at the finish line.  It was another perfect day for bikers and volunteers alike..and of course, perfect sunny California weather!

Riders and volunteres at the finish line.  To see more photos, click here.

Captain's Blog

 Here's a summary of the ride from Wilmington Team Captain, Bob Roger -

Well we reached, and flew by our fund raising goal of $10,000 dollars. We raised over $15,000 dollars thanks to our hard working riders, our generous donators, and the support of Valero Energy. I’d like to thank everyone who helped, donated, and took part in this year Tour de Cure”. We had a total of 15 Valero Team riders who took place in this years “Tour de Cure”. Friday night before the ride we had a Pasta Feed at a great Italian Restaurant in Fullerton for those who could make it. Saturday morning started off early at my house with fresh ground Starbucks. We got a few things organized and caravanned to El Dorado Park for 6:30 registration and check in. Just for the record the Valero Volunteers had been at the Park getting ready since 05:00 A.M. Behind the scene, our wonderful volunteers. Lead by our very own Rod Quines. Assisting Rod were Hans Offermans, David Price, Johnelle Angulo, Cheyenne Maldonado, and Dennis Baba. Having people you know at the registration table sure makes it easy for a swift and enjoyable check in. Rod is a great help in all aspects. From registration, setting up our staging location to photographing the event, he is always there. Not only does he take photos at the start of the ride, but he remains at the Park trying to get pictures of riders as they cross the finish line. Great job, well done Rod we couldn’t have such a great event without you. One beautiful smile missed this year at the registration table was Chris Ciasca’s. Chris, you are in our hearts and prayers for a speedy recovery. Now back to the riders. As I stated previously we had 15 Valero Team riders. 5 riders chose to ride the 65 mile course. They were Bob Roger, Mark Phair, Fred Arceo, Mark Snyder, and our famous Alan Dedman. 10 other riders chose the 35 mile course. They were tandem team Mark Parker & Margot Balete, Jim Leary, Jeff Murphy & his wife Jennifer, Anna Trinidad, Steven Wu, Andrew Chow, Dale Botts, & Sean Merchant.

I’d also like to thank my wife Mary Ann for picking out the location for the pasta feed. Also for filling the Valero Balloons with helium for the pasta feed & the Valero tent the morning of the ride, and for the moral support and taking pictures. The balloons by the way were sent by Peter Ray of San Antonio along with T-Shirts and gift packs for the riders. Thank you Peter.   

It turned out to be a great day and a great experience for all. I know the American Diabetes Association is very pleased with our efforts. After all it is for a great cause, and Valero Energy is a national sponsor. I hope to see you all again next year and bring a friend. It was brought to my attention by the volunteer committee that we might have our own barbecue for riders, volunteers, family, and friends.

Thanks again,

Bob Roger (Team Captain).             

Poster

Rider Testimonials

I participated in the 35 mile ride. It was a very postiive experience and I will now ride every year.  The Valero volunteers'  (Johnelle Angulo, Ron Quines, and Dave Price) friendly faces in the registration area made my first time experience easy.  It was a fine sunny day and a wonderful workout with great people. A major portion of the ride was in my hometown of Huntington Beach which was great! I urge anyone that rides to come out next year and support the Cure! I don't know why it took me so long to get on board.

- Jim Leary

I had the opportunity to take part in the 35 mile Long Beach TDC for the first time this year. This was not only a way for me to "give back" but it was also a chance to achieve a personal milestone. A year ago I never would have dreamed of riding as far and as fast as I did. But with a little training (and some inspiration from Alan D.) I made it!
 
These days its all about taking care of my health. My family needs a Dad who is fit and healthy and so does Valero, so I'm going to keep on pedaling. Everybody wins!
 
P.S. Many thanks to the Valero Volunteers who made the whole process easy, and to Chris Ciasa.  You were with the me whole way and are in my prayers for a speedy recovery.

- Sean Marchant

Happy Friday!  I'll be out of town next week attending a conference in San Diego, but I leave the team in the very capable hands of my fellow officers - Treasurer Patricia Jones, Vice President David Sloan, and San Antonio Team Captain John Tenison.  If you have any issues, questions, or concerns regarding Velo Valero, please send an e-mail to cycling@valero.com and one of these fine folks will respond. 

Weekend Ride

 John "the Punisher" Tenison has a ride scheduled on Saturday.  If you ride, make sure you bring two water bottles or a full camel back - it's Texas, and it's hot, and you need to stay hydrated.

Meet us at Bullis County Park for a 7:30 AM ride start. The main event will be a 50 mile ride to Kendalia via Spring Branch, Sattler Rd. and Rt. 473, returning via Edge Falls Rd to Bergheim, then Rt. 46 to Blanco Rd. We'll also have 35 mile and 20 mile options available. Maps are on the Velo Valero website and we'll have copies at the ride start. Come join us! John

Click here for the complete Velo Event schedule.

See you on the road - next week, when I get back...

- Peter

Yo - Happy Tuesday! 

Meeting at Valero HQ for Employees Who Are Riding Their Bikes to Work this Summer

Here's one last reminder on this - If you work at Valero HQ and ride your bike to work or are thinking about doing so, send an e-mail to cycling@valero.com.  We have a short lunch and learn scheduled from 12:30 to 1:00 pm tomorrow, Wednesday, June 18th, in room B2-168  to discuss safe cycling techniques, the new bike racks that are being installed, and possibly coordinate some group rides for folks who start and end in the same part of town and work a similiar schedule.   If you send an e-mail indicating you are interested, I'll forward you an invitation to the meeting. 

Loss in the Velo Family

 This weekend Velo Valero experienced a loss in our extended cycling family that I have to share with you.  As many of you know, Tony Ralf, VP of the Lone Star Chapter of the MS Society, has been the heart and soul of the Bike to the Beach for as long as I can remember - and this will be my ninth year to ride the event.  His humor and boundless energy and enthusiasm have enabled the BTTB to grow from 500 riders during my first year to the over 3500 riders expected this year. This past Friday Tony's sister Pauline passed away after a 20-year battle with MS.  Although grieving his loss, the very next morning Tony led a group of us on a dry run of the new Corpus Christi finish line route which included riding over the Harbor Bridge.  Tony was as upbeat as usual, anxious to get our feedback on the proposed changes, which he believes deeply will add that extra new wrinkle to the event, which in turn will attract even more riders and raise even more dollars to battle this disease.   Those of you who are part of the Velo community who look forward to the Bike to the Beach each year know that Tony is family and his loss is our loss.    Tony's currently on a plane heading for Austraila to attend the funeral, but we can all still do something to show we care.   If you can, go to the Bike to the Beach web site, and click on eDonate/Pledge link at the top of the screen.   Click on Search for Team and enter "Pauline's Last Hurrah".    When the team site comes up, click on Donate to Team!  No amount is too small.  As part of the online donation, write a small note to Tony letting him know how much he and the BTTB have meant to you over the years.  I think this will mean more to Tony than any of us can imagine.  NOTE:  Feel free to forward this to anyone outside the team you feel may want to participate. 

Laura, Tony, and Peter in 2006

Alan Dedman's Account of the Long Beach Tour de Cure

 Here is Alan Dedman's account of this weekend Long Beach Tour de Cure.   Alan is one of the true hammerheads on Velo Valero, and is someone who appreciates the funky but practical aesthetics of the Honda Element as much as I do.  (He still gets to drive his - I gave mine to my daughter so she can conduct bumper stress tests on it...) 

Another early morning, 03:50 to be precise, and the alarm jolts me upright. Carefully sliding out of the bed, not wanting to disturb my wife; I do a double take on the alarm, just to make sure I haven't just hit the snooze, and then grope for my slippers and leave the room, closing the door ever so gently.

I make my way downstairs; already the aroma of freshly made coffee is percolating up the stairs and leading me to the kitchen. I hit the light and the espresso machine and start the whole breakfast procedure.

Breakfast is the key to the whole ride, plenty of fuel, and although it is early, by the time the ride starts most of what I have eaten has already turned to fuel.

My car, the "Brit Mobile," is already loaded up and ready to go, I saw to that the previous night, I even parked it on the drive so as to not wake anyone else. I get my cycle togs on, the distinctive Velo Valero jersey, and my riding shorts, the comfortable ones, and take a peek outside the door. The early morning temperature is very acceptable, just a slight chill, but the forecast is good for the day, and it's going to be hot.

 I jump into the car, take a quick look around making sure that I have everything, start the engine and off we go. The first call is to the Team Captains house, Bob Roger. Here we will meet with the rest of the team and after a quick cup of coffee we'll drive a short distance to the start of the ride.

I arrive at Bob's house just before 06:00, I actually followed another rider, Mark Parker and his girlfriend a little way, he had a tandem on his vehicle, he and his wife were going to ride the 35 mile route.

We enter Bob's house and meet a few other riders, Mark Snyder and Sean Marchant are already there, we were soon joined by Fred Arceo and Steven Wu and I think maybe his brother or a relative who would join us for the ride. We abuse Bob's coffee machine, drinking the coffee as fast as it can make it, nothing like fresh hot coffee and a good shot of caffeine to start the day off.

After Bob passes out bags of goodies and some T-Shirts we decide to leave and make our way to the start point and get registered.

I arrive at Eldorado Park, and find a place to park, one space away from Mark Snyder.  Getting out of the car, I'm greeted by a slightly chillier breeze and damp too, there is the ever present Marine layer which we're hoping will burn off later when the sun decides to do its bit.

At this point I tell Mark I'm going to put on an undershirt, just for that little bit of warmth, but not too much that it would drain me when I would be into the meat of the ride, I also have arm warmers but decide against them.

Having redressed and feeling a lot cozier, I go and register, get my number, 257, and regroup with those who have already been through the registration process.

We are meeting at our VIP tent, the tent is something we earned for our fundraising efforts, and very proud of it we are too. The "VALERO WILMINGTON REFINERY" banner is unfurled and fixed to the tent. It looks really good.

There are five of us riding the 65 miles, Bob Roger, Mark Phair, Fred Arceo, Mark Snyder and me. It's getting close to the official start time of 07:45 and already looking across to that start line area where we would be leaving there is quite a line of riders, so we make our way over there and sit as a group. Rod Quines our volunteer extraordinaire, and Bob's wife, Mary get us into a group and take some photos of us looking fresh and raring to go.

The ADA Official, has a megaphone and gives us a brief run down about being safe and observing the rules of the road and other disclaimers. He looks at his watch and at the official time he starts us off. We ride through an arch of balloons, along with a symphony of cow bells and various volunteers who danced, jumped and cheered us on our way.

We make our way out of the park and onto the road. There are a lot of riders, taking it easy down to the first intersection where we make a right turn, on to Studebaker. This is the dangerous part; this is where accidents happen as everyone tries to get themselves sorted out into some semblance of order. The ride is stop and go, traffic signals are not really cooperating with our ride, but it keeps the riders to a moderate pace. When we do get a break we started to pick the pace up a bit. I'm leading our group of riders, and I can hear Bob talking to Fred and the others, I'm paying attention to the other riders around me, watching them to try and get some sort of feel for the experience they show while handling the their bikes. It really doesn't take too long to find out who you need to avoid and give some room to as opposed to sitting on someone's rear wheel for a while.

We arrive at the junction of Studebaker and Westminster and make another left turn on our way to Huntington Beach. I can still hear our guys having a little chat and I decide to up the pace a bit. This section of the ride is flat, and the riding is easy. I carry on as if all of them are behind me, I look at my GPS system, and I'm moving along at 24 M.P.H. and feeling really comfortable.

A mile or so along the road I look over my shoulder and nobody is there, I look back into the distance I still cannot see them. By this time other groups are beginning to pass me so I ease the pace a little, still looking back and cannot see anyone. Maybe one of them had a flat or a mechanical, I'm not sure but deep down I want to go and reassure myself that as they are in a group they will be alright.  

I latch on to a small group of riders, and as we progress, gradually get smaller as we return to a respectable pace. The group that I'm in ends up with about 6 of us, a couple of brothers with no team affiliation, a couple of really strong riders from the Charles Schwab team and 2 other independents' we are content to sit on the wheels of these Charles Schwab guys.

We eventually arrive in Huntington Beach, Main Street, which is closed to through traffic for an open are market for the local vendors. Knowing my way around I shout out directions to get us to the Pacific Coast Highway, where we make a left turn and head to Newport Beach.

Here is a really nice stage of the ride, as you get out of Huntington Beach, you run along the coastline and get a few views of the surf and the surfers, all looking for that one sweet wave; we are now 5 riders and the pace is still a manageable mid 20's. As we approach the first SAG (rest) Stop we sort make the effort to pull in, but veer off again and decide to carry on to the next stop so far we have only covered 22 miles of the ride.

Another 3 miles and we reach Bayside Drive we turn right, and a couple more miles we make another right on Fearnleaf. At this point one of the solo riders, Chris,  shouts out "big gears", I immediately see why; here is a hill I never encountered on my last ride on this route. I'm not sure what the grade was but I had to stand on my pedals just to make it over the top, it was one of them hills that you know if you stop, you'll just fall over, well I know I would. That got the heart rate up some. After leveling out and picking up speed again, we make a sharp left and the view just opens up, all beach, sand and surf. The weather is breaking and the sun is making it a really nice day for riding. The surf just has enough turbulence to put that little haze over the shoreline, it's just beautiful.

But that didn't last long as we take another left turn and head back towards Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). On PCH we take a right turn and head for the ill on the ride. This hill is on Newport Coast Drive, right by the Pelican Hills Golf Club. Here we turned left, there are three riders ahead of me, the two from Charles Schwab were joined by a riding friend of theirs, and I have two behind me. As we tackle the hill the younger riders start to pull away from me, which I expected, but the others behind me struggle, and we leave them behind. After we crested this hill we turn left on San Joaquin Hills and head onto Backbay Drive, and the halfway rest stop, which we all agreed we would use, anyway San Joaquin Hills is a nice downhill ride, I later found out I reached nearly 43 MPH. That's the pay off for climbing those hills, what you go up you have to come down at some stage, and this was it.

Still going downhill we speed on in to the Rest Stop at Backbay Eco Preserve, there I see the prettiest "Porta Potty" ever, with my name on it. Anyway, completing that task I go and replenish my water bottles grab a couple of "Cliff  Nutrition Bars", wash them down with Gatorade and we set off again, I suppose the whole rest time took about ten minutes.

Leaving the rest area was a pretty hairy experience due to the amount of "in-line" skaters using this road, and they appear to go as fast as us, but I really think they look good the way they all skate in unison; I would like to try that some day, it really looks cool.

Coming out of Eastbay, I turn right immediately like everyone else, when someone shouts, "Hey, wrong way" So we do a large "U" turn and head back until we arrive on Jamboree, that's where we should have been originally, oh well, it only took a minute or so off the ride. On Jamboree we have a few hills but not like Newport Center Drive, these are friendlier, they are shorter and the downhill section works in just right. At the end of Jamboree we arrive back on PCH. Here you have a choice, take a ferry ride from Balboa Island or turn right and head for home. I turned right, one of the riders we originally lost Chris, has managed to catch up again, and he lost his Ferry Ticket anyway, he had no choice but to take PCH back, so we set off together.

On PCH I lead off, I shout out "See ya" to the other guys and we roll on down hill to Newport Beach.

Chris is keeping with me and we exchange some chit chat as we move, then on a slight climb, I take the lead and bring the pace up, to take care of the pressure the climb is taking on me. I keep this pace in the low 20's and turn to talk to Chris and he has disappeared, so I just press on, increasing the cadence as I do so.

The slight head wind is making the going a little tougher, but nonetheless I'm making good speed. I come across a peloton of riders, not associated with the ride, just out doing their Saturday morning thing, and pass them handily, only to find that commanding lead wiped out by the next traffic signal.

One of the group, an elderly gentleman, Dan, starts a conversation, he informs me that he used to work for ConocoPhillips, and was surprised that Valero actually sponsored a team. He told me that ConocoPhillips wouldn't even entertain that when he worked for them, but he also told me he had heard so many good things about Valero and the way they gave back to the community. I thanked him and told it was all true, we're all about giving and that's what makes this such a fun team to ride for.

When we arrived in Huntington Beach, I saw on the opposite side of the road a whole bunch of riders from my local team, they had done a "Beach Ride" from Yorba Linda to Huntington Beach to get a smoothie at the local "Jamba Juice" on Main Street and then return, a round trip of 50 miles all on the Santa Ana River Path. As we pass I wave and call them, they return the greeting. What ever it was they shouted back, sounded complimentary, I think.

When Dan and I reached Main Street, he peeled off, and began his ride home, as he was local to this area. I pressed on, nothing much to do but just increase the cadence to a comfortable pace. I'm overtaken by a rider on a Time Trial bike, and he has a great turn of speed. I look at my GPS system and I'm managing 23 MPH I try to get on his wheel but he's just a little to strong for me, so I just ease off a bit and maintain my current speed. I watch him gradually disappear ahead of me.

But what I do see up front is a familiar looking jersey of a Velo Valero rider, as I reach her I see it is Anna Trinidad, she is on a 35 mile route, as I pass her I give a few words of encouragement. She certainly has my respect; she is riding on a Mountain/Comfort Bike that has to be hard.

Shortly after that I see another rider of the 35 mile group, this time it's Sean, as I pass him I tell him "C'mon, pedal faster" he replied, but I'm not sure what he said as I'm into a rhythm, and feeling really good. 

I reach the PCH and Warner intersection the lights are red, as I roll up they change, and there's Mark Parker and his girlfriend on the tandem, I have a quick chat and I'm off again, this time I have a companion, who is content to sit on my rear wheel, I don't mind as I'm not sure how he is holding up, but he's pretty strong, and staying with me. For some reason I pass the last Rest Stop, I see a lot of riders in there taking a break, but I maintain my speed which I have managed to increase between 23 and 26 MPH, I really don't feel like stopping.

Ahead of me I catch sight of five more of my local club riders, these guys were on a Century route, they came down with the others and ride up the path on the San Gabriel River.

I manage to speak to my wheel sucking companion, and find out that his name is Chris, also, and he also lives in the same town as me, what a small world?

He apologizes for hanging on my rear wheel and I tell him that's okay, hang on some more we still have a short way to go.  

We eventually exit PCH and turn right and head back to where we basically started, that was Studebaker. We wait for the left filter light to change, we still have time for a little chat and then we're off.

As we head north we approach a small bridge that goes over Seventh Street and the start of the 605 Freeway, then pick up speed again as we down the other side, through some lights and they stay green for us and with the momentum we gained coming down the hill, we manage to keep up in the high 20's.

I now start counting off the intersections and I eventually reach Spring Street and make a right. This was the way we originally came into the park and so I thought this would be the return also, not realizing that it was in fact one more intersection further north. I got that horrible sinking feeling that I had led Chris the wrong way, and apologized to him. But we were in the park and just had to find our way back to the start.

We eventually found the original road that we came in on, but there was one more obstacle in our way. That happened to be a shallow creek that runs across the road, it's only about a foot deep, and runs right to left. So without hesitation I ride through it, Chris is a little apprehensive but he saw how I rode through it and he does the same, no problem, we both approach the finishing line with very clean wheels.

As we approach the finishing line, the noise, the cheering, the cow bells, just create a huge din, but on all the rides I do, the finishing is the best, not just for the sense of accomplishment, but for the whole atmosphere of the occasion. I always get a lump in my throat and thank as many of those people as I can, they really are a whole part of this team that takes on the fight against Diabetes.

In summing up, it was great to see first time riders, especially Sean, who afterwards admitted how much he had enjoyed the experience. I would also like to take this opportunity, to thank all of those who have sponsored me for the rides this year, Napa and now here, Long Beach.

In addition, I would like to dedicate my efforts to a dear colleague, Chris Ciasca, she has given so much too so many, keep the good fight Chris, for you're always in our thoughts and prayers.

RIDE STATS:

Mileage:                  65.98
Net Time:                3 hrs 34 minutes
Total Ascent:           2,254 feet
Calories Burnt:        4,818

- Alan

Velo riders at the the TDC finish line, from left to right, Alan Dedman, Fred Arceo, Mark Phair, Bob Roger (Team Captain), Mark Snyder.  I'll publish more Long Beach photos later this week.

...see you on the road!

- Peter

Good morning and happy Monday!  I had the usual mid-June trifecta this weekend - Debbie's birthday, our anniversary, and Father's Day - all packed into 3 glorious days.  But, alas, the party's over, and it's time to get back to work -

Harbor Bridge Dry Run

 On Saturday morning, I traveled to Corpus Christi with Tony, Lisa, Cindy, etc., from MS to do a dry run of the modified finish line route they are contemplating for the Bike MS: Valero Bike to the Beach on October 4-5.  A hand picked group of riders of all skill levels pedaled the short but dramatic distance between Portland High School on Wildcat Drive to Whataburger Field on the mainland.   Along the way, we cruised the causeway and climbed the various bridges over the waterway, including the Harbor Bridge right at the end.  And friends, I can't tell you how exhilarating it was!  The finish of the Bike to the Beach - when you turn right onto the causeway and see the sparkling blue waters of Corpus Christi Bay for the first time, along with the skyline of the city and the steel arches of the Harbor Bridge in the distance - it's one of the most dramatic and heart-pounding moments during the year for our team.  If you don't feel truly alive during that moment, then please go to a doctor and have your circulatory system checked, because something is definitely wrong with you...  Well, we met afterwards for lunch to discuss the inclusion of the Harbor Bridge, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive - we just need to make sure everything possible is done to insure the safety of all the riders. The good news is that ending at Whataburger Field provides a better finish line experience for everyone - volunteers, friends, family, and riders - better parking, more space for tents, food booths, and so on.   What's cool is from the top of the big bridge you can see the Stadium, and at that point you know it's over - all you have to do is roll to the finish line, accompanied by the cheers of the crowd lined up along the way.  Friends, I can hardly wait!

To see the Action Cam video of the ride over the bridge, click here.

Group shot of the Velo Valero folks at the end of the ride.  For more photos, click here.

 Fundraising, Long Beach, Oklahoma City

Well, we continue to make progress in our ADA Team Fundraising.  As of today, we are at almost $77,000 of our goal of $100,000.   This is a tough year to fundraise because of state of the economy, and I'm so proud of what we've raised to date, and what we continue to raise.  Every dollar is important as we try to find a cure for this disease that inflicts so many people in our communities.  To see our current totals, click here.

 Still waiting to her from Bob Roger and the rest of the Wilmington riders on how the Long Beach Tour went - will post an update as soon as I hear from them.

 The next and final Tour de Cure event is the Oklahoma City ride coming up the weekend of June 28th.  Team Veep David Sloan (david.sloan@valero.com) will be the San Antonio event captain for the ride, and he and the rest of the San Antonio folks will be joining Ardmore Team Captain Steve Evans (steve.evans@valero.com) for what promises to be another glorious day in the saddle raising money for ADA.   More details to come soon!  If you are interested in riding this event, contact David or Steve - they'd love to have you on board!

Weekend Rides

 Talked to John "the Punisher" Tenison - he said we had 12 folks show up and do the ride on Saturday to New Berlin and Back. It was good to see Pat O'Brien back on the road with the team, and yes, after a couple of months, we finally got him the jersey he ordered this spring. 

...This week there's a slight change to our ride schedule.  Our HillFest will take place on Wednesday from Mays Elementary at 5:45 pm as usual, but Andrea is moving her Thursday Night Family Friendly Ride from Thursday to Wednesday.   They will still start from Bullis Country Park, with wheels up at 6:30 pm.  Finally, we will have another medium distance ride on Saturday morning leaving Bullis Country Park at 7:30 am with distances of 25 and 35 miles.

To see our complete event schedule, click here.

Great Set of Maps

Chris Marsh sent me a link to a web site he's maintaining that has an outstanding collection of cycling maps for routes all over the great state of Texas.  He sent me this e-mail on Saturday -

I have updated my collection of cycling maps and posted them at  http://www.BicycleMaps.org.  Please feel free to share them with your  club members.  Also, I posted my large overview map of the Texas Hill  Country.  If you find them useful I encourage you to contact me about helping sponsor the web site.

Jeff Peterson From Memphis Sets the Track on Fire 

Finally, I got an e-mail from Jeff Peterson from our Memphis Refinery on Sunday.  He participated in the Arkansas State Time Trial Championships, and completed the 40K course with a 26.4 mph average, good enough to win the Cat 4 division and his 45 and over age category.  This is the second year he's done the ride, and he actually shaved 20 seconds off of last year's time in this year's event.  Way to go Jeff!

Jeff at the 2008 Baton Rouge Tour de Cure.  Jeff is a nice guy, and a true Velo hammerhead.

El Hefe Reads a Book

Between all the festivities and rides this weekend, I managed to sit down and read a very good book - more of a tall tale, to be precise.  To see the cover of this book, click here. 

...see ya' on the road!

- Peter

I rode my bike into work today with Mike, and my legs are still tingling - what a great way to start the day!  Just a few quick notes today -

Long Beach Tour de Cure

 Received this note last night from Wilmington Team Captain Bob Roger who will be riding the Long Beach Tour de Cure tomorrow -

We got some great news from Valero Wilmington yesterday. Their donation will enable our team to have our own tent at the finish of the race. It may also place us as the top fundraiser for the event - very exciting!  Thanks again for everything, Bob.

Thank you and all your riders Bob!  You guys have a safe ride tomorrow and I look forward to seeing the pictures and hearing the stories next week.

Deadline for San Antonio Tour de Cure Fundraising

One last reminder on this - This Saturday, June 14, is the deadline for fundraising for the San Antonio Tour de Cure.    If you are turning in money, you need to do so to the ADA offices by end of day Friday, June 13.  If you are contributing on-line, you can do so until midnight on Saturday, June 14.    Please check your current fundraising level by clicking here.  If you are above $250, you are eligible for one of many different prizes from the ADA - click here to see the various prizes for the various fundraising levels.  Based on your final fundraising totals at midnight on Saturday, you will be mailed a certificate that can be redeemed for one of the many amazing prizes at the level you have achieved. 

Baton Rouge Tour de Cure Photos, Including the Flat Peter Series

 Well, I finally posted some of Chase Shull's photo's from the Baton Rouge Tour de Cure, including the Flat Peter series that Andrea "Skyscraper" Shull instigated (which, I admit, are really quite funny).  To see all the photos, click here. Hats off to Chase for doing an another amazing job photographing the team on the road - the man is an artist!  

Energy is Building for the Bike to the Beach

 Wow!  As of today, we have 107 people signed up for the Bike MS: Valero Bike to the Beach.  We were the team that added the most riders (38) during the recruiting campaign the last week in May, which entitles us to free breakfast tacos courtesy of MS during one of our training rides this summer.  According to Tony Ralf from MS, registrations are up 86% over where they were this time last year - and the event is still four months away!  Tomorrow I'll join Board Members Andrea, Slyvia, and Eddie along with a bunch of other folks and head to Corpus Christi to ride the last leg of the Bike to the Beach route to test out the new finish line that is being considered.  I'll bring the Action Cam and film the causeway and the bridges so that each of you can share in the excitement of what MS has planned for us this year.    We have so many incredible things already in motion - from the New V Crew new rider program to the top secret Saturday Night Team Experience Luz is working on - that I can barely contain myself.  I can say with 100% certainty that this will be our best Bike to the Beach ever.    If you haven't signed up yet, what are you waiting for - click here to see all the details of this year's ride!

You Are An Ambassador for Valero Culture 

....At the Valero Volunteer Appreciation event yesterday, CEO and Velo Valero team member Bill Klesse gave a wonderful speech stressing the importance of volunteerism at Valero at a time when consumers are openly hostile towards us because of high fuel prices.  Each time we ride our bikes wearing the Valero logo on our jerseys, we are acting as ambassadors for the good things about Valero culture - things like our commitment to safety, and our commitment to improving the communities in which we live through our volunteer activities.  I'll always remember the lady in Napa earlier this year who told me she would only buy gas from Valero from now on because the guys on our team were such gentlemen - that my friends is the best advertising money can't buy, and makes everything we do worth it.  Think about that as you train this summer, and participate in events like the ADA and MS rides.  We are making a difference, and that's why we ride.

Oh one last little detail - During the event, Mr. Klesse indicated that he is planning on riding the Bike to the Beach again this year, and has already started training - way to go, Bill!  We're glad to have you riding with us again, and look forward to seeing you at the finish line in Corpus Christi!

Bill Klesse, Valero CEO and #1 Fundraiser, crossing the finish line at last year's Bike to the Beach

See ya' on the road!

- Flat Peter

Happy Hump Day!

Deadline for San Antonio Tour de Cure Fundraising

This Saturday, June 14, is the deadline for fundraising for the San Antonio Tour de Cure.    If you are turning in money, you need to do so to the ADA offices by end of day Friday, June 13.  If you are contributing on-line, you can do so until midnight on Saturday, June 14.    Please check your current fundraising level by clicking here.  If you are above $250, you are eligible for one of many different prizes from the ADA - click here to see the various prizes for the various fundraising levels.  Based on your final fundraising totals at midnight on Saturday, you will be mailed a certiticate that can be redeemed for one of the many amazing prizes at the level you have achieved. 

If you have any questions regarding this process, don't hesistate to contact myself or David Sloan (david.sloan@valero.com) (who just happened to be the top fundraiser in this event - way to go David!)

Long Beach Tour de Cure

 The Long Beach Tour de Cure will be held this Saturday, June 14, and Team Captain Bob Roger has 13 riders ready to rumble.  The team is currently in 5th place among the top fundraising teams in the event, well on their way to achieving their target of $5,000 - way to go guys!

(I had planned on doing the ride since I was flying out to California to visit colleges with my daughter, but that trip has been postponed until the Fall.  Hopefully I'll be able to join Bob and the gang for the Bay to Bay MS Ride on October 11-12).

Good luck and enjoy what promises to be another gorgeous ride through the paradise that is Southern California!

Riders, volunteers, friends and family at the 2007 Long Beach Tour de Cure - I just love this photo!

We have three rides this week -

 John Tenison will lead the HillFest on Wednesday beginning from Mays Elementary with wheels up at 5:45 pm.

  Andrea Shull will lead the Family Friendly ride on Thursday from Bullis County Park with wheels up at 6:15 pm.  (Hopefully it won't be windy as it was last week).

 John Tenison will lead a short, 30 mile ride on Saturday morning along the rolling farm roads around New Berlin on Saturday leaving from Judson High School with wheels up at 07:30 am.

For our complete training schedule, click here.

Support Group for Folks Who Bike to Work at Valero HQ

If you work at Valero HQ and ride your bike to work or are thinking about doing so, send an e-mail to cycling@valero.com.  We are trying to arrange a lunch and learn for folks who are doing this so we can discuss safe cycling techniques, and possibly coordinate group rides.  At this point, it looks like the lunch and learn will be next Wednesday in the cafeteria - more details to come soon!

Board Meeting Minutes 

 The Board and I met yesterday to begin planning for the 2008 Bike to the Beach.  To see the minutes from the meeting, click here.  One of the most exciting topics we discussed was the creation of a new group within Velo Valero that will focus on the needs of riders brand new to the sport of cycling. Board Member Megan Lehnhoff and her cycling bud Tanya will coordinate this.  These high energy ladies have lots of exciting things planned for the program - to get a sneak peak at what they are up to, click here.  If you have friends, family, co-workers or business partners that have considered joining the team but were not sure how or where to get started, this is the place and this is the year, my friends - there's never been a better time to be a new rider with Velo than now!

Team Store Open For Fall Jersey Orders

The team store is open for new jersey orders!   We'll be taking orders until August 15 for delivery in mid-September, prior to the Bike to the Beach.  The cost of the jersey is $70, and if you are an out of town person participating in the Bike to the Beach, we won't ship the jersey to you - you'll need to pick it up at the Friday Night Expo before the ride. Remember - all riders participating in an organized fundraising event with Velo Valero such as the BTTB need to wear a current team jersey each day of the event.  We don't ask you to pay dues to be on this team - we just ask you to buy and wear the best looking jersey on the road (which you get to keep afterwards!!)

To access the jersey order site, click here.

Happy Father's Day

For all you dads out there - Happy Father's Day!   Being a good dad is the hardest job I've ever done, and it's one I don't do nearly as well as I could most of the time.  If you're dad and it's possible to do so, take a little time this weekend to enjoy the company of your family, and appreciate the incredible joy that only they can provide you.

 See ya' on the road!

- Peter

Good morning and happy Monday!  I'm writing this on a Sunday morning, right before my son and I head out to the Sports Memorabilia show in Live Oak.  Even though we are approaching the dog days of summer, there's plenty going on in Velo land - lots of rides and socializing, the Long Beach Tour de Cure next week, the Oklahoma City Tour de Cure at the end of the month, and of couse, the legendary Bike to the Beach in less than 4 months.  Saddle up and enjoy the ride! 

Cruiser Bike Ride

After joining the family for dinner at the new Texas Roadhouse on 281 (highly recommended!) I raced downtown to meet up with the Cruiser Bikers for another night of hijinx on wheels, organized by former team captain and current USAA skipper, Rusty "Back Flip" Ferguson.  It was First Friday in South Town, and San Antonio's funkiest and freshest people were out and about.   The ride had more drama then a season of The Real World, but we all managed to make it back home safe and sound by 2 am.    We'll try to do one of these throughout the summer on First Fridays, because frankly, it's a great way to get a little exercise and have a whole lot of fun, plus enjoy the urban amenities of San Antonio in a way you don't normally get the opportunity to do.

Adoring fans gather around our ringleader Rusty at Beethoven Hall.  For more photos, click here.

Tall Texan and the B5

On Saturday, I leaped out of bed at 6:30 am and drove out to Boerne to join folks for the B5 (The Boerne Bicycling Babes Birthday Bash).   I joined John, Luis, Kyle, and Kirstin for the legendary Tall Texan route northwest of Boerne.   (Kirstin is training for an Iron Man this month, and actually swam for a mile before and a mile after we rode...she's amazing!)  About midway through the ride, after scaling some of the highest hills we do during the year and basking in the sweltering humidity of South Texas, it suddenly hit me like a ton of D'hanis bricks - I had been blowing and going non-stop for months, and I needed a break.  All the rides, all the travel, the stress of a new boss and a new set of duties at work, mom's surgery - well, friends, that takes its toll.  I somehow gutted out the second half of the ride into a monstrous headwind (although, I admit, I complained incessantly to an indifferent John the whole time), and when I made it home, I crawled into bed and took the first of 3 long naps that day.  It's Sunday morning, and already I feel 100% better.  I'm going to spend a few quiet weekends with the family in June, before cranking things up for the Bike to the Beach, and I'm really looking forward to it. 

Where's Peter

 Well, I have to admit - this caught me off guard, and it's funny as hell.  As many of you know, Andrea "Too Tall" Shull has been busting my chops for my acute lack of verticality as long as I've known her.  Andrea's a high energy person with a wicked sense of humor.   Last week, Edie sent me some photos from the Baton Rouge Tour de Cure that I posted to the site.  Lupe sent me an e-mail after I did so asking, "Who is the little guy on my shoulder?"  Well, after looking closely at the finish line photo, I saw him - a very small Peter.  According to Andrea, this is the first of many such photos she will be torturing me with over the next few months.  I, of course, won't take this lying down, and am currently formulating my counter attack - you've been warned, Andrea!

Evil Andrea peers at an impish Peter on Phoebe's shoulder

Bike MS: Valero Bike to the Beach

 I'm so excited - we have over 100 people already signed up for the Bike to the Beach on October 4-5, which puts us ahead of where we were last year.  We'll begin planning in earnest for the event at our Board Meeting on Tuesday, and Lucy is already plotting the hijinx for our Saturday Night Team Experience.  For more information about the BTTB, click here.

Thursday Night Ride

Here's an