Cool experiences and riding with friends

As i said, riding with friends is one of the best things about riding, but riding in interesting places makes it even better! a group of us raised money for several months and then were flown to sonoma, california for a benefit ride for juvenile diabetes. they just happen to be having a peanuts festival-sonoma is the home of the charles shultz museum (went there instead of a winery, maybe i'm stupid, but i love snoopy!). how can your spouse say no to a trip (even a cool one) when your raising money for such a good cause! and of course, you have to go a day or two early to enjoy the sites.

my younger child's best friend has juvenile diabetes (that's his mom on the right) and she got me into this ride, but if there's a cause out there, there's probably a benefit bike ride to help support it. jdrf (juvenile diabetes research foundation) has 5 rides every year all across the country, in some pretty cool places. you can check them out at www.ride.jdrf.org . but i've been involved in a few other's as well. in our hometown, birmingham, alabama, we just had the tour de cure. this ride raises money for diabetes as well--check them out at www.tourdiabetes.org and we are currently preparing for the MS 150. this is a two day event where you ride 75 miles on two consecutive days. a cool challenge and if you live in alabama, you get to do it at the beach, woohoo!! their website is www.bikems.org , this ride takes place in 100 different cities all over the country.

now some of these rides may sound overwhelming, but often, they have shorter distance rides for those just getting into biking and you can't beat the love, fun and support of people dedicated to a cause.