Here we are 2 months out from the longest ride in my life, and training is going great.  Team Alberto European Extreme Style is coming together well on both the riding and fundraising fronts.  We are up to 25 riders now and with another $7,000 coming in from sponsors via mail we should be in the top 10 teams in total money raised.

Right on Track: We’re almost 80% of the way to our goal of raising over $50,000 as a team!

Riding

Saturday we did the ride out to Horseshoe Bay again under some beautiful sunshine.  It’s a rolling ride that should be quite similar to the trip down to Seattle so it is an appropriate test that we will be completing a couple times a month.  Rode with Dean, Kathy and Eilleen and felt strong as an ox on the climbs.  The 50k ride took us over 2 hours but we were pretty leisurely. 

The team has a pretty wide range of ability so we’re a pretty good cross-section of the people who will be on the Ride with us…from enthusiastic non-riders all the way up to the super-fit triathlete.  This is good because everyone should have someone to ride with all the way to Seattle.

We’re using the La Bicicletta Sunday morning rides as our team get-togethers.  This is a solid group for people who want a regular opportunity to ride in a pack at a moderate speed.  They leave at 9:30 sharp from the store at Broadway and Alberta each week (be there by 9:15 ready to go).

I’ve been riding to work through the midweek rains as well to keep my fitness up during the less than ideal weather and playing hockey where I can to keep the training up.

Fundraising

For a number of people on the team last week seemed to be the time to start fundraising in earnest.  There is still plenty of time, and we have some fun events planned in addition to everyone’s personal efforts.  In addition to Mike Scholten’s successful Burger and Beer at one20 pub in Surrey on Saturday, Kathy, Sue and Sarah have a great event planned at Red Square Tapas Lounge on the 30^th:

Thursday April 30th at 7pm
Red Square Tapas Lounge, downtown Vancouver 1216 Granville street (near Davie).
We have collected some great swag for prizes – yoga membership, salon products and professional services, Lacoste bags, GC’s, bike gear…
$5 at the door directly to donation, gives you $5 off food/drinks.

Contact me at awg_home@hotmail.com if you want to support the event.

We are also planning a gala event at our restaurant sponsor Hapa Izakaya in Kitsilano in June.  More on that later.

Monday-Thursday: Bike to work, 30 minutes round trip

Friday: Off

Saturday:  50km ride, 2:20:17 (frequent stops)

Kitsilano to Horseshoe Bay.  Great rolling ride.  Nice opportunity to climb in the big ring to build power and practice going downhill. 

We’re beginning to work out in our heads how long it will take to get down to Seattle.  Judging from our experience at the Tour of Courage in 2007 riding with Axel Merckx and Alex Stieda, we should be able to hold a pretty good speed without too much effort in a pack.

Just have to be fit enough to stay with the Pack!