Hello friends,
Well, here we are, finally all of us are in Atlantic City. The wheels of our bikes have been in the sand of both coasts in a little more than eight days. For sure, a life changing experience for all of us – and for me, it’s hard not to feel some sadness today. I’ve been quite obsessed with RAAM for many months now – planning and imagining details and events. Dreaming about crossing mountains, plains, and deserts. . .and of how it would feel to stand on the podium with my team and Arianna on our shoulders here in Atlantic City.
It went by so incredibly fast - quite literally a blur at times. I woke up in a panic at about midnight last night after sleeping soundly for a couple of hours in the comfort of the cushy beds here at the Trump Plaza. I had a feeling that I had slept too long, that the team would be past needing me to start riding, driving, eating. . .whatever. It happened several times throughout the night. And, although it was of course nice to snuggle back into the covers with my wife on our 20th anniversary, I was sad too, that this journey was over – that the team would be disbanding and going our separate ways back into the routines that make up our lives.
RAAM was an opportunity to be part of something bigger than we ever imagined. It forced us to reach beyond our perceived limits, even beyond our dreams to an accomplishment we’ll be proud of for the rest of our lives. There have been times in my life when I feel like I’m standing outside the fire. . .a spectator, if you will, to my life as it plays out in front of me. For these past two weeks I was . . .we all were. . . in the fire. We were writing a proud chapter in our life’s history. Our watches each time we checked could have indicate only one time – the most important time in any of our lives. NOW! For “now” is the only time we can control. For two weeks we have lived completely and unquestionably in that time.
I spoke with Shannon’s father Pat Mahoney at breakfast. Informally we discussed how this might all wash out financially for the Children’s Tumor Foundation, once pledges were fulfilled and promises were kept. The two CTF RAAM Teams could surpass $600,000 in our research fundraising efforts. There were also TV cameras and newspaper and magazine reporters at many time stations along the route asking us about NF – asking us why we were riding for Arianna and Shannon.
My thanks go out to Ken Edmonds, our crew chief, for his grace under pressure, his incredible time commitment, his willingness to go without sleep for seemingly eight days straight. It also goes out to our crew Rick Rickards, Doug Slemmer, Dan Kendra, Bob Skold, Doug Rage, Connie Oslica, John McCarthy, Trish Hardy, and Dawn Wilson. To my wife Judy for bringing Dan out and providing a happy face just when I needed it. And, to my friends and teammates John Hardy, Bill Edmonds, and I guess most of all, to Bill Hardy for pushing me into the best shape I’ve ever been, and for his and his family’s unending support of the mission of the Children’s Tumor Foundation.
Until the next adventure, live now!
Steve
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