oops

Well yesterday, for the first time in a few years, I hit the pavement.  Happened at a badly maintained RR crossing I was unfamiliar with out in the county.  Suddenly my front tire was going one way, and me and the back of the bike was going another.  I'm sure this was all very entertaining to the two young men coming the other way in a pickup!  They were very nice, however, and stopped to make sure I was OK and to offer their assistance.  Luckily, the only damage was a little road rash and a twisted seat post - easily straightened.  I was even able to finish the ride.  I am sure I am keeping my guardian angel very busy these days.  Perhaps now I am pre-disastered for my trip!

Training

Well I was very happy to complete mile 2000 for my training program last weekend.  All that riding in the cold rain last winter has paid off!  With this milestone done, I can now further add to my fitness and feel fairly confident for this Big Ride.  I hope to get another 500mi in before the trip, while working on climbing and elevation.
The reality of it all is starting to sink in.  We leave in less than a month and I still need to train, fundraise, and add a few things to my needed equipment.  The challenge is to keep focused on these things daily so it all doesn't sneak up on me as we approach our departure date.  But all in all I am so very excited and honored to be part of this ride.  I am looking forward to meeting all the riders and support people face to face (we have been talking for the past few months on the phone), and finally getting underway.

WELCOME

Welcome everyone.  Thank you for visiting.  This blog page has been set up in order for me to share my experiences with the ALAs Big Ride Across America this summer.  I am riding in honor of the memory of my father, Garry Fortune, who died of emphysema in October of 2011.  Myself and 15 others will be riding together to raise funds for the American Lung Associations efforts towards lung health for all.  For more info and to make a donation, please see my personal page at http://action.lung.org/goto/marthasbigride