Riding to Save Lives! Riding up great big mountain passes to save lives. Riding all day long up stupid steep, great big mountain passes - ok, you get the idea. I've signed up to do the Death Ride. Again. Why? Well, it's a great ride - and an opportunity to raise money for a great cause. I'm also going to have an opportunity as an assistant coach to help some others do what my coaches showed me I could do - a really hard ride way beyond what most sane folks would even try to do in one day.

Leading a TnT paceline somewhere near Markleeville - who put me in front?!!

I'm training to participate in The Death Ride as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. I am completing this event in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers. These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!

This year, I'm dedicating my season to a former Death Ride teammate who is now fighting her own cancer battle - Michelle. Michelle raised money and rode with us back in 2008, finishing all 5 passes of the Death Ride in her first attempt. Now she is in her own battle with cancer, and she's fighting cancer in very much her own way - you can learn more about her battle here: Michelle's Page. Michelle is a big inspiration for me, and I'm hoping that all of us on the team can help create some positive energy for Michelle.

Below is a picture of Michelle and I cruising over to climb Mt. Diablo during a 2008 training ride:

Please make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance LLS's mission.

Please be sure to check my blog for more frequent updates on our training progress: http://jbcycling.blogspot.com/ I hope you will visit my web site often. Thanks for your support!