Size of Texas

"Let's just turn around and get some coffee and go home."

That was the thought that kept going through my mind last Saturday. It was the 3rd day of steady rain, way too early in the morning, and I had signed up for a 55 mile bike ride (The Law Enforcement Ride to Remember) that began and ended at National Harbor.

I had considered riding to the start at National Harbor, but I wasn't sure what the trail conditions were on the Mt. Vernon Trail. Not only was it possible that parts of the trail were flooded due to the rain, but the trail is a casualty of the federal government shutdown, meaning that no maintenance would be conducted on it. Also, it was still dark that early in the morning. So, Zipcar it was. The Boy very graciously offered to get up at that ungodly hour  and drop me and the new bike ("Blue") off at the start.

Did I not mention the new bike before? Oh, right. I have a new bike! A real road bike. Carbon fiber frame and everything. It's not "new", just new to me. It's been sitting in bits & pieces in our living room for the last 4 months or so, but I finally got it all together. Well, my Local Bike Shop got it all together. I just handed over the money for them to do it. This ride would be Blue's debut. So, I couldn't miss it, no matter how gray and miserable it was outside.

The "new" Blue. Bubble wrap included. Yes, those are mountain bike pedals on a road bike. And my bar tape does not match my saddle. I don't care.

We were running late, and managed to pull up to the event area 5 minutes before the start of the ride. I had just enough time to stash my gear bag and we were off. Since I had a fancy road bike now, I splurged on a Garmin. Mostly this was because I still have trouble reading cue sheets (I'm getting better at it though!). Turns out this was unnecessary because the course was very well marked along the way. Another reason for the Garmin was so I wouldn't drain my phone's battery with a cycling app running in the background.

The ride began by winding through National Harbor before dumping us onto a gravel patch (eek) to the  roads we would be riding. I walked my bike over the patch of gravel. There was no way I was going to risk my neck & new bike riding on wet mud & gravel. Once past, I hopped back on the bike and got going. Easy Peasy. This would come back later to haunt me...

As I said earlier, the course was well marked so I wasn't worried about getting lost. We also did pretty well as an overall group at staying together. I think there were a lot less riders than had registered; I got the strong feeling many folks simply decided to stay in bed. The roads were wet, but it wasn't raining very heavily. Mostly just a constant wet mist. I had worn my rain pants & jacket, but they were soon ditched since it was still fairly warm.

Rest stops were spaced 10-15 miles apart, making the ride fairly easy. There were a few hills, but not many. Traffic was light, and there was only one aggressive driver that I personally encountered (HONK HONK HONK!). Unfortunately, I did hear of a major collision between two vehicles on our route that caused us to be diverted from our last pitstop. Apparently a driver ran a red, went over the median and plowed head-on into another vehicle. Luckily there were police cars stationed at almost every major intersection, not to mention the off-duty folks doing the ride, so they were able to get help to the injured driver very quickly. I heard that it was extremely lucky that no riders got caught in the collision.

Rest Stop. Sparsely populated.

Goats! I knew I had to stop and take a photo. If you are wondering what they are doing, they are climbing on each other to get at the leaves that are too far out of their reach individually. Clever goats.

This was my first "real" ride on Blue, so I was still learning the ropes. I got a little over confident near the end when I tried to make a sharp turn way too fast (the turn surprised me) and ended up skidding out at speed on the asphalt. OUCH. Thankfully, the car BEHIND me was able to stop in time and didn't run me over, and I miraculously managed to fall in such a way that I unclipped AND crashed the bike on the non-drive side, so no damage. My poor hand & thigh though--ow. Nothing was broken, but I had some decent road rash and am still sporting a bruise the size of Texas on my leg.  I was a little annoyed at whomever was stationed at that turn (it was actually the same area as the patch of gravel from the beginning of the ride). He was obviously there to warn riders of the gravel, but a) he was sitting in his car, so that's not helpful and he had situated the car AFTER the hazard, instead of before, so b)ALSO NOT HELPFUL. Plus, he didn't bother removing himself from his car to assist me until I had already helped myself & my bike up and moved to the side of the ride. THANKS FOR NOTHING. Glad I wasn't seriously hurt. Sheesh. Anyway, I got back on the bike and managed to "limp" in to the finish area. Can't wait to see my finish photo, I bet its hilarious. I was not a happy camper.

Anyway, despite that one little mishap, I had a great time and was glad I hadn't turned around and gone back to bed. Blue turned out to be a swell ride too. I celebrated with a beer & a pizza and then got ready to head home.

Beer & Medal. I actually have two of these medals because the following day was the "run" portion of the event; a 5K race which I'm pretty sure I PR'd in. It was awesome.

The Boy wasn't going to be available to give me a ride home from National Harbor, so I rode it instead. I was feeling good, so I didn't mind the extra miles.  On my way up to the Wilson bridge, I found this little guy!

So cute! I remember when Franklin & Roscoe used to be that size.

We already have two turtles at home, so I helped him across the path and said goodbye.
 The ride home was pretty unremarkable, until I got to Gravelly Point. I stopped at one of the picnic tables to rest for a moment & drink some water. Gravelly Point is another casualty of the federal government shutdown, and was completely empty except for the occasional cyclist riding by, and a Park Police cruiser keeping vehicles from entering. A young man rode up on his bike to my table and exclaimed "isn't this awesome?!". He was referring to the planes taking off from the airport (Gravelly Point is the best place to watch the planes take off/land at National Airport). He was new to the area (an intern) and decided to take the day to explore by bicycle. I gave him some pointers and rode off. It was nice to talk to someone who was excited about getting around by bike.

I rode back home, with a stop at the Bike Shop on the way to make sure no permanent damage was done in the crash and to get my drivetrain cleaned/lubed, since it was squeaking like a mouse. It was a pretty great day, even though I never got my coffee.

I've been riding a lot this autumn. I feel a million times better than I did over the summer. I've taken some time off of work and it was just what I needed. The weather has been perfect (despite the rain) and I've been using every opportunity to get out and ride my bike or go for a run. Some photos....

Riding over the "Brookland Bridge" during the 50 States Ride

Pit Stop at the 50 States Ride

Cue sheet for the 50 States Ride: it was 4 pages long!

You can't ride the W&OD trail without stopping at Carolina Brothers for BBQ.

Rail car on the W&OD.

The start of the W&OD in Shirlington

The end of the W&OD in Purcellville

If you squint, you can see a hawk chilling in the branches.

Sunset in Purcellville.

Families biking on the National Mall for Kidical Mass

The cupcake stop at the end of the Kidical Mass ride

Bike tour of New Columbia Distillers

Bike Brewery tour at Bardo Beer Garden

Group picture of Kidical Mass

Beer garden dog.

Seeing a lot of these in DC lately. Shutdown City.

It's coffeeneuring time!

I also have some sad news: I finally sold Jamie, my very first adult bike. I realized I hadn't ridden Jamie in over a year, and there is nothing sadder than a bike that doesn't get ridden. So I figured he should go to a good home & owner than will actually put him to use. The new owner lives in my neighborhood, so hopefully I will see him around!

Bye, Jamie! We had a lot of good rides together!

An empty space. That is now filled by Blue.

I'm going to be doing a blog post on cycling accessories (bags, lights, bottles, etc) very soon. If you have any questions or anything you would like to see covered, let me know!

Why I am dropping from the Climate Ride

I am dropping out of the Climate Ride. This isn't a decision I've made lightly. It's been almost an entire month of stressing & debating over the decision. Once I made the decision, I knew it was the right one.

First, all of your donations are still going to The Climate Ride--WABA. Those of you that qualified for the incentives will still receive them. To all of those folks that donated money, thank you: some of you donated more than once and it will not go unappreciated.

I believe that you all, especially those that donated, are owed an explanation. I hope you can understand. Here are the main reasons I'm dropping out:

Fundraising. It's been difficult to say the least. Unfortunately in my circle of friends and acquaintances, when they hear the word "Climate" their eyes glaze over. I've even received some outright hostility when explaining what the Climate Ride is about from a few. Fine, not a big deal. I probably could have found a few more donors if I cast my net wider, and I wouldn't mind donating my own funds to cover the remainder. Except not this time (and I'll explain in more detail in a moment of why its just not possible for me now). I planned two fundraiser events, one of which I sunk not an insignificant sum of money into...only to have 1 person show up. It wasn't even the money that got me annoyed, it was the humiliation in having friends donate their time & space for nothing. Maybe it was bad timing (the Travyon verdict came in at the same time, and all of a sudden my guests decided they wanted to march down U street instead). Maybe it was something else. I don't know.  But I know when to cry Uncle.

2. Timing. This has been a really difficult summer for me. As many of you may recall, I am supposed to be getting married next month. Except....I'm not. I really don't like talking too much about my personal life in here, but to fully understand what's been going on, I'm going to briefly summarize*:
-Fiance is a recovering alcoholic
-Finace relapsed badly back in February
-This resulted in him going to inpatient rehab, which our insurance wouldn't cover so we had to pay out of pocket (which is not cheap!).
-Fiance has since been doing great and is on solid ground with his sobriety, but the whole situation still left me with a mountain of anger & resentment issues, not to mention a hefty debt (of which I owe the last payment on this month, woo!).

Because of the financial situation that we were dealing with, in addition to making sure the fiance had a strong footing in his sobriety, we decided it would be best to postpone our wedding plans. So, I had to cancel our venue and explain to friends and family as best as I could that we were not going to be married in October after all, and that no, I did not know when (if!) it would happen.

You know what a person with a mountain of anger & resentment doesn't need? To be the Bride that Canceled Her Wedding. Especially when many of her friends and family are happily celebrating theirs. And then there's the awkwardness of explaining what happened without mentioning the word alcoholic.

Anyway, all of this anger & resentment kept building and building until finally I simply condensed into a ball of Depression over the summer. I have not been that miserable and unhappy in many, many years. On top of all that, I've had no vacation this year either. Normally I would be in the Outer Banks on the beach at this time of year, but because we figured we'd be on a honeymoon next month, we never planned for it. Not that we have the money for it right now anyway. So I haven't had a break.

But its slowly getting better. I am working on the anger and depression and resentment, and ever so slowly, those Issues are breaking apart into smaller pieces and dissolving away. I am starting to feel happy again. I don't feel like shattering or exploding 90% of the time anymore.

But I'm still not There yet. And there's just no way I can do a 5-Day bike ride with a bunch of other strangers and not be a pleasant person to be around. My heart is just not into it. Right now, I am still taking things week-by-week (which is an improvement from day by day, and better than hour by hour). And I wouldn't feel right covering the cost of the remainder of the fundraising minimum when I need to focus on paying this debt off.

So...I hope you understand. I've already spoken with one of the organizers and he mentioned that this year's fundraising credit could be applied toward next year, so....maybe. Still taking it week by week over here.

As far as riding goes, its been my refuge. The weather we've had this summer has been nothing short of amazing. Usually it's a a hot, sticky mess. But this year has been relatively mild, and I took every advantage of it. Hopefully soon I will post photos of my summer adventures.



*I actually made my decision to drop from the ride a few weeks ago, but I wasn't sure what to say in regards to my decision on this blog. I was/am very hesitant to talk about The Boy's alcoholism, because its his illness & his privacy, and I would never want him to feel violated or self conscious. But, one of the things that was fueling my depression was feeling isolated & unable to speak to anyone about what was happening, because alcoholism doesn't just make the alcoholic sick, it makes loves ones sick too. It's been difficult for me to talk about how I've been feeling/coping with friends without mentioning the dreaded word Alcoholism, for fear that I'm violating the Boy's anonymity.  I was under the mistaken impression that this was HIS illness, so I didn't have a "right" to talk about it. Wrong. It is also my illness, in that this has a direct impact on me. I've decided that I'm not going to dance around the issue anymore. There is nothing shameful about it. The Boy is not abusive or mean or anything like that, he just can't manage drinking alcohol on his own. He knows it, I know it, and its not a big deal if other people know it. In fact, it becomes a problem when we try to deny that its there. The Boy now has over 6 months of sobriety under his belt, and a very strong support system, including a sponsor. I'm very proud of him, and we probably have a stronger relationship now than we've ever had before.

Come to my fundraiser!

Be sure to set aside time to come to this party! We'll be screening the original documentary in the background.

a $10 wrist band at the door gets you these FABULOUS drink specials:

$5 Grey Goose Cocktails

$4 Maker's Manahattans

$6 Long Islands

$3.50 National Bohemian

AND a raffle ticket for an equally FABULOUS prize.


We'll also be looking for the BEST costume and the WORST costume. Put on your best scarves, safety pins, unitards & raccoon outfits!

Fancy feet? Show us your best dance routine, and you could win a prize too!

Not talented at dancing OR costumes? Try the scavenger hunt: you can find stuff, right? You get a prize too!

(Honestly, this will be just be a movie party with cheap drinks. How can you say no?!)

All proceeds raised from this are going to the Climate Ride, and ultimately WABA. Drinking for a good cause! Or just watching a movie for a good cause!



Side note: If you happen to have an old-school style camcorder and are willing to act as our "documentary maker", your drinks will be on me! Purely for show, you don't have to actually be taping anything.

Climate Ride

After finishing the Police Unity Tour, I knew I couldn't wait to do another big multi-day group ride. Luckily, the Climate Ride for NYC-DC is in the fall this year, instead of in the spring like last year. I really wanted to do the Climate Ride last year, but it was the same time as the Unity Tour. As much as I try, I can't be in two places at once. This year the Climate Ride is in September, so I quickly signed up!

What is the Climate Ride?

The mission of Climate Ride is to inspire and empower citizens to work toward a new energy future. We use sport as a means to change lives and build an effective, citizen-based sustainability movement.

It is also a fundraiser for "sustainability, climate, clean energy & bicycle-related projects and organizations." I will be fundraising on behalf of WABA the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, one of my favorite organizations ever (you're already a member, right?).

I will be riding a bicycle for 5 WHOLE days, from NYC back to DC (Sept. 21st-Sept. 25th). Fun, right? There will also be camping (some of us are a bit more enthusiastic about this than others), guest speakers & other fun stuff on the way. I also get to meet other WABA & Climate Ride supporters.

I need your help though (yes, again. Stop rolling your eyes!). In order to participate, I need to raise a MINIMUM of $2700. That's twice the amount I needed to raise for the Police Unity Tour. It's a little daunting. I have just over 1,000 followers on twitter. Excepting those that are bots, if all of you donated just $25, I would be WELL on my way of raising that money.

Need a little more incentive? Check this out:

If you donate, you'll receive in return:

        $10.00: A big thumbs up and/or high five, to be delivered in person.

• $25.00: A thank-you note from me, with a personalized bike-themed haiku (please let me know your address when you donate or shoot me an email!)
  
  $50.00: A water bottle/t-shirt (I'm still pricing these, so it depends) with my photo, giving you a thumbs up!
  
  $100.00: I will buy you a beer or two. Maybe more.
  
  $250.00: I will buy you dinner.
  
  $500.00 A bike ride together to a destination of your choice (within the DC Metro area).

Why should you donate? Well, besides enabling WABA to fund programs and events such as the Women & Bicycles Program, Bike to Work Day, the 50 States Ride,  Adult Bicycling Classes, various advocacy, getting bike lanes & other infrastructure installed, etc there's this:


1. You can sleep in late as I pedal my tired butt for hundreds of miles. (doesn't donating money sound even easier now?! You get the credit, while I do the work!)

2. You will transform my bicycle into a money making MACHINE! Something I have yet to accomplish.

3. If you sponsor me, I have no excuse not to complete this ride. Otherwise I will feel like a loser.

4. If you don't sponsor me, I can't do the ride, and I will have to wear a Cone of Shame on my head.

5. You will get updates on my training & real-time updates from the ride itself! Exciting! It will be like the Tour de France, except less exciting and with slightly less doping.

6. WABA is a very important organization for me. I've met many of their staff & their Board, and they are super awesome and dedicated. They do so much with so little. It's amazing.

7. You know how much I love to ride my bike.

8. It makes you feel good to give to a good cause.

9. You are an awesome human being.

10.  It's tax deductible!

So, donate now! Click on the link to the right!

I also have a few fundraising events in the works that I will update you with as they get more solidified. In the meantime..

SAVE THE DATE for JULY 14th! Stetson's is helping me to host a Grey Gardens themed costume party that will be a climate ride fundraiser. As soon as we finalize the details, I will post more information up here!

I'm also planning another Bike Wash, so get your bikes nice and dirty!

Also, some photos of various rides, since I know you all love photos!

I have no idea where this is from. I assume I was riding near the Canal?

From the Tour de Fat: I was dressed up as Wonder Woman, but it was 9000 degrees out and my tiara was giving me a headache. Hence my happy face.

Side stage at the Tour de Fat

Wonder Woman socks (with capes) and my "bike shoes".

The Metropolitan Branch Trail. 

More MBT.

Graffiti along the MBT.

a hidden garden along the MBT.

I like the MBT because unlike many other trails, it has a very "industrial" vibe to it. Railroad tracks run beside it, and there are many warehouses and old factories.

Art along the MBT.

More art.

Sunset at the 11th St. Bridge overlook.

The Big Chair (duh).

Anacostia

Street art at Lumen8Anacostia

Watching Black Masala play at Lumen8

Bike Parking at Lumen8. I was the only one there using at the time.

another view from the 11th St. Bridge

Super Moon at the Titanic Memorial

Love

Police Officers getting trained to patrol on bicycles.

Police Unity Tour 2013

The ride is over, and I'm sad that it's over (and a little sun burned). This year's ride was even better than last year. Even though I was nervous that I hadn't trained enough, the nerves were for nothing--I had absolutely no issues completing, and even enjoying, the ride. I can't wait for next year. I am definitely signing up again.

The weather was cooperative for our chapter. Not too chilly, and not too hot. We escaped the storms that soaked other chapters. Three other chapters had to be pulled from their routes and bused to their hotels on one day because the weather was simply too hazardous. Not for us though. A few rain drops, and that was it. We even had the pleasure of seeing a rainbow at the end of a day's ride.

It was also really nice to see familiar faces again. Last year I was a bit nervous because I didn't know what to expect or what folks would be like. This year was much easier. Although there were plenty of new people too. I could see the same look of panic, "what have I gotten myself into", on the morning of the first day that I had last year as well. HA!

The first day is approximately 95 miles. Some hills, but nothing major. We ride from Richmond, VA to Charlottesville, VA. It's the day we basically learn to ride together as a group. The issue with doing these sorts of large, organized rides is that everyone comes to the ride with different skill levels & abilities. Some people are very experienced riding in a group and know what to expect. For others, this will be their first time. There's a level of trust that has to be gained when riding in a big group (or "peloton). Communication is key. You have to trust the riders ahead of you to point out any upcoming obstacles or turns, or changes in pace. You don't want to end up running into the rider ahead of you because you didn't realize the group would be slowing. Luckily, our group had a bunch of experienced riders and quick learners. Folks caught on quickly. By the end of the first day, everyone was an "expert".

We did have one crash. I am not sure what happened, but a rider went down way in the group behind me. I didn't even realize a crash had occurred until I saw the ambulance passing us and the leaders had informed us at the next rest stop. But the group did what they were supposed to do: Keep Going! You can't stop when a rider goes down because you might cause a pile-up, and also it keeps the medics (who were positioned in the rear of the pack) from being able to get to the rider. At first, we feared the rider had broken a collarbone, but it turns out he was fine. Just very bruised and shaken.

The second day is approximately 80 miles and "hilly". It's considered the most challenging of the 3 day ride. I actually think this is my favorite day. I find the hills challenging in a fun way, and it breaks up the monotony of pedaling for miles & miles.  Hitting the rollers at just the right speed to use momentum to get up the next hill without effort is fun. Although a lot of folks were swearing at the last hill (there is a big hill that leads up to our hotel), I was actually kinda sad it was over. I might be a little crazy.

The third day is our "short" day, but its the day that we have to be on time to make the greeting ceremony at the memorial, so we have to stay on schedule. It's "only" 45 miles, but it can seem like a lifetime the closer I get to home. This year was special, because my childhood friend Lynn stopped by our lunch spot with two of her adorable daughters to see us off. It was really nice for me to have a friend see me off, and also I'm sure her little girls thought it was really neat to see all the motorcycles & the helicopter. Our lunch stop on the last day is at Fairfax County's PSTOC (Public Safety and Transportation Operations Center), and the Fairfax police helicopter gives us "escort" on the way in & out of the facility. It's a lot of fun. Ever been buzzed by a helicopter on your bicycle? I have. It's fun, if you don't blow over.

This year was a bit more emotional than last. All of the participants (riders, support staff, escorts, medics, etc) are assigned fallen officers. At each of our rest stops, officers are encourage to talk about their fallen officer. Many officers also chose to speak about officers they personally knew/related to who were killed in the line of duty. It was very sad, and very moving to hear their stories. We even had one rider whose brother was killed last year during the week of the Unity Tour Ride. He chose to spend the anniversary of his death riding with us. It was very hard for him.

Some photos...

Once again, one of our riders, Kevin, had his son's elementary school create some motivational cards for us  to help us during the ride. I really liked this card because the rider is riding in all kinds of weather, just like me. And also, I am super.

Just about to roll out on our very first day. Everyone was excited and nervous.

This year I rode for Det. David Adam White of FL. He was killed in the line of duty when he was shot while executing a search warrant on a suspected meth lab in February of last year.

This rainbow was an unexpected treat on our second day of riding. We just missed the very nasty thunderstorms that rolled by in the area.

The medal for this year.

I think this photo is from when we were coming into one of our hotels. You can see the look of relief and happiness on folks' faces.

This is part of the candlelight vigil during Police Week.There were thousands of participants, and it took up multiple city blocks. Every time some knob complains about the "drunken disorderly cops" during Police Week, I ask them if they've ever attended any of the actual events. The answer is usually no. No surprise, since most folks don't really understand what its all about. Listen to a child talk about her fallen mother, or a wife mourning her lost husband, and you'll figure it out.

Our first meeting as a group. Orientation. 

Swag bag. I really like the mountain bike shorts, but I haven't tried them yet.

The mechanic's trailer, our mobile bike shop.

One of our rest stops. mmmmmm gatorade.

All of our rest stops were provided by community volunteers. Many of the places were volunteer fire stations or churches. The ladies of this particular church provide us with lunch every year, consisting of the best peanut butter & jelly sandwiches ever (and cookies and chips).

Fancy bikes.

This guy rode a fixed gear. Yikes.

We had riders from all over the place. Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio....

Our motor escorts. These guys worked really hard to make sure we were safe.

Chair massages. One of our riders was kind enough to secure this as a donation!

Chilling after a long day of riding. Always the best part of the day.

helicopter!

Home! Gathering up with the other chapters so we can ride as one united group to the Memorial for the greeting ceremony.

Chapter 4.

This year I rode a Van Dessel cyclocross bike. It's light & nimble. Although Kermit, my steel touring bike, did just fine last year, I wanted to see what it was like to ride a "real road bike". It wasn't much different, ha. It did make traveling with him much easier since I can lift him with one hand. The Van Dessel got a lot of compliments. People did keep asking where my "green bike" was. I said I'd bring it back for next year. My fitness seemed to be fine when it came to my riding. I think my running & (limited) biking has paid off.  Even though I haven't done any 50+ mile rides yet this year, I had no problems completing the 95 mile ride on the first day. Honestly, I think losing 20lbs had a lot more to do with it than any (non) training I did. I do plan on biking a lot more (for fun!) this summer. Maybe even a few bike camping trips. The Unity Tour Ride re-ignited my love of cycling in a big way, and I can't wait to be back out there riding the canal or the local trails again.

I over-packed again. Even though I made a list after last year's ride, I lost it. I really didn't need to bring any nutrition with me: the rest stops were more than well-stocked with a wide variety of things. I also brought too many clothes. I wasn't sure what the weather was going to be like, so I erred on the side of caution and brought everything. Big mistake. I forgot laundry detergent to wash my shorts & jersey, but was able to borrow some. I also wish I had brought more advil with me. And I am kicking myself for not bringing my Keens. I wasn't sure if they would be appropriate, but I saw someone else wearing a pair. They are definitely coming with me next year, along with a cheap pair of flip flops to stick in my jersey pockets.

Things I will remember for next year (or the next big ride I do....more on that in a moment):

1. Don't bring food. There will be plenty.
2. Don't over pack on clothes. Bring a pair of pajamas. A pair of comfy pants. A pair of comfy shorts. A couple of tshirts & a hoodie. That's it (besides underclothes & riding stuff).
3. Bring Keens!
4. Bring a pair of flip flops to change into at pit stops, so I can give my feet a break for a few minutes.
5. More advil! Maybe bring some icepacks too. They feel good stuck in a jersey pocket on a hot day.
6. Wear more sunscreen, even if you think you don't need it.
7. Don't forget laundry detergent.

I think that's about it.

During the ride, I also brought some study materials with me. The week after the ride was the written portion of my promotional exam, for which I have been studying for the last 3-4 months. I foolishly thought I would be disciplined enough to study a bit each night of the ride. Ha! I think I studied for about 30 minutes total. (It didn't matter. I still kicked ass).

As soon as the ride was over, and I was back home, I started jonesing for another ride. So I signed up for the Climate Ride. Come September, I will be riding from NYC to DC with a bunch of awesome #bikedc folks, to benefit WABA! yes!

Yup, I will be fundraising again, so stay tuned for that. Speaking of which, I just wanted to thank each and every one of you that donated money to the Unity Tour this year. I raised just shy of $2,000 all told, and this year the Unity Tour as a whole raised 1.7 MILLION for the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund. That's nothing to sneeze at. So thank you. The Survivors thank you. The Law Enforcement Family thanks you.

As for the Climate Ride, I will be posting more information shortly. I need to get through the second portion of my promotional exam before I can properly concentrate on the Climate Ride. Good, bad or ugly, it will all be over on June 8th. So expect more information after that date.

you have no idea how stressed I have been over this promotional process. I really, really want it, but it has been taking up a lot of my time & energy. I will be so glad when its finally over, even if I don't get promoted. It's certainly been a learning experience though!

How has your season of cycling been? I missed Bike to Work Day (boo), but I was there in spirit. I am so glad the weather has turned and that its actually warm & nice to be outside. Of course, it won't be long until the humidity & the mosquitoes show up, but I will enjoy it while I can.

The Police Unity Tour preparations...

Tomorrow morning I leave for Richmond. I spent most of today making lists & packing everything I think I might need. I know I made a list last year of what I *actually* ended up needing, but I can't find it (of course).

I have not trained nearly enough for this ride. I know this. There's been a variety of excuses: weather (will winter ever go away?!), work obligations, and personal stuff at home. I am hoping that my normal, every day riding will help see me through. Although I haven't been riding long distances, I have been running, and that has helped to keep my fitness up. I do remember last year being easier than I expected. Nothing I can do about it now except to keep on pedaling.

The Boy will drive me to Richmond, and I'm hoping to get there somewhat early so I can settle in and relax. The promotional exam for work is next week, so I'll be doing some studying along with the riding. No tailgating for me this year.

I will not be tracking my ride or even blogging until I get back home. My iphone is growing old & the battery life is terrible. I won't have time to blog from the road like I did last year. I will tweet & perhaps Vine some things along the way.

This year should be interesting because the weather has been all over the place. Last year I was lucky in that it was sunny & warm all 3 days (there was quite a bit of wind the 2nd day, but it was manageable). Looks like we might be facing rain & chilly temps this year. I've brought rain gear (rain jacket & pants), but I'm wondering if I should have bought rain covers for my shoes & helmet.

I keep looking back on last year's blogs from this time, and I am amazed. I was riding so much more (or at least blogging about it). This year has been a disappointment in that department so far. I'm not sure what the problem is. But it is what it is.

This year I will be riding in honor of Det. David Adam White, as well as the other 120 line of duty deaths in 2012. I will also be thinking particularly of my friend Oscar (ruled non-line of duty) and of Ofc. Jennifer Sebena.

I want to thank all of you that have donated to make this ride possible. You were all so very generous, and it never ceases to amaze me. I also want to thank The Daily Rider for hosting another successful Bike Wash Fundraiser, and to the Bike Rack for donating bike fits to riders on the Tour. Also, to my friend Art, who is trusting me with his fancy Van Dessel to ride :-)