The ride begins...

Greetings family and freinds!! 

 I'll be beginning the ride tomorrow Sept 22nd.  A day early.  We arrived in Bellingham Washington this evening and I was talking to Ken about tomorrow.  Since we have all day tomorrow I thought we might drive the first day's route.  WAIT!!  I can RIDE!  So I'm starting early and I'll have a short day. Just 25 miles or so.  A good way to begin I think. 

So....

What am I doing this for?  This is crazy!!  Well first off, it's not all that crazy.  Cyclists do this ride fairly frequently and I hope to connect with a bunch along the way.  It is a bit crazy for me.  I haven't done anything like this before.  The AidsLifeCycle ride I did last year was close and, that was an amazing challenge, but fully supported and without carrying gear.  I'll be carrying all my gear for most of this ride.  Anyway here's what happened.  I was inspired.  As most of you know Gabriella Cosner was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma last year.  To walk alongside Adam, Kris, G, and Bridget while they faced this terrifying challenge was shocking, inspiring, humbling....  It was also eyeopening to become aware of the world of childhood cancer.  I was with Adam, Kris and Gabriella at one of the earliest appointments they had.  This was shortly after they heard the words, "Your daughter has cancer."  Their world was upside down, sideways and inside out.  I joined them that day just to be there...  powerless to do, but able to be.  I sat in the entry area of Lucille Packard's oncology unit and waited while they were in getting scans or something equally horrifying, I don't remember exactly.  While sitting there waiting, the door opened and a young girl, maybe 8 or so walked in.  I turned and looked at her.  She was obviously a patient.  As she walked in she looked up at the tv screen playing some kids movie.  When she saw what was on the screen her face broke into this beautiful delighted smile.  And it hit me.  This was just a Wednesday for her.  Part of her weekly routine.  Just a few feet away my friends world was being torn apart and certainly that had been the case for this little girls family, but now?  Just another day to go for treatment.  It was so weird.  In fact that reality became the weekly routine for the Cosners in a very short time.  This I suppose is good and due in part, to the love and strength and support that surrounded them.  But still... THIS SHOULD NEVER EVER BE ANY FAMILY'S ROUTINE!!  I'm going on too long here but that is the birth of my outrage!  And finding out that childhood cancer research and treatment is GROSSLY under funded is the fuel that was thrown on the fire of that outrage.  So...  I do this.  I ride.  I get attention for doing something a little bit outrageous.  A little bit crazy.  A whole lot of fun I hope.  I take that attention I get and focus it on the outrageous disgusting reality of childhood cancer.  Here's a quote that says it best.  I read this recently on Melanie's FB page and it surprised me that these were my words.
This battle we fight is in honor of those lost, and in hope for those still fighting, and those not yet diagnosed. We demand a change. We demand that we lose no more! We allow outrage in. We blend it with our hope. Now that we have become aware, we will not stand by. 

That is why I do this!  Join me won't you?  Let in this mix of outrage and hope and let it inspire you to act.   Really.  Do some reading.  Team G's page is a good start.  Alex's Lemonade Stand is another.  Google it.   And of course join me on this journey and come back often to read about my progress.  We'll be posting our money raising progress too, so check it out and get inspired.  

Thank you so much for the love and support you've given me!!  God loves me so beautifully through YOU!  From that love flows my hope.

So what'ya say?!!  LETS PLAY!! 

Billiam ;-D