backpacking

Apologies for being missing in action – should have mentioned that we were going backpacking in the Grand Canyon this week. Down Hermit Trail to Tonto West and then up Bright Angel. Four days and three nights gave me a lot of time to think. While huffing my pack nearly 30 miles I organized a few things I’ve learned about backpacking in my four multi-night trips since 2007:

1. Backpacking is not easy
2. Too cold = no fun
3. Too hot = no fun
4. Too uphill = no fun
5. Too downhill = no fun
6. Bugs that bike and/or itch = no fun
7. Unperfect-fitting boots = no fun

What I’m basically saying is that since backpacking is so tough, you should try to plan it to be as smooth as possible. Choose the right time of year for perfect weather: not too hot, not to cold, no itchy bugs. And pick the right place with trails that are not too rocky and hard, yet not too many loose rocks, and definitely not too dusty. You might think downhill is ideal, but after two experiences of 5-7 consecutive hours stepping down in to the Grand Canyon, I’ll tell you it’s not. Down is tougher than up.

As my brother John would say about many things, with backpacking the “middle of the road” is really ideal. We used to tease John about his preference for vanilla ice cream, considering the widespread availability of rocky road, chubby hubby, phish food and so on. If he were an author, his book title would be “The un’X’factor: middle-of-the-road choices in an extremes-driven world” and it would discuss how plain vanilla ice cream is really the most shocking and unexpected choice that there is in today’s world of extreme sports and outrageous behavior. From tiny smart cars to giant H4 hummers, from 3-foot long dreadlocks to shaved heads, and from long-distance dial up to wireless internet at coffee shops, we love our extremes. I would agree that right down the middle of the road is, literally, the most dangerous place to walk. And figuratively, a middle-of-the road choice is, at first blush, complacent, but if you give it thought, admitting that you prefer something as mundane as vanilla ice cream is truly brave. The question of "You want your latte hot or iced?" is not answered "Oh, how about luke-warm." Enjoying the mid-point is just not usual.

Anyway back to backpacking. I’ll write more when Jesse gets the photos online and I can link to them. He took amazing ones last year when we were there.

Ready to greet the seven trick-or-treaters we usually get on halloween. Good thing I bought 100 assorted pieces of chocolate candy (including Almond Joy!).

~Beth

bike ms day two

I was on site at 3:30am. Not much more to say than that. Our scaffolding guys met me there to begin set-up of the finish line arch. As soon as I got them placed and started, I climbed back in the van and dozed off (not really, I was listening for the sound of the other rental truck) until 5:30am or so. After we got the site set up and the sun came up, I assigned some folks to traffic control and then took my station at the microphone - for the finish line. An unexpected volunteer posted sponsor banners for me - thank you NetApp! And we did some sweeping so no one would take a spill as they came through the finish arch.

I greeted every group of cyclists that came in! Many of them looked fresh, like they could have gone miles further. However most of them looked exhausted so I congratulated them on their accomplishment and thanked them for riding. There was a couple standing with me cheering - til the end - and I didn't find out until later that they were waiting for their son, Richie Moreno, to ride in with his girlfriend. I know Richie! He was a volunteer photographer for the Tour in 2008. Another group cheering until the end was Team Beth (no relation to me: Beth). They had a big group and were very emotional - I was honored to witness the completion of their huge effort to end MS.

Afterwards I cleaned out and filled up the van, and went to return it. It wasn't until I got all the way home in my car that I realized I had left MY PILLOW in the van... my pillow and I have a very close relationship. I actually thought about driving the 15 minutes back to the van to retrieve it and then 15 minutes back home again - but I didn't do it. Picked it up another day.

Speaking of which, I'm in Denver visiting our National office and hope that one of these seven pillows in my hotel room is at least similar to MY PILLOW at home. Last night's Broncos/Chargers game was awesome! Love seeing Jesse in such celebration.

bike ms from my perspective day one

I borrowed a van for the Bike Tour weekend - a regular Scooby Doo van. I wish I had a picture of it - will take one and post it some time.

Saturday morning before light I drove around in the scooby van posting last minute signs on the now-closed road. I had to use HEAVY sand bags to keep them from blowing away, hence the reason for the van and not posting them on foot. Cyclists started showing up on site around 6am and we got the music going. Here's a photo of our chapter president, Rich Israel, and I at the start line. The start line staggering went pretty well - though I know some cyclists were frustrated with the delay. We have to do what we have to do for the cities and safety. There were a lot of teams of all sizes, every one with smiles on their faces! Rich was really good about recognizing top fundraisers and everyone for their fundraising efforts, acknowledging how tough it was this year.

After all the cyclists left and I cleaned up the site (I'm the site sweeper), I got in the scooby van and started down the coast. I called the lunch stop to see if they needed anything and found out they needed ice. Like 250lbs of ice. So I stopped at a gas station and hauled bag after bag of ice from their freezer to the scooby van. By myself. And then I delivered it. Thank goodness I had the van.

Many cyclists had already arrived at the overnight festival when I arrived. Everyone seemed happy but tired (after riding 50 or 100 miles!). We had no interest in the team jersey fashion show, and very little attention to the awards ceremony. I think we'll nix the awards ceremony for next year. There was a major hiccup with the caterer... but all in all the festival seemed great. Saturday night I got home about 9:30/45 (it's a 50 minute drive), had an ice cream bar and went to bed, preparing for 3:30am arrival time at the finish line site next morning.

More about day two of bike to come. I have my new hiking boots on today - trying to break them in. I returned the ones I had because they rubbed my toenail black. There was a seam on the upper center of the toe... I know you have to put seams somewhere, but, really, there? Grand Canyon here we come!

bike ms more photos and details

More photos from DMZ Photography

On Friday morning I went to Disneyland BEFORE the park opened! Sam Rubin was there doing his usual morning-before live to promote the Tour, and there were some Dancing with the Stars folks, and Disney spokespeople (for their give a day get a day 2010 promotion) and of course characters! Halloween Minnie, and Volunteer Mickey and Minnie, and then later Jafar and Cruella. It was fun. The happiest place on earth brings out the kid in me. And I heard that the remodeled Space Mountain is even cooler with the Halloween character in it!

Then I went to rider check-in in Irvine. Many excited cyclists showed up to check in, and we had a carb-load dinner at 6pm. I set-up the start line site and placed all my signs, and made sure everything was ready, and then got too-few hours of sleep.

Back on site at 4:30am to place the last minute signs and get things rolling... more later.

bike tour press and photos

Back from a big bike weekend - though my brain and body are still tired. I could have slept all day. Here are some photos and stories that have been popping up online:

Tim Salmon in North County Times - scroll down to BIKE RIDER
Chad Gunn in DesertCADIE
SignonSanDiego.com
Keri on NeuroTalk
North County Times: Region
Orange County Register

Photos from Neighborhood Photos
Photos from John Hancock

I'll share more about the weekend later!

~Beth

waiting

I thought more about what moved me from Weyman's speech on the phone last week and I figured it out. It's that people with progressive and severe MS are still waiting. Which makes it all about me... at the Challenge Walk I spoke and referenced a speech I gave at my high school graduation, the message of which was that I could go away to college and conquer the world and that my mom would still be there waiting for me. Which she is, after more than 14 years, still the youngest resident at her care facility. Waiting.

I know it has been a long wait, and it will continue to require people with MS to wait until we find treatments that stop disease progression, a cure, a way to repair nervous system damage, and even prevention of MS. Weekends like this one, with thousands of cyclists raising money and riding for our cause doesn't feel like waiting. Going to Disneyland before it opens with Sam Rubin from KTLA doesn't feel like waiting. Our chapter president getting an interview on Channel 6 doesn't feel like waiting. The sight of that much support sometimes lures me in to believing that the wait is almost over. But it's not. Another Bike Tour means another year has passed and we haven't yet found the cure.

~Beth

five days and counting

Five days left in the countdown to the Bike MS Bay to Bay Tour. Busy days in the meantime! We loaded up the Bike storage room and conference room into a big truck today, and then went to our storage unit and loaded up a bunch more stuff into the same truck from there. Goodie bags, volunteer T-shirts, banners, drink bins, snacks... my co-worker Jessica started out with a beautiful tetris arrangement but unfortunately by the end we were just cramming everything in. Now I'm working on the scripts for the starts and finishes, and all the other last minute details.

On Saturday we had rider check-ins at REI in San Diego and Santa Ana. Jesse and I spent a long time in REI looking at backpacking tents (and I need new hiking boots, again). We ultimately walked out without a tent or boots, and then spent another couple of hours online later looking for tents. Hopefully we'll order one tonight.

I also found out we're confirmed for Disneyland Friday morning with Sam Rubin and KTLA 5 News! So neat to be in the park before it opens. Sam Rubin has ridden in the Tour for over 10 years (I think this is his 11th) and this year KTLA is really backing him. They created public services announcements for us and let us put banners on their website - great stuff! And Disney has a team of about 200 cyclists every year - this is their 10th year!

Oh and on a personal note my old car didn't recover. I've been bumming a ride to and from work every day for the past two weeks with my co-worker Sarah. But tonight I am getting my new(er) car! Excited...

bike planning and weyman johnson

So in the midst of craziness around here preparing for our upcoming Bike MS Tour (really, it's nuts - stuff everywhere. The big rider check-ins are this Saturday and next week we load pallets/trucks for the event), yesterday we had an all National MS Society conference call. Today is the first day of our 2010 fiscal year and so this was the 'eve.' Weyman Johnson, our national board chair, spoke for quite some time and some things really stuck with me. His belief that life is about luck: good luck and bad luck. That people living with MS know that more than anyone. That even though we're not your grandmother's MS Society anymore,  that people living with severe MS are STILL feeling helpless, and maybe hopeless. Regardless of all the advances in science that the Society has helped fund in the past years (an exciting oral therapy coming about soon!). He said many more words, obviously, but I can't remember them all. He called himself 'unswervable' which I love. The whole call renewed my determination - paired with some things Joyce Nelson said at the Challenge Walk. Like her sentiments about us all being in this movement as a team, and there being no option to leave any team member behind. I'm not doing a very good job of explaining what exactly in Weyman's words moved me, but it did. Even though sometimes I feel alone in this effort... like the people around me occasionally lose sight of the mission... I know we're a team. We'll get there. We have to.