Ride the Riverside 2014

Last weekend Yannos and a few of our friends participated in Ride the Riverside for the MS Society. The group on Saturday rode 100 miles and the group on Sunday rode 32 miles. Yannos was the only one crazy enough to ride both days.

The team raised an outstanding $7,307! That truly amazes me. Here are some pictures from the day. I'm unfortunately finding it much harder to take quality pictures with 2 kids. Something about needing my hands free...

It was a gorgeous weekend for chilling at the finish line! 

And climbing poles...

And passing out...

So that's what we were doing while these guys did all the work.

Here are the Saturday boys (minus one rider). 

Unfortunately there was an injury early in the ride that took Justin out of commission. The boys said they were riding for me, but really they were riding for Justin. 

Medals and sore backs!

The tribute to Justin!

Day 1: Max speed of 34mph? You guys obviously didn't see that speed limit sign Zoe was climbing. 

Day 2! 

Haven't seen Greg since our wedding, but MS rides bring people together. 

Looks too easy for Laura :)

Yannos and the skidoos

Hanging out in the tent.

Lexi had to bow out of the ride on Sunday due to asthma, but then we really lost her when the pick up van went the wrong way on the highway.

Yannos said he was worried when he first got back on the bike again on Sunday, but felt completely fine after a few miles.

Next up for team "With Friends Like These..."? Team jerseys.

If anyone knows anything about custom bike jerseys, you let me know.

Thank you to our team and thank you to everyone for all of the support!

With Friends Like These...

It's time for the bike ride update!

On September 29th, the MS society held their first Bike to Bordeaux in Maryland. The course had 3 options: 15 miles, 36 miles, or 61 miles. Yannos and seven of our friends each rode somewhere between 31 and 67 miles. Oh. those numbers don't match the courses? Stay tuned for the explanation.

First of all, the team raised $3,302.00! Yannos and Neil were top fundraisers for the event. They got special parking, car decorations, and a free bottle of wine. Here's the proof.

We sat at the finish line for hours, anxiously awaiting everyone's arrival. Here was our view.

I know, poor us.
Too bad the weather wasn't perfect.


Laura sneaked in behind us. She had a flat tire toward the end of the ride, hence the 31 miles instead of the 36. Do not tell her she went 30 miles because you will get corrected!

Matt also did the the 36 mile course, so he came flying over the finish line pretty early.

In his quest to go as fast as possible, Chris teamed up with an intense biker and showed up surprisingly early. They got lost and went extra miles, so they rode more than 61.

Then we had about a 2 hour wait and Zoe had her first piece of candy. Because that detail is just as important as raising 3k dollars.

After 61 miles and 4 hours 38 minutes of riding, we saw the boys turn the corner! 

  Expert medal grab

 Neil wins the intensity game

Jon wins the best shirt contest

I'm not sure why I started handing out superlatives, but Colin gets best sunglasses.

Zoe was ready for some daddy hugs

Good work, team!

They had to walk up this ginormous hill after the finish line. So unfriendly.

It's that time again

It's that time again. Time to get serious. If you have been paying attention, I've been feeling pretty awesome for about 2 years. Until Tuesday the 11th.

The timing is intriguing. Although March is officially MS awareness month, we have been immersed in MS events this month.

The first was Legal Day, where we got to meet with a lawyer for 30 minutes on any legal issue.

The second was a Women's Breakfast, where my neuropsych did a talk about how women have to restructure their cognitive thinking.

The third is an MS bike ride. Yannos and 6 of our friends are riding 61 miles this weekend. They have raised more money than I ever dreamed and I am super excited about the event. Check it out here if you are interested in donating.

Tomorrow I will have a brain MRI. I've had too many MRIs to count on both hands, which is slightly troubling considering I'm only 30. Multiple knee injuries and a neurological disease will do that to you.

Being active in the MS world is as rewarding as it is disturbing. It is so much easier to ignore the world around you than it is to participate. My mom and Yannos walked away from Legal Day a little heavyhearted. They were quiet about it, but you can watch someone shrink a little when they are face to face with a disturbing probable future. Wobbly. Unstable.

I didn't take the same feelings away as they did. I vividly remember the couple with the wife using a scooter and her husband's hand on her shoulder. The smiling daughter holding coffee for her mom using the walker. Love. Smiles. These are the things you have to look for to stay grounded. 

I imagine they would have felt the same way at the Women's Breakfast: walkers parked in every corner of the room.

But I saw a room full of women who aren't content to sit at home. A woman who rode her scooter 3 miles from the Metro station. Walkers, crutches, wheelchairs, and scooters aren't a sign of weakness. They are proof that you are still living your life. That you are a fighter who cares about participating.

Mothers who raised compassionate children from a wheelchair. Wives who maintain loving relationships despite fatigue. Daughters who care for their aging parents between drug infusions. What incredible role models these women are.