Loni's Life

ling 2011 After a cold shower!!!  Even managed to shed my cycling clothes first...though I wasw almost hot enough to just shower in clothes and all.

Cy 2011 edition...32 of the hottest miles I have ridden outside of Wichita Falls...and in Hill Country too.   Only had to walk a few of the more evil ones.  Thought about sagging the last 7miles, but didn't.

5.a.m. Sunday, May 1, 2011   DAY 2 CANCELED Due to inclement weather, Day Two of Bike MS: Sam's Club Frisco to Fort Worth has been canceled. The safety of our riders, volunteers, support personnel and everyone involved with the event is a priority. Because of severe weather conditions along the route, we are taking action in the best and safest interests of all our participants.  Under no circumstances should any participant ride the route following this cancellation. Violations may result in exclusion from future Bike MS events. We sincerely thank and appreciate all our participants for their patience, understanding and continued dedication in moving forward to help families living with multiple sclerosis.

Had a traditional pre-ride breakfast of an egg mcmuffin minus the ham..all but 3 bites...and 2 bites of hashbrown as it was soggy and icky rather than crispy..with some diet coke. Got to the start line well ahead of the start and headed out with our team, Frito Lay's Cheesy Riders.   3rd place in fundraising last year behind Feisty Devils and Team Bikemart.  So we were the fourth team to leave as the title sponsor, Walmart's team, was in the #1 position.   They had a jersey redesign this year in blue and green that looked great; much more flattering than their old white ones. I bypassed BP1 at about the 45 minute marked  and arrived at BP2 in 75 minutes...a new personal best!   I knew I was doing pretty well since Gardere's Gearheads didn't catch me until about the railroad tracks getting towards 380.    I waited for BFF and Grandma's peanut butter cookie there, took a bio break, topped off the "amelbak and we headed for BP3. A good...

The Snowdrop Lace scarf for Ann has been completed.  Now it just needs to be washed, blocked, and delivered.  Ann is one of my long-time supporters for my rides for Tour de Cure and LiveSTRONG Challenge .   Thanks oodles Ann!!

Ah, Ms. Ellen , the Punch Queen is also a scrapbooking genius.. and so I had an inkling that her challenge would be scrapping related..and she didn't disappoint.   Because VC Rocks always BRIGHTENS her summer she challenged us to make a scrapbook page (any size, with photos) and the requirement is LIGHT.     So using a photo from this weekend's Tour de Cure Central Texas (San Antonio/Austin) and my alternate purpose - besides raising money for the American Diabetes Association is to shed these extra pounds... so "Getting Light er through Cycling", I put together this layout using Stampin' Up's My Digital Studio...  and the added bonus, is by random drawing I won a fabulous Ellen prize !  Woohoo!!!

We awoke to rain on Monday morning in Austin; grabbed a yummy breakfast at the hotel; and hit the road towards home.  The rain persisted the whole way from Austin to Dallas.   A truck hauling lumber on the southbound lanes hit the median and dumped its load in the northbound lanes shutting down the northbound lanes.  Luckily, we were exited to the service road and we were able to avoid the snarled traffic.   Shortly thereafter we saw another truck that had run off the road, into a telephone pole and jacknifed.   Quick prayers and asking fo blessings for continued safe travel were offered quietly and not-so-quietly throughout the day.  Once back on home turf, we let our people know we were back in the metroplex safe and sound and off to get a 2-hours massage.... pure bliss!   Followed by a trip to The Cheesecake Factory where BFF and I split corn fritters, a turkey club sandwich and fries, and we even split a slice of Tuxedo Cream ...

Livestrong Sunday, it's finally here... and lo and behold I am awake and dressed and ready to roll BEFORE 5am.   Now BFF is quite the early bird on travel days and ride days... and generally I am a cranky puss if it's anything before 6am.. unless there have been previously negotiated timeframes and expectations set ahead of time.  This was one of those times where there was an understanding of wake-up call times.   Of course, for a few moments when BFF tripped over the bedding and nearly whacked her head on the wall and her ribs into the nightstand, I saw our Livestrong weekend coming to an unexpected end.   Luckily, she managed to catch herself and fall onto the bed instead of the wall and nightstand. Off to get the ride-day breakfast... and not sure why it works, but it does.. our standard McD ride-day combo meals... and off to Dripping Springs.  Stopped on the way to get gas and water... took the time to air up bike tires while we were well l...

We left on Saturday morning before sunrise.   We asked for our blessings for safe journeys for our weekend for ourselves, others and especially to those fighting cancer.   We stopped at McD's for what is becoming one of our traditional travel-day breakfasts-- for me that means an Egg McMuffin combo sometimes with Canadian bacon, more often without and a diet coke; for BFF that means a Bacon, Egg & Cheese biscuit combo with a milk; plus ketchup for her hashbrown and strawberry jelly for her biscuit.   We had a clear skies and crisp air as we set off and watched the sunrise during the drive and clear blue skies the whole way to Austin.  We hoped that our TOPS pals walking in the Memory Walk would have a nice morning for their trek and that it would warm up at least a little before the walk. We stopped in Italy to refill the gas tank, take a restroom break, pick up some water and a snack (mini donuts), and buy a couple of lotto tickets and then...

LiveSTRONG Challenge Austin--- What an incredible weekend! There were just over 6,200 riders, runners, walkers and 900 volunteers participating in the Challenge this weekend. Through the generosity of the 38,607 donors we raised $4 million toward the fight against cancer! Mina and I had a great ride in Austin, we completed the 20 mile, yet still hilly and challenging, course in less time than we struggled thru 15 miles of the 45 mile route last year. We rode more, walked less, and each doubled our individual fundraising for the event.  The weather was partly cloudy and a bit windy at times; started out a bit cool, but warmed up nicely and most thankfully the rain stayed away all weekend!!! Many thanks to our sponsors and our prayers and thoughts to all of those who have been touched by cancer in some way~whether self, friend, family, or co-worker. We ride so that some day we can defeat this disease & we're already looking forward to LiveSTRONG Challenge 2010-Oct 22, 23,...

Only 7 more days until LiveSTRONG Challenge Austin 2009.   Had a terrific training ride with my BFF yesterday, but was concerned about the gear adjustments on my bike as it was being persnickety about dropping into the small ring on the front... and then when trying to shift from the mid-ring to the large ring on the front, the derailer seemed to drop the chain just to the outside of the largest ring.   BFF and I were having a tough time getting the chain back on when a nice man offered his assistance, we quickly accepted, and he made very short work of unlooping the two kinks in the chain, getting it backon the rings, and getting us back on the road.  So today I dropped my bike off at the shop today for a tuneup with the stipulation that I need it by Friday as we're leaving for Austin on Saturday.   After hearing my plight about the low and high rings, the bike shop dude assured me they would have it done by Wednesday 'cause "fo...

Riding!    Got to spend another training ride outdoors and then we're in the gym this week on a taper and headed to Austin next Saturday for our ride on Sunday.   To my family and friends that have supported my 2009 rides for various causes, I thank you for your encouragement and support. For my family and friends that wish to make a donation or feel free to share with your own circles of friends and family, all donations no matter how small or large are appreciated.   http://austin09.livestrong.org/loniholt Picture here is on the road for Tour De Cure San Antonio to Austin May 2009. 

Today was the first annual Wish 100 ride for the Make a Wish Foundation of North Texas.    It's not too late to make a tax deductible donation .   Many thanks to friends and family that have supported yet another of my growing list of charity rides. We had a cold front blow thru Dallas on Thursday night so we were greeted with a slightly crisp morning.  BFF picked me up and since I didn't eat leftovers from PF Chang for breakfast, she went to my fave cycling breakfast spot - McD's for an egg mcmuffin combo meal.  Since I had told her last night I'd have the chinese food for breakfast, she had opted for a sausage kolache, apple fritter and orange juice from a local donut shop on the way to pick me up.   Lesson learned: Don't mess with cycling even breakfast ~ which we had both noted from this year's HHH ride (as I had opted for a Jenny Craig muffin and ended up starving and nearly bonking by Shepherd).  So back to systems normal for me...

The sole purpose of the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of North Texas is to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions, in order to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.  Did you know the average Wish costs approximately $6,000.    I'll be riding on Saturday, Oct 3rd 2009 with Cheesy Riders for the Wish 100 Ride.   Please consider supporting my ride with a tax-deductible donation .

One of the best rides across the finish line... 2008 Bike MS DFW, Sundance Square Ft. Worth Texas.

http://oneminutewriter.blogspot.com/2009/09/todays-writing-prompt-warning.html Took me about a minute to think of what kind of Warning sign would need to apply to me.. and then aha, it came to me... Warning: This person asks ( ok , perhaps even begs) for money for charity via many electronic portals-email, blog, facebook , twitter, myspace , etc. It's all for a wide-range of worthy charitable causes and she puts her body on the line on her bike or in her sneakers to raise these funds. Give her some money to support a charity or two or three or how ever many she is cycling or walking for, and don't forget to take your charitable tax deductions too! Ok , you've been warned and now here is the "Asking"... or "Begging" whichever you choose to call it ~~~~~~ Bike MS - May 2010 -- National MS Society Tour de Cure - San Antonio to Austin 2-day - May 2010 American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure - Dallas-Ft Worth - September 2009 American Diabetes As...

Join a great team of cyclists against Diabetes... there was a special super-early discounted registration for the 2010 Tour de Cure 2-day from San Antonio to Austin for the American Diabetes Association. Since I am such the early bird, the Red Rider team had not yet been established and so at the Tour Director's request, I went ahead and assumed those duties. So it looks like my BFF and I are headed back to the dorms of San Marcos State University for the overnight (and I think I'll pack a sleeping bag, a sweatshirt, and gloves this time!!!) Here's my link for 2010 TDC Austin and from there you can select the Click here to Join My Team button or you can select the Click here to sponsor me button to sponsor the ride with your tax-deductible donation. http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR?pg=personal&fr_id=6888& px =3881914

As friends and family know, I enjoy cycling for exercise and stress relief.. and if I can help a few of my favorite charities along the way, that's a pretty good combination. Here's the fall lineup of 3 charity cycling events and 1 walk event.. your tax-deductible charitable donation is greatly appreciated ~ no amount is too small or too large. Sept 12- Tour De Cure DFW - American Diabetes Association - 32 mile bike tour Oct 3 - Make A Wish Foundation North Texas - 30 miles bike tour Oct 24 - Memory Walk Allen --> Alzheimer's Association - 3 mile walk Oct 25 -- Livestrong Challenge Austin --> Unite to wipe out Cancer!!! - 20 miles in Austin Hill Country