Loni's Life

The trip to the LiveSTRONG Challenge 2010 was a whirlwind this year since I left my BFF/Cycling partner at home as she recovers from surgery... and I had to be back in the office on Monday for an important project meeting.   So I left home in the wee hours of the morning i.e. before sunrise as seems normal for these cycling events... and got to Austin around 9:30AM.  Intermittent rain all along the way.  Picked up my packet and had time to kill before 3PM check-in at the hotel.  I used the time to go exploring various knit shops around Austin.   Stayed for the one night in an Extended Stay America at a great rate; though the beds were not as comfy as the Hilton line, it served its purpose.. and was only 20 miles from the start and right on the road leading to Dripping Springs. Up early the next morning before the sun (as usual).. picked up the traditional Event Day breakfast and got to the parking zone in plenty of time to get my stuff together and g...

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,...

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. 

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

Ok, it's December 1st and my cycling partner and I are already registered for 2009 Austin with our 2nd attempt at the 45 mile route. Here's the link to my fundraising page http://austin09.livestrong.org/loniholt 2009 LiveSTRONG Challenge video http://www.livestrongchallenge.org/site/c.frKPI1PAIoE/b.4785743/

Here we are on LiveStrong Challenge Austin ride day... as usual with most of our rides we are up well before the sun... and somehow this year, with perhaps the lone exception of the Hotter Than Hell ride in Wichita Falls also on a quite chilly morning. From top to bottom - Me; my best friend; Me & My best friend at the first "Power Stop" where we signed the honor board; and then last but by no means least one of the many, long and seemingly unending hills on the course.

Here's some pics from the LiveStrong Challenge Austin Expo... we left this on the Honor/Memory wall and we rode with signs as well. Also a picture of me with Lance Armstrong... ok, it's probably about as close to Lance as I will get unless I get super-serious in the $3-10K range to earn an invitation to dinner or to the special Lance-led group ride.

Ok, the day started out as most of our cycling event days do... in the dark of the morning before the sunrise. Even in the dark, we could tell from the taillights on 290 that the area on the way to Dripping Springs was hilly. We set off for Dripping Springs with no real plan for breakfast other than to find something on the way even if it was Bob's donut shop or whatever... luckily we did locate a McD's so we had what is becoming the traditional on the road pre-cycling breakfast with me with an egg & cheese McMuffin and M with a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuite. We got into Dripping Springs... still under cover of darkness... we got routed to a field for parking ~ ok, so it looked like a field in the darkness... turned out it was an undeveloped part of a city park. We had to ride a couple of miles to the high school in the dark.. note to self, get headlight and taillight for bike for these kind of rides. We got staged with the 65 mile riders because the 45 mile riders w...

M and I are headed off to Austin today for our Livestrong Challenge ride of 45 miles tomorrow. I am riding, first and foremost, in celebration of the life of my dear friend C's husband. She is one of my biggest supporters in everything I do ~ from college to TOPS, knitting to cycling... she is one of the most genuinely caring people in the world and I am fortunate to count her among my friends. I did not have a chance to know her husband directly, but his loving spirit is kept alive by C and I feel that I've known him. I will also be riding in memory of a departed TOPS pal who lost her battle against a second recurrence of breast cancer. I will always remember D as one of the happiest ladies no matter what the scale said at TOPS each week. I remember once after weigh-in and before the meeting started, she had ask how are you? I responded with "I gained"... and she said to me, I didn't ask whether you lost or gained, I asked how are YOU... because TOPS is more th...