Riding for Roses

Every once in a while, I like to tell the story from the beginning. It helps me figure out what the highlights are. It gives me a chance to cry and as I have said before, that release is empowering. It also gives me a chance to tell the story to new visitors to this blog. I expect some new people these days with the Tour Watch 2005 event in full swing and my brother says they will be discussing this blog on WGN Radio tonight. Plus, with all the illegal fireworks popping off in my neighborhood, I am not really ready to sleep now anyway.

Spencer’s fundraising total for the Ride for the Roses went over $10,000 today. In fitting fashion, it was a donation from his Grandfather, Frank Brimmer, also known as “Mayor Grandpa” since he is Mayor of Independence, IA. Frank’s wife (Rachel’s mother, Spencer’s grandmother), Diane Brimmer, passed away on December 13, 2004, from metastasized breast cancer. Last year on the Ride for the Roses I wore an “In Honor of…” bib tag for her. This year, Spencer and I will both be wearing “In Memory of…” bib tags for her.

My favorite coffee shop near my house is It’s a Grind – Plaza Volente (at 11521 N. FM 620, #940; Austin, TX in Plaza Volente at the intersection of Anderson Mill and 620) and the owners have generously put together a raffle to support the LAF….

There was a small problem with the Lance Armstrong Foundation web site recently. Some online donations were not properly credited to Peloton Members. We’ve already identified one donor who gave online over the weekend to Spencer’s account, but the donation did not appear. The LAF has worked with Kintera and the problem appears to be fixed. If you donated money in the last week or two and we did not send you a thank you email, please contact me at rifter05 at robsartin dot com and give me your first and last name. I will forward the list to the LAF so they can work to properly credit your donation to Spencer’s account. Thank you for your kind support.

We are filling in context material for the Discovery Network show by taping key events during the Tour de France. They wanted some footage of us watching the mountain days so I made sure Spencer came with me both Saturday and Sunday to Central Market for Tour Watch 2005—Saturday was bit of a bust with rain reducing the crowd and limiting taping chances. Sunday was perfect and Spencer milked it.

Lance took the yellow jersey decisively today, while Spencer got a green jersey of a different support. Thanks to generous donations from all over, Spencer cross the $7500 (and $8000) barrier in the last few days and qualified for a Peloton Project Green Jersey. That means he is over half way to getting the Polka Dot Jersey he is on track to get, and about one third of the way to the yellow jersey he wants to get.

At the oncologist on Friday, I commented to Spencer’s nurse, Jennifer, that Spencer’s hair wasn’t so much attached to his head as it was resting peacefully. Yesterday afternoon Spencer wanted to go for a swim and we wound up proving those words.

As I mentioned in my podcast yesterday, most stages of the Tour de France have intermediate sprints. They are fun to watch and, sadly, not always covered by the US television coverage of the Tour. As the riders approach the intermediate checkpoint they jockey for position and there can be a lot of politics if a breakaway group is heading toward a checkpoint—stronger riders may let other riders win to build temporary coalitions. Spencer is in facing an intermediate sprint right now. He has raised $7,187.88 towards his $25,000 goal. We are within striking distance of the next fundraising level of $7,500 (the Green Jersey award). Please help Spencer win his Green Jersey by donating to support cancer survivors and Spencer’s Ride for the Roses.

Conversations with Rob: Tour de France Jerseys

We are here at Tour Watch 2005 at Central Market North in Austin watching the Tour de France. Lance took the Yellow Jersey in Stage 4! People keep asking me about the special jerseys and what they mean, so I spoke for a few minutes on the meaning [...]

It is hard not to make analogies between my life and the Tour de France. This is the third stage of the Tour de France and, naturally, our third day watching it. Some of the attendees, volunteers, and sponsors at Tour Watch 2005 have already burned out. We’re amateurs—nobody has withdrawn from the Tour de France. The thing to remember at this event, like the Tour de France, is that the action comes in pieces every day, but the big action comes later. You have to survive through the first week to race in the mountains and eventually Paris.