tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57121534044089642042024-03-05T11:53:22.465-08:00Leap Frog for MSAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.comBlogger412125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-23985241566938194532017-07-07T03:00:00.000-07:002017-07-07T03:00:05.952-07:00If you start you have to finish<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> For the past several months you've watched me prepare for a ride I hold near and dear to my heart; Bike MS Bike To The Bay. I want to thank all of you for supporting me, whether it was by kind donations, moral support or by simply listening to me as I stand on my soap box, in the hopes of ending MS forever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> This is the final chapter (for now...), so please allow me to share with you how we all made it across that victorious finish line, ending our journey of "Bike To The Bay 2017".</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> In past rides I won't lie, there was a point where I seriously thought I might not make it to the end. And when I did make it to the end I found myself barely able to walk for the next several days. I wondered if I would actually hang up my bike and call it quits.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> This ride, however, seemed different. First of all there was a wonderful tail wind that seemed to be on our side for most of the ride. I was able to ride faster then I have ever gone in four years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Another reason, I believe, I managed to make it without temporarily destroying my body was my awesome teammates who made sure I rested at stops and hydrated, allowing the muscles effected by MS to go back to almost normal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Last year I really just wanted wanted to be finished, and we would have never taken the time for photos. This year you can see we surely took our time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> My Cousin Keith, who drove all the way from Florida, and my BFF Maryann never left my side the entire ride.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Though team Leapfrog was made up of varied skill levels on different routes, there were several of us who stuck together, and it was because of that push from my friends that I was able to make it that 55 miles to cross that finish line. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I was never more proud of this number, or humbled by all of my friends by my side.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbw5Y0xOJQQxArsGJv_QOrr38h_VEb-JAhyphenhyphenXmo9B-tPR5zjARlV1W1VkkE_C_AecTO1Px9OTkCnNu7cDY1hBiIoaaQedzYhrbl0wECqDX5dcffplOKod3fDRfEL3NN8VdvnEDgJD5JiD8/s1600/f+23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="720" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbw5Y0xOJQQxArsGJv_QOrr38h_VEb-JAhyphenhyphenXmo9B-tPR5zjARlV1W1VkkE_C_AecTO1Px9OTkCnNu7cDY1hBiIoaaQedzYhrbl0wECqDX5dcffplOKod3fDRfEL3NN8VdvnEDgJD5JiD8/s640/f+23.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> My hope is that one day I can witness a cure for MS. But for now I'll be thankful that I am surrounded by the most caring and loving friends who will do what ever it takes to help me on this journey. I am truly blessed.</span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!!</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-12960993910719578312017-06-30T03:00:00.000-07:002017-06-30T03:00:09.742-07:00You can't have a finish without a start<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_YBzNcUoA8iLr5XknoU99L3Avsv8w1wQR9yo1qGppgJQWjBWuWfeayJVsNqOxGXPTnX_VzqoIjUIamiLMopTM6yt56xudHYW5cT8k9jI5aPX3zRGgFgQAUy1wj68GGDeMrOx19_-pds/s1600/s+8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1544" data-original-width="1160" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_YBzNcUoA8iLr5XknoU99L3Avsv8w1wQR9yo1qGppgJQWjBWuWfeayJVsNqOxGXPTnX_VzqoIjUIamiLMopTM6yt56xudHYW5cT8k9jI5aPX3zRGgFgQAUy1wj68GGDeMrOx19_-pds/s400/s+8.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">By now I'm sure you know team leapfrog took that leap over the finish line; but in order to do that we needed to make it over the starting line. This begins the jersey of our weekend at the Bike To The Bay.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEL774q_FYj9QpPi-4cizJ_JZRT0lYSVoSszAZrdRXQqdcHTWFn7Ol2tb4ZlCSetDVVxnyCHTQgL1_UxZggLZPWTgrW8YdLU4lCMYdvCpu6IuBp4USKt-Fz0Hbql-xAIIisyGNjuyo94/s1600/s+13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEL774q_FYj9QpPi-4cizJ_JZRT0lYSVoSszAZrdRXQqdcHTWFn7Ol2tb4ZlCSetDVVxnyCHTQgL1_UxZggLZPWTgrW8YdLU4lCMYdvCpu6IuBp4USKt-Fz0Hbql-xAIIisyGNjuyo94/s400/s+13.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> One of the first people I saw that morning was one of my biggest heroes, raring and ready to go! Fred Lefevbre from 1370 radio has always gone above and beyond to help us in this battle to wipe out MS; both by raising a lot of money for the cause as well as the many countless miles to cross that finish line on both days.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> We did manage to wrangle up quite a few of the team members for a team photo before the ride. One thing we were told by many was, you could spot us from a mile away. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBla4g3mv4G_pdT_wS-U7QrFu_VrNBz26XnVyW09Ziu_K-TyJvpDAmhig2wFDyqDfafrdZNvrPksV3z0qmtHuIaDsbZJF4GLXgNixvIpX8ARwnz8rK6jr0510avCTilrW64gHtnNZMtPE/s1600/s+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBla4g3mv4G_pdT_wS-U7QrFu_VrNBz26XnVyW09Ziu_K-TyJvpDAmhig2wFDyqDfafrdZNvrPksV3z0qmtHuIaDsbZJF4GLXgNixvIpX8ARwnz8rK6jr0510avCTilrW64gHtnNZMtPE/s640/s+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was somewhat apprehensive about how this day would end up, but I had faith that my teammates would make sure we all made it to the end. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiclHLclCR1WuiiSCw5drS_yJXFW34gFxwvT2KOP0suDuO2V-laNXOJN1XFsjo8c_x6lt6tKDQyMbWwA0YPQ8Ba5mlWVkrvEPk2uRgjx-8rP1_Xt0aif85LDArh02NLYwHqP7kdOURBrzY/s1600/s+9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiclHLclCR1WuiiSCw5drS_yJXFW34gFxwvT2KOP0suDuO2V-laNXOJN1XFsjo8c_x6lt6tKDQyMbWwA0YPQ8Ba5mlWVkrvEPk2uRgjx-8rP1_Xt0aif85LDArh02NLYwHqP7kdOURBrzY/s400/s+9.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> You can see some of our team members were able to take photos while they rode. And some of us would rather hold on with two hands and smile:)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6jjUOCmoxy0E6tB1nMdS_WkSx0ZlBg2LqbcmFUbdwKkEakTC9tnN3-Mdd8-LxI9t7jxlMr7chnGursG2RxZaSKQ9wrtFecN2Ns6-m3iZZBX0IDatl-tb75WQR8bOtGOxtxyUPWTXWq0/s1600/s+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="360" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6jjUOCmoxy0E6tB1nMdS_WkSx0ZlBg2LqbcmFUbdwKkEakTC9tnN3-Mdd8-LxI9t7jxlMr7chnGursG2RxZaSKQ9wrtFecN2Ns6-m3iZZBX0IDatl-tb75WQR8bOtGOxtxyUPWTXWq0/s400/s+3.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> And taking a photo from ahead, looking back, was a skill I certainly didn't possess. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOAc43vNik3ca3CeaAi-VPq-YZSITsofXkFH64kItpTg3NF2e9Ge7i5NNTfRsMsA2sbYATb0cJjUOHSmFElvktiqogrjnZQZURPEQyRmZwZG8jJSvNVXERx0MTEjifz19vLkxlstW2Fw/s1600/s+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOAc43vNik3ca3CeaAi-VPq-YZSITsofXkFH64kItpTg3NF2e9Ge7i5NNTfRsMsA2sbYATb0cJjUOHSmFElvktiqogrjnZQZURPEQyRmZwZG8jJSvNVXERx0MTEjifz19vLkxlstW2Fw/s400/s+1.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Tom Gary was one of the troopers who set out to ride 75 miles both days. I was sure he would do it!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSUs7J1bfeGzNk1f3ena45WSLxmqXIgYfYX5vA_Y3zD4K4slhTg7Ljnc01SC5QW21QDEMmPXGthGrCMURzj2sWSBcYEkXf4l_uGIJAXQICw1jsuRNb0963DF2e-hS22t8y3IvemTJXKI/s1600/s+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="360" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSUs7J1bfeGzNk1f3ena45WSLxmqXIgYfYX5vA_Y3zD4K4slhTg7Ljnc01SC5QW21QDEMmPXGthGrCMURzj2sWSBcYEkXf4l_uGIJAXQICw1jsuRNb0963DF2e-hS22t8y3IvemTJXKI/s400/s+5.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> While a few of the speed demons broke away from the pack, we actually had quite a few that managed to stay together. I believe it was the team work that got me through this ride. There was no way we were giving up.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMdcytgscGDkMEyzCGTKjmbKqT2gnOSZAuvJvUeo1QMcdRQ51gSSnhztunkRDp2N2jTNWWWbHaqUAVi1EzdbbRpnZRmrbILZIUSIAAxMOSSW6dHO_H6r3jfK2rW8NyzpmDoD0icY26E8/s1600/s+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMdcytgscGDkMEyzCGTKjmbKqT2gnOSZAuvJvUeo1QMcdRQ51gSSnhztunkRDp2N2jTNWWWbHaqUAVi1EzdbbRpnZRmrbILZIUSIAAxMOSSW6dHO_H6r3jfK2rW8NyzpmDoD0icY26E8/s400/s+4.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Take a look at Maryann Mahaffey, as she waves and smiles at the camera... </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZk4eD9wO55JOIX-kgIf3dSpzIxWKNVqvhLO3UmWSGjbjYyj0zk4vBDTKgJI52rJ-wvP6JBxdvFzIkdUrHf6aEOZTpoj_W1HSyDZgfSR38MUO2tBKwuiUWmoVlIXlRMknEyO6QvPGasU/s1600/s+11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="360" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZk4eD9wO55JOIX-kgIf3dSpzIxWKNVqvhLO3UmWSGjbjYyj0zk4vBDTKgJI52rJ-wvP6JBxdvFzIkdUrHf6aEOZTpoj_W1HSyDZgfSR38MUO2tBKwuiUWmoVlIXlRMknEyO6QvPGasU/s400/s+11.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> This would be the same look she would have at the end of the ride. She had more energy that if she were an actual frog.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKsrkxxno-zjGF_2KcSe59S5QxRJ4WvhuX-3phAYSioBzZYeVUywYahaWGpHRWIrskUpunmSMIvR88_WDPvfMrLFOTk500aw9uOVs2JMH7PLLTGVD-q2c4LHK4NVAR6w_wAMkzEmamXk/s1600/s+12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="360" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKsrkxxno-zjGF_2KcSe59S5QxRJ4WvhuX-3phAYSioBzZYeVUywYahaWGpHRWIrskUpunmSMIvR88_WDPvfMrLFOTk500aw9uOVs2JMH7PLLTGVD-q2c4LHK4NVAR6w_wAMkzEmamXk/s400/s+12.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The camera man actually managed to get himself in this photo; even if it was only his shadow.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNEVrQ7vwBvY0H65Pgw-3dYbTCQN5K3-NiklkXkLN_buMZfzleAXAYmhupMz_-5QFoMTDq1uwTSvpaOeAQ4tYe4Tv6PAFh8MoRQ9bpeLlHHxKqDNtxguwphlkM9ATlTwqZBsTDWEBUls/s1600/s+10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="360" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNEVrQ7vwBvY0H65Pgw-3dYbTCQN5K3-NiklkXkLN_buMZfzleAXAYmhupMz_-5QFoMTDq1uwTSvpaOeAQ4tYe4Tv6PAFh8MoRQ9bpeLlHHxKqDNtxguwphlkM9ATlTwqZBsTDWEBUls/s400/s+10.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So you can see, team leapfrog was well on our way! Rest stop number one, here we come!! Check back to see how the rest of the ride went.</span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!!</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-35495335892354351632017-06-23T03:00:00.000-07:002017-06-23T03:00:03.321-07:00I know I usually ride with pink; but this weekend I ride with MS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXn6AKzLpHcKwgrm1ixqCMrPRFw11obp9QyiOuwEhZfG8rdh8QI5tx7h2OLsFy9VoFc8ysGQQn0uONSEL-n6gF4tVSIUbjl5ELgJ1HBJOxJ4bWwWNB2LizZMJaQLESNgphmQOyei22w0/s1600/blade+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXn6AKzLpHcKwgrm1ixqCMrPRFw11obp9QyiOuwEhZfG8rdh8QI5tx7h2OLsFy9VoFc8ysGQQn0uONSEL-n6gF4tVSIUbjl5ELgJ1HBJOxJ4bWwWNB2LizZMJaQLESNgphmQOyei22w0/s640/blade+1.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> We all know I absolutely love the color pink, and most people wouldn't even recognize me in anything other than pink; it's kind of like my security blanket and I don't leave home without it. But as confident as I feel in pink, this weekend I ride with MS!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Don't get me wrong; on Saturday I'll proudly be sporting my Team Leapfrog jersey.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhIo_xvaxbm-tRdGJBhl2Hd0wKC_Ayn_yK2sQmqdPUuguc0rmh4guyX5rGIzVOkRq-7Gn4dHQSfeKkBfEYet3mkX5Z7ZAA7yNVvZYWPDd8s648HhtUN9FRDKtc10SFHpACIuXibES3QFc/s1600/I+ride+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhIo_xvaxbm-tRdGJBhl2Hd0wKC_Ayn_yK2sQmqdPUuguc0rmh4guyX5rGIzVOkRq-7Gn4dHQSfeKkBfEYet3mkX5Z7ZAA7yNVvZYWPDd8s648HhtUN9FRDKtc10SFHpACIuXibES3QFc/s400/I+ride+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> But my sidekick will surely remind me it's there.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSRag2xcfw624EWw1Nq_17a-TqLoqugXzc2sY4V_Uq5nLuDN-rrjT-jVCRmCkc4YmKGzR8_dYCqcFLsuLuau_YSIlQFlBgP-bfZXQceKT9cqN9CjxbfIooi9tJ3MDgxEc-tRn1tGs6fPE/s1600/w+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="959" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSRag2xcfw624EWw1Nq_17a-TqLoqugXzc2sY4V_Uq5nLuDN-rrjT-jVCRmCkc4YmKGzR8_dYCqcFLsuLuau_YSIlQFlBgP-bfZXQceKT9cqN9CjxbfIooi9tJ3MDgxEc-tRn1tGs6fPE/s400/w+2.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> As I stand here, I want to believe I have this ride in the bag, but I won't lie, the memories of the brutal last few miles are beginning to surface again.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-DY8DtTTtJHjTxio618F5ozEfvn1LupnMjz47fOJqGQTovO_T3lTTDhdHYj4SpOzGCvkMdfVY2ZKf1SC0KygZsKu4V5z_LJHaR_lo61FBMaV4ZxNN6jL3jux_A8OpVkR_CSG5_2wyD_Q/s1600/w+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-DY8DtTTtJHjTxio618F5ozEfvn1LupnMjz47fOJqGQTovO_T3lTTDhdHYj4SpOzGCvkMdfVY2ZKf1SC0KygZsKu4V5z_LJHaR_lo61FBMaV4ZxNN6jL3jux_A8OpVkR_CSG5_2wyD_Q/s400/w+8.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> This is where I take a deep breath and remind myself why I ride in the first place...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT2OHAEh-Jz16itC1ZIgJiLLph7CQgbQTSzUfVxtbY0Emq9BWWBZAq9G3Igk0K1mcO7vLb2C-CGqENsiqaD-BH6-xjlxekpy5sXhHhbJek6d58Ni9G4MmvTov41o1oxdoPHtT78nEkouQ/s1600/blade+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT2OHAEh-Jz16itC1ZIgJiLLph7CQgbQTSzUfVxtbY0Emq9BWWBZAq9G3Igk0K1mcO7vLb2C-CGqENsiqaD-BH6-xjlxekpy5sXhHhbJek6d58Ni9G4MmvTov41o1oxdoPHtT78nEkouQ/s640/blade+2.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And my answer is quite simple; because right now I can:)</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!!</b></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-3548192052233296982017-06-16T03:00:00.000-07:002017-06-16T03:00:00.282-07:00I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomd2VtGbqN3-dToCnQc2AeGbt0QhloXxjTgOcHUUU1UljGR4eLW1-HJtY7yC-HHt_yAhzIn_t9kFWc0DfsU8Ny6jHHUh_I_GIxfJ3J7ga4UcwAw6gqJXIWeHRp8iqTND6M3alG_b114I/s1600/b+9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomd2VtGbqN3-dToCnQc2AeGbt0QhloXxjTgOcHUUU1UljGR4eLW1-HJtY7yC-HHt_yAhzIn_t9kFWc0DfsU8Ny6jHHUh_I_GIxfJ3J7ga4UcwAw6gqJXIWeHRp8iqTND6M3alG_b114I/s400/b+9.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The old cliche' "I'm as ready as I'll ever be" isn't actually accurate for most people. Given a little more time most people will eventually be better prepared.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> However, for me I could ride fifteen more times between now and next week but at the end of the day my crazy body is going to do what it wants.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Of course, my test rides will give me an idea of what to expect, but right now I can honestly say "I am as ready as I'll ever be for this ride".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I'm aware that during the ride it's highly possible that I'll be faced with some obstacles, so these geese on the bike trail are getting me prepared.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5KL4yL9hP3gyN7fpM-5MHb6u2-N-hjLMP-UBuxwUso52TjRJa5O8ov5tHcOihZokwDeNaVpOw-YF8qiTAD1apxVzvIxQITwfpwY1nWP4x_UUlHQ5CPiApf7OfwVtwMqSa4w5MkpyS7E/s1600/b+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5KL4yL9hP3gyN7fpM-5MHb6u2-N-hjLMP-UBuxwUso52TjRJa5O8ov5tHcOihZokwDeNaVpOw-YF8qiTAD1apxVzvIxQITwfpwY1nWP4x_UUlHQ5CPiApf7OfwVtwMqSa4w5MkpyS7E/s400/b+3.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Now if this person wasn't feeding them right next to the path I would have missed my test.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsC3PmrHPpkMSti-NWq2HaS9Ae-M1hHRxuSCek9n_lilCAATBv9s80uKDKXYX0ZPOqGviSHrjheg7Ufb3R22JvEK-dWPgSvS_t2UFoI5SQSCnGGs9dVClta8aaEKr65lfhVjDZlufaRfU/s1600/b+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsC3PmrHPpkMSti-NWq2HaS9Ae-M1hHRxuSCek9n_lilCAATBv9s80uKDKXYX0ZPOqGviSHrjheg7Ufb3R22JvEK-dWPgSvS_t2UFoI5SQSCnGGs9dVClta8aaEKr65lfhVjDZlufaRfU/s400/b+4.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I managed to adjust and I was ready for the next challenge.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> We know all too well that the wind can be brutal on the ride. By the end of my ride I could swear I was in OZ. As the clouds came out of nowhere, the wind was soon to follow, and I felt like I was pedaling through oatmeal. But I sucked it up because it could very well be that way next week at the bike to the bay.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQpxREDu8FQXvscPiIZNbbDyJsf01a2aN_0obVGAkawRm3LHE3iZ3r0AsmHu0Wvw-vSmSQckrVF2j4v06x_qyljeHI2jYmmp1719DU_G3nGVOFbb6TuoD6DuRBM2NWxlni6fu6g5PR-E/s1600/b+8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQpxREDu8FQXvscPiIZNbbDyJsf01a2aN_0obVGAkawRm3LHE3iZ3r0AsmHu0Wvw-vSmSQckrVF2j4v06x_qyljeHI2jYmmp1719DU_G3nGVOFbb6TuoD6DuRBM2NWxlni6fu6g5PR-E/s400/b+8.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I have no idea how many more test rides I'll manage to get in before next week...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFTRE3sPxBJVhzWmQ5kM7XAwNBfVP_Yp1u9Kp_dOUitTJLplBtNfhFxwpdTwSSxzmA1rHoI7CiRj5hqpUR1GY-u5Y-hSTCOJ8l69kzZHawSlmH5zFuyQih726V14I-nvHc_XLWzAna0Q/s1600/b+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFTRE3sPxBJVhzWmQ5kM7XAwNBfVP_Yp1u9Kp_dOUitTJLplBtNfhFxwpdTwSSxzmA1rHoI7CiRj5hqpUR1GY-u5Y-hSTCOJ8l69kzZHawSlmH5zFuyQih726V14I-nvHc_XLWzAna0Q/s400/b+6.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> But again, I can honestly say "I'm as ready as I'll EVER be!" As you know, this ride is all about raising money to find a cure for MS, a</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">nd with only a week to go, with the help of all of my amazing friends and family... I HIT MY GOAL!! I'm now well over 2500.00!! Thank you so much!! Now all I have to do is ride:) Wish me luck!!</span><br />
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<a href="http://bikems.org/" target="_blank">bikems.org</a><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!!</b></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-20333996444318881222017-06-09T03:00:00.000-07:002017-06-13T07:34:59.098-07:00Oh yeah... I forgot about the hills.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakMyjt_HpPq3FICBARTe0KjhzLEq8c19pEMxLKgmEFaBwUPlGHCXffUKTMLiQSq6zylQZjKJI3PIinglrg5NGN0YA_y5m8FWZCqvss46TjaIzHW-vFAC19N9ICMXIDRZWhJcWTKf00kM/s1600/b+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakMyjt_HpPq3FICBARTe0KjhzLEq8c19pEMxLKgmEFaBwUPlGHCXffUKTMLiQSq6zylQZjKJI3PIinglrg5NGN0YA_y5m8FWZCqvss46TjaIzHW-vFAC19N9ICMXIDRZWhJcWTKf00kM/s400/b+1.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Knowing that 55 mile ride is just around the corner, I've been trying to get on my bike as often as possible. I mentioned that riding around the lake at Olander park was a safe and perfect way to build up my endurance. But I decided I needed a ride with a little more challenge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> As I think back to last fall, I remember that Wildwood Park had quite a few challenges. It was the ideal place to ride; it was close, as well as safer than a traditional bike trail by my self. So I headed over to refresh my memory with just how challenging it was.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMUKuCOEN5h_P9oki02OJFkJAlAbVnXOeMzdMh2AQeIzeCoNzQNFnEG7sTjj0I0xOnqOie_SbC21DOojPkbXxNVJaKiXolAWwlAAEsvrcI_pPZzyLk5b4iYD-fSMHHCVcXXeVNhGA6zE/s1600/w+wood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMUKuCOEN5h_P9oki02OJFkJAlAbVnXOeMzdMh2AQeIzeCoNzQNFnEG7sTjj0I0xOnqOie_SbC21DOojPkbXxNVJaKiXolAWwlAAEsvrcI_pPZzyLk5b4iYD-fSMHHCVcXXeVNhGA6zE/s400/w+wood.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I'll admit, this park is more interesting than Olander, but what I had forgotten about was those crazy hills. I remember all too well that the bike to the bay had some monstrous hills. Some of them I couldn't even make my way up. I needed to be proactive. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The first hill of the season was a real eye opener, as I found myself unable to remember which gear changer controlled which chain ring. At Olander I stayed in a middle gear the entire time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> My bike has two gear shift levers on the left handle, and two on the right, and remembering which one does what is a little confusing. On my way up the hill was no time to refresh my memory. It's hard enough to focus on pedaling up that hill, with out trying to watch my chain to see what ring it's on.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Of course, on my way back down the hill was no time to figure it out either. I was too busy trying to remember which brake to ride, and which one to stay clear of. I do remember if I hit the front brake going barreling down a hill could send me flying over the handle bars. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> That old cliche', it's just like riding a bike... well the mental part will get you every time. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUgtm9M5cMxgPeB8Y0J_o2_HClrawR_ENyU95DvGlEAz4FBmBQm-VjuQcO0iFS1DyxTyd3GkrsV64VfybtATD-U2J5hmw8oQ4_UH6krRnoubqW4djZZT9FcZ_epu6iQBpvjJwy8A1s_Jg/s1600/b+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUgtm9M5cMxgPeB8Y0J_o2_HClrawR_ENyU95DvGlEAz4FBmBQm-VjuQcO0iFS1DyxTyd3GkrsV64VfybtATD-U2J5hmw8oQ4_UH6krRnoubqW4djZZT9FcZ_epu6iQBpvjJwy8A1s_Jg/s400/b+4.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Racing down hill on a cement bridge, surrounded by wood was a disaster waiting to happen. But an accident was also possible on the ride to Port Clinton. I may as well figure it out ahead of time.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4XbUZSFJ5PAWR_2e0O-ERmghg4yqi8Xz4FsZ9suxcD8rkxHdr0fK1xOjGtp3wjDt8llEuEX_Ff5r0bxaxIhr870iWiWl3vCqk-1H-TauGNN7qOLy0698TvLD1Diibwi025zPi8wm0bVE/s1600/b7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4XbUZSFJ5PAWR_2e0O-ERmghg4yqi8Xz4FsZ9suxcD8rkxHdr0fK1xOjGtp3wjDt8llEuEX_Ff5r0bxaxIhr870iWiWl3vCqk-1H-TauGNN7qOLy0698TvLD1Diibwi025zPi8wm0bVE/s400/b7.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I wonder how much it would hurt to crash into this covered bridge... let's not find out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> After numerous rides through the park, I was finally remembering all of the gears and brakes. And I have to say, this ride was both mentally and physically exhausting. But I've come to realize that my favorite part of the ride is when I'm on the last leg, and I'm looking for the friendliest face to ask to take my picture. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> It started out being a way to journal my bike rides, but now every person I ask to take a photo becomes engaged with my life story and learns all about the bike to the bay. I meet so many neat people by simply asking them to help me out. Everyone wants to feel helpful. In this case it was four college age girls, who were thrilled to help and totally inspired as well.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHaCHvTnYLYUDjs1LXTq8XThGB6y4anKg96BLSXCEbl0ED6l_t34sS7-6S281c_lPujf5HiEXscXE8KS6rIzDTlFC5tzlAH9nQW9xMhuqFNA_EPM-KLY86CgP3cwVWVVFaDil2lKiNMoE/s1600/b+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHaCHvTnYLYUDjs1LXTq8XThGB6y4anKg96BLSXCEbl0ED6l_t34sS7-6S281c_lPujf5HiEXscXE8KS6rIzDTlFC5tzlAH9nQW9xMhuqFNA_EPM-KLY86CgP3cwVWVVFaDil2lKiNMoE/s400/b+2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I tell people all the time that this ride isn't about the bike ride, but the message I'm trying to send. And at the end of the day I'm sure we all learned a lot.</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!!</b></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-49323424919185616152017-06-02T03:00:00.000-07:002017-06-02T03:00:03.776-07:00If Fred will listen anyone will!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9mceX81GQO2QNVFIKsLYGlpGM-Zrjvspm1oF3rLDKrifGPpwlQHUEcJJYOQxY6Y1gc1fwKvbRpNyDmCYSWzuXW4GTDEd6tHHKCXsi_nXlsT1mLNRPY50HZYNr1lY38oPUnX6msKHuIs/s1600/fr+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9mceX81GQO2QNVFIKsLYGlpGM-Zrjvspm1oF3rLDKrifGPpwlQHUEcJJYOQxY6Y1gc1fwKvbRpNyDmCYSWzuXW4GTDEd6tHHKCXsi_nXlsT1mLNRPY50HZYNr1lY38oPUnX6msKHuIs/s400/fr+1.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> It may have been to simply get me out of his hair, but Fred Lefevbre from 1370 WSPD did a great job of helping me educate his listeners about MS, and why I ride my bike 55 miles. The photo shoot, however, took a little convincing to get him to attempt a smile. But I wasn't giving up!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> If I was a betting girl, I would bet my life on the odds that everyone knows someone who has MS. If not themselves, a family member, friend or co worker. I would also be willing to bet there is not one person who totally understands this crazy disease 100%. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I Spend countless hours on research of my own, in the hopes of being able to completely understand what my body is going through. But I live in it, and I'm at a loss most of the time. Though, I had to try to shed some light as I knew it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTYiR8GBQErb9FczJiFF_Aml4EQdQxsznBKg-sK6UzRYldvjZAi1-SRW6ohxm9qhBpB003Mxuy7jFfqMQTVQ1QlQQ2UfCTEEbkHgk5L9BW3M7IvgUbT8FDUc5EeTMqaCZvlXIGdrJrapg/s1600/fred+1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1136" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTYiR8GBQErb9FczJiFF_Aml4EQdQxsznBKg-sK6UzRYldvjZAi1-SRW6ohxm9qhBpB003Mxuy7jFfqMQTVQ1QlQQ2UfCTEEbkHgk5L9BW3M7IvgUbT8FDUc5EeTMqaCZvlXIGdrJrapg/s400/fred+1.PNG" width="400" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fred asked plenty if questions, to which I tried to somewhat enlighten him. And he, of all people, knows what it's like to ride countless miles in the Bike To The Bay. He rode his bike 100 miles last year. I can't even imagine what that felt like.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> He jokingly asked me why I insisted on correcting him when he asked about me riding 50 miles. I made sure to let him know it was, in fact, 55. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbgndE7qhyphenhyphenoauJ6VGa4Qg0myT-ms0Wcl6MZkiJ6Gs64_lXVnK_mNcMTe7Iee5XmE8GrikA0AeRio3crI4D61_GkO4_AO26c7aU_2hAMbKZkumbE3eYHbJeELTmF7LDOCrXRPP0ydr1ew/s1600/fred+2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1136" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbgndE7qhyphenhyphenoauJ6VGa4Qg0myT-ms0Wcl6MZkiJ6Gs64_lXVnK_mNcMTe7Iee5XmE8GrikA0AeRio3crI4D61_GkO4_AO26c7aU_2hAMbKZkumbE3eYHbJeELTmF7LDOCrXRPP0ydr1ew/s400/fred+2.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> At this point I felt it was necessary to explain just how brutal those last five miles are to someone with one leg that doesn't work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> finally empathetic with what I was going through, he now understood why I had to claim credit for every single mile I rode. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzjPXKpoCsVqzNZyQ6VyuCYISGAhimu6mUCeLhtcmWPKnF-zEGw2J9gbEHRIxj-9cRIBgcwo3GCFWMr1QSAYHHZqXDHV7cQghLpyvcwLqiLrkOxJSlKsG9cjLw0Nb9V7o5axuei9NCbA/s1600/fred+3.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1136" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzjPXKpoCsVqzNZyQ6VyuCYISGAhimu6mUCeLhtcmWPKnF-zEGw2J9gbEHRIxj-9cRIBgcwo3GCFWMr1QSAYHHZqXDHV7cQghLpyvcwLqiLrkOxJSlKsG9cjLw0Nb9V7o5axuei9NCbA/s400/fred+3.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> As he promised, Fred gave me my moment in the spot light, in the hopes of wrangling up a few more donations. The out pouring of compassion was overwhelming. My 2500.00 personal fundraising goal is actually looking achievable!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Now getting Fred to crack a smile was still a work in progress. But I wasn't leaving until I got even a half a smile... </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo5OmEQK8kSykKDn16Bx_exPwWkwKMLYbbRW6-eQ4bfkhyphenhyphens8FKtoN2hY5tfcffNVPXhF-2VrXaW8ZQzCFhwu2LtZcbM5ULbK-YfrqM0K-ymPk0It5G5yaFXSWRwOlmPMhmQeOmPBr_fB0/s1600/fr+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo5OmEQK8kSykKDn16Bx_exPwWkwKMLYbbRW6-eQ4bfkhyphenhyphens8FKtoN2hY5tfcffNVPXhF-2VrXaW8ZQzCFhwu2LtZcbM5ULbK-YfrqM0K-ymPk0It5G5yaFXSWRwOlmPMhmQeOmPBr_fB0/s400/fr+3.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> If that bike ride is half as hard as this was, I really have my work cut out for me. but wait... look!! Call it what you want. It sure looks like a smile to me!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeNYMaQ502fBB_e8JZSWRmNDHRA8yvUw5oJkJa7nLY9mpPzHhVtFPLEFpjEwIRZSlI4H-6hLCfptU8Gqf_LyIwKaH0RhpGXWhLqrbQ3TeDaUz3PQ4Hgd50gzlA0UFzqDc68pLNeV22xqE/s1600/fr+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeNYMaQ502fBB_e8JZSWRmNDHRA8yvUw5oJkJa7nLY9mpPzHhVtFPLEFpjEwIRZSlI4H-6hLCfptU8Gqf_LyIwKaH0RhpGXWhLqrbQ3TeDaUz3PQ4Hgd50gzlA0UFzqDc68pLNeV22xqE/s400/fr+4.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> All kidding aside, Fred is an awesome friend, and I can't thank him enough for everything he does just to help me on my mission to end MS. And I know one day it will happen!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Please help us!!</span><br />
<a href="http://www.bikems.org/" target="_blank">www.bikems.org</a><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Have a great day!!</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Christine:)</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-3939424048859195062017-05-26T03:00:00.000-07:002017-05-26T03:00:03.643-07:00This trail isn't big enough for the six of us!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8g23-vy50aUOn_72r7l4RxhCWMpRBr-_Hf3qRnR_sIWhewzfxNjKj6L1DD7sBlL5Yr2SR1HxWzJDBcSf0oisOfoj6nseFdKw1ffVuCw78JMlk5yu4vbmt0UAT7PsS0Z3KWdZ-FCuAHjQ/s1600/t+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8g23-vy50aUOn_72r7l4RxhCWMpRBr-_Hf3qRnR_sIWhewzfxNjKj6L1DD7sBlL5Yr2SR1HxWzJDBcSf0oisOfoj6nseFdKw1ffVuCw78JMlk5yu4vbmt0UAT7PsS0Z3KWdZ-FCuAHjQ/s400/t+6.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> With the bike to the bay quickly sneaking up on me, I've started to realize, I just need to hit the trail when ever I can find the time. Schedules with riding buddies don't always match mine, so Olander park, my safe trail, has become my go to.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYxWI-Fh93CDSpvKsOw32hBrDcD4MYbuTWQJ00CSRbHEGsLensifIwJ421jih8y1KssU4k33IwAs2wyS9ecK-LcEUo6AD1mlJ-2wd4KOUMfrhjdkLgmNBuqk0K0VJ6TA1d5t_Kw58IOqE/s1600/t+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYxWI-Fh93CDSpvKsOw32hBrDcD4MYbuTWQJ00CSRbHEGsLensifIwJ421jih8y1KssU4k33IwAs2wyS9ecK-LcEUo6AD1mlJ-2wd4KOUMfrhjdkLgmNBuqk0K0VJ6TA1d5t_Kw58IOqE/s400/t+7.JPG" width="300" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> As you can see, the trail is perfect! And an added bonus is, I get to enjoy all of the beautiful wild life while I ride.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Remember a couple months ago I was so excited to see all of the baby geese... </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS9lYvQJPCaQCad2849YhvrdE4w3vhLkdBXflCK2ZYT6AWICbeaRnRygdcBioXH0UywCuxQk2p7qCCmjhdptIQXAeEsFdAH_rmEMlbOWIm83hG5WI2HeMZgfoYs0Bena8K_thvSDnfLHU/s1600/t+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS9lYvQJPCaQCad2849YhvrdE4w3vhLkdBXflCK2ZYT6AWICbeaRnRygdcBioXH0UywCuxQk2p7qCCmjhdptIQXAeEsFdAH_rmEMlbOWIm83hG5WI2HeMZgfoYs0Bena8K_thvSDnfLHU/s400/t+13.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">What a pleasant treat to help me pass the time.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4umkQ3ivkBCNMsRGgrdWaCHGHP4vQri3NPYi2aBFCqZuZRoyIERsOaFYsSdtgj3V_92AJ31HovgduritfOSN2-cwUACGkMzWDsj5Nts2y5KGcXZs1E0lAsgWMUEdsKP0lrpUWtYPJgg0/s1600/t+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4umkQ3ivkBCNMsRGgrdWaCHGHP4vQri3NPYi2aBFCqZuZRoyIERsOaFYsSdtgj3V_92AJ31HovgduritfOSN2-cwUACGkMzWDsj5Nts2y5KGcXZs1E0lAsgWMUEdsKP0lrpUWtYPJgg0/s400/t+2.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> However, I had to realize those babies wouldn't stay little forever. They were now almost half the size of their mother. though every bit as cute as before. I could just watch them frolic in the grass by the lake as I rode around it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Of course, these cute little creatures were also getting very comfortable with all of us intruders who invade there home from day to day. They weren't about to let us alter their lifestyle.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih5WjFZfSKAoQM0vdCJeE6YKyVC_WRwpeQ-TII1IfQ0RbOoarqiYRfyweX73DBLYbYWYMtP0_HIWGeFxhHmO0zrhqgqnUPnFYtkDZLcB63tjpekS_GbLM9cYwbgSL-OzpGLIaE891lJZo/s1600/t+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih5WjFZfSKAoQM0vdCJeE6YKyVC_WRwpeQ-TII1IfQ0RbOoarqiYRfyweX73DBLYbYWYMtP0_HIWGeFxhHmO0zrhqgqnUPnFYtkDZLcB63tjpekS_GbLM9cYwbgSL-OzpGLIaE891lJZo/s400/t+3.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> As you know all to well, you never brake for birds because they always fly away at the last second, as you approach them. But not these guys. They never even skipped a beat. I found myself coming to a complete stop time and time again. As I hollered "shoe!" They gave me a look as to say "you shoe; we live here!"</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3hzhyphenhyphen-_SK93P_EltHgjA6PIsa_LLom_q5m7O3xU75d5uZTeJTpnGM6A9qDsdx2_B3xxDnJQXNNSVn83shzxHlkeSAzTcuhaa3Uc1PCF1J2cInHZrdb2L7GLVmYud5B7-QfNLY8HvfX0/s1600/t+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn3hzhyphenhyphen-_SK93P_EltHgjA6PIsa_LLom_q5m7O3xU75d5uZTeJTpnGM6A9qDsdx2_B3xxDnJQXNNSVn83shzxHlkeSAzTcuhaa3Uc1PCF1J2cInHZrdb2L7GLVmYud5B7-QfNLY8HvfX0/s400/t+4.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> They had a point. I was encroaching in their space and I had to adjust accordingly. I guess it's no different than my life in general. When I get thrown a curve ball I just have to adjust and move on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8cGIsrOP2RWpc_WP1C2qcKT10qoFUGwpngl_9_4iqwjAaAZ6gfg5anVW0UEuFya9wWdLtuAKCkBQYR3rAmrGCsxejY_87t-GX_XYwys8usBwqcLP8ab8qG7A6YC-0Mvjt2TL8NwCc6Hs/s1600/t+14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1544" data-original-width="1160" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8cGIsrOP2RWpc_WP1C2qcKT10qoFUGwpngl_9_4iqwjAaAZ6gfg5anVW0UEuFya9wWdLtuAKCkBQYR3rAmrGCsxejY_87t-GX_XYwys8usBwqcLP8ab8qG7A6YC-0Mvjt2TL8NwCc6Hs/s400/t+14.JPG" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> If I really want to live life to the fullest, I have to accept the changes; hurdles and all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEgfkss4scUBV-s2-fX2OBtDqF4SFENMQji0jGk1m19twArB5Jk2Lvccdzm4kHDH9Vr3FdFC5tUrlZr7aKtTgkOtTxz2RZm03tL-1Gp5JRSRbP_RXWOc9LimnT_jCPOi99y5wNUjPoSU/s1600/t+12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEgfkss4scUBV-s2-fX2OBtDqF4SFENMQji0jGk1m19twArB5Jk2Lvccdzm4kHDH9Vr3FdFC5tUrlZr7aKtTgkOtTxz2RZm03tL-1Gp5JRSRbP_RXWOc9LimnT_jCPOi99y5wNUjPoSU/s400/t+12.JPG" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> But I do have to admit, it is so much cuter watching it from the sidelines.</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Have great day!!</span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Christine:)</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-82057824095000000402017-05-19T03:00:00.000-07:002017-05-19T03:00:11.013-07:00If it wasn't for that voice in my head I may have never gotten back out there!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well I spent most of the winter trying to solve the problem of my foot and pedal, and mid May is well beyond the time I should be back riding out doors. I really needed a push to get me outside again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Truth be told, I was getting so comfortable with riding my bike on my nice safe indoor trainer, that I was dreading the day I had to get my butt back out on the road, and balance on my own. It was a challenge in itself already, but add those new pedals and the anxiety took over.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> At this point I needed to either conquer my fear, or come up with a million more excuses why my indoor trainer was just fine. Essentially, my trainer was glorified "training wheels". There was absolutely no way I could get my foot stuck and wipe out. But I needed to just get it over with, even if it meant getting my first case of "road rash". I know the best riders kiss the pavement eventually. But I wasn't in the mood...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Last Sunday was the pick day of the season, and weather was no longer an excuse. So I took my bike off of my trainer, packed it in my car, and headed over to Olander park; my "safe place".</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimIHgCL3nWs_tZ9mLyIyyrsJEsiJYzFCyQB6kgK3Sx0i2-EQd8QtqqRTtyCTXTcMD94HRbzICt6HHAul3PPmc8WBe1NdEUEPmY5YfYlXQZXWiatytsi0BfzrZdewsZbA6UvtTulM9XkXU/s1600/f+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimIHgCL3nWs_tZ9mLyIyyrsJEsiJYzFCyQB6kgK3Sx0i2-EQd8QtqqRTtyCTXTcMD94HRbzICt6HHAul3PPmc8WBe1NdEUEPmY5YfYlXQZXWiatytsi0BfzrZdewsZbA6UvtTulM9XkXU/s400/f+1.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I couldn't argue; this day was perfect! and that park bench by the lake would be a great place to spend it, but my bike wasn't gonna ride it's self...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I had everything I needed for a serious bike ride and now there was no reason not to get out there and do it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> My first sign I wasn't alone was this frog on the garbage can. And as you know, a frog is my guardian angel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> As I pushed that new pedal for the first time, I began to realize I actually had this! Now if I could just take a lap or two around this lake, I could get the feel, and then I could chalk it up to my first ride. There's always next time for that serious ride:)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> But then that voice in my head just kept encouraging me to push on and before I knew it I had gone sixteen laps around that lake! That's sixteen miles for my first ride of the season! </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJ7yCLM_OIUvdLvqroBfjTj87ZOQv0kiwtV4cdfXYUWFCP4sbYS1IriDX6dHLJod5zlWAZ7sBRYGyoua1b38l4Zxdw_5j5HAMgtD_ie3IVN7HGOhCvMQE6BkR0h1s4cF-CBP91T-go5Q/s1600/f+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJ7yCLM_OIUvdLvqroBfjTj87ZOQv0kiwtV4cdfXYUWFCP4sbYS1IriDX6dHLJod5zlWAZ7sBRYGyoua1b38l4Zxdw_5j5HAMgtD_ie3IVN7HGOhCvMQE6BkR0h1s4cF-CBP91T-go5Q/s400/f+4.jpg" width="298" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I guess I don't need that indoor trainer as a safety net after all. I realize no matter where I am, whether I'm safe inside, or out on the the trail, my trainer is always with me!</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!!</b></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-72400462698734957282017-05-12T03:00:00.000-07:002017-05-12T03:55:43.818-07:00I invite you to walk (or ride) a mile in my shoes:)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Well friends, I may have actually done it! I think I have finally found the perfect shoes! Or at least ones that allow me to safely ride my bike. Now, walking in them is a whole other story... </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> I look pretty confident standing here next to my cute little bike, don't I?! Well, I get out on the bike trail and not so much. But the one thing we know all too well is, this bike isn't going to ride it's self. I needed to figure this out. Fingers crossed that I did.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUlvA_1CqZQ_sIkA9ZvKzyngq3eev3VEyPtNcqG6FkAGZCqSKKouICi9Z4j9hcsu4VEY7imM7Q6v1uygBcN5Fb-lcYYJK1rOCAo5CPycDuHhTlSa9Ec6z_d0hNbrtNTBzatZaum8nzKDI/s1600/S+10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUlvA_1CqZQ_sIkA9ZvKzyngq3eev3VEyPtNcqG6FkAGZCqSKKouICi9Z4j9hcsu4VEY7imM7Q6v1uygBcN5Fb-lcYYJK1rOCAo5CPycDuHhTlSa9Ec6z_d0hNbrtNTBzatZaum8nzKDI/s400/S+10.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> As you remember, my first challenge was to get a pedal that would keep my foot on the pedal. Done. Then I needed shoes that would slide in and out of the pedal in a seconds notice. I think I found them!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> They are in fact, slim lined, and as an added bonus, they're pink, which is my favorite color, orange,which is the color that represents MS, and the laces match my leapfrog jerseys! I have it covered!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I wanted to take a picture to show you how well these shoes work with the new pedals, but I have to admit, that ten second timer on my phone is clearly not as long as I would think... Seriously!?!?!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQgp92BvlgXjkNAhFNPRhNRWkWrCPt36gSq1Zcbz0H9qurSpVFj8dPzzSxtAl8H08tath-0_6qBH4hQ9bPbywyQJ9k9P3BzHemYiUbIUbtwAcIVF_1gvug4n7ubW2_SihzMCgFYx88Cc/s1600/S+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQgp92BvlgXjkNAhFNPRhNRWkWrCPt36gSq1Zcbz0H9qurSpVFj8dPzzSxtAl8H08tath-0_6qBH4hQ9bPbywyQJ9k9P3BzHemYiUbIUbtwAcIVF_1gvug4n7ubW2_SihzMCgFYx88Cc/s400/S+1.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> But after several more attempts, and a little grumbling, I finally beat that crazy timer!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEWXwsyyEnMnci7G34s1zXyZQJgz84DkPYZYayMBZd1iW5aoChWmvNNxIACY2t1tpVOcBQEe_uaDhyphenhyphens4Wy1wJUbGDhg9rDmrlmwlWt8M73cLHgNd-vc0IHcTGOrAeltMLHU3f3UMzIP4w/s1600/S+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEWXwsyyEnMnci7G34s1zXyZQJgz84DkPYZYayMBZd1iW5aoChWmvNNxIACY2t1tpVOcBQEe_uaDhyphenhyphens4Wy1wJUbGDhg9rDmrlmwlWt8M73cLHgNd-vc0IHcTGOrAeltMLHU3f3UMzIP4w/s400/S+3.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> it sure looks like it works now, doesn't it:) Guess it's finally time to hit that trail! See you there:)</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!!</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-88389779113282584412017-05-05T03:00:00.000-07:002017-05-05T03:00:17.947-07:00You can run; but you can't hide<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> You can run, but you can't hide... of course, in my case I can't do either:) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> When I was first diagnosed about 30 years ago, MS was some mysterious, archaic, incurable, disease, not many had heard of, let alone understood. When my doctor told me good luck and sent me on my way, I knew it was my job to bury it and never look back. After all, if I couldn't fix it, I didn't want any part of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I knew there were groups that helped people "cope" with this illness, but if I attended a meeting it would only mean two things; one: I would surely be faced with my inevitably bleak future, and two: it would mean I've excepted that I actually have it. I wasn't ready to own it at this point, or ever.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> After many, many, years of hiding, I decided to give one of these MS groups a try. As I expected, there were people ranging from no visible disability all the way up to those in power scooters.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz39WizAW_RVQQZuPFoiBlu5hhm8cT95qj-AwyG-C8ojrJaMilhyv1NZxoQLtH06PogvAATeawi6PS9ZZLorxpMwZCyDBzLyclDOoJhN2w8bjotBpoBBl52o8zSOGNd1RpBEQ0G3iWpqE/s1600/chat+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz39WizAW_RVQQZuPFoiBlu5hhm8cT95qj-AwyG-C8ojrJaMilhyv1NZxoQLtH06PogvAATeawi6PS9ZZLorxpMwZCyDBzLyclDOoJhN2w8bjotBpoBBl52o8zSOGNd1RpBEQ0G3iWpqE/s400/chat+2.JPG" width="300" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> What I didn't expect was the positive attitude the ones with the most challenges seemed to posses. Why were they so happy?? They were robbed of their "perfect" life. You would think that would make one very bitter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> But as I continued to go to these meetings, I learned that these meetings were all about joining forces and helping each other over our hurdles; whether they were big or small, and find the good in the changing lives we had.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> For quite some time my sweet mother has been in the dark as to what I was going through, due to no fault of her own. I was unwilling to admit to her that her daughter was "broken". I decided to start taking her to these meetings so she could finally have a better understanding of what I'm going through. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Five years ago I met my good friend Kelly, who was attending her first meeting shortly after diagnosis. Ironically, she also brought her wonderful mom with her. We like to refer to ours as the "mother/daughter table". If I had kept running, I would have never met these awesome ladies!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9mpFi9z7_62F6xPJSh4Fhgv1t4FS_tYpEwI-yULHx6TzrB3nZsLhH_eiXKzqLl4eGFCHIC0icqUmlKS6lWS_x4wOz437Ula1F1bJezw0n9u9R9ft0A-F-hwVfv9daFGpCTyJKPTj7vc/s1600/chat+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9mpFi9z7_62F6xPJSh4Fhgv1t4FS_tYpEwI-yULHx6TzrB3nZsLhH_eiXKzqLl4eGFCHIC0icqUmlKS6lWS_x4wOz437Ula1F1bJezw0n9u9R9ft0A-F-hwVfv9daFGpCTyJKPTj7vc/s400/chat+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I don't like to think of myself as a slow learn, but after decades of going through life with blinders on I finally learned that "You can run, but you certainly can not hide!"</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!!</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-30520637973501613562017-04-28T03:00:00.001-07:002017-05-23T04:18:20.424-07:00Even the baby geese are at the trail; what's my excuse now??<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8P1ULl8Sw6xcfCwGYZqBz7pS-d5lyQLdAEwlX6n9E3pDlaAS7hn4HRPIC5_p1bkJbp8dFTRir0tODUk41JWAdztYHnEYiOLoawwyxCpGhJbuX96Ji8hKT4dYTRuAev-ny50n1_J4tS4/s1600/o+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8P1ULl8Sw6xcfCwGYZqBz7pS-d5lyQLdAEwlX6n9E3pDlaAS7hn4HRPIC5_p1bkJbp8dFTRir0tODUk41JWAdztYHnEYiOLoawwyxCpGhJbuX96Ji8hKT4dYTRuAev-ny50n1_J4tS4/s400/o+1.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> You'd think by now my "Franken-bike" would be ready for the bike trails. After all, I've had all winter to tweek it so it fits all the requirements needed for my extremely complicated body. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I have my new make-shift pedals so my crazy foot doesn't slip off when I ride. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhyglXxzrw1PamOlQdSoL9qeYejNY1CA_omVaqHpYdiPwESJfB0kjwwZonUqX13RnoI18KNGpQp3MGp_M0kEtUym_oLFV2Sm8l2KV9-glbn5c697APD8w3hoJE5dkygN5VHbDJ31d2Gw/s1600/o+8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhyglXxzrw1PamOlQdSoL9qeYejNY1CA_omVaqHpYdiPwESJfB0kjwwZonUqX13RnoI18KNGpQp3MGp_M0kEtUym_oLFV2Sm8l2KV9-glbn5c697APD8w3hoJE5dkygN5VHbDJ31d2Gw/s400/o+8.JPG" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I should be all set right?! The thing is, believe it or not, I'm terrified to take my bike out on the trails for fear of not being able to slip my shoes out in a seconds notice. As it is now, my shoes fit just a little too well in the strap, and when I'm off the trainer, and trying to balance, I may find myself on the ground in one big heap.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Most women have a million pairs of shoes to match every outfit they own. I, on the other hand, have only a couple practical pairs; ones that are conducive for walking, and ones that work with my bike.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I had the right shoes for my old pedals, but now that I have new pedals, my shoes are all wrong. As much as I try to piecemeal my challenging life together, so I can function as close to normal as possible, it seems like one more road block pops up. Then I'm back to the old drawing board, trying to figure out my next move.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I'm in the process of trying to get shoes that work right now, but the day was absolutely beautiful, and I wasn't about to let the lack of a bike preventing me from visiting my favorite riding spot; Olander park. So I headed over, and was sure glad I did!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr-Fim1RqdMLmwE9Zf9DuOPq_FwKcXajvwzH2Kmb3wYKCIijHL9SZ3HUERtTOPC6_O6bSvVEnxdyIGJ0OQeUZqu5qC3T3bA18FHAxUyA1AeZJJVbuqdDRsfLoMhFJW6WIXwriRlHNuTbA/s1600/o+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr-Fim1RqdMLmwE9Zf9DuOPq_FwKcXajvwzH2Kmb3wYKCIijHL9SZ3HUERtTOPC6_O6bSvVEnxdyIGJ0OQeUZqu5qC3T3bA18FHAxUyA1AeZJJVbuqdDRsfLoMhFJW6WIXwriRlHNuTbA/s400/o+4.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: large;">When I was last there, these little mommas were just hanging out, and now I see I million cute little babies!</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWi3cll39u8oh7KTyNfQPhRw13ulAC84q3gYLLBJd4ZXw8FSN9bsHCon1DLNUcNo_JRdzFbiuVc5Cg66o_3FDH-AyUyUHtkaGNja6m9v_0lsenAbjVvFELhNMOb26IsO1MnPxqBDSyKAY/s1600/o+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWi3cll39u8oh7KTyNfQPhRw13ulAC84q3gYLLBJd4ZXw8FSN9bsHCon1DLNUcNo_JRdzFbiuVc5Cg66o_3FDH-AyUyUHtkaGNja6m9v_0lsenAbjVvFELhNMOb26IsO1MnPxqBDSyKAY/s400/o+3.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I didn't need my bike to see this amazing sight.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7DPrlZCVNsazEwoKIFw7h_VvnhcOGUY6RasAV-tQvIRJpqj_zu4fd4euYedxGe6_Cr0LIyyS9USCitQn0OtzN5CYkDX6VFvfgjTBzj7kAVCRtOFcOkP6t2q0HHL_j2Lm3XELb0a-3aY/s1600/o+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7DPrlZCVNsazEwoKIFw7h_VvnhcOGUY6RasAV-tQvIRJpqj_zu4fd4euYedxGe6_Cr0LIyyS9USCitQn0OtzN5CYkDX6VFvfgjTBzj7kAVCRtOFcOkP6t2q0HHL_j2Lm3XELb0a-3aY/s400/o+6.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now my next goal is to get out on my bike before these babies turn into mommas them selves. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDC951ryjbjHRocuk_Yqgp97TPLZDx-fil3k0gS_yH-upTU5_sB63XXFBznromfaectvsq3S6x10dCyNHGAqjwd8cTay_-oyomUGv3YtgXljr7HulXFE1B9O30eVMs5FdVhEaKxOYVXY/s1600/o+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDC951ryjbjHRocuk_Yqgp97TPLZDx-fil3k0gS_yH-upTU5_sB63XXFBznromfaectvsq3S6x10dCyNHGAqjwd8cTay_-oyomUGv3YtgXljr7HulXFE1B9O30eVMs5FdVhEaKxOYVXY/s400/o+7.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Seeing how nice the weather has gotten has surely lit a fire under me, and I promise you my next thing on my "to-do" list is figure out my shoe and pedal! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfxaRXj8qUfm8j2YE5gHEzzT-vyAtb3MvuOjlE7xZ4eV04nc305Mveam9P1tNN0jkoIzYWvs9G2WfDQZCsIn5JqbljQfkdIR4rJhCboy7kzi-JFR5Nc2uKYcjqjSCUfZYuhX_NQNeYhU/s1600/o+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfxaRXj8qUfm8j2YE5gHEzzT-vyAtb3MvuOjlE7xZ4eV04nc305Mveam9P1tNN0jkoIzYWvs9G2WfDQZCsIn5JqbljQfkdIR4rJhCboy7kzi-JFR5Nc2uKYcjqjSCUfZYuhX_NQNeYhU/s400/o+2.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I've jumped out of a plane from thirteen thousand feet in the air. If there's one thing I won't let stop me, it's fear! My bike and I will see you very soon!</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!!</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-32594987381092122792017-04-21T03:00:00.000-07:002017-04-21T03:00:08.229-07:00I guess I can't have my cake and eat it too:)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUX4XShrOO_fWNpSh2eFJkA3sAV1-RS-YjolEGJinntxElXm9Hs-VuNDl8goDVpzoLaq4Ml9Z_EdYLYnybb4BAimlicJsVcFGTDGeqF4DLFHE2giBc76xAb258LL4dFus_9DLXGvjVH8c/s1600/m+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUX4XShrOO_fWNpSh2eFJkA3sAV1-RS-YjolEGJinntxElXm9Hs-VuNDl8goDVpzoLaq4Ml9Z_EdYLYnybb4BAimlicJsVcFGTDGeqF4DLFHE2giBc76xAb258LL4dFus_9DLXGvjVH8c/s400/m+6.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">If there's one thing I never bet all my money on, it's the weather forecast. I think I can flip a coin as well as any Meteorologist:) But that doesn't help me any when I'm trying to plan my transition from my indoor riding to outside.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Taking my bike off the trainer is a real pain in the kiester; and putting it back on is no picnic either. But for crying out loud, it's well into April already, and I eventually have to just do it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I never thought I would be lobbying for riding my bike inside, but once it's out side my inside training is over, and if it's cold or raining I'm missing a lot of good training time. As it is, I ride my bike four times a week inside. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> But if anything was going to nudge me, it was seeing one of my bike trails with the warm sun radiating the sky. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0GTVDUDgFzxTbwakVk8-MLBqoEeL3wv-wqWz99Z4eAJckUWdNxKFH2TjfNYEXQBBR9_EwSvUTvel5oDaBapgK7STm4p4q42R6hG8WfyWa1peNPJPTe-GaTHKdIDNL4YpWFDZRAuZLFh8/s1600/m+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0GTVDUDgFzxTbwakVk8-MLBqoEeL3wv-wqWz99Z4eAJckUWdNxKFH2TjfNYEXQBBR9_EwSvUTvel5oDaBapgK7STm4p4q42R6hG8WfyWa1peNPJPTe-GaTHKdIDNL4YpWFDZRAuZLFh8/s400/m+2.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And I would much rather be riding under the high level bride on a bike, than over it in a car.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzk2DUk2bhwe-VxjSi6CIcC-jPnZGffG09JuGtE7K77LZGVWXp8EVsqyLb-um7BabFJpu-3UqSL6pYme0m4jpo1pyWs25_K7LaDiaDuLbCmOsif1LQK5AidLAWtvhEobPWn_k4inEJmTs/s1600/m+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzk2DUk2bhwe-VxjSi6CIcC-jPnZGffG09JuGtE7K77LZGVWXp8EVsqyLb-um7BabFJpu-3UqSL6pYme0m4jpo1pyWs25_K7LaDiaDuLbCmOsif1LQK5AidLAWtvhEobPWn_k4inEJmTs/s400/m+1.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was actually here only by chance. My mom and I were going to an MS drug rep meeting in downtown Toledo, and believe it or not, we were there early and had a few minutes to kill. Okay, so maybe it was believable...:)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> This was a new park called "Middle grounds park", and you can see it was a sight for soar eyes, now that the winter thaw was behind us.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAwYlx3OoxVZNpomLbBbdz41kACwJr-sGSrlBc8N5kmDrvGRhTqmzTujO5rjXQ5BNMdCWbEgCEw4Xln-GeKwJCCIx00joKL2cI_8AUfqBPGqxEAP0b1SWFgvbHxC16fNE-s7OPlmbSuA/s1600/m+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAwYlx3OoxVZNpomLbBbdz41kACwJr-sGSrlBc8N5kmDrvGRhTqmzTujO5rjXQ5BNMdCWbEgCEw4Xln-GeKwJCCIx00joKL2cI_8AUfqBPGqxEAP0b1SWFgvbHxC16fNE-s7OPlmbSuA/s400/m+3.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The only two things that were stopping me from getting out and riding that day, were the scheduled meeting, and my bike... details.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixCpsNgGfQO6VVrJIXE7eUWqdUZCwPPlJ-6LUahiH6dgw0-XWkn6rWSOLz9ApRvq5WuE2JNfwtnwd_uTPT2_YEfCAeRExIvN5VrWolnn8D4w5UYpTf3cQ937X6RJ54ggUhbIuK5s1Q_I/s1600/m+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixCpsNgGfQO6VVrJIXE7eUWqdUZCwPPlJ-6LUahiH6dgw0-XWkn6rWSOLz9ApRvq5WuE2JNfwtnwd_uTPT2_YEfCAeRExIvN5VrWolnn8D4w5UYpTf3cQ937X6RJ54ggUhbIuK5s1Q_I/s400/m+7.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But that didn't stop those geese from basking in the sun.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RUEhXvyn8y20ACR21nz-zsVRBXdCkLyRxZCW1xjPmex9lQ1NYBv_KbRUlNCYg3Gnn3bUENFhfSHik8pns5jVJdBE9cZmoDl7RisM-s8ahtO9RGvToRsWzzo0i-a5jY_BNPvhP7jKrD0/s1600/m+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RUEhXvyn8y20ACR21nz-zsVRBXdCkLyRxZCW1xjPmex9lQ1NYBv_KbRUlNCYg3Gnn3bUENFhfSHik8pns5jVJdBE9cZmoDl7RisM-s8ahtO9RGvToRsWzzo0i-a5jY_BNPvhP7jKrD0/s400/m+5.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> So lets see if I get brave enough to trust the weatherman and take my bike outside again... or not... I see rain in the forecast... ugh!! I promise you soon! but until then, I'll be back inside riding to my favorite tunes!! Wish me luck!!</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!!</b></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-22124679948372285382017-04-14T03:00:00.000-07:002017-04-14T03:00:11.134-07:00Never to early to start fundraising!! My friends sure have my back!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCmm04WQCqpgf2YWLQlaIwq9P9zQZlPzKaDLIy92kJzjZ3xgyHXyVuMkGR8LMQiOfLYAVH_lzpm2gS5o4UN1mR6ihH-FUMjTmQYG_4g-FAxcJS4W1Rc-rYTMIpyCeyXZtthtKxIMQEr0c/s1600/first+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCmm04WQCqpgf2YWLQlaIwq9P9zQZlPzKaDLIy92kJzjZ3xgyHXyVuMkGR8LMQiOfLYAVH_lzpm2gS5o4UN1mR6ihH-FUMjTmQYG_4g-FAxcJS4W1Rc-rYTMIpyCeyXZtthtKxIMQEr0c/s400/first+pic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> In my opinion, I can't start soon enough to raise money for the Bike MS - Bike To The Bay. The more money we raise, the closer we are to making this awful disease go away. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Any one that has MS, or knows someone who has it will tell you, this is something we never signed up for. It's not as though life style choices had anything to do with it. If that were the case then we could all take control and decide if the risk was worth it or not. But to this day it still makes no sense why some people get MS. It just shows up without an invitation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> However, with all of the things MS takes away from me, it also gave me some very powerful gifts as well. I'm much more strong-willed than I ever was before. It's a battle I entered unintentionally, but I have every intention of winning. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheeCN2tm6RX5yP46XuW1xIewMX7BertIU91J_ZzIS3q3nKJ0du6V4imha3hAzmV2Gk67C77qcsagC4cp6RlyU2gJDBh8flvKTYHrwaNEB4lCbaVBUXRPSbxgzxnubsXw6JzxUclEKobmQ/s1600/photo_4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheeCN2tm6RX5yP46XuW1xIewMX7BertIU91J_ZzIS3q3nKJ0du6V4imha3hAzmV2Gk67C77qcsagC4cp6RlyU2gJDBh8flvKTYHrwaNEB4lCbaVBUXRPSbxgzxnubsXw6JzxUclEKobmQ/s400/photo_4.JPG" width="299" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> And you know when someone wins the lottery they find many friends and family members they never knew they had... Well, it's kind of that with MS. Friends and family seem to come out of the woodwork to join my army, and that's probably the most powerful gift I've been given by this disease that is known only for taking. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So while my friends and family may have gotten a little tired of hearing me campaign about the Bike To The Bay last August, I feel like now is the time to get serious. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbh8cEddMHGWcIA4912GULpa0BevKsx7f8MUeKjCrE22ezbRd7mdCIDjHfzFkw9MfmUmgSJBDRi1Gh2UR2FSR9GM4hyphenhyphenj9WvDm234s71nRG2helgMRNE6CGqCLsov42PggHKQCkWatzIQ/s1600/c+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbh8cEddMHGWcIA4912GULpa0BevKsx7f8MUeKjCrE22ezbRd7mdCIDjHfzFkw9MfmUmgSJBDRi1Gh2UR2FSR9GM4hyphenhyphenj9WvDm234s71nRG2helgMRNE6CGqCLsov42PggHKQCkWatzIQ/s320/c+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Team leapfrog is well underway, and now it's time for me to prove that my friends and I can do anything we put our minds to!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSY7yZmSfB7ui8XyLkLXDpaMbNfP8k1duRJdO0PgFt8a3O-ryWgXZsIPt5A94bgflLfnkHD4YpNPV5r5vcZYcNin873BgkZ-8BQZgrJnkrPkZVLTQMt5yNL_9EpHI6NvjwnR_m68dPXbI/s1600/frog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSY7yZmSfB7ui8XyLkLXDpaMbNfP8k1duRJdO0PgFt8a3O-ryWgXZsIPt5A94bgflLfnkHD4YpNPV5r5vcZYcNin873BgkZ-8BQZgrJnkrPkZVLTQMt5yNL_9EpHI6NvjwnR_m68dPXbI/s320/frog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> As you may remember, Team leapfrog started with cute little pink t-shirts with frogs all over them, and my friends didn't care if they looked silly. They wanted to support me at any cost.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XnP4sI7IZhVSADyQgj3eIlAcDFYIfzapLuteJMQc6s1Ewj8OMLyerCrV4gGj2h_tFdPYlnzx1u6gz2as5nhtS_SAjiFW5FSfxUIqmf8_jn0lxa1_CQ6zbdAp8PN_Rva89iJRXZpfPeY/s1600/first+team.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XnP4sI7IZhVSADyQgj3eIlAcDFYIfzapLuteJMQc6s1Ewj8OMLyerCrV4gGj2h_tFdPYlnzx1u6gz2as5nhtS_SAjiFW5FSfxUIqmf8_jn0lxa1_CQ6zbdAp8PN_Rva89iJRXZpfPeY/s400/first+team.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And while the "uniforms" have changed a lot, their hearts have remained the same.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMIcfak4_LkyWLuhyphenhyphenS310H1OhvpLFHIRCgs0VEaOr5o8wNopBfLl60WKBLX4MYKcaB9sXt0cNoZVuYHIjvmX398dXFtaT6ruh_YeOoAVJqRG_VHJMH8GmwTjKOQ_P_so9NuWJuYD_Q8RE/s1600/team+leapfrog16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMIcfak4_LkyWLuhyphenhyphenS310H1OhvpLFHIRCgs0VEaOr5o8wNopBfLl60WKBLX4MYKcaB9sXt0cNoZVuYHIjvmX398dXFtaT6ruh_YeOoAVJqRG_VHJMH8GmwTjKOQ_P_so9NuWJuYD_Q8RE/s400/team+leapfrog16.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> This is only a few of those in my army. Some may wear the "fatigues", while others support me in many other ways. I don't know what I would do with out the help of my friends.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Please join my army and help me wipe out MS! If you have five bucks burning a whole in your pocket I promise we can put it to good use:) Please help me!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.bikems.org/" target="_blank">www.bikems.org</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Team Leapfrog</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Christine Kajfasz</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!!</b></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-20962954191275463652017-04-07T03:00:00.001-07:002017-04-07T03:00:01.986-07:00You know duct tape fixes everything... For now!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSXgBydGYu9xfhUEzmcBWPIzi84411mfUDw52m6uaXL7Xu-3up5lix2wkCnc09pqoKeH7L_w7zfsYMB3DH8OYvFbax7AJhNIt0uTOENovSu2YtIewTeKlzvdCnw2RxvGSM9c6b3RiDOk/s1600/duct+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSXgBydGYu9xfhUEzmcBWPIzi84411mfUDw52m6uaXL7Xu-3up5lix2wkCnc09pqoKeH7L_w7zfsYMB3DH8OYvFbax7AJhNIt0uTOENovSu2YtIewTeKlzvdCnw2RxvGSM9c6b3RiDOk/s400/duct+6.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Well, I'm back at it again! I just have to figure out this pedal situation before I attempt to ride 55 miles in the bike to the bay. But like I told you before Where there's a will there's a way!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> My "Franken-bike" is getting closer to being ready to accommodate my crazy un-cooperative leg, but it's by no means perfected. I was able to add weight the pedals in the back so they don't flip forward, but now I'm on to my next dilemma. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Look below and notice the spikes... </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3a2EVoj92-nHkYKVhZ9wbawrdB05cbTxqDR-289nTeI6Giqngkk430ZgjNz5A5wVWgr6c3pjbfGGIQTHDZr2yKUkt8f5WDNUBAxly7EiI5wIf8aQ9xCKEUbm3Sn_DKf8ovy3hJMSBHao/s1600/duct+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3a2EVoj92-nHkYKVhZ9wbawrdB05cbTxqDR-289nTeI6Giqngkk430ZgjNz5A5wVWgr6c3pjbfGGIQTHDZr2yKUkt8f5WDNUBAxly7EiI5wIf8aQ9xCKEUbm3Sn_DKf8ovy3hJMSBHao/s400/duct+7.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> They may not seem like a big deal to someone with normal motor function, but when your leg stops working those tiny little spikes actually trap my foot on the pedal, and in an emergency it would be impossible to free it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> My next brilliant idea is to eliminate the spike so I can push my foot out to the side and free it from the clamp. My pedals are made of a simple resin compound, so it would be easy enough to grind them down. However, I don't want to do anything permanent until I find out if this is in fact the solution. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I know duct tape is supposed to fix everything, so maybe I can tape the pedal up, giving it a smoother surface. Granted, The tape would eventually come off when I grind down the spikes, but you can't restore the ground down spikes if I find out it isn't the answer.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwgzfZsLXnldnbJrOTWTTCJyXtAdLdGmCXiiFkIYiIfu8SAENksNu7JILocGqK2tTAk01b_lDtuOzAgphaqTULZJ5jbZkNFeV1zRNyeQp-SWOxU3EHx7Z5XzQ8Mw-C3EoDxIR_rwN3pA/s1600/d+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwgzfZsLXnldnbJrOTWTTCJyXtAdLdGmCXiiFkIYiIfu8SAENksNu7JILocGqK2tTAk01b_lDtuOzAgphaqTULZJ5jbZkNFeV1zRNyeQp-SWOxU3EHx7Z5XzQ8Mw-C3EoDxIR_rwN3pA/s400/d+3.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's hard to believe this tiny little role of tape has become a wonder fix for anything on earth that is broken. If I had invented this stuff years ago, none of this would even be an issue right now. I'm sure I would be so rich that I would be paying someone to think for me. But since I can't rely on my massive wealth, I guess I have to utilize my brain power and figure it out for myself. And so I will...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixL066TjLD5WZ1n-mM797Rsi-22z4iqvCV6G4E7i8bGtJRxlUoNEBVuBR8wLyTnYdnAC1NJ-aYgDRgOTOOA4zs1I-F414-1RazlWApwY9-B-E8yXVIaVQlPOLrFQZ9kwf50wH32CbU8-M/s1600/d+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixL066TjLD5WZ1n-mM797Rsi-22z4iqvCV6G4E7i8bGtJRxlUoNEBVuBR8wLyTnYdnAC1NJ-aYgDRgOTOOA4zs1I-F414-1RazlWApwY9-B-E8yXVIaVQlPOLrFQZ9kwf50wH32CbU8-M/s400/d+4.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Ironically, for many years, I, like many others, thought it was actually called Duck tape... well, what do you know...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpjhkVkt2U6qpariaXeDpUYpXHVpe0LiZ7QfCvInNGwuUNuALI1acIp3hbA6CWjDGEzLJKmptgTCSoHL-DdspLNFWpbyK9KuGoWQ5JJzkagkFvz5eeG93q-zaT_3Wpt5a7WOlCAg5uDZU/s1600/d+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpjhkVkt2U6qpariaXeDpUYpXHVpe0LiZ7QfCvInNGwuUNuALI1acIp3hbA6CWjDGEzLJKmptgTCSoHL-DdspLNFWpbyK9KuGoWQ5JJzkagkFvz5eeG93q-zaT_3Wpt5a7WOlCAg5uDZU/s400/d+2.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The spikes are on the back as well as the side, so I put one strip of tape side to side, and one back to front on the right side.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRMwxrbyeW3v0EWMzBMq_9pOqDQytE31YyEe1VJDweKblLVWsOaNuCpcrwp8KuP3e2anoJ1FpWiwFEGDtp-gwqap-xs0OE3vY5N8PkvaBYvN2oxkgLCwK14GXEXqBCFMWFdv1nedJ_Cs/s1600/d+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRMwxrbyeW3v0EWMzBMq_9pOqDQytE31YyEe1VJDweKblLVWsOaNuCpcrwp8KuP3e2anoJ1FpWiwFEGDtp-gwqap-xs0OE3vY5N8PkvaBYvN2oxkgLCwK14GXEXqBCFMWFdv1nedJ_Cs/s400/d+1.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Close up you can see it appears relatively smooth, though, I'm not sure how long it would be before the constant back and forth motion of my foot would peel the tape off. But if duct tape is good, then "more duct tape" has to be better".</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3zsuDiHUkJYVBbU75jZhNH0JI7h-hCuoSALE1n6rCKw_6m8Usy3QH-Vggm_PO3sEZ5lEYnpl7XBaAp7bbOykicSb3g_weWntvOy5afT6ZaVa8aBJxvlDnGT84aZgFPMesFu0uq0EbY0/s1600/d+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3zsuDiHUkJYVBbU75jZhNH0JI7h-hCuoSALE1n6rCKw_6m8Usy3QH-Vggm_PO3sEZ5lEYnpl7XBaAp7bbOykicSb3g_weWntvOy5afT6ZaVa8aBJxvlDnGT84aZgFPMesFu0uq0EbY0/s400/d+7.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> It's not going anywhere now!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhprHgFvkUclbHMRt5qqB7AkmfIf6HhT9ufjY8IGiZNsDa3sfuIxFHVJAotjvrS7rQGLwKnNnnrXrcQgfhyphenhyphen1rdoCL9vuL6ZS8xjSAoqlV8BiaU82dkTsuxNsLu-mfTAE8wx77kuNSL2a-E/s1600/d+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhprHgFvkUclbHMRt5qqB7AkmfIf6HhT9ufjY8IGiZNsDa3sfuIxFHVJAotjvrS7rQGLwKnNnnrXrcQgfhyphenhyphen1rdoCL9vuL6ZS8xjSAoqlV8BiaU82dkTsuxNsLu-mfTAE8wx77kuNSL2a-E/s400/d+5.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Granted, this looks like "rig job" for sure, but then again, my whole life is somewhat of a "rig job"; I piece-meal one challenge after the next, just to keep my body moving.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Check back and see how this whole duct tape situation works out. And if it doesn't, we'll just have to figure out what will.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifOouCyIgXAs4rTQ2auZHtcTwpRd-DjAc1sdieqbQ5yd9e7FVXtD3IKX2DIor2UTa54pd2PdDkfnzY2g0OaU5h44MJO95j3N9cWoShq0ZtHw9ygWzyGP0BJEwrrtYMiuYTkre-ypflcDs/s1600/d+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifOouCyIgXAs4rTQ2auZHtcTwpRd-DjAc1sdieqbQ5yd9e7FVXtD3IKX2DIor2UTa54pd2PdDkfnzY2g0OaU5h44MJO95j3N9cWoShq0ZtHw9ygWzyGP0BJEwrrtYMiuYTkre-ypflcDs/s400/d+6.JPG" width="225" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> And if you know me, you know I'm stubborn, and I refuse to let "can't" be any part of my vocabulary! Trust me, we'll do this!!</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!!</b></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-49446510716453446542017-03-31T03:00:00.001-07:002017-03-31T03:00:06.294-07:00Rome wasn't built in a day either:)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3T4gJpISPXWq6x1SrkpsgmBv1jLm1rhNyo9Oy_pRSd_B1xDQc8OMCjcjyOBg4hdgrlQC8X25UzgUjdscZEU8Zo3FVXH2Vp9MCA0U3wy9yNswE1E1rPT7NRDEDTCZrjh3RDb3AmxRy6HM/s1600/fix+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3T4gJpISPXWq6x1SrkpsgmBv1jLm1rhNyo9Oy_pRSd_B1xDQc8OMCjcjyOBg4hdgrlQC8X25UzgUjdscZEU8Zo3FVXH2Vp9MCA0U3wy9yNswE1E1rPT7NRDEDTCZrjh3RDb3AmxRy6HM/s400/fix+2.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I mentioned last week that I was going to take my pedal dilemma back to the drawing board; and after a lot of brainstorming, I think I'm actually getting closer to a solution.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk2H64XshzJZirvmVVU1yX33lQhi7VEEljNapyqgQYKcMPSkW82Qf_F0rhXJagMWk7LffTBBM_qS4cOMF5IZtZA3BfEWFw1bbbifqDgA2ZKlETs2p8JScYMMfX5R-eNN3M4PaUYzX4Oj8/s1600/fix+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk2H64XshzJZirvmVVU1yX33lQhi7VEEljNapyqgQYKcMPSkW82Qf_F0rhXJagMWk7LffTBBM_qS4cOMF5IZtZA3BfEWFw1bbbifqDgA2ZKlETs2p8JScYMMfX5R-eNN3M4PaUYzX4Oj8/s400/fix+1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">These clamps on the ends seemed like a great idea in theory; and they may work perfect for someone with perfect mobility of their feet. But in my case, the spasticity in my feet makes it impossible to clear the spikes with out knocking the top heavy pedal forward.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now the challenge would be to figure out how to make these pedals weighted in the back so they don't automatically flip forward... maybe weights???</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6rRpkuFgGDg70rQMnSldQVo8rKWWvLZW2YmpmLUZjcUN2caU0GN1vaXnOJ8ijBOMd9ssB1GpHfmG13Mhei4HRTw-2gd1uJjg-rS3TSEUIo4MulJDH6VDCG7RApbx4pHA3T_wGspvXrY/s1600/fix+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6rRpkuFgGDg70rQMnSldQVo8rKWWvLZW2YmpmLUZjcUN2caU0GN1vaXnOJ8ijBOMd9ssB1GpHfmG13Mhei4HRTw-2gd1uJjg-rS3TSEUIo4MulJDH6VDCG7RApbx4pHA3T_wGspvXrY/s400/fix+5.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> As luck would have it these little metal weights from a local hardware store happened to fit inside my pedals perfectly. What are the odds...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02fcmBikUdWhgo1FtgG3UMuaR1IHUwrP9xNWcYggWyHNawgnC6AJOnW9hKYTBbZXFOaVBMmNV1GUM1q8CaQQr2xJynMTz9vscjfAsSVziifzd84uvGBAWBg95l0TqpYXOwV3TZaH_WdA/s1600/fix+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02fcmBikUdWhgo1FtgG3UMuaR1IHUwrP9xNWcYggWyHNawgnC6AJOnW9hKYTBbZXFOaVBMmNV1GUM1q8CaQQr2xJynMTz9vscjfAsSVziifzd84uvGBAWBg95l0TqpYXOwV3TZaH_WdA/s400/fix+3.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">A few on the top and a few on the bottom, secured with a Zip-tie worked beautifully! And an added bonus was the weights added some height to the pedal so the spikes weren't quite so pronounced. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjovg5VSd298kQDCYlG066zfWdEl-rkjjYZzGf3o8uyXNlSv8Tb67G3aCQp0jFkRFUaYoJCKKpoDKSA1jFTzmTpnN-wzqFbnITmP-XU5m1m-fz8iZewl5kqvrCkADhUv_tNdyqcDwmoh4/s1600/fix+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjovg5VSd298kQDCYlG066zfWdEl-rkjjYZzGf3o8uyXNlSv8Tb67G3aCQp0jFkRFUaYoJCKKpoDKSA1jFTzmTpnN-wzqFbnITmP-XU5m1m-fz8iZewl5kqvrCkADhUv_tNdyqcDwmoh4/s400/fix+4.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Notice how the weights allow the pedal to balance upright perfectly.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxDdy62kzzRV3Lb6J1rHEf4QFEWxLYeSjiilOwrkjGoen2ttd9FmY1aDqLR4ECvW6LjeeY1b4Z6QTriLaiAtDSHxAvohvzhN_5GZjMj0jIdTi-URGXVDWBnBIHwnueFrqps0Q5G1EAYzo/s1600/fix+9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxDdy62kzzRV3Lb6J1rHEf4QFEWxLYeSjiilOwrkjGoen2ttd9FmY1aDqLR4ECvW6LjeeY1b4Z6QTriLaiAtDSHxAvohvzhN_5GZjMj0jIdTi-URGXVDWBnBIHwnueFrqps0Q5G1EAYzo/s400/fix+9.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is what's going on upclose...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1PWohyphenhyphenHiW5RcctL9yXAV-pNPIRmfO7KKqC2HN4v7-Av-7sNPBon9t28Fk2R1NxFtWKxzuJmQvo8XJCKFfuPARefnOr-HAOq_qBj-17MbveH272qU2NlOOtZBm-LbhbFmIyKS-pnouz58/s1600/fix+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1PWohyphenhyphenHiW5RcctL9yXAV-pNPIRmfO7KKqC2HN4v7-Av-7sNPBon9t28Fk2R1NxFtWKxzuJmQvo8XJCKFfuPARefnOr-HAOq_qBj-17MbveH272qU2NlOOtZBm-LbhbFmIyKS-pnouz58/s400/fix+6.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">There is still a bit of a spike that may have to be ground down eventually, but like I said, Rome wasn't built in a day and I'm just happy to be one step closer. Now the next issue is figuring out how to prevent my shoe from snagging on the zip-tie.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoq_kOGdWT9ap6inrejDIXyJHj4TgSBkqbTK0pDkzgCvxyfuweyTMa-ie8deXgcsSTBBN_l2OBi5jJqFPfYO1U7LhnQCRz0Gy7I6BLfDahEZuCJJdHv5aEjRgAc9BPlHzxMpI3vccV3eQ/s1600/fix+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoq_kOGdWT9ap6inrejDIXyJHj4TgSBkqbTK0pDkzgCvxyfuweyTMa-ie8deXgcsSTBBN_l2OBi5jJqFPfYO1U7LhnQCRz0Gy7I6BLfDahEZuCJJdHv5aEjRgAc9BPlHzxMpI3vccV3eQ/s400/fix+7.JPG" width="300" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> But again, where there's a will there's a way! For now I'll continue to work on sliding my foot in the clamp while my bike's on the trainer. Being secured upright lets me go faster and get a better workout, without the bike toppling over while I attempt to get my foot in the clamp. I think I've mentioned before that I'm not a fan of road-rash, so I seriously don't want to wipe out. My trainer is literally like training wheels. Now, training wheels out on the road may get a few strange looks so I think I'll not attempt to do that:)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiIbVxRaDroq61cR_2g2mNPy48cw7ILlQtEeOAjnXeTFrVfGccVd47CKbqT0lTAAuSEgmNuemJDnuDnDLzMMKUQRyul3gQ-RYuri128FBaYuXt41JGH_hvqOWwcp-2Kx8tiKUxdoeLq4/s1600/fix+8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiIbVxRaDroq61cR_2g2mNPy48cw7ILlQtEeOAjnXeTFrVfGccVd47CKbqT0lTAAuSEgmNuemJDnuDnDLzMMKUQRyul3gQ-RYuri128FBaYuXt41JGH_hvqOWwcp-2Kx8tiKUxdoeLq4/s400/fix+8.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I guess you'll just have to check back to see what's next! I have some time before I'm out on the road again, and I'm not done yet! Just watch and see... </span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!</b></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-12202831882314668872017-03-24T03:00:00.000-07:002017-03-27T08:46:20.877-07:00Time to tweak my "Franken-bike" again! Where there's a will there's a way!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I hear the expression over and over "it's just like riding a bike", but for someone who has MS, it's not always as simple as it sounds. The beginning of a ride and the end are two completely different rides, because my body has morphed into something unrecognizable from what I started with.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> When my right leg, which is the one that doesn't like to co operate on a good day, gets overworked, it wants to shut down all together. This is a bit of a challenge when you have over 50 miles to fight with it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> As I've been riding my bike indoors over the winter on a stationary trainer, by the end of my workout my right foot would begin to slip off of the pedal. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> it was actually my fault for making my body work to the point of over heating. As I've mentioned before, this is when my brain stops communicating with my nerves. But I refuse to let that be my excuse for quitting. I started brain storming on how I could actually put my foot in a "time out" when it starts to misbehave. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Traditional bike clips would seem like the obvious solution. But when my muscles stop working it would be impossible to snap my shoe off of the clip. What if I had a pedal that stopped my foot from slipping forward but still allowed me to slip it off of the pedal in an emergency??</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I did some research and found these on line. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> These make perfect sense. They would stop my foot from slipping forward but I could slip them out in an emergency.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Now I just had to remove my old pedals and replace them with the miracle pedals. Though this was a bigger challenge than I thought it would be. The part that screwed into the arm of the pedal wouldn't come off...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVFRlguKNKVHSqTwE0uRMHYgPHVf9-Om58OF819oQJSkDxHLX2Fky6C23Z4UMLOvLa7vxLAxQ2lXh_8-xQsZkaYxGu6UE_9g2sgMWFAwpsmo24Xua4QHXeQY9gygdOt_RrpnZ2-A5Fe8/s1600/p+8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVFRlguKNKVHSqTwE0uRMHYgPHVf9-Om58OF819oQJSkDxHLX2Fky6C23Z4UMLOvLa7vxLAxQ2lXh_8-xQsZkaYxGu6UE_9g2sgMWFAwpsmo24Xua4QHXeQY9gygdOt_RrpnZ2-A5Fe8/s400/p+8.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So I decided to approach it from another angle...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MYZTxkGg_x-bRU9AvFD2btjIURI3Knu4sTJ60lyf49X-Jm4IoUCW7o4uMDaGsUTKXPkxoFyXmKSqj5uqKk8jk1bPRE0fA7eciFsuE44Lges-XIrghIK7SzEL5GG6hADShQHNbQivtjE/s1600/p+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MYZTxkGg_x-bRU9AvFD2btjIURI3Knu4sTJ60lyf49X-Jm4IoUCW7o4uMDaGsUTKXPkxoFyXmKSqj5uqKk8jk1bPRE0fA7eciFsuE44Lges-XIrghIK7SzEL5GG6hADShQHNbQivtjE/s400/p+4.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Maybe an allen wrench would do it...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qMfOlO4tIgh-Ugwtk0MoPusRl6Ic7o9Pghs8WNYA8ptVp1qlYqxnznrM8jP_vjrYpdhMJvAEnG4QsnjULxsyEcbM4ld_OrXStpyUtfclUTDGhzw7MxE94a2yJr_yuzQpr_-aHyGnQdg/s1600/p+15.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qMfOlO4tIgh-Ugwtk0MoPusRl6Ic7o9Pghs8WNYA8ptVp1qlYqxnznrM8jP_vjrYpdhMJvAEnG4QsnjULxsyEcbM4ld_OrXStpyUtfclUTDGhzw7MxE94a2yJr_yuzQpr_-aHyGnQdg/s400/p+15.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was practically cemented on but it eventually came off. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then I just had to screw the new ones on. And as you can see, the strap was very flexible. This should be perfect for getting my foot out.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJSka6xV_fbm3jH9xq1YdOUQUjGUBnWV0DmDkW_bgRZG-DnQFpx7gCRr3zauCyxDTUYEg5k1aA-_gFB-fOPajliSNry2aNmN9OSepzqkXISKMIhric6bqMv96VbGTSHhzEx36loLsmVE/s1600/bike+17.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJSka6xV_fbm3jH9xq1YdOUQUjGUBnWV0DmDkW_bgRZG-DnQFpx7gCRr3zauCyxDTUYEg5k1aA-_gFB-fOPajliSNry2aNmN9OSepzqkXISKMIhric6bqMv96VbGTSHhzEx36loLsmVE/s400/bike+17.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> But that would have been too easy. See these spikes on the pedals? Every time I put my shoe up to slip it in the the strap it would catch on the spikes and push the pedal upside down.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5rbxF_4FDlq93rEjNngWlDdrChkYOT7Gpa5jSAxhFdTH7_SBsP-Q5SXMIjI9ThTjrHpLQFLU73Ee-v-enpV5IFAwT2HeX1baLbCEDNEG6sS8wc8BY6Si8QTVxclOEcMKIH19-YatDxE/s1600/p+16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5rbxF_4FDlq93rEjNngWlDdrChkYOT7Gpa5jSAxhFdTH7_SBsP-Q5SXMIjI9ThTjrHpLQFLU73Ee-v-enpV5IFAwT2HeX1baLbCEDNEG6sS8wc8BY6Si8QTVxclOEcMKIH19-YatDxE/s400/p+16.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> You know what they say about the best laid plans... I guess it's back to the old drawing board for me. But I'm not done yet! Now my next mission is to find a way to make my shoe slide in freely... I'm not sure how just yet, but I promise you if there's a will there's a way!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMHNhVX4T6ACdniRBCl9JW1EINRrivkwr2CC6boaFTzF4FBXUHfIq9EUlecTYet8dUv8ptzLMPwDW8lbk9DPjD-nQGE0zZxIn60n184rSlSSoXFqFsO7CyOXeiNpAFQFYupqYgU5gzu0/s1600/bike+11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMHNhVX4T6ACdniRBCl9JW1EINRrivkwr2CC6boaFTzF4FBXUHfIq9EUlecTYet8dUv8ptzLMPwDW8lbk9DPjD-nQGE0zZxIn60n184rSlSSoXFqFsO7CyOXeiNpAFQFYupqYgU5gzu0/s400/bike+11.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Stay tuned, and wish me luck:)</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!!</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-4206627380801752172017-03-17T03:00:00.000-07:002017-03-17T03:00:19.122-07:00The snow may be back; but so are my sponsors<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1J6MJvVS9STtAl-XgpkmEbyUEdgASltn6aJWVu-pkf7LeEzmfH4Q54pw8nOL1LxrBxV6qX8VsY927EtPII0qa8dKoBbjpKjcrz-tlwNTks_btiqSM1izkU0pOwK1Jtw33UId8EpidcI/s1600/o+b+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1J6MJvVS9STtAl-XgpkmEbyUEdgASltn6aJWVu-pkf7LeEzmfH4Q54pw8nOL1LxrBxV6qX8VsY927EtPII0qa8dKoBbjpKjcrz-tlwNTks_btiqSM1izkU0pOwK1Jtw33UId8EpidcI/s400/o+b+5.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well March sure seemed like a good time to start getting serious about the Bike to the Bay... Now what's up with this?!?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94wmf5zrUKm1rdnqmm_5UEKEY-k74lFDjZBAZZeeyMZb5R9Ek4pXSRRNZnB_fHadZGLc-rDFD1BEj4oC01xowbIe3UL2oZ0n5xG-iwRo3huirqDozOHk9aIsjbKEkT4_dFhF6ZgakUa0/s1600/o+b+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94wmf5zrUKm1rdnqmm_5UEKEY-k74lFDjZBAZZeeyMZb5R9Ek4pXSRRNZnB_fHadZGLc-rDFD1BEj4oC01xowbIe3UL2oZ0n5xG-iwRo3huirqDozOHk9aIsjbKEkT4_dFhF6ZgakUa0/s400/o+b+4.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I seriously thought we were home free. The thought of taking my bike off of my indoor trainer and hitting the trails was now on my radar. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> There was no way I wanted to start recruiting my team jersey sponsors in the middle of a blizzard. But I felt confident that we were done with snow when I went to Organic Bliss to ask Nazih, the owner, if he planned to sponsor us again and ride on team Leapfrog. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggETWO-EjdSkS_pJTYPJROQECa16n0LMD0TCD9AQ03lGcjRHOBLRS3qG3MG6i6GzLzJO_4MvG5-sz82Dh3_mny0I0ZrdhUaRZvXjAvuDUWX2cWQBVuvpD2KMk9psBPxtpF_Ka0OJimjCo/s1600/o+b+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggETWO-EjdSkS_pJTYPJROQECa16n0LMD0TCD9AQ03lGcjRHOBLRS3qG3MG6i6GzLzJO_4MvG5-sz82Dh3_mny0I0ZrdhUaRZvXjAvuDUWX2cWQBVuvpD2KMk9psBPxtpF_Ka0OJimjCo/s400/o+b+1.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I was pleasantly surprised when he commented "as long as you have a team, I'll always sponsor you!" That's huge! There are so many things in life that are uncertain, and it was nice to know I could always count on him to help our team.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then Three days later I see this... well not everything is for certain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> With everything I've been through during my "roller coaster" life, it's good to know there are people riding next to me when I need help up the next hill. And for that I consider myself the most fortunate person in the world! Thanks for always being there:)</span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!!</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-51079990288611929962017-03-10T03:00:00.000-08:002017-03-10T03:00:01.196-08:00March is finally here! Time to get serious about the Bike to the Bay!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl7AONK1eBA6GstRKZGKGnNwIObjvMoJhgsbSPbDwkfgxTl39DQKIyMyCK59h0nqCIKOL5UT3NTnVd4MTR0EQlAqLCEshWwUSnuurJ6pfKGdSHkyZecV1-n9lcc-Db6QyfEoy-zq643Sg/s1600/march+10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl7AONK1eBA6GstRKZGKGnNwIObjvMoJhgsbSPbDwkfgxTl39DQKIyMyCK59h0nqCIKOL5UT3NTnVd4MTR0EQlAqLCEshWwUSnuurJ6pfKGdSHkyZecV1-n9lcc-Db6QyfEoy-zq643Sg/s400/march+10.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> As you know, the bike to the bay is always on my radar, but I have to wait for the perfect time to get serious about building my team and fundraising. Well now that it's March I think the time is now!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> My bike is still on my trainer inside, but I'm ramping up my stationary riding so I'll be ready to go as soon as the nicer weather is here to stay.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Any of you who are looking for a way to get your blood flowing before summer is here; join my team! Not feeling in tip top shape is the perfect reason to ride! It sure motivates me:)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7-7ES7RsFkhmlHCmg6lD5bgmUMdp1TuDz0DzApVp2mfh49qHcgte0hnOhQQvicjdH4KeqbMxstHwdodErRojcjQvQzWjDPbOnkH4CU3vGkWu88ZYq49SU0aVTIHUWsFF5SfFibIJ8ms/s1600/frog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7-7ES7RsFkhmlHCmg6lD5bgmUMdp1TuDz0DzApVp2mfh49qHcgte0hnOhQQvicjdH4KeqbMxstHwdodErRojcjQvQzWjDPbOnkH4CU3vGkWu88ZYq49SU0aVTIHUWsFF5SfFibIJ8ms/s320/frog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> If you aren't able to ride but still want to help all of your loved ones battling this awful disease, please sponsor me and I'll ride for you. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwQIZG9uv_1zjuqkq5XVj7r3rGmMiRoIGWqmJwKv5zIYFCaTm66m98qGiU6IjYxJeNUtYMoFE7-d8ZjBtSlMjBd7MwklRiGXsz5LVgDO2q900RPFHLh3Gj0TOEI_T_m-M7hio0tGESDg/s1600/march+10+b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwQIZG9uv_1zjuqkq5XVj7r3rGmMiRoIGWqmJwKv5zIYFCaTm66m98qGiU6IjYxJeNUtYMoFE7-d8ZjBtSlMjBd7MwklRiGXsz5LVgDO2q900RPFHLh3Gj0TOEI_T_m-M7hio0tGESDg/s400/march+10+b.JPG" width="299" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I may be crawling in by the end of this ride,but it's knowing that there are some who can no longer ride that pushes me to my limit. Please help, so together we can kick MS to the curb:)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.bikems.org/" target="_blank">www.bikems.org</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!!</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine</b></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-66234606337294408482017-03-03T03:00:00.000-08:002017-03-03T03:00:08.987-08:00Life's not always smooth sailing: but this day it sure was!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNpER5eQR25c2Uby_h5VVhqqwA9zoxwgFEDhIOVqCpxBP_XosvpYo5b89nFI4CalRXwsErEWATtnPR_fFZJBglsoPNmRu2gwxJLt5yCNQYQ7DVVyK-QFK7XregvGxvS0HLPhUIqXyCngA/s1600/boat+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNpER5eQR25c2Uby_h5VVhqqwA9zoxwgFEDhIOVqCpxBP_XosvpYo5b89nFI4CalRXwsErEWATtnPR_fFZJBglsoPNmRu2gwxJLt5yCNQYQ7DVVyK-QFK7XregvGxvS0HLPhUIqXyCngA/s400/boat+3.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> My Florida trip was sure packed full of adventure, and though I had a great time, it definitely felt like a workout now and then. But the day our friend, Steve, took us out on his boat almost felt like we were having our cake and eating it too.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-EMENMYFYCuC8zGEgiBKO6_tKML3l4X9X0d7-bzRYKGqsK3bQ3A3tezypi1e5F0QPZDHgJHsoGd_yCrfAeIc3dFqRqOdrOraQESzxWttxq_rAGqW4Y2JXZMRZTAPZMA2FIWw1_hV1Lo/s1600/boat+15.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-EMENMYFYCuC8zGEgiBKO6_tKML3l4X9X0d7-bzRYKGqsK3bQ3A3tezypi1e5F0QPZDHgJHsoGd_yCrfAeIc3dFqRqOdrOraQESzxWttxq_rAGqW4Y2JXZMRZTAPZMA2FIWw1_hV1Lo/s400/boat+15.JPG" width="300" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> It was an adventure exploring the open water, but I never had to lift a finger. Innocently, this would have been a great place for me to lose these funky one buck sun glasses. But no, they planned to stay around and haunt me for the duration.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8w67pnQnVaCm4Tush6ddbcVJJQ6vnqvKfRH5FUM4JA91VCvEeSWhjS-wU2ZZYdKXXdRTLPi0mFInjgbGuKWaBZgRNAvRvG-jZdawicsIRrkNUd3aCzYbBMY0MttzNyq7vzD5O6phIis/s1600/boat+11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8w67pnQnVaCm4Tush6ddbcVJJQ6vnqvKfRH5FUM4JA91VCvEeSWhjS-wU2ZZYdKXXdRTLPi0mFInjgbGuKWaBZgRNAvRvG-jZdawicsIRrkNUd3aCzYbBMY0MttzNyq7vzD5O6phIis/s400/boat+11.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I didn't bring my note pad, so I cant tell you a whole lot about the sights we saw... </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDcLIBQlPzRZ8wnuon5mAniF0Sn2nbcIdBrUoe_E-b61CXlD1kVVI-hNJ_1sjjThf_B0KxdFAujSmH5OkOYHDNREg2Cw6KLRtoFQRGo-4Cq4GQPJbaD7HfNxOKUeMBnBzIwmAIRBYw4p0/s1600/boat+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDcLIBQlPzRZ8wnuon5mAniF0Sn2nbcIdBrUoe_E-b61CXlD1kVVI-hNJ_1sjjThf_B0KxdFAujSmH5OkOYHDNREg2Cw6KLRtoFQRGo-4Cq4GQPJbaD7HfNxOKUeMBnBzIwmAIRBYw4p0/s400/boat+4.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But I can't imagine this road way was easy to build.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0I5zM4H4fd-d6CmpGbsO-9riI60C6YKbZGE7-KWYCJwdyi4XXUn123Uk50jYjnh6YtT_79tt7Ce2lfTf4DUMKjziPMrwsuvUTY19ZuMjjdF7OO31PYN2ple25-_fjxZqZOUjb65dH_AI/s1600/boat+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0I5zM4H4fd-d6CmpGbsO-9riI60C6YKbZGE7-KWYCJwdyi4XXUn123Uk50jYjnh6YtT_79tt7Ce2lfTf4DUMKjziPMrwsuvUTY19ZuMjjdF7OO31PYN2ple25-_fjxZqZOUjb65dH_AI/s400/boat+8.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And I just had to wonder if these birds were as fascinated watching us as we were them...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> This big guy below made certain the rest of the world would leave his family alone. I know I wasn't climbing up there.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3fHSXgEgftLQw7B0JhwZ2ntZn-aHLuZAgaUkJJhOWIdg0qqXW38cHYc_2BaIYWkWbJzAVNPDTxCqj_GmLPs_rd4EN-sSgR4FYFRNP9OvflGu7zJLP8-u1WjQ8dEyaC39K-8lO3fRy8TI/s1600/boat+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3fHSXgEgftLQw7B0JhwZ2ntZn-aHLuZAgaUkJJhOWIdg0qqXW38cHYc_2BaIYWkWbJzAVNPDTxCqj_GmLPs_rd4EN-sSgR4FYFRNP9OvflGu7zJLP8-u1WjQ8dEyaC39K-8lO3fRy8TI/s400/boat+6.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Once again, I have no idea where we were here, but it was absolutely worth getting the camera out for... (yes, I don't see a career of being a tour guide in my future...)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqztx6dmeC1lq46PQPY7lbST8Kts8HMRqcYoW3Mzw0FNuU8s-3YyMkPLtFjqCuqnCB-2STFjGwSFu0xZWdC0KXBs3lEJux94jF4xVuZGivQFTxzk3VJB0zDPw-97jjIsLCcKe1tEFrloA/s1600/boat+9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqztx6dmeC1lq46PQPY7lbST8Kts8HMRqcYoW3Mzw0FNuU8s-3YyMkPLtFjqCuqnCB-2STFjGwSFu0xZWdC0KXBs3lEJux94jF4xVuZGivQFTxzk3VJB0zDPw-97jjIsLCcKe1tEFrloA/s400/boat+9.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I've heard boats are a big hole in the water to dump your money... and this hole must be huge...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkIJpD0uQxd-oZMVYjZMx8VMwQW3lZzB2ws-aEFK64cW2dBlkWlNVpCGZYkhK5_xUhlChVt9Sz207-zc_099lJsVRll3yaFxb5tgQMCjNisS9PpoXk3szhACfO2cX2FfJK19dQ3yvQDoI/s1600/boat+10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkIJpD0uQxd-oZMVYjZMx8VMwQW3lZzB2ws-aEFK64cW2dBlkWlNVpCGZYkhK5_xUhlChVt9Sz207-zc_099lJsVRll3yaFxb5tgQMCjNisS9PpoXk3szhACfO2cX2FfJK19dQ3yvQDoI/s400/boat+10.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> They also say bigger is better, but can you imagine how much it would cost to gas up this monster??</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxeobuGokiV3OW-Iqt6d-M3NaxJ40MxxWeLryKoue0D96BSeTiK34FATb12KPtlH1fo80_ETpbFRbTZpDapX4pka9BPbFxNCBPF14c9BpBM2Otlbg4DlHFc_LmJb6xgF7iKyLjClNoMQo/s1600/boat+14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxeobuGokiV3OW-Iqt6d-M3NaxJ40MxxWeLryKoue0D96BSeTiK34FATb12KPtlH1fo80_ETpbFRbTZpDapX4pka9BPbFxNCBPF14c9BpBM2Otlbg4DlHFc_LmJb6xgF7iKyLjClNoMQo/s400/boat+14.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I can't imagine the people in these houses have a hard time finding a reason to get up in the morning...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoI6oJ0k7Q9ocR9xDjfci71sMtJnPxtlWs3UZ1VmajgPDEAYi-GkxeOrJiL1hKnEIGQNTmeXoOahaU8pWplDGaBxeBscS_WpNfmQWsFaR8B6lxhZpRnGxfMAxdeBZ5Byh_OJLq6j_WLHU/s1600/boat+13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoI6oJ0k7Q9ocR9xDjfci71sMtJnPxtlWs3UZ1VmajgPDEAYi-GkxeOrJiL1hKnEIGQNTmeXoOahaU8pWplDGaBxeBscS_WpNfmQWsFaR8B6lxhZpRnGxfMAxdeBZ5Byh_OJLq6j_WLHU/s400/boat+13.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have to say, this day couldn't have gotten much better. They always talk about a perfect day being "nary a cloud in the sky", but with white fluffy clouds, great company and a vivid imagination, I'd say that's about as good as it gets:)</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!!</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-55519080825970146082017-02-24T03:00:00.000-08:002017-02-24T03:00:19.914-08:00My first out door bike ride of the year and it's only February!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzPVv6yv_vJny5Cu1fkgaE4YlphhmV2eKnr4LtofzldFpwMIg_ItqgnDExygrqBSqUv_FVbFOtrlmjtmAI2hGHR9tJeJtwiloh_VkUe8uRRXaRnXvRgcg-jbVD2QdpnWrQfyWjfB8XV2Y/s1600/ride+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzPVv6yv_vJny5Cu1fkgaE4YlphhmV2eKnr4LtofzldFpwMIg_ItqgnDExygrqBSqUv_FVbFOtrlmjtmAI2hGHR9tJeJtwiloh_VkUe8uRRXaRnXvRgcg-jbVD2QdpnWrQfyWjfB8XV2Y/s400/ride+3.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> So my bike has been on a trainer since October, and though I ride it often, indoors, I have been longing for an outdoor bike ride.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Of course that wasn't going to happen up here in T town, so I had to follow the sun to do it. Just one more of the many exciting things I did while I was visiting my cousin in Florida was to go on a critical mass bike ride in down town Fort Myers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I did it last year and we rented a tandem bike to make it a little easier on me. After all, Keith made sure to give me plenty challenges so I could check off my bucket list, and this year would be no different.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> In Florida the bike rides seem to be late in the evening. I'm guessing because mid day is just too scorching hot so close to the equator. That, and I'm sure they wanted it to be dark so they could show off their funky Christmas lights strung all over their bikes. I guess they didn't know Christmas was over...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> As you can see, there were a ton of people, and this ride was very well organized, unlike the critical mass ride I did in downtown Detroit last summer. Those Michiganders were more interested in making a statement than enjoying the ride.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmYX_rXz1r4psu-nzSSQGjGYQusUutNOMKjzBNNadhfnY8E06AePH_cEKoz5nOJczZ31XLxbtRsDUWuyG-rpYMIU5AoBP1pgydDMDao8DOU_TtqYp9nQ1E0XVvoTyAXNA7gIQpat9-f0/s1600/cm+ride.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmYX_rXz1r4psu-nzSSQGjGYQusUutNOMKjzBNNadhfnY8E06AePH_cEKoz5nOJczZ31XLxbtRsDUWuyG-rpYMIU5AoBP1pgydDMDao8DOU_TtqYp9nQ1E0XVvoTyAXNA7gIQpat9-f0/s400/cm+ride.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And downtown Fort Myers looks a heck of a lot different than Downtown Detroit as well. No graffiti on this bike ride. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWAbIGi7_JxAF4OSAiaUrH4XZEEFOOmXcl01hRKVyeXuiVCKFrdgr3Z213f7ENZ32N6ZsNk8DHZky2gyJUaU2ul51Crn3XriHdOV_L3Fxds1zzpwt9_etbIsU9wA9UYLsljdAI3r9gzeM/s1600/ride+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWAbIGi7_JxAF4OSAiaUrH4XZEEFOOmXcl01hRKVyeXuiVCKFrdgr3Z213f7ENZ32N6ZsNk8DHZky2gyJUaU2ul51Crn3XriHdOV_L3Fxds1zzpwt9_etbIsU9wA9UYLsljdAI3r9gzeM/s400/ride+2.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Though there were no casualties on this ride, at one point I did think our tandem bike was going down. But thanks to Keith's quick reaction to an out of control bike on our left, we got through unscathed. Which was a good thing because I'm not a fan of road rash.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgAxmTqJ_KQzq2547uWrRhm323xadeUZeDTDJWt5J8jVo00dBsiDOhvz4Rdp2JFoFJKgH1F1ZvQsLM6lgArreTue2u2wMlRPRqZNfv41L5FrBXnWC9C-szPlhCCdl1fyQfRoO1_AWKbW8/s1600/ride+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgAxmTqJ_KQzq2547uWrRhm323xadeUZeDTDJWt5J8jVo00dBsiDOhvz4Rdp2JFoFJKgH1F1ZvQsLM6lgArreTue2u2wMlRPRqZNfv41L5FrBXnWC9C-szPlhCCdl1fyQfRoO1_AWKbW8/s400/ride+1.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">You won't see any palm trees where I come from, and it was definitely a sight to see.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DvVQCy03yLiCQMTd4S2fwrDPfYixkUywn6TwwrHB-TNrF2oKSi63VXlo_ETnUuO0bT0qss1njeRbzRmnVPf-ik0xPO_Ry2JjEW2shtNB20b3rLcxNpCvH2vj8DZj-ETVKFaMfLcihHM/s1600/ride+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DvVQCy03yLiCQMTd4S2fwrDPfYixkUywn6TwwrHB-TNrF2oKSi63VXlo_ETnUuO0bT0qss1njeRbzRmnVPf-ik0xPO_Ry2JjEW2shtNB20b3rLcxNpCvH2vj8DZj-ETVKFaMfLcihHM/s400/ride+4.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> So this was just one more of the fun filled activities I did while down in good ol Sunny Florida, and it's true, it wasn't a first for me; But one thing I will tell you is, it doesn't matter where you are in this world, It's always just like riding a bike:)</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great Day!!</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-72457993067372066762017-02-17T03:00:00.000-08:002017-02-17T04:14:41.954-08:00Ever ride a giant sling shot?? try it; you just might like it!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwz73xN4AlzLd47fiv88wSRmyOckJ9CEISknd_tjcEUl55jrzbVE0qA_8JVGY5ABIObRCtUX7RcLVlVXxAPXZv8V_F15rz8DsBQOPAd4wKVJ88Jwx3TzYZnd7IoPBYt9yXBu3VOEmKOs/s1600/zip+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwz73xN4AlzLd47fiv88wSRmyOckJ9CEISknd_tjcEUl55jrzbVE0qA_8JVGY5ABIObRCtUX7RcLVlVXxAPXZv8V_F15rz8DsBQOPAd4wKVJ88Jwx3TzYZnd7IoPBYt9yXBu3VOEmKOs/s400/zip+1.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> So I told you my trip to Florida was filled with many exciting events. Well swimming with the Manatees was hard to top, but it was surely never a dull moment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> When my cousin, Keith, picked me up at the airport, the first thing I did was pull out my sunglasses case. I can't believe I almost forgot to grab that case, but the night before I was reminded that I would certainly need them, more so down in Florida than I've needed up in gloomy Ohio over the past few months. Good thing I was prepared...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Or was I... I had my case, but when I opened it I found it to be empty. Then I remembered, they were resting comfortably in the over head compartment of my car back home. UGG!! No worries though. We would simply zip into Walmart and buy another pair.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I really hate wasting money, especially when I had two perfectly fine pairs of sunglasses back home. So we headed over to the clearance rack to find some cheapies. Besides, I would probably just end up loosing them any way. Of course, the cheaper the glasses, the less likly you are to loose them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> But check this out... I actually found a pair marked all the way down to one buck! You know that old saying "things go on clearance for a reason". Well I don't think I have to wonder why these things were marked down. I actually was surprised that they didn't pay me to remove them from their inventory.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I didn't care if they looked like clown glasses. I was clear across the country and no one would even know me. Now, Keith might have some explaining to do:)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQ_vWKeFISgl7ATggpevXz_0TeAOWDRS8HLuWkkOnNqlNJFSNIRvkIZz7AIYZtWSs0dGbHnYJ1clSpkR1Tr-VMDrz4iYt5gR3RDdNQBMdrtIxgp4pejugeGUGfQvyWMMH5TkpJmHvH3M/s1600/zip+12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQ_vWKeFISgl7ATggpevXz_0TeAOWDRS8HLuWkkOnNqlNJFSNIRvkIZz7AIYZtWSs0dGbHnYJ1clSpkR1Tr-VMDrz4iYt5gR3RDdNQBMdrtIxgp4pejugeGUGfQvyWMMH5TkpJmHvH3M/s400/zip+12.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Do these look like one buck sunglasses to you!?!? Uh... I'm told they do:) Hey, one thing I can promise you is if I drop them out of a boat they will surely find their way back to me:)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2fQnj3-bQPI0R3dvxqyDnSxJu1F36n_v6-JCakGaUOj_GGEm50jqowK_26AWiV3YmKpGqy_nHl1dmCG_iXMxmKBbmjaXb23heG9ZYE95YblzDYmSdEOu2nrEa8_pgoKtYT-xJMXWUHI/s1600/zip+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2fQnj3-bQPI0R3dvxqyDnSxJu1F36n_v6-JCakGaUOj_GGEm50jqowK_26AWiV3YmKpGqy_nHl1dmCG_iXMxmKBbmjaXb23heG9ZYE95YblzDYmSdEOu2nrEa8_pgoKtYT-xJMXWUHI/s400/zip+2.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Once we had that minor dilemma solved we were off to the shell factory for some zip lining.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4jcUsEumWFp4LYwdPDKBe7aEs431NI7QCIQ0onEpRjKmqtwuo9mg901ardZKpuKzNIqBVVr4rA9rykhCGrVXLGuLcBdTNd72A1Jdt4MTD1MuIo6VKMdwbRXWQbYAo7pemA3Qt4B_fQo/s1600/zip+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4jcUsEumWFp4LYwdPDKBe7aEs431NI7QCIQ0onEpRjKmqtwuo9mg901ardZKpuKzNIqBVVr4rA9rykhCGrVXLGuLcBdTNd72A1Jdt4MTD1MuIo6VKMdwbRXWQbYAo7pemA3Qt4B_fQo/s400/zip+7.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> When I think of zip lining, I think of hiking to the top of a mountain and then zipping back down on a cable. But this was actually like having your cake and eating it too. There was no mountain to climb, yet we still got the thrill of the sport.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQ17i1p_mmNxqWHzBB2O4SiI73Avrg_oW4IDu6py45d2BKkUny7ivuPBom5zdl9PCDQBGBjlCuWxTikHGExVHlvgUUNkWbRr2mI7LKBHTQuNY_RHuEbz__OnMvzjxLFFOGZtuqWE2VQY/s1600/zip+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQ17i1p_mmNxqWHzBB2O4SiI73Avrg_oW4IDu6py45d2BKkUny7ivuPBom5zdl9PCDQBGBjlCuWxTikHGExVHlvgUUNkWbRr2mI7LKBHTQuNY_RHuEbz__OnMvzjxLFFOGZtuqWE2VQY/s400/zip+3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Is this perfect or what?! we simply climbed into this ski lift type chair and it slowly moved us backwards, across this pond.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The first half of the ride was kind of like a sky ride at an amusement park...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpIv0Cypbud9UGVBKSbsrtPe9w7vgF0N6UxRdUyJPkQ8DltbzF2_BU0r_rLoH1AJpyr7wr6Ol6uU6UlAVy1bZssRYyumaW_BxclfKc8sCdwDJKcsuqOJiLBnHyyxo6DxYGlDTHye9vfeI/s1600/zip+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpIv0Cypbud9UGVBKSbsrtPe9w7vgF0N6UxRdUyJPkQ8DltbzF2_BU0r_rLoH1AJpyr7wr6Ol6uU6UlAVy1bZssRYyumaW_BxclfKc8sCdwDJKcsuqOJiLBnHyyxo6DxYGlDTHye9vfeI/s400/zip+4.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Slow and steady...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxppCmgZdMtgj5cL3L1_PTyRjehcdJiv1fT9J5Qq-rvJHgMqyavDHmCTXNJiME-jyZyYCuAhRpVkqkTI3-N_5c0jFKUqLy1AcpWdce-RFbcmXA4ogrBKkJEf_f5KSXnQCaZm-Mze6weQ/s1600/zip+10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxppCmgZdMtgj5cL3L1_PTyRjehcdJiv1fT9J5Qq-rvJHgMqyavDHmCTXNJiME-jyZyYCuAhRpVkqkTI3-N_5c0jFKUqLy1AcpWdce-RFbcmXA4ogrBKkJEf_f5KSXnQCaZm-Mze6weQ/s400/zip+10.JPG" width="300" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Then all of a sudden you become the rock inside a giant sling shot. Once we reached the other side we were catapulted back, faster than the speed of light.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggZMm0Wf5S1ku-Jq9j1042gP9gjJhtUajGPXvD9fKTfhINMH1QW7uQiGoPPFpfBZkbnluEWLb_4B0XQtzc1meSA9nVJF7VgenZWd2o4I1PgHJxx36Nvk7FGqPbpSioWTyhfnn-gumegpc/s1600/zip+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggZMm0Wf5S1ku-Jq9j1042gP9gjJhtUajGPXvD9fKTfhINMH1QW7uQiGoPPFpfBZkbnluEWLb_4B0XQtzc1meSA9nVJF7VgenZWd2o4I1PgHJxx36Nvk7FGqPbpSioWTyhfnn-gumegpc/s400/zip+11.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Now, this was my idea of fun! No hiking, but a definite rush non the less.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWuVy6VQEW3MS7LM4tk0BsLIziM2wtWJ700hD6u1-bZs4fWnNk4L9p7e2qjVFRzj3VG3AF-_9uqFuLJYUgxwQGxkbXOp2tcxmKolF1SkOKQYOXqbsqudl9TbORcHiS2Oq7ML1_ghekAnE/s1600/zip+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWuVy6VQEW3MS7LM4tk0BsLIziM2wtWJ700hD6u1-bZs4fWnNk4L9p7e2qjVFRzj3VG3AF-_9uqFuLJYUgxwQGxkbXOp2tcxmKolF1SkOKQYOXqbsqudl9TbORcHiS2Oq7ML1_ghekAnE/s400/zip+5.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Incidentally, this was the first adventure Keith took me on while I was down there. I think he wanted to give me a false sense of security, because this was by far, the least amount of effort I would be exerting for the rest of my stay. Lets just say I got my daily work outs in with out coming near a gym.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Oh, by the way, those one dollar cheapy glasses... I conveniently left them behind, just in case some poor soul visiting Keith forgets their own pair and doesn't want to invest in more. But Keith assured me he would make sure they made their way back to me, whether it was UPS or he had to drive them up to me himself. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> What did I tell you... When all is said and done, it doesn't matter how much you invest in something... if it's meant to be, some how it will eventually find it's way back to you:)</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!!</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-18774849223119610432017-02-10T03:00:00.000-08:002017-02-10T03:00:01.244-08:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Last week I mentioned I was going to hop on a plane and head down to the good ol' sunny state of Florida, and I certainly did! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxH2WRb_dldG16c-8emvqjIeMZSmfHZCkzbT9xA5ZVaVA5Wb5mH19va8Oe8TdKWGJdxFCgYWH4K51DK4qbpXa7Xjs793rSL6bFv5KWZnJrEDyTwXXUSOfnE2rfmEkUbgZduOR0Vk3hVM/s1600/man+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxH2WRb_dldG16c-8emvqjIeMZSmfHZCkzbT9xA5ZVaVA5Wb5mH19va8Oe8TdKWGJdxFCgYWH4K51DK4qbpXa7Xjs793rSL6bFv5KWZnJrEDyTwXXUSOfnE2rfmEkUbgZduOR0Vk3hVM/s400/man+2.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> And I also mentioned swimming with the manatees, and while I did a lot of other cool things while I was down there, today I'll start by telling you about my new half ton friends.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I know Spanx are the greatest thing since sliced bread, but I'll admit wearing them on the outside isn't the best idea they could have come up with. It practically takes a crowbar, a stick of butter and three linebackers to get into one of these things. And then getting out of it is another story...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> After our half hour lecture of all of the do s and don't s we were finally off to find the home of these sweet gentle giants. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> We were told we weren't allowed to startle them by sneaking up on them, so using our legs to swim was forbidden. this was quite exhausting, I'm not gonna lie.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Then we found out that in most of the country it's against the law to interact with manatees, let alone touch them. However, this was the only place in the country where it was actually legal. Of course, it was very highly supervised, so these rare animals weren't harmed in any way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I had a million rules going through my head about not swimming towards them from behind and where not to touch them. You can't approach them; you have to wait for them to approach you before petting them. By the time the first two gigantic creatures approached me I was almost paralyzed from the fear of doing something that would land me in the state pen. And believe you me, I don't do stripes well...</span></div>
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Don't let the date on this photo confuse you... it really was last week...:) tell the camera that...</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> You can see by this picture that these big lugs are very friendly. In fact, maybe too friendly at times... I felt like I should have gotten them a room...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> When they managed to pry themselves away from each other we were eventually able to get up close and personal.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpMf5kibDRC5kAvI9fLwOoYWA6Ce47NGKomn0uCRljepCHBe8CToXb7ppnA87FOeMwaUuJEYLYxaw9-o6Jhq_oVV45kUbdA9iR3LGWrZSh1BUcmoHkA8aCQvDl3vBsZWnSJEAWRjoVFg/s1600/man+9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpMf5kibDRC5kAvI9fLwOoYWA6Ce47NGKomn0uCRljepCHBe8CToXb7ppnA87FOeMwaUuJEYLYxaw9-o6Jhq_oVV45kUbdA9iR3LGWrZSh1BUcmoHkA8aCQvDl3vBsZWnSJEAWRjoVFg/s400/man+9.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Being submerged under water, using only my arms to get around and a snorkel as the only way to breath, and knowing these things were ten times my size, I'll admit caused a bit of a panic attack at first. If you're at all claustrophobic, this would surely do it. I would have almost rather been jumping out of that plane right now. But this was a once in a lifetime event, so I knew if I didn't take this opportunity to actually pet this guy I might live to regret it. And I know my cuz would never let me live it down...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Then there was the question... if I touched him was I approaching him or was he approaching me to let me touch him...??</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> So I finally did it! I actually petted a Manatee! And it was an amazing experience! Now I can store those "bragging rights" next to my sky diving and hang gliding certificates!! One day I may actually have my bucket list crossed off. Of course, then I'll just need to start a new one:)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> If there's one thing I've learned, it's that while there may be some things in life that aren't actually worth the effort, somethings are totally worth jumping on a plane and flying across the country for:) And I would do it a million times over!</span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!!</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-68061213470859396012017-02-03T03:00:00.000-08:002017-02-03T05:01:51.828-08:00What's next??<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> As I write this post I have the cozy thoughts of the warm sunshine against my face; but</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> when</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I look out the window, and see the grass peaking through the snow covered lawn, I wonder if my extremities will ever thaw from the freezing cold Toledo weather...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Okay, so it isn't the Blizzard of 78; But I'm sure you remember exactly what you were doing on that iconic day, a million years ago. I myself was a freshman in high school, and though I rode a bus, that day I decided to walk home rather than wait for the buses to return to pick us up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjuiSjkJ9qXQVtpVkV1g7LgroPNm2ScEEETfIA0VB-D_fZN9QFiOmJ7iyOEGXBJJEI3o4Wx-pRj2ipbdgNnYxFIpb1bGmztKRvk_D5oemrXr4l9m8Ga0KPxA5k3fss3NrhvXEOiZXqIQ/s1600/blizzard.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjuiSjkJ9qXQVtpVkV1g7LgroPNm2ScEEETfIA0VB-D_fZN9QFiOmJ7iyOEGXBJJEI3o4Wx-pRj2ipbdgNnYxFIpb1bGmztKRvk_D5oemrXr4l9m8Ga0KPxA5k3fss3NrhvXEOiZXqIQ/s400/blizzard.PNG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> What is it they say about hindsight??? Not the smartest decision I ever made...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> However, for as little snow as we have here now, I was still anxious to get a brief reprieve; even it was only for a few days. And this was when the countdown began...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> As you read this I hope I'm at some white sandy beach in the good ole' sunshine state; but you'll have to wait until I'm back to know for sure. I would have brought my desk top computer and updated you, but I couldn't find an extension cord long enough to reach the gulf...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> However, my cousin Keith, who I'm visiting, has been posting several pictures on facebook lately, so I'll show you what he tells me it's like down in Florida right now.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGP98JdYmOgVaXUHHa88BBMNe0NE_wXVFxt4rwPjnfcfK7_JPjjezGwcSr7Z5DtPrcWZH4ILdEf3gZkuJBjdAnb4aXcatjMBMDUbbMW6YrnKq-cuYvcqnfi0an72bbvIDzdStUispSrw/s1600/sun.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGP98JdYmOgVaXUHHa88BBMNe0NE_wXVFxt4rwPjnfcfK7_JPjjezGwcSr7Z5DtPrcWZH4ILdEf3gZkuJBjdAnb4aXcatjMBMDUbbMW6YrnKq-cuYvcqnfi0an72bbvIDzdStUispSrw/s400/sun.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">could handle this...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSn_Q0XjtbI4EHfAiIS_pe9PJaGO6eU2fg8ggwSG5ksShGgr9_CSJt2DoQg5BYdynLCt5ijtZV3xaCpQDKBUbc86IBe0ytK34cydm6pmKTz9c3Un_r69XpuHPm8jZILFKLGjwNwVGBhTA/s1600/florida.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSn_Q0XjtbI4EHfAiIS_pe9PJaGO6eU2fg8ggwSG5ksShGgr9_CSJt2DoQg5BYdynLCt5ijtZV3xaCpQDKBUbc86IBe0ytK34cydm6pmKTz9c3Un_r69XpuHPm8jZILFKLGjwNwVGBhTA/s400/florida.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I sure hope he's right! I'll let you know...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2eWRF3AE-oIYNdb2Uf6CxuQD0v_kxGT2udj612t3OM9RWyEpvU9A_7cdifxw7vEduKfMlVFvZLVKCOspqztqGr-GSAdUxp827hK93-R1G9BwIlomJZem3vIzjBfUjhExM4foYTCz2ysY/s1600/blog+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2eWRF3AE-oIYNdb2Uf6CxuQD0v_kxGT2udj612t3OM9RWyEpvU9A_7cdifxw7vEduKfMlVFvZLVKCOspqztqGr-GSAdUxp827hK93-R1G9BwIlomJZem3vIzjBfUjhExM4foYTCz2ysY/s400/blog+3.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">See you back in the freezing cold! bundle up:)</span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!!</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-44235436353782572592017-01-27T03:00:00.000-08:002017-01-27T03:05:06.342-08:00Do ya think I can dodge the snow that's heading for T Town?!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-K34URiWlAI8yBUzPWzLD2rKDtHn_az5OxkU75k0XOZ2sfVKWm_q7zXO2iZq0W96HIdgqblhik-BrGohdsIzq90LZ39zdiPhk7ztg4LKEixoEd5h8pi6x4T8ZLJscf8x3HmbmMgF3vnA/s1600/trip.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-K34URiWlAI8yBUzPWzLD2rKDtHn_az5OxkU75k0XOZ2sfVKWm_q7zXO2iZq0W96HIdgqblhik-BrGohdsIzq90LZ39zdiPhk7ztg4LKEixoEd5h8pi6x4T8ZLJscf8x3HmbmMgF3vnA/s400/trip.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> February is my absolute worst month of the year; and yes I know it's the shortest month, but it feels like a hundred days. Nothing but cold and snow from morning til night. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Remember last February? This is what it looked like!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGbVpb8GZ7Wv40xgEpOScXadwC5Mmx6mJjRy19E6t1MGoJbqY34FOvhsShGaEvVbSNxUJNuS91vY-i8UdcF-_aHsAY-Prryq-ID-qzSzXaYsaY4RX0aJd5oMwT_woNWwxhT7WpDm5mRs/s1600/image-SNOW.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGbVpb8GZ7Wv40xgEpOScXadwC5Mmx6mJjRy19E6t1MGoJbqY34FOvhsShGaEvVbSNxUJNuS91vY-i8UdcF-_aHsAY-Prryq-ID-qzSzXaYsaY4RX0aJd5oMwT_woNWwxhT7WpDm5mRs/s640/image-SNOW.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> But at least I was able to escape the brutal weather for a few days, by flying down to visit my cousin, Keith, in Florida. February is a great month for a trip to Florida, but come summer, the humidity would absolutely kick my butt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The past three years I've made it my mission to challenge myself and step out side of my comfort zone; and Keith made sure to find things that would push me to my limit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I've never been a fan of heights, but the first year I found myself five hundred feet up in the air, tethered to the back of a boat like a kite. I survived... that time...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAMn74qKg3BQwb9AB6SvA_9DyPmVybwmNr6vGqoHS3jxKqkIoyQuMCwMGSlHxtiRF53GN-ZgB-mFoBmV-431aGzJRG5OQHzqlVYok-I0T-MGtvxEHAyHL6BJ8m6uCq84UDOhRH1sMGE4/s1600/parasailing+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAMn74qKg3BQwb9AB6SvA_9DyPmVybwmNr6vGqoHS3jxKqkIoyQuMCwMGSlHxtiRF53GN-ZgB-mFoBmV-431aGzJRG5OQHzqlVYok-I0T-MGtvxEHAyHL6BJ8m6uCq84UDOhRH1sMGE4/s400/parasailing+4.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> But I guess he didn't think that was far enough out of my comfort zone, so my next challenge was para-sailing 1500 feet up in the clouds. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIe0KaTfWvb_9HHr1xQ7dZ0sC8zOJwspurwzKA8J6ZzJB42xLPmlcm6Svyws69s705a6R9Tkbtj0ferDGQ0bPESctfiCYtxRMN5_IVTgBTXBXkXcU6MIdnLNQMIhKROoZwXYdv-tQFzJs/s1600/para+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIe0KaTfWvb_9HHr1xQ7dZ0sC8zOJwspurwzKA8J6ZzJB42xLPmlcm6Svyws69s705a6R9Tkbtj0ferDGQ0bPESctfiCYtxRMN5_IVTgBTXBXkXcU6MIdnLNQMIhKROoZwXYdv-tQFzJs/s640/para+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> the only thing between me and that brutally painful crash landing was a thin piece of canvas being held up by a gust of wind. But I wasn't worried... if we crashed, my instructor would hit first, and I'm sure he would break my fall...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ub5jtjI_z3ZvasRHSlnLEzFicvYHLpjMYP9bFDDjV6W0JsgLr1eyvCXhnTgqq85LKDCaiJZYcMYomK7NSoSMzZuwbhYyOQooz3X2Gyvv_CYzcJuJ9MjGGgkXB3HVZcHqVLjjxsV7PyI/s1600/hang+gliding+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ub5jtjI_z3ZvasRHSlnLEzFicvYHLpjMYP9bFDDjV6W0JsgLr1eyvCXhnTgqq85LKDCaiJZYcMYomK7NSoSMzZuwbhYyOQooz3X2Gyvv_CYzcJuJ9MjGGgkXB3HVZcHqVLjjxsV7PyI/s640/hang+gliding+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> But this still wasn't enough to make me crack. I came out of that one unscathed as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Now, last year, when I found out I was going to be jumping out of a perfectly good airplane from 13000 in the air I wondered who was the crazy one now...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH2lpJjlLX9o5LjecjFf_JdGbqlDh7VIL_W-Su40TKtgA-qN3b8FI6VLRAwQe8Nsw_sPXAGq6MDCmUASVUc8zDs_4T4MBReidKCX5eDuM5m76GNLONkT7x-VCE-C539oSAUVCyjN4hg_0/s1600/sky.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH2lpJjlLX9o5LjecjFf_JdGbqlDh7VIL_W-Su40TKtgA-qN3b8FI6VLRAwQe8Nsw_sPXAGq6MDCmUASVUc8zDs_4T4MBReidKCX5eDuM5m76GNLONkT7x-VCE-C539oSAUVCyjN4hg_0/s640/sky.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> But I tell you, I am resilient! I wasn't about to pass up any challenge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> So here we are again; next week I make my annual trip down the the good old sunshine state, and I have to wonder how he could possibly come up with a challenge higher that the last one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Well, I soon realized, up isn't the only way to go. This time he tells me we will be swimming with some giant sea creatures, called Manatees. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_yY0VAPCFsRyCuto_mHF2XtRHrm4uVSAoV4ATVjaU7PR64zZV7gvxXv2sqjUUcQEp6koa0UAr-W77PCxOTl0s3UMWAoBC54wnMkWueTPKureWN10zXf4vbH8p2y7nTgTUDK977BO19Xw/s1600/Manatees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_yY0VAPCFsRyCuto_mHF2XtRHrm4uVSAoV4ATVjaU7PR64zZV7gvxXv2sqjUUcQEp6koa0UAr-W77PCxOTl0s3UMWAoBC54wnMkWueTPKureWN10zXf4vbH8p2y7nTgTUDK977BO19Xw/s640/Manatees.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> It kind of reminds me of Ursula from the little mermaid; that was one scary fish! We went and looked at them on a previous trip, but I was on the other side of the H2O. Now I'm going to see what it's like to walk in the shoes (or swim in the fins) of a sea creature.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0DmISdyDRrkjJhS-3NKrMz4kNi0S30lRQYQZ08y4y-_UaqIm4fJowj4fzZGGgpJDg0uXxS0AcwkNr-gSYhWz4eWgZVTjVMnhulP5NtMeoeyPVlGeIO_zU7yTKVfTKw-cbVreDstkXDvw/s1600/Manatees+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0DmISdyDRrkjJhS-3NKrMz4kNi0S30lRQYQZ08y4y-_UaqIm4fJowj4fzZGGgpJDg0uXxS0AcwkNr-gSYhWz4eWgZVTjVMnhulP5NtMeoeyPVlGeIO_zU7yTKVfTKw-cbVreDstkXDvw/s400/Manatees+3.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I can't wait!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!!</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5712153404408964204.post-17808672134562262312017-01-20T03:00:00.000-08:002017-01-20T03:00:07.943-08:00Did Ohio State change their colors just for me?!?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjITlK5U2hZCWipIdgsJ04oxPv5R1l3yrm5QlD7CDWdxuEQuK9T0BMm5FT_x9fNbTIy7Y5IAKrrWGRcKVOHNnlLj8UuLBA_UhQp7c63dBrlx2GuC87BCTNTW2Cboyl0GUe5OZk51az1xW0/s1600/osu+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjITlK5U2hZCWipIdgsJ04oxPv5R1l3yrm5QlD7CDWdxuEQuK9T0BMm5FT_x9fNbTIy7Y5IAKrrWGRcKVOHNnlLj8UuLBA_UhQp7c63dBrlx2GuC87BCTNTW2Cboyl0GUe5OZk51az1xW0/s400/osu+5.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I know a lot of people who are totally obsessed with Ohio State, and my brother, Doug, is no exception. I myself, like OSU, I mean, I've lived in Ohio my entire life. I could get tarred and feathered for anything else. But my love of pink has always caused me to shy away from all of the traditional OSU logo wear. How can I possibly wear scarlet and grey when pink fights off my "kryptonite"??</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> But don't worry, my bro had me covered...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> He knew if he was ever going to convince me to sport the logo of his favorite team he had to find a middle ground some way, some how. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> After some lengthy research, he found a company on-line that actually had a shirt that allowed me to keep my pink yet wear that OSU logo proudly... </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheeNfCiJlPmfAPpjToMT279STpZd1KCiLNbs7Hp2akkqpSR0yqIfnSufXTZV3TKEM4CnSieqyWEXCMjgkQLLCT2YdZYURswBUY-2plX0GvV-xmcDD_n45kpyisAHV_BBAP0Z6Ll_KLa_Y/s1600/osu+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheeNfCiJlPmfAPpjToMT279STpZd1KCiLNbs7Hp2akkqpSR0yqIfnSufXTZV3TKEM4CnSieqyWEXCMjgkQLLCT2YdZYURswBUY-2plX0GvV-xmcDD_n45kpyisAHV_BBAP0Z6Ll_KLa_Y/s400/osu+2.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> It took forever for the shirt to finally arrive, and the season had come and gone. But I've never seen someone more proud than my brother, when he handed me the shirt he knew would make me finally cross over that infamous line.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Lf89vYqpxlvLqHTz84a-WHZGPbI5Hu1eKW4BIo214BVs5yneRf2wpV3k8zHIsHE-JoxXEbHx6L3xm5ladWPtGzliScM4WdR5Evn9Isl7gstgL0EUevS_2nlSyafT-JU1qGLaahNqeuc/s1600/ous3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Lf89vYqpxlvLqHTz84a-WHZGPbI5Hu1eKW4BIo214BVs5yneRf2wpV3k8zHIsHE-JoxXEbHx6L3xm5ladWPtGzliScM4WdR5Evn9Isl7gstgL0EUevS_2nlSyafT-JU1qGLaahNqeuc/s400/ous3.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I have to say, I'm kind of loving this look, though I may have been told a time or two that a pink OSU shirt is sacrilegious. But hey, baby steps... If an official OSU shirt showed up on my doorstep, I might just wear that as well:)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSLMPrcnrx3nklzxS62wORghLxyJ14TSGmP3VKWc5wuu3ntJe29r-4nyna5Hbm334UYq15qW8x1_PViYzmap6-ASGU6zaPC_NNwhYSDmzbpJJ4ztFOZRJrZKyY3-QtFzS7bhUxmx4E7Y/s1600/osu+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSLMPrcnrx3nklzxS62wORghLxyJ14TSGmP3VKWc5wuu3ntJe29r-4nyna5Hbm334UYq15qW8x1_PViYzmap6-ASGU6zaPC_NNwhYSDmzbpJJ4ztFOZRJrZKyY3-QtFzS7bhUxmx4E7Y/s400/osu+1.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> But until that day comes, this here, is about as good as it gets!!</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Have a great day!!</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Christine:)</b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06753257187910518649noreply@blogger.com0