Its All Good

Those of you who know how competitive I am are probably thinking I lost my fastball. Nope not yet. Yes I was eliminated this morning from the radio competition. Yes I still hate to lose more than loving to win. So why is it OK? Because I didn't lose. This experience has been motivating, inspiring and has opened my eyes and my heart to more of the goodness in our world. If I had never entered the contest I would not have met David Lee, Mike Henderson, Diane Brown & the other ride leaders, Tina, Vikki, Rachel Cowan, the rest of the radio contestants and many others too numerous to mention. I would never known that I could do back to back centuries or climb Mount Palomar on a bicycle! I would not have met Dan a potential challenged athlete and grantee and my fundraising or actually your donations just may help him improve his fitness as mine has improved over the last four months. What a journey and I haven't even begun the ride down the coast. I so appreciate the calls, text messages and e-mails from friends, family and especially from the other contestants who like me have been eliminated too. While I was disappointed for a brief moment this morning I feel great about this whole challenge. I honestly cannot think of anything I could have done differently and I believe I did everything I could to the best of my ability to win. If anything I might have pushed and or tried too hard as is my nature. My effort was not enough to make the top three, so all I can do is tip my hat to Alex, Adam and Joy and wish you the best of luck! I won this challenge long ago when I made new friends and found that I love to ride. Being able to help others and contribute in a small way to the greater good of challenged athletes while doing something I truly enjoy is my good fortune. Having the support of so many old friends, family members and my new friends is a blessing. Thank you are two very small words. They only contain 8 little letters. Those two words though come from my heart and I hope that you will accept them with the same passion that they are sent to you with, friends, family and new acquaintances all! God bless you and Go Bolts because football season and Sunday home games with Jayne are here!

Flying High

The last 2 days have been crazy. Scott and Billy Ray at 1090 radio gave each of the 5 contestants a roll of 1090 banner and said from 5am to 9am Thursday and Friday get out and promote the station. Thursday morning I started in the dark at 5am and put banners on the I-8 and Grossmont Blvd overpass, then more on the 8 and College, I-15 and Aero Dr. and also on the fence along the 52 and Convoy. I was out of banners so I went to the station and picked up some more. Friday I was deciding between doing Sante Fe Station downtown or going up on a crane right over Hwy 67 in Lakeside. After hearing about the great things the others were doing I chose the crane. Bob's Crane in Lakeside was very generous with their time and the cranes. It took a couple of hours, two cranes and several of their guys to accomlish this. A big thank you to Bob, Chris, Todd and the rest of the folks at Bobs Crane you were awesome! Actually other than getting used to the height it was pretty cool being up there. People were honking, waving and wondering what this guy is doing hanging next to the freeway waving 1090 banners. I enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next challenge whatever it may be!

I Am Overwhelmed

The most unbelievable thing happened on Tuesday. When I returned home from my weekly mens group meeting my wife Jayne informed me that John Glinatsis owner of La Jolla Electric had donated the remaining balance needed for me to participate in the QMDC ride from San Francisico to San Diego in October. I pledged to raise $10,000 this June and was stalled at $5,200. Everyone I knew who could donate had generously done so and I was stressing because I knew that I either had to win the radio contest, receive donations from people or businesses that I did not know or forfeit what I had raised and try again next year. Failing this year and starting over next year is not an option so I decided to give people something for their money and am offering to detail their vehicle inside and out for a donaton to the Challenged Athletes Foundation. Of course I was and am determined to win the XX 1090 cycling challenge in which I would be granted the $10K to go but that is another story. So when I get home Jayne tells me that she showed John my blog and after reading it he asked her how much I needed to raise to reach my goal. Jayne told him $5,000 and the next thing she knows he hands her a check for $5,000! You have no idea how much pressure that relieved. Knowing that I could focus on training and not having to worry about fundraising is a great relief! Jayne and I have been blessed and we know how forturnate we are for all of the good things we have in our lives but outside of our family this is the most generous thing that has ever happened to us. We cannot thank John and La Jolla Electric enough for their amazing generosity. Please if you ever need any electrical work call La Jolla Electric as you already know what kind of company they are. John I wish I had the words to properly thank you but I don't think I do. Jayne and I appreciate you very much and hope you are as blessed in this life as we have been! I will do my very best for all of you who have so generously supported me financially, morally and spiritually. Every donation small or large is meaningful and sincerely appreciated. Thanks to all of you again!

Details for Donations

Did you know your ride can look great while you are helping others? This may be the best value you will ever receive from a donation! We all wish our car, truck or SUV would really sparkle. Now yours can be super clean and shiny inside and out while you support the men and women that the Challenged Athletes Foundation makes grants available to. Here is how it works. I will personally pick up your vehicle, detail it inside and out and deliver it back to you looking like new for a donation of $175.00 for cars and $200.00 for trucks and SUV's! Better yet my fellow XX radio contestant Adam Beck will tune and detail your bicycle for a $20.00 donation. All proceeds go to the foundation to fund our participation in the Qualcomm Million Dollar Challenge Ride. To schedule a vehicle detail call me at 619-322-8894 or e-mail at rjmillum@sbcglobal.net. If you prefer to donate online just click this link to go to my fundraising page. For a bike tune and clean up call Adam at 858 208 9551, e-mail him at abeck@framemax.com and click this link to see his flyer. Thank you again for all of your support, the CAF is a terrific cause and your donations do so much good for those who suffer with a physical disability.

Back 2 Back Centuries or room with a view

Where to start? This weekend was my biggest challenge yet and oh so rewarding. We started early Saturday for the immunity challenge and Joy was the winner once again. She was able to name all 14 ride leaders, coaches, ride chairs etc. Good for you Joy! Next up was day 1 of our 2 day 100 mile back to back rides. Group 4 was raring to go and we had a good ride with no flats or trouble on Saturday. At our 1st SAG stop I met Dan a paraplegic who had e-mailed the Challenged Athletes Foundation just the day before about a grant. Dan wants to get active and competing again. He saw the CAF logo on our support van and came over to visit. We talked a bit about how the CAF can help him and I introduced him to David Lee who encouraged him as well. The last 6 miles or so was spent climbing and it was a nice challenge at the end of day 1. The Terranea Resort where we stayed was incredible. Right on the ocean in Rancho Palos Verdes and beautiful. We had a buffet dinner with all of the riders and it was good to have a chance to talk to some of the men and women in group 1 and 2 as I am not able to ride with them yet and don't know them as well. Rob Tennant one of my group 4 buddies and I shared a room and after the USC game we both were out. Day 2 started better for me than Saturday. I felt good at the start and all was well until mile 68. Cyclists call it bonking and I bonked big time. This is from a lack of nutrition. I was not replacing calories as quickly as I was using them. I became light headed and had little stamina. I felt like I was pedaling hard and should be going 15 to 17 mph but was going 12 then 11 then 10 etc. I began to worry about my ability to finish the ride. Fortunately our lunch SAG was at mile 70 and that really helped. I was last to the SAG and everyone knew something was wrong. Group 4 is fantastic! I am certain I would not have made it without their tips and encouragement. I was fine for 12 miles then bonked again even worse this time. Diane Brown ride leader kept feeding me nutrition gels and that got me through. The back to back centuries are the hardest physical challenge I have faced. I learned a lot and am looking forward to the QMDC ride in October. Between the group 4 riders, ride leaders and Mike Henderson a group 2/3 ride leader who was last years radio contest winner I am confident I can and will make it in good shape and enjoy it too! The friendships and relationships being built are irreplaceable. Thank you again G4 for all of your support!

Busy Weekend

Boy what a weekend this was. I decided to raise awareness for the Challenged Athletes Foundation and XX radios Scott & BR show at the Charger game Friday evening. My brother made up 4 incredible posters and I borrowed my nephews bike trailer. My lovely wife Jayne helped me dress up the trailer and made a donation box etc for the ride. We went to the game extra early arriving at 4pm. Instead of tailgating, this time I rode around the parking lot slowly talking to anyone interested about the Qualcomm Million Dollar Challenge, the CAF and the Scott & BR cycling team radio contest. It was too hot for Jayne to ride along and I am sure she got bored waiting for me but it was very worthwhile and she has enough patience for both of us! I found that most people were not aware of the Challenged Athletes Foundation or what they do. It was great to have the opportunity to explain why this is such a great cause. There were quite a few that listen to Scott & BR and were aware of the radio contest I am still in. I received lots of well wishes from the listeners. I rode my comfort bike instead of the road bike I will ride from San Franscisco to San Diego on. Man I forgot how comfortable the seat is on my old trusty Schwinn! All went well except for one bit of drama. Traffic backed up and forced me to ride well to the right. On the street I am always looking for parked car doors to open so I don't get wiped out. Well I almost missed the porta potti door when it opened. I slammed on the brakes and barely missed being taken down by an outhouse door! The bike trailer went straight up in the air and my flyers and handouts went flying. Lots of folks around helped put everything back and I was riding again in short order. Glad I didn't go down. I already am known for falling when I forget to take my shoes out of the pedal clips in time. I am not sure how I would explain being knocked over by a porta potti door. The remaining radio contestants arrived at Fletcher Cove at 6:15 am Sunday for another immunity challenge. This time Vikki from the CAF who has faithfully been there for all registered riders and radio contestants alike had us choose a water bottle from a bag. One of the bottles contained immunity. Joy Muehlenbein chose the winning bottle. Then Vikki explained that the CAF and the contest are all about teamwork and friendship so hand the immunity off to a team mate. Joy thought carefully for a moment and chose Adam Beck who now has immunity 2 weeks in a row. It was awesome to see Joy give up her immunity so selflessly. The ride itself was an easy 40 miler through Elfin Forest country. Yeah I said easy. I wouldn't have thought 4 months ago that I would associate easy with anything in a 40 mile range other than driving. It just goes to show what we can accomplish with consistent training, the mentoring of our ride leaders and trainers, the great friends and teammates I have met from this challenge and of course the inspiration from the challenged athletes like Fred, David Lee and Rachel Cowan I have had the privilege to meet and get to know a little bit. Like the name of this blog "I wish I could do more". On the contest front there are only 6 of us left. I cannot imagine how they select anyone for elimination as everyone really deserves to be awarded a grant to make the ride. One of us except Adam will be eliminated Wednesday morning between 6:15 and 6:45am. Of course I hope to make it to the finish but have to admit that I am no more worthy than any of the other contestants. As I told my fellow contestants there are no losers in this challenge we are all winners so lets all fundraise and find a way to complete the QMDC ride together in October.

Immunity and Time Trial

This Sunday was an early one. I met the other radio contestants at Fletcher Cove at 6:15 am for an immunity challenge. The winner of the challenge is safe from being cut for a week or until there is another challenge. This time it was a test on naming the cities we stop in on the way down the coast on the ride in October. Adam Beck was the winner, congratulations Adam. Well done! Adam got all 7 stops correct. I missed two, Santa Cruz and Marina Del Rey. Darn it I was hoping to be safe from the 2 cuts that are coming Wednesday morning from XX Radio's Scott & Billy Ray show. As contestants we are growing closer and we feel that while only one of us can win; none of will be losers! After this next round of cuts we will be down to 6. The ride was a time trial up Torrey Pines. We rode from Fletcher Cove to the parking lot at the northern end of Torrey Pines just south of Del Mar. The staff assigned us a number and we started in one minute intervals 1.5 miles up the hill. My time was 9.23 minutes. I believe I can shave at least 10 seconds off just from having done it once (this was the first time I have made this climb). My goal is to get under 9 minutes. The times ran from 6.15 minutes to 10:50 minutes. Everyone did really well and we obviously have some very strong cyclists in our training group. After the ride us radio contestants decided that we would work together to make sure all 8 of us raise enough money to make the Qualcomm Million Dollar Challenge ride benefitting the Challenged Athletes Foundation. We agreed that the radio contest winner will share whatever funds he or she has raised with the other 7 riders. We also agreed to assist each other with fundraising and will plan some group fundraising events in the future. After our meeting I went home for some honey-do's and watched the Little League World Series. Congratulations to Parkview Little League for winning the LLWS series. I wonder what it would feel like to be the best in the world at something? Well for now I will have to settle for getting the most out of this old body and enjoy the gains I am making in the climbing department.