Dawn broke that sunny September Equinox morning with
professional anticipation. The long
shadows of the empty starting line stretched east to west with equal
anticipation. The day was on hand when
teams of warriors would face hours of unknown in a chase for
personal best and support for their charity.
As the shadows fled east and the breeze kicked up from the
west one could hear the clicking of armor being donned. The skirch of Velcro, swish of nylon and Lycra
all for that protection from a sudden fall on the battle field that is the Gran
Fondo Hood River!
Amongst the hoard preparing for the assault were a
particularly special group made up of seven men and a woman. These men and woman from the four corners of
the United States and made up the intrepid team known as Club 815 powered by E.D.P.A.
As the morning wore on warriors donned numbers, helmets and
inexplicable to the novice [me] sundries prior to approaching the start
line. I’d like to write something like,
as the mighty steeds awaited in the cold morning air breathing silver streams
of angst as they….well they were just bikes and while I think there was one
bike on the team that needed resuscitation none of the bikes exhaled.
Various charity announcements were made. National Anthem was sung and then… the hoards
of hundreds were off.
The course wended its way through the cleavage of two of the
largest volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest Cascades. There were major climbs one of which at mile
62 of the 80 was a 6% grade over seven miles.
On this day that climb was done in the face of a gorge wind pushing back
around 45 mph.
During the ride members of the team accomplished what they
set out to do. One member I know proved
something very important to his self.
Hell, one member even crashed and fortunately wasn’t severely injured and said it was worth it. When the riders came down the back side of the
aforementioned hill the wind was so hard in their face they had to pedal just
to make way.
Big deal you say. You
say “every bike ride has those stories.”
Yes they do. What is so so special, that I’m not even sure Club
815 powered by E.D.P.A. knows it, is that they were the vanguard of a, to me,
amazing movement.
You see, they were the catalyst to bring hundreds of people
together to support someone in need.
Selflessly Club 815 rode the course knowing they had asked for and
received selfless contributions for Club 815’s primary cause.
For those of you who supported their cause, Club 815 didn’t
let you down. Over 80 miles they rode they rode with pain, stamina and
conviction [and a lot of humor]. We saw
it with our own eyes from the relative comfort of our pickup truck.
815’s conviction and the unbelievable support from those who
didn’t physical ride with them but were there none the less was, in our eyes,
one of the most humbling experiences in our lives.
We know how humbling, because we know who you and Club 815 are
lending support to. It is my wife and I.
We can’t possibly thank any of you, no matter how you rode with Club 815,
enough but we sure wish we could. Thank
you.
