On behalf of our little team, Team Washington, thank you to family and friends for following our ride. We are deeply indebted to our sponsors; those who donated in-kind, cash, their time, or their thoughts for us as we rode.
We have forged new friendships, reconnected some old ones, honored the fallen, and raised awareness to the need for national recognition of EMS issues nationwide.
Please connect with Tamie's blog at http://teamtamie.blogspot.com to see a list of her sponsors and supporters and stay in touch with Gabe and Nick in the coming two weeks as we close out our fundraising and thank our still growing list of sponsors.
We hope the rode will connect us again!
Take care to all!
Friday, May 29, 2009
The memorial service
Gabe could not help but be moved to tears to meet the two young children of Chris. His wife was there and one of his little girls was holding a poster about her dad. Gabe hugged the whole family and spent a couple of hours with them. After the service, they visited and Gabe tearfully let her know that he would always have Chris and the experience of the ride with him.
Tamie had a similar experience with her family and said that for every mile she pounded on she knew that the loss of all EMS workers in the last year could not be in vain because of the awareness they have raised. The peace brought to his family and the families of fallen EMS workers in Washington would forever be with her as well. From meeting Jordan, the survivor of Trooper 2 to hearing dogtags jingle around her neck everyday, her journey would forever touch the lives for whom she has ridden.
Nick, whose emotions deep but quiet described the service and as moving. He met with James' family before the service and gave them his tags. He said they shared a great conversation and he knew how much it meant to her that he had taken the time to make the ride.
Tamie had a similar experience with her family and said that for every mile she pounded on she knew that the loss of all EMS workers in the last year could not be in vain because of the awareness they have raised. The peace brought to his family and the families of fallen EMS workers in Washington would forever be with her as well. From meeting Jordan, the survivor of Trooper 2 to hearing dogtags jingle around her neck everyday, her journey would forever touch the lives for whom she has ridden.
Nick, whose emotions deep but quiet described the service and as moving. He met with James' family before the service and gave them his tags. He said they shared a great conversation and he knew how much it meant to her that he had taken the time to make the ride.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Friday - The Last Day
From Staunton into the Roanoke area was beautiful. Still hilly, but nice. Nick sat out the first leg due to illness but rode the last 75 miles. They were glad to see Roanoke. Nick has already met with the family of James W. Taylor and gave them his dogtag. We are hoping to hear from Tamie and Gabe today!
Friday, May 22, 2009
The Day After
Today was a nice ride still really hilly, especially after yesterday. The
weather was really hot and clear. It was more humid than we expected. There was cone section of today that many of us felt we could not ride or safety reasons,and the wind from the truckers was pushing us off the road, but eventually we finished. The best
part of today was a bunch of us jumping into the pool in the hotel in Staunton
after we arrived, biking clothes and all! We had good day of riding to recover from yesterday. We were
all a little less sore, but Tamie and Nick were both still a little under the
weather. Tamie bussed one short leg and continued right on from there. After showering and dinner Nick headed out to be hosted by a local fire and Gabe iced a knee.
department for the night.
weather was really hot and clear. It was more humid than we expected. There was cone section of today that many of us felt we could not ride or safety reasons,and the wind from the truckers was pushing us off the road, but eventually we finished. The best
part of today was a bunch of us jumping into the pool in the hotel in Staunton
after we arrived, biking clothes and all! We had good day of riding to recover from yesterday. We were
all a little less sore, but Tamie and Nick were both still a little under the
weather. Tamie bussed one short leg and continued right on from there. After showering and dinner Nick headed out to be hosted by a local fire and Gabe iced a knee.
department for the night.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Gabe checks in... Remembering Why I Ride
Gabe spent yesterday in the climb totally by himself. He said that as he was tired and wondering about going on and how he would muster. He pulled out the dogtags from his shirt and the bio for the man for whom he rides. He said that he stood on the side of the road in mountains and read his bio and it helped him to remember why he had to finish. He left the dogtags hanging out so they would jingle around his neck. Chris kept him company the rest of the way. Really, enough said.
Tamie Checked In - Still Standing...Barely
YAY for Tamie!! Tamie and two others were the last to roll in after riding from 11:30am to 8:30pm last night. As they arrived at the Skyline Resort Tamie and the two others were greeted by the rest of the muddy angels with cheers and applause. Tamie was moved to tears to see her muddy angels greet her and the other two with such support. Due to fatigue they literally had to be pulled off their bikes. Someone greeted them with beer in hand and even though Tamie hates beer, it went down, cold and appreciated! The rest of the angels took care of getting them dinner. Each muddy angel as they check in swears they are coming down with something, Tamie included. But most are intact and are showing the signs of a common sports ailment that seems like a cold, but it is really about physical fatigue running the immune system down. Tamie is bussing out part of this morning to recoup and will join the ride at lunch. She wants all her energy for the ride.
Man Vs. Nature
More will be posted tomorrow, but we ended the day all in one piece, everyone survived, and it is absolutely beautiful here. We are in the Shenandoah National Park. We rode up and up, and up. Nick likened today's ride to the foothills of Reno, only green. We will get some pics up tomorrow morning. Today was a day we all helped each other and celebrated the top of each hill. We are at a lodge in the middle of the national park tonight.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
More pics and Washington DC Video Links
This was Monday at the memorial service.
This pic is as we headed into Sussex County
Click on the links below to get to the local coverage!
more photos from teammates and other links:
Washington DC and a Day We Will Always Remember
It was really pretty this morning but it was a really really early morning. We had a great escort into the largest memorial service in a beautiful park. We rode in in silence to a park near Washington DC where the State Troopers (many in number) escorted us to the memorial in honor of Trooper 2 September 28th of 2008. They had two critical patients and the weather forced them back and shortly before midnight they dropped out of the sky. At the site of this crash is where our memorial was today. The said it was the biggest service in Maryland. One of the helicopters came in and circled and made a special flight maneuver before flying away. The one survivor was there. She was found hours later and it truly was a miracle that she survived. It was quite an emotional day. The video links are included.
We then rode our bikes from the memorial to the exact spot of the crash and one by one walked our bikes by. Tamie stopped and personally spoke with the survivor, Jordan.
We then rode into Washington. We had a police escort that was really cool. Gabe, Tamie and Mallory changed into street clothes and toured the city for three hours. We saw the Smithosonian flight musem, the Capitol, bought souveniers and walked the mall. We left DC at 4:30 and bussed out of the city into the hotel. We had BBQ dinner with the local fire departmnet with aother service and another fly over by a chopper. One of the speeches today let us know that today was the largest turn out day for the EMS and Muddy Angels. We had many Muddy Angels visit with their legislators and this was the first time that EMS issues have made it to Capitol Hill. After dinner we hung out and organized. Tamie's bike is at less than par so we are hoping she can ride on the bike of someone not attempting "the hill" in the mountains tomorrow.
Tomorrow is a Skyline Drive in Shenandoah Park 17 - 20 mile incline of 4500 feet. There are many that will not make it, but we will all try. Can't wait to tell you about tomorrow. Hopefully Nick will rally. He is sick. Gabe and Tamie were both perky and ready for today. Tomorrow remains the monster challenge.
Good night!
Monday - Proof That Humans Can be Lobster Red...
Today we rode parade style which was great for Tamie's knee, Gabe's knee, but tough for Nick to fall back and stay in the pack. Because we were on so many freeways we had to ride parade style. We rode from Philly to Seafort, DE. It was a pretty ride. There were two memorial services today including one in Sussex county for a young lady killed in the line of duty this past year. Both services were touching. It reminds us of the depth of what we do...
Although Nick swears he put sunscreen on 4 times, he has a pretty gnarly sunburn on one side of the legs and right arm...the wounds continue to total up - yet we are having a ball and doing something we know is important to so many lives. Tamie was ready to rock and roll today and felt much better. She and Gabe both took a slow start and finished strong. Tomorrow we head into DC and I think the sun, fatigue and timezones are catching up to us all. Goodnight!
Although Nick swears he put sunscreen on 4 times, he has a pretty gnarly sunburn on one side of the legs and right arm...the wounds continue to total up - yet we are having a ball and doing something we know is important to so many lives. Tamie was ready to rock and roll today and felt much better. She and Gabe both took a slow start and finished strong. Tomorrow we head into DC and I think the sun, fatigue and timezones are catching up to us all. Goodnight!
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