The Ride For Roswell Is This Weekend! Clay Reflects On His Ride

It's almost here! The Ride For Roswell is this Friday and Saturday. There is still time to help! It is has been circled on my calender for a long time, and I can't wait to get the festivities started this Friday at UB.

LeAnn Rimes will provide a show on Friday night at the opening ceremonies, and Saturday, thousands of riders, volunteers and supporters will take to the roads of Western New York all in an effort to raise awareness and aim to defeat cancer.

A Rough Ride

Over this past weekend, I went on a long training ride. Sunday morning was anything but "pleasant" in terms of weather. We left Marilla at 9 a.m. and headed north toward Lancaster. The rain held off...for the first five miles. As we made it to Broadway, the rain had started, and it poured all the way in to Batavia. With the wind at our backs, it wasn't all that bad to be honest. When we got to LeRoy, we stopped for a picture at Clay Street, as you can see by the photo we took.

When we made the turn south onto Route 19, the weather was brutal! Wind was in our face, and the rain was coming down in buckets. The ride from LeRoy to Pavilion to Bethany felt like forever, and just as I made the turn onto Route 20...my front tire went flat, and I had to change it in a downpour in what seemed like the middle of nowhere. With car after car buzzing past and the spray form their tires making it tough to see what I was doing, I finally got the new tube on the wheel and off we went, heading west toward Alexander.

Just into Alexander, I blew out my back tire and was soaked. My shoes felt like they weighed 10 extra pounds...the weather got so bad that we decided to call for a pickup ride and quit at 60 miles.

Putting It In Perspective

I haven't been cycling all that long, but that was just about the worst ride I have ever been on. I was soaked, and the cold rain made my legs cramp so bad in my thighs, I could hardly make the smallest climbs and was actually afraid I was going to fall off my bike. But even that is nothing compared to what some people have to go through when they are diagnosed with cancer. Thank goodness for Roswell Park. The staff, from the nurses to the doctors and volunteers, remind us there is hope for anyone diagnosed with cancer. The research, the treatments and the care that patients receive has not only saved lives but also has come a long way in cancer prevention.

Why I Am Riding

It is events like the Ride For Roswell that make all of this possible. We all know someone that has been affected by cancer. After visiting friends who were patients there, as well as doing radio shows and promotions, I have a great admiration and am constantly amazed at what they are able to do and the comfort and optimism that they exude. The very least I can do is get the word out and help them to gain the much-needed funds to fight cancer. I am riding the 104-mile route this weekend. It is something that is on my "bucket list", and I am riding in memory of people I know that have been affected by cancer. Together we can beat cancer!! I sure hope that you can support us. If it volunteering or donating, I can't thank you enough for your support!