OH yeeeeeeeeeeeah.......... speaking of Lance Armstrong

I'M GOING TO GEORGIA TODAY!!! I'M GOING TO THE TOUR DE GEORGIA!!!
YUMMY PROFESSIONAL CYCLISTS IN LYCRA - can you ask for a better vacation?
"Hey you, in the Team Discovery tights, you dropped something, but could you bend at the waist to pick it up? yeeeeeeeeeah... Thanks a bunch!"
You know what's even yummier - most of these guys have cool accents and some don't even speak english
"you have a $5 million contract? hmmm.... need a green card?"

I'm terrible yes
well
not much i can do about it right now - it's almost 2 AM =)
Night night poodles

M

Set backs are more of a step forward

100 miles
four thousand dollars
a very cold winter
a very cool spring
a pair of lungs

It's been interesting training this year. I went out on Wednesday hoping to find myself ready to ride outdoors. It was just cool enough and just dry enough... let's just saw it was a short ride.
on the last mile home, i didn't think about this as a set back, but a step forward, to succeed.
A chance to look and see the path needed to follow for success.
The next day I collected my gear and head out again, with more success than the day before. And Today, yet again I headed out with my buddy Shu into the cool morning and rode home in the slightly warming evening.Had some machinical difficulties on the way home - flat tire, chain, another flat tire (Lesson #2 in cycling - make sure you have 2, that's TWO tubes in your bike bag). Again, not set backs but steps forward - I changed the second flat faster than the first one =)

I made a promise to L&LS to raise money for them and ride a hundred miles for them.
Lots of big steps forward to succeeding =)

Thanks abig bunch!
Margaret, Magginifica

I wonder if I can change my name to Magginifica legally

Three kidneys and a Cancer

Last evening, My friend Heidi (i call her HI )ventured out with me in search of a jacket. This task took us to Hudson Trail Outfitters. They have good gear, good people, good snacks
Search begins with a few things in mind: $100 max, waterproof but breathable, i must look good in it
The store annouces "15 minutes to closing", out of no where...
"Hi Ladies, how can I help?"
Enter, stage right: Jason - the Sales Guy (JtSG for short).
I begin to pick JtSG's brain for jacket info and much chatting insues.
A jacket was decided upon and HI was keen to point out that Safety Yellow or Apple Green would be the way to go. Safety Yellow is sweet! However, I am already a big cycling dork and next week I will be at the Tour de Georgia and have gear that has cycling crap on it, so in my twisted little mind I'm thinking "yellow jacket leads to yellow jersey leads to yellow bracelet = UBER Huge Lance Dork"
JtSG says,"Hey that's cool, it's for cancer, I had cancer." The chatting continues and we learn...

• JtSG is a PE teacher
• JtSG works part time at the shop "To support [his] habit" (he says this while he is trying on jackets himself).
• JtSG was diagnosed with Hodgkins not too long ago and is in remission (99% chance of it not coming back).
• Was thought that JtSG had a tumor in his abdomen...turns out... not a tumor... third kidney.
• JtSG and his mom participated in a TnT event right after his treatment.
• JtSG is a little hyper and silly and fun.

Jason the Sales Guy - currently in the top 5 for Regular Joe Type Heroes.

Jacket color: doesn't really matter much
Looking all matchy: yeah... doesn't matter
Seeing Lancy Pants: yeah... still cool, but not as much a big deal as before

I left Hudson Trail Outfitters with a smile on my face, thoughts of asking Jason out and a reminder of how amazing humans are. When they care and study and research and learn and fight, miracles happen. Jason is a miracle - to his family, to his students, to me for those 20 minutes of fun and banter, not to mention three kidneys (dude, he's like superman or something).
The Folks at L&LS work so hard to fund research and every penny counts
Thanks Jason the Sales Guy!

Pink is my signiture color...

My training has been following a less than regular schedule but When i can find time I ride my little heart out.
Saturday was te perfect day. I rode my bike from Vienna into the city with two dear friends to see the Cherry Blossoms. DC was a flitter with tourists and pretty much a giant parking lot. Ah the joy of a bicycle, we just strolled along and enjoyed the sites. It was truly a beautiul day!
On a techinicle note, the ride out to the city has it's little challenges for me and I was super super happy that my indoor training has paid off - I manage to keep up with my two friends and parts of the ride that were difficult in the past, proved to be a little easier =) YEA! =)

So far, with everyone's help, we've raised about $2700!! $1300 to go!
$1300 in 6 weeks should be doable - I have faith I can make it =)

Much love!
Maggi, Margaret
Poet Lauriet =)

WOW!

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will be the recipiant of a $500 donation from the Straus family!!!

Speechless - me - hard to believe, but true =)

OUTSIDE AGAIN!

inside
OUTSIDE
really no comparing

sooo thrilled to be out and about on the bike,
commuting to the office,
communing with nature,
conversing with strangers,
Remembering that with spring come flowers and with flowers come flying insects.

Cycling Lesson #1: Be sure not to have your mouth open while you ride or plan on that extra protien in your diet. Yummy, the bugs are especially wingy this time of year.
;)
M

OUTSIDE

Outside is a foreign place to me lately.
Too cold to ride, Too rainy to ride, Too both to ride - the joy of asthma. My lungs need a VISA just to go OUTSIDE.
So i ride inside - not as much fun, catch up on tv shows, but it's not OUTSIDE, it's inside. Inside = no fun. OUTSIDE = FUN!

Today, as I'm microwaving my chicken and pasta lunch in the office kitchen, i look OUTSIDE and sigh. Green grass, bright sun, fresh air, birds doing bird things, bees doing bee things - all OUTSIDE

'wish i was OUTSIDE'
Divine Intervention sets in.... (insert sounds of angels singing here)
"Margaret - you nut! you live 7 miles away - go, eat, drive home and get your bike!!!"

I eat, thinking "I can be OUTSIDE!"
I grab my keys, thinking "I can be OUTSIDE!"
I drive like a mad woman, thinking "I can be OUTSIDE!"
I get dressed, grab some water and GU and the next thing I know...
I'M OUTSIDE! I really really am! It was like that Pinoccio "I'm a real boy" thing.

I rode from my house to the office (in 22 minutes) and will be riding home after work.
I feel like a genius.
MAN - what a beautiful day!!!
Hey you - reading this - Go home, eat and ride your bike!
If you can't find a buddy ride to with, be your own buddy and get out and see the sun and new spring flowers and annoy all those people stuck in their cars b/c you are OUTSIDE!

Poet Lauriet of Glengyle Drive,

Margaret

Half way there!

WOO HOO!
Yea Math!! That's $2030 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!!
Hooray!!!
Thank you Arience Foundation! and Betty and every one =)

Much love
M

Ok I stink...

not just from cycling hee hee hee
I haven't posted much it's been a busy few weeks with work, but I've been good and riding as much as I can, albeit it in doors.
A bunch more folks have sent in donations! HOORAY FOR L&LS!!! I think I'm 1/2 way there, need to finish doing the math. (stupid math). Still a little nervous but not too nervous yet =) You never know who will be around the corner or what - I could win the lottery =) Then I'd have to get a new washer first, mine died, and THEN a big phat check for the L&LS =)

Much much much love to all of you =)

Margaret/Maggi/ Pain in the Fanny

M