Dia 3 - Tierra Colorada

Hoy fue mas facil que anticipado. Salí a las 7 a.m. de Acapulco y entró a Tierra Colorada a las 10 a.m. Menos subidas y por lo mismo, menos tiempo en camino. Está bien así. Mañana va a empezar la subida en serio. Chilpancingo está en una altura de 2,000 metros, algo así. Ni estoy en 700 metros ahorita. Mmmmm!
Ayer, después de escribir, fuimos a visitar Villas Sarita en Acapulco, una casa hogar para niños viviendo con VIH. Son niños como cualquier, pero están enfrentando un reto que no pidieron. De hecho, cuando los conocí, me quedé pensando....mi desafio de hacer un recorrido de 3,200 kms no es nada al lado de su desafío. Yo ando en bici porque quiero. Ellos enfrentan la vida con una enfermedad que jamás pidieron. Son niños valientes. Por lo mismo dedico el recorrido desde Tierra Caliente a Chilpancingo a ellos. En los momentos que siento que no puedo, voy a pensar en ellos.
Bueno, ojalá que vieran Televisa Noticiera hoy. Salió un reportaje sobre el recorrido y la causa. Muchos están comprando playeras. Ojalá que también hagan un donativo o compren un kilometro a $150 pesos por kilometro. Mayor información en infoespanol@hm-am.com.
Por último, gracias a la Primera Iglesia Bautista de Acapulco por hospedarnos y mostrarnos su ministerio con los niños de Villas Sarita. Gracias a los hermanos y a su pastor Luis Gomez.

Day 3 - Tierra Colorada

Today was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. There weren't nearly as many hills as I had expected. I took off in the dark, around 7 a.m., and was in Tierra Colorada by 10 a.m. I've been resting ever since. I hope this makes tomorrow easier. The trip today was 35 miles total. Tomorrow will be around 40. Today I climbed only 1,800 feet before rolling downhill into Tierra Caliente. Tomorrow, I'll climb around 5,000 feet. Hmmmm!
That's what's in store for tomorrow. Now let me back up to yesterday. After I wrote yesterday, we went to a home for children living with HIV. There were about a dozen there of all ages. One was a new arrival, 2 months old, that had been severely anemic when she arrived. All the kids look healthy if not entirely happy. One girl in particular caught my attention. She was 12 years old and maybe a little mad at life for dealing her such a sucky hand. Or maybe she was just reserved because she's already lost her parents so young. I was thinking about her today and the rest of the kids. Looking at the challenge they're facing in life makes my little bicycle ride look stupid and pointless...and easy. I ride my bike up mountains because I want to. They fight a disease that wants to wreak havoc in their body because they have to and they didn't have a say in it. I admire the brothers and sisters at First Baptist Church of Acapulco who spend time encouraging them, loving them, and sharing God's love and Word with them. Those kids remind me that life is a privilege and a gift, and to enjoy one moment at a time is worth striving for. We only have so many of them.
I think I'll dedicate my 5,000-foot, 40-mile climb tomorrow to the kids of Villas Sarita. Maybe one of them will ride with me next year.
Next stop...Chilpancingo.

Día 2 - Acapulco

Salimos rodando de Tecpan a las 7 a.m. con seis ciclistas de allí y con Alejando y Lalo. Eramos nueve total. El día fue relativamente facil comparado al día anterior y gracias a Dios porque mañana inicia la subida hacia Chilpancingo.
Gracias a Peri, el entrenador de Tecpan, y sus chavos por ir con nosotros. También gracias a Alejandro y Lalo de nuevo. Con tantos ciclistas participando los kilometros pasaron muy rápidos. Llegamos al asta de la bandera mexicana frente el parque a las 12:30 p.m. Hubieramos llegado antes, pero un almuerzo en camino y unas llantas ponchadas nos retrasaron. Una vez llegando, hicimos compras y nos despedimos de los ciclistas y de mis amigas Diana y Yarit. Fueron acompañandonos y ayudando a Jonathan con manejar y otros asuntos.
Ahora estoy medio triste porque ya voy a empezar la subida sola mañana. Ha sido una bendición tener tantos ciclistas rodando conmigo. Quiero agradecer a Peri y a los demás chavos de Tecpan y Alejandro y Lalo de nuevo por todo su ayuda en el camino. No va a ser igual sin ellos.
La meta mañana es Tierra Colorada.
Ahora estamos con la Primera Iglesia Bautista de Acapulco con el Pastor Luis Gomez. Nos están dando hospedaje aquí en el templo, pero primero vamos a visitar una casa hogar para niños con VIH donde ellos tienen un ministerio bonito. Después estaremos con ellos en su culto de las 6 p.m.
Creo que hoy voy a dormir tempranito!
Si quieren ver algunas fotos, estoy mandandolas por Twitter. El enlace se encuentra en la columna al lado derecho de esta página.
¡Saludos desde Acapulco!

Day 2 - Acapulco

We started at 7 a.m. this morning. The ride was 65 miles and relatively easy compared with yesterday. Alejandro had told me it would be pretty flat between Tecpan and Acapulco and he was right. If it hadn't been for a breakfast stop and a couple of flats, we would have arrived in Acapulco at around 11 a.m. As it was we arrived at around 12:30 p.m. again. All together there were nine of us. Six cyclists from Tecpan joined us, led by their coach, Peri. We finished at the big flag pole on the Costera in Acapulco for those of you who've been there. After that, we did some shopping and accompanied our friends to the bus station. They're on their way back to Zihuatanejo as I write this. Peri and his group have probably caught the bus to Tecpan by now.
I've got to admit I'm a little sad to see them go. The first day of climbing starts tomorrow and I'm going to be by myself on the road. I can't even express how much they helped me in the last two days, but who knows, maybe somebody else will join the ride up the way.
Tomorrow we head to Tierra Colorado. If I'm not mistaken, it's only about 40 miles from the north side of Acapulco, but it's all uphill.
Tonight we're staying at Estrella de Belen Baptist Church in Acapulco with Pastor Luis Gomez. We're going to check out a ministry with which they're involved working with children with HIV and afterwards we'll be with the church in their evening service. I have a feeling bedtime will be really early tonight.

Tecpan - Dia 1

Leì mi blog de las 5 de la mañana y parece que estaba mal sobre varios puntos: No salí sola; la prensa si estaba al principio y al final, y el recorrido era de mas que 140 kms, no 112 kms.

Fue sorpresa mia cuando cinco ciclistas de Zihuatanejo llegaron para acompañarme todo el camino hasta Tecpan. (Dos mas nos acompañaron un rato entre Petatlán y Papanoa.) Iniciamos a las 6:30 a.m. y estabamos entrando a Tecpan 84 millas después a las 12:30 p.m. No tan mal para el primer día, pero a ver como responden mis piernas mañana. Además, tuvimos carros de apoyo adelante y atrás. Quiero agradecer a Alejandro, el dueño de Bi Zihuanas en Zihuatanejo, y Lalo, un triatleta local, ambos buenos ciclistas, por jalarme todo el camino. Sin ellos, hubiera sido muy distinto el recorrido.

Recibí una grata sorpresa entrando a Tecpan. Cuando vi varias personas bloqueando la carretera adelante, pensé que había un paro, pero luego leí la pancarta que traían. Decía "Bienvenida Alisa!" Wow! No lo podía creer. Un grupo de ciclistas locales estaban esperando para recibirme. Gracias, Tecpan! Mañana van a rodar con nosotros hasta Acapulco. También un reportero del canal local estaba presente para hacer una entrevista. No esperaba nada y recibí una grata bienvenida y tuve otra oportunidad de hablar del Refugio para Ancianos Abandonando que queremos construir en Zihuatanejo para servir esa población olvidada. Y hicieron su parte los del club de ciclistas de Tecpan por comprar 15 playeras.

Bueno amigos, apoyen la causa. Ve a la página de web de www.bethechangeok.org y haz clic en Buy a Mile. Ahí encontrarás información de como hacer un donativo en México. También puedes leer mas del proyecto y la inspiración del refugio. Puedes leer de Hablando Menos, Amando Mas, la Asociación Civil, que va a construir el refugio, en su página de web: www.hm-am.com. También me puedes escribir si tienes alguna pregunta o comentario a: alisaduncan13@mac.com. Mañana, primero Dios, les escribiré de Acapulco. Una jornada cumplida, 30 por hacer!

Tecpan - Day 1

I read my 5 a.m. blog and it seems I was wrong about a lot of things this morning. I didn't start alone. The press WAS there at the beginning and at the end of the ride, and the ride was 84 miles long, not 70.
Much to my surprise five cyclists from Zihuatanejo rode the whole way with me. (A couple more joined us in Petatlán for a while.) We started around 6:30 a.m. and rolled into Tecpan 84 miles later at 12:30 p.m. Not bad, but I'm not sure how my legs and rear end are going to feel tomorrow. Besides them, we had a support vehicles ahead of us and behind us. I just want to say a special thanks to Alejandro, the owner of Bi Zihuanas bike store in Zihuatanejo and a great cyclist, along with Lalo, a local triathlete. I drafted behind them most of the way. The trip would have been a lot different without them. Plus, the lunch and camaraderie at the end of the ride was great. But even before that, I got another surprise. As we rolled down the main street of Tecpan, a city of about 50,000, I saw people up ahead blocking the road and I thought there must be some kind of protest and we weren't going to get through, but then I read the large sign they were holding up. It said "Bienvenida Alisa!" I couldn't believe it. A small group of Tecpan cyclists were waiting to receive us. Pretty awesome. I also was interviewed by the local television station. Kind of crazy. The best thing of all, though, is we sold 15 t-shirts. Just a little more money for the Abandonded Senior Refuge.
Ok, folks, get your credit card, debit card or check book out and buy some miles. I'm eating them up fast. Go to http://www.bethechangeok.org/ and click on "Buy a Mile." Follow the instructions and buy one, 10 or 50 miles or more at $25 per mile and help us pay for the construction of the Abandoned Senior Refuge in Zihuatanejo - a place where this "at risk" population can be fed and cared for in a loving, Christ-centered environment. You can read about the project and how it all started at bethechangeok.org or at http://www.hm-am.com/, the website of Hablando Menos, Amando Mas, the Mexican non-profit organization that is building the refuge. You can leave comments on this blog below or you can write to me at alisaduncan13@mac.com. I'd love to hear from you. Tomorrow, God willing, I'll write from Acapulco. Five riders from Tecpan and two from Zihuatanejo will ride with me. One day down, 30 to go!

Day 1

This is where it all begins! Yesterday was the fanfare at the government offices with the big ceremonial send off to ride seven miles out to the property in Las Pozas. Interviews, official words, prayers, a crowd....
Today is the hard part. Today is the costly part, but nobody is watching. No crowds, no official words. Just a start in the dark for a 70-mile day to Tecpan.

Arranque

Ya inicia la jornada! Ayer fue el arranque oficial desde el ayuntamiento hasta el terreno, unos 12 kms, pero hoy inicia el viaje en verdad. Ayer fue mas para la publicidad, para que viera la gente lo que estamos haciendo y el porque, pero hoy es el verdadero trabajo. Las Pozas hasta Tecpan. Sin público, sin las bendiciones del ayuntamiento, sin nada. Ojalá que lleguen los amigos ciclistas para que me acompañen este tramo. Arrancamos a las 6 a.m.

2 days and counting...

Things are getting crazy around here! Yesterday, the local radio station interviewed us. Today a reporter from one of the local papers will intervew us. Besides that, we have a couple of meetings scheduled to prepare for tomorrow's official send off from the government offices, and we hope to pick up t-shirts this afternoon. If all goes well, my car parts should arrive by noon and our support vehicle should be ready by tomorrow.
Speaking of support vehicle, Jon, the founder of Be the Change, is here. He arrived yesterday. He'll be the driver of the sag wagon. He brought my new bike, which is being assembled at the local bike shop.
No riding today. I'm resting my legs. Saturday's is somewhere around 75 miles with a lot of hills. A friend wrote a couple of days ago and said she and her husband are doing the Hotter-n-Hell Hundred in Wichita Falls this Saturday. Somehow knowing there are going to be a lot of people suffering in Wichita Falls, including some people I know, made my first day's journey just a little easier...at least in my mind.
I know I've promised to let everyone know how they can donate! I'll post later today. We're working out last-minute changes on the Be The Change website.

Four days and counting...

Four days until the ride starts in earnest!

For the last two days I've ridden out to the seminary where I work. Orientation was yesterday and classes began today. Since I had to run by the bank before I went today, I was late in riding out and I had to ride back in the heat of the day. All I wanted to do was stop and sit under a shade tree, but I knew if I did it was only going to get hotter. The sun is brutal down here and I know that if I don't start cycling before light, I'm going to be burned to a crisp before I get off the coast.

Jonathan Roberts, the founder of Be the Change, arrives tomorrow! I'll be glad when he gets here so we can go over last-minute details. I also want to meet my new bike! Jon's bringing it with him. Woohoo!

One more thing...just out of curiosity I checked the Zihuatanejo weather for today. 94 degrees F and 66 percent humidity. No wonder I was looking for a shade tree!

8 days and counting...

I rode 33 miles this morning and sold 49 miles in the afternoon...and the trip hasn't even started yet. Only 1,951 miles left to sell! I guess I need to explain how to do that, but that's for tomorrow.
Today, I want to post the revised route and dates of stops. Even as I write, Jonathan Roberts, the founder of Be The Change, is driving the Texas portion of the route hanging promotional posters and letting folks know we're coming.
This afternoon I met with members of Hablando Menos, Amando Mas (Speaking Less, Loving More) here in Zihuatanejo to plan the big send off from town hall on Aug. 28. That day we'll ride to the construction site some nine miles outside of town accompanied by a police escort and whomever wants to hop on a bike and ride with us.
Early Saturday morning we'll start from the site and begin the journey in earnest! Here's where we plan to stop and when:
Aug. 29 Tecpan
Aug. 30 Acapulco
Aug. 31 Tierra Colorado
Sept. 1 Chilpancingo
Sept. 2 Iguala
Sept. 3-5 Taxco
Sept. 6 Coatepec
Sept. 7 Valle de Bravo
Sept. 8 Zitacuaro
Sept. 9 Ciudad Hidalgo
Sept. 10 Morelia
Sept. 11 Acambaro
Sept. 12 Queretero
Sept. 13 San Luis Potosi
Sept. 14 Matehuala
Sept. 15 Saltillo
Sept. 16 Monterrey
Sept. 17 Monclova
Sept. 18 Sabinas
Sept. 19 Eagle Pass, TX
Sept. 20 Leakey
Sept. 21 Junction
Sept. 22 Brownwood
Sept. 23 Stephenville
Sept. 24 Wichita Falls
Sept. 25 Bonham
Sept. 26 Autumn in Bonham
Sept. 27 Tupelo, OK
Sept. 28 Okmulgee
Sept. 29 Prague
Sept. 30 OKC

9 days and counting

Rode 50 miles before 10:30 a.m. and all of a sudden I'm starting to think this is possible. In fact, I'm excited about the trip since 10:30 this morning. ha! The test will be if I can do another ride like that tomorrow.
I took off around 7:15 a.m. and headed southeast on the coastal highway toward Petatlán. I had planned just to ride out 25 and back, but in Petatlán I considered not turning around. I wanted to keep going to see if I could do at least the first day's ride of the trip...Zihua to Tecpan...but I still have a few trip details to take care of, so... maybe that's what I'll do tomorrow.
The adventure is starting to call. It's getting close and I'm getting that old feeling again.
This is going to be fun! Just hope we can raise some money!

10 days and counting

I'm just wondering if anything else can go wrong before it's time to leave on the trip. First my computer crashed (and it's still crashed), then I was without internet for two days. I've finally gotten that back and then pulled out the old IBM laptop, dusted it off and fired it up. Voila. Here we are.
Talked to Jon this morning. We're halfway through the alphabet on plans to get my new bicycle down here, plus all the promotional material that was printed up in the states. Right now, I'm training on the bike my brother helped me buy some 17 years ago. It was probably one of the very first carbon-fiber frames and I've thought about writing to Giant to tell them how pleased I've been with it. Actually, probably the only reason I looked into getting a new bike was because some cyclist friends from Arizona who saw it during a recent visit told me it wouldn't even make it to the border.
Since that same bike has made it all the way from Zihuatanejo to Kansas once before, I know it's been a good bike, but it's days might be numbered. Thus the new bike that Schlegel's Bicycles of Oklahoma City was so gracious to supply, but it looks like I won't get it until three days before the ride. So much for making friends with it before the long haul begins....

Change of plans

Rode 33 miles yesterday and felt pretty good. Went out for a ride this morning and got sidetracked at the cell phone office, but just as well. After two hours there fight Carlos Slim for every peso that he owes me, I decided to head back from Ixtapa to Zihua. On the way back, I got a flat and wasn't prepared to deal with it, so I had to walk home. Changed the flat at home this afternoon and went out for another ride, but I got another flat. Bummer! Having nothing better to do, I walked the bike to a friend's pool and got in and thought about the trip. As a result, I'm changing the route right before all the printed material goes to press. Oops! More later.

The Z to OKC Route

Here's where I'll be stopping along the way. If you live in one of these towns or somewhere along the way, ride a couple of miles with me, or come out to cheer me on.

Sept. 1 - Troncones

Sept. 2 - Lazaro Cardenas

Sept. 3 - Nueva Italia

Sept. 4 - Uruapan

Sept. 5 - Morelia

Sept. 6 - Jaracuaro

Sept. 7 - Zacapu

Sept. 8 - Guanajuato

Sept. 9 - Rest Day in Guanajuato

Sept. 10 - Dolores Hidalgo

Sept. 11 - Querétero

Sept. 12 - San Luis Potosí

Sept. 13 - Matehuala

Sept. 14 - Saltillo

Sept. 15 - Rest in Saltillo (or catch-up day)

Sept. 16 - Monterrey

Sept. 17 - Monclova

Sept. 18 - Sabinas

Sept. 19 - Eagle Pass, TX

Sept. 20 - Junction

Sept. 21 - Rest Day (or catch-up day)

Sept. 22 - Brownwood

Sept. 23 - Stephenville

Sept. 24 - Wichita Falls

Sept. 25 - Bonham

Sept. 26 - Autumn in Bonham Ride

Sept. 27 - Tupelo, OK

Sept. 28 - Okmulgee

Sept. 29 - Prague

Sept. 30 - Oklahoma City

Faltan 25 días

32 kilometros hoy en la mañana. 20 kms ayer en la tarde. Poco a poco voy agarrando condición. Hoy no hice mucho porque quiero cascarear en la tarde.

27 Days Left

Now that the busiest time of the work year is over for me and I have time to think about the Z to OKC ride, I'm starting to get really excited. I'm also feeling a bit overwhelmed. I sent Jon my trip schedule yesterday. The plan is to cover 2,000 miles in exactly 30 days, which doesn't sound so bad when you do the math, but I've actually got a few rest days worked into the schedule so the mileage per day will go up just a bit. Plus, I've got some 150-milers on the schedule in a couple of places.

Having said that, I rode 14 miles today. Still, I'm not worried just yet.

And as Jon says, there are 24 hours in the day. I may have to ride 22 of those just to get the mileage!

The most fun of the day was seeing the preliminary logo that Justin Tyler Moore is designing for the ride. I can't wait to have a framed poster of it in my house here in Zihua. I guess I'd better do the ride first.

Quedan 27 días

Ahora que pasó la temporada de trabajo mas ocupada para mi y tengo tiempo para pensar en la "bicicletata" Z to OKC, ya me estoy emocionando mucho. También siento un poco nerviosa. Mandé mi calendario de viaje a Jon ayer. El plan es cubrir 3,200 kms en exactamente 30 días, el cual no parece tan mal cuando sacas la cuenta, pero algunos días son para descansar, entonces las distancias para avanzar suben para los demás días. También tengo unos días en que pretendo avanzar cerca de 250 kms (aquí a Uruapan en un día me parece imposible ahorita)

Haber dicho eso, anduve 20 km en bici hoy. haha. Aún así, todavía no estoy preocupada.

Como dice mi amigo Jon, son 24 horas en un día. Tal vez tendré que andar en bici 22 de esas horas para avanzar lo suficiente cada día!

Lo mas chido del día de hoy fue ver el logotipo que Justin Tyler Moore diseñó para la bicicletata. Voy a hacer un poster de ello para mi casa aquí en Zihua. Bueno, mejor llegó a Oklahoma primero, ¿no?

Donde empezamos...

Hace varios meses Jonathan Roberts, mi amigo de la universidad, vino a visitarme en Zihuatanejo, Gro. donde vivo. Apenas habia fundado su asociación civil en Oklahoma City, OK. que se llama BeTheChange (SeElCambio) y quería saber como su organización podía ayudar en nuestro área del sur de México.

Esa visita, junto con dos reuniones mas en Oklahoma City, resultaron en la "bicicletata" Z to OKC que inicia el 1 de septiembre, 2009.

Voy a viajar en bici aproximadamente 2,000 millas (o 3,200 kms) de Zihuatanejo, Gro., ubicado en la Costa Grande en el sur de México, hasta Oklahoma City, OK., E.U. para recaudar fondos para construir un centro para adultos abandonados en el área.

En los días que siguen estaré compartiendo mas sobre mi entrenamiento y preparación física, información sobre el centro y la asociación civil local que está al frente el proyecto, y mas sobre el viaje en sí y como puedes participar por medio de BeTheChange.

Mientras, lo siguiente es lo que necesitas saber:

Son 28 días que quedan hasta iniciar. La semana pasada fue mi primera semana de preparación en bici y hice 75 millas (o 120 kms) total. Segun los planes para el viaje, voy a hacer mas que eso casi diario, y algunos días haré doble. Sin duda, tengo mucho que hacer entre ahora y 1 de septiembre si voy a estar preparada físicamente.

Estaré escribiendo sobre esa preparación aquí y cuando llega el día de salir, estaré mandando informes desde el camino también.

Si quieres ser parte de la aventura, sigue leyendo...

where it begins...

Several months ago Jonathan Roberts, my college friend, came to visit me in Zihuatanejo, Gro. where I live. He had just founded a non-profit organization based in Oklahoma City called BeTheChange and he wanted to know how his organization might help in our area of southern Mexico.

That visit, along with a couple more meetings back in Oklahoma, inspired the Z to OKC ride that begins Sept. 1, 2009.

I'll be riding approximately 2,000 miles from Zihuatanejo, Gro., located on the southern Pacific coast of Mexico, to Oklahoma City, OK. to raise money to build a care center for abandoned adults in the area.

In days to follow I'll be sharing my training progress, information about the care center and the faith-based non-profit organization here in Zihuatanejo that's building it, and more about the ride itself and how you can participate through BeTheChange.

Here's what you need to know right now:

There are 28 training days left. Last week was my first week of riding and I logged 75 miles total. According to plans for the trip, I'll be doing more than that nearly every day, and a few times I'll be doing double that. Needless to say, I've got a lot to do between now and Sept. 1 to be ready to ride.

I'll be writing about all that here and when the ride comes, I'll be writing about that too.

If you want to join me for the adventure, keep reading....