Homeward bound. November 23, 2015. I’ve been receiving a great deal of kudos for completing the ride. But whether or not I finished the ride was to a large degree out of my hands.  It was more dependent on the people with me. No matter how much I wanted to finish, if I hadn’t had the support of Rae and my fellow team members, I would not have made it to St. Augustine. This video is more of a tribute to all the people who have contributed to the successful conclusion of the ride.

With the miles being donated to “Ride for Ray” we are well over the amount needed to circle the globe with over 42,000 miles donated so far. But a ways away from getting to the moon. One of the riders has suggested an interim goal of riding as many miles as dollars donated. With the current donations at $57,700 against a goal of $75,000 we are well on the way and for those of us living in climates that are less than ideal, this may provide us with the extra incentive to get out and keep riding.

Just a thought

Peace, love and midwives

Ray

November 16, Gainsville Florida. Feeling stronger each day. Kind of makes me want to go back and ride the part I missed. Oh, how soon we forget.  I’m guessing Rae would probably have something to say about that too. Should probably quit while I’m ahead. And still married. And still alive.

We’re almost there. We plan to arrive in St Augustine on the 19th. Don’t forget to keep logging your miles at Ride for Ray. The miles you have logged so far have made it around the world and then some. 32,6oo miles. There are a lot of crazy cyclists out there (as if I didn’t already know that). If you are already on Strava, just join the group and your miles will be automatically added. We look forward to including you in our next video. Send pictures or video to bychopath13@gmail.com with a message about yourself and who you are and where you are from.

Peace, love and midwives

Ray

November 13, 2015. Madison, FL. It’s been three weeks since Rays Little Fall. A broken arm , three broken ribs, three broken vertebrae, a partially collapsed lung, a concussion and two blood clots later, here I go again. For three weeks you’ve been picking up the slack for me. Last time I looked we were a hair shy of having enough miles to circumnavigate the globe. That’s over 24,000 miles. Holy shit that’s a lot of miles. Finally today I got my name on the board.

Don’t forget to keep logging your miles at Ride for Ray. If you are already on Strava, just join the group and your miles will be automatically added. We look forward to including you in our next video. Send pictures or video to bychopath13@gmail.com with a message about yourself and who you are and where you are from.

Peace, love and midwives

Ray

November 8, 2015. Bayou La Batre, LA.

There are many things I could say about this video. Each video I make tends to take on its own personality based on the content submitted. Granted I edit the clips and put them together so I provide some of the narrative flow. However, the video clip contributions from family members and people I helped bring into the world helped make this video one of my favorites. Thanks again.

Last time I looked we were close to 20,000 miles. Don’t forget to keep logging your miles at Ride for Ray. If you are already on Strava, just join the group and your miles will be automatically added. We look forward to including you in our next video. Send pictures or video to bychopath13@gmail.com with a message about yourself and who you are and where you are from.

Peace, love and midwives

Ray

November 7th, Bugalusa, LA. We are back east of the Mississippi. We picked up Bill, a neighbour, from Urbana who rode down on the City Of New Orleans to join us and ride. One of the original ideas behind the ride was to create lasting memories for those who rode with us and joined us along the way. But through the videos, so many people who would not have otherwise been able to, have been part of the ride and done a part to keep us rolling. I hope through the videos they will create a lasting connection to the ride.

Don’t forget to keep logging your miles at Ride for Ray. If you are already on Strava, just join the group and your miles will be automatically added. We look forward to including you in our next video. Send pictures or video to bychopath13@gmail.com with a message about yourself and who you are and where you are from.

Peace, love and midwives

Ray

November 6th, Bunkie, LA. A lot of people have been inspired by what we are doing. But who I am exists within each and every one of us. I would not be here were it not for a small army of people. Everyone here, from start to finish, has played a part in this journey. The drivers, the riders (the hospital staff) the road angels who have put us up along the way. Who have cheered us on. Made us meals. Bought us meals. Worked on bikes on their days off. Networked to get us what we need. Rode miles when I could not (13,306 miles at last count). Donated money and supplies. The number of people probably runs into the thousands at this point. This has become so much bigger than any one person involved.

Don’t forget to keep logging your miles at Ride for Ray. If you are already on Strava, just join the group and your miles will be automatically added. We look forward to including you in our next video. Send pictures or video to bychopath13@gmail.com with a message about yourself and who you are and where you are from.

Peace, love and midwives

Ray

November 2nd, Austin, TX. Had a dream last night. Don’t remember too much about it but I was riding and I got a flat. I can change a tire one handed but in the dream I used both hands. All my fingers worked. I didn’t even need a tire lever,  just used my hands to get the tire off. I recall feeling pleased with myself at how easy it was. But then I woke up and the glow of the small victory of my dreams dissipated in the reality of the effort required to simply roll over in bed.

Hope can be a very tenuous thing.

On the day of the accident, as I was lifted into the ambulance I was still a little disoriented. But as the doors closed I lay back on the stretcher and believed that I would never ride a bike again. All I could think of was that I had let everyone down. That was 11 days ago. I rode a bike today for the first time since the accident on October 22nd. We don’t own it yet but we’re hatching plans. It’s not quite what I imagined I would ride but I think if nothing else I’ve resolved the potential issue of flying over the handlebars.

I have never been to St Augustine, Florida, and have no idea what it looks like. Yet, the images I have had in my head of arriving there have taken on so many different iterations over the last 10 months. Walking, riding, wheelchair, not at all. At this point I know better than to think that I might actually make it. But I’m going to give it everything I have left. There is an army of people out there riding for me. Even Rae finally got in on the act today. The whole community, cycling and non cycling alike has come together for this cause. If they can do it, I can. It’s time to kick some ALS.

Don’t forget to keep logging your miles at Ride for Ray. If you are already on Strava, just join the group and your miles will be automatically added. We look forward to including you in our next video. Send pictures or video to bychopath13@gmail.com with a message about yourself and who you are and where you are from.

Peace, love and midwives

Ray

October 31st. Austin, TX. I did not grow up roaming the streets of London at night, vandalizing public transportation and dreaming of escaping to America to becoming a midwife. I know that may be hard for some of you to believe. What I wanted to be was an astronaut. I wanted to be the youngest person in space. There were no books at the local library about space and space exploration that I had not read. I was devastated when the show “Lost In Space” came on and I saw that Will Robinson had beaten me to it.

My dream did not end there but it took a dent. My dad made light of my ambition telling everyone I was going to be the first dustman (garbage collector) on the moon but I remained undaunted. I should mention that to his credit, some 40 years later, he did apologize.

For as long as I can remember, my reach has exceeded my grasp.

We’re still on the road winding our way east. And by winding I mean winding. Once we get to Austin we’re going to take a break. They have an MDA Clinic and I have some body parts that need to be looked at. Not to mention there is some serious trick or treating to be done.

The initial notion behind “Ride for Ray” was to make up the 2,500 miles or so that I could no longer do and we would move on down the road as others rode the miles. But we have already exceeded that goal. Someone suggested  “ride around the world” (24,859 miles). Recently a friend from the Minneapolis biking community posted a video about accumulating enough miles to fly me to the moon. That’s 238,900 miles. It got me thinking about a lot of things. It may be too late to become a dustman but not to fly to the moon.

Don’t forget to log your miles at Ride for Ray. We look forward to including you in our next video. Send pictures or video to bychopath13@gmail.com with a message about yourself and who you are and where you are from.

Peace, love and midwives

Ray

Spent the day driving through rural south west Texas. There is quirk, and then some, in them there hills. Every little town has its own personality. Looking forward to what the road has in store for us today.

Hope you have as much fun watching the video as I did making it.

Continue reading →