2009 Tour De Cure Bicycle Ride

Finish Line!
The Mad Start
Police escort up St. Vincent Thomas Bridge
Craig in on the Left and I on the right with white shirt
Craig and I again (i'm on the right in white)


Well starting last year, I have participated in the American Diabetes Assocation Tour De Cure bicycle ride. This year was much harder route in terms of hills to climb and difficulty in descent. It started in Long Beach at the Queen Mary parking lot and our team consisted of David Vandruff(Diabetes type 1), His parents, Harry, Sister Rachel, Kelly her husband and Craig - Boss. Craig and I did the 60 mile loop and the rest of the team did the 35 mile route. Our team raised over $3000+ to help find a cure against Diabetes.

We were the first cyclist to cross over the General and St. Vincent Thomas bridge legally and it was a cool site from up top! after our first rest stop, Craig and I found ourselves in the bottom of Anchovy street, a 15% grade 1/3 mile climb. Wow that was an insane climb and was able to stay on the bike (there were a few that fell off there's as they were going too slow - most walked it up).

After rolling through Palos Verdes and climbing higher in elevation, the weather turned into mist and clouds and we were getting wet, making it difficult to navigate the downhill switchbacks. We then we were given another 8% hill up PV and it was so foggy we could not see the top of the mountain. What a drag.

In the end Craig and I blasted down the hills topping 40mph back into Port of Long Beach. Craig, not paying attention, got his bike tire caught in a train track while turning, and kissed the pavement. Luckily he got up with no injuries and his bike intact.

We finished in about 4 hours and met up with the rest of the group and had a great lunch. Until NEXT year!

- BILL