I'm riding my bike and raising money for recreation for people with disabilities!

ETA: See post #9 for update of awesomeness!

So I've been fundraising and training like crazy for this big ride, and I just wanted to share it with my AW peeps.



I'm participating in a fundraiser for the US Adaptive Recreation Center called the Peak-to-Peak Pedal, riding a bicycle 335 miles from Mammoth Mountain to Big Bear in October. The money we raise supports outdoor recreation for children and adults with disabilities. I'm trying to raise $1800 this year. It's tough with the lousy economy, but I'm pushing on.



This will be my second time doing the ride. (Here are pictures from last year! And my post about it from last year too!) This year I know what I'm getting into (reeeeeeeeeeeally steep hills, sub-zero temps, hot riding through the desert, narrow shoulders on little highways full of trucks) so it's kinda scary.



I've been a volunteer ski instructor at USARC for three years so far, teaching downhill skiing to people with disabilities. USARC is the only organization in Southern California to provide camping, fishing, off-road downhill wheelchair riding, canoeing, sailing, jet skiing, water skiing, snowboarding and snow skiing instruction to the disabled community. I have some adaptive skiing pictures on my blog here!


Any sorts of encouragement or fundraising advice are gladly welcome! And of course, if you'd like to make a donation, please click here or send me a PM.




And here's a little pic of me with one of my adaptive skiing students, a seven year old girl with autism on her first ski lesson

So far I am 1/3 of the way to my fundraising goal! It's definitely hard in this economy. But less-well-supported nonprofits are dropping like flies these days, so I gotta stand by this one because I believe in their mission so much.

Training has been on hold for a few days as the smoke is so thick in LA that I don't want to be breathing it in excessively. I'll be out of the smoke for five days starting on Thursday so I can get more working-out going then

Woo! So far I have raised $1300! My ride is coming up in 5 days (eep!). The minimum amount we each have to raise is $1500, so I'm awfully close (I picked $1800 as a goal amount because 18 is an auspicious number in Jewish tradition, but $1500 is the actual minimum amount needed).

I was getting worried for a while there and thinking I was going to have to sell a kidney on the black market or something. Apparently there is a recession on or something...

Anyways, just wanted to share my good news with my AW peeps. PS If you'd like to donate, you can go here and select rider--Sarah Heacox