Surly Bikes
Fixed Gear Across the USA
I've heard you, out there, talking. You think you're pretty tough, and you are, sort of. You ride and you drink and you're a messenger and you go big miles and you ride big dirt. Totally cool. Maybe you even rode all the way across something. I ride across Iowa every summer. Don't make me tough though. Nope.
Know what's tough? Riding a Steamroller fixed gear from Seattle to D.C. Know what's tougher? Doing it when you have Type 1 Diabetes.
The guys from Adventures for the Cure contacted us a few months ago and said they'd like us to sponsor them in a ride across the country. Now, lots of folks write and ask us to sponsor them - most are simply doing a ride. Well, that's why we sell stuff, so your ride can be great. Go out and buy the stuff and have a great ride. We love what you're doing, but we don't have a huge budget for gimmes.
Other folks ride to raise money for things. There are all kinds of things to raise money for. We'll look at these more closely, but we still have to pick and choose. We don't have enough to give to everyone.
Then there's these guys.
Adam, Patrick, and Jesse wanted to do a ride to raise money for diabetes. Adam's got type 1 diabetes, but wants to do something about awareness, research funding, and the idea that diabetics can't do crazy shit.
Type 1 diabetes is the insulin-dependent kind - you need to shoot up for every meal, or have an insulin pump that constantly monitors your blood sugar. It's hard. You need to keep track of every gram of carbohydrate that goes in you and keep everything on an even keel. If you're blood sugar gets too high, you cook your organs and you get into all kinds of trouble down the line in your life. If your blood sugar gets too low... well, let's just say that's really really bad.
My special lady-friend also has type 1 diabetes, so I like this raising money for the cure thing a whole lot.
So, the boys decided they wanted to ride across the country to raise money for diabetes research. To up the ante a little, though, they decided to do it on fixed gear bikes. (For you keeping score at home, long tour + good cause + weirdo way of doing it gets preferential treatment from the sponsorship crew (ie. me)).
Well, I'm happy to say that they're well on their way on some shiny new Steamroller frames. They've made it over the Rockies and are currently battling some wicked headwinds in Kansas. (Zeke, can you do something about that?) Soon they'll be rolling across Iowa joining me and my Evil brethren for RAGBRAI.
Do me a favor. Check out their website. Give them some dough, or, if you've got space and you're on the route, hook 'em up with a place to stay. At least get out there and cheer them on.
Thanks guys. Me and the lady appreciate what you're doing.
-Skip
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Adam, Patrick, and Jesse wanted to do a ride to raise money for diabetes. Adam's got type 1 diabetes, but wants to do something about awareness, research funding, and the idea that diabetics can't do crazy shit.
Type 1 diabetes is the insulin-dependent kind - you need to shoot up for every meal, or have an insulin pump that constantly monitors your blood sugar. It's hard. You need to keep track of every gram of carbohydrate that goes in you and keep everything on an even keel. If you're blood sugar gets too high, you cook your organs and you get into all kinds of trouble down the line in your life. If your blood sugar gets too low... well, let's just say that's really really bad.
My special lady-friend also has type 1 diabetes, so I like this raising money for the cure thing a whole lot.
So, the boys decided they wanted to ride across the country to raise money for diabetes research. To up the ante a little, though, they decided to do it on fixed gear bikes. (For you keeping score at home, long tour + good cause + weirdo way of doing it gets preferential treatment from the sponsorship crew (ie. me)).
Well, I'm happy to say that they're well on their way on some shiny new Steamroller frames. They've made it over the Rockies and are currently battling some wicked headwinds in Kansas. (Zeke, can you do something about that?) Soon they'll be rolling across Iowa joining me and my Evil brethren for RAGBRAI.
Do me a favor. Check out their website. Give them some dough, or, if you've got space and you're on the route, hook 'em up with a place to stay. At least get out there and cheer them on.
Thanks guys. Me and the lady appreciate what you're doing.
-Skip
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