About the Ride


Adventure of a Lifetime!

I set out on this adventure to ride the Pacific Coast Highway to have fun and see what I was made of. My goal was to do the entire route from Seattle to San Diego in 26 days. I ended up riding 21 of the 24 days I was scheduled to ride-a total of 1331 miles. I climbed up many headlands along the way-one of them being a 7% grade for 3 miles-950 ft. It was a very difficult journey, but fun as well. I accomplished a lot and even though I chose not to ride a section of the route, I learned that I can be happy with what I did accomplish and learn about myself in the process. So I ask you, to what end do we accomplish our goals? It's not enough to get to the end of the road without enjoying the ride and learning along the way. It is a process. To what end do we set out on the adventure of life? To say we did it, or to tell others about the experience of it? It is in the telling of it that it becomes meaningful-to share with others to that they may be inspired to dream about their own adventures-to have their own experiences to share. Some of the high points on the road for me were: cresting a hill after a big climb and high-fiving my friend at the top, racing down a hairy decent on the other side, going 24 mph with the wind at my back pedaling effortlessly, the thrill of roller-coaster hills, and a nice hot shower and a cold beer at the end of a hard ride. Some of the challenges were: crosswinds that threaten to knock you off your bike and push you into traffic, crossing scary bridges, having to change clothes several times a day due to weather fluctuations, and navigating. I learned about fear and courage and the kindness of strangers. With PKD, we deal with fear of the unknown. We don't know what lies ahead on the road to the future, yet we must press on. We must have courage to face the unknowns and the wisdom to ask for help. We must accept help with a gracious attitude and know that the kindness of strangers is out there in abundance-we just have to ask. I learned about perspective. When you set out to accomplish a goal and are disappointed by setbacks, you must remember to keep your perspective. The road can be arduous and setbacks are inevitable. Honor the road that you are on and learn from your setbacks. Respect your limits and work to stretch yourself a little more next time. Remember your struggles and honor the struggles of others. Respect your experiences and the experiences of others. The road of life is long and each person's experience of it is different. I learned about failure. Failure is not an option with PKD. If we fail, we no longer are participating in life. To fail does not mean falling short on your accomplishments. Failure is simply to give up striving for excellence in ourselves. When we fail to participate in life, we fail ourselves. When we face a fork in the road, we must choose our way. We must take time to regroup in order to press on toward success. These are some of te lessons I learned on the road that I want to pass on to you all: Challenges are best experienced with a friend, don't leave your partner behind, don't bite off more than you can chew, take rest when you need it, reach out for help, when all else fails cry and pray, when you miscalculate the distance revert to plan B, plan for the worst and hope for the best, and when a bird poops on you wash your clothes and move on!

About PKD


About PKD

Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) is one of the most common, life-threatening genetic diseases, affecting more people than Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy and sickle cell anemia - combined. More than 600,000 Americans and 12.5 million people worldwide battle Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) every day.

PKD equally affects men, women and children - regardless of age, race, geography or ethnic origin. It does not skip a generation. There is no treatment or cure for PKD. Until one is found, PKD will threaten the lives of every generation of every family living with the disease.

Those who inherit PKD develop fluid-filled cysts in both kidneys. Over time, these cysts grow and multiply, causing the kidney to increase sometimes dramatically in size. Although a normal kidney is roughly the size of a human fist, PKD kidneys can grow to be the size of a football or larger and weigh as much as 38 pounds each. More than 60 percent of people with PKD will develop kidney failure and be forced to depend on dialysis or a transplant to live.

About the PKD Foundation


About the PKD Foundation

The PKD Foundation does its work on the grassroots level primarily through the dedication of volunteers at the various Chapter locations throughout the country.

The Vision of the PKD Foundation is that "No one suffers the full effects of Polycystic Kidney Disease."

The Mission of the PKD Foundation is to "Promote programs of research, advocacy, education, support and awareness in order to discover treatments and a cure for Polycystic Kidney Disease and improve the lives of all it affects."

Charity Navigator, America's largest evaluator of non-profit organizations recently gave the PKD Foundation its 4-Star (highest) rating for efficiency. They wrote, "Only 12% of the charities we rate have received at least 3 consecutive 4-Star evaluations, indicating that the PKD Foundation executes its mission in a fiscally-responsible way, and outperforms most other charities in America. This "exceptional" designation from Charity Navigator differentiates the PKD Foundation from its peers and demonstrates to the public it is worth their trust."

In FY 2008/09, 80% of PKD Foundation fundraising dollars went toward expenses invested in mission-related programs-52% to research grants and programs, 28% to patient education and awareness, 11% to fundraising efforts, and 9% to administration.

Keep the mission going forward and donate to Ride For PKD on my fundraising website at http://www.pkdcure.org/rideforpkd

For more information on PKD and the PKD Foundation visit their website at pkdcure.org/



Thursday, July 29, 2010

Day 17 July 27: Pescadero to Big Sur (30 Mile Ride to Santa Cruz)

I left at 7am for the 30 mile ride to Santa Cruz, which was flat and pretty uneventful. I had second breakfast at Zacharie's downtown, which was very good! I ran into a man who was riding his bike and struck up a converstation about my ride and the conundrum I was in. He advised me that it was all downhill after Monterey, but I knew better!! (He had talked about how he rode all the way around Yellowstone and crossed the Continental Divide three times)! Perspective!

I got some information at the transit station. But what I wasn't thinking about last night was...how am I going to get from Big Sur to Cayucos-another really long ride?! I cried thinking I was going to be stuck in Santa Cruz (oh, darn) and starting to think I'm not as independent as I thought. This is not fun anymore and I'm so tired. Thinking about my husband and wanting to be home and comfortable. I fear being alone and sick. This trip is much more draining mentally and emotionally than it is physically. This is a good metaphor for my future with PKD. I fear the possibility of living longer than most of my family members. And the fear that if something happens to my husband, who will be there to take care of me if I get sick from PKD? It's possible I won't be able to care for myself if I get really sick.

I decided to rent a car in Santa Cruz. What a nightmare! Of course I didn't have a reservation, so it took forever and a lot of running around town to finally get a car that I could drive one-way to San Luis Obispo. It was also expensive, but at this point, I thought, worth it! Now that I had the car, I did a little sight-seeing. Went to Natural Bridges State Park and drove down the boardwalk. I spotted a mexican restaurant on the boardwalk and I was hungry, so I stopped and got some tamales! YUM!!

I am an Ansel Adams fan and I learned that there was a special exhibit of his work at the Monterey Museum of Art, so I drove to Monterey only to find out that they were only open Wed-Sun (this is Tues). DRAT!!

Bixby Creek Bridge
Drove through Big Sur, taking pictures along the way of the famous bridges and rock formations. I'm so glad I did not ride this road in the state I am in. It is VERY hilly and the road is full of switchbacks and blind corners with no shoulders-VERY HAZARDOUS for bicyclists. I've heard over and over about how beautiful Big Sur is, but the coast is starting to look all the same to me. And I am spoiled by the beauty of the Olympic Peninsula back home. I believe it is truely the most beautiful place on earth and am lucky to call it home. Am I getting a little homesick already?!

At Riverside Campground and Cabins, I was greeted by Pam, a very nice lady who advised me on the sights to see around Big Sur and down the coast to San Luis Obispo. She asked me about my ride and how it was going and congratulated me on making it all the way to Santa Cruz. She seemed very interested and was telling everyone about it and planned on reading my blog. Thanks, Pam for your kind words and sightseeing tips! I'll let you know how I liked the drive!
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2 comments:

  1. MDeGroatJuly 30, 2010 at 9:17 AM

    Vicki, I work for the Monterey Museum of Art and hope you will come back to see Ansel Adams:Portrait of America. It really is an amazing exhibition. One visitor I can quote says, "These photos printed by Ansel Adams with his own hands are just amazing. They're not like the poster reproductions you see everywhere; they're alive with energy. They make you feel what he must have felt as he took the picture."
    - Nicole Gustas

    The Museum is open Wed-Sat. 11-5 and on Sun. 1-4pm. The exhibition is at Monterey Museum of Art-La Mirada, 720 Via Mirada, Monterey CA.

    I hope you come see it!
    Regards,

    Mary De Groat

    ReplyDelete
  2. MDeGroatJuly 30, 2010 at 9:31 AM

    Vicki, I work for the Monterey Museum of Art and was sorry to see this note about missing the Ansel Adams:Portrait of America. It's an amazing exhibition so I hope you can come back.
    One visitor says, "These photos printed by Ansel Adams with his own hands are just amazing. They're not like the poster reproductions you see everywhere; they're alive with energy. They make you feel what he must have felt as he took the picture."

    Museum hours are Wed-Sat. 11am-5pm. Sun.1-4pm. The exhibition is at the Monterey Museum of Art-La Mirada, 720 Via Mirada, Monterey CA.
    www.montereyart.org

    I hope you can see it!

    Mary De Groat

    ReplyDelete

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