Tour de Pierce 2008

June 29th was the 2008 Tour de Pierce. I rode it with my friend Bud and his mom Trish. It was a great day for riding. The temp was about 88, and it was gorgeous out. A nice bit of preparation for the big ride in two weeks. It was Bud's first organized ride, and he did really well. The route took us from Puyallup to Sumner, through Orting to Fife, Tacoma, Milton, and back to the Puyallup Fair Grounds. 50 miles of fun and sun. The STP is only ten days away now, and I'm getting really psyched. I'm a little over half way to my goal of raising $1,000 for the Lupus Foundation of America. Thank you all so much for your support and encouragement. It means the world to me that you have helped me support this cause. This weekend I'm getting my last long training rides in over on the east side. Check back in the next couple of weeks to hear about the STP. And please, pass along my website information to anyone who might want to contribute to the LFA. God Bless.



View Larger Map

White River 5K

On June 21st Serina and I ran the White River 5K. It was a day of training off the bike. We both did really well. It was Serina's first ever race, and she finished in 27:45, taking third in her women's division 25-29, 92nd overall. I finished in 22:15, taking third in the men's 25-29 division, 48th overall. And I even won a water bottle. Good times.



View Larger Map

June Update

Again, it's been too long since I've given an update. But I've been training hard and getting ready for the big ride coming up in a few weeks. I'm confident that I'm ready for it, and hoping to achieve both goals of finishing the ride and raising funds for the LFA. Over the weekend of May 17th and 18th I participated in two rides in Yakima. The first was on Saturday and was a century (100 mile) ride. It had 5,400 feet of climbing and was very challenging. At mile 75 the temperature off of the pavement read 115 degrees Fahrenheit. It was pretty toasty, but I wasn't about to give up. Through the dehydration, muscle cramping, and fatigue, I was the third person to finish. It was a great accomplishment and gave me a lot of time to reflect on what inspired me to do this in the first place. Check out the map below that shows the route. I hope through all of this everyone may see that this is a great cause to contribute to. Lupus is a terrible disease that is affecting millions of Americans, and is often overlooked. Most people might not even know what it is, and have only heard the term. Please, whatever it is, help the effort to find a cure and save millions from pain and suffering. Even if it's a dollar. I can't say how much I appreciate the contributions and encouragement. Even if I don't reach my goal of $2,500 by the time the Seattle to Portland bike ride comes, I pledge to continue my efforts. I've decided that I will also run in the Seattle Marathon this November to continue. I will be running a half marathon of 13.1 miles. I'll continue to update on the status, and once again, thank you all and God bless.




View Larger Map

Recent Rides

I've been on the new bike for a couple of months now, and have put it some good mileage. I've tracked some of my rides on Google Maps, so everyone can take a look at them. I don't have all of them, but I'm still working on it. They're a work in progress. I'll post them here, and to see a larger version just click on the link above the map. The weekend of May 17th and 18th I have my first organized training rides scheduled. The 17th is a 100 mile ride throughout the Yakima valley, and the 18th is a 35 mile canyon ride in Yakima. I'm really excited, especially for the weather, which should be better than it has been over here.

Ride Maps:

March 18, 2008 Century Ride

View Larger Map



April 27, 2008

View Larger Map


Easter Weekend, Yakima Ride

View Larger Map

Training kicks into high gear

Well it's now March of 2008 and my training is getting more intense. I am getting really excited for this ride and the cause that it is helping. I just got my bike that will carry me on the long journey. I picked it up last Sunday and took it out for a 35 mile ride. Just a fraction of what I'll be doing in July, but I know I'll get through it, no problem. The support and encouragement of all of my friends, family, and coworkers is priceless motivation. Thank you all for your support. Now that the preparation in increasing I'll be sure to keep you updated on the latest.

STP '08

I've set a goal for next July to ride the Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic in a one day ride. The event will be on July 12, and the total distance is 202.25 miles. I'm not doing this just for the satisfaction of accomplishment, but also to raise money for charity. I've chosen to raise funds for the Lupus Foundation of America in memory of Anthony James Baron. Also taking part in the ride and training with me is my good friend Aaron Walker. Check back as I will try and post progress of my preparation and fund raising. Please take a look at the following links for more information on related topics. Thanks.

Lupus Foundation of America: http://www.lupus.org/

My fundraising site: http://www.firstgiving.com/danbaron

Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic: http://www.cascade.org/EandR/stp/index.cfm

Update: October 8, 2007

I haven't posted anything in a while, but my preparation has continued diligently. I've been training on the spinner bike at the gym lately since it is hard to find any good daylight this time of year. Two to three days a week I've been logging about 20 mile rides. Since training time is somewhat limited I incorporate a lot of hill climbs and steady resistance progression. The other three days of the week I hit the weight room hard to keep my entire body strong. This training plus a healthy diet, I should be able to finish this ride no problem. I might even turn around and ride the whole way back. Depends on how the first leg treats my butt. The ride is in about 9 months so I have quite a bit of time. Right now I'm weighing in at about 212 - 215. By race day I'm going to get myself in between 190 and 200. That shouldn't be too hard, and I imagine it will make the ride a lot easier. So far I have raised 7% of my goal, but it's still early. I'm going to hit the campaign trail harder in the coming months. Thank you so much to all of those who have donated. I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate it. I really have to thank most of all my wife, and my mom and friends. Their encouragement has really pushed me and reassured me that I can definitely do this, and that it can make a difference. Everyone has told me how proud my dad would be of me, and I know that is true. He was always a strong influence, great motivator, and wonderful role model in my life. I learned so much from him that I try to incorporate in my life and values. He was a guy who's faith was so important to him and he reflected that in the way he lived. He always found the good in others and in situations in life. He always treated people with respect because he truly cared about each and every person he came in contact with. Those are his qualities that inspire me every day, and have inspired me to do this.