This year I really wanted to show my appreciation to the riders and volunteer at the event. My Mom and step-dad, Steve, both work for Continental Airlines, which is one of the big corporate sponsors for the event. So, Mom, Doug, and I got up EARY Saturday morning and headed to LaGrange to meet Steve, who was already there helping set up the night before. As we headed down Dairy Ashford towards I-10 we saw the riders making their way to the starting point. We looked down Memorial Drive and for as far as we could see were hundreds of bikes and the sun hadn't even risen yet. This sight literally brought tears to my eyes. To know that so many people were riding for me and the other 400,000 people in the U.S. with MS. It made my heart swell:)
Once we got to LaGrange it was ALL work getting things ready for the riders to arrive. We helped the Continental booth set up and get all of the food ready.....and taste the beer:)
Apparently the head wind was so bad, the riders started showing up 2 hours later than they normally do. They were riding their hearts out! You could tell they were exhausted once they finally got to LaGrange. We cheered as loud as we could for every single Continental rider as they rode in. For lunch we served hot dogs and for dinner it was spaghetti and meatballs (so they could get their carbs) and the best darn jambalaya made by the nicest coonasses:) Some of the riders didn't even make it in time for lunch, they barely even made it for dinner. But, they made it!!! I was able to personally thank the riders as I helped serve them meals.
I met some of the neatest people Saturday. One of them was JoAnn, AKA "Rollin' Jo." She was experiencing symptoms of MS for 10 years, but they never actually diagnosed her.....until it was a little too late. She now has been officially diagnosed, but is in a wheel chair. She has a lot of complications due to her not being able to walk, but you would never know it. She's a HOOT! JoAnn is one of the funniest, most upbeat people you'll meet. The DJ started playing "Twist" and she was out there twisting around in her wheel chair!!! She's a professional clown now and visits the children at M.D. Anderson. Her clown name is "Rollin' Jo!" She said if you're ever throwing a pity party for yourself, go to the children's wing at M.D. Anderson, see a child with cancer, and you'll realize how blessed you are. She had an amazing spirit and I'll never forget her!!
They even had a team named after me!!! NRG!!!! :)
The whole day was one of the most touching experiences of my life. I hope to make it to every BP MS 150 from here on out. It's the least I can do for all of the wonderful people who are trying to do their part to make my life with MS better.
To everyone who participated in this amazing event, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. It was an awesome experience!!
1 comment:
Nicole,
Great post! I'm one of the 13000 riders who rode this weekend. And as tough as it was this year (Oh, and it was tough) --- it was not hard finding inspiration all along the route to Austin.
I met so many fantastic people, such as yourself, who are living with MS. Their resilient spirit and their fantastic support and cheering of us riders --- well, whenever the going seemed particularly difficult, I just focused on why I was riding.
Thank you for being a part of this extraordinary, life-changing even.t
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