Parting is such sweet sorrow

Well, the first donations in honor of Aisha Hunkar have been made or pledged so thank you all for that! I hope to reach my Fundraising goal and honor her memory in that way as well, not “just” on the bike.
Riding the bike is going as planned, not progressing fast enough to my liking but I’m getting there, one step at a time. I will be able to do the mileage my doc will allow me to, even if it feels like I did 100 mile afterwards. I don’t care about it putting me in the wheelchair for a few days, it will be worth it.
 
One thing not going to well is saving up enough money for the flight and my stay there. Don’t worry, I won’t use any money that is donated to my Challenge in honor of Aisha but I have to find a way to make money quickly and I found it.
 
I am the proud owner of a commemorative Discovery Tour de France shirt, autographed by Lance. It is my price possession and the only thing that will make some money  when I sell it and that is exactly what I decided to do. I won’t be happy to see it go but if it gets me to Austin so I can keep my promises to Aisha and her family it will be totally worth it. You will understand I won’t sell it for less than the amount I need to go to Austin (and stay there), but I hope giving up this shirt will get me where I need to be. Please help me reach my goal and tell people about this one in a kind shirt and keep your fingers crossed I will be able to sell it.
 
I’ll do what I can to fulfill my promise but I can’t do it alone!

Sometimes life sucks but no matter what, it won't make me come back on my promise

As I told you earlier, 2011 didn't start well for me. After almost losing my leg beginning this year I have been struggling to get back to my old level, both walking and riding the bike. As stress at work with a reorganisation and a hostile co-worker added to my physical discomfort, my goal seemed to be further away than ever. I finally got permission to get back on the bike a few months ago, but only for a few minutes a day. As the treatment to save my leg put on all the weight I lost last year I felt bad but kept up the faith things would turn out ok. A few weeks ago I got assigned a new manager that I work very well with and last week I got another, equally nice to work with. My hostile co-worker has moved to another office building. My office is my own now and that reduces the stress a lot. So life was looking up again and I needed that badly. But last Friday I also had my regular check-up with my doc and I went there thinking he would tell me my leg was healing up nicely as well. Although he allowed me to up my time on the bike he also told me that he doesn't think I'll be able to ride the Challenge or in the best possible scenario just the 10 or 20 miles. As I looked at him in shock he continued that riding the 10 or 20 will feel (and have the effect of) riding the 100 miles. He realizes how important this Challenge is for me and he will continue to work towards it with me, but that was the bottom line: 10 miles will be an exeptional performance, 20 a miracle. It took some days to get over the news and getting ready to share it with you, but here it is. For all of you who think this is it, you're sadly mistaken! As I told my doc straight away: I will be on that bike in Austin and well for one very good reason: I promised Aisha Hunkar and her family I would ride this years Challenge in her honor. Unfortenuately it will be in her memorie because earlier this year we lost her to cancer after she put up one hell of a fight. You can read all about her and her courageous fight here: http://birdsperch.blogspot.com. Aisha was a 42 year old single mom with met.foll. thyroid cancer and an inspiration to us all.

So, eventhough I am way behind on my training schedule, my Fundraising (need to get to my goal $ 3500) and saving up for my trip and my stay in Austin, I WILL GET THERE, because I promised Aisha. It's that simple: I promised her and I always keep my promises. So, no matter how hard it will be to reach those goals or how bad those 10 or 20 miles gonna feel, I WILL DO IT!!! I will keep you all informerd, please keep your fingers crossed for me.