The Suitcase of Courage

GYGIG 2008:Fundraising Update & Pics

Just wanted to take this opportunity to extend another THANK YOU to all of you who supported me for the 2008 edition of the Get Your Guts in Gear ride.  Way back when (it seems forever ago), I shared my desire to raise over $2000 for Crohn's disease research and awareness.  I'm proud to say - thanks to you - the donations continue to come in and as of today I have not only met, but EXCEEDED my goal, raising

$2,250!

Some additional donations may trickle in, but all the ones I was expecting have finally been logged and I couldn't be more thilled, or grateful.  Your generosity is really appreciated and on behalf of the organizations that will benefit from your support, another hearty thank you!

Also, before we put the final wraps on this year's ride, I thought you'd enjoy a few pics from the weekend. . .

Bike Bling

Closing ceremonies - Meghan and Caroline head the procession.

Self-Explanatory.  Couldn't resist.

Some of my handiwork along the bike path in Albany.  Even though I couldn't ride, it didn't mean I couldn't be encouraging! (sorry I couldn't decide between Campy and SRAM gruppos, so I left'em off . . .)

It's More Than a Ride

Well, the NY edition of the Get Your Guts in Gear ride for 2008 has come and gone.  The slogan for this event is "It's More Than a Ride" and that could not have been truer for me personally this year.

I rode in this event for the first time last year and promised myself - as well as close to 50 sponsors & supporters - that I would ride it again this year.  As a Crohn's disease patient and cyclist, it's a no-brainer.  The fundraising was a little tougher this year - which I attribute to the increasingly tough economy - but you were all very generous and I reached my goal just in time.

And then I stupidly broke my collarbone racing a local crit.

Won't make THAT mistake again.  Next year I'll wrap myself in bubble wrap and limit my training to the basement!

ANYway, the upshot was that - due to some quick wrangling by the powers that be - I was able to be part of the crew on the ride.  "Clipped wing" and all.

Once the intial disappointment of not riding started to dissipate, I really started looking forward to "crewing" in support of those who could ride.   Since I rode the route last year, I thought it'd be neat to work at a rest stop, hand out sandwiches, encourage the riders, and of course check out the bikes.  When I found out that my job would be to chauffer the route marker, I was a little disappointed at first.  Route marking is one of the few jobs where you don't get to see the riders much.  But then I found out who I'd be working with - Jim of Jim's Guts.  I was totally stoked.  Not only would I be able to meet a good blog-friend in person, but I'd have a chance to get to know him better.  Spending 2 days in a car together does that.

I was also looking forward to seeing friends from last year and making some new friends.  Fortunately - or unfortunately if you were riding - it was very hot during the day so I didn't miss the riding as much as I thought.  Just the blistering heat.  And I was able to get together with the riders during dinner.

There's so much I could write about the weekend's events, but it would probably start to sound a little too much like the notes and inside jokes in a school yearbook.  Suffice it to say that, despite not being able to ride, I was able to connect with some folks and be profoundly inspired by their stories.  That's one of the best parts of the ride - getting a chance to participate in a community that has a shared purpose.

It amazed me that anybody with Crohn's or colitis could even ride.  The conditions this year were pretty brutal - very very hot.  But just as impressive were those that rode on behalf of someone else.  There were many riders who - while not patients themselves - were riding on behalf of a loved one or other friend.

One particular story stood out though.  One woman I spoke to had lost her husband due to complications from the disease.  After his passing, she - like many others confronted with Crohn's or colitis - wanted to do something about it.  She discovered the Get Your Guts in Gear ride and got a bike shortly thereafter.  She's ridden in a number of the rides since then and is hoping to be able to do all three sometime - Seattle & Texas as well as the New York ride.

Her positive outlook and tenacity despite her loss were encouraging, but most inspiring was what I saw on the morning of the last day.  My route marking duties completed, I'd been drafted as a driver for one of the photographers.  We staked out a nice downhill section early in the Sunday route and waited for the riders to arrive.

We were about 8 miles out so I knew that the riders would be strung out a bit - small groups at a time being the most I could expect.  The photog told me we'd be able to hear the riders before we saw them - it was very quiet where we were, the buzzing bees and occasional bird being the only sound.  She said you'd hear the whirring of the tires, especially on this descent.

So we waited.  Eventually, I heard what the photographer had described - plus a little extra.  In addition to the distinctive whirring, I heard a loud "WHEEEEEEeeeeeeeee!!!!!" as the first cyclist of the day raced by.  It was the new friend I had made the previous evening, using her bike as her way to fight the disease that had taken her husband - and clearly having the time of her life doing it.  Her enthusiasm and spirit have done a lot to raise awareness - and her story has helped her raise funds to support research and a cure.

But to hear her go by that morning, knowing just a little of what she's been through - certainly knowing what she and the other riders had been through during the heat of the previous day - is something I won't forget.  Her determination reminded me of how blessed I am to be able to ride at all.  And her obvious enjoyment of the ride itself helped make it a pleasure to crew when I couldn't ride.

So, to all of my supporters, the riders, the old friends I reconnected with and the new friends I made - thank you for another wonderful weekend and thank you most of all for working so hard, whether as rider or crew, to raise funds and awareness of Crohn's and colitis and for making this year's Get Your Guts in Gear ride such a success.

GYGIG 2008

After all the training and fundraising, the Get Your Guts in Gear ride for Crohn's Disease and Colitis is finally here.  I'll be leaving for New York City soon - courtesy Mrs. Suitcase and friend Caroline (it's a relay effort to get me there) - for this evening's orientation and last minute prep.

Unfortunately, due to my crash (which I - and I'm sure you - *really* hope I'll get to stop mentioning someday), I won't be able to ride this year.  No worries - thanks to Jay's working out the details and Jim's gracious agreement to let me drive (while he does all the work) - I'll still be able to participate as part of the crew for this year's ride.

Last year, it amazed me how much the crew did for us riders - how they were always on hand no matter what the situation required.  This year, I'll get to see how they do it - and hopefully, despite my clipped wing, I'll be able to help too.

While I'm of course disappointed that I won't be able to ride, I did get to ride this route last year - and, thanks to your help and support, I was able to raise over TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS this year to increase awareness and provide funds for research.  At last tally, my total was $2105.00, but I know some of your donations haven't been logged in yet.

So on behalf of Crohn's patients like myself and others suffering from IBD, I extend a very big THANK YOU once again for your very generous donations.

To get the full-blown travelogue from last year's ride, click here and follow the links (it's a multi-post thing).  I think you'll enjoy it.  This year, I don't think I'll be able to be quite so prolific - esp. with the pictures (at least not until I get home).  I don't know what the internet options will be while out on the road - even though I'm not riding, I'm still camping - but I'll do my best to post my progress here.  It may just be quick dispatches from my new rocket launcher phone, but hopefully they'll give you a taste of what it's like to be on the ride.  And from "the other side of the table" compared to last year.

So continue to watch this space.  If you don't hear from me for a bit, I either got eaten by a bear or I can't find a good WiFi connection.  We're spoiled blessed to live in a country when it's more likely to be the latter.

Until my next post, keep all the riders in your thoughts and prayers for safety on the road - and be sure to keep the rubber side down yourself as well.

L8r!

Why Cycle Wednesday:Because I Can (Part II)

I rode my bike in to work this morning.  Yes, it's Bike Month and this is Bike to Work Week.  But while those are certainly good reasons to ride, they aren't why I decided to ride over 40 miles from my home to my office today.

I rode because I could.  Because five years ago today - also a Wednesday as it turns out - I was admitted to the hospital and then diagnosed the next day with Crohns Disease.  While I'd been sick on and off for a long time, I never thought it was anything major.  It just became "my normal."  But this was different.  I'd never been in the hospital for it.  And doctors were seriously considering surgery.

To make a long story short (if you'd like the more detailed version, click here), I was in the hospital that first time for almost a week.  All that summer, they tried to treat it with drugs and avoid surgery.  I was in the hospital again in November, and they determined that the drugs weren't working.  I had surgery in December (10 day stay that time) and was in the hospital again in January.  Four times in nine months.

I didn't know what my life was going to be like going forward.  I'd read and heard about all the worse case scenarios and how Crohns can exhaust you and make you dependent.  In some cases, you don't even want to risk leaving your house, or associating with other people, and you feel tired all the time.

But I've been very blessed with a good doctor and we discovered that I responded well to a cancer-fighting drug that's used with some success in Crohns patients.  As a result, I've been in remission (mostly) for the past few years.  But I wanted to make sure I wouldn't take my health for granted again. 

So for my 10th wedding anniversary, Mrs. Suitcase got me a racing bike.  I'd never been one for exercising - hate doing it for its own sake - but I knew I needed to take better care of myself and I always enjoyed riding.  Now I'd have a fancy new bike that would make me feel guilty if I didn't use it.

I started riding as much as I could.  Short trips at first, then longer.  All of them - purposely - going by the hospital where I'd been so often.  It was my own little way of kicking Crohns in the teeth.

Just riding for myself wasn't enough though.  I wanted to do more.  And when Mrs. Suitcase told me about a charity ride for Chrons Disease, and especially when I saw the video, I knew I HAD to do it.

Get Your Guts in Gear is like an MS 150 for Crohns Disease.  It's a 210 mile ride from New York City to Saratoga Springs that raises funds and awareness.  I rode it last year, and am doing it again this year.

The fundraising is a little tougher this time around with the economy in the doldrums, but many of you have already been generous with your support.  THANK YOU so very much!  If you'd like to learn more about this project and/or to sponsor me, you can click here or click the "Get Your Guts in Gear" button in the upper right corner of the blog.  Your donation will be put to very good use and it'll also allow me to participate again this year (there's a fundraising minimum to ride).

Whether you can help out or not, I hope if you or someone you know has Crohns Disease that you've been encouraged by my story.  You're not alone.  There is hope.  And over a hundred Crohns patients, family members and loved ones will be riding up the Hudson River for you June 6-8, 2008.

I plan to be one of them.  With the miles I got in this morning, I should be ready.

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If you'd like to read more about how I got from the hospital to participating in GYGIG, check out the first edition of "Because I Can."   To read more about Crohns Disease, click here.

Additional Plainville Pic& GYGIG Report

Photo courtesy Chris P via Kim, from last Saturday's Cat 3/4  race. . .

One guess as to why I particularly like this pic . . .

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Also wanted to update you on my fundraising progress for the Get Your Guts in Gear charity ride I'm doing June 6-8.  I'll be able to do this every Tuesday as the donations are reported to the GYGIG folks.

With your help, so far I've been able to raise $205.00 -  THANK YOU!!!

I have a long way to go to reach my goal though.  In order to be able to ride, I need to raise at least $1,900 and would like to exceed my fundraising last year and raise $3,000.  You can read more about this effort here.

If you haven't yet, I hope you'll consider donating to this worthy cause.  You can do that by clicking the "Get Your Guts in Gear" button at the top right corner of this site, or you can click here.  Donations are tax deductible and you'll get a very nice handwritten thank you note from the GYGIG folks.  What you won't get is having your name put on some sort of mailing list.

But you'll certainly receive the satisfaction of helping raise awareness by being part of finding a cure for Crohn's disease.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Why Cycle Wednesday:Because I Can . . .

Many of you may remember that I did the Get Your Guts in Gear (GYGIG) ride last year for the first time.  For those of you who don't know, GYGIG is a 3-day, 210 mile charity ride from NYC to Saratoga Springs, NY that raises funds for Crohn's disease and other IBD-related research.  After being diagnosed with Crohn's - and getting a bike for my 10 year wedding anniversary - I started riding to get into shape and maintain some sort of fitness.  Last year, I discovered this great way to show my support for others with Crohn's and to raise awareness - and funds - for those with this disease.

I am very blessed to be able to ride despite having Crohn's, so the answer to this week's "Why Cycle" question?  Because there are so many who aren't able  to.

And because I can.

This year's ride is June 6-8.  It's the same route as last year - I just hope we have the same weather.  Sadly, my mascot and "spokescat" Charlie won't be with me this year (I pinned a picture of him to my jersey - click here to find out why), but he continues to help by being the inspiration for this great new yarn friend Yvonne is making special for this cause.

If you're interested in learning more about my ride and/or interested in sponsoring me and supporting these great folks, please click here.  You'll be taken to my fundraising page which will give you more information - as well as a link to a map of the route.  There's also a "Get Your Guts in Gear" button in the upper right corner of this site which will take you to the same place.

If you'd like to read more about how I went from multiple hospital stays to riding up the Hudson River, click here.  The travelogue for last year's ride is here (read from bottom up).  There were some pretty funny - and some very inspirational - moments I think you'll enjoy.

Rest easy buddy

I'm very sad to report that our wonderful kitty Charlie is ATB.  He got worse since last Friday's news and by yesterday morning it was time.  Fortunately, he was at home in his person's lap and just went to sleep.

Thank you so very much for all your thoughts, prayers and emails.  The condolences of friends are a great comfort during a time like this.  I know with each day things get better and time heals, but thank you for your care and encouragement.  Charlie would appreciate how much your support means to us.

Pray for Charlie

Please excuse the off-topic post, but actually it does tie in in a way...

This is our cat Charlie.  Those of you that supported me in my charity ride earlier this year, will remember Charlie as my "spokescat."  Like me, strangely enough, he has IBD and thus was a natural in getting the word out about these diseases.  The pic to the left was on my fundraising page and Deb made it into a button I wore on my jersey during the ride.

He's had quite a year.  Last November we discovered that, in addition to the IBD, he was hyperthyroidic (sic?) and so we had his thyroid zapped - he was actually nuclear for a bit - and he improved.  He took another turn for the worse in the spring - actually right around the time this pic was taken - but that just turned out to be the thyroid going to the other extreme.  With some additional meds, he started to improve again.

Then over the summer he started to look bad again.  We thought it was the stress of the move and all the change, but he was diagnosed with intestinal cancer.  We've been dealing with that the past couple of months and had hoped that he would respond to the chemo, but unfortunately he's started to get worse.

I'm very sorry to report that he's not really doing well at all right now and I fear he may not be with us much longer.  The reports we got back from the vet today weren't encouraging.  He's approximately 14 years old, not sure because we picked him up as a stray a couple months before Debby and I were married.  We've had him all of those 12 1/2 years and have loved and enjoyed him so much.

We've never been at this point with a pet before, so it's especially tough.  Please keep him and us in your thoughts and prayers, especially over the coming days (and hopefully weeks).  Thanks

GYGIG Finale: $2798!!

Well, unless there's more to come that I don't know about, I think all the donations are in and tallied and with your help I was able to raise

$2798!!!!

THANK YOU!!!!

The generosity of the blogosphere continues to amaze me.  I had more personal/individual donations from friends/family/coworkers than I had any right to expect, but the response from folks through this blog - especially due to all the hard work and effort of Mrs. Suitcase through her blog - has been overwhelming.  I know very few of you, but you gave willingly and even in a couple of cases, anonymously.  So I may never know or be able to thank each of you in person, but hopefully you received a thank you note not only from the GYGIG organization, but a personal card from me and the SpokesCat as well.

So thank you again for your support and encouragement throughout this event.  It was truly an amazing experience.

Now to find out if it's too late to donate that final two bucks to make it an even $2800 . . .

:^)

GYGIG Day 3:Sag Wagons, Pacelines,& Closing Ceremonies

Day 3 - the Final Day of the ride.  After all of the preparation, training and fundraising, it was hard to believe that it'd all come down to this.  On the one hand, after the hard day of riding on Day 2 it was nice to think we had a (relatively) quick and easy day's riding ahead of us.  Of course, on the other hand, I didn't want this day to end too quickly.

Judy saw to that though.  She'd warned us the night before that everybody would have to wait in the "holding area" at Skidmore College until everybody finished the ride.  So the quicker you got to the end, the more waiting around you'd have to do.  So the order of the day for our little group was to just "go nice and easy and enjoy the scenery."

But it ended up being our fastest of the three days(!)

The day started as the others had, with one exception.  It was our wedding anniversary and Caroline had given Deb and I a card the previous night.  When we opened it we discovered that she, Felipe, Bob & Chris, Judy & Julia had all signed it.  VERY VERY cool - it's become one of the best keepsakes of the ride.  While we weren't sure how our anniversary might work out with the GYGIG ride, it ended up being one of the more special ones we've had.  And it was especially nice to be able to share it with such wonderful people.

There wasn't a lot of time to celebrate though.  As on previous days, Deb and Julia had to go off in the car to clear the route for us riders and the rest of us had to get breakfast then "suit up" for the ride.

Speaking of Deb and Julia, this might be a good time to mention the support vehicles and SAG wagons that accompanied us on our 210 mile journey (esp. for Beth ;^).  "SAG" stands for Support And Gear - and there was a lot of both needed on this trip.  I heard of one guy who had four(?!) flat tires - going through all of his tubes in one day!  And I can personally attest to the fact that on some of the hills, one of the support vehicles would come along at just the right time and the folks inside would start yelling encouragement.  I even got to play "pro" with one SAG wagon - but it almost ended in (minor) tragedy . . .

By the end of the first day I realized that I was only going through one bottle by the time another rest stop would come up.  So I was carrying another whole, full bottle for no reason.  After getting all psyched out for the hills on Day 2, I decided I'd just carry that 2nd bottle empty.  You know - all that Gatorade adds WEIGHT (gotta be at LEAST 300 grams!) and you wanna be as light as possible when climbing.  %^) All day though, with the bumpy roads, that empty bottle kept wanting to creep out of its holder and fall out.  So after Rest Stop 1 on Day 3 I decided "The Bottle Has To Go."  But what to do with it?

AH!  SAG wagon!  They could support me by taking some of my gear!  So when Leslie and Judy showed up alongside with their radio blarin' and heads bangin' (pics of their car to the left), I asked Judy if she could take that bottle.  We were on a nice backroad, so we continued driving/riding while I got close enough to hand it to her - just like the pros! She even asked whether I needed another bottle, but since I wasn't domestiquing for anybody, I didn't need any.

That's when things got a bit hairy.  Allofasudden, I see Chris out of the corner of my eye veering off to the right while seeing Judy's eyes getting bigger.  "GOTTA TURN HERE!!!"  Whoa! - there I go (almost) missing a turn again, but this time with a SAG wagon that's gotta turn into me to make the turn!

Well, no worries, being the pro I am (not!) I calmly and cooly leaned to the right following Chris into the turn - and Leslie narrowly missed the stop sign on the corner (nice driving!)  Good thing there was no oncoming traffic.  Won't try THAT again for a while...

Shorty after that hair-raising experience, Chris and I caught up with Bob and a few others.  Before we knew it, we had a total of six guys all lined up and riding at a nice, moderate pace.  Despite what the pic may look like, "we were NOT drafting Judy" - must be the telephoto lens that makes us look so close together(!)  I had been on the front, but when I saw the camera and realized that I was the only one without my GYGIG jersey on (as luck would have it, this was the only day I rode without it!), I drifted to the back.  Gotta keep the sponsor happy <g>!  It's an almost perfect shot (pic courtesy Babs Larson - thanks!!).  I especially like the speed limit sign (we weren't going anywhere near that fast) and the "Children at Play" sign (much more accurate...)

We went along with this nice pace(line) for a while, when I came across this scene somewhere on the south side of Albany.  I told the fellas to go on up ahead and I'd catch up.  BIG mistake.  I didn't see them again until almost lunchtime.

In the meantime, another guy I recognized as a very strong rider came along and we decided to try to catch my group together.  It took some hard riding, trading pulls regularly, and it STILL took a while to catch them (I just hope they weren't trying to get away from me).

I think it was about this time, once we regrouped, that I looked down at my odometer and didn't believe what I saw - over 40 miles already since breakfast!  I couldn't believe that so many miles had already gone by.  My "normal" ride is about 20-25 miles, so 40 miles is considered a long-ish ride.  Now - after over 150 miles in two days, it's nuthin'.  Amazing how the body works.

What's even more amazing is how well every body was doing.  I've mentioned before that not everybody on the ride was afflicted with IBD, but most were.  But you'd never know it.  They were all cruisin' along and, while of course everybody had their own pace and the riders were strung out all along the route, everybody I saw had a smile on their face and were riding like they'd been doing it forever.

Actually, after 150 miles in two days, it probably FELT that way!

So we made it to lunch in another one of those lovely spots along the river that Judy & Co. had picked out.  It may have been my imagination, but it seemed like folks lingered just a little longer at lunch than they had the previous two days.  It couldn't have been because they were tired (it was a fairly flat, easy day of riding).  I suspect they, like me, wanted to take a little extra time during this last lunch together to visit and even make another new friend or five(!).

Here's the 5 guys I was riding with as we were heading out from lunch back onto the road.  Once we got going - and especially after the next, and final, rest stop (where we did more visiting than hydrating or eating) - some more joined us and we had quite a train going for a while.

But eventually, as folks found their own rhythm, we were just the 6 of us again - with one added.  The "Group of 7" that rode together for the rest of the ride.

And what a ride it was - that last leg of GYGIG NY 2007.  Nice countryside, rolling hills and farmland, and sparse traffic.  Often all you could hear - other than the wind in your ears - was the hum of the tires and the meshing of gears.  Seven guys - most, if not all, with some form of IBD - riding together at a good steady pace, drinking in the sights and appreciating each person's commitment to the others in the paceline as well as to the purpose of the ride itself.  Pretty cool stuff.

All too soon though, the ride was over.  We finally arrived at Saratoga Springs, NY and with the city limit sign our helpful GYGIG signs were nowhere to be found (city ordinance).  But we found our way through town with the aid of something much better - other folks from the ride, crew and even some family members, pointing the way to our final destination - Skidmore College.  This final little bit was reminiscent of what we sometimes saw along the way during our three days - folks, sometimes only one or two at a time, cheering us on, clapping and yelling.  It was so inspirational and touching to realize that they thought enough of us and of this cause to take some time to come out and support us.  In times that always seem way too busy and overscheduled, that they'd make that sacrifice was really encouraging.  I just wish I'd gotten a pic of some of these folks - but anybody who rode knows what I'm talking about and will remember them.

So here we are - end of the ride - the Group of 7.

Though some of us just barely made it :^)  This is Caroline and Felipe - they finally arrived!! (actually not that far behind)

And here, for your viewing pleasure, is a video of the final rider coming in - the incomparable, courageous, and inspirational Emily (who is also a celebrity after being included in this year's official GYGIG video!) - riding in with her ever-present smile:

It's supposed to be a 210 mile ride.  I know it actually works out to be a little longer than that.  But I think, given my - ahem - detours, well, let's just say I got my money's worth out of the ride mile-wise.

While we were waiting for the last riders to come in and get changed, we had one last time visit and reminisce before the Closing Ceremony.  Judy had said the previous night that the "holding area" was key, that it was important that we all stay together and come in to the closing ceremony together.

At the time, I thought that made some sense, but I wasn't ready for the sight of all of us together, dressed in the same GYGIG shirts, demonstrating such unity with each other and against the diseases that we're fighting - for ourselves and for those that couldn't ride with us.  It was a pretty moving time.  I was glad we'd kept up a good pace and arrived early.  It was no punishment to "have to wait" for all the others - it was so inspirational to watch them all come in, each representing their own story of achievement either for themselves or another.

As we started riding in to the ceremony area, I thought - like a lot of us probably did - of graduation.  It's  the time of year for it and we'd certainly accomplished something to be proud of.

But the ceremony wasn't without its humor.  There's "Jon Doe" who gained such notoriety on Day 1, along with E - who thoughtfully broke her right wrist so that she, along with "JD", could make up one functioning typist, or piano player.  J is escorting them, but didn't break anything (thankfully!).

Here's a pic of the folks that make it happen - Julia (I'm glad I had a better pic of her at the top of this post, rather than just this one behind a post!), Leslie (all the way up from TX to help out), Judy (inimitable and incomparable), and Erica (the helpful and friendly intern).  I don't know how they managed it.  All the details must be overwhelming.  And to top it off, they even kept the rain at bay - until the ceremony was over and the BBQ started.  Certainly a dramatic end to a phenomenal weekend.

So that's Get Your Guts in Gear - New York Ride - 2007.  It's certainly not ALL I could have told you about that amazing weekend, but I hope I was able to convey at least some part of what the ride was all about.  As Judy promised, it was certainly "more than a ride."  It was a chance to meet and spend time with some extraordinary people - not only patients, but family and friends of patients as well.  It was an opportunity to reflect on how pervasive IBD really is, but even more importantly it was an opportunity to see how many have been able to overcome IBD with strength,  grace, and humor.  Of course, it was also about realizing that - as isolating as IBD can be - there is a community of people who are dealing with the same thing and spent days and weeks to come together - either to work their butts off as crew, or to raise funds for awareness and then ride their hearts out.  They are my heroes and will continue to be a source of inspiration.

If you or someone you know suffers with IBD, make plans now to join us in 2008.  I can absolutely guarantee it'll be an awesome ride.

For those of you keeping track, here are the stats for the day:

70.11 miles
16.2 mph avg
43.3 mph max
3,642' of climbing

Here's a map of the route we took on Day 3 (click for a larger view):

And here's the hill profile:

Be sure to click here if you want all the nitty gritty details of the ride, courtesy of my Garmin.

And remember, if you want more pics of the ride, ALL of my photos are in the "GYGIG NY 2007" link under "Photo Albums" in the right-hand column of this site.