PP4P: Post-Pedal for Paws

I can't believe it's over.

After over a year of planning, preparation, and hard work, Pedal for Paws 2010 is now in the rear view mirror.  We did our best to anticipate every need, pay attention to every detail, while having very little idea of how it would all work out.

But WOW!  We were absolutely overwhelmed by the outpouring of support, the number of folks that chipped in to help, and the number of cyclists that came out to ride.  The picture-perfect weather conditions certainly helped, but words really do fail to describe adequately the mixture of emotions I felt that day.

They ran the gamut, but the strongest emotion was joy.  Joy at seeing so many support such a great cause, joy at seeing the smiles on all the kids' faces - many riding in their first charity event, joy at knowing that all the effort paid off in so many ways.

The only regret I have of the whole day is that I wasn't there to see a lot of it firsthand.  During registration, SDC and I were out doing some last-minute signing, and during most of lunch we were out riding as "sweep."  But the pictures on blogs and Facebook tell the story that I wasn't there in person to see.  And the calls from Mrs. SOC and Mrs. SDC that came in while we were out sounded like dispatches from The Front - but it was all GOOD news: "Registration is beyond expectations!"  "We've actually run out of waivers and cue sheets and have to make more!" "Everybody is having such a GREAT time!"

We had hoped to get 100-150 riders.  Just over 200 registered.  We had feared we wouldn't have enough food.  Folks raved at the dessert choices and we had more than enough.  Even the parking went smoothly.

Not everything was perfect, but for a first-time event I think - from my perspective anyway - it was about as perfect as we could reasonably expect.  There's a long, and growing, list of things we'll do differently.  We'll iron out the glitches and Pedal for Paws will be even better next year.

But, for now, I'm just basking in the afterglow.  To know we have so many wonderful friends and that so many support the mission of Forgotten Felines is heartwarming in the extreme.

So THANK YOU!  If you came to ride, if you registered knowing you couldn't ride, if you helped in any way to make this event the success it was,

THANK YOU so very very much.

Comments

[Asher]

Congratulations on the success of Pedal for Paws! My cat thanks you for working to help out his less-fortunate 'brothers and sisters of the fur' way up there in Connecticut!