It is Race Across America (RAAM) eve. The pre-race excitement here in Oceanside, California is infectious, our entire crew has come down with it. The butterflies in my tummy started this afternoon as I contemplated Brian Toone peddling across this beautiful country with our Team Toone Crew, Hope for Gabe Foundation’s Ride4Gabe Crew, and cycling friends worldwide supporting Brian.
As we make our way to Annapolis, Maryland we are “Racing for Accelerated Access to Medicine”; spreading Hope for Gabe Foundation’s Ride4Gabe III campaign that affects so many with rare diseases, Hope for Gabe Foundation Races Across America to Bring Awareness to 11,599% Price Increase for Children’s Drug.
Please keep Brian and our team in your thoughts and prayers as we embark on this tremendous journey together. Your encouragement and support means everything, especially when it seems as if the whole race is uphill.
Brian is scheduled to cross the start line at 1:14 pm Pacific time on June 13th, 2017. Follow us, live track us, and join us as Brian cycles coast to coast one pedal stroke at a time in the world’s toughest bicycle race!
Written by Amy White
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After months (and months) of planning for Race Across America 2017, our Hope For Gabe/Team Toone RV departed Hoover, Alabama heading westward Wednesday morning!
Jeffrey and I stopped at the Alabama Mississippi line for a quick selfie, meeting two truly amazing gentlemen also snapping memories at the state line. They were from Florida, heading to Alaska by motorcycle for another adventure. Flat Stanley was along for the ride from their local school. Turns out, one of our new friends [see above, right] is also a bicycle enthusiast. He knew instantly we were RAAM bound, sharing that he’d been invited multiple times to crew since he was friends with one of the RAAM owners. We chatted about riding a bicycle over 3,000 miles, as if completely oblivious to the fact we were standing in the grass off Interstate 22.
There is something different about cyclists; we never meet a stranger, just another friend that shares the special perspective of seeing the world at a slower pace. As Jeffrey and I walked back to the RV, we both marveled at the odds of running into fellow RAAM fans at such a random place. We agreed coincidences aren’t really, then we trekked on feeling even more excited about our Race Across America journey.
Click here to find out more about the Hope for Gabe Foundation at www.h4g.us
Written by Amy White
"You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to." Bilbo Baggins
