Wings of Hope-- a ride that is more exciting and important than mine

The days are few and far between, but every once in a while, one experiences a humbling, emotionally moving experience. Today at the bike shop was one such day.

It all started at about 2:30 in the afternoon. The day had been slow up to that point and I had just returned from lunch. A woman abrubtly walked in.

"I need a bike," she said, quite directly.

"Oh, okay. Well,"

"No, I need a bike, any bike will do." She smiled and talked in a fast, excited clip.

"I have a bike ride next week. A charity ride."

"Can I have a bike today?"


Ah, I knew. Deb (the co-owner of Bicycles East) reminded me of the name of said charity ride: The Wings of Hope, this next Sunday, September 19th at Lime Rock Park!

Sharon also told me she wanted a bike she could ride on trails. She owned a Jeep Wrangler X, so we determined that the Trek Skye SL would be just the right bike: an excellent combination of off-road and on-road handling.

Sharon also treated herself to just about every accessory she would ever need so that her bike could be sufficiently decked out for the ride next week. As she was doing so, who else could show up but Eileen Gillan, organizer of said event!

Eileen was picking up some extra bicycles for the event. The ride is humbling, very touching, and very moving. Lime Rock Park in Lakeville is the site of Paul Newman's race track. On Sunday the 19th, The Reach for the Stars Cancer Survivorship program will hold a ride --Doctors and nurses will ride with pediatric cancer patients around the track.


Eileen and Sharon hit it off right away. It's truly a great cause to be a part. Eileen, an oncologist, told me about one of her patients who intended to ride from Connecticut to California after her chemotherapy. She made it as far as Virginia before her legs gave out.

Hey, everybody who fights cancer is a winner in my book. I was just a small part of the equation today. I helped someone find the right bike for their needs, and hearing Eileen's story-- sometimes words fail to describe all the positive energy that took place today.

Eileen knew that if I could, I'd be riding with the Wings of Hope next week. Who wouldn't? Hey, I'll be there next year. It's too important to miss. All are welcome to come and participate. One would be hard pressed to imagine a more noble cause than that. You can register at WingsofHope.Kintera.org.

~KM