CKYRPSA is Live!

I now have my license plate for the Tour de USA 2010 - CKYRPSA (Check Your PSA). Watch for me riding in the Los Angeles area and give me a shout. Better yet, a flick of the headlights. Anyone else feel inclined to use CKYRPSA on their state license plate?

2010 Tour de USA Official Route Posted

The route is finished and posted on the event website, Tour de USA. The next task is to finish the online event registration process and begin contacting sponsors. I’ll be going out to my various alumni groups, Virginia Military Institute, the American University, and the Anderson School at UCLA to see if anyone wants to take on the “challenge of their lives,” helping men focus on prostate cancer. Allez!

Route Map - Tour de USA 2010

It’s been a few days since I posted. I had arthroscopic knee surgery two weeks ago and that derailed me for a bit, but the knee feels great. The surgery was done at Kerlan-Jobe in Los Angeles and these guys are fantastic! I rode Dave for the first time today. Nice to be back in the saddle.

Here’s the map of the Tour de USA 2010 for prostate cancer awareness. More details will be following shortly, including a detailed day-by-day route listing, including stops. The Tour de USA 2010 registration site on the web will go live in December. Pass the word to your riding colleagues. I’m hoping to see every kind of motorcycle ever made (and still running) on this ride.

Go to http://www.tourdeusa.org and get on the mailing list for details.

Remember to test and track your PSA annually. Watch for the coming campaign to name our spokeswoman!

Making Progress on the Route

Hi All: It looks like I’ll be riding across the Texas panhandle at the end of August next year on my way back from Washington, DC. I’m timing the beginning of the trip so that I can dedicate a paver in the main street at Sturgis to the men who have died from prostate cancer. That date means that I’ll likely be crossing the panhandle the very last week of August, which should not be all that bad since the average high in August is 90 degrees. I now have someone helping me plan the project, a fellow UCLA Anderson alumus, so things should get better pretty quickly:-) I’ve had a number of people sign up for information about the trip. Please pass the word to your riding colleagues. I’m riding my Harley, but the ride is open to everyone. Watch the website for event participation signup information. I had my knee surgery this past week and the surgeon said I should be better than new in three months. Looking forward to it. I hope to see you along the Tour de USA® route!

Hog-Nuts, Diapers, and Parking Tickets

This weekend’s little Harley breakfast jaunt wound up at the Sidewalk Cafe in Venice , California, for coffee and brunch. Not much of a training ride, I’m afraid, but fun nonetheless. We collectively missed the parking restriction and individually received a $50 parking ticket. One parking space; three Hogs; three tickets. But the guy in diaper got away clean. Where’s the justice in that?:-) Life is Wonderful.

Ford a Possible Sponsor?

I’m just finishing three days in Las Vegas at the annual bicycling industry Interbike 2009 trade show, developing support for our bicycling prostate cancer awareness events and getting the word out about our new iPhone Application, MyBikeInfo. I had an opportunity to talk with the very gracious brand manager for the new Ford Transit Connect. This is great little vehicle that is perfect for the bicycling world and would be just the thing to serve as the chase vehicle for next summer’s Tour de USA transAmerica (and back) motorcycle tour. Ford supports a number of charity efforts and we’re hoping that we make the cut for our 2010 project. Visit our main website and join our mailing list for Tour de USA information.

Where's that Pesky Shifting Peg? It was Here Just a Moment Ago.

Just completed a skills training ride with my local HOG chapter, LA#1 HOG, to the Sagebrush Cantina in Calabasas, California. It was another beautiful southern California day and everyone was zipping along the freeway. Imagine my surprise as I moved the toe of my boot to upshift to fifth gear and my boot went through thin air. I looked down and there was the shift lever with no shift peg! So, just a bit of practice and I was able to shift down by pushing down with the heel of my boot on the top of the lever. Upshifting was doable, but took a bit more contortion to get the toe of my boot under the lever. We stopped for a break and, amazingly, one of the guys had a spare peg in his saddlebag. I stopped at Bartel’s Harley in Venice on the way home and I now have two spare pegs in my saddlebags. My experience as an Army helicopter pilot should have reminded me that unless the bolts on vibrating things are secured with cotter pins or loctite and slippage marks, they will come loose at some point. So, my “pre-flgiht” will be more complete and loctite is now in my bags. 11 months before I launch on the Tour de USA for prostate cancer awareness. Check out our website at TourdeUSA.org.