Patti's Paladins Blog

Patti's Paladins Top 10 (of 62) Fundraisers as of 11:55 PM 8/10/2009

2009-08-11T00:02:00.000-04:00

Gordon Wean $2,925.00
Kris Sinnenberg $2,230.00
Michael Substelny $1,300.00
Kevin Duden $1,241.00
Christina Getrost $1,078.00
Lisa Alexander $1,040.00
Melanie Getrost $891.00
Buddy O'Connor $785.00
Janet Loeffler $521.00
Alex Pesta $485.00

Patti's Paladins Top Ten Fundraisers

2009-08-02T22:22:00.003-04:00

According to my 8/2, 10:14 PM download of money already turned in to the National MS Society:
Gordon Wean - $2,825
Kris Sinnenberg - $1,630
Christina Getrost - $821
Melanie McGee Getrost - $791
Kevin Duden - $781.00
Lisa Alexander - $690.00
Mike Substelny - $625.00
Buddy O'Connor - $515.00
Janet Loeffler - $421.00
Carrie Emch - $365.00

Congrats to the 23, including these, who have their $250 turned in already!

Remember, to get a Cedar Point, Soak City, or Star Lanes ticket, your $250 should be turned in by August 7!

Uniforms 2009

2009-07-12T23:43:00.003-04:00

Jackets!

We’ll decorate it with the usual team logo-age, unless a sponsor steps up or someone has a better idea. $15 each.

T-Shirts
We’ll also offer the same cornflower blue 50/50 t-shirts that we offered last year for the usual low low price of $5 each.

Jerseys
We have a LIMITED NUMBER of the jerseys we received in 2006 for winning the Team Challenge championship.
We have 2 smalls and 6 extra larges. All synthetic, 1/4 zip, three rear pockets. FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. $20 each, all of which will go to the National MS Society.

Please specify sizes and number of each size when ordering from your captains. We’ll do our best to confirm each order. Pay on delivery. Order deadline for the jackets and tees is July 26.

HOTEL INFORMATION

2009-07-08T16:35:00.006-04:00

Arrangements have been made with the Sandusky Inn and Suites hotel for our team for the Pedal To The Point. The rate is 129.99 plus tax. (The hotel is the former Best Western that we stayed at a few years back.) Please call the hotel to make reservations and mention you are with the Pedal to the Point and Patti’s Paladins. Rooms will go fast, so make your reservations early. (Louise is our contact in case you want to ask for her.)

Here is the Info and the website:

Sandusky Inn and Suites
US 6 - 1530 Cleveland Road, Sandusky, Ohio,44870-4302, US.

Hotel Front Desk: 419/625-9234 Hotel Fax: 419/625-9971

http://www.sanduskyinnandsuites.com/

Dictionary.com Word of the day

2009-04-23T10:09:00.002-04:00

You may have heard this word used once or twice before...

Http://dictionary1.classic.reference.com/wordoftheday/archive/2009/04/23.html

More Sundays should be like this.

2009-04-07T00:08:00.002-04:00

Today = Cold and snow. XP

Yesterday wasn't exactly warm either, but it was better than today.

It was pretty chill when I got up and paid the bills. It was better when I
started layering up to go biking with my wife and other folks from my bikeMS
team. Then when I went outside to prep our bikes, I was pleasantly
surprised by the warmth of the sun.

Right about noon, Rebecca and I rode out the driveway and over to Mike and
Patti's house. They had generously volunteered to host not only the ride
start, but surprise cake and ice cream for Chris's daughter Cassidy. Al was
already there when we arrived, and then Tim came over from next door with
his daughter Nina. Chirs and Cassidy arrived, and when she _finally_ came
inside, she was very surprised. Plus she got a new bike - her first one without a coaster brake.

So a little while later, all fuelled up on cake and ice cream, Patti, Mike,
Rebecca, Al, Chris, Cassidy and I all set out for the Walk+Roll event
downtown. OK, Patti was only scootering up to CVS, but she rode out with
us, anyway.

A block or two after Patti turned off, as we waited to regroup, three other
ride came up on us: Nicholas, who works at my second job with me, his wife
Marie, and their friend Ben. After a small amount of persuading, we
convinced them to join us on our way. :-) The more the merrier, right?

We rode down a few more backstreets, then down Edgehill and across the new Cornell Rd overpass (still closed to cars, but open to pedestrians and bikes. Be careful at the north end of the bridge, though! It's not a smooth transition through there yet.) At some point as we cruise past the back side of UH and up Adelbert, Chris and Cassidy decided to turn back.

The rest of us were treated to the 'new' Euclid Avenue bike lanes. I think they've been there since last summer sometime. Anyway, they were great discovery for some of us, a new adventure for all, I think, at least this far east. Marie had just been wishing for bike lanes on Adelbert, too. :-) They were comfortably wide, remarkably clean, and in retrospect, I was shocked at how few times we were stopped at red lights! I was disappointed that the lanes ended somewhere as we rode through the CSU campus, but there's still miles of bike lane that I'd never ridden before.

We passed Sam and Laura (teammates) going the other way on our way downtown.

So I was under the impression that the Walk+Roll event was stretching all the way from Public Square to Playhouse Square. I was a little worried as we rolled up on Playhouse Square and I didn't see much of anything going on, and then suddenly, to my right, there were ponies! Real, live, tiny ponies so small I could straddle them and still not be sitting on them. This was the "Designarosa" set up by Pop-Up City at 13th and Euclid. They had the band Heelsplitter, free food and drink, info on upcoming Walk+Rolls, some merchadise to sell, and a table from the Hooper farm in Tremont. It was pretty slick set up, if smaller than I had imagined.

While I was there I was introduced to Al's friend Brandon, who is interested in Pedalling to the Point with Patti's Paladins this summer. I also met Brandon's girl, but I am embarrassed to tell you that I forgot her name.

Rebecca and I also made the aquaintance of the fencer Sara. She was dressed up in period clothes with a cape and a sword and drawn-on mustache and beard. Very fun.

Then across the street on Star Plaza, there was bike decorating and hula-hooping and sidewalk chalk and hopscotch, all presided over by Genna, who has been a "people I may know" for months, and is now a person I DO know. :-)

I also got to shake hands with a couple of guys i've met at Ohio City Bike Co-op events, and then ran into Kevin (yes, yet another teammate) and got to catch up with him for a few minutes before the temperature started to drop and force us all on our way.

All in all, biking with old friends and making new friends was a very pleasant way to spend a very pleasant afternoon.

This coming weekend is shot for me doing holiday family things, so I won't be organizing a ride.
Next, ideally, will likely be the east side Ride for the Earth from Shaker Square to the Zoo hosted by OCBC and Earth Day Coalition. http://www.earthdaycoalition.org/documents/W-B09Sml.pdf

I'm also told to look for some GPS-based scavenger hunts, breakfast rides and a trip to a delicious muffin shop later this summer. I can't wait!

Your President is calling you.

2009-01-20T23:43:00.001-05:00

Hey, gang!

Mr. Obama's first proclamation reads: "NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 20, 2009, a National Day of Renewal and Reconciliation, and call upon all of our citizens to serve one another and the common purpose of remaking this Nation for our new century." (Read the whole thing here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/a_national_day_of_renewal_and_reconciliation/)

So here's your opportunity to serve: Register for the 2009 Bike MS Pedal to the Point before January 31, 2009 for just $20! This is a DEEP discount over the regular $45 fee. You can register online, mail in a downloaded registration form or call the office at 800-667-7131. If you register online, be sure to use the coupon code RIDER to get the $20 rate.Bike MS Pedal to the Point 2009 will take place August 15 - 16, 2009. The start/finish location is Polaris Career Center which is just down the road from the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds. The lunch and overnight locations will remain the same as last year.Registered so far: Lisa Alexander, Don Bales, Sam Bell, MJ Formoso, Rebecca, Rick, Richard Jester, Kevin Madzia, Kris Sinnenberg, Brian Sobola, Chris Strobbe, and Gordon Wean.
If you registered, and you don't see your name here, tell me, and I'll get it fixed.

Rebecca and I got a nice surprise in the mail - a 2009 Bike MS Calendar. The surprise part is that Patti's Paladins are the big picture on the November 2009 page! See it online here: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=216915&l=f756c&id=1377627646. If you didn't get one and you want one, I can get more for $5 each.

Only one person responded to me about the St. Patrick's Day parade, so I didn't do anything about it.

I got people working on this year's hotel already, hopefully avoiding that last minute stuff from last year.

Anybody want to be in charge of uniforms? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Winter Bike commuting Lesson of the Day

2009-01-14T09:53:00.000-05:00

Just sharing...

http://carlessohio.org/2009/01/13/winter-bike-commuting-lesson-of-the-day/

2009-01-06T23:19:00.001-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

OK, next holiday: Are any of you interested in bicycling in the St Patrick's Day Parade this year? I need to know, like, NOW, because the application deadline is the 10th of THIS MONTH.

Then later this summer: [Sorry, Matt! I'm lifting this almost verbatim from your notification] you have the opportunity to register for Bike MS Pedal to the Point 2009 at the special registration fee of $20. This reduced rate will only be available until January 31, 2009. After that date, you will have to pay the full registration fee of $45. Team Captains - be sure to get your team members from the 2008 ride registered before the fee increases. [I am a team captain, and I'm trying to get my team members registered before the fee increases! ONLY 25 DAYS LEFT!]
You can register online, mail in a downloaded registration form or call the office at 800-667-7131. If you register online, be sure to use the coupon code RIDER to get the $20 fee.
Bike MS Pedal to the Point 2009 will take place August 15 - 16, 2009. The start/finish location is Polaris Career Center which is just down the road from the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds. The lunch and overnight locations will remain the same.
Registered so far: Lisa Alexander, Don Bales, Sam Bell, Rebecca, Rick, Kris Sinnenberg, and Gordon Wean.

But right now, after you register, check this out: rails-to-trails conservancy is lobbying the new congress to include bicycle and pedestrian projects in the economic stimulus infrastructure thingy. For more accurate verbage, details, and/or to sign the petition, follow this link: http://support.railstotrails.org/recovery. Please don't let my cursory treatment erode your support for this important effort. Do check it out. (Thanks, Deb, for pointing this out to me.)

Math lesson

2008-10-07T09:58:00.003-04:00

Today the MS website says we have collected $46,346.79 for the National MS Society, and one rider has informed me of $500 that isn't showing on his page yet. That's $46,846.79.

I just found a page from the Society telling me how much certain things cost. For instance, "$10,000 will provide a ramp at their home for 4 individuals living with MS." That's $2500 per ramp, which means we provided the means, potentially, for 18, almost 19 people to get ramps.

"$8300 will provide a stairway lift for 3 individuals..." We funded 16, almost 17 stairway lifts.

"$6000 will provide group therapy for 33 couples..."! 257 couples! That's a LOT of therapy!

An electric scooter is $1400. We could have funded 33 electric scooters, and gotten change.

A lightweight manual wheelchair is $450. $46,846.79 buys 104 of those!

$975 provides vehicle hand controls for 1 person with MS. $46,846.79 provides controls for 48.

$208 provides a wheeled walker with seat. $46,846.79 provides 225 walkers!

Now, these numbers don't quite jive with the numbers on http://bikeoha.nationalmssociety.org/site/PageServer?pagename=BIKE_OHA_BuckeyeBigBucks, but (a) my source for both sets is the National MS Society, and (b) the paper page I'm reading from is much more specific.

I don't know how much research $46,846.79 buys, or how many doses of what medicines. I do know it pays for almost half of the chapter president's salary according to Charity Navigator.

If you're really into specifics, you can do all the math again for 81% of $46,846.79, which is the portion of our collection that goes to programming, and not admin or fundraising costs.

Still, no matter how you slice it, we did some good again this year.

Maybe I'll see you all at lunch on Saturday! http://oha.nationalmssociety.org/site/Calendar/2035680079?view=Detail&id=163822

Ride on!

Not No. 1, but I'll take it.

2008-10-01T13:53:00.004-04:00

We beat Mellen. :-)

It looks like we are the #1 "Friends & Family" team and the #3 team overall in this year's bike MS Pedal to the Point.

1 - Team Developers Diversified ($83,413.00)
2 - Team Deloitte Cleveland ($60,878.28)
3 - Patti's Paladins ($46,346.79)
4 - Team Mellen ($42,939.78)
5 - Team Parker ($34,690.00)
6 - Blu Team ($24,823.00)
7 - ONE * ($22,356.00)
8 - Jo-Ann ($20,663.00)
9 - Chariots of Fire ($19,160.14)
10 - The Bee's Hive ($18,676.00)

Additionally, 16 Paladins (plus Rebecca and myself) acheived Top Fundraiser status. That's one third of the team.

Wean, Gordon $4,091.66
Ogonek, Donna $3,900.00
Substelny, Michael $3,200.00
Sinnenberg, Kris $3,050.00
Mazzone, Tom $2,652.00
Bales, Don $2,250.00
Formoso, Mj $1,854.84
O'Connor, Daniel (Buddy) $1,695.00
Alexander, Lisa $1,538.92
Duden, Kevin $1,537.00
Bell, Sam $1,375.00
Propp, David $1,355.00
Petti, Anne $1,154.20
Tejada, Angelito $1,050.00
Learn, Ethan $1,026.00
Brennan, Martha $1,025.00

My teammates ROCK.

Quotation of the Day for September 14, 2008

2008-09-15T10:20:00.003-04:00

"Bicycling is the nearest approximation I know to the flight of birds. The airplane simply carries a man on its back like an obedient Pegasus; it gives him no wings of his own."

- Louis J. Helle, Jr., Spring in Washington.

Quotation of the Day for September 8, 2008

2008-09-08T09:00:00.001-04:00

"Bicycling is a big part of the future. It has to be. There's something wrong with a society that drives a car to workout in a gym." - Bill Nye, the Science Guy.

Journey of a lifetime

2008-08-26T00:02:00.000-04:00

PENINSULA - Kevin Madzia and Ray Query left Cleveland Sunday afternoon to begin an 8-month journey to Ushuaia, Argentina.
And the pair from Northeast Ohio packed light because 15,000 miles is a long way to ride a bicycle.

Continue reading...

The Heights Observer

2008-08-15T00:11:00.002-04:00

The Heights Observer has featured us on their website. Check it out!

http://www.heightsobserver.org/read/1/5/a-poster-child-speaks-out

WOOO!

2008-08-15T00:05:00.001-04:00

We got 50!

Red Green RIDES!

2008-08-14T11:00:00.002-04:00

Uncle Red "pimps" his bicycle. 3 and a half minutes on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP3xiLKJ9_4

Greater Cleveland Triathlon Olympic

2008-08-12T15:48:00.002-04:00

The top 10 finishers of the Greater Cleveland Triathlon, Olympic Distance, are as follows:

1 Mark Durno (T-1:53), 39, Fairview Park, OH 1:55:58
2 Matt Cymanski (T 2:00), 17, Hiram, OH 1:56:56
3 Bill Marut, 44, Painesville, OH 2:01:05
4 Jeff Guise (T-1:03), 21, Westlake, OH 2:03:25
5 Mark Siegel, 45, Solon, OH 2:04:54
6 Ian Hoffman, 40, Cleveland Heights, OH 2:05:09
7 Patrick Berardencei, 27, Medina, OH 2:05:45
8 Zachary Lewis, 32, Cleveland, OH 2:05:58
9 Martha Brennan, 38*, E Cleveland Oh 2:06:04
10 Aaron Campbell, 37, North Olmsted, OH 2:06:45

I'm telling you this because #6 Ian Hoffman and #9 Martha Brennan are both your teammates and mine in Patti's Paladins! Martha was the first female finisher!

The Olympic Distance or International Distance Race consisted of a .75 Mile Swim, 23 Mile Bike and a 10K Run. The race was this past Sunday, August 1o, in Mentor and surrounds.

Congrats to both of our competitors!

OooooooSHINY!!!! Part 2. The Next Day. Finally. Mission Accomplished: Now, Where's MY Flightsuit?

2008-08-07T01:23:00.004-04:00

Rick demonstrates the reflective effect of the "pattispaladins(dot)com" decal on the back of one of the t-shirts. It's all glowy! Nice and visible in our car's headlights, unlike our beloved mascot Sir Highwheeler, just above it!

Totally worth the extra 2 hours it took to apply; safety is REALLY important!

Check out the time stamp... we're a little punchy. (Just a little!) But the deed is done and done well. Thanks to Mike Kechisen and Transfer Express (and Rick for working a hard newbie shift at the presses), we're going to be one well-turned-out bike team!!

Paladins jersey pour Homme. Or summat...

2008-08-07T01:07:00.000-04:00

Reverse! Modeled by my own Co-Captain, it looks marvelous.

Much attention to detail has been paid. The website decal is special hi-reflective stuff for greater visibility.

Frankly, I just like to look at my husband, so this picture is partially gratuitous.

The finished product. With more to go.

2008-08-07T00:08:00.000-04:00

Front and back. Bath and fork. Yow. I think my eyes crossed there, a li'l bit...

This project is taking a million years. But the shirts and jerseys look sooooo awesome.

So so SO cool.

We're ImPRESSed... or Well on Our Way!

2008-08-06T21:50:00.000-04:00

Sir Highwheeler makes his first appearance of the evening on a woman's bike jersey. Looks good. Looks speedy!

Hot Off the Press!

2008-08-06T21:39:00.000-04:00

A pile of men's jerseys, ready for the next bit of logo-age. I think the next decal we do is Sir Highwheeler.

Oooo! SHINY!!

2008-08-06T20:48:00.000-04:00

THIS year, the Paladins website is going on our shirts. With reflective stuff, for added visibility! Marketing and safety first!

Fast Hand on Our Speedy Blue Jerseys

2008-08-06T20:42:00.002-04:00

Mike's hand (upper left-hand corner of the pic) is a blur, and the room is getting warmer, as we print the Paladins' jerseys and t-shirts for this year's Pedal to the Point to beat MS.