prologue

It’s been just over three months since Sha and I pedaled into Paris, wet, cold, excited and relieved. A lot has happened since that time; I’ve started and finished contract work, we’ve re-established contact with friends, tried to catch up on our affairs. In other words, our lives have returned to normal.

What I haven’t done is write about the trip. Though some may find it hard to believe, there are a few things that I am a perfectionist about, things that are very important to me. I’m afraid that I won’t be able to tell the story. I won’t be able to find the words to describe the experience. There are some great photos on this site, but, as with any picture, it’s not the same as living it. I’m going to do my best, and hopefully you will get a sense of how amazing this experience was for us.

This was the hardest thing that Sharona and I have ever done, and perhaps, the most rewarding. Together, Sharona and I struggled for months to prepare ourselves physically, mentally, and financially to make it happen. We each had to overcome very difficult obstacles.

Before she started training, Sha had been suffering from a bursitis in her hip. She couldn’t even sit down comfortably. Her first “ride” was when her physical therapist put her on a stationary bike for five minutes. Throughout her training, she was constantly questioning whether or not she would be able to make it through Europe.

For me, the scary part of training was the fund raising. It’s very difficult for me to ask for money, even when I believe in the cause as much as I do with this one. The notion of raising $10,000 seemed impossible to me. As the ride was nearing, and we had about $6K in donations, Sha and I decided that if we didn’t raise enough money, she would ride and I would join the crew. In the end, the immense generosity of our donors brought in a total of almost $14,000. This site is dedicated to you, and to your immense compassion towards helping find a cure and save millions of lives. As much as I love these rides, I look forward to a time when they are no longer necessary. You have brought us that much closer.