2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure
Sunday, June 8th, 2014
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I have had a serious case of “writer’s block” for some reason on this post. This year was my 6th and best Napa Valley Tour de Cure so far. I didn’t make my best time, but I had loads of fun and got to meet some really wonderful new friends. Also this year, thanks to the generous support of my friends (old & new), I finally hit the Champion fundraising level ($1,000+).
Saturday, May 3rd, I helped out with pre-registration in the morning and then in the evening for the Champions Dinner.
Champions Dinner
Riders who raise $1,000 or more are Champions to Stop Diabetes. In my 6 years of riding the Tour de Cure, this was my first Champions Dinner! The tireless efforts of both staff and volunteers make this event even that much more special. I only got a few photos …
Sharon, Kim, & Desiree
Phil & Desiree
Desiree and Phil arranged for loads of donated raffle prizes for the Champions: wine (of course, this is the Napa Valley Tour de Cure, after all!), a bike, gift cards, local hand-made jewelry and a quilt are just some of the prizes. I’ll have a full list soon and will post that.
The food was amazing – for starters during registration, we had some absolutely gorgeous smoked salmon! I was busy so I did not get many photos, and those few photos I did get, did not come out very well, but here are a few …
Polenta
Smoked Salmon
Smoked Salmon
For entrees, we had a choice of:
Pork Tenderloin
Stuffed Chicken Breast
Risotto
This was a terrific kickoff to the ride!
Day of Event – The Ride!
Gearing Up for the Day!
Starting Line with Sharon
On the course
As always, the rest stops were well stocked with cheerful volunteers, lots of great food, and happy cyclists.
Refreshing, juicy oranges
Trail Mix
Crunchy, salty pretzels
“Energy” Bars
Sports Beans
More “Energy” Bars
We also had bananas, apples, peanut butter or almond butter sandwiches, and lots of water and Cytomax available. Last year we had the GoMacro Macrobars for the first time. The GoMacro products are vegan and gluten-free, so I was a bit skeptical because I am a classic Crunchy Peanut Butter Clif Bar kinda’ gal, but one bite of these new bars changed my mind. I like these and they sit well in my belly on a long ride.
Trancas Steakhouse served lunch at The Fieldstone Winery rest stop to the 80 and 100-mile riders. They were making quesadillas and tacos – these were hugely popular among many of the cyclists!
Mmm … tacos …
Happy cyclists!
Trancas Steakhouse also served the post-ride meal. I had the pasta and meatballs, Caesar salad, sourdough bread, and lots and lots of watermelon. That hit the spot!
Another great Tour de Cure!
If you’ve never done an organized ride and want to try one, this is the best organized ride I’ve ridden.
Everything about it is terrific – the volunteers, the route, the food and beverage, the camaraderie of the riders, and most of all it’s for a great cause.
To find a Tour de Cure in your area, check it out here.
If you can’t ride and you’re interested in volunteering, click here.
I hope to see you there next year!
