Mellow Johnny's

More video from the Palmetto Peloton Project's Challenge to Conquer Cancer ride. A quick video tour of Lance Armstrong's Austin bicycle shop, "Mellow Johnny's". A cool shop with some pretty good coffee.



I wondered what type of service I'd find there. Was this just a "tourist trap" for catching Lance fans? Well, they were very helpful. I needed a new mount for my Garmin 705 and while they didn't have one in stock, they looked to find a solution. Ultimately, they cannibalized a full unit to help me get what I needed.

It is a honest to goodness LBS.

Bicycles and racecars

Today I am in North Carolina with my parents. I'm here for Mothers' Day as well as to attend the race in Darlington tonight. The place were I grew up is just a little over the SC/NC border, so it is a short drive down I-95 to the Track to Tough to Tame -- or The Lady in Black. I'm pretty excited about going.

I'm also excited because I am already up to $780 in pledges for the Ride for Mike 2007! I'll update the number on the site once I get back to highspeed access. This dial up business is for the birds!

Well, I'm going off line to enjoy the time here with my family and then I'll be heading to Darlington for a COT race under the lights!

My ride for Mike

Hey, would you join me on my Ride for Mike? No, you don't have to get on a bike and pedal, but you can go with me in spirit. It's for a good cause and a great guy!

Mike is a friend that I met while working at BJU. He's a young guy - about 15 years my junior - but has a great sense of humor and is a big NASCAR fan. He is a youth pastor in North Carolina. He's married and has a beautiful little girl.

Oh, he also has a brain tumor.



To make a long story short, while Mike and I worked together, he would have frequent headaches. It never seemed to dampen his spirits, but you could tell something was bothering him. After leaving to go to his position as a youth pastor, things got worse and he went to the doctor.

That is when the discovered the tumor and attacked it aggressively. After surgery (that lead to some major complications) and chemo treatment, it really was a miracle that Mike was recovering. We were SO excited! However, just a few weeks ago, we learned the tumor had returned to about the same size as before.

Mike is a fighter. He will continue to battle this. It is just so helpless to not be able to do anything to change his circumstance. I just have the need to do something!

That is where the Ride for Mike 2007 comes in.

I rode in the Palmetto Peloton Project last year. At the time I was participating just because it was my first opportunity at a metric century. I wasn't thinking about the cause that the ride supported.

This year is different. I want to raise as much money as I can to go to the Greenville Hospital System Oncology Research Institute and the Lance Armstrong Foundation. In the process I want it to represent Mike. In my dreams, I would raise the most money for the project and it would stand along with my ride as a tribute a great guy who I miss.

Will you consider helping me? You can go to the Ride for Mike 2007 Web site or go directly to the Palmetto Peloton Project site. Click on the donate option and be sure to designate me, Jonathan Pait, as the rider to which you are contributing.

Thank you very much!

This one is for Mike

Today I registered to ride in the Palmetto Peloton Project. Last year was my first ride. It was my first metric century.

This year the ride takes on new meaning. My friend, Mike McCaskill, has been battling cancer since that time. Now I have a greater reason to help raise some funds for cancer research.

Dear Cyclist, Thank you for accepting the challenge to be a part of the 2007 Palmetto Peloton Project! This year’s event is themed the Stars and Stripes Challenge. We challenge you to be courageous, be bold and be strong! Conquer the route of the US Pro Cycling Championship while helping to support cancer advocacy and research initiatives. Over the last two years, with the help of cyclists like you, the Palmetto Peloton Project has raised over $100,000 for cancer research and advocacy efforts. We are grateful for your efforts to solicit contributions for this meaningful cause. With your help, the Palmetto Peloton Project can reach the 2007 fundraising goal of $165,000. Proceeds will support the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the Oncology Research Institute of the Greenville Hospital System. The Lance Armstrong Foundation is committed to providing tools and resources that people living with cancer need to LIVESTRONG. The Oncology Research Institute is embarking on cutting edge cancer research. With your help, we will support these organizations in their continued efforts to make a difference in the fight against cancer. The battle against cancer is significant and grows everyday. This year, more than 1.3 million Americans will be diagnosed with the disease. One in three people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. We are passionate about our efforts to support cancer advocacy, education and research. Our cause is important and we believe that we can make a difference in the lives of those battling cancer today and the lives of those who are diagnosed with cancer tomorrow. The Palmetto Peloton Project is a 501 (3)(c) organization. Please visit the P3 website at www.P3ride.org for resources and tools to help you raise funds for your challenge. This year we have added on line donation options for your sponsors and hope to keep you informed up to the minute on your fundraising efforts! Thank you again for supporting the Palmetto Peloton Project! Very Sincerely, Palmetto Peloton Project