The Amgen People's Coast Classic (TAPCC)

Getting Ready for 2012!

2012-01-26T11:37:00.001-08:00

We're ramping up for another year of The Amgen People's Coast Classic. Lots of small things happening behind the scenes to get ready for upcoming expo's (Seattle and Portland), our poster and brochure (hitting a bike shop near you in April), print ads in Outside, Sunset, Adventure Cyclist, NW and Rocky Mountain Tour Guides, BicyclePaper, Velonews.com, and BikePortland.org.

Need something to help you forget about the winter blues? Check out the slideshow from our 2011 event and get registered for 2012!

2011 TAPCC Day 2 Slideshow

2011-10-07T23:12:00.000-07:00

Just for our riders: The Co-Motion Promotion!

2011-10-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

Ride an Oregon-built bike down the Oregon Coast! If you're coming to The Amgen People's Coast Classic with your bike, you can bring it with you or have it shipped to our ride support mechanics at Bike Newport, who will bring it out to the start line for you. If you're in the market for a new bike, why not save the hassle and expense of bringing your bike by taking advantage of our Co-Motion promotion?! TAPCC registered riders will get to take advantage of a once-a-year sale held by Bike Newport ONLY for our participants. Here's how it works:

Sign up for The Amgen People's Coast Classic!
Head on over to Co-Motion's website and check out the Nor'Wester, Nor'Wester Tour, or Speedster tandem.
Call Elliott at Bike Newport (541) 265-9917. Let him know you're registered and that you would like to order a new Co-Motion! You will receive special pricing below MSRP, only available through Bike Newport as part of this event.
You can choose from any standard Co-Motion paintjob, or a special paint-job just for TAPCC riders. You can also choose to make it a Co-Pilot travel bike with all the necessary travel accessories.
Your new Co-Motion bike will be waiting for you at the start line in Astoria or Newport. Elliott is a certified fit technician and will provide a fitting session for you prior to the start of the ride OR will match the bike to the measurements you've provided from your old bike. You may want to bring your pedals, saddles, and other riding accessories to be fitted on the bike or make sure to let Elliott know you need them ordered with delivery.
If there are any minor fit issues during the ride, Elliott will work with you throughout the ride to make sure the bike is fitting correctly.
After the ride, you'll either take your new bike home, or Bike Newport will ship it home for you!

Conditions: Purchase must be made through Bike Newport, not another authorized Co-Motion dealer. Order must be completed by July 1st to guarantee delivery at event start line. Delivery can only be taken at the start line or at Bike Newport's retail location so that we don't directly compete with other Co-Motion dealers. Bikes paid for, but not picked up, will be shipped to any participant who has met their fundraising goal. This is a very limited opportunity and Bike Newport will be providing a significant discount below MSRP!

2011 TAPCC Day 1 Slideshow

2011-10-02T22:46:00.001-07:00

Tour Post - Day Six - The Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-09-18T12:09:00.000-07:00

Friday, September 16 – Arizona Beach to Brookings

We made it!, 374 miles, "6 Days of Cycling to end a Lifetime of Pain"

Well it doesn’t seem like that long ago we all started off in Astoria. All the riders were decked out in their Amgen People’s Coast Classic gear and looking good and of course there was this great caravan of support vehicles (equipment truck, shower truck, Newport Bike’s support trailer etc.) and support people; DuVine Adventures, Arthritis Foundation staff and some great individual volunteers.

We were quite a sight pulling out of Astoria and we were quite a sight crossing the finish line in Brookings as well.

Day Six was a relatively short ride of 45 miles along the Old Coast Road and over the Rogue River bridge into the town of Gold Beach. From there we headed south to Brookings and the finish line where the celebration began.

As always it is tough to say goodbye to friends both old and new but in the end we packed ourselves up and into the motorcoach and headed back north where some people flew home and some people drove home with great memories of the 2011 Amgen People’s Coast Classic and the thought of next year’s event, which will be here before we know it.

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Tour Post - Day Five - The Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-09-16T12:06:00.000-07:00

Thursday, September 15 – North Bend to Arizona Beach

Day Five of The Amgen People’s Coast Classic totaled 69 miles and took us along a route that encompassed a number of great beaches, which were perfect places to relax and get a great photo. Lunch time had us arriving in the Old Town district of Bandon, the Cranberry Capital of Oregon!

A few of the riders couldn’t put off indulging their sweet tooth and discovered these tasty treats in town, chocolate eclairs and red velvet cupcakes, now that's the ticket!

We also received a nice welcome from the people at the West Coast Game Park Safari, America’s largest wild animal petting park. Towns and attractions along the way are always ready to see TAPCC riders.

We finished up the day and settled in by setting up camp at Arizona Beach. Tomorrow is Day Six, the last day, just a short ride of only 45 miles, check back for the finale!

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Tour Post - Day Four - The Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-09-15T11:58:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, September 14 – Yachats to North Bend

We are getting closer to Brookings, Oregon our ultimate destination with every day, but no one wants it to end, sure we may be a bit tired and there are a few aches and pains but the great friends being made, the incredible scenery and the interesting stops along the way push that all out of our minds and of course knowing the impact we are having on the fight against arthritis makes it all worthwhile.

Day Four of The Amgen People’s Coast Classic clocked in at around 73 miles and took us down the majestic coastline out of Yachats. The fog burned off early in the morning and the views from the many vantage points were absolutely spectacular, everyone agrees that a sunny day in Oregon is really hard to beat.

The big attraction along the route, besides the coastline, was the Sea Lion Caves , a very unique local attraction.

Along the way we also received a royal welcome in Reedsport, it goes without saying that the towns along the route are beginning to embrace TAPCC and we expect that each year the towns will help us spread the word on the Arthritis Foundations cause and the ride itself.

There was also the daily tricks being played by the riders and unlike past days it seems that the Lucy (the dog) got in on the act and somehow managed to get a bike up on top of the shower truck! Riders beware it seems as if going to take a shower might leave you open to some strange events :)

The riders, support team and volunteers arrived in North Bend for dinner and their overnight stay, looking forward to Day Five tomorrow North Bend to Arizona Beach.

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Tour Post - Day Three - The Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-09-14T11:55:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, September 13 – Newport to Yachats

Day Three of The Amgen People’s Coast Classic was a short rest day, very much welcomed after the 82 miles of Day Two. This morning 20+ riders took in a whale watching boat ride and they were rewarded with some whales on the trip.

The whale watching was followed by a beach party at Don Davis State Park, catered by Rogue Ales where the mayor of Newport deemed this week People’s Coast Classic Week with a special proclamation - asking all residents of Newport, OR to bike to work, lead a healthy life and fight arthritis - very cool.

After the beach party riders had the option to take a Rogue Brewery tour or bike to the next city. Check out the video from the Rogue Ales site to see what the brewery tour looked like.

The DuVine support team, Arthritis Foundation volunteers and Gina's catering crew have continued to keep it all moving forward and Alisa from DuVine Adventures noted her newly developed skills of wielding a spray chalk can, keeping the riders on track as they wind down the Oregon Coast.

As has become common place on the tour there is always a bit of daily mischief amongst the riders, as Bill Bloxom learned while he was in the shower truck. Seems as if his bike found itself in a very unusual parking spot!

The evening found everyone enjoying a great dinner at which our first honoree Al Knopik spoke about his granddaughter, Brooklyn, who lost an eye at age 6 to Juvenile Arthritis. Not a dry eye in the house. It just continued to reinforce the importance of the ride and the deep connection that the riders have to combating and curing this disease.

Tomorrow will kick off Day Four, a 71 mile ride, starting with admission to the Sea Lion Caves and we end in North Bend, check back soon!

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Tour Post - Day Two - The Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-09-13T11:49:00.000-07:00

Monday, September 12 – Tillamook to Newport

Day Two of The Amgen People’s Coast Classic was a bit misty, no rain, no shine and comfortable temperatures, of course the mist didn’t deter any of TAPCC riders they were eager and ready to ride right after breakfast.

The riders and the support team headed out on the very popular Three Capes Scenic Route to Newport, with beautiful stops along the way at Cape Meares, Cape Lookout and Cape Kiwanda. The Three Capes provide some really incredible views of the Oregon Coast and quite often you can catch a glimpse of the whales playing just off the coastline.

Today’s ride was the longest in terms of distance for the riders coming in at 82 miles, which set personal one day records for a few of the riders.

There was also some funny business with Bill, one of the more colorful riders on the tour, and a red bird, I suspect the picture says it all!

The big highlight of course was the private admission to the Oregon Coast Aquarium for dinner and an overnight campout in the aquarium itself. There are now a whole lot of people who can truly say “I’ve slept with the sharks and survived!”

Day 3 will be kicking off with a special proclamation by the Mayor of Newport, check back tomorrow to see what that will be!

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Tour Post - Day One - The Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-09-13T11:46:00.000-07:00

Day One: Sunday, September 11 – Astoria to Tillamook

It’s the Start! Day One of The Amgen People’s Coast Classic began around 6:30am (and probably earlier for Gina and her catering crew) with the setup at the Columbia River Maritime Museum. The DuVine support team, volunteers, Arthritis Foundation staff, and Bike Newport, who will keep the bikes rolling were all ready as riders started arriving at the start to the fantastic smells of breakfast being cooked!

During breakfast everyone was able to catch up, get a few last minute tweaks to their bikes and of course get the big group photo taken as well as some team photos. At 8:30am things started getting official with the safety talk, information about the days attractions and stops and thanks being given to all of the riders and people who had made the ride possible, especially Amgen, our main sponsor.

At 9:00am it all began with an exhilarating mass start, the blue, orange and black striped riders where heading out on their 350+ mile journey with the crew of support people bringing up the rear. The 67 mile ride finished up in Tillamook with campfires, games, music and food, and of course the arthritis information road show, just what was needed after a day of biking.

All in all it was a good day, riders got used to the road, Bike Newport got a chance to fix a few flat tires along the road and the support team got its first taste of working together as a team and getting in sync as they all moved down the Oregon Coast.

Up next, Day Two it’s the longest day at 80+ miles and takes us from Tillamook to Newport, stay tuned for more on The Amgen People’s Coast Classic!

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Tour Post - Day Zero - The Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-09-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

Saturday, September 10 – Portland to Astoria

Saturday was arrival day for The Amgen People's Coast Classic on the beautiful Oregon Coast, spectacular weather on what locals have deemed the best weather day of the year. The mouth of the Columbia River is historically foggy and wet, so crystal clear skies was a blessing and surprise.

Riders, volunteers and support staff left Portland on a motorcoach and arrived in Astoria to set up camp, where Rogue Ales threw us a huge Welcome Party. We were also greeted by the Astoria Convention and Visitors Bureau with welcome packs and gifts, which just goes to show how important TAPCC is becoming to the various towns along the route.

Once the riders got checked in and settled the support teams and volunteers got together in order to hash out the last of the details before the big kickoff on Sunday morning. So far there was only one route change resulting from a bit of a landslide, although there were a few riders who commented on our Facebook page that they would be happy to ride through the rubble!

So, the ride officially starts Sunday morning with a 67 mile route, where we overnight in Tillamook, home of the famous cheese. Everyone is really excited as this represents close to a year of planning and fundraising, so stay tuned to our blog posts, Facebook updates and Twitter account where we will fill you in on each day’s ride.

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Google Earth / YouTube virtual preview Day Five and Six of The Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-09-08T11:21:00.000-07:00

Friday, September 16 – Day 5 and Day 6 of TAPCC

Day 5 and Day 6 of The Amgen People's Coast Classic represent the home stretch of the tour. Check out these videos for the birds eye view!

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Riding Safely in the Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-08-29T08:28:00.000-07:00

Ride safe and enjoy!

It's getting closer and we know that everyone is getting excited about The Amgen People's Coast Classic but we also have to remind everyone that safety during the ride is extremely important. Therefore, here are a few rules we insist you follow:

1.Helmets are required at TAPCC. The use of rear-view mirrors, forward and rear facing day-time “blinky” lights are recommended as a safety measure.

2. TAPCC uses a group of “Bike Patrol” staff who provide an on-route presence and are a good source of information or assistance during the ride. They enhance the overall safety of the ride by interacting with the riders who may pose a hazard by unlawful or unsafe riding. Heed their advice.

3. By Oregon law, bicyclists are operators of vehicles and must comply with all traffic laws. TAPCC reserves the right to expel any participant who demonstrates a reluctance to ride in a safe and lawful manner. Riders who violate safety laws in the Oregon motor vehicle code are also subject to citation by law enforcement officials.

4. TAPCC route is open from 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Route support vehicles and other support services are available only during route hours. Any cyclist(s) still on the route after 6:00 p.m. will be offered a ride to camp; if you choose not to take it you are on your own to get into camp.

5. The route will be clearly marked. Support services may not be available if you are not riding on the designated route.

6. We try to direct as much vehicle traffic as possible off the route. Nevertheless, the tour travels on public roads. Therefore, ride single-file whenever appropriate and never more than two abreast. Ride beside a friend only where it is safe to do so and where you do not block traffic. Ride as far to the right of the road as safely possible and pass slower riders only on the left.

7. NEVER draft behind a vehicle. Pace lines are prohibited in areas of high vehicle or cyclist traffic, and are limited in size to a maximum of seven riders. Be especially careful at railroad tracks, cattle guards and busy intersections. Route monitors and safety vehicles may be stationed in areas of special concern.

8. Call “ON YOUR LEFT” to alert a rider you intend to pass. The call “CAR BACK” passes the message forward when a vehicle is approaching from behind. Use arm signals to indicate turns. Point out potholes, broken glass and other hazards to those behind you. Signal your intention to stop and pull off the roadway. Call “TRACKS” for any railroad crossings.

9. Use of musical devices with headphones or open speakers is strongly discouraged at TAPCC. It is illegal to use headphones on public roads in Oregon. Safe group riding in an event such as TAPCC depends on communication between cyclists.

10. TAPCC will establish a reputation for leaving our campsites, lunch spots, rest stops and route spotless. Please dispose of all trash, recyclables and compostables in the appropriate places.

11. Cyclists must keep the roadway clear when stopping at an event-designated stop or any other location. Please ensure that bicycles are parked off the road (and preferably off sidewalks) and that cyclists do not congregate on the roadways.

Additionally, it is highly suggested that you always ride with a buddy whenever possible, making sure one of you knows how to do basic roadside repairs such as changing a flat. Though we do have mechanical support readily available, you might be on the road faster if you can make your own repairs.

So, enjoy the upcoming tour and always think about rider safety to ensure that you have the best experience at TAPCC.

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Google Earth / YouTube virtual preview Day Three and Four of The Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-08-24T16:51:00.000-07:00

Check out these great Google Earth videos covering days three and four of The Amgen People's Coast Classic.

Day Three: Tuesday, September 13 – Newport to Yachats

This is a “rest day” for the 2011 Amgen People’s Coast Classic. Spend the morning exploring lovely Newport with an optional chartered boat tour or tours at Rogue’s brewery and distillery. Join us for lunch with the Rogue Ales Party on the Beach in Newport, where we’ll say goodbye to our North Coast riders and welcome our Central-South Coast riders shuttled in from Portland Union Station (Pickup at 7 AM). Stop by Seal Rock to enjoy the chainsaw sculptures, blown art glass and fudge shops, then onto Yachats for our overnight stay. Yachats is a vacation destination resort village located at the mouth of the Yachats River. We will camp at Yachats Community Park after a 23-mile day.

Day Four: Wednesday, September 14 – Yachats to North Bend

Today’s ride covers 73 miles including the majestic coastline out of Yachats. Take a break at Sea Lion Caves before riding into Florence. Once in Florence, check out the world’s first sand board park. From there, continue your journey onto Winchester Bay and then to our overnight stop in North Bend. Riders will be dealt playing cards all day for a chance to win a free room this evening at The Mill Casino!

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Google Earth / YouTube virtual preview Day Two of The Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-08-15T16:21:00.000-07:00

Check out this great Google Earth video covering day two of The Amgen People's Coast Classic. Day two starts with the Three Capes Scenic Route to Cape Meares, Cape Lookout and Cape Kiwanda. You’ll want to stop in Pacific City for lunch, a walk on the beach, and maybe even some whale watching! We’ll roll through Lincoln City and past Cape Foulweather, continuing onto Newport for 82-miles of riding. We’ll be camping inside the Oregon Coast Aquarium, right next to their famous shark tanks!

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Why Raise Money for the Arthritis Foundation: A letter from Jeff Bass

2011-08-11T10:33:00.000-07:00

Those of you returning from last year will not have forgotten Jeff Bass. He's our perennial top fundraiser/donor, a national board member of AF, and Director of Global Government Affairs at Amgen. Here's a special message from our "Major Dude" of fundraising:

Hi TAPCC riders!

We have ~30 days to go until we begin our adventure down the Oregon Coast. That is 30 days in which we can double or triple our fundraising!!

PLEASE remember that it is the money you raise that allows the Arthritis Foundation to:
* Put on Kids Camp for kids with arthritis (at NO cost to the campers)
* Sponsor research so we can end the crippling and death caused by these diseases
* Advocate for more arthritis funding and government sponsored research
* Train more rheumatologists to care for those with arthritis

So ... Please send MORE emails, cards, letters, texts and tweets to boost our fundraising for the AF! I find these three guidelines helpful:

1. Contact EVERYONE you know. EVERYONE!!! If you have a business card, an email address or a phone number, CONTACT THEM! Or go find them at their home or office. Contact EVERYONE you know.
2. Reach out to every single contact THREE times, until they donate.
3. Tell them WHY you are asking (see above). I am asking because I have osteoarthritis and it hurts. And because my mother in law DIED of rheumatoid arthritis and I want the research to find a cure before I lose other relatives to this disease.

Send 20 emails or letters EVERY DAY. You can do it. I am sending over 100 emails a day until September 10! That's 3,000. You can do the same.

Let's GO on fundraising together!!!
Jeff Bass
CCC rider 2003-2011 and beyond
PCC rider 2010-2011 and beyond

Google Earth / YouTube virtual preview Day One of The Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-08-05T13:15:00.000-07:00

Check out this great Google Earth video covering day one of The Amgen People's Coast Classic. Day One of TAPCC covers Astoria to Tillamook. The ride begins from the Columbia River Maritime Museum and follows the gorgeous coastline through Seaside and the majestic beaches of Cannon Beach. We then continue through Manzanita, Nehalem, Garibaldi and Tillamook, where we will spend the night. Check out the route and get ready to ride!

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Amgen People's Coast Classic - Training rides: 8 (updated), 9, 10 and 11.

2011-08-04T13:38:00.000-07:00

Training, Training, Training!

Check out this great photo that Bill Thorness took on our last Amgen People's Coast Classic training ride down to Kent. It ended up being a 47 mile ride with a headwind both ways! Bill says he's going to make us famous by putting some of the photos he took in the fourth edition of his book "Biking Puget Sound"!

The next four training rides in the Seattle area will be 50-60 miles each. All of them will highlight scenic and challenging routes just outside of the Seattle proper. These rides are designed to simulate the terrain that we'll see on the Oregon coast, so join us to make sure you're prepared!

Due to some construction work happening on the road up to Steve's house, we'll be changing the meeting point of this weekend's training ride. Tai will be in Portland for the August 14 Rebound training ride and Bill Thorness has graciously offered to lead a ride along one of the most popular routes in Puget Sound, the Lake Washington loop. For the August 21 ride, we'll be heading South to Al Knopik's back yard for a ride around the Enumclaw area. Our final training ride will be August 28, with a trip out to Kitsap Peninsula, hopping on the ferry to Bainbridge Island and returning on the Bremerton ferry.

Training ride #8 UPDATED
When: August 7, 2011. 8 AM
Where: Snohomish Cycles 1210 1st Street Snohomish, WA 98290-2737
Route: Centennial Trail + hills

View Larger Map

Training ride #9
When: August 14, 2011. 8 AM
Where: Magnuson Park main parking lot. Use 74th street entrance.
Route: Ride around Lake Washington (Clockwise)

View Larger Map

Also see Rebound's training ride in Portland on August 14.

Training ride #10
When: August 21, 2011. 8 AM
Where: Enumclaw Safeway parking lot
Route: ~60 miles led by Al Knopik

View Larger Map

Training ride #11
When: August 28, 2011. Meet at 7:30 AM by McDonalds for 7:55 AM ferry. Parking on Sunday is free across the street.
Where: Downtown Seattle ferry dock
Route: Ferry ride to Bainbridge, 54 mile route to Bremerton, back to Seattle on the next available ferry. Bring money for ferry (return trip is free). ~ 54 miles and very hilly. (CLICK HERE FOR CUE SHEET)

View Larger Map

Here's a very fuzzy picture of our group ride along the same route several years ago...yes...we will be climbing (or walking) a a 14% hill!

Thanks to our Sponsors!

What we're eating on the Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-08-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

Food, Glorious Food!

Biking the Oregon Coast on The Amgen People's Coast Classic will surely make you hungry and luckily we have a great solution for that, Gina's Culinary Creations!

As riders from last year will tell you, this is real home cooking made on site and it is mighty good. Gina will cook up breakfast first thing every morning, personally I am looking forward to the Ginger Bread Pancakes w/ Orange Blossom Syrup on Tuesday and she will be serving dinner in the early evening, I like the sound of the Paella w/ Field Roast Sausage, and we will be providing various snacks along the way each day.

We've outlined Gina's menu for the week (could change a bit), so take a look and get ready to fuel up and ride!

Sunday 9/11

Breakfast - Breakfast Sandwiches, Yogurt, Cereal, Fruit.
Dinner - Fried Chicken, Fried Tofu, Potato Basil Puree, Peach & Gorgonzola Salad, Grilled Corn w/ Cotija Cheese.

Monday 9/12

Breakfast - Scrambled Eggs, Grits, Toast, Sausage, Vegi Sausage, Yogurt, Cereal, Fruit.
Dinner - Burrito Bar, Rogue Creamery Cheese Plate

Tuesday 9/13

Breakfast- Ginger Bread Pancakes w/ Orange Blossom Syrup, Bacon, Yogurt, Cereal Fruit.
Dinner (Field Roast Night)- Paella w/ Field Roast Sausage, Nori Dusted Oyster Mushrooms & Wine Braised Artichoke Hearts, and Kale Salad.

Wednesday 9/14

Breakfast - Bagels w/ Cream Cheese or Tofutti, Ham, Smoke Salmon, Preserves, Yogurt, Cereal, Fruit.
Dinner - Flat Iron or Flank Steak w/ Raspberry Demi-Glaze, Pasta, Grilled Vegetables, Watermelon Kalamata Olive & Basil Salad w/ Feta Cheese.

Thursday 9/15

Breakfast - Smashed & Seared New Potatoes w/ Sauteed Onions & Peppers, Chorizo & Field Roast.
Dinner - Fish Tacos, Banana Flower Salad, Pico De Gallo & Salsa Verde, Guacamole, Cold Bean Salad, Sweet Potato Fries.

Friday 9/16

Breakfast - French Toast, Bacon, Yogurt Cereal, Fruit Salad, Scones.
Lunch - Ultimate Grilled Cheese, Roasted Tomato Soup, Orange & Pecan Salad.

We will serve lots of bread and a dessert with each dinner.

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Sharing the Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-07-29T10:41:00.000-07:00

Share the fundraising, the training and the ride!

One of the things that we get asked often is how can we best share our experience of The Amgen People's Coast Classic as riders and participants?

Firstly, it is important to recognize that the experience itself is not just the week that the ride takes place but also the fundraising and the training that takes place in the months leading up to the actual ride along the Oregon Coast. Secondly, is to recognize that most of the people who are donating to the cause would really love to see and hear about the experience in your own way whether that be pictures, video or words.

So, here are some quick ways to share the experience of TAPCC. Don't be afraid pictures and video are actually easier than you think and words just need to be spoken from the heart, you don't have to be a Hemingway to be interesting to people:

Pictures - for the most part any basic digital camera or smartphone will give you great photos of the event as well as any training that you might do up until the event (that big hill you climb as part of training probably has a great view from the top!).

As far as sharing photos, online sites like Flickr.com, are simple to use and let you tag and share photos very quickly. You would probably be familiar with our photos from last year as a good example - http://www.flickr.com/photos/thepeoplescoastclassic/

What makes a good photo? Well, besides being in focus, views along the Oregon Coast will always be favorites as are photos of riders and participants just hanging out and talking before or after the daily rides. Remember this is an experience, so just capturing what is happening will give people a good sense of what it is all about and it might even inspire some of your donors to make the ride next year.

Video - much the same as photos, video can be done pretty well with very low cost digital video cameras and most smartphones. You can video many of the same things that you might photograph and if you feel so inclined you could do some video interviews of the friends that you meet on the ride. Based on last year's group there are plenty of people who aren't shy about hamming it up a bit if needed!

Some of last year's videos are available on Youtube.com http://www.youtube.com/user/ArthritisPNWChapter as well there were a number of videos created and posted on Just Northwest blog by Casey Knopik one of the riders. Casey's videos were short updates along the route and really helped him tell the story of the People's Coast Classic.

The written word, blogging about TAPCC - for some people, writing is a breeze for others it can be a struggle. They key thing about blogging your experiences is to just treat it as a conversation, if someone asked you what you are doing with this thing called the People's Coast Classic, just tell them. A good example can be found from Kent "Mountain Turtle" Peterson in a blog post he did called "Team Turtle Riding Slowly for a Cause". In this post he tells people in straight foward terms what he is doing and why. This type of blogging before the event can also help you shore up your fundraising as it is easy to write up a quick email and refer people over to your blog posts for more information.

Now, unlike pictures and video, where most people own a phone or a video camera, it is possible that not everyone already has a blog ready to go, but never fear there are some really easy tools that can have you up and running a blog of your own in less than 5 minutes.

Wordpress - http://wordpress.com/

Blogger - http://www.blogger.com

Tumblr - http://www.tumblr.com

For the most part these tools are all fairly similar, for the simplest way to get started Tumblr has become a very popular choice.

Blogging about your experiences is also a great way to combine all of the items together, photos, video and words, as all blogging platforms accept both pictures and embedded video clips making it easy to showcase everything in one spot.

So, in summary, when people are supporting your efforts and the Arthritis Foundation it is nice to be able to share that experience with them. For most of the donors a few pictures, maybe a video or two and a few journal entries along the way will make them that extra bit happier to have supported your efforts.

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Rider Handbook: Packing list for the Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-07-28T10:34:00.000-07:00

Don't forget the ear plugs!

The Amgen People's Coast Classic was conceived as a premium multi-day ride experience that takes great care of our participants. You won't need to pack too many things out of the ordinary for a multi-day bike trip, but we do have some recommendations and requests for you pack!

- Packable rain jacket (accessible during the day in case of rain or morning mist)

- Sunscreen

- A few warm layers for cool mornings

- Little bike lock easy to pack during day

- Helmet (Required for all riders)

- Spare tube/pump/bike tool (we do have an amazing route mechanic, but he can’t be everywhere at once)

- Maybe throw a spare tire into your overnight bag (mechanic can always get you one, but adviseable if you use a unique wheel/tire size)

- Electronics: Camera, cell phone, and chargers. Charging stations provided each night.

- Blinky lights front and rear recommended during the day for safety.

- Jersey theme days: We recommend that you bring jerseys representing your alma mater (great conversation starters) and past AF rides (California and People's Coast Classic, Joints in Motion)

- Hawaiian Shirt

- Swim gear in case you want to jump in the ocean.

- Tent/sleeping bag/sleeping pad if you’re camping.

- Earplugs always help…never know when you’ll be sleeping next to a chainsaw snorer…might be a bit loud if inside tubes at aquarium! Or bring some for fellow campers if you’re the offending snorer!

- Don’t worry too much about energy food unless you have dietary restrictions. Good food plentiful at camp and en route.

- Don't worry about bring a camp chair...chairs will be rented by the event.

Please note that individual riders are limited to two items totaling 65 pounds. If you think of any other suggestions, feel free to leave a comment below!

Rider Handbook: Transportation/Logistics for the Amgen People's Coast Classic (Updated)

2011-07-25T16:00:00.000-07:00

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (Light Rail Too!)

We learned a lot of lessons from last year's inaugural run of The People's Coast Classic. There were some things that worked beautifully...I think most people would consider our caterer

Gina to be a smash hit (she is coming back this year with her own mobile kitchen trailer). Elliott from Bike Newport is back, having proven that the local guy always seems to know exactly where to be at the right time.

The biggest improvement we focused on was streamlining transportation arrangements for our participants, especially those coming from out of state. It didn't seem to make sense for people to leave their cars in Astoria, which required a long, twisty journey back up 101 by motor coach just to pickup their car so they could return to Portland or head north. So here are this year's transportation plans.

Event Point of Entry: Portland

Where: Portland Union Station. This is the Amtrak/Greyhound station and is also connected to the airport by light rail. Our motor coach and cargo van will be parked at the north end of the station. See below for parking if you choose to drive to Portland.
When: September 10, 2011. Loading starts at 12:00 PM. Motor coach leaving at 12:30-12:45 PM for Astoria.
Parking: We've made it easy to get to Portland without having to drive, but you can certainly do so. The City of Portland operates a SmartPark garage just north of Union Station at ~700 NW Station Way. Parking rates (last we checked) are $6 a day. We have no special arrangements with the parking lot and you would be using it at your own risk, but it is attended 24/7. You're best bet is to drop off bags and bikes at the station first before going to the garage (bikes on roof racks won't fit into garage).
Bikes: You can either bring your bike to Portland Union Station, where we will put it in a cargo van with moving blankets separating it from other bikes, or you can have it shipped. High Country Shipping is providing a concierge service for shipping before and after the event. Bikes will be shipped to Bike Newport, where Elliott will either have the bike built up and waiting for you at the start line (optional service fee...call 541-265-9917 to arrange), or bring your boxed bike to the start line for you to assemble. After the event, bikes can go with riders back to Portland or back to Newport to be shipped out.
Bike Rentals: We do have the option of renting bikes if anyone needs it. Contact Alisa@duvine.com for more info.
Baggage allowance: We're requesting that you bring no more than two bags/items totaling 65lbs. Bags will pulled from the truck at each night's finish. Please bring bags back to the truck in the morning prior to starting.

Updated:

Four-day riders will be picked-up at 7 AM on September 13 at the Portland Union Station and arrive in Newport at roughly 11 AM. Four-day riders finish with our six-day riders in Brookings.

Two-day riders start with our six-day riders in Astoria and will be taken back to Portland Union Station on September 13 after the Party on the Beach in Newport, arriving back in Portland no later than 7 PM.

Optional lodging during the event

Overnight lodging options are now handle by our event production company, DuVine Adventures. Contact Alisa@duvine.com to book your overnight accommodations for every night of TAPCC as well as any Portland lodging in case you need to stay overnight before or after the event. DuVine is graciously donating any travel industry commissions received from your bookings to the Arthritis Foundation.

After the event

Participants who do not make their own arrangements to leave from Brookings will be whisked back up to Portland by motor coach, dropping off back at Portland Union Station on the evening of Friday September 16. Those of you from the Portland area will be in your own beds that night.

Sharing transportation arrangements with other participants

We've already got some folks who are making arrangements to enter and leave the event together. Mark, Jeff, and Bear are planning on hurrying down to San Francisco in a Mark's vehicle to make the start of the California Coast Classic. Jim and David from Team Drifters are coming up I-5 from Southern California by car and are looking for someone to share transportation plans with starting in Grants Pass. If you are arriving by car and have some room, or are looking to chip in gas with someone else who is driving, this is the place to start making those plans. Please use the comments area in this blog to reach out to fellow participants to share travel plans. You can also email me at tlee@arthritis.org and I will attempt to connect you with another participant with similar travel plans.

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Training rides #7 and #8 for the Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-07-25T11:47:00.000-07:00

Training with TAPCC Crew!

Apologies for the delay of releasing upcoming training ride details! We had a great ride this last weekend, doing two laps around Lake Sammamish. Major Kudo's to Emily who joined The Amgen People's Coast Classic crew having never ridden a road bike before...she finished a 50 mile ride on her second time out. Massively impressive! You may also recall that she came out to her first training ride the week before when we tackled parts of the 7 Hills of Kirkland 38 mile route. She did Norway Hill in the rain on her first ride! It was, by far, the most motivating thing I had seen in a long time.

Our next few training rides will see us fanning out of Seattle/Bellevue area a bit. Training ride #7 will be our first ride heading south with a relatively flat ~50 miler down to Kent. Training ride #8 will be hosted by Steve Cardin when we meet up at his house and ride the Centennial Trail along with some of the hills around the Snohomish area. We've also got training ride #9 planned as a ride around Lake Washington, which will be led by Bill as I will be out of town attending the Rebound training ride #1 in Portland.

As the rides are getting longer, please note that our meet-up times will now be moved to 8 AM.

Training ride #7
When: July 31, 2011. 8 AM
Where: Meet at Gasworks Park
Route: Downtown-West Seattle Bridge-Duwamish-Green River-Interurban trail-Kent Station Panera and back ~50 miles

View Larger Map

Training ride #8
When: August 7, 2011. 8 AM
Where: Steve Cardin's house 7232 Skinner Road, Granite Falls, WA 98252
Route: Centennial Trail + hills

View Larger Map

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Why Raise Money for the Arthritis Foundation? #3

2011-07-19T12:59:00.000-07:00

Patient and Community Services

Raising money is a big part of The Amgen People's Coast Classic and understanding what the money is used for is equally important. In this post we share some more about the programs that the Arthritis Foundation is working on and the outreach to people with arthritis. For most people, getting exercise is a pretty straightforward routine. For people with severe arthritis accompanied by disabilities, getting exercise becomes a Catch-22 situation. Physicians recommend that people with arthritis keep moving prolong the health of their joints. However, when it hurts to move, working out is the last thing many people want to do. Certain exercises or movements will cause more damage to the joints.

The Life Improvement Series of exercise programs has been developed to address the special needs of people with arthritis. Trainers are nationally-certified by the Arthritis Foundation. Choose from Aquatic (water aerobics), Exercise (land-based), and Tai Chi exercise classes. These programs are designed to work around a person's physical limitations and are scientifically proven to be safe and effective.

The Great West Region certifies trainers in our eight state region where these exercise programs are available to the public. If you don't see your local community center or gym listed, tell them about our certification program. We'll be happy to get their staff members certified to deliver our Life Improvement series. Research: The long path to a cure

In recent history, many breakthroughs have been made to treat arthritis. Starting in the late 90's, rheumatologists began using a new class of pharmaceutical products called biologic therapies, or biologics, for treatment of various rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), etc. While much more potent than previously available options, they also have a long list of side effects, including a suppression of the immune system. 20% of patients don't experience any improvement while on biologics. This new class of drugs are very expensive to produce and can cost a patient around $1,500 a month without insurance.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the degradation of cartilage and bone. There are many people out there who are "bone on bone". Currently, there is no readily available means of regrowing cartilage, though researchers are beginning to unlock this puzzle. Artificial joints can be implanted, but this is a highly invasive surgery and the joints have, on average, a 15 year lifespan before another surgery is required.

In short, there is much that needs to be done before arthritis could be considered to be cured. The key to unlocking an ultimate cure for arthritis is research. It takes a lot of money to make research happen. Research requires very smart people, doing very difficult things, using very expensive equipment in very sophisticated laboratories. The very nature of research is exploratory, which is to say that many of the studies that are performed may not yield the desired effect.

The Arthritis Foundation is the largest private, non-profit supporter of arthritis research in the world, including $11 million of funding in 2011. Our research program is led by Chief Scientific Officer Dr. John Hardin, who is a respected researcher in his own right.

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Training rides #5 and #6 plus Vancouver/Portland rides with Rebound.

2011-07-07T14:11:00.000-07:00

Keep on Training!

Just over two months until we set off from Astoria for The Amgen People's Coast Classic! How's your fitness coming along? If you signed up for this ride because I told you that it was downhill with a tailwind the entire way, I guess it's probably time for me to 'fess up. There are a lot of hills on the Oregon coast. Day two is our biggest day of the entire ride, covering 84 miles and traversing four bumps in the road. For those of you who are doing the two and four day options, Day two should be your training benchmark. The graph below shows last year's routes. This year route starts at the base Day two's first climb and extends past Cape Foulweather on Day three. You'll find elevation graphs of the route in the Oregon Coast Bike Route Map that was sent out with your registration packet. The PDF version can also be found by clicking here (1.32 MB download).

Our next Seattle training ride is this Sunday morning at 9AM meeting here at the Arthritis Foundation office. More Seattle training rides are listed below. In August, we'll plan to go beyond the Seattle area with rides hosted by Steve of Granite Falls, Al of Buckley, and heading over to Stephanie's home turf in the Kitsap Peninsula.

Starting in mid-August, Rebound Orthopedics and Physical Therapy will also be leading a series of four weekly training rides to make sure everyone has got the condition they need to enjoy the Oregon Coast.

Training ride # 5
Where: Meet at Kirkland Marina Park
When: July 17, 2011. 9 AM.
Route: 7 Hills of Kirkland's 38 mile route (Click Here for Maps and Cue Sheets)
What to bring: Cycling gear, flat repair kit, water, snacks, cash for coffee stop, sunscreen, rain jacket if necessary.
Who: TAPCC registrants and past participants. You're welcomed to bring a friend.

View Larger Map

Training ride # 6
Where: Meet at Redmond Town Center (Parking lot behind REI)
When: July 24, 2011. 9 AM.
Route: Two laps around Lake Sammamish
What to bring: Cycling gear, flat repair kit, water, snacks, cash for coffee stop, sunscreen, rain jacket if necessary.
Who: TAPCC registrants and past participants. You're welcomed to bring a friend.

View Larger Map

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Why raise money for the Arthritis Foundation? #2

2011-07-06T12:46:00.001-07:00

This week's fundraising winners!

We started our weekly fundraising contest last week and have our first winners! Honoree Al raised the most money, Susan sent out the most emails, and Dave had the most offline donations come in. Didn't win? Check out how our weekly fundraising contest works and then start making asks! Need another great reason to raise money for the Arthritis Foundation?

Advocating for better patient access and care

Much of the work that needs to be done to address better patient care happens in the area of advocacy, which raises awareness at the local and national legislative levels. John Hardin, our Chief Scientific Officer, offered an analogy of the current state of arthritis care for patients. He drew a comparison to how heart diseases, another common chonic health issue, is handled. The FDA has established the metrics and approved the use of prescriptions used to prevent heart attacks. Whereas it is considered medically unacceptable for the heart to fail, joint health doesn't get the same level of regulatory consideration. This is an oversight that hinders patient's options for preventative treatment. It is typical of the type of advocacy challenges the Arthritis Foundation faces.

Advocacy Priorities of the Arthritis Foundation

•Joining the Congressional Arthritis Caucus
•Making Arthritis a National Priority
•Funding Arthritis Research at the National Institutes of Health
•Funding Arthritis Research at the Department of Defense

The last item on this list may cause you to scratch a few heads, but a recent article from the Seattle Times offers the answer: Soldiers going into combat are regularly carrying 80+ pounds of combat gear.

When you take into consideration that each additional pound of weight carried on the body translates to four additional pounds of pressure on the knee, it becomes clear that soldiers are very prone to osteoarthritis. As the article mentions, many soldiers become addicted to opiate painkillers. Combining chronic pain with post-traumatic stress disorder drives many soldiers to suicide.

How can you help? Please follow the links that I've embedded above for details of what we're doing. If you wish to be a part of that, it is very easy to sign up as an Arthritis E-Advocate by clicking HERE.

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Why raise money for the Arthritis Foundation?

2011-07-01T13:15:00.000-07:00

Arthritis impacts many people - know the facts!

The mission of the Arthritis Foundation is to improve lives through leadership in the prevention, control and cure of arthritis and related diseases.

Arthritis Facts (and Myths)

Arthritis can affect people of all ages across all cultures. Auto-immune conditions such as lupus, fibromyalgia, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis are just some of the 100+ diseases that have arthritic symptoms. Most people are familiar with degenerative forms of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. In the United States, 50 million adults have some form of doctor-diagnosed arthritis. This number translates to over one in five people. As the baby boomer generation enters retirement age and obesity numbers continue skyrocketing, it is estimated by the CDC that 67 million people will have arthritis by the year 2030. That translates to over one in four people.

Arthritis has been pegged as an "just part of getting old" for far too long. That nothing can be done about it is very much a myth. Much can be done through lifestyle modification and medical attention to maintain and improve a patient's quality of life. For example, losing just one pound of weight translates to four pounds less of pressure on the knee. Cycling is often recommended by physicians for the sake of keeping muscles groups around damage joints strong, which can delay the need for joint replacements. Research is bringing us closer to the day when joint cartilage can be re-grown.

Auto-immune forms of arthritis have been successfully treated and even put into remission in the last 20 years. The first product on the scene was Enbrel (developed by our title sponsor Amgen right here in the Seattle area). Rheumatologists have hailed this class of treatments as a major milestone towards controlling the devastating progress of chronic, and potentially terminal, diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

In short, if you suspect you have arthritis, follow the Arthritis Foundation's credo: Take Control, We Can Help. See a physician for a proper diagnosis, the check out arthritis.org for resources on how to improve your life as soon as possible.

Education Resources from the Arthritis Foundation

As The Amgen People's Coast Classic heads down the Oregon coast, we will also be delivering our "Arthritis Road Show" series of educational health fairs for the under-served communities along the way. These will also include town-hall style programs provided by rheumatology specialists and other medical professionals. Public education and outreach is now the biggest mission-delivery priority. These programs typically comprise of one or more medical providers offering their time and knowledge to the general public. We are also planning other public education programs, including the Washington Arthritis Symposium in North Seattle on July 13, an osteoarthrtitis specific program in the Bellevue area on August 12, and a program in Portland on July 22. Email tlee@arthritis.org for more details.

Kori Dewing is a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Virginia Mason Medical Center's Rheumatology Department here in Seattle. In many clinics, the nurse practitioner is often seeing patients much as a physician would. This is a common practice in rheumatology, where there is a shortage of board-certified physicians and patients often wait weeks, if not months, for their first visit. During TAPCC, she'll be traveling with us and helping us reach out to the local communities with free resources.

We also have Larry Crotts returning in 2011, providing free bone-density screenings at several of the Arthritis Road Show programs along the way. Did you know that cyclists are 30% more likely to get osteoporosis? Make sure to visit Larry one night to see how strong your bones are! And if they aren't what they should be, remember that hoppy beers can help you build strong bones!

Thanks to our Sponsors!

New Fundraising contests and training rides for the Amgen People's Coast Classic!

2011-06-23T11:01:00.001-07:00

Power up the fundraising for some cool prizes!

Portland Design Works has come on board as a supporter of The Amgen People's Coast Classic with donation of goodies, including their Radbot 500 lights and Poco Pumps. From now until September 10, we'll be holding a fundraising contest giving away prizes each week to our top fundraisers in the following categories:

Most funds raised: The highest dollar amount raised over the course of the week. Highest fundraiser gets first dibs on prizes available for the week!

Most fundraising emails sent: The highest numbers of emails sent using the online tools. This works in favor of anyone who is using the email tools.

Most pending donations and/or checks received: The highest number of donations received via non-online tools, such as the printable PDF form and physical checks received in our office. This works in favor of those who are asking in-person or via letter-writing campaigns.

We'll run this contest from each Sunday through Saturday, with prizes issued each week. To get started, simply log into your HQ on http://tapcc.kintera.org/ and start using the online tools or print out the PDF donation letter. And you might be asking, "What are the prizes that are available?"

You'll get your choice of:

2011 TAPCC Walz Cycling Cap

Our stainless steel water bottle emblazed with the TAPCC logo

A PDW Poco Pump

A PDW Radbot 500 taillight

A pair of our very bright and cheerful DeFeet Wooleator socks

Now...you might also be asking "How do I craft a compelling donation request?" The answer is just around the corner as we will begin highlighting various ways that the Arthritis Foundation fulfills its mission to improve lives by working towards better prevention, control and cure of arthritis.

Training rides: No ride on Fourth of July weekend

As I plan on being out of town and I suspect many of you will be as well, we will not be holding a training ride on the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Join us for our training ride this Sunday, June 26, as we head out to Mercer Island with an optional loop of Seward Park for anyone that needs a bit more mileage.

Training ride #4
Where: Meet at Arthritis Foundation Seattle Office
When: July 10, 2011. 9AM
Route: Edmonds + optional Perkins Way
What to Bring: Cycling gear, flat kit, water, snacks, cash for coffee stop, sunscreen, rain jacket if necessary.
Who: TAPCC registrants and past participants. You're welcome to bring a friend.

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Major Dude's Fundraising Tips - Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-06-21T10:07:00.000-07:00

Get Social with It!

Continuing with our series of Amgen People's Coast Classic fundraising tips, here are some more great ideas from fundraising leader Jeff Bass.

- Use EVERYONE in your "six degrees of separation". Call them. Beg them. Remind them. They really do want to help and will be grateful that you helped them do a good thing. Go at it a little bit every single day. One email after another; one letter after the last.

- Twitter. Facebook. Linked-In. The bulletin board on the Free Software Foundation Developers Site. The comments area on SETI. The "what I am doing now" section of the Experimental Aircraft Association website. Your picture book on Flickr. They are all places you can ask for dollars for Kids Camp! Be a little creative. And more than a little bold. You might save some lives with your efforts. The war on arthritis will be won one email at a time. Send it. Now.

Pace yourself to write thank you notes to each and every donor (Remember, you will need them again next year). Enclose a link to the AF websites about programs…or research…or Kids Camp.

- I was asked to be on the National Board of Directors of the Arthritis Foundation. Now all 40 board members get emails from me asking them to support my ride and they have no easy way to refuse.

- Throw a Party! I threw a party for 200 people in my back yard last year and a singer songwriter friend of mine played for 4 hours…she made people laugh and cry…and DONATE. (Don't forget the words of Zen singer Joni Mitchell: You know that laughin' and cryin'…it's the same release).

- I parked myself in the doorway of a "big boss" at my company and told him he had forgotten to donate. He called me an "annoying and shameless charity hussy", but he wrote a big check. And our company matched it.

- Pace yourself. Make it fun. You are riding 370 miles on the tour and you will ride another 1,500 miles in training…shouldn't you find 1,500 people who care enough to contribute $20 (that would be $30,000 total). You can do it. I know. Because I've done it every year for seven years.

This is a Tour, Not a Race. But finding a Cure before someone else dies of complications of arthritis (like my mother in law did)…That's a Race.

These are some really great tips from Jeff and there will be more to follow. Getting social with it is definitely a great way to go and can really help in achieving your fundraising goals for TAPCC.

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Major Dude's Fundraising Tips 3 - Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-06-14T09:50:00.000-07:00

Share, Share, Share!

Continuing with our series of Amgen People's Coast Classic fundraising tips, here are some more great ideas and real-life examples from fundraising leader Jeff Bass. These examples are really all about sharing; sharing your experience with Arthritis and your reasons for riding, a little sharing can go a long way towards reaching and exceeding your goals:

I took 20 photos from my previous AFCCC rides, printed them very large (20"x14"), matted them into nice frames and entered them for sale in a local art walk with a big placard "All proceeds go to the Arthritis Foundation". I raised $3,500. A couple of the buyers had company matches. More research dollars for the AF. One person wanted custom framing to match her new house…I took some time and put together two large custom framed photos of Big Sur in matched fabric matting…she donated $2,000 to the AF. My cost? $150 in materials and a few hours of my time.

On my first AFCCC ride in 2003, I came across a coffee shop in an Art Gallery in Big Sur that was closed because the one and only barista was home with a sick child. I asked the others in the gallery if I could warm up the espresso machine and steam myself a Latte. They said yes and as it reached steaming temperature a tour bus with 65 senior citizens pulled up. I was in my green jersey, but they saw me behind the counter and started ordering cappuccinos and lattes. I started making them. I told them the story of the ride and the Arthritis Foundation and talked to their group for 20 minutes while serving coffee, making lattes, and generally having a good time. Someone passed the hat for the AF and I raised $110 (I paid the coffee shop for the coffee and milk I used out of my own pocket). That same bus passed me the next day, stopped and someone got out, came across Highway 1 and handed me another $65 they had collected.

Even long lost connections – Never underestimate the power of giving a pep talk to strangers. It works.

I sent an email to someone who was in an Army MASH Hospital with me; we had both been blown up by artillery in different circumstances. I hadn't heard from him in 30 years, but when I Googled him, it turned out he was CFO for a mid-sized consulting firm. I emailed him that I was riding a bike 500 miles and raising funds for the Arthritis Foundation…he was amazed, since the last time he saw me, I was still paralyzed from the waist down. He wrote the Arthritis Foundation a check for $1,000 and his firm matched it.

After that, then I sent another 100 emails telling that story to all my friends and some of them increased their donations. So I sent 100 more emails. More Donations. Slow and Steady.

I remembered a former consulting client who had worked with me 20 years ago. I sent a long, hand written letter to him at his firm's HQ in Switzerland. He sent a check for $2,000 worth of Swiss Francs in an envelope with a picture of his 4 grandkids…one of whom has JRA and is doing well because of one of the new medicines. Odd connections may pay off. Don't Give Up. You never know who has been affected by Arthritis, but since it touches about 1 in 3 Americans, every one you know has a good chance of knowing someone who has been affected.

These are some really great tips from Jeff and there will be more to follow. It's all about the sharing when in comes down to meeting or exceeding your goals of fundraising for TAPCC.

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Faster Than A Speeding Turtle!

2011-06-10T12:22:00.000-07:00

Riders who Blog

Bike blogger Kent Peterson wrote a great post about how he has regularly supported charities via bike riding - Team Turtle: Riding Slowly For A Cause and how this year he will be riding in The Amgen People's Coast Classic.

From Kent's Post:

"Last year my big adventure was the Tour Divide and I was able to have that adventure thanks to the help of a huge number of great friends who I tried to repay with pictures and stories from the trail. I explained the whole process in a post I called "Help From My Friends." As my son noted, "Gee, Old Man, You're really good at begging for money on the internet!" In 2011, I'm using my amazing begging powers for the Arthritis Foundation."

Here at TAPCC we recognize that riders have lots of possibilities for combining their riding and charitable activities and we really appreciate the choice to ride with us when a rider or their team signs on. It is also great when riders are bloggers because they can share that experience with others, especially those that donate to the rider's effort.

So, check out Kent's blog, it has some great biking related stories! Over the next few weeks we will begin to assemble a list of other bloggers who are riding and documenting the Amgen People's Coast Classic for 2011. If you want to blog your ride but are a bit unsure of how to go about it you can check out the great posts and videos from last year's event on Just Northwest, a really good example of writing and videoing the ride.

Training rides #2 and #3

2011-06-06T16:17:00.001-07:00

Training rides #2 and #3

While our first official training ride is next weekend, we were able to get a small group of TAPCC riders to show up at the Seattle office yesterday for packet pickup, followed by a 20 mile training ride. The ride yesterday included plenty of hills, including a particularly long climb up 65th street from the Burke Gilman trail. I'm looking forward to introducing our riders to a lot more big hills during this year's rides! Make sure to come out for Training ride #1 this Saturday. We'll be heading up to Edmonds, which is one of my favorite training routes.

Training ride #2

Where: Meet at Arthritis Foundation Seattle office
When: June 19th, 2011. 9 AM - Noon.
Route: Out to Ballard + 32nd Ave NW/Golden Gardens Hill laps
What to bring: Cycling gear, flat kit, water, snacks, cash for coffee stop, sunscreen, rain jacket if necessary.
Who: TAPCC registrants and JIM Cycling participants. You're welcome to bring a friend.

Training ride #3

View Larger Map
Where: Meet at Sam Smith Park @ West entrance of I-90 Bicycle Tunnel
When: June 26th, 2011. 9 AM - Noon.
Route: Mercer Island (We may also add the Seward Park loop)
What to bring: Cycling gear, flat kit, water, snacks, cash for coffee stop, sunscreen, rain jacket if necessary.
Who: TAPCC registrants and JIM Cycling participants. You're welcome to bring a friend.

Thanks to our Sponsors!

What bike should I ride on the Amgen People's Coast Classic?

2011-06-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

Ask Tai, he knows bikes!

A popular question from last year, "What bike should I ride on The Amgen People's Coast Classic", is worth another mention for 2011. Since this is a fully supported bike ride where we'll be transporting your bags, you won't need to have a heavy duty touring bike. We will see some pretty decent size hills, especially on day two, so lower gear ratios are needed. We will not always be on smooth pavement. Back roads are often "chip sealed", or finished with a layer of pea-sized gravel over asphalt, for durability. You would know if you've ever ridden on chip-seal...it can generate a lot of vibration which can cause discomfort on your hands and rear-end over a long day in the saddle.

While you're welcomed to bring any road-worthy bicycle to TAPCC, a road bike is definitely recommended. I would recommend having road "drop" style handlebars because it offers multiple points of contact for your hands. The ability to move your hand around will help prevent numbness. I would recommend no smaller than a 25mm road tire. Most racing bikes will use 23mm tires that require 100 PSI. On chip-seal, high-pressure tires will transmit a great deal of vibration to your handlebars and saddle, which will accelerate your body's fatigue. My preferred tire size for all-day riding is 28mm's wide at roughly 80 PSI, but before you attempt to put 700c x 28mm tires on a standard road bike, make sure to check with the shop that your frame and fork has enough clearance to fit these tires. A triple or compact crankset is recommended.

Make sure that your saddle is comfortable enough for a full day's worth of riding. A saddle that might feel fine after 20 miles may not feel great after 50. If you plan on experimenting with different saddles, now is definitely the time to do so. Look for a saddle that is wide enough for your sit bones to rest upon. Some saddles have a cut-out or depression of material along the center that relieves pressure on your groin. Also look for a saddle that has a little bit of flexibility in the shell so that it moves with you rather than rubs you raw. Finally, give chamois cream a try. This is a product that is smeared onto the pads of your cycling shorts before you put them on. Especially on a cold morning, it will feel like pulling on a pair of shorts covered in peanut butter, but the softening and lubricating effects of chamois cream will prevent saddle sores.
If you have any other equipment suggestion requests, feel free to shoot me an email. Better yet, stop by a training ride so that I can take a look at what you're currently using and whether there are other options to explore.

Also, don't forget that one of our sponsors, Co-Motion has a special deal on a new bike for Amgen People's Coast riders, and Bike Newport can help you get it fitted for the ride.

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Major Dude's Fundraising Tips #2 - Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-06-01T08:15:00.000-07:00

Tap Into Your Networks!

Continuing with our series of Amgen People's Coast Classic fundraising tips, here are some more great ideas from fundraising leader Jeff Bass.

- Use your company's matching gift program to full advantage. Truth be known, I only raised $27,000 2009. My company matched it to $54,000. Remind your donors to use THEIR company match. It is a very cool source of Fundraising Boost!

- Place bets with your skeptical friends. The first year I did this ride, I was 51 years old with a bit of an "office worker spread" around my middle. I told the people whom I had worked with for over 15 years that I was going to ride a bike 500 miles. Many responded with "Yeah, right." So, I placed bets with them. The bet: If I trained and rode all 500 miles without sagging, they would each pledge $50…$100. One guy even bet me $500. I finished the ride; sent photos and thank you notes and he sent his check to the AF, as did all the others.

In 2008 I bet a group of friends and co-workers $10,000 that I could get a group to KEEP RIDING after the finish in Santa Monica all the way to San Diego...and we did it. Then I rode home from San Diego back to Thousand Oaks with my son Justin. $10,000 more in the AF's research and education coffers.

- I volunteer go to department staff meetings, sales meetings, etc, all around my company (it is a large company). They all want to hear stories about how we can help our patients…I show up in my green jersey and give a 5 or 10 minute speech about WHY I am riding 500 miles. I tell them about my affected relatives. I talk about the kids with JRA. I talk about the AF camps for kids. I give details of the AF funded research. I beg for donations. I get some donations every time. I use the great results of my 5 minute staff meeting appearances as a way to ask OTHER groups for 5 minutes on their staff/all staff meeting/etc agenda. Then I repeat this 25-30 times over a three month period.

- I offered to teach a local business school group a class on market research and survey form design techniques…We designed two donation giving forms (for the AF, of course) as a class exercise and then I got the entire class (30 people) to help test the forms on all their friends and relatives. Many people seeing the test forms actually donated to the AF, even though they were mainly helping with form design and testing. Ah, the power of subliminal suggestion.

These are some really great tips from Jeff and there will be more to follow. As Jeff notes, we all have networks and tapping into them fully can really help your fundraising for TAPCC.

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Major Dude's Fundraising Tips - Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-05-24T06:37:00.000-07:00

Go big and eat the elephant one bite at a time!

Over the next few weeks we will be posting some tips from Jeff Bass, last year's top fundraiser and who is also leading the pack this year, on making the most of your fundraising for The Amgen People's Coast Classic. As a bit of background, Jeff Bass is an 8 year veteran fundraiser of the California Coast Classic (CCC) and joined us at the inaugural People’s Coast Classic in 2010. In 2011, Jeff will once again be doing both rides, traversing the better part of the West coast on his quest to raise more funds. He also serves on the Board of Directors for both the National office and the Southern California chapter of the Arthritis Foundation. Jeff raised $55,000 in 2009 and has these great fundraising tips to share:

- I start by setting my goal so high that it is really going to be a challenge. But just like the ride itself, the stretch of achieving a Real Challenge is both exhilarating and rewarding. So, set your goal to something that will be HIGHER than "easy". Stretch yourself. Tell the world you are stretching. Announce your stretch goal to the world. Commit to it. I want to challenge every Rider to raise MORE than the required $2,500. It is the dollars we raise OVER the $2,500 that can go the farthest to help the Arthritis Foundation produce their wonderful programs for patients and help them sponsor research to END these diseases!

- Pace yourself. Do a little extra Fundraising EVERY DAY between now and September. Make a list of everyone you know. EVERYONE. Send each and every one of them an email, a handwritten letter, a love note. Pace yourself to 50 emails and 10 letters a day, or some number that works for you.

- Add 10 new names to your list every day. Casual acquaintances. The Dry Cleaners. The neighborhood coffee shop owner. Your boss's boss. Your company's board of directors. Your high school graduating class. Your MBA class. Your massage clients. Your former students. Your biking club. Your house sitter. Your surviving fellow soldiers from Da Nang in 1972. The professor who gave you a "C". I have used every one of these and some of them worked. Some didn't work. I let the ones that don't work go -- but I do keep going.

These are some really great tips from Jeff and there will be more to follow. In the end if you set your goals high and just like the old joke about how do you eat an elephant? (one bite at a time), pace yourself you will be amazed what you can achieve in your fundraising for TAPCC.

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Full-Swing Fundraising and First Training Ride! for The Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-05-19T12:49:00.000-07:00

We're just under four months to go until The Amgen People's Coast Classic kicks off in Astoria. We've got some great fundraisers on board this year. A quick shout out to:

Team Amgen at $7,425. Jeff is once again king of the fundraising hill, with Rosemary getting off to a very strong start.

Team Drifters: Jane, Jim, Buu, David, and John have collectively raised $4,060 thanks to the party they held a couple weeks ago.

Team Brooklynn led by our honoree Al Knopik. $1,675 in the door with Terrie sending in another $510 that she brought in through a fundraiser last weekend. Make sure to check out their webpage to read about Al's granddaughter Brooklynn!

Team Arth-Riders led by our honoree Shelly. New TAPCC rider Ellen Price is off to a strong start! Make sure to check out her blog and read about her life with arthritis.

Team Turtle with Kent, Christine and Michael are also off to a great start!

For everyone else, we're just over 100 days out from the ride. Need some motivation to get your fundraising started? Stay tuned for fundraising tips from our Fundraising Major Dude, Jeff Bass of Team Amgen. If need help with your fundraising website, contact Tai tlee@arthritis.org.

Training ride #1

Where: Meet at the Arthritis Foundation Seattle Office
When: Saturday June 11, 2011. 9 AM - Noon.
Route: Edmonds Loop ~25 miles led by my incredible boss, Scott! (Click here for details)
What to bring: Cycling gear, flat kit, water, snacks, cash for coffee stop, sunscreen, rain jacket if necessary.
Who: TAPCC registrants and JIM Cycling participants. You're welcome to bring a friend.

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Team Drifters: Siete de Mayo Fundraiser

2011-05-13T09:45:00.000-07:00

Siete de Mayo A Fundraiser for the Arthritis Foundation

Click on the picture to check out Team Drifter's pictures!

Team Drifters raised over $4,000 over the weekend at their Siete de Mayo Fundraiser! Thanks to Jane, Buu, Jim, David, and John for making this great event happen.

Parties are a great way to make your fundraising effort exciting. Team Drifters requested that donations be made entirely online to their website in advance of the party. Then they brought in Arthritis Foundation speaker, a band, and some incredible food.

Team Brooklynn also threw a fundraising party last year and raised over $2,000 with their auction. I was happy to attend and offer the audience a bit of information about the mission of the Arthritis Foundation. For many members of the Knopik family, arthritis was already something they had been dealing with for the better parts of their lives. It was incredibly powerful to have them talk about their experiences and having a granddaughter with JA.

If you need help pulling a fundraising party together, don't hesitate to contact me! If I'm not available to come to the party, we'll try to get an AF staff member out whenever we can.

Thanks Team Drifters and Team Brooklynn!

Tai

New Fundraising Incentives - The Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-05-09T09:44:00.000-07:00

Caps, Bags, Jerseys, Bikes!

Riding The Amgen People's Coast Classic and helping those whose lives are impacted by arthritis is always a great reward, but it is also nice to have an incentive to go that extra mile in raising the money for your ride. There is no doubt that this year's fundraising incentives will get you going, whether it is cool TAPCC gear, great bags and panniers from our sponsors, new wheels for your ride or a new bike altogether, you are sure to be motivated to push the for the most funding possible.

So, check out these great incentives and let's raise some money!

Fundraising incentive awards are non-cumulative and will be issued at the highest level activated starting on September 10, 2011. Registered Teams are welcome to pool their efforts.

$3000 LEVEL - TAPCC Cycling Cap

Custom embroidered WALZ cycling cap. Limited-Edition 2011 colors. Or receive a $20 credit towards TAPCC merchandise (redeemable at Astoria check-in). S/M fits 22.25" - 23.5". L/XL fits 23.5" - 25".

$3500 LEVEL - Columbia Sportswear Marauder Bag

Custom embroidered Columbia Sportswear messenger bag with reflective accents. Or receive a $50 credit towards TAPCC merchandise (redeemable at Astoria check-in).

$4500 LEVEL - Primal Wear Fusion Cycling Jacket

TAPCC-custom Primal Wear Fusion Cycling Jacket, matching our 2011 “rugby” inspired cycling kit. This technical three-season jacket looks great on and off the bike. Or receive a $120 credit towards TAPCC merchandise (redeemable at Astoria check-in).

$5500 LEVEL - Custom Swift Industries Bags

TAPCC cycling bags from Swift Industries ($240 value). These bags are custom-made in TAPCC colors with screen-printing and embroidery. Includes a large-capacity saddle touring bag, mechanics tool pouch, and convertible hip/handlebar bag (redeemable at Astoria check-in).

$7500 LEVEL - Custom Swift Industries Panniers

TAPCC cycling panniers from Swift Industries ($450 value). Front and rear set of panniers will be constructed in custom TAPCC colors and embroidery. Custom bags made to order after the event.

$10000 LEVEL - Rolf Prima Vigor RS Wheels

Rolf Prima Vigor RS road wheels ($999 value). Vigor RS are less than 1,600 grams for the set, yet are strong enough for light-touring duties. Each pair of wheels is hand-built in Eugene, OR. Wheels are ordered post-event. Courtesy of Rolf Prima.

$15000 LEVEL - Co-Motion Nor'Wester Frameset

The Nor’Wester ($1,595 value) is a “do-more” road bike using 57mm reach brakes to allow clearance for fenders and larger tires. This bike will be painted in your choice of a limited-edition TAPCC scheme or a design of your choice. Courtesy of Co-Motion Cycles in Eugene, OR.

$20000 LEVEL - Co-Motion Nor'Wester Co-Pilot Frameset and Case

The Nor’Wester Copilot is a full-size road bike that can be broken down with S&S couplings to fit into an airline-regulation travel case. This bike will be painted in your choice of a limited-edition TAPCC scheme or a design of your choice. Courtesy of Co-Motion Cycles in Eugene, OR.

Seattle-area Kick-off Happy Hour

2011-04-29T13:57:00.000-07:00

Seattle-area Happy Hour and Kick-off

Seattle area riders, volunteers, team captains, and supporters! We'll be getting together for happy hour to welcome all supporters to The Amgen People's Coast Classic and formally kick off our 2011 fundraising and training season!

Here are the details:

Where: Latona Pub near Green Lake (Click here for Google Maps directions)

When: Sunday May 15th. 3-5PM

What: TAPCC Seattle-area Happy Hour and Kick-off

Who: TAPCC participants (past and present including JIM Cycling), volunteers, Team Captains, anyone looking for more information about the ride.

Click Here to RSVP via EVITE!

Come by and meet one of our 2011 Honorees, Al Knopik. We first met Al last year leading up to the inaugural People’s Coast Classic and began to hear about his incredible story.

Updates to the Amgen People's Coast Classic Route

2011-04-27T07:49:00.000-07:00

We've made a few changes to enhance the ride!

For the 2011 Amgen People's Coast Classic we've made a few changes to the route and the rider support activities including pick up and drop offs and daily activities. Check out the list below for the activities and days with specific changes over last year and check out the entire ride itinerary on our web site for details on all days.

Day Zero: Saturday, September 10 – Portland to Astoria (Updated)

New for 2011, we’ll pick up all our participants mid-day at the Portland Union Amtrak/Greyhound station with a motor coach and cargo vans for bikes/gear. This location accommodates all our participants, whether you arrive by bus, light-rail (connects to airport), or train. If you choose to drive, parking is available at Station Place parking structure right around the corner for $6/day. The structure is attended 24/7. Please make sure to remove all valuables from your vehicle.

A scenic ride along the Columbia River takes us to Astoria for rider check-in from 3-5 pm at Rogue Ales Astoria Public House, built on a pier over the river. Spend the evening exploring beautiful Astoria, including a trip up to the Column for a breathtaking view of the region.

Day One: Sunday, September 11 – Astoria to Tillamook (Updated)

Let’s go! For Six-Day and North Coast riders, the ride begins from the Columbia River Maritime Museum and follows the gorgeous coastline through Seaside and the majestic beaches of Cannon Beach. Your journey continues through Manzanita, Nehalem, Garibaldi and Tillamook. Don’t forget to stop at the Tillamook Cheese Factory for an afternoon treat! Our first night will find us on the outskirts of Tillamook after a 68-mile day. For 2011, we've added about 14 miles to day one instead of staying in Garibaldi.

Day Two: Monday, September 12 – Tillamook to Newport (Updated)

Cape Kiwanda via WikipediaStart your day with the Three Capes Scenic Route to Cape Meares, Cape Lookout and Cape Kiwanda. You’ll want to stop in Pacific City for lunch, a walk on the beach, and maybe even some whale watching! We’ll roll through Lincoln City and past Cape Foulweather, continuing onto Newport for 82-miles of riding. We’ll be camping inside the Oregon Coast Aquarium, right next to their famous shark tanks! For 2011, we've added about 10 miles to day two so that we can reach Newport within two days for the chance to Sleep with the Sharks.

Day Five: Thursday, September 15 – North Bend to Arizona Beach (Updated)

Taking a break along the route of The Amgen People’s Coast Classic Charity Bike RideThis 69 mile day will take you to many beaches and a great lunch stop in the Old Town district of Bandon, the Cranberry Capital of Oregon. Take a break at West Coast Game Park Safari. Pedal onward to Port Orford and enjoy the eight galleries, Port Orford Wetland Interpretive Walkway or visit the only open-water port on the Oregon Coast. We’ll be setting up camp at Arizona Beach, a perfect place to catch sunset after dinner. For 2011, we're adding 12 miles to day five to take advantage of a beautiful overnight location at Arizona Beach. This also results in making day 6 shorter, getting our riders back home to Portland sooner!

Biking to work = training for the Amgen People's Coast Classic

2011-04-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

May is Bike to Work Month!

One of the 2011 Amgen People's Coast Classic riders, Bill Thorness has written a great article titled: Sound Cycling: The No-Pollute Commute. As many of you may know the month of May is Bike to Work Month and if you have never biked to work but have always wanted to get started then Bill's article is an excellent primer covering some key topics, in his own words:

Figuring out my office clothing.

Keeping the bike ready to go.

Getting my lazy butt onto the seat.

One of the other great benefits of riding to work is that it will help you prepare for The Amgen People's Coast Classic ride in September! As we all know, people get busy both spring and summer and sometimes it is hard to train regularly and since many of us have to go to work, why not make it a bit of training time as well and knock out two birds with one stone?

Of course if you don't have to go to work a long way from home i.e. the home office then keep your eye on this blog the next few weeks, as we will be announcing our very popular training ride schedule, where you can come out and enjoy some training with others riding TAPCC.

Sleeping with the fishes - Oregon Coast Aquarium

2011-04-15T13:56:00.000-07:00

Bet you've never slept this close to a shark!

Have you always wanted to sleep a foot away from an 8-ft long shark? Well we are going to make it happen, we'll be camping inside the aquarium on Day 2 of this year's Amgen People's Coast Classic!

A favorite stopover along last year's route, the Oregon Coast Aquarium is a world-class marine educational attraction nestled on beautiful Yaquina Bay in Newport, the Oregon Coast Aquarium is surrounded by an established woodland and estuary where many of the species exhibited within the Aquarium flourish in their native habitat.

Last year a number of riders stopped at the aquarium and enjoyed themselves watching schools of fish of all kinds. So, make your plans to join us this year on the ride and you can tell all your friends that you slept with the fishes and returned to ride another day.

The Amgen People's Coast Classic cycling kit!

2011-04-13T12:34:00.000-07:00

New cycling kit is here!

Drop by our Facebook Fan Page to check out The Amgen People's Coast Classic 2011 cycling kit. We start shipping these out to participants in the first week of June. The jacket (with the black forearms) will be available as fundraising prizes. Stay tuned for more details!

Upcoming travels - Pedal Nation and Scouting Trip

2011-03-31T12:26:00.000-07:00

Hitting the road for the Pedal Nation Bike Show

Cruising the coast and scouting the route

The Amgen People's Coast Classic will be in booth #708 at the Pedal Nation show April 9-10! Make sure to stop by for chances to win more prizes. THE FIRST PERSON by our booth on Saturday morning will get a free cycling jersey! We'll have drawings for prizes, with a one in ten chance to win hats, socks, shirts, and jerseys!

Oregon coast scouting trip

I'll be heading down the Oregon Coast immediately after the Pedal Nation show for a scouting trip. Look for some pictures from the trip as I scope out the roads, check in with local businesses and map out some potential changes.

Also, make sure to join our updated Facebook Fan Page and our Twitter feed where I'll be posting pictures and videos on a regular basis!

Portlandia Here I come!

2011-03-31T12:20:00.000-07:00

You never know what you're going to find in Portland

I hope I won't run into this guy when I come into Portland on April 7th! We've got a few functions happening...I'll be heading to Columbia Sportswear's corporate headquarters to see if we can drum up a team to join us at the ride. They've already donated a bunch of polo's, soft shell jackets, and messenger bags for the event, all of which will be customized for our sponsors, volunteers and riders.

We'll also be hosting a hoppy happy hour for our Portland area team captains, volunteers, and supporters. Please join us at the Rogue Ale's Distillery and Pub for a good time and more information about The Amgen People's Coast Classic:

Where: Rogue Ale's Distillery and Pub 1339 Northwest Flanders Street (Click for google map)

What: The Amgen People's Coast Classic Portland Shindig

Who: TAPCC Team Captains, Volunteers, and anyone else interested in signing up or supporting the ride!

When: Thursday, April 7, 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm.

Details: Get a tour of Rogue Ale's distillery process to learn how they may award winning whiskey like Oregon Single Malt. Then join us for beer and appetizers. Sign up for The Amgen People's Coast Classic. We'll be giving away free passes to the Pedal Nation bike show, TAPCC merchandise, and more! The team that brings the most participants gets their choice of Walz wool caps or Defeet wool socks! We'll also be giving away 10 passes to the weekend's Pedal Nation Portland Bike Show.

Coming out? Make sure to RSVP with Tai by April 4th.

Welcome Wagon Update - more riders and teams!

2011-03-31T12:03:00.000-07:00

Riders and teams growing fast!

We've had a lot of folks sign up to The Amgen People's Coast Classic over the last few weeks! David is on board, joining John on a yet to be named team. They'll also have three more team members shortly! Al's Team Brooklynn now includes both of namesake Brooklynn's parents and two aunts. We have Sherry from Sunnyvale, CA. Rosemary is back and with Team Amgen again. The "locals", Dan and Julie of Seaside, OR are back and join Team Metal Cowboy, led by literary cyclist extraordinaire, Joe Kurmaskie. Michael from Portland, OR is in. Returning for a second year is Team Rebound, led by Jerrod.

The question I'm getting a lot is "can I join a team?" The answer is YES! There are quite a few teams you can join...just CLICK HERE to go to our Team Page and select any team with the hand symbol next to the name. We encourage you to join Team Arth-Riders and Team Brooklynn, which belong to this year's honorees. Teams without the symbol are closed. If you've already registered as an individual, I can still help you set up a new team or join an existing team. And remember to create your fundraising homepage!

Meet the 2011 Honorees

2011-03-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

Al Knopik - Team Brooklynn

We first met Al last year leading up to the inaugural People’s Coast Classic and began to hear about his incredible story. Al doesn’t remember a day where he didn’t wake up with the aches and pains of arthritis. Growing up on a farm meant that slowing down was never an option. Now 59, Al does his 40 mile round-trip commute three times a week, and hits the gym on the days he doesn’t ride. He finished the 150-mile Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day (RAMROD) ride last year. Despite such meticulous attention to his health, Al has required partial replacements of both knees.

If you ask Al why he supports the Arthritis Foundation, he’ll tell you that it has little to do with himself. His sister, Connie, has lived with osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for 35 years. Al recalls the days before RA when Connie and her husband Joe would dance the night away as others watched in admiration. The couple endured weekly commutes from Tri-Cities to Spokane for infusion treatments for her RA. Despite the inconvenience, treatment has allowed Connie and Joe to start dancing again for the first time in decades.

Al’s wife Barbara lives with multiple forms of arthritis, including severe OA that has required her to wear hand and finger splints to prevent them from deforming, and also fibromyalgia, an autoimmune disease. She’s recovering from a second full joint replacement surgery of the knee, having had the other knee replaced in 2005. She also shares his dedication to self-care and her physician says she is six-weeks ahead of typical recovery.

However, it’s Al’s granddaughter that most moves him to support our cause. Symptoms of juvenile arthritis (JA) began appearing when Brooklynn was an infant, but a diagnosis didn’t come until a severe flare-up the day before turning four-years old. That morning, Brooklynn woke up with a splitting headache. Doctors diagnosed her JA due to the inflammation it caused in her left eye, which had to be removed to prevent spreading of the condition to her other eye. Now 11-years old, Brooklynn continues to have flare-ups and pain. There are almost 300,000 children in the U.S. like Brooklynn that live with JA, many of whom have systemic JA that affects other organs besides joints.

Do you have arthritis and/or are touch by a family member who does? You can support Al’s cause by joining Team Brooklynn.

Meet the Honorees - Team Arth-Riders

Bicycle pedal modification makes riding possible again

2011-03-15T11:54:00.000-07:00

Great article from CanAssist, a university based program that amongst other things helps develop technologies that get people on the move.

CanAssist | Bicycle Pedal Modification

The team from CanAssist was tasked with looking at a way to help Gerey Park, a rheumatoid arthritis sufferer since the age of 16, get back on to a bicycle, something she had not been able to do in over 30 years. The simple modification highlighted in the article has made a world of difference in Gerey's life and made it possible to get out and ride, something that is close to the heart of everyone at The Amgen People's Coast Classic.

Meet the 2011 honorees

2011-03-15T10:57:00.000-07:00

Shelly Spence – Team Arth-Riders

Shelly Spence Honoree of The Amgen People's Coast Classic 2011Shelly was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) when she was 14-years old. A native of Eastern Oregon, she recalls the disbelief that her family and friends shared immediately following her diagnosis. Most said she was “too young to have arthritis”, which remains a common misconception.

Now 30-years old, Shelly has been through an incredible journey. Her first treatments included daily doses of 22 pills. Even then, there were days when she couldn’t button a shirt, comb her hair or even walk. Fortunately, new treatments in the form of biologic therapies had just been released around the time of her diagnosis. Shelly recalls being able to close her fists in 2004, the first time she had done so in a decade, after six-months of treatment on a new medication.

Having been through the lowest of lows, Shelly now lives her life to the fullest. She joined our Joints in Motion training team in 1999 on her way to completing her first marathon. She’s since finished 10 and also did the Vancouver Girlfriends Half-Marathon with the Arthritis Foundation last year. Mountain climbing, skydiving, hiking, and traveling are among her favorite activities, but cycling has come to define her lifestyle. She started riding in 2005 and finished her first century (100-mile) ride the following year. She met her husband, Ben, through their mutual love of cycling. Their third date was a 40-mile ride and they’ve since rode the Seattle to Portland (STP) two-day event to celebrate her 30th birthday. This year, they plan on riding STP in ONE-day and will also be joining us for The Amgen People’s Coast Classic.

Shelly’s involvement with the Arthritis Foundation goes yet deeper. She’s been a volunteer camp counselor at our Washington and Oregon summer camps, which are free for children with arthritis and their families to attend. She’s also participated in our Bend or Portland Jingle Bell Run and Walk since 1998. Thanks Shelly!

Do you have JRA or know someone who does? You can support Shelly’s cause by joining Team Arth-Riders!

Issue #2: March

2011-03-10T14:44:00.000-08:00

Greetings TAPCC Riders and Enthusiasts!

It's March in Seattle...time again for the annual Seattle Bike Expo this weekend at Pier 91's Smith Cove Terminal. We'll be exhibiting in booth 369, downstairs close to the Bike Stunt Area. Make sure to stop by as we'll be raffling off our jerseys, Walz wool caps, and Defeet wool socks all weekend long. The first person that stops by our booth on Saturday morning gets the prize of their choice!

Meet our 2011 Honorees

Those of us who work at the Arthritis Foundation meet a great deal of people who live with arthritis. Their stories of struggle and triumph keep us motivated to work towards a day without arthritis pains. Through our events, such as the Jingle Bell Run and Walk, Arthritis Walk, we hope to share their stories as a source of inspiration for those who live with arthritis. The Amgen People's Coast Classic seeks to share the stories of those who've used cycling to Fight Arthritis Pain.

Make sure to visit our website to learn more about our 2011 honorees, Shelly and Al. They are both great examples of people who stay active to stay ahead of their arthritis symptoms. You might remember Al from our inaugural ride. He's back and has recruited three new members for Team Brooklynn, who are already off to a great start with fundraising! Shelly has started Team Arth-Riders (LOVE the name) and brought her husband Ben on board. Both teams are open for anyone to join!

Welcome Wagon!

We've already got quite a few people signed up! A warm welcome back to Bear, Jeff, Al, and Tara, returning from last year! Jeff is one of the Arthritis Foundation's Board of Directors and Team Captain for Team Amgen, which now also includes Fergus. We've got Bill Thorness, author of Biking Puget Sound, and his wife Susie. My old friend and famous Seattle-area blogger, Kent Peterson, is on board along with wife Christine on Team Turtle. John is a seasoned California Coast Classic rider. Stephanie has helped us secure the support of her employer, Cairncross and Hempelmann, Attorneys at Law. As previously mentioned, Shelly heads up Team Arth-Riders with her husband Ben. A very warm welcome to Jeanette and David, parents of the the namesake Team Brooklynn, also including Brooklynn's Aunt Tracie.

If you're signing up, make sure to check out our Team Page, where you can join an existing team. Or you can always start your own! Remember...our Team Fundraising Promo effectively gives teams of five or more participants a 20% discount on fundraising!

Thanks to our sponsors!

Team Amgen has already gotten off to a rockin' start. The Arthritis Foundation recently awarded Jeff a very fitting Jeff-Bass-B obblehead in honor of his many years as a California and People's Coast Classic participant.
A great Oregon company supports our great Oregon ride! Columbia Sportswear, headquartered in Portland, will be supplying us with their great clothing! We'll also be at the headquarters on April 7th to help them build a team. More details to follow.
Pig 'n Pancake donated two gift certificates, which we'll be giving away at the ride.
The Mill Casino is back for 2011, donating a room for another Poker Night. Here's last year's winner talking about his hand, that went from zero to hero at the last moment!
Primal Wear is sponsoring the ride by providing our cycling gear! Stay tuned as we're almost done with the design (see mockup here).
Popchips is back! Make sure to stop by our booth at the Expo for free samples of our favorite salty carbohydrates!
Michael Baer of Rebound MD will be leading bike rides in the Portland/Vancouver area later this summer...stay tuned!
Seattle Publishingand BicyclePaper.com provide website and graphic production services to the Arthritis Foundation...check out the recently updated BicyclePaper.com website!

Make sure to check out our sponsors page to learn more about all of our supporters!

2011 Advocacy Priorities for the Arthritis Foundation

2011-03-01T09:53:00.000-08:00

The Great West Region brings 43 people to this year's Advocacy Summit!

Watch live streaming video from arthritisfoundation at livestream.com

Check out the latest TAPCC video

2011-02-11T10:41:00.000-08:00

Just created a new slideshow from last year's photos. Check it out and help spread the word!

Tai

Issue #1: Early February

2011-02-01T15:56:00.000-08:00

Greetings TAPCC riders and enthusiasts!

It's a New Year and we're please to announce that we have a new title sponsor. The event is now The Amgen People's Coast Classic! More on that in a moment. First things first though...Registration is now OPEN. The registration site is now http://tapcc.kintera.org. I already have one offline paper registration turned in and I know that a few of you are itching to get signed up! Within the next 24 hours, you'll also find that http://www.thepeoplescoastclassic.org will be updated with information about the 2011 event. Apologies for the delay!

Title sponsorship switch

We are immensely grateful to Pfizer for their 2010 title sponsorship of The People's Coast Classic, which we hope to turn into a nationally-recognized destination event in the coming years. Due to reasons outside of their support for the event in 2010, they were not able to renew at the title level for 2011. In addition to the 2010 Pfizer Peope's Coast Classic, they were also major sponsors of our Jingle Bell Run and Walk events in 2010. We anticipate their continuing support at this and other events in 2011.

Amgen was also a sponsor of The People's Coast Classic last year and we're grateful for their eagerness to jump into the title sponsorship role. If you didn't know, cycling is a big part of Amgen's corporate culture. They sponsor the Amgen Tour of California, the largest professional bike race in the US, and our sister event The Amgen California Coast Classic. We had the support of Amgen's Jeff Bass last year, both as a participant and a national board member or the Arthritis Foundation. Again...a big thank you to our friends at Amgen for making The Amgen People's Coast Classic happen in 2011.

Other sponsors and supporters

Rebound Orthopedics will be returning as a local marketing partner, sponsor, and Arthritis Road Show presenters. Last year, we had the pleasure of riding with several staff members from Rebound Orthopedics for the first two days of the event. They'll be coming out again for at least the first two days from Astoria to Newport.

FC Bloxom made a large donation to the event in late 2010 and we are recognizing them as a sponsor in 2011. Those who participated in the 2010 event won't forget Bill and Jeremy from FC Bloxom. In addition to donating all the produce used at the event, they also served as volunteers and sag-vehicle support last year. I'm grateful for their support and friendship.

Rogue Ales has confirmed their support, replacing New Belgium Brewery as our beer sponsor. For our ride down the Oregon coast, there can be no better sponsor than the Newport, Oregon based brewery. I've since found my new favorite beer in their Morimoto Black Obi Soba Ale, which won the 2006 World Beer Championship title. Those who participated in the event last year likely spent a few hours eating and drinking at the brewery. Take a tour online...then join us for a tour in person!

The Oregon Coast Visitors Association will continue to help us with promotional and logistical support in 2011. Much thanks to Rebecah, Lucy, and the board of directors for their support. Our mutual goal is to make The Amgen People's Coast Classic a nationally-recognized cycling event that traverses the beautiful Oregon Coast.

Welcome to Stephanie of Cairncross & Hempelmann law firm. Stephanie is a riding buddy of Bill and has requested support from her firm on our behalf. We'll look forward to doing some training rides around her back yard in the Olympic Peninsula.

Looking forward to working with Aaron at Pedal Nation Events as a marketing partner. We'll be sponsoring and exhibiting at the Pedal Nation Bike Show on April 9 and 10.

Finally, I'm pleased to announce that we're working with DuVine Adventures in 2011 to produce and market The Amgen People's Coast Classic. DuVine Adventures specializes in luxury bike tours in 14 countries. Much thanks to Alisa and Ed, who began their support of this event by volunteering back in September. I'm confident that they will bring professionalism and a touch of class to TAPCC.

That's all for now! We've got more sponsors to thank next time!

Tai

2010 Pfizer People's Coast Classic - Photo album

2010-11-11T13:33:00.001-08:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

Issue #21: Mid-November

2010-11-11T10:23:00.000-08:00

Greetings TPPCC Riders and Enthusiasts!

Hope you all had a great Halloween! This is dangerous season for me (and probably many of you as well). Starting with the candy and pumpkin beer in October, Thanksgiving feasts followed by leftovers, and ending well after Christmas with all the holiday goodies, this time of year is a mine field of bad dietary choices! For most of my life, I've been known as a guy who could eat much more than most people, while managing to keep my girlish figure. Since turning 30, my metabolism has slowed down a bit. However, my reputation as a big eater preceeds me at holiday family functions. People start wondering what's wrong when I don't hit that third plate of turkey and cranberry sauce...and I hate to disappoint!

To that end, I want to help myself and all of you postpone a bit of holiday eating guilt by doing a pre-feast bike ride the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Pre-Feast Ride!

Where: Meet at the new Arthritis Foundation office in Northgate. Click here for Google map.

When: Sunday, November 21, 10AM-?

Route: ~30 miles TBD...Redmond? Edmond? Leschi?

What to bring: Cycling gear, flat kit, water, snacks, cash for coffee stop, sunscreen, rain jacket if necessary.

Who: TPPCC registrants and JIM Cycling participants. You're welcome to bring a friend.

Bike Newport ROCKS LIKE SLAYER...and now everyone knows!

Al Knopik and Jeff Bass both pointed out to me that Daniella and Elliott Crowder of Bike Newport were commended for their general awesomeness in the most recent issue of Adventure Cycling magazine. I haven't gotten a chance to see the article myself, but I did see this coverage out yesterday in Bikeportland.org announcing that Bike Newport has been presented with the 2010 National Bicycle Travel Award presented by Adventure Cycling Association.

This should come as no surprise for TPPCC participants. We all got to see Elliott's incredible service and hospitality. I can't tell you how many stories I heard from participants that went something like "I just had my chain break/spoke pop/tire blow and Elliott pulled up to save the day." Do you have an "Elliott saved my bacon" story? Make sure to check out the Bikeportland.org article and add a comment about Bike Newport!

BTW...you know what Elliott did after helping us ride the Oregon Coast? He went home, got his bike ready, and rode it himself!

The ride is over but the mission continues

I got an email from Al Knopik yesterday informing me that his granddaughter, Brooklynn, was sent to the hospital with what appeared to be a severe flare-up of her juvenile arthritis. You might recall that Brooklynn's arthritis affects her organs as well, which has caused her to be legally blind in one eye since a very young age. Stories like these keep me motivated to come to work each day and do the best we can to raise funds and deliver the mission of the Arthritis Foundation. Check out Al's Facebook feed to leave a comment and find out more about Brooklynn's condition.

Media Sharing

The final installment of our event photos are now up at our Flickr group. Make sure to check it out!

Larry Crotts has also uploaded photos that he took during the event. Larry was one of our Arthritis Road Show presenters, providing free bone density screenings at each of our public outreach programs in overnight communities. Click on the photo below. Did you know cyclists are particularly susceptible to osteopenia/osteoporosis when they do not engage in other weight-bearing sports?

Eva has created a REALLY NICE photo album on Shutterfly that tells the story of our inaugural ride down the Oregon coast. We'll be sending a copy out to our sponsors and top fundraisers. See the other blog posting from today.

What's going on behind the scenes?

2011 website updates are happening. Our 2011 Kintera registration site should be up by the end of the month and our event site shortly thereafter.

Call for Honorees! Each year, we choose two honorees, one who has a rheumatic form of arthritis (rheumatoid, psoriatic, etc) and one that has a degenerative form of arthritis (osteoarthritis, stenosis, etc). We choose honorees based on their ability to participate in the event, their use of cycling or other physical activity to TAKE CONTROL of their life, and their willingness to share their story as part of The 2011 People's Coast Classic. Do you know someone that fits description? Nominate them by emailing tlee@arthritis.org.

We're hoping to bring back our 2010 sponsors as well land some new sponsors in 2011! Sponsorships start at $5,000 (including participation). Know any businesses full of avid cyclists that want to support this event? Send me a lead and I'm make it worth your while!

I'll be signing off until after the New Year. Will be taking much of the month of December off for vacation and to enjoy the arrival of our second son. Next year, we'll hope to bring Isaac and his little brother along for the ride!

As always thanks to our sponsors!

Issue #20: October 25, 2010

2010-10-25T20:43:00.001-07:00

Greetings TPPCC riders and enthusiasts!

I had forgotten to mention in the last two newsletters how much Isaac misses all of you who rode the inaugural Pfizer People's Coast Classic. The week after we got home, he was asking if we were going to the Oregon coast every morning. For the first few days, he asked if Gina was going to make dinner. Since then, he's reminded me repeatedly that he loves bacon and that Gina makes bacon. He is constantly asking for his buddies: Tara, Lindsay, and Jason. I came home from work about a week ago and the first thing he asked me was "Daddy, want a beer?" Apparently he's figured out that beer should be drank on a daily basis and typically means people are having a good time. The two of us are now good drinking buddies...me with a beer in my hand, and him with a sippy cup of milk (You didn't think I'd give him beer, did you?)

Luckily, Isaac will get to go back to the Oregon coast before the 2011 People's Coast Classic. We're planning a scouting trip down the coast in the spring to finalize details for next year's event, which will likely see some changes. Over the last two weeks, I've been exploring the possibility of changing the first few overnight locations for the sake of landing us in Newport at the end of Day 2. Daniella and Elliott of Bike Newport, being the incredibly cool people that they are, offered to serve up some Newport hospitality if we could manage to stay there. Since we're staying overnight in Newport, I'm working with the Oregon Coast Aquarium for us to "Sleep with the Sharks". I've got a few other tricks up my sleeve, so stay tuned!

We're also looking at offering a few shorter options next year, including a North Coast ride from Astoria to Newport (2 days of riding), and a Central-South Coast ride from Newport to Brookings (4 days of riding). This was after receiving feedback from a lot of folks who said they would have loved to come join the event, but just couldn't take a full week off from work. I'm also working on some logistics changes that will streamline how all our riders get to the event and home afterwards.

Bicycle Alliance of Washington auction

This last Saturday, October 23rd, was the Bicycle Alliance of Washington (BAW) annual gala and auction. I've been an avid supporter of the BAW for many years and the Arthritis Foundation donated two complete entries to next year's event for BAW to auction off. The item raised a considerable chunk of change to benefit bicycling advocacy in Washington State and I'm thrilled that the winner was Bill Thorness, author of Biking Puget Sound. I've known Bill for a number of years and am looking forward to riding with him at next year's event. I've often used his book to determine routes for our training rides and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a complete collection of rides around the Puget Sound. I'm wondering if Bill is coming along for the sake of planning a new bicycling guide of the Oregon coast?!

Social Media sharing

Eva has uploaded photos from Day's 3 and 4 onto our Flickr group! Highlights include our time spent in Newport at the Rogue Ales brewery and the Oregon Coast Aquarium, Sea Lion Caves. Check out the tags page to find your team name and/or last name. Feel free to grab the images for your personal use or cause envy among your friends!

Jason's pistons

Bear pays homage to Jason's infamously-inked pedaling pistons.

Jay's videos and photos

Before I started at the Arthritis Foundation, I worked at Seattle Publishing. My old boss, Jay, was at the ride and has made a couple of videos, including this one (CLICK HERE) of Day 5 with Alex and Ashley of Team Pfizer. Check out his Facebook feed for more photos and videos. Jay is also a professional photographer with Studio Chaton.

Jeff's photos

Also make sure to check out Jeff Bass's photos on his Facebook feed from both TPPCC and the Amgen California Coast Classic.

As always thanks to our sponsors!

Issue # 19: October 11, 2010

2010-10-11T10:13:00.000-07:00

Greetings TPPCC riders and enthusiasts!

Fall is in the air! It's been a month now since The Pfizer People's Coast Classic and we've been staying busy behind the scenes wrapping up the 2010 event and getting started for 2011. Plans are already in place for a bigger and better event next year. If you haven't done so already, please fill out the survey linked in the alert email so that we can incorporate your feedback!

Eva and I took about 2,400 images during the trip. Being the amateur photographers that we are, about 700 of them are worthy of sharing with everyone! Eva has been color enhancing, cropping, rotating, and tagging the photos with the last names of riders. Between now and Thanksgiving, we'll be continuing to upload the images to our new Flickr group. Days 1 and 2 have been uploaded this morning for your viewing pleasure. Days 3 and 4 will be available in the next newsletter, followed by days 5 and 6 in November. If you have photos to share, please upload them to our Flickr group! The slideshow below contains images uploaded to the group.

Do Blue for World Arthritis Day, October 12, 2010

Tomorrow, October 12, is World Arthritis Day and the Arthritis Foundation is urging you to do two very simple things. First: Do Blue! Wear something blue in honor of 1 in 5 people in the US with arthritis! Second: Let everyone know how much you're moving to prevent arthritis by logging all the miles that you rode at TPPCC at FightArthritisPain.org. Yes...the website forgot to include cycling, but we've been told by the national office that any self-propelled movement counts. At 360 miles times 40 riders, TPPCC's contribution should be about 14,400 miles, which is over half of the 24,900 mile goal (equal to the circumference of Planet Earth) we're trying to hit across the nation!

Campagnolo: Accept No Substitutes!

It was brought to my attention our finishing medals just weren't good enough for one of our riders! This particular rider (ahem...BEAR) decided that a recycled SHIMANO chain on his bottle opener wasn't good enough for his tastes, so he pulled it off and installed a CAMPAGNOLO (10 speed no less) chain. I'll make sure to forward this feedback to our complaint department, AKA Jeremy. All joking aside, Bear rode both TPPCC and our sister event, The Amgen California Coast Classic, this year. You can see more about Bear and Lynda's excellent adventure down the left coast at the Velobear blog.

Behind the Scenes:

Thanks to the success of the inaugural event, we're already working to bring back 2010 sponsors. We've started conversations with a few potential new sponsors as well! If you've got any sponsorship leads, send them my way and I'll make it worth your while!
During the 2010 campaign, we had nearly 600 donations come in for TPPCC riders. Donors will be getting a thank you letter within the next two weeks, which includes a hard-copy donation receipt. On the back of the letter are also some images from this year's event...make sure to circle back with your donors and invite them to ride with you next year!
Donations are still welcomed online until October 16th! After that, we'll be taking down the 2010 Kintera site to put up the 2011 site. Stay tuned for new registration options in 2011!

As always thanks to our sponsors!

Issue #18: Post Event

2010-09-27T14:54:00.000-07:00

Greetings TPPCC riders and enthusiasts!

It was fitting that Al and the rest of Team Brooklynn were wearing their US Postal Service jerseys on Day 5. Neither rain nor wind stayed our riders from swift completion of The Pfizer People's Coast Classic as we hit a patch of rough weather in the last two days. Unfortunately, that is the consequences of having a ride down the Oregon Coast in September in a La Nina year. For you skiers out there...that should mean a great ski season this year!

Keeping in touch...

I can't believe it's only been just over a week since we all said our goodbyes in Brookings. In some respects, six-days felt like such a short amount of time. I would credit that to the lasting friendships that were established during the event. Many others have told me that the best part of their experience was meeting other riders and we'll be throwing a few options out there for you all to keep in touch with each other. The alert email you received for this week has everyone's email address CC'ed, whereas I normally BCC everyone. This will be the one time that I do that out of respect for everyone's privacy. Make sure to hang onto that email so that you can stay in touch with everyone. I will also generate a rider contact list for you all, but let me know if you would prefer not to be listed.

We at the Pacific Northwest Chapter are also fond of using Facebook. We will likely be restructuring how we use social media for 2011 so I won't ask you all to join our existing TPPCC Facebook page just yet. Please see this week's alert email for direct links on how to connect with our chapter and Tai via Facebook.

Media Sharing

There are a LOT of images and other media that we can share with each other after the event. Check out the following:

Eva was our official event photographer and she has started a Flickr page with a few select images. This is a work in progress as we'll be uploading more images and labeling/tagging them.
Holly and Dr. Steve Overman already shared their slideshow last week.
Bear is riding the California Coast Classic this week. You can track him via GPS by clicking HERE.
The Northwest Rangers, AKA Casey and Jeff, are prolific bloggers and have made a youtube video for each day of the ride. See below for Casey's favorite day and click HERE to see them all. They're Grrrreat!!
Jay also made videos...click HERE to check out this Facebook feed.
Jeff Bass is also on Facebook and posting images from the road. Click HERE to check his feed.
Got media to share? Use the comment section below to share your hyperlinks!

I've also received photos from Dawn and Julie...will be starting to upload some of those into our Flickr page as well. Orson was welcomed home to a finish line ceremony after a heavy week of drinking. I can relate to that...and I'm sure many others can as well.

Casey's Day 5 video...where he gloats about winning Poker Night

As always thanks to our sponsors!

Issue # 17: Day 6 virtual preview

2010-09-07T23:53:00.000-07:00

Greetings TPPCC riders and enthusiasts!

Just three more days until we head to Astoria for the Arthritis Road Show and The Pfizer People's Coast Classic! We've spent the whole year planning for this event and it's a bit hard to believe that it's finally here!

One of the behind the scenes stories of this year's event has been the struggle that one of our 2010 honoree's, Robyn, has been facing. After a major flare up that started in June, her plans to ride both STP and TPPCC were derailed. I had hoped that both of our honorees would be able to ride this year, but Robyn won't be able to ride with us as she is in the midst of trying to get better. We're highlighting Robyn in this week's newsletter video below.

Robyn's story is exactly why we're doing this ride and raising money for the mission of the Arthritis Foundation. There are over 46 million adults and nearly 300,000 children in the US with arthritis. We at the Pacific Northwest Chapter are fond of the belief that we want to be out of business. Someday, when there is a cure for arthritis, there won't be a need for the Arthritis Foundation. If that day happens to come within our lifetimes, then I hope we'll all get to ride together for much happier reasons.

A few housekeeping notes:

Please submit a participant survey form if you haven't done so already! It would also greatly help with our planning to be notified by those who do not plan to attend. Anyone who is registered has until Astoria check-in to finalize fundraising.

At this time, we do not have anyone taking advantage of our shuttle back to Portland, so we will likely cancel that leg to keep more dollars going towards the mission. If you need a ride to Portland, we have the capacity to take three people, their bikes and gear in other event vehicles.

Ten-day weather forecasts at this time project a chance of rain with temperatures in the 50-60's during our week along the Oregon coast. It does appear that we'll have sunny skies most days, but anything could happen this far out. Make sure you've packed the right gear and keep your fingers crossed that you won't have to use it!

Don't hesitate to call or email me if you have any questions.

Day Six Virtual Preview: Port Orford to Brookings

Also check out the views from Cape Sebastian!

As always thanks to our sponsors!

Issue # 16: Day 5 virtual preview

2010-09-02T23:45:00.000-07:00

Greetings TPPCC riders and enthusiasts!

It's another transitional week for the Pacific Northwest Chapter as we settle into our new office in the Northgate area of Seattle. We're so glad to be in our new space with new carpet and furniture!

Wasn't much time for gathering mission content this week so we'll just focus on the route for today's video. Day 5 at The Pfizer Peoples Coast Classic is incredibly scenic. Whereas the North Coast has lots of things to do and places to go, the hallmark of the South Coast is the wide open roads and coastal views. Day 6 is even more spectacular as it is completely on the coast without any major inland stretches. I'll have Day 6's virtual preview up early next week, with an interview of Robyn Callahan, one of our 2010 honorees.

Day Five at the Pfizer People's Coast Classic: North Bend to Port Orford

Check out the West Coast Game Park Safari!

As always thanks to our sponsors!

Issue #15: Day 4 virtual preview

2010-08-26T09:22:00.000-07:00

Greetings TPPCC riders and enthusiasts!

The Arthritis Foundation - Pacific NW Chapter office is moving this week, so this newsletter will be a bit short on content. Check out the Day 4 virtual preview and also a video clip of our trip to the Sea Lion Caves back in May.

One housecleaning item to address. The Best Western in North Bend listed on our lodging options document should not be used as it is nowhere close to our camp. During the research process, we used Google maps which showed the Best Western to be next door to the Comfort Inn. If you choose to book lodging that night, your best option is the Comfort Inn.

Day Four at the Pfizer People's Coast Classic: Yachats to North Bend

Sea Lion Caves

As always thanks to our sponsors!

Issue # 14: Day three virtual preview

2010-08-19T13:19:00.000-07:00

Greetings TPPCC riders and enthusiasts!

Production is in full swing behind the scenes at The Pfizer People's Coast Classic and the Arthritis Road Show. All volunteers, participants, Arthritis Road Show speakers and vendors will soon be getting a personal email from me with a Participant Survey Form attached. It is important that you fill out the form and get it back to me before next Friday, August 27th. This will help us finalize some of the arrangements being made for the transportation and safety of your belongings. Our caterer also needs to make sure that we have enough provisions if you are bringing non-riding guests.

Fundraising continues to be moving forward in high gear. Last Friday, I attended a benefit auction that Team Brooklynn was holding amongst family and friends. The auction raised over $2,000 and puts Team Brooklynn within a stone's throw of their fundrasing goal. It was absolutely fantastic to finally meet the Knopik's and their extended family, who have all rallied behind Brooklynn's.

Team Amgen has also been hard at work and have now raised nearly $12,000. Jeff, Team Amgen's captain, is closing in on his personal goal of raising $10,000 in honor of his mother-in-law.

Over the last few weeks, I've had the opportunity to answer many questions and I'll take a moment share a few of those answers publicly for everyone's benefit.

Checking in: You're welcomed to check in either Saturday afternoon between 3-5 PM at the Astoria Holiday Inn Express or Sunday morning from 5-6:30 AM at the Columbia River Maritime History Museum starting line. You'll get your rider number, luggage tags, water bottle, rider bracelet, first day cue sheets, and other participant information at check-in. We'll also have freebies and TPPCC merchandise available.

Fundraising: Upon checking in, we'll confirm that you've reached your $2,500 fundraising goal or will require a check/credit card donation to cover the remaining balance.

Incentive Prizes: You're encouraged to continue fundraising even after the event. If you choose not to and are eligible for a fundraising incentive prize, you can pick up the item either at Saturday check-in or Friday's finish line festival. Larger items will be special ordered and sent directly to you after the event.

Parking: Secure parking is available at the Clatsop County fairgrounds in Astoria for the entire week. Please specify your need to park in Astoria on the Participant Survey.

Guest Meals: A full week of meals are available for $200 if you plan on bringing a non-riding guest to the event. This also includes complimentary access to the Oregon Coast Aquarium on Day three and Sea Lion Caves on Day four. Please make arrangements by August 27th via the Participant Survey. Payments can be made upon check-in.

Shuttle Services: At the end of the six days, you'll be looking forward to the Amgen Express, our motor coach ride back to Astoria (Clatsop County Fairgrounds) and Portland (Pioneer Courthouse Square). The Amgen Express will leave Brookings as soon as everyone who needs to be on board is there, no earlier than 2PM and no later than 4PM. It is advised that you start riding around 7AM that morning so that we can all get to the finish line, enjoy the festivities, and get on the bus to go home as early as possible! Keep in mind that it is about a six hour drive back to Astoria, and another two hours into Portland.

Bike Transport: Your bikes will also be transported in a cargo van following the Amgen Express. We will have moving blankets to keep all bikes separated. Please let me know if you are bringing a hard bike case and whether it is for full-size or travel-size bikes!

No More Training Rides!

We won't have a training ride on Saturday August 28th as our staff will be at the Seattle Oyster Urban Adventure Race and other riders will be out of town. Weekend after that is Labor Day, and then it's off to the Oregon Coast. Hope to see you at this weekend's ride up to Edmonds led by our President/CEO, Scott Weaver.

Day Three at The Pfizer People's Coast Classic: Lincoln City to Yachats

As always thanks to our sponsors!

Issue # 13: Day two virtual preview

2010-08-12T14:19:00.000-07:00

Greetings TPPCC riders and enthusiasts!

We've been doing training rides in Seattle since 2007, initially as part of the Joints in Motion Cycling for a Cure program, and now as part of The Pfizer People's Coast Classic. A perennial favorite is to climb the cobbled roads of Post Alley behind Pike Place Market to the infamous "Gum Wall". For the uninitiated, the gum wall is literally an obscure brick wall covered with used gum. CNN calls it the second most "germiest" tourist attraction in the world. You'd think that after seeing it for a few years, we've had enough, but the joy of going to the gum wall these days is really just to watch others get creeped out. Our willing victim this year was Rosemary, a member of Team Amgen. After some coaxing, she allowed us to take this picture of her. Note the distance she is standing away from the wall...we couldn't get her to go any closer.

Exactly a month to the day from Day one of our inaugural trip down the Oregon Coast! We're in full production mode behind the scenes for both The Pfizer People's Coast Classic and the Arthritis Road Show. Donations continue to pour in thanks to the fundraising efforts of our participants. Thanks for all your hard work!

Upcoming Training Rides

The theme of this year's training schedule continues to be Hills, Hills, and More Hills. After watching the virtual video preview of Day Two (Below), you'll know why. Our training ride this weekend will take us back to Kirkland for a metric century. Here's next weekend's ride:

Training ride #14

Where: Meet at the Arthritis Foundation office
When: Saturday August 21, 2010. 8 AM - 12 PM
Route: Edmonds Loop (Rumor has it that Mr. Incredible will be leading the ride)
What to bring: Cycling gear, flat kit, water, snacks, cash for coffee stop, sunscreen, rain jacket if necessary.
Who: TPPCC registrants and JIM Cycling participants. You're welcome to bring a friend.

Day Two at The Pfizer People's Coast Classic

As always thanks to our sponsors!

Issue #12: Take a virtual tour of Day One.

2010-08-06T10:41:00.000-07:00

Greetings TPPCC riders and enthusiasts!

We're counting down the last six weeks to go until The Pfizer People's Coast Classic. I'm sure you've all been working hard on fundraising and training for the ride. Some of you have called me the last couple of weeks regarding training and fundraising questions...and that's what I'm here for so keep those calls coming! Next week, I'll be reaching out to all of you individually to make sure all your questions are answered before checking in at Astoria on September 11th and 12th.

Fundraising...the Home Stretch!

No question about it...the $2,500 fundraising goal is a big commitment. For most, it has been a long, tough effort. Kudo's to those of you who signed up to support our mission. For those of you who've already reached your goal, give yourselves a pat on the back and start daydreaming about your beautiful six-day trip. For those of you who are still looking to reach your goal, there is still enough time to reach the goal and join us for the inaugural Pfizer People's Coast Classic! Here are a few tips and motivators:

Ask EVERYONE. Your barber, your local bank, your dog groomer, the florist, etc. Remember that donations are tax-deductible!
Ask EVERYONE again! You've probably got some friends and family members who said they'd give you a donation, but haven't turned them in. In the fundraising world, it's conventional wisdom that the typical donor has to be asked an average of THREE TIMES before donating. If you've asked once in person or by email, follow up with a letter request and a phone call!
Take advantage of TEAM fundraising. Increase your network by having your close friends register to help you fundraise. When they register, they'll get a free jersey and water bottle. Get them to send requests out to their friends. If three people raise $2,500 (not including registration fees of non-riding participants), one person will still get to ride at TPPCC. Yes...they've got to be pretty good friends because you're asking them to help you quite a bit without getting to come and ride.
Check out our fundraising incentives! There are rewards for your hard work! How about a new camera? Or a custom TPPCC soft shell jacket? Or a new bike?!
Finally...check out our virtual tour below! The chance to ride the beautiful Oregon coast is motivation in itself!

Google Earth Virtual Tour: Day One from Astoria to Garibaldi

Over the next 5 weeks, you'll get a little taste of each day's route in our virtual video tours. Bear with me as this is the first time I've ever made a movie. I had to use a foam clown nose wrapped around the mic to cut out the echo and background noise. I'll work on making these videos look and sound better! Here's Day One:

CLICK HERE for a great article about the history, construction, and bridges of Route 101 along the Oregon Coast!

As always thanks to our sponsors!

The Amgen People's Coast Classic (TAPCC)

Getting Ready for 2012!

2011 TAPCC Day 2 Slideshow

Just for our riders: The Co-Motion Promotion!

2011 TAPCC Day 1 Slideshow

Tour Post - Day Six - The Amgen People's Coast Classic

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$3000 LEVEL - TAPCC Cycling Cap

$3500 LEVEL - Columbia Sportswear Marauder Bag

$4500 LEVEL - Primal Wear Fusion Cycling Jacket

$5500 LEVEL - Custom Swift Industries Bags

$7500 LEVEL - Custom Swift Industries Panniers

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