Hi Cycling Diabetics! I have just started the Red Rider Hangout, where I will be interviewing Red Riders about their Tour, their diabetes, and why they love to ride their bike! Please consider Liking the facebook page: http://facebook.com/redriderhangout
I expect that the first interview will be held in the next week. You can see where the interviews will be live broadcasted: http://redriderhangout.com
AND... if you are a Red Rider and would like to be interviewed, let me know and we'll set you up!!! You need a webcam and a gmail/google account!!!
GO RED RIDER!
Mari
Mari Ruddy, TeamRed and Red Rider Founder type 1 for 31 years
Will do, thanks for setting that up. And a HUGE thank you for the work you did with the Red Rider program. I wear my red rider jerseys (I have 5 of them from two different states) daily.
Is Red Rider the Tour de Cure rides? I haven't been to any because I generally just ride from home and don't care for these types of organized rides, but I do like to go for long rides. Farthest so far has been 235 miles in a day, and I'm aiming for a ride over 350mi next year if all goes well.
Mike, Thanks for writing!!! I LOVE it that you have 5 jerseys! I think you'll like the new 2013 one... it matches the champions jerseys in theme and spirit and has a totally new feel from the previous years!
What's your home Tour? WOuld you like to be interviewed? I especially like interviewing a few traveling Tour riders!!!
Mari
(you need a computer with a webcam and a gmail/google account)
Hi Andy! Yes, Red Riders are cyclists with diabetes who ride in the Tour de Cure. Some of the rides are pretty awesome, you might give it a try. Where do you live?
AND WOW! way to go, 235 in one day is incredible. A few Tours (lots of them actually) have 100 mile rides, that would be easy for you!
If you do a Tour, you get a very awesome made by Primal Wear jersey that says I ride with diabetes and people yell to you GO RED RIDER because you are the hero for the day. It's pretty cool. There were over 5,000 of us who rode in 2012 as Red Riders in all the 80 Tour de Cure rides.
I think there is one at Keuka Lake near Hammondsport, NY that I've considered going to before. I thought of riding to it from Ithaca and doing the loop and riding home to make it about 200 miles, but the weekend they ran it hasn't worked out for me.
There are 7 to choose from in New York state: Buffalo, NYC, Riverhead, Rochester, Saratoga Springs, Verona, Watkins Glen. I don't know NY state super well, so which of these is best to where you live? Some of the Tours are a a little better organized and bigger than others... the best ones in NY that I am familiar with are: Rochester, Buffalo, Saratoga Sprints. Can you get to one of these? The others are getting better and better each year!!! You can find out more on the National Tour website: http://diabetes.org/tour and click on FIND YOUR TOUR
It is a fundraising ride... it's about $20 or so to register and then they ask us all to raise at least $150 or $200. I find it fairly easy to make that mark and go even higher most years.
Also, I highly recommend any lone riders (who don't want to start their own team, you need 5 for a team) or riders who will bring a family member, to join Team Red - which is for riders with d and their non d family and friends. It's a great team!!
Congratulations on starting the Red Rider. It is a great program and I have seen the jersey on rides in this part of Texas.
I have a thought from "this old codger" (I will be elgible to get a 50 year award in 2014). I am from the old school and prefer to not have the I Ride with Diabetes on the back of the jersey......even though the Tour DeCure graphics on the front is good. Is it possible to have a Red Rider jersey without the I Ride with Diabetes on the back?
I was going to do the Tour in Ft. Worth 2 or 3 years ago but as I understood it the jersey is not available without the IRWD. I would be a participant if that slogan were not there. Thanks
Hi Frank! Congrats on the 50 year award!!! Way to go!! That's an awesome accomplishment.
There is no Red Rider shirt that doesn't have I ride with Diabetes... My intention in creating the Red Rider program is to create a positive identity and association with diabetes... to live well with diabetes is something to be celebrated.
You might still do the ride and just wear the jersey the day of the ride, then put it away. If you raise over $500 you will also be able to get another jersey that doesn't say anything about diabetes.
The Red Rider jersey is like the Pink t-shirts at the Komen events that say "SURVIVOR" everyone knows you survived cancer. It's about claiming that diabetes is intense and we are heroes of the day at the Tour de Cure.
I hope you consider doing a ride and see what it's like. The Dallas/Fort Worth ride is a really good one.
hi there! You don't have to be on Facebook!!! We are actually broadcasting and recording the conversations on a regular website... we just did the first interview today!!! You can see it on the home page: http://redriderhangout.com
I'm very excited that you are riding in so many Tours!!! GO RED RIDER!!
