Messages from the team - week 3 in Europe

Report for July 23, 2005 – Valloire

What an incredible day in the Alpes.  Tracy and Sarah could not leave this place without riding Alpes D'Huez.  Mike and Linda Dunn drove Tracy and Sarah to the start while Rocky and Gretchan started the track to Valloire.  Bill, Celia & Rocky Anderson stayed in Les Deux Alpes and found an internet café and got some work done.

Tracy and Sarah (along with Mike Dunn) completed Alpes D'Huez.  All were happy about Tracy and Sarah's accomplishment; however, unknown to the team, the rest of the day was climbing. It was incredible.   The sites were beautiful.  The words can not explain the road we climbed.

It is amazing what a rest day can do for the team.  Rocky Anderson was strong through the climb and finished the day without getting into the van.  It was a great accomplishment for all of us.

Valloire is a beautiful city. We stayed at Hotel Rapin. The hospitality was great and the accommodations were wonderful.  We will never forget the ride today.  It was one of our favorite rides.

Report for July 24, 2005 – Aussois

Today was a short ride day (40 km); however, there were more climbs today.  It was another beautiful ride.  With the exception of Bill and Celia (who stayed in Valloire for a while to enjoy the town), the team stayed together. 

Aussois is a ski town.  It was beautiful riding into the city.  We stayed at Hotel du Soleil.  Aussois is another amazing place.  The owner of the place did not understand or speak any English. None of the team could understand French, which made for an interesting conversation.

The church bells would ring on the hour reminding us of the time passing away before we had to leave this incredible town. 

July 25, 2005 – Rest Day

Report for July 26, 2005 – Stupigini

It is strange to think that today is our last "riding" day.  What a journey this has been.  Bill & Celia elected to stay at the hotel a while longer while the rest of the team journeyed on towards another "climb." 

Bill & Celia joined the team towards the top of the climb and powered over the top for the incredible descent.  The descent was a biker's dream. The road was recently paved so it was fast and smooth.

We all met for lunch in Susa and then journeyed on for our final destination.

Approximately 80 kilometers into the ride we ran into a stumbling block. The road we needed to use to get to Stupigini was closed, permanently. 

Mike and Linda showed us why they were named "The Navigators."  With Mike at the wheel, Linda set up the detour for the rest of the team.  Without the help of Mike and Bill text paging, we would still be out there somewhere. Who knows where?

The total kilometers for the day were 120. 

Trip report - July 28

We finished up our amazing journey today, riding from our hotel in None, Italy to the Stupinigi Castle, where we were greeted by several Torino police officers, representatives of the Mayor's Office, members of a local bicycle team, and a representative of Critical Mass in Torino (who was thrilled to hear that we have a Critical Mass orginization in Salt Lake City).  While we were having photographs taken with everyone else in front of the Castle, about 50 young people in red tee-shirts came riding up to join us, ringing the bells on their bikes and excited to join us on this glorious occasions.  We then rode several miles from Stupinigi to the City Hall in Torino, escorted by police officers on motorcycles, with the entire group of bicyclists joining us. We were greeted at City Hall by the Mayor of Torino, Sergio Chiamparino.  We then went into City Hall, took a short tour, met with Mayor Chiamparino in his office, had some media interviews, then formally discussed the Message and passed it on to Mayor Chiamparino.  The Italian media (locally and nationally) took great interest, both in the substance of the Message and the journey that was undertaken in order to deliver it.  We were all thrilled to have been able to deliver the message at the appointed day and time -- and to have been able to further the message of the need for all people and all nations to work together to meet the tremendous human rights, medical, and environmental challenges facing our world.  As with our journey, people of good will, passion and commitment -- working together peacefully, collaboratively, and with determination -- can accomplish great things.  May we all commit ourselves to help those who are in need and to bring about positive changes through our actions every day of our lives.  (Message from Rocky Anderson)