Why We Ride

Team IRON EAGLES is a group of friends and family dedicated to fighting Multiple Sclerosis (MS). We join forces to raise money for the NATIONAL MS SOCIETY to support the great PROGRAMS they have available to help members of the community and to support the exciting RESEARCH being done in the field. We blog about why we ride, our experiences at fundraising events, our fundraisers and training tips. We also have links to information on MS and MS research. JOIN US!

Monday, August 11, 2014

Pepto and Bismol

We have two new team members!  Their names are Pepto and Bismol and they are bright pink gumball machines that live in the Springville Walmart entrances.  The reason for their names is because "oh what a relief it is" to have a steady revenue stream for our team!  (well, also, because they are Pepto Bismol pink)  We already have two gumball machines placed in American Fork and Logan and we are finding that gumballs are a wonderful way to raise funds (so long as you can get them placed well!).  Gumball machines are all about volume.  If a certain percentage of the people who see a gumball machine want to buy one then the more people you have passing your machine, the more gumballs you will sell.  A lot of people walk through the doors at Walmart so we are hoping this will translate to lots of $$.  Fingers crossed!



Friday, July 11, 2014

MS150 2014

Hello!  First of all we'd like to thank all of our wonderful sponsors who made the MS150 ride possible including everyone who donated and especially our jawbreaker machine hosts -- Center Street Grille in Logan and Water Gardens Cinema in Pleasant Grove.

Here are a few pictures from our ride this year.  We had 9 riders on the team including 2 rookies.


Left to right:  Bethany, Marianne, Me, Sarah (rookie #1), Bill, Reid, Isaac (rookie #2 in front of Reid), Jacob, Lisa.

Most of us did the 45 mile route.  Reid and Isaac did 50 miles so Isaac could get a boy scout merit badge.  Jacob and Bill did the century route.  Can you believe how grown up Jacob is?!  Look back a few years ago on this blog and you'll see a little boy in a t-shirt that says "I stink at fundraising."  Same boy.  Now he's in a professional jersey and looks like he could ride with Lance Armstrong!

The Before pictures


Rookie #1.  Excited and a bit nervous :-)


Rookie #2.  Ready to rock and roll! 


The Hales boys.  Dr. Reid, Lance Jr. and Mr. Energy


Very important to put on sunscreen.  If you don't you may end up with .......



a really cool looking sunburn mask! :-)


Tires pumped?  Check!  Sunscreen?  Check!  Water bottles?  Check!
Ready to ride!


On the road.  I was riding in the back and I looked up to see this.  Our team sure has grown!  Sarah says, "Where?"  Ok.  So the riders seem a bit small in this picture.  It was a neat sight though.  You just had to be there -- join us next year! :-)


Isaac and Sarah had a grand time riding together.  Isaac kept Sarah entertained with World War I and II history lessons and funny jokes.  Sarah said she was going steady -- meaning she felt steady on her bike.  Isaac inquired who she was going steady with.  Was it Thomas?  Was the relationship steamy? (Thomas the train :-) or was it George?  Did he go bananas for her? (Curious George :-).  Love that 12 year old boy humor!


At this rest stop the rookies found this really fun merry-go-round.  Aunt Marianne discovered that it is not wise to try and jump on a moving merry-go-round after riding 36 miles on a bike!  Ouch!

Almost-Post Ride Pictures



Ok.  So this isn't exactly post ride.  Here we are three blocks from the finish.  The route was changed this year so that we rode past Gossner Foods on the way back to the finish.  That's how it was 10 years ago when I first rode.  For my first few rides it was a tradition to stop at Gossners and get an ice cream cone on the way back.  We did that this year too.  When we were at Gossners we realized that we were about an hour ahead of the 100 milers.  So we called the kids back at home and told them to wait and come in an hour to cheer on the 100 milers when they came through the finish.  That would give us an hour of kid-free relaxation at the finish :-)  About three blocks from the finish Sarah, who hadn't been in on the conversation about when the kids would come cheer at the finish, said to me that she was so excited to see everyone at the finish line!  Oops.  This was her first year riding.  She had gone 46 miles.  Here we were at the end and the moment she was most looking forward to almost didn't happen!  We pulled over and called the kids.  Change in plans.  Come now.  As we waited for them we did yoga and applied some of Aunt Marianne's miracle cream.  She has this great cream that really helps sore muscles.  I wish I remembered the name!  "And we also swatted spiders," says Sarah.  I have to admit I'm glad the kids were there to cheer us in at the finish.  It was a really neat feeling to ride in to cheers from the family.  It was also really neat to see Sarah finishing and being mobbed by her younger siblings and cousins.  I am so proud of her!! :-)

Post Ride Pictures


Is this the same girl that started the bike ride 6 hours ago?  Rookie #1 has found a little bit of confidence and a little bit of attitude LOL



Our cheerleaders making silly faces :-)


The 100 milers at the finish line


Post ride massages while waiting in line for dinner.



Bingo!!  Aunt Lisa championed the Bingo cause again this year
and again it paid off!  We won some Apple Beer and a 
$50 gift certificate to Harmon's :-)


The real reason for cold drinks at dinner :-)


On our way home!


Of course we had to stop by Center Street Grille!


And, of course, the real reason we ride!  To help find a Cure for MS!

THANK YOU for your love and support!