Pancreatic Cancer and Bubba Ride 2013

Many of you are wondering what a Bubba Ride is and why I'm doing it.  I will try to explain as briefly as possible.  As Bubba said the other day "what, did you need an excuse to ride?"

In 2006 I decided to ride the Leadville Trail 100 and as a flatlander at sea level who had decided to take on this endeavor less than 12 months earlier, this was huge.  I arrived in Leadville about 10 days before the race, and I walked into what used to be the "Proving Grounds" coffee shop.  I met a group of men, all in riding gear, all well past 50 years old, all of them looked like the "Veterans" I had heard about.  One of those great guys that I will always consider mentors in the world of Ultra Endurance sports from then on out, was Tom "Bubba" Ray Bryan.

Basement full of awards and bikes

Smiley Tom!

  Tom has been one of the best guys I've met in my many visits to Leadville and I believe he has affected many of us the same way.  His humor is infectious but don't take him lightly, Tom is as hardcore as they come.  He has competed in some of the worlds toughest footraces, such as The Western States 100 several times.  He has numerous podium finishes at cycling events as well.  In a later post I will try and capture some of these achievements in detail.

In 2012, I saw a post by one of the other guys we met that day, William "Doc" Wenmark, also an extremely accomplished athlete, businessman and a mentor to many to say the least.  Doc told all of us that Tom had had a crash on his mountain bike, he thought he had hurt his ribs, but Ginger his wife insisted he go to the doctor.  Tom had no broken ribs, what he had was Stage 4 Cancer of the Pancreas and these Pancreas were pissed off, thus the pain.  Tom has since undergone Chemo, a very aggressive Chemo and due to his strong body he made it through quite well, albeit a little thin.  This resulted in a very positive but not completely clear result, prompting a current batch of Radiation therapy.

Bubba, has a new race, his race against Pancreatic Cancer.  Bubba will IN FACT beat this, I'm sure of it, he's one tough guy.  So in his honor a few of us decided to do the first and hopefully not last Bubba Ride.  Bubba Ride will hopefully be an annual event that is not a sanctioned race, hopefully can be different each year and even better if done with different people in different places each year.  

2013 the Bubba Ride will be myself, Robert Tuma and possibly a couple other riders yet to commit.  The ride will consist of a ride that inspired me a few years ago, done by Yuri Hauswald (Gu/Marin) and Austin Mcinerny (Executive Director NICA/Bay Ridge Trail Council), covered in Bike Magazine March 2011.  We will hopefully start approximately July 12-18, well that's all our vacation time will allow this year, and Robert has to make it to Leadville soon after.

What we hope to do is raise some money for Bubbas charity of choice (stay tuned), after all he'd be here with us if he wasn't at the doctors office.  I hope to see some of you supporting us, others following our progress, but most of all CHEERING Bubba on for a speedy recovery.

Stay Tuned

Sergio