Day 41. Relaxing down day in Charlottesville, VA and a request for support.

Today was a day off to rest, take care of our bikes, reconnect with Angela and develop an off the TransAm route to meet my old friend from Arizona Public Service back in Phoenix, James Gardner.  James now lives in Greenville, NC and has developed a route for us from Richmond, VA where we will meet him to Buxton, NC (The Outer Banks) through his hometown of Greenville, NC.

I've had a lot of help from friends and family on this trip, as well as people I'd never met before, just like many of you that might be reading my blog from time to time.  One of the reasons I'm taking this trip is to help raise money for people I know and people I've never met, just like I've been helped.

The following weekend after I return from this trip I'll be riding the BikeMS bike ride, often called MS150.  It will be a two day ride from Westminster, CO (near Denver) to Ft. Collins, CO and back the next day.  BikeMS raises funds for Mutliple Sclerosis research and to help people currently affected by MS.  MS destroys the protective sheath around the nerves in your body, essentially causing "short circuits" and impacting basic motor skills throughout a persons body.  In some cases it can go in and out of remission and in others it may cause death or significant disability.  Both of Angela's sisters,  Marcie and Debbie below, have MS.  Debbie's first husband, Tom died of it in a few shorts years when he was in his 30's.

















For the last 30 years I wondered if either Angela and I would get MS.  Now that we've passed the typical age that it may strike, in the middle of ones life, I now worry about my own two children, Ryan and Michelle and their spouses, Mattie and Adam.  Ryan and Mattie at one of their favorite restaurants near our house, Oskar Blues Liquids and Solids.  Michelle and Adam with little Graham, our grandson, on a hike in the Rockies.  That's why fighting Multiple Sclerosis through BikeMS is personal for me.

If you know someone whose been affected by MS, or might be in the future, or if you've enjoyed reading my blog about our cycling adventures to the Outer Banks, and want to help me help others, please click on the link and make any donation you are able too.
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/Scotts_MS150_page

Thanks for following myself, Angela, John and all of my other friends I've ridden with or strangers that have offered us kindness and support along the way.  Anything you can do would be appreciated.

Scott