So late last year I signed up to take part in a little bike ride called the Tour du Rouge. It’s nothing really, just a tiny little bike ride is all. Just a tiny little six-day, 535-mile bike ride from Houston to New Orleans. That’s all, just 535 measly little miles.

OK, so maybe this isn’t just some tiny little local t-shirt ride that I’m setting out on. This one is serious; and in a couple of different ways. Not only do I have to get myself trained and ready for the physical aspect if the ride, but I’ve also committed to raising $2500 in donations to the American Red Cross chapters that lie along the route so that they can continue to provide the kind of relief services that they doled out in the wakes of hurricanes Ike and Gustav less than two years ago, and for many more less publicized personal disaters since.

Given the serious nature of this ride, I’ve decided to use this website to help me launch an attack on both of my goals for this ride and beyond.

On the training end of things I am breaking out the Cyclo-CLUB 90 Day Fitness Blaster offseason training plan, kicking off tonight and ending just as I’m loading up the car to head to Houston for the ride. I’ll be yammering about my training results and experiences here, so the world can watch as I whip this booty into full-on riding shape. Tune in tonight for a recap of the first workout and my discussion of why I think the 90DFB is the perfect training plan for this ride

And on the second front, I am looking to use this website as a vehicle for raising donations both from getting the word out to the public and for offering businesses some advertising space in exchange for a modest donation to the American Red Cross supporting my ride.  If you’re a regular ol’ person who would like to make a donation to support me and the ARC, you can do so by visiting the donation page that was set up for me for the ride; it’s fast easy and secure, and I can’t thank you enough for helping out with this worthy cause.  And if you own or run a business and are interested in donating and securing some ad space on the Bramble, I’ll be posting details shortly.  In the meantime, feel free to leave me any questions in the comment area and I’ll get back to you in a jiffy.

I truly hope that I am able to succeed on both fronts for this ride, because while it would mean so much to me, personally, to complete this ride, the funds that I raise will mean so much more to the people who see thase funds as relief services or food and shelter after their lives hove been turned upside down by some disaster great or small.  I’m priding for myself, but I’m also riding for them.  Won’t you please help us out?