Team Noah Foundation

Thanks to John Merli of Dogfish for designing these bike jerseys to help raise money for the Noah Foundation, http://dogfishusa.com/ we have some special things we are planning to do, if you knew you only had a short time with your child you would want to spend every second with them, what if you couldnt, you should be able to, stress free from the outside world knowing that when you have to go back you still have everything you worked so hard for. we want to help those families get that special time with there beautiful little child.

Pushing Buttons to Heaven.

The animals were kind of a give away that it was a place for kids and in a special way it made since. I could wonder if we were supposed to feel special getting a name tag to visit and I
sometimes wonder how many times I have been in each of the four elevators
feeling lucky they all went to the seventh floor. My mind was never focused on
one thing other than my son and what his world was filled with today so many
days ago. My mind does get lost in that time and what I wouldn't do sometimes to
go back but back doesn't exist anymore. The elevators lead to a very special
place filled with beauty if you could get past the deep since of pain that was
put on you upon entering. the same hallway for weeks lead me to him, it was
easy to greet everyone with a smile along the way, there was something special
about this place beyond the machines etc. that seemed to captivate me. So easily
a world I never thought I would be a part of and up to this point I never truly
understood! if suffering earns us points to Heaven then it would be easy to
understand why so many of them make it there much to quickly, it will take me a
lifetime to feel what he felt for most every second of his little life and I do
like to suffer. Simply how is he today was always the question and what you
wanted to really hear was he is ready to go home are anything even remotely close
to having a chance to go home, though now I understand he was always preparing
to go home just a different kind of home any parent would have a hard time
understanding. thinking back it was easy to see within his eyes so many times we
stared deeply at each other. I learned a great deal about him at those precious
times, the touch of his little fingers next to mine, the feel of his cute little
ears the shape of his face when I would put my hand over his forehead to shade
his eyes from the light. Memories for ever! In my mind he will always be that
sweet little boy though I wonder a great deal that special day when he greets me
at Heavens door if he will still be my sweet little baby Noah, so easily to
wonder if he will remember my touch, I do reach for him kissing whispers of love
to his sweet spirit, does heaven except those? can he still feel me thinking of
him. The last time he looked into my eyes before his big surgery as they were
putting him under was in its own way that something special I needed to feel the
way I do. I think his time was that day but I couldn't let him go yet and never
really feel like we had him back after the surgery, there was that one special
time when they woke him up and his eyes glazed open a bit with a since of
hope that he was still in there but in reality he was waiting for us to let him
go. knowing that special day it was easy to see why it had to be that day, that
time, in our arms, in that room with a beautiful storm to take him to heaven
knowing on his journey he passed through the beautiful garden, he knew how much
I wanted to take him there. The elevators at Children's Hospital do go all the
way to Heaven luckily for us it stopped at one very special floor so we could
have our special time with him and in a way that was like Heaven.

Noah's Memorial ride and auction

http://www.noahgmemorial.com/ A lot of very special people put a ton of time in putting this together for our beautiful little Angel Noah. we love and miss him so much...

Noah's Syllamo ride

Somethings are more special than words can write. thanks Chris for taking him on your journey!

Good night song for Noah.

upon my hand a sweet kiss filled with a wish gently blown to the sky, shall it find you I will pray, that tomorrow for you will be a less painful day.. sweetest of dreams Noah...

Tour of Herman....

This will be one race weekend I will do every year if possible. The time trial was a ton of fun, never thought I could average over 24 mph on a some what hilly time trial course. Finally got a top ten finish in a crit, didn't think that would ever happen, especially finishing third. The road race was crazy. Not sure how else to put it. If we wouldn't of had such a head wind on the way out I think I would of tried to go right from the start, pretty sure a few other key people would of went to. The first lap was pretty mellow, going into the second lap we had to do the wall climb. Super fun climb, not much different then a MTB climb. A few guys went off the front before we got to the feed so going into the climb I made quick work to catch up with them, I think there was either one guy still ahead or maybe he came by going into the second riser, either way once I got to the top I sat up and waited for what was left of the pack, personal reasons for what happen with the crit, I do my best to keep my word.. The second lap got pretty tough, I ended up getting super dehydrated, still trying to get used to riding at a group pace so that made it harder. The last climb got me good, still ended up in 13th, best place I have gotten in a road race. 7th overall for the weekend. pretty stoked.. I think the road racing is paying off, finally got from the road to the very top of Lone Wolf climb in under 3 minutes on the MTB.. still had a little more to offer, save it for the next time, good stuff.

Hillsboro road race. Tilles park Crit

Sitting behind a super strong Momentum guy, was up front way to much! Not smart in road racing, I think I figured that one out now... (Hillsboro)

second from the left, next to Shawnerrr.... (Tilles crit)

Road racing is taking over my mind! The Hillsboro race was a blast, getting more comfortable on the road bike in a group, felt good just need to be a little smarter, was were I wanted to be going up the last climb but not were I should of been on the long road going to the last climb, still

don't think it would of made any difference on were I was going to finish, NOT ready to be in a field sprint yet, pretty goofy I guess, just want to get more comfortable. I wasn't for sure about doing the Tilles park crit mostly because we had a ton of stuff to do around the house to get ready for the little guy next month plus I was wanting to enjoy the day with family also, which is one of the biggest reason for doing the Crits to begin with. We kicked butt on getting some very necessary stuff done plus I ain't a big fan of my wife trying to do to much house work being this far along in the pregnancy, so I helped her get most of that stuff done to. With everything done that we wanted to get done plus we were wanting to do a little bit of shopping we decided to go to Tilles park for the crit. Other than it being a really warm day (upper 80s) it was perfect. Lucas played at the playground for a bit, Bettina got some fresh warm air and I got to ride my bike in circles for a hour. I enjoyed this crit the most even with it being so flat, I just don't feel right not getting to stand and peddle yet, but that is what is making it so fun. I feel I have gotten a lot stronger on the MTB through the winter doing more pace line stuff on our big road ride we were doing every week. That ride and of course Double Berrymans have always been my foundation for the endurance race season. But up until this last winter I never put to much effort into actual road training, pace line stuff. Its funny though, over the last 4 years of training on the road with Jim and listening to all of the stories of road racing and the different things that go on, its all making since. Maybe that is what made the Tilles crit that much more fun, pretty relaxed, was sketchy a few times I am sure but feeling like I fit in pretty good with the road racing stuff. Don't get me wrong I do look forward to the MTB stuff, just not the mud and worrying about tearing up the trails plus the bike.