What the heck is the Journey of Awesomeness?
Friends,
What the heck is the Journey of Awesomeness?
The Journey of Awesomeness (JoA) was inspired by my experience in the PanMass Challenge (PMC) in 2014. The PMC is this amazing event in New England when 7,000 cyclists of all shapes and sizes get on their bikes, and each commit to raise $6,000 and ride 200 miles over 2 days. It is a $60M monster cancer fundraiser for the Dana Farber Institute. It is an amazing display of what is possible when a community comes together, and it is fun.
We have no such $60M ambition here at the JoA, but we believe that; all are welcome, anything is possible, and nobody is perfect. We ride for the Hungry and Thirsty, because food and water are pretty basic necessities, don’t you think? We ride for local food (Blue Ridge Area Food Bank), and global clean water (WorldServe International) and these 2 great organizations that we have been partnered with for the last bunch of years. As a rider, you get to choose which of these causes is nearer and dearer to your heart (or both) and you get to “drop the nets”, and amazing things happen.
Let’s cover the 3 most important areas:
# 1 - The Culture
We do not take ourselves, or our cycling too seriously. I ride a lot of miles. I love the bike. Is there anything worse though than a cyclist who takes himself too seriously? Really. His/her spandex wound a little too tight? It’s a bike. It’s a gift. We get to pedal it. There is no one reading this that is a threat to win the Tour de France this year. If you do take your cycling pretty seriously, this could be a good event for you! You are most welcome. We are here for you.
Here is what we take seriously;
● Relationship and Community
● Fun
● Fitness
● The Hungry and the Thirsty
● And of course, the safety of our riders
# 2 - Fundraising
You are required to raise or write a check for $50*Your Age.
Yeah, yeah, yeah…we have heard it all before…”I don’t like to ask people for money, I like local causes, I like global causes, someone said this to me once, ‘we shouldn’t seek to solve political problems by non-political means’ (true, no way I could make that up)”, etc., etc.
There are Hungry and Thirsty people in the world. They could use our help and the resources we have in our networks.
What you find, when you “clear the head trash” around this, is that; people in your network care, they are interested in what you are doing, and it moves them a wee bit and that is good. They don't always give you money, but they are moved off center some, and this is good.
If you really can’t ask people for money, then stroke a check and c’mon in.
By way of example, if you are a 40-yr old and need to raise $2,000 (easy math), and you are matching donations (recommended at some level), you would need 10 friends to each give you $100, matched by your $1,000 and off you go.
# 3 - The 200ish miles
It depends on who you ask, but I have it at like 207 miles over 2 days. It ain’t easy in central VA, but you can do it. If you can not do it, then the support crew is there to welcome you warmly and move you up the course, or take you to the end point. Riding say, 142 miles over the weekend is infinitely better than zero. Keep in mind, this is not a race, this is not a cycling event, and the stronger riders are counseled to unwind their spandex and be in no hurry, and they will be there to keep you company. See the bit about what we take seriously. We offer up some fun training rides for those that are local here to central VA starting in Aprilish.
So, there it is. The JoA explained as best I can. In the words of the PMC, and possibly the best goal-setting advice I have ever heard; “Commit, You’ll Figure it Out.”
Give a call/email if you have any questions, or if you are trying to determine if this is a fit for you. Peace,
Kevin O’Shea
434-825-2590