The end...NOT!!!

Hello everyone! finally, 3 days after the big finale I get a chance to post my last blog, as far as the ride is concern :)

Well, the end was..not what I expected, I mean, I guess deep inside I wanted a nice reception and lots of people to be waiting for me at the end. Finishing was definitely good enough for me, I just wanted to get there and declare my trip done. I will try and describe the end as best as I can but this is one of those times when one would say..wish you were here!!

It happens that the last day was only 60 miles long. It was a very hilly ride and although I had some very nice long descents where I was able to reach 41.9 miles an hour, my legs were very tired and I was ready to be done. I rode very slow the first 30 miles and was pressed to pedal pretty hard the last 30 because we stooped for a long lunch and the hills turned out to be pretty steep.
well, 7 miles before the final pedal stroke was made, we stopped one last time. There were last minute plans to be made for the arrival, (which I did not know about) I was jut told to rest a bit. So I rested for another 30 minutes. It was 5:45 in the afternoon when we finally got on our way. One mile later I was already at the edge of town where some 10-15 children met me in their bicycles. two others had been biking with me off and on for the past 60 miles.
Now with a group of about other 17 people on bikes, we started to descent into the town. One patrol truck had been leading me for the last 60 miles, 5 others joined in and about 6 police motorcycles joined also! One ambulance and about 5 other cars joined in the group. I was lead into the center place of the city where we did a lap around the main plaza. All traffic was stopped for us to go through and people cheered on the side lines. Then we preceded to ride toward the neighborhood where I grew up (this was the place I was to finish). We did a lap around the neighborhood and then we stopped in the local theatre. At least 600 people were there, fire works were set off and people chanted VIDAS DE ESPERANZA, and my name too! The local radio station was following my arrival live, they started coverage of it since 4:pm that afternoon. I was interviewed as soon as i got of the bike for the last time on this trip.
Question one: "How do you feel?" Tired and happy to be done
"2,193. miles what is it like? would you do it again?" It is fine the first few days but then you get tired and then your mind gets tired too then you just keep going with your heart, its hard. I would not want to leave my family for that long ever again but if they came with me I would think about it but right now I just want to rest :)
"there are tears in your eyes can you explain how you feel?" I am very surprised by the reception, I did not expect this, its a great feeling to know that people care, I spent a lot of time alone on the bike, this is worth it.
"there are a lot of children here and a lot more listening, what would be your message to them?" Do not let anyone tell you "you can't do it" everything is possible but don't just dream, follow your dreams and make sure you help someone along the way.

I was very humbled by this welcoming, over 500 people sang Happy Birthday to me, I mean c'mon that is nice hu?

I left this country 18 years ago, no one noticed I was gone, I'm sure. I was just another kid who could not make it in this country, in this city, in this Barrio. I left with dreams of the "American Dream". Now I got back to this country, this city, this Barrio, and I am lucky to be sharing my "American Dream" with this barrio and many others, but I call it, "The will to do for others what no one else will" and I do it through Vidas de Esperanza and you all. Thank you.


I have learned so much on this trip that I cannot explain here, about my self, my family, life..friends.
I want to thank all of you for your messages again, the texts, the calls the emails the phone calls.
Thanks to my mom and dad for helping me out with my children the whole time I was gone. I learn how to give from them and I ma very proud to be their son.

I want to thank Florinda Jonhson and Ran Bell for believing in me and Vidas. I want to thank Robin for giving me the tools I needed to get through this. The list is very long and all of you are in it thank you all so much.


Kate Morris, Thank you for your unbreakable will to make sure others get a chance in life. Thank you for your dedication, optimism, trust and your belief in what we do. Thank you for putting up with me for 25 days! Kate, Vidas is indebted to you, I am indebted to you, many times I could have needed some help but I did not because you were always there, this trip would not have been the same without you. Kate was the perfect person for this trip, her dedication to what we do makes my job easier :) and her friendship makes my life better. Thank you Kate.

Liz; I would not be able ot do the job I do if I did not have Liz. Liz I am who I am because you love me.

This is not the last you all will hear from me. This trip took alot out of me, I am about 15 pounds lighter and about 3 shades darker:) I am tired, sore and sleepy. But I am also stronger, I am more confident. But above all I am still Ascary, the dude who just wants to help, I am just a man who thinks we all deserve a chance and because of that I will be back with another crazy idea for why YOU should give Vidas your money ;) so, until then, Stay tuned!
Ascary

To Liliana, Ava and Sulema:
Hijas Papi loves you. Remember there is nothing in life that makes me more happy than to see you happy, I'm sorry I had to be gone for such a long time but I have a feeling one day you will read this and you will understand. Hijas la vida tiene muchos retos pero nuestros mayores retos deben ser puestos por nosotros mismos. Nunca, pero nunca duden que ustedes pueden cambiar el mundo. Las quiero mucho
Love papi.
PS. tell mami I love her

Hey everyone!

We are so close now! Yes, today I rode for 87 miles to end up 60 some miles away from Ixmiquilpan! We got started this morning around 9:am and finished by 3:pm. At the end tomorrow, we will have cover 2200+ miles.. I was supposed to go up a big climb today, 20 miles of steep climbing! well it was not what they told me it would be. At the end of the ride there was a climb, 5 miles long and pretty steep but it was by no means the "big" climb I was told it would be. Today was a very good day, I was relaxed and in good spirits. I still have pain and sorness and I am very tired. However, being this close to the finish i feel my body is no longer talking to me..or maybe i'm just not listening ;)

Yes, It was about after mile 1500 that my body started to cave in and my mind had to step in, then my mind was also weakening but with the help of all of you and my heart i got past that too. I think I have rid of all the weakness I had in me in the past few hundred miles. I also think I have used all the strength long ago, all the fitness i had is also gone. This is no longer a phisycal test, nor is it a mental one. Heart, its all heart now. Its all love.

I have had, as you all can imagine, lots of time to think, to ponder on things about life, about..the ultimate force. This is waht I think, now, one day and 60 miles away from my goal:
"how often am I going to want to quit?" I asked my coach Robin,
"Every day, but you just have to keep your head up and turn the pedals you can do it"
I knew she was right, I knew I would get through but I did not know how...
My family, my friends, my wife, my kids, people I just met my coach, Kate. This is how, all the love and support of those bihind me, all the love. And this, a story i kept repeating to my self every time I was on the verge of stoping:

I was 15 years old. I was sick, on a weekend night, I took my self to the public clinic. I walked 45 minutes to get there and sat at the waiting area for about an hour.. It was late, past midnight, poeple sitting on the benches and some tables. Some were sitting on the floor next to me. I was tired and my stomach was hurting (probably food poisoning). I was falling asleep when a man came running from the street. He could have been 25 or 45..people age faster when they are poor and hungry, I think. He was holding a little boy. The mom was running behind them. "run viejo run!" she said to him.
He ran inside and a nurse came to meet him. "my child, my son is very sick" the man said.
they went inside, the mom stayed outside, the door was left open just enough so that I could see what was giong on inside. "put him here" the nurse said and pointed to the floor. The beds were probably all taken.
I saw the man put the boy on the floor. As he was doing this I noticed the boy's hands and legs were dangling from his body. He was almost completely naked.
The nurse bent over the body and I could not see what she was doing...but I knew.
A couple of minutes later the man walked out.. He look at his wife and said "ya vieja..ya" "that's it vieja...that's it"
"why did you not bring him earlier?" the nurse asked
"We left yesterday morning to come here as soon as he started getting "sick" the man answered.
They explained that they lived too far away from the town and there were no roads, they had to walk several hours to get to one main road and waited for a car to go by and hope they would be picked up.
Without anything else to say, the man went back inside the room.
He came back out with the boys body, wrapt in a blanket then they left.

I went home, I just wanted to know the boy's name..
Over and over again I repeated this story in my head, some times I cried sometimes I got mad....but every time I grew stronger. Everytime I pedaled faster.
When I think, why? when I ask my self why, why do I do this, why go through this pain, why be away from those I love, why build a clinic in a place I no longer live in? The answer is always the same. Becasue it is the right thing to do. Because that child should have had another chance.

Love, is what got me through. Love for what I do, love for my family, love for those who are in need.
I have been tested, I have been challenged, and I have come on top. I have accomplish something bigger than I ever imagine my self a part of.
Every time I found my self fighting against the wind, the sun, the rain, the up hills, the pain, the tears I found my self looking into some one or something that inspired love to grow in me and I got stronger..So, now 60 miles away from my goal I realize that love is, the ULTIMATE force.
Please forgive me if this blog is going every where but this is what goes on in my mind And I just want to be true to you all.
Please stay tuned
Ascary

To liliana and Ava:
Hola hijas, I hope you girls are having a great weekend! Well I am coming back home very soon. I Love you all very much plaese bee good to wach other and your sister Sulema ok? Well I have to go to bed because I am tired but I will talk to you very soon.
Love, papi
PS: tell mami I love her

Hello every one,
Well, day 19th of our trip is over! 2050 miles covered...wow! it appears that it may be 80 miles tomorrow (which I am not very excited about because there is a big climb at the end of the day). Then hopefully no more than 90 miles on sunday. I really do not know the exact mileage because we do not have GPS here and the maps are shady. But I think at most we are looking at 200 more miles. Today was a good easy day, we started at 6:am and finished by 3:pm and covered about 92 miles. I did get a hole on my rear tire and the tube was coming out of it so we change it. Then, 15 minutes later in the middle of no where I got a flat tire! Well, I stoped right next to a bus station and this is what happen: As I came up to the bus station I notided there where 6 people sitting there. Three teenage girls sitting on the sidewalk and three adults sitting on a bench.
"hello every one" I said with as much enthusiasm as I could gather considering I had a flat. Just the same anyway, no one answer. They all just sat there looking at me. There was one male on the bench, he was completely covered including most of his face, (it was very cold this morning) he was listening to his head phones. He was listening to a very well known song from the Temerarios, a very well known mexican band. I know this because even thogh he had the head phones on and a hoodie over it the music was loud enough that all of us around there could also "enjoy" his music.
I looked over to the left and the three girls were still looking at me, the other two ladies on the bench as well as the guy also looking at me. 5-10 minutes later why is it taking me this long to change my tire! Finally as I begin to put my tire back on the bike, the bus pulls up, they all get up and with out even one glance at me get on the bus...Now I'm thinking: what a bunch of weirdos right? never mind I am wearing a white helmet, long black spandex with bright red leg warmers, white sun glasess, a white adidas hootie two sizes too big and white ciclyn shoes.

To Liliana and Ava:
HOla mijas :) well papi will be home in 6 days!! I am so happy that I am gonna get to see you girls! guess what? this morning I was riding my bike and i rode past a herd of cows. Well they saw me and then inmediately started following me! yes all of them! even two baby cows were running next to me! That was so much fun I even slowed down a little bit so they would not get tire. Well, I hope you girls are being very good to each other and to your sister Sulema. I love you both very much. please be good this weekend.
Love, papi.
PS. tell mami I love her

Oct 22,
Days 3 and 4 of our journey. Thank you all for your emails, messages, coments, calls.. defenitely helps to know that I have this many people who care and love me and are bihind me all the way!

Well, yesterday was a good day, with only 2 hours of strong winds at the end of the day I was able to ride a total of 108 miles!
Today, we started a little earlier (I figure out that the winds starts to pick up after 3:pm so we started at 7:am. I stop pedaling at 4:pm and by then I had covered 122 miles! Now all I have to do is ride 3 more days of a 100 miles each. I am still tired and sore, I have good moments and bad ones, there are times when all I want to do is get off the bike. There are times when I will not stop even to get more water in my bottle water just because I am so focused.
It is a rollercoster for me LITERALLY! emotions run pretty high and pretty low depending on the hour. Right now I am doing pretty well, I think this is because I just completed 122 miles:)
There is really not many places with internet on the road we are taking, this is why I can only post about every two days. Also we cannot post our videos but stay tunned because hopefully we will be able to do so soon and there are some very beautiful views to see!
Stay tuned every one,
Ascary

To Liliana and friends:
Hello mija and frieds:) I hope you are all doing well. I am fine, I continue to pedal my way through the roads of Mexico. I want you all to know that I am very thankful that you guys are following my trip, it makes me feel very special. Please be good to each other in class and be goo to your tacher ok? Also, please be good to your brothers and sisters at home. Liliana, will let you all know where I am and how many miles I am doing if I cannot post a blog ok? Well I hope you all have a woderful day.
Liliana please be kind to your frieds and teachers.
Love, papi
PS. Tell mami I love her

Hello everyone,

We have been on the roads of Mexico for the past two days. I wish I could say that its been an easy two days, but as it stands we are about 30 miles bihind schedule. it appears the entire road will be climbing mostly. Yesterday I was able to ride for 99 miles despite the worst head wind i have been up against on this trip. I was moving at about 12 miles an hour so it took me a while to finish.

Today was not windy but it was up hill most of the way. I am happy to say that most of the people in their cars going bywave at me and give me the thumbs up. One guy even gave me a high five! Today after lunch at 2;pm i decided that I would only go for one more hour. (my legs are very tired and my knees are still bothering me. So I thought it would be wise to sto pa little earlier and then rest. Just as i was about to stop I came to the foot of a mountain. I went up that tmountain and 1:14 mintes and 7 miles later I was at the top. I was tired winded, and even a little out of balance. I think the altitude finally got to me. In order to get to our ddestiny on oct 25th at 5:pm I am supposed to do 4 days of about 97 miles and one of about 120 miles. I am not as confident about being able to finish this in the time I need to...

I am tired, my body is...it hurts. I know I can finish, I know I have it in me to do it..but my body may not want to. I just hope that my mind and my heart come to the rescue very soon. So I am going to bed with a heavy heart and a tired body. I just hope that tomorrow is a good one for me.

To Liliana and Ava: hola mijas. guess what? papi comes home in 9 days! I hope you girls are being very good. I cant wait t ocome home ans dee you girls. Please be good to yaya and to each other. Be good t oyour friends and teachers at school ok? I love you and miss you very much.
Love papi.
PS.Tell mami I love her

1,537.96 miles. That is how many miles I have pedaled to get to The US, Mexico border. I feel that is an accomplishment. Yes it is, if I was to stop and not go on any farther I would be proud of my self for being able to bike that many miles. I think doing this many miles would be a great accomplishment for just about anyone who dared tried. But this is not just a personal trial. No, we set out on this trip because every day, every minute..every fifteen seconds a child dies from: malnutrition, lack of water, and many other diseases that could be easily prevented. We are doing this because this children need someone to care, some one to give them the chance, the hope to a future. I for one believe. I believe that I can make a difference, therefore I give everything that I can to do my part. This time my purpose is to push my self to limits that can only be reached when the end results are greater than personal satisfaction. Yes, my love for the people who are in need has helped me to get to this point 1,537.96 miles. And it will help me to get to the end, and the end result will be (I hope) a clinic. But now is where I feel I most ask you to make your pledge.. If you believe in what we do (I know you do) please make an effort that surpasses your previous efforts. Tell someone about us, tell them why this is something they can believe in. Tell them and tell your selves that now is the time to write a check. Vidas de Esperanza can do this, but we need you to spread the word, we need donations. $250,000 dollars is what we estimate the cost of the clinic will be. We do not have that, and it may take longer and more than a bicycle ride to get it. However, I do believe that if we all put a little bit extra, if we push our selves to a limit we did not know we could go, that we can get close to our target. I thank you all for your messages, good wishes, blessings and donations. It all has been inspiration to me to continue on when my body is ready to stop. If you are following this blog but have not join it please do, we would like to know who is following. Please tell people to visit our website for more information on the programs we work with year round. Our website is: vidasnc.org All donations can be made to Vidas de Esperanza and mailed to: 910 satinwood dr Greensboro nc 27510 Stay tuned Ascary To Liliana and Ava: Hola hijas, I hope you girls are doing great today. I am now at the border of US and Mexico! I tell you, today I saw a hare, a fox and a wild hog during my 60 mile trip to Laredo! Tomorrow I will be in Mexico and will be there for the rest of the week. It will take me ten days to be back home after tomorrow so you can start counting the days ok? I love you girls and I miss you very very much. Please be goos to yaya and mami ok? Love papi, PS. Tell mami I love her

60 miles and we will be on the US Mexico border! We left Beville this morning, 130 miles away from Laredo. It was a nice easy ride of 70 miles. Well it was pretty bumpy and hilly but since I took it easy. We drove to the border and got our permits after my ride was done. We wanted to make sure we had all the proper documentation to cross the border and we had extra time today so we just went ahead and did it. We were not sure how hard it was going to be to get the permits tomorrow and found out that it would be hard because it is the weekend. So, now we are ready! 60 miles tomorrow will put on the border, we will stay on this side and then cross on Monday morning around 8:am. I am getting pretty excited! In two days we will be in the roads of Mexico! Please stay tuned for that ;) To Liliana and Ava: Mijas, I hope you girls are having a great weekend. I am almost in Mexico! Today I was on the road that leads to Laredo and guess what? Well, looks like this time of year butterflies migrate south to warmer weather. Well, I am also going south so today I had a wonderful experience! That's right, I was pedaling down the road and suddently hundreds and hundreds of butterflies started to appear on the road! So I was surrounded by them, they were sooo beautiful! It was one of the best things I have seen during my trip. Well papi is going to bed now, please make sure you girls are good to each other and to your sister Sulema. Be good at school and be nice to your friends and teachers. Love papi, PS. Tell mami I love her

Houston and Beeville Texas

Hello Every one, Sorry, I was not able to blog about our day yesterday. It was a hard day for me, we covered 82.6 miles to get to Houston. My body was hurting and I felt pretty tired at the end. With a tired body and a sore spirit I took off on the road again this morning. I am pedaling down Highway 69, I am tired. My legs are sore, my knees hurt, my wrists are hurting too. I am pedaling down Highway 69, mile 80. Its been several hours since I got on the road. My mind begins to wonder; I remember Lance Armstrong's coach saying "I go out with Lance for a training ride, he follows me on his bike. I am on my motorcycle, Lance follows, i speed up to 35 miles and lead him for a while. Eventually I let him take the lead" Wow! Lance can do that? I bet I can do that too! well maybe not 35 but maybe 32! Nah I'm tired and I'm sore I better not. Then I hear my wife saying to me "Ascary, there are very few people in the world who can do this and you are one of them you just have to work though the pain" Then I see my daughter Ava, she is such a cute little devil; she is going to be just like me:) Then I see Sulema, my baby could do no wrong in my eyes. Then Liliana, my oldest: "pedal faster papi, pedal faster, you have to train for your trip to Mexico!" she just to say to me during my training. Then, the pain, the sweat, the soreness, the hurt, it all becomes one thing.. Fuel, I go from my pace of 20-22 miles an hour to 25, then 28 miles an hour; "pedal faster papi pedal faster" I hear her again. 29, 30 miles an hour.. How can Lance do this! But I pedal harder again 31 miles an hour 32 miles an hour.. I want to spit but I rather not, I do not want to waste my energy on that, a little drool that is all I can manage. 33 miles, I hold it for a few seconds back down to 32 miles an hour, I hold that for 3-5 minutes then I slow down. Now I think, "Man! Love is a wonderful thing! You can tell that you have had a good day on the road when you do not want to get off your bike. But after 8:30 minutes on the bike I need to stop and call it a day.. Oh yeah miles today? 160..BOOM! its on! hahaha Please stay tuned, Ascary To Liliana, Ava, And Sulema: Mijas, don't forget: when in doubt think of those whom you love, trust me it always works. Love papi PS. Tell mami I love her check out the interview with nbc 33 in Baton Rouge: http://www.nbc33tv.com/news/biking-better-healthcare

We made it to Texas!

Hey everyone:) Beaumont Texas! we made it to Texas, if you can believe it! It was a good day today. We made it here in 8 hours, a little slower than we wanted to but we made it right? So we finally left Louisiana and its great people. We got a great going away gift from a Louisiana local:) just about 20 miles short of the Texas border a guy in his truck stopped to ask Kate what we were up to and where was I going. She told him and then he gave her $20 bucks! He said to buy us dinner at least for tonight. That definitely made my day and Kate's too! I think we will be able to load a video of me going up a bridge in, wouldn't you know it Bridge City. Now this bridge was crazy! it was soo steep just looking at it made me want to swim across it instead! I had already been on the bike for several hours and had covered about 90 miles so going up it was a little hard but I made it and it was a great feeling:) The body is holding out ok, the knees still a little sore but icing them really helps. Well we are now looking for a place to park and go to sleep, we are trying to get up early in the morning and head out towards Houston, It is about 90 miles so it should be a little easier on me:) Stay tuned people Ascary To Liliana and Ava: Hola hijas, I Hope you girls had a great day today and that you are being very good at school. I am in Texas now and will be in Mexico very soon, as soon as I see mami enedina I will hug her and tell her you girls miss her ok? I love you girls and I miss you very much. I really can't wait to see you. Love papi, PS. Tell mami I love her

Hello every one, 1000 plus miles!! Yes we left Baton Rouge this morning at 7:am and arrived in Kinder Louisiana. 115 miles in 7 hours and my legs are screaming! No I am fine just a little sore but taking a day off yesterday was good, my body need it. We are getting ready to eat some Tuna again! Hahaha I don't think I will ever eat Tuna again after this trip :) Today was a very good day for riding, it was all flat roads and very little wind. Here is what I eat and drink daily during the ride, more or less: 6 bottles of gatorade, two waters, one recovery bottle and two cokes, two cans of tuna, one apple, one bannana, two healthy bars, 3-5 energy jells, i-2 small bags of chips, chocolate bar (this does not include breakfast or dinner). I have only lost 2 pounds and hopefully I will not lost much more than that. As I metion earlier, yesterday was a day off for me so I did loundry and worked out at the YMCA for a little bit. I am happy to be back on the move, I enjoyed the day off but this is better. Except when I get flat tires, I do not like that very much specially when it happens like it did today: After lunch I pluged my cell phone in the car so it would chrage, I told kate to go ahead for the next 30 miles and I would catch up (we are trying to save money on gas) the road had a nice big shoulder so I felt safe to ride alone for a while. Well sure enough, 3-4 miles to get to where Kate was waiting for me...pffffssss, yeah a flat. I had not place a spare in my sit bag after I used the other spare on a prebvious flat. SO, I had to walk, if you know me you know I hate to walk, specially after biking for 50 miles!! Yea that was fun, specially since I had to walk with out shoes so as not to ruin my biking shoes. But we made, we are here in Kinder Louisiana and tomorrow if everything goes well, after 109 miles we will be in Beaumont Texas! Please stay tuned:) Ascary To Liliana and Ava: Hola mis amores;) I hope you girls are having a good weekend. Make sure you are good little girls, do not give Yaya and Yayo too much trouble ok? I love you girls and I miss you very much. I think about you all the time. Today I rode my bike in the fog! it was very nice actually, I went out on the road earlier and it was very foggy! I liked that a lot it was like riding on clouds! I am going to go to bed and I will make sure that I dream about your girls. Please be nice to you sister Sulema and to each other ok? I love you girls and I can't wait to see you. Love, Papi PS. tell your mami I love her

Hello everyone, It is Oct 11, day nine of the trip. I had a relatively easy day today, 85 miles from Bogalusa to Balton Rouge. The roads have turned completely flat now and even though there are a lot of bumps and cracks on them, I like them just fine. Today was another rainy day, not too cold but it got pretty dark at times with so much rain coming down. Also today was the first time I saw a group or cyclists out on the road! Well kind of out, I was on about mile 50 and it was raining, not too hard but a steady drizzle, nothing that would stop a cyclist (so I thought) I rode past an old country store that had a nice little shed and there, under it, where at least 3 cyclists, huddled into one little group trying to avoid being touched by the rain! I rode past it and waved and they just looked at me like I was out of my mind for being out there..may be I am.. :) I have not talked really much about what has been going on in my head while I am on the bike: I do, every morning when I get on the bike, think about my beautiful wife and children. How the sacrifices made by those who love me have allowed to be doing what I do. I am thank full for them and all the good things that come my way..then I think, is this really going to work? what is going to be the end result of this? I know we will get some donations, I know we will make some people happy. Will we be able to get enough attention that enough people donate and we can built the clinic? Yes this is a great feeling, to know that I can push my self to limits I did not know, that I can keep going despite the physical and mental pain that being on the bike for over 8n hours at a time can have on someone. There is too the sadness that comes to me when I realize that at that point when I am pedaling tirelessly I am out there, alone, my wife and children hundreds of miles away thinking about me, worry, sad, crying. I have seen my efforts and the efforts of so many others come to life in the smile of so many children time and time again. And trust me when I am out there on the long roads I also see all of those beautiful smiles. Why? is the most common question I got when it comes to this trip. Why?...because it is the right thing to do..I also love to see the children smile :) Well those are some of my actual thoughts on the bike, (when I'm not thinking about food!!) I have to admit, now after 9 days my body seems to be getting tired, I am considering taking at least half of the day off tomorrow.. Well I guess I will have to since I am being interviewed by a local news channel station here around 9:am! Ahhhhh the pains of being Internationally famous!! hahaha I hope every one had a great and safe weekend, stay tuned, Ascary To Liliana and Ava: Hola mijas, I hope you girls had a great weekend with your cousins. I had a good weekend, I spent a lot of time on the bicycle and I am tired but happy because I am almost half of the way done and that means I will get to see you girls very soon. I hope you girls are being very good to each other and to your friends at school. I miss you girls very much and I can't wait to see you. Love papi, PS. Tell mami I love her here are a bunch of clips from the weekend. enjoy!

Alabama to Mississippi

October 10th,
Day 8 of our trip is over!
Sorry, all but we were not able to find Internet anywhere yesterday so we couldn't blog!

well yesterday was a very hard day, i was only able to do 69 miles from Eutaw to Meridian Mississippi. I wanted to do 127 miles but a very strong head wind limited me to 69. Well today I woke up with determined to make it to the border of Mississippi and Louisiana, it was hard. After mile 100 I was getting tired, I put my head down and considered stopping. Then i looked up and there was a hawk directly above me flying slow in the same direction I was going. I took as a sign and pushed my left pedal a little harder, then the right, then the left again, then just like that I was again going about 17 miles an hour. The hawk had picked up speed too and it followed me for about 5 minutes, then it took off. I feel the hawk gave me wings today because after that I was able to make it to Louisiana!! Yes after 138 miles we are here tired and hungry but happy that we met our goal for the day. Tomorrow should be an easy day for me I do not think I have to go more than 90 miles to get to our next point.
stay tuned,
Asscary

Liliana and Ava:
Hola mijas, I hope you girls are having a lot of fun this weekend. Please be nice to your cousins Isabel and Jake. I love you girls very much and I miss you I am getting to see many beautiful places but none of them compare to you girls, I love you and I miss you and hope to see you very soon.
Love, Papi
PS. tel your mami I love her

Saludos a toda mi familia...los quiero mucho y los extrano.
Ascary

Hey everyone! Well day six is over now. We did a total of a 100 miles today. I got my first flat tire! That was the most exciting thing that we went through today:) This morning was tough for me though, having to recover from my 150 miles from yesterday proved to be a difficult thing to do. I spent the first 2 hours trying to get into a rhythm for the rest of the day but once I got into it it was find. Let me just tell you all this: I love dogs and they love me (so I thought) a total of 23 dogs have chased me down the road ever since we came in to the State of Alabama! All kinds of dogs; big dogs, small dogs, pretty dogs, not so pretty dogs, skinny dogs, fat dogs, and even a two legged dog! (ok that may have been a big chicken) so make that 22 dogs and one big chicken ;) Hopefully that will stop once we get into Mississippi tomorrow. My legs seem to be doing ok, I am having some back spasms that I am controlling with ice. My conditioning its good too I do not get really too winded and my recovery is pretty fast so I am gaining more confidence as the trip goes on. I hope we have a good day tomorrow because I would like to make it to Laurel Mississippi which is 127 miles from here Eutaw Alabama. Thank you all for your prayers, calls, texts, comments and good wishes. Stay tuned, Ascary To Liliana and Friends: Hola mija, I want you to all to know that I wear my helmet all the time. I do not get on my bike until the helmet is on my head because it is very important to be safe. Yes Kate follows me all the time with the truck and do not worry I am going to do my best not to fall of the bike. I hope you are all being very safe and careful when playing with each other and with your brothers and sisters. Please be nice to each other and do behave well in Class ok? Love Papi. PS. Lialiana, tell mami and Eva and Sulema that I love them very much.

Hello Everyone! Let me tell you all about to day ok? Well today started with us leaving Atlanta at 6:AM because we wanted to avoid the rush hour. Well we woke up to a very heavy rain which continued until about 1:PM. By the time I got in the trailer to eat at 1:Pm I had already changed 2 times into dry clothes! Well i was in the process of taking a nap after eating when this guy came up to me. His name is Bradley and let me tell you all...he is a machine! He asked me if I minded if he tagged along for a few miles. I had met him the day before while we stayed in the town of Helen and it just so happen he and his wife are from a town we were going through. So I was definitely excited that I was going to have a chance to chat with someone while on the road. Well, Bradley took the lead and he took me for the next 29 miles averaging 19 miles an hour!! So please give it up for Bradley and his wife Pam who represented for Tallapoosa Georgia every one! Well eventually Bradley and Pam had to stop and I was once more on my own. I continued ahead for another 11 miles and thought about stopping for the day. However I put a little bit of ice on a sore spart on my back (which was the main reason I wanted to stop) and kept going. So, now we are in Leeds Alabama, after 155 miles. Yes I know I said I would be trying to do 133 and even though at one point I consider stopping short of that, my mind and heart would not allow that. I know it may seem a little LOCO and I may pay for it later but I cannot help it. This is what I think: Some times we stop short of doing things we want because it is easier to try again later or because it may not be worth as much as we think it is a the moment.. No matter what, it is always worth it, trust me. The feeling, the knowing that the challenge is not what's in front of you (in my case the road) but you, everything that you are can be challenged by other forces human and not human but no one or anything should challenge you as hard as you can...and you should always come on top...that is why I did not stop until I knew the road was giving up ;)

Oct, 6th. Leg number 4 was done at 4:15 PM! that's right we finish earlier today. Well the today was only 85 miles so it was a little faster we got up this morning eat cereal, egg and sausage, coffee bannanas and a cereal bar. We left at 9:10 with all the beautiful people of the town of Hellen waving good by to us...ok so that would have been nice if it really had happened right? So with a single wave of a by stander we took off. The first half of the ride today was a drag! it took nearly 2 hours just to get my legs back to normal. As a result of yesterday's pounding my legs received, I had a hard time getting them to work with me this morning. But after a nice lunch (tuna, bannana, coke and a ceral bar) I was ready to go and was able to average 18 miles an hour. We are now sitting in the YMCA of beautiful Atlanta! They let us shower, and will let us stay in the parking lot. We have several hours before bed time so I figure I take a Spinnning class! Ok maybe that would be pushing it a little. We will be leaving at 6:Am tomorrow, we want to beat the rush hour here. We will get out of the city and stop to get a nice breakfast (cereal, Bannana, Aple, cereal bar). Stay tuned because if everything goes to plan, tomorrow should be a 133 mile ride! To Liliana, Ava and Sulema: Hola mijas I hope you girls are doign well and are being nice little gilrs to Mami. Liliana, please make sure you do your home work, and practice your words, take care of Ava and Sulema, I love you very much. Ava, I hope you are being very good, please share with your sisters and listen to Yaya ok? I love you very much. Sulema...papi loves you..

First Rainy Day

What a day! That is the best way I can describe today. I was chased by dogs three times and biked up a mud pit for two miles! We took off from Greenville SC and ended up in Hellen Georgia. It took us 60 plus miles to get to the Georgia State line, then we continued on for a few more miles and this is where the fun begun! I was cornered by three huge dogs that looked like Great Pyrenees for about 5 minutes, then finally they left me through. Only to come to a 2 mile climb on a dirt road. It had been raining all day and I was already on my second change of clothes. I started the climb only to realize that I would not be going very fast since the road was completely soaked through and my back wheel just kept spinning without moving very much. None the less I kept going (this is where all the training comes in, THANK YOU ROBIN!) So I continued up slowly but eventually my rear tire just spun in place and I tipped over. I fell but I did not hurt my self, it was rather comical actually. I got up and back on the bike and finally made it to the top. This was the first real challenge I have had in the first 3 days of my journey. A few miles later I was chased again by two Pitt Bulls (OK they were Chihuahuas) but they look very big and mean! I should mention that Kate did a great job again today, she has time and again proven to be the perfect person for the trip, I am very glad she knew how to drive the truck up the mud climb. Well after 98 miles, three Great Perynees', a 2 mile mud climb and 2 Chihuahuas we made it to Hellen Georgia. I am very happy to be done with today, it was hard and very rewarding. I thank you all for your prayers and support. Stay tuned for more from me tomorrow ;) To Liliana: Mija, I know you are sharing this with your friends at school, please be kind to your friends and work hard. Know that papi loves you and misses you very much. I can't wait to see you again very soon, but for now I need to continue on my trip. Please take care of your sisters and be good at school. You are a very good Hija and I am very proud of you, I love you. Tell Ava, Sulema and your Mami that I love them very much too ok? PS. tell yaya I love her too. Love, Papi.

Day 2

Beautiful weather this morning for the seven bicyclist that departed from Uptown Cycles. Today we traveled from Charlotte, NC to Greenville, SC for 108 miles through some beautiful areas of the Carolinas including Kings Mountain State Park. The weather was pretty nice for the day, but we are expecting some rain tomorrow as we venture across the border to Georgia. The most encouraging part of the day was watching Ascary cross the state line into South Carolina peddling closer to Mexico on is own. It is pretty exciting to see that we have caught a lot of curious eyes everywhere we go. Which is ideal since purpose of this trip was to bring attention to who Vidas is, what we do, and our future goals... such as the medical clinic! This journey has already been an incredible one thanks to everyone supporting us and our cause. I look forward to see what tomorrow brings on our way to yet another state.

check out our clip on the news channel 14! http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fnews14.com%2Fcharlotte-news-104-content%2Ftop_stories%2F615590%2Fcyclist-rides-thousands-of-miles-to-mexico-for-charity%3Fap%3D1%26Flash&h=09ace3df7f09393d21a30a19e4e772c3

Lift Off

Today was the official take off for "A Ride Without Borders"! So the first day is over and we only have 2066 miles to go!!!!! It was the longest ride i have done to date...we took a wrong turn and ended up adding about ten miles to the trip so we did 104 miles today!! I had a great time. Robin, Andy and Doug made this ride a lot easier by leading me the entire way!! I will definitely miss them after tomorrow. I know this will be a very challenging trip but I know all the pains and difficulties will be worth it once i have peddled the last stroke... I thank you all for making this trip possible. All your help and support will help me get there..Kate is doing a great job. I am very lucky to have her as my right hand person. Jess, Dr Brown, Lynn, and every one else who is involved...thank you so much. Liliana, Ava, Sulema, Liz..I love you and I miss you..