2012 SF to LA update!

This note is coming your way from Oakland this afternoon as 

cyclists arrive in preparation for Sunday's start of our FF Cancer Support Ride.

2012 marks the sixth year of the ride which was the brainchild of LACoFD FFPM Jim Berklite.

In 2006, we started with 10 riders and every year after has seen a jump in rider ship as word spreads.

Twenty-nine riders will gather at Sausalito Station 1 to begin the 540 mile journey down the coast. 
This years contingent includes riders from LAC, SFFD, Oakland, LAFD, Santa Barbara City, Oxnard, 5 Cities Fire Authority.  We are also joined by a rider from Aurora, Colorado and Middleton, Wisconsin.

Stages (route) miles are approximated
Sausalito to Half Moon Bay (60 miles)
Half Moon Bay to Watsonville (71 miles)
Watsonville to Big Sur (88 miles)
Big Sur to Morro Bay (90 miles)
Morro Bay to Lompoc (70 miles)
Lompoc to Ventura (86 miles)
Ventura to Santa Monica Pier (50 miles)

As the event has grown, so has our efforts to put on a quality ride.  Most riders through their fundraising efforts contribute more than the $1,000. entry fee.  To date, FireVelo has raised approximately $120,000. We recently received a grant from the Annenberg Foundation which was used in the purchase of a support trailer.  FireVelo thanks Wallis Annenberg and retired Culver City Deputy Chief Neil Petzing for making the trailer a reality.

Two organizations we all know also made a generous contribution.  Aaron Straussner of Straussner / Sherman contributed $2,500. and the LAC Association of Chiefs contributed $500.  

From the inception of this ride, our efforts have been to support firefighter organizations that are helping our brothers and sisters in their fight against cancer.

This year, four firefighter cancer groups are joining us on our ride down the coast, they are;

Firefighter Cancer Foundation  www.ffcancer.org

Code 3 for a Cure Foundation  www.code3foracure.com

Firefighter Cancer Support Network  www.firefightercancersupport.org

Retired Firefighter Cancer Fund  www.letsfirecancer.org

These four organizations will have an opportunity to meet, watch and support the riders along with what we hope will be cooperative discussion in search of opportunities to develop new programs and strengthen existing ones with all efforts being focused on our firefighters and their families.

 This year I'm stepping into a "support" role as I recover from "paint and body" work.  Doing so will allow me to ensure that our riders are taken care of daily and to send a daily message to all of you out there. As we did on the big fires, we conduct a morning safety and ride briefing and in the evening a review of that days ride. We also include each morning a moment to dedicate the days ride in support of a firefighter battling cancer or to remember another firefighter whose "transferred to the "Big Station" upstairs.  So if you want to send me a name, we will add it to our list and they will be recognized.  As I traveled down the coast and my body is fatigued, my energy is renewed when I remember who I'm riding for, and why I'm riding every day.  

My personal shout out on Day 1 will be for BC Tony Ramirez from Battalion 6C and retired FFS Steve Cota.  Get well guys!!

If all goes well, I'll post day here and to firevelo.com and FACEBOOK (FireVelo) each day.

Buck Buchanan

LACERA 12/31/12