Richard Brock is raising $4000 for Ride 2 Recovery and will ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles, CA, from October 4 - 10, in support of the program.


My son, Mike, who spent the week photographing the event, takes a turn at holding up the Washington Monument. He turned 21 during the ride.


It rained the first two days of the ride, but it was welcome, as it kept things cool for the riders. It took a few days for the shoes to completely dry out.


The ScanVan, also known as the "Happy Place," hosts social activities after each day's ride.


Ft. Riley, KS USO Director, April Blackmon, and her uncle, Dave, from Stringtown, OK. Dave drove the ScanVan while April, an excellent photographer, shot thousands of photos. We hope April can also help photograph the California Challenge, and Dave has already committed to driving it.


Virginia Governor Tim Kaine admires Wayne Stetina's Shimano Electronic Shifter. The governor is an avid cyclist and committed to riding with us next year.


Jim Penseyres, a Vietnam War Wounded Warrior, explains his prosthesis to kids from the Kendall School in VA. Jim, a member of the Ultra Cycling Hall of Fame, is a mentor to the ride's new age veterans.


Nathan Hunt, this ride's solo hand cyclist, takes a refreshing dip to cool down after coming in. He cranked every mile, every day. Nathan, who also rode in Texas, has committed to the California ride, where his biggest challenge will be getting up the mountains. Never fear; this man can do it! Nathan's original career was the Army, but he will go to school after his rehab and become a mathematics teacher.
Hi everyone,

The Memorial Challenge was aptly named. We hope these photos will enhance the memories you took home with you.

Click on the appropriate links below to see photos of that day's events:


Tips:

  1. To get to the next page view, click on the appropriate page number in the lower right hand corner of the page while in the thumbnail view.

  2. If you click on a thumbnail image, it will be displayed larger, all by itself.

  3. Below the larger image is a file name. If you want a hi-res file of that image for your own use (make a print, post to your own web site or whatever), make a note of the last 4 digits of the filename. We will eventually put all hi-res files on the web, and you'll need that number in order to locate and download the hi-res file(s) you want.

  4. In the Thumbnail View, you will notice a light grey number by each image. That is for your own use in re-locating an image in the slide show. Make a note of that light grey number and the page number (shown in the lower right hand corner), and you'll always be able to get back to any image or e-mail a friend as to how to locate an image.

  5. If you have a special request, just let us know. This could be in the form of re-cropping, changing format, adding text, making a collage.. or whatever. These images are for you, and we want you to enjoy them as much as possible.

High Resolution Images

  1. In order to make hard copy photos from your favoriate images, you'll need the high resolution files.

  2. In order to download the high resolution file(s) you want, you'll need the last 4 digits of the file name from section Tips(3) above.

  3. Click on the appropriate day section below.

  4. Under the "Edit" menu in your browser, select the "Find" option.

  5. Enter the last 4 digits of the file name from above into the "Find" box, and your cursor will be put onto the file name you want.

  6. Click on the file name and a new window will open, into which the file you want will slowly appear (remember, these are BIG files).

  7. Under the "File" menu, select "Save as..." and name the file whatever you want to name it, and select the folder in which you wish to save it.

  8. Copy that file onto a USB thumb drive or burn it to a CD/DVD and bring it to your local photofinisher to make a print. Or, just print it out onto any printer connected to your computer. The file is in standard JPG format and can be opened by any photo editing program you may have on your computer.

  9. To select another file number, click on this window again and start the selection process all over.

Click on the appropriate links below to download high resolution photos of that day's events:

If you have any questions, call Dick Brock at 949-336-2524 or just send an e-mail.

More to come:

We will eventually have a DVD of the Memorial Challenge. If you filled out one of our Participant Forms, you will automatically receive a DVD in the mail at the address you specified. If you did NOT fill out one of our Participant Forms and would like a DVD of the 2009 Memorial Challenge, just e-mail me with your mailing info.

FOR THOSE WHO WEREN'T THERE...


Why Ride 2 Recovery?

The 2008 California Challenge bicycle ride changed my life. I met Wounded Warriors with extraordinary courage and the ability to withstand pain voluntarily, in order to overcome a challenge that most able-bodied folks would never even consider undertaking.

In these photos, you'll see lots of smiles. That's due to a combination of R2R's comprehensive program and the ability of the Wounded Warriors to "suck it up." Far from just a bicycle ride, R2R provides a sheltered environment where new age Wounded Warriors suffering from physical wounds, PTSD and TBI, can interact with fellow Wounded Warriors from all conflicts, as well as veterans and civilians, while overcoming the challenge of the ride that all participants face. 1-888-SCAN-VAN is especially supportive of the PTSD and TBI Wounded Warriors, who suffer from a wide variety of symptoms that often limit social interaction.

These rides are always several days long in order to let the magic of the program take hold of the Wounded Warriors. Strangers at first, everyone bonds to at least some degree by the end of the ride. If you suffer alongside someone while accomplishing a common goal, even if you don't talk together much, you gain mutual respect and a friend for life.

After the ride, the Wounded Warriors take their newfound confidence and skills home with them and apply them to the challenges they face in their personal and family lives as well as their professional lives.

The VA has begun to include cycling as an activity within their treatment. Cycling gives these men and women a sense of normalcy, accomplishment, pride and camaraderie, while providing relief from depression and other problems that accompany their wounds. Cycling is the one activity that both patients with mental and physical disabilities can participate.

The Fitness Challenge Foundation and the VA would like to expand this program to include both active duty and those already discharged, and allow more vets to take advantage of this important program. This would include cycling programs of all types. Trauma Recovery Program participants need counseling, special outings, equipment, bike skills training and technical wear among other needs. The money raised will go directly to these needs.

Ride 2 Recovery is gearing up for the 2009 California Challenge ride in October, and to show my level of committment to this project, I will ride my bicycle from San Francisco to Los Angeles, CA during the first week in October. Also, I will drive the ScanVan to San Francisco, and the ScanVan crew will document the ride in photos and video. As usual, in the evenings, we'll open up the ScanVan for social activities.

We need your help. The program is already doing great things to help Wounded Warriors get into cycling, but we’re really just getting started. Despite some great sponsorship from the cycling industry (Star Trac, Giant, Rudy Project, Sidi, Shimano and others), the program must generate much more financial support to meet its goals.

When most folks make a donation, they want to know their money is going to make a difference to those for whom it is intended. That's the beauty of Ride 2 Recovery. You can see how your money is used by viewing our photos and DVDs of each ride and the brand new bikes that the Wounded Warriors are riding. The smiles on their faces and the miles they ride their bikes are proof of their determination to help themselves, as well as their appreciation of your support.

You can participate in this project by sponsoring my ride and helping me achieve my personal goal of $4,000 in donations. This program needs money to survive!

You can sponsor my ride at www.r2rriders.com/sponsor [Name: Richard Brock], or you can send a check (made out to “Ride 2 Recovery”) to the address below. Your contributions are tax deductible, and any donation is greatly appreciated.

  • Richard Brock
    10181 Finchley Ave.
    Westminster, CA 92683
    949-336-2524

This is a financially challenging time for many, but imagine how much more difficult it is for these Wounded Warriors and their families. Your donation will honor their sacrifice.

Thanks for your consideration, and please forward this request to anyone whom you feel may want to participate.

Personal regards,


Dick