Category: Sports

WAM Day 1- Traverse City to Big Rapids

We did it! 100 miles through morning fog, then glorious weather for 80 miles, then a cold wind and rain for 15 miles. We loved it all! We have a nice group this year, nine of us in all. Our team name is Carbon and Tux. We all wore our tuxedo jerseys on the first day, which are always a big hit. The people are great, the other riders, volunteers, and Make-A-Wish staff.

So right now I am majorly sore, after spending 7.5 hours on a bike in really hilly terrain. It’s not what you think. It’s my neck, shoulders and legs that hurt the most!

And tomorrow we’ll do it again. And then again the following day. It’s exhausting and great fun at the same time. And the real beneficiaries are the Make-A-Wish kids. The moneys donated will pay for many wishes!

Here’s our team at the end of the day:

WAM Day Zero – Traverse City

We are on our way!
812 riders will be doing the 300 miles this year. We loaded our bikes onto 6 semi trucks, and the riders onto 10 buses. We arrived in Traverse City and are unloading bikes, etc.

We’ll take off tomorrow at 6 AM, and bike 100 miles to Big Rapids, MI.

I’m very excited! My son, Kevin, is joining us this year. More later.

2nd Round Madness

march-madness-round2

Well, an exciting round 2, and I’m shocked I’m still on the board. #7 out of 20.

I am still in a suspended state of disbelief that Wake Forest lost in round 1. I can’t accept the humiliating way that turned out. When I get back to Winston-Salem, I might just have to stop at Wake and slap those girls around a little bit. Damn!

Without 2 teams in the final four, I will continue to gradually fade away. But I have good reason to still be excited. Carolina and Duke are still in it!

BTW, the solid leader in The Crotte Family Hoops Pool is my niece, Charlotte. She’s my brother Ed’s daughter, and a Michigan State graduate, and she is a tough competitor! I don’t really mean it, but “Go, Charlotte!”  ; )

Round One Madness!!

Thrilling and agonizing! This may be as good as it gets for me, #2 out of 20 in The Crotte Family Hoops Pool as of the end of the first round! You’d think I’m on a roll, but my most important pick LOST in the first round!!! Arrrggghhh!!!

My home team!! The Deamon Deacons are out! Ouch!!! I had picked Wake Forest to play my other fav team, Carolina, from just down the road (Hwy 40), in the finals, and to win it all!! And now they’re out!! In my heart, I thought Carolina was the better pick, but how can you not support your hometown team?!?
Arrrgghhh!!!!