Bike For MIMA

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Hi! My name is Bill Wagner and I live with my dog in rural NC. I hope to pedal my Mountain Bike from Banff, AB Canada to the US/Mexican border at Antelope Wells, NM in an effort to raise money and awareness for the MIMA Foundation. MIMA is a small, grassroots non-profit that is involved in a variety of humanitarian projects in both Africa and South America. I'm a Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) and have worked extensively with their Surgical Program and can personally vouch for the necessity and quality of their work. Each year MIMA screens hundreds of poor and remote villagers who need surgical procedures but have no means to pay. If it weren't for MIMA, thousands of children and adults would be denied basic surgeries merely on the basis of access to health care. Not a single member of MIMA receives any monetary compensation and EVERY volunteer has to generate the funds necessary to travel with the group each year.

Please join me in my adventure along The Continental Divide by opening your heart and your wallet for a great cause. The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) is the longest off-road bike route in the world. It is over 2700 miles long, has over 200,000 feet of elevation gain (equivalent to summiting Mount Everest from sea-level 7 times) and crosses the Continental Divide 30 times. Take a moment to explore the site if you'd like and I look forward to seeing or hearing from each of you! Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I'm sure I'll need them.

NO SPONSORS: Please know that I had to personally buy the bike, gear, maps, airline flights, etc for this fundraiser. ALL the money goes to MIMA.

Blessings,

Bill

Day 37

Written by Bill Wagner

Monday, 09 August 2010 11:22

Day 37- Zero Miles

Today was spent lounging and resting. I was lucky enough that my friend (Sidewinder) from my AT hike ten years ago has a girlfriend whose parents own a place in Breckenridge. What a treat!!

I did the laundry, shower, eat ritual and even saw some friends I have been riding with on & off for the past several hundred miles at the local brew pub. A great day.

Day 36

Written by Bill Wagner

Monday, 09 August 2010 11:12

Day 36-32 Miles

Man it rained a lot last night. whatever they told me about the daily Colorado afternoon thunderstorm was a lie, unless you count a three hour rain as the event. But I packed up all the wet stuff and was up and over Ute Pass in no time. The views that the Pass offered were stunning and the long ride down on pavement was actually pretty cold. the ride into Silverthorne was on a pretty busy road but it wasn't for too long. Got to the PO AFTER I found a diner to devour at. I'm afraid my next mail drop will be the boxes last. It has so many layers of Duct tape and USPS Tape on it and it's starting to fall apart a bit. I'll re-assess in Del Norte'.

I got to Frisco and some shelter by out-riding yet another storm and my friend Sidewinder from my AT hike came with his girlfriend Ann to pick me up from Denver. They took me to Breckenridge to a place that Ann's parents own and I was in paradise. Big salad, shower, laundry, and...the hot tub!! Later they enjoyed taking a look at the maps I've been using to get me around the Divide. It rained hard again last night but guess who,didn't care a bit?!

Day 35

Written by Bill Wagner

Tuesday, 03 August 2010 15:39

Day 35--30 Miles

Now that's the kind of mileage I could get used to, then again, I'd still be in NM for Halloween at that rate!

A nice slow day with a slow start. Yesterdays Monsoon drama left me cold, wet and exhausted. It was beyond 'nice' to get a hot shower and sleep under a roof. It took considerable effort to get me and the bike cleaned up. When backpacking the rain is still a drag but this bike-packing thing makes it even more challenging and cumbersome. there are many parts of the bike that just don't do too well if clogged up with mud and grime. the body can go on pretty well dirty and wet but the bike is a bit more picky.

today's entry comes to you from inside my cozy 1-person tent as the rain in Colorado continues daily and this one has been steady for over two hours. But I feel fine in here and still can't get over this modern technology. Typing at 7300 feet inside while it pours out. My mileage was low mostly because I'm meeting an old friend from my AT hike tomorrow in Silverthorne and did't want the cost of another hotel. It's actually nice to be in my tent in the woods, no real sacrifice for me. I ate the "special" at the local grocery and was off again back on the ride. Why does my bladder wait until it starts to rain again really hard...