Final Thoughts

It's all over, and I am home; safely. And what a journey it has been! The ride was far more dangerous and more difficult than I ever imagined, and riding along the Esplanade in Melbourne was not the greatest of preparation. There were some very fit and fast riders in our group, with whom I never had a chance to keep up with, but that was OK; I knew my limitations. Had I just decided to take up bike riding, and join a group of riders in Vietnam, I would not have been up to standard. But this was a ride for Parkinson's so I make no apology for my lack of speed. My fitness certainly improved before and during the ride. This was a personal Challenge for everyone, and though I may not have rode all day, every day, I feel that I exceeded my expectations in riding. I rode every twice a day. Some times I rode up hills for over 30 km at a time.

I was not embarrassed to use the bus if I was tired or my toes curled. I am proud of my achievement, and I know that some on the ride were proud of me too. I think we all did very well. From the 3 of us with Parkinson's to those who were always in front, to those not to be in front, but to help others, (thanks, Leanne), to those who were 'middle' riders.
I met some fabulous new people and saw some wonderful places.
The accommodation and food were adequate to good, I certainly didn't starve, and bottled water was readily available.Our 2 guides were excellent.
But above all, I rode on this Challenge for Parkinson's. I raised in excess of $8,000, and raised awareness of Parkinson's throughout my friends and community. apparently as a group, we raised over $100,000, making it the most successful fundraiser ever.
Once`again I thank everybody for your help. From the donors, to the ticket sellers, to the people who supported me in my movie nights, to the people who helped with my garage sale, to those who hosted functions and gave the proceeds to me for my challenge, to those who kept me company and rode with me. You all know who you are. I am blessed with such fabulous friends.
Now that it's over, I may fall flat on my face. For the past 10 months I have been totally preoccupied with fundraising and getting fit. I hope that Ingrid, Claire and others will continue to take me riding; as I no longer can walk Molly as i once did, I need this form of exercise.
I suppose I will need another project to keep me busy, and I plan to revamp and improve YAP-Young@Park.
Whatever I do, I know that my family and friends will support me 100%. Everyone has their own problems and illnesses, or knows of others with them, so I doubly appreciate your generosity.
And my final word is to my wonderful husband, Yon (John);
Yon, you are the best husband a woman could have; kind, loving, generous. You have supported me 100% through this and all my missions since being diagnosed 6 years ago. I know that we both worry about the future, but I have taught you to live for today, and grab any opportunity that comes our way. I missed you very much this trip, and I mean it when I say that my days of travelling overseas alone are over. From now on we travel together. You are my best friend and the most compatible to travel with. We understand, trust, respect and love each other.

I'm all blogged out...

Love,

Karyn