Final Preparations and More Donation Matching

I'm one week away from riding 173 miles of mountains on my single-speed city bike, all in the name of Child Abuse Intervention.  The Courage Classic is a ride I've done three times before, but always with derailleurs. I made the single-speed commitment as a challenge to myself, but also as a challenge to you, the donor.

I've revised my fundraising goal to $2000 and will be matching any donation made between now and August 8 by 10%.  Even if you can only contribute $10, I'll donate $1 more and all $11 will go directly to supporting services that help to Stop the Cycle of Child Abuse in Pierce County.  You can donate here.

Meanwhile, I've been training with the Harmon Bike Club, leading 20-25 mile rides around Tacoma on my single-speed.  In an effort to find a more comfortable riding position, I've tried several different handlebars over the last few weeks, including a flat bar with bar-ends and even a bmx bar.  They all had their pros and cons. Ultimately, I'm back where I started. So the bike looks like this:

The rear rack is gone, but it doesn't feel any lighter!  It's geared 36x18 (54 gear inches) on the freewheel side of the flipflop hub, but my "bail-out" gear on the fixed side is 36x22 (44 gear inches).  If it simply gets too steep, I can flip the wheel around and ride the low-geared fixed side to the top. I've tested it out on Carr Hill, one of the steepest climbs in town, and it worked well.

If you've read along this far and haven't donated, head over here and contribute what you can.  It will only take a minute.

Many thanks! Full ride report to follow!