Team Joe’s and all the WAM riders are settling in for the night in Traverse City. It was a smooth day of travel from the MIS Speedway to the Courtade Elementary School in Traverse City. This school serves as our home base for the start of our ride tomorrow morning.
Most of the riders take shuttles to nearby hotels for the evening but there are many, including a few from Team Joe’s, that pitch tents on the school grounds or sleep on air mattresses in the school. As you walk around the school grounds, all you see is a sea of bicycles – all ready for the morning.
Team Joe’s has grown significantly this year. With 46 riders on the 3-day, 300 mile route and 16 riders on the 1-day, 50 mile event that takes place on Sunday when we all roll into MIS and cross the finish line together. We have many first time riders in the Wish-A-Mile including several from Probility. Some of us met for the first time today and I can already see the new friendships forming.
Tomorrow starts early with breakfast beginning at 4:30a am and with the route opening at 6am. We will try and get a quick team picture in before we hit the road and then it’s all about getting through 100 miles of a lot of hills on the first day. The weather forecast is calling for possible rain in the early morning but the rest of the day is looking great and maybe a slight tailwind! Let’s hope.
I want to thank all of our St. Joe’s colleagues and friends who supported us this year. The St. Joe’s family spirit is alive and well up here and we promise to do you proud as we ride to create wishes for our Michigan wish kids.
Goodnight & God bless,
Rob
