The 2009 ride may be over, but it certainly isn’t forgotten
If you weren’t able to join us this year, you can still read all about it. Mike Kennard’s daily reviews are available on EMSResponder.com and you can see how badly Doug Martin butchered the English language at JEMS.com
A big thanks to everyone who helped and supported us on the 2009 ride!!!
Nissan, yeah the car maker, has posted some informative videos on their website including several from Lance Armstrong’s coach, Chris Carmichael. You can view the videos online at mastertheshift.com.
There is also a nice little workout regimen available by clicking the picture below:
Looking for more training tips and ideas? Youtube has a dozens of videos posted targeted at all levels of cyclist and covering everything from fitness to equipment. Click here and start watching!
You know what we say…It’s never too early to start training!!!
Mike Kennard, best known for “Froggie” the stuffed frog tied to his handlebars and smoking riders half his age has writen a great piece on the 2008 ride. 
“Why do you do the ride? I could never bike that far! What’s a Muddy Angel? Are you crazy or are you a masochist?”
These are the usual questions that get asked of those of us who ride the 600-mile EMS Memorial Bike Ride from NYC to Roanoke, Virginia. There’s only one answer to all the questions; we do it to honor and remember the fallen EMS providers and their families and to remind everyone who sees and hears of us of the tremendous sacrifice that has been made.
This is my third ride. Before my first ride, my friend and partner Doug Martin spent two years talking about taking on the challenge. Since we are always looking for something to do that is physically challenging, a little crazy and sounds like a good time, adding “for a good and needed cause” seemed like the perfect combo.
What we found was much more. We found a tremendous physical challenge, craziness and really good times but also new friendships that will last a lifetime. These are friends who we know understand the level of caring and emotion we bring to our work every single day, friends we miss as soon as the ride is over…
Greg Castillo, dubbed ‘Borat’ during the 08 ride, gives us a synopsis of an EMS memorial ride recently held in Ireland.
I just got all my pictures posted from my trip to Ireland. Doug was kind enough to post my account and a few pics to the Muddy Angels website, but you’ll find all of them except for one on the picasa website. There is still one more picture, and it is of Gary’s Fairy. Everybody bug him to send that picture out, his email is parkygaz@hotmail.com.
Ireland was absolutely beautiful. I’ve never been there, and it is a wonderful country. Kieran was a great host, inviting me into his house, and I can’t thank him enough for this. My first night there I was able to do a ride along with Health Services Executive (HSE) in Cork City. I was able to ride on both an ambulance and in a fly car with a medical doctor. Let me tell you, SAFETY is their motto. Take a look at the pictures of their vehicles. Additionally, THEY DON’T LIFT AT ALL! Using ramps, lifts, and special equipment, they are able to avoid lifting altogether. What we view as an unavoidable activity, they have been able to almost eliminate, preventing back and other injuries and loss of duty. Very Safe!
The next day, Gary came down, and we three Muddy Angels were able to reunite. A short bike ride around Cork, and we then went out on the town. Cork is a great little city, full of great bars and beautiful women. If you like Guinness, then you need to move there! As I’ve said, their expression is ‘craic.’ This means good times or to party hard/party hearty. We went out and found some great craic, staying out til after 2 AM.
The next day, we left for the southwest part of the county, to the coastal town of Skibbereen. Along the way, we stopped at an HSE station were there was a Memorial to John O’Mahony. For those of you that don’t know, John was a paramedic with HSE for a long time. In 2002, he came over to New York City, to honor those that died in the 9/11 attacks. Sadly, a few weeks after participating in the first annual bike ride, he died in the line of duty in an ambulance crash. If he was still around, it is certain that he would be one of us. Also, when we got to Skibbereen, I was able to meet Chris Grant. He followed the ride online, and was able to order a jersey in support of us. This future Muddy Angel plans on riding, so please welcome him when you see him next year.
He was also representing two people from Belfast that couldn’t make it. Billy Carlisle also supported the ride from afar, but was unable to come to America. Sadly, his son Neil, a fire cadet, suffered a severe injury resulting in the loss of his leg. Presented to Chris to pass on was a jersey, pin, unit coin, and also a fire plaque. From my local fire department, I was able to acquire three plaques to award. It features the Lawrence Pumper, a piece of apparatus that is over 150 years old, and still in service today. It is a hand drawn pumper that was pulled to Boston and fought in the city fire of 1872. The other two of these were presented to Kieran, my host, and to Gary, one of the organizers of the ride.
You really can’t describe 240 bikers on the same road. It was just a mass of people, often three, four, and even five abreast on back country roads. Neither can I describe the beauty of the area we rode through. Think of a postcard, it was just rolling hills full of fields, farms, forests, and pretty houses. But it kept going and going and going. The closest I’ve seen is the parts of Virginia we rode through, although this was far better (Sorry to DJ and all the other Virginians, but it truly was.) The hills weren’t nearly as bad as Virginia either, more on par with our trip across Marylands Eastern Shore. And the weather was beautiful! If anybody from Ireland tells you they have bad weather, tell them they are a liar. It may have been overcast every day, but it never rained. The temperature was mild, the winds stayed down, and the skies never opened up; in short perfect cycling weather. If you want sun, go to Florida, if you want good all around weather, go to Ireland.
After the ride, I was able to meet Eleanor O’Mahony, the wife of John. She was also presented with T-shirts, a pin, and a unit coin on behalf of Muddy Angels everywhere. Unfortunately, I was unable to enjoy the barbecue, as after this I was mobbed by people there. When I brought out my suitcase full of goodies, everybody wanted to get a piece of memorabilia. Between T-shirts, pins, coins, and other stuff brought over, I was able to raise $424 for the ride in a short amount of time. After that, it was out to Skibb to find some more craic. I don’t know if there is no last call or they just ignore it, but we were all out till very late- or rather, very early.
Sunday we went outside Cork to where they are having a biannual sailing regatta. Again, a beautiful coastal town with lots of sailboats collecting, and lots of good times. Apparently in Ireland they don’t allow you to sleep, as between travel and partying I hadn’t gotten more than four consecutive hours of sleep in nearly a week. Fortunately, I was allowed to retire early this night, as I was quite spent. My last full day in country, I was able to explore Cork and the surrounding area. Set along a river, the City Centre is full of shops, restaurants, and old buildings. After spending time getting gifts, I then went up to the Blarney Stone and Castle. Beautiful, as was the return journey. Cork is a great city, especially to bike around.
I had a truly great time, and fully plan on going back next year. Hopefully as many of you can make it as well. With the length of the bike ride, it can actually be a good family vacation. Or, if you wanted to go the other route, that’s a great idea too. The Guinness flows like water over there. If you think you’re up to the challenge of Irish craic, then make your way over there! Let’s just try to bring over as many people as we can. With our recruiting efforts, there will be plenty of people joining us in May next year. In fact, I mentioned to Jennifer that we may have to call it the Irish-American Memorial Bike Ride!
If you have any questions, please let me know. I know I’ve talked to many of you, but I wanted to let everybody know how well the ride went. Again, many many thanks to Kieran Henry, my Irish half-brother. I wouldn’t have had as good a time without him, and I can’t express how much I owe him. I hope to see you all next May (or sooner) and I wish that all of you stay safe out there.
-Greg Castillo
Amherst, NH
