I am going to do two 100 mile bike rides in September (North Shore Century and Apple Cider Century) on behalf of the SmileTrain, an outstanding organization that provides cleft lip and palate surgeries for children in need. Please sponsor me. More details at the following website:

http://www.smiletrain.org/site/TR/Events/General?pg=fund&fr_id=1040&pxfid=3940.

People are always amazed that my son Charlie was born with a cleft lip and palate because he is such a handsome (and in my unbiased opinion, also a wonderful) young adult. Charlie, and our entire family, benefitted from the fantastic doctors at the Rush Hospital Craniofacial Center, particularly Drs. John Curtin, John Polley and Alvaro Figueroa.

Our whole family is grateful that Charlie (pictured above with his sisters) was able to get the medical help he needed, but also saddened that so many children with cleft lips and palates do not. That is why I am riding to support The SmileTrain.

Help me and needy children by sponsoring me on my September bike rides.

Very Excited about the Upcoming Tour de France

Tour de France – so many questions, Armstrong’s comeback, 2 defending champs (Contadora and Sastre), can Levi Leipheimer and Christian VandeVelde (Chicago’s own, CVdV’s kid was baptized by my friend, Father Larry) rebound, Menchov is hot, the Schleck brothers, Cadell Evans runner-up last 2 years? Biggest question tho – can I get the Ridgewood Tap, total blue collar dive bar, to put the TDF on one of their TVs?

I am an avid biker but I started watching, and loving, the Tour de France, years before I started biking. It was part Lance Armstrong era (altho he's not my current fav), best announcers in the business - Phil and Paul, it was like taking a 3 week tour of France in my living room each July and the mystery of biking strategy (still not completely comfortable with it) and the team aspect.

Friday Morning Bike Rides

Try to bike 20-35 mi on Friday mornings before work. Have to get up early, but that's ok because I get up early anyway. Love my Fri AM rides - peaceful, wind is usually nonexistent to calm and the roads are relatively clear of autos. A little tired at work, but you know what - its Friday and I can gut it out.

Route choices:

• Old Plank Trail west to Frankfort or to Hickory Creek in Mokena
• South - Park Forest to GSU to Monee, sometimes as far as the Monee Reservoir off of Pauling Rd.
• Southeast - Park Forest to Steger to Crete via the fantastic Richton and Kings Rds.
• Northwest - to Tinley trails through Oak Forest and Palos Heights. Route requires going north on the fantastic Central Ave (newly paved 2 years ago) bw Flossmoor Rd and 167th St.
• North through the underrated neighborhoods of the south side of Chicago (West Pullman Park and Roseland)and Riverdale. Scary - not at 6:30 in the morning and on a bike. May not be that scary anyway.