Incredible Friends and Family!
I've been cycling for about 6 years. It found me after my second baby, the early days of Covid, and losing my dad in March of 2020. He rode for years - it's what kept him sober for the last chapter of his life. So I ride for him. I also ride because I have two wild, beautiful boys at home and I need exactly one hour (or more!) where I can go fast, blast music, and remember I'm still a full person underneath all of it.
The reason Children's Hospital is so personal to me: years ago, I had the incredible honor of working at Cheley Colorado Burn Camps for child burn survivors. I watched kids climb mountains before sunrise, finish three-day backpacking trips, and never - not once - give up. They were some of the most courageous humans I have ever been around. They changed me. And Children's Hospital is where kids like that go when they need someone in their corner, and this ride helps make sure that corner is always there.
Not only did my love for Burn Camps, kids, and cycling get me to the finish line, but so was a community called Kalo. After two kids, deep in perimenopause, quietly wondering if strong was even still available to me - they reminded me it was. They didn't just train my body. They gave me something back that I didn't realize I'd lost. I carried every bit of that into last year’s 42 miles, and I'm carrying it into this year too.
This year, Day One is 42 miles from Copper Mountain to Vail Pass and back. Day Two is 44 miles around Lake Dillon to Keystone and back. Last year, I hit 40+ mph, ranked #10 in fundraising for my team, and raised over $2,400 for Children's Hospital Colorado.
If you donated last year, I want you to know I felt you with me on every single hill. Your generosity meant more than I can say. If you're new here, thank you for even reading this far. These kids are worth every mile, and your support makes it all possible.
I am so grateful for you and your generosity. Even the smallest amount helps.
Stacie Kelly
