Singletracking the Globe

This morning I awoke to this masterpiece!

2012-01-05T21:02:00.001-07:00

I dreamt about rebooting the dormant blog. This is all you get for now. More to come......maybe.

First Leg of the Trip

2009-06-19T16:03:00.003-07:00

Back at it...I never spent so much time in the internet cafe in Cafayate! But I{ve heard though the grapvine that I actually have readers...so I better write. First of all, I don{t know where some of the grammer keys are on this keyboard so I type as if they were there...to convey my message of typing on a different kind of keyboard. On to better topics...

I left off this afternoon just before the ride really started. We hurried in Salta to get everthing together so that we could ride the day after arrival. It was a ton of work but we did it successfully. Our first day was good. The kids ride well, better than I have ever seen a group ride. One student started to fall back however and we quickly realized that it wasn{t so much the student as it was the bike. The rear wheel (as we know now) was not lined up with the front wheel, thereby making the bike drag a bit. The bike just felt slow and we couldn{t figure out why. Our trusty bike mechanic Marcos in Cafayate worked his magic and all is good (for now)...but I get ahead of myself...

We rode to El Carril...a small town roughly 40 km outside Salta. We stayed at a public sports complex for free and hung out with Franco...a little boy we had met on our last trip to this place. He watched us as our cook crew fiddled with camp stoves and tried thier best to cut an onion with thier suprisingly terrible kitchen skills. A spilled pot of hot water and a bad batch of meat later we were full and content and ready for bed. We would have slept well but there was a guy selling roasted peanuts who would roam the neighborhood at night blowing a steam whistle mounted on his bike. Cool to see, not so cool to try to sleep to.

Next morning we got up early and hit the road for Alemania. This was a big ride that came out to over 80 km. This is not so much a town as it is a artisan colony and a rural school. This was our first true backcountry camping night. The kids got a first hand lesson on how to properly cook and clean according to leave no trace ethics. Since the night was dark and there were no lights but our own, we had a good view of the stars. One of our students gave us all a lesson on the southern sky...even I still learn new things on this trip.

Again we left early in hopes of getting to the next camp a little earlier. We had another big day ahead of us...roughly 50 km. Leaving Alemania is one of my favorite riding days because the scenery changes so dramatically. The pace was quick so we were able to stop to see some awesome natural featers like the anfieatro and something they call the throut of the devil. By now the kids are feeling the burn...as am I. Instead of staying where we always used to say we stopped in Santa Barbara at the house of an artisan couple...Maxamilliano y Marianna. This was a great experience as they fed us one of the best meals I have ever had in Argentina. Pasta with pesto, potatoes and egg, salad and marinated meats. I stuffed myself beyond it being funny. But it was so good! The next morning Marianna took us on a cultural walk to celebrate pachamama...or mother earth. This experience was very spriatual...especially given our surroundings. The place had a great energy to it and I got really good sleep...even if the wind was a bit much in the morning.

Yesterday, after the pachamama ceremony we got back on the bikes and rode into town, again through some of the most gorgeous rock formations I have ever seen. The ride was a short but challenging 36 km. We got into Cafayate around 4pm and I bought a late lunch for the dirty, smelly group at a corner restaurant. Pizzas, milanesas, bife de chorizo, cabrita....all good stuff. We gave the kids a curfew of 12am and sent them on there way...alone. This is the perfect town to allow them there space to integrate with the local culture on thier own. It is small and a bit of a tourist town...so things were easily accesible for outsiders. The adult crew enjoyed a nice dinner with some torrentes vino (a local white wine). Sleep was good.

And now today. I{ve never felt so relaxed on the day off in Cafayate. I never did have my cafe con leche however. But the day was peacful and the town is strangly empty...which is nice for me...maybe not for others who want to see this place in action. I don{t remember ever having enough time to check email, blog etc. But since I have readers now...I have a responsibility. Thanks again to all who donated to make this and other trips happen for Two Wheel View!

By the way. I just talked to Rick and the Norway trip is going great! The kids have all bonded and the group couldn{t be better. They have had there mishaps too, crashes here and rain there...but nothing they couldn{t figure out. It seems that when you do a good thing, you will be paid in return with a valuable experience. We have had our problems, issues and dilemmas, but that is what makes Two Wheel View trips what they are. The problem solving aspect of these trips is what make them great. Traveling abroad on bikes with teenagers is no small task. It is my hope that the lesson learned, and the experience valued comes from the problems had and solved....if that makes any sense. I{m going to go get some goat to eat!

Phil

All Good Karma from Here

2009-06-19T12:31:00.003-07:00

We made it...and we are already halfway though the trip! This is no small feat however as we had some demons riding with us for awhile. Our karma must have been bad in the begining as our flight out of Minneapolis was canceled! We had to send all the kids home from the airport. We tried again the next day with our adjusted shedules, but we were worried that our new flight would only get us to Dallas one hour before our international flight to Buenos Aires. Sure enough the flight from Minneapolis was delayed one hour. I had the foresight to go ahead of time on an earlier fight to try to persude the desk agents to hold the plane, but due to impending storms and lighting in Dallas they had to take off...before it all hit. I begged them to delay, as our kids were literally running from thier arrival gate to the departure gate when they closed the doors, but to no avail. We spent the night in Dallas...albiet for free courtesy of American Airlines. The next flight wasnt for another 24 hours...so we had some time to kill and some free meal vouchers to spend. After taking in a movie, the blistering Texas heat and some wrong way taxis we were back at the airport for our third try. This time karma was on our side as we made it on the flight (even though it was again delayed another 2 hours while we sat on the plane) and we made all our connections). We met Santiago (our in country guide) in Salta and he loaded all our bags in the back of his truck. We took a total of 4 taxis to our first campsite with Santiago carrying the baggage. I guess our bad karma wasnt all used up however as Santiago crashed his truck into another truck. He and his passenger are okay, but the truck is not...which presented a whole slew of problems for him and us respectivly as we had anticipated using the truck for various errands in Salta. Not to mention we were trying to get out of town the very next morning due to all the delays. But as the problems mounted we solved them...and sure enough we hit the road the next morning 30 minutes past our goal of 2pm. El Carril was our next stop...a mere 40 km away...a short ride, but a ride filled with the traffic and chaos of leaving a large city. To be continued...

2 Weeks at the Ends of the Earth

2009-06-07T09:23:00.003-07:00

Hey all -

Alas I have fallen behind on blogging...which is a direct result of my home computer biting the dust...and other various excuses that don't really justify my not posting. But I wrangled up a laptop to post the day before I leave for almost 3 weeks to Argentina.

Tomorrow I will be headed to the twin cities with our 3 New Mexican students (Miguel Salazar, Celistina Martinez and Shanee Sanchez). We will take part in a 2 day orientation to get ready for the trip. There are two trips happening at the same time...headed to 2 very different locations...the northern, sun-drenched regions of Norway, where the sun never sets...and to the rural, northern parts of Andean Argentina....where time seemed to have stopped a century ago. Seperated by a thousands of miles, these two groups of teens will be experiencing the time of thier life! Thanks to all who donated to make this happen!!! Especially to those who doanted to our New Mexican students on behalf of Liz and I!!! YOU ARE...in no particular order...

Dylan & Alexis Fuge

Carla & John Barrett

Manuel & Debbi Lucero

Ira & Suzie Thorpe

Larry & Barb Dubb

Bruce Brown & Pam O'Malley

Lee & Barbara Lucero

Susan Vinci & Charlie Lucero

Kathy & Bruce Nyberg

Sharon & Dave Rucinski

Susan Ruthorford

Jacob & Keri Shapiro

Helen Lucero

Sadie & Dave Hanson

Sally Poux

& many others via your support!

Sorry if we forgot anyone...Liz and I

are racking our brains and we figure

we did leave someone out.

To be clear, I will not be leading the trip that our New Mexican students are on. They are headed to Norway while I am headed to Argentina. We had origianally planned to be on the same trip, but as it turned out this was the best case scenerio. I know many of you recifeved letters stating that you were supporting students headed to Argentina, so if you have any questions shoot me an email at phillucero@gmail.com and I would be happy to explain in detail how it all went down. Either way, the kids are super excited and pretty nervous!

I plan on updating the blog regularly, but as you know I tend to stray at times...keep looking and I'm sure to have a stories of tired whiny kids and "aha" moments soon enough. I'll try to be witty and ironic...but they have funky keyboards in Argentina so no guarantees on grammer. I'll be back on June 27th...so until then travel with me!!

-Phil

Follow the McFerrin's!

2009-04-19T17:22:00.004-07:00

Rick McFerrin, founder of Two Wheel View is bringing his family of 5 on a year long bike touring adventure! Follow along on his blog! http://www.mcferrinfamilyblog.blogspot.com.

Rick is currently gearing up to take a group of students on Two Wheel View's annual trip to Norway in June. There is still space on the trip so if you know a teen itching to get out and do something worthwhile with their summer, pass on the information! As you know I will be leading Two Wheel View's other annual trip to Argentina...leaving July 1st. We also have space, but act soon before the trip fills up. You can find out more at Two Wheel View's website.

There Goes March...I Almost Missed it!

2009-03-30T12:07:00.002-07:00

I would have posted something in the last month and a half, but the past month and a half has been way too hectic, and way too unexciting....at least from a blog reader perspective. But in interest of keeping this blog from going the way of so many of my other rebirthed blog attempts, I will try to make the inane interesting.

Not true, there is actually something to update you all on, and by "all" I mean everyone I make read this to prove to myself that I'm not wasting time here. Wedding stuff has been moving as a snail's pace as more pertinent things like my seventy jobs and for Liz, managing a town's children seemingly ridiculed by crisis (Cuba, NM) have been on the forefront. That being said, Liz's parents John & Carla are coming in to town this weekend to whip us into shape...wedding plan wise. We figure to have the royal sit-down to figure out the ins and outs of this big day. Should be fun, but I need to take measures to prevent becoming overwhelmed. As of right now we have our sights set on a place in Santa Fe, but there needs to be some big time depression era style negotiations however. We'll see.

On other news, Liz and I have what looks like a full roster for the Argentina trip in July (1st - 15th). I have 6 kids and she has 3 or 4. Problem is the fundraising aspect is not looking up to speed quite yet. A serious efforts needs to be made if these kids even have a chance at going. Again, if you can help, please do so. Instructions on how to donate are in a previous post....maybe 2 posts prior to this one. WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!!! If we do get a full roster (that being 10 kids) we will probably want one more instructor. I would be looking for a good bike mechanic as that is the one area that we are lacking...me being the only one...which is why I used the word "lacking!" This instructor would have to fundraise as well to go on the trip. Keep your eyes peeled for someone that fits the bill.

I'm usually a very visual blogger, but no pics this time...just my janky words. You'll have to use your imagionation.

Phil

Save the Date Suckas!

2009-02-14T10:28:00.006-07:00

Memorial Day Weekend, 2010 - May 28th - 31st

A full 15 months in advance! How's that for being on the ball. Dibs on memorial day 2010...I figure there will be others wanting the coveted weekend for their own....so we snatched it up early. Note: we are currently in 2009! I don't want anybody showing up this year in their finest ready to boogie.

There will be no cutesy cards sent out for your fridge so make a mental note. I'm reserving the whole extended weekend with all you potential attendees, as I don't know what day exactly yet. I say potential because you never know who reads these things. Look to this blog for future updates.

I figured this was a romantic Valentines-y thing to do today. That and Liz made some killer soy chorizo breakfast burritos that have me floating in hog heaven....soy hog that is. How'd I get so lucky?

Phil n' Liz

Taking Kids to Argentina...It's my Job!

2009-02-11T16:03:00.005-07:00

Some of you may know that I have been leading international youth trips with a program called Two Wheel View for the past 3 years. The experience has been the single most significant aspect of my professional career. I am writing to let you know that we (Liz – my fiancée and I) are leading yet another trip in July and would appreciate your support!

This year we are recruiting youth from the two impoverished New Mexico communities where we work, the towns of Cuba & Pojoaque, New Mexico. All in all we have over 20 teenage students applying for a mere 10 spots on the trip. The interest is high, but the availability of funds is low. Liz and I are fighting the uphill battle to get as many students funded as possible. Our students are working just as hard in their communities to make this trip a reality.

Please help us by making a donation to Two Wheel View - to create a once-in-a-lifetime experience for one of our applicants. When you donate, you will be sponsoring a young person that would otherwise never have such an incredible opportunity. Without donations and community support, programs such as Two Wheel View would not be in existence. To date there have been 12 teens from New Mexico, and countless others form around the country that have benefited from this opportunity.

Two Wheel View (based in St. Paul, MN) is a nonprofit organization that connects young people to the social, cultural, and environmental landscapes of our world through bicycle adventures. More information about Two Wheel View is online at www.twowheelview.org. You can also speak with Rick McFerrin, Two Wheel Views’ founder at (403) 698-9418.

Donations can be sent directly to Two Wheel View or to us. Please make checks payable to Two Wheel View and mention that the donation is on behalf of me [Phil Lucero]. All contributions are 100% tax deductible and Two Wheel View will send you a receipt for your donation. To make a donation by credit card please go to www.twowheelview.org. Click “Join the Ride” on the left hand side of the main page for further instructions. You can also donate by phone (toll free) at 1-(866) 858-2453.

Send Donations to either of the following addresses:

Two Wheel View

PO Box 40084

St. Paul, MN 55104

Phil Lucero & Liz Barrett
812 Florida SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108

If you have questions feel free to contact me (Phil) at 505-459-3018 or by email at phillucero@gmail.com.

Thank you for your support!!

Phil n’ Liz

Support www.trueacceptance.com!

2009-02-01T14:57:00.009-07:00

Liz just started a new blog for True Acceptance. Read it, link it, share it and talk it up to everyone. It is a "social networking/dating/relationships site for people with mental illness. It was started with the hopes of creating a stigma-free community where unique individuals can be accepted for who they truly are." Obviously this is a site that is meant for a indicated population...not everyone, but if you know someone that might be able to take advantage of such a service then pass it on! The site is growing by the day and methinks it will be a giant success...cause Liz is destined for it! Soon to come...facebook, myspace and linkedin groups that you can support and share! Hooray for the internet!

Phil

www.trueacceptance.com
www.trueacceptance.blogspot.com

OBAMA-tized!!!!

2009-01-21T11:59:00.038-07:00

Just got back from Washington DC on yet another whirlwind trip that was both poorly planned and very fun. That seems to be how we roll...like it or not. We arrived on Friday (Jan. 16th) to 7 degree weather. It was the type of cold that is refreshing for the first 5 seconds when you go outside. After that is pain and a yearning for tropical vacations. Lucky for us the weather steadily rose after that night. By the time we were in full on inauguration / tourist mode the weather was bearable...although still quite cold. The only other obstacle we had to overcome was the torn meniscus in my right knee. I had thought of bringing crutches...or even a cane...but my ego got in the way. I probably shouldn't have walked where I walked, or danced how I danced, but Obama was going to be president...so my knee took a backseat.

On night one we stayed with Ira and his wife Suzie at their place near Potomac. Very nice house (that was for sale) which was insanely clean. Liz and I basically exploded into our spare room like usual, making house tours for potential buyers problematic...I'm assuming. Big thanks to Ira and Suzie for the hospitality...and to Ira for driving us places. Night three, four and five were spent closer to the heart of the city with my other high school bud Dylan and his wife Alexis. Yet another intimidatingly nice abode that made me think that being 30 meant getting rid of my ratty hand-me-down furniture. Big thanks to Dylan & Alexis too!!! So I guess we're lucky to have friends in high places. I made sure to offer my house should they find themselves slumming it in the Burque anytime soon. This badboy pic is of Ira and Dylan in the metro...looking tougher than they really are.

Now on to more important matters....we gots ourselves a brand new prez! Obviously this is why we went out to DC, despite all the warnings of massive delays, crowds, lines and frustration. Our first foray into the city found us attending a last minute inaugural ball. Borrowed duds from Ira made me look passable and since Liz always steals the show we fit right in...at a black tie optional ball no less....we leaned toward optional. The party had a number of rooms with DC hipsters socializing and drinking "blue drink." I stuck to beer...a staple. We were joined by our ol' friend Katy June-Friesen and her special agent boyfriend Tom. They were good company and we spent a good 4 hours at the ball dancing and praising Obama for various trivial things like blue drink. We even found a Barack Obama cut-out...so it was like he was right there with us. No secret service so we got up and close with prez...Liz even broke him in two with a quick grind. More pics of the event below. The video is at the dance party...it is sideways...and so was I by the end of the night.

The next afternoon was the We Are One Concert at the Lincoln Memorial. We expected crowds but I was floored. We got off the metro on the other side of the Washington Memorial (the tall phallic looking needle in the middle of the Mall) and it was already swamped. We fought our way through crowds to eventually get this close.....not bad eh? Far too far to see anyone on those distant steps...so we opted to walk 25 feet to our left to watch the event on the jumbo-tron. It was as perfect as an unorganized couple like us could expect and ever want! The concert was 2 hours long with music and speeches from various celebrities (some strange...some stupid and some decent). Best moment may have been during a Garth Brooks take on American Pie. A group of ladies started a line dancing extravaganza!! Video is below. And then, after a awkward attempt to bring a uncooperative bald eagle on stage, Obama came out and soothed our addiction for his message of change. He spoke for only 20 minutes, but his message was appropriately different from the rest...this being his last public speech before being inaugurated. All good things...definitely a highlight of the trip. Bono and U2 were obviously my favorite act...and Garth Brooks and Beyonce were surprisingly good.

The following day was our time to be tourists...we met up with Dylan, Ira and Cindy and Sarah (Liz's friends from high school). I limped my way (usually 10 feet behind - but always with my accommodating Liz!) through the biggest walking day of the trip. We covered the mall from the Capitol to Lincoln Memorial....hit up Georgetown for a bit and then metro'ed back to the suburbs for a less crowded dinner of cheese fries at an Irish pub (their version of Nachos apparently). A big day that was highlighted by our one and only celeb sighting...Chris Matthews of Hardball...talking to some dude outside his trailer...pic to the right. I tried to stalk him to get a better shot, but this eyes closed shot was the best one. He was being stalked by other celeb hunters as well, and I'm not too limber these days. That evening we went to a club called Muse in Chinatown. After a full day of walking, my knee had had enough however. I didn't mix well with the hipster DC crowd that night. We left earlier than we had previously thought we would...around 12:30am. Cindy and Sarah...the nightlife veterans it seems were in their prime. I'm sure Liz would have loved hanging with them but she was faithful to her broken man...and saw him home. Getting on the metro was quite a task however. Professional people pushers jammed bodies into the cars...only to have it catch on someone and reopen again. The driver threatened re-boarding if we as a metro-riding brethren didn't get our act straight. I was patiently sitting on my seat with a drunk prostitute leaning on my bad knee as she slid her drooling face down her "partner's" jacket. Quite an experience...sorry no pictures of that one. So the night ended with a tired twosome ready for some quality futon Z's. That just meant waking up Dylan and Alexis to let us in...as we bashfully made our way to our room (their office) like teenage sinners.

And alas, the finale is not what you would expect. Due to various factors...including my screwed up and worsening knee and our 5pm flight out of Baltimore airport, we decided to watch the inauguration in TV with Ira and Suzie at their place before heading to the airport. I know, once in a lifetime chance...I'm kicking myself already...BUT...I'm also not kicking myself because my knee was (and is) in bad shape. Also...I got reports from various other friends that many people didn't get in (even those with tickets!). Story from Cindy and Sarah is that they made it only to the security perimeter before being turned around. They ducked into the Christian Science Reading Room to watch with some peaceful folks. That being said, our experience was rather nice. I got to watch the inauguration in a warm, climate controlled environ...complete with a rocking chair and pillow for lumbar support. It sounds like a joke, but I am that guy (at least until I am mobile again). And my thoughts on the inauguration??? Well, let's just say I'm finally proud to be an American. I wouldn't go so far as to say I bleed red, white and blue...but I did just take down all the anti-Bush paraphernalia around my house today. Positivity...it is the way back to a prosperous, well respected United States. My expectations of Obama are high...like everyone else...but I know it will take time. It is my hope that at the very least, we as a nation can bury the red, blue hatchet and back up this intelligent and inspiring person. I feel grateful to have been a part of history...even if it were from a rocking chair in the suburbs.

Phil

Liz and her website made the local news!

2009-01-13T19:23:00.002-07:00

This article was in today's Albuquerque Journal. I would give the link but their site requires that you register and pay a fee for a membership to view articles online. Read below...great article!!!

--------------------------------

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Site Matches Those With Mental Illness

By Olivier Uyttebrouck
Journal Staff Writer
Lynne had someone to spend Christmas and New Year's with this year. And that's unusual.
"It's been a long time since I've been with anybody for the holidays," the 50-year-old Albuquerque native said recently. "That was different."
Many people find dating stressful. But, for Lynne, who was diagnosed with depression, anxiety and other mental disorders at 19, dating invariably ends in disaster.
But about a month ago, Lynne began seeing a 53-year-old man she met through a dating Web site designed specifically for people with mental illness.
The site, called TrueAcceptance.com, was launched last year by an Albuquerque social worker to help people like Lynne find healthy relationships.
"The Web site, because it caters to people with mental illness, you go in knowing that up front," Lynne said. "It makes communication a lot easier. You don't feel threatened by what the other person might think."
Lynne was married once, briefly. But relationships were more likely to aggravate her mental problems than improve them.
"I've been single most of my life for that reason," she said.
Elizabeth Barrett, who created the site with a partner in Denver, Colo., said she observed from her work with people with mental illness that those in strong relationships are more likely to thrive.
"They tend to do better," Barrett said. "They tend to stay out of the hospital." Couples in which both partners struggle with mental illness can share their experiences and help keep each other out of trouble. "You have somebody to throw your ideas off of."
Barrett, 30, has worked with the mentally ill in a variety of settings, including the Bernalillo County jail and an Albuquerque psychiatric clinic. She now works in several New Mexico schools, from elementary through high school.
"I came in contact with quite a few adults with mental illness in jail," she said. "A lot of people with significant mental illness tend to isolate."
Social withdrawal can lead to hospitalization or even suicide, she said. "I saw how the lack of social interactions made conditions worse."
About 300 users have posted profiles on the site since it started last summer. Users can post as much, or as little, information as they like. Many list the nature of their illnesses.
For now, TrueAcceptance.com charges nothing to post a profile and to contact other users.
Lynne said she and her new companion exchanged about 100 e-mails before the two met for the first time.
"We've been seeing quite a bit of each other," Lynne said.
Does she see a future for the relationship? "Maybe. For now, it's good companionship."

We're headed to Obama's Inauguration!!

2009-01-05T00:40:00.015-07:00

Liz and I are going to Inauguration! We bought tickets a couple days back (well, plane tickets) and we have no idea how or when to get into the fray. I figure we may not be able to have a sit down dinner with Obama...but we might be able to con our way into a volunteer position...or at the very least party in the streets with fellow drunken democrats. We are gonna be there from the 15th - the 20th so come meet us if you dare. I shot the above pic at a rally in Espanola, NM in October.

Last time we were in DC it was for political means as well. Bush was just elected to his second term and we were protesting with the masses in September of 2005. I'll be glad to be back under different circumstances. My pics from the '05 protest below!

Hello Old Friend

2009-01-04T19:14:00.003-07:00

My defeated blog. Admittedly a failure...but I have not given up yet. I just realized that in order for me to want to ever post on this thing I have to do the following:

Take an active interest in myself enough to want to tell you all about me. Isn't that what these web-based cyber-interaction things are for anyway, self-promotion for no real reason.
Write about more than just my annual Two Wheel View trip to Argentina.
Stop being lazy. Maybe I could write about apathy in America...I seem to be an expert.

So the purpose of this blog will now be to document my travel experiences...with Two Wheel View and beyond. The secondary...but possibly more important...and more interesting purpose is to document and provide information for my future wedding. This will serve as a website for the event...whenever that is. You see...I'm engaged to a purty girl named Liz Barrett and well, I now have reason to brag about something!

Next update soon!

Blog Rebirth...and more importantly, Argentina Pics

2008-09-09T07:19:00.020-07:00

So I am on the verge of quitting this blog forever. I never write in it and I'm sure nobody reads it. But if you do...you're in luck because I've tipped back to the "keeping it" side of that verge...at least for today. I don't profess to have the writing swagger of many of my blogging counterparts, but it is my hope that my emphasis, bike travel, keeps at least... well...me interested. In my last entry I spoke about my big head and how I would be updating the blog throughout the Argentina trip...and everything looked "rebirthed" as far as this blog goes...since I hadn't touched the thing in months. Well, I just read some friends blogs and I would like to give it another crack. Thanks guys, for being my blogosphere role models...and inspiring me to keep on truckin.

So...

The trip was good, bad and ugly. The Argentina trip that is. We had ups, downs and inbetweens like no other trip. The ups were way up...like biking with Liz though all the areas that I had been before...showing her the country that I have become so fond of. The downs were way down however, like watching our "labor of love" student peel off and wreck into traffic time after time. Some people aren't meant for bike travel...we found that out (almost) the hard way. But, we're back safe and sound. Now I am entirely too lazy to write about the intricacies of the trip...it was great and we had an awsome time. I will end by saying that we are undoubtedly heading out in 2009 and if you want to know more about it...COME! Adults and students alike...we are hoping to put together and adult trip and a student trip. Details to come. So from here on out, I will let my camera do the talking...cause a picture is worth 1,000 words...right?

Good fun, good kids, good people, good meat, mediocre bikes and good to be home.

Phil

Big Head Blues

2008-07-14T14:35:00.006-07:00

ARGENTINA 2008

It has been awhile since my last blog...which pretty much classifies me as a lousy blogger...but nonetheless, "Singletracking the Globe" is back up to sooth your need for vicarious travel. We are 10 days and counting until departure and everything is running smooth. We have a total of 14 people on the trip this year...biggest in Two Wheel View history! I want to thank everyone who has contributed in any way to our trip...and there are many of you. Our students have been working hard for this and their time to shine is almost upon them.

In my lame attempts to make this blog readable, and god forbid interesting (I tend to be bland in my descriptions) I will be challenging myself to write more descriptively about my (and our) experiences on the trip. I will start today with a little story about my large head.

Shopping for a bike helmet has always been hard for me because I have an oddly shaped, and rather large head. It is quite long front to back, narrow from side to side, and bulgy at the crown...causing for 1) a pretty consistent bad hair day, and 2) ill fitting headgear of any kind. In fact, when I was a middle schooler playing football, I had to borrow a helmet from the local high school just to play. When I got to high school, I had to special order a helmet from the same people the NFL orders custom helmets from. Hats, bandannas, ski caps...not for this guy...I grew up having to expose my cowlick riddled $10 haircut for most of my childhood. I would have rather hid it under a cool Detroit Tigers ball cap or something. Anyway, now that the backstory is complete, I will continue on to present day...today.

My custom huge helmet was on backorder and nowhere to be seen. My previous custom huge helmet is officially retired with a large crack down the center. So I had to venture out to local bike shops today in search for a new helmet. When I try on hats, helmets or anything related to my large head in public, I am usually inundated with comments about how surprising large my large head is. It looks like I'm in the kiddie section trying to fit into clothes too small for me. Now I want you to look at the following picture. This is me and Liz at a wedding last year. Keep in mind Liz has a perfectly normal (and beautiful, round head).

As you can see I must have drank too much of the Los Alamos atomic water when I was a kid. That being said, I finally found a helmet (at the 4th place I stopped). It is exactly the same kind of helmet as my last one. It is simply gargantuan and I look like a biker bobble head when I ride, but safety is the priority right? The jaw dropped staff were proud of themselves and their ability to fit even me, the anomaly, with a helmet. So for a moderately priced $47 (on clearance cause nobody else fits in it) I have myself a new helmet.

Until next time....

Phil

New Bike Shop in Town

2007-11-20T11:34:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

My cousin Dan Lucero just opened a new bike shop in Albuquerque called Bikeworks ABQ. Go check it out at 2839 Carslisle SE...just north of Menaul. He and his friend Dan Swinton are the best mechanics in town and they are looking for some good customers like you to make'em work for their money. Here is the flier they just put in the Alibi. - Phil

Words fail...

2007-08-09T10:49:00.000-07:00

Fifteen days in Argentina...

speaking castillano, biking through deserts, camping on doorsteps, losing luggage, singing songs around the fire, cooking 34 eggs at once, biking up mountains, eating empanadas, staring into the sky, relaxing on hammocks, finding luggage, being homesick, cramped taxis, biking through jungles, sight seeing, staring at strange dogs, drinking fanta naranja, postcard writing and sending, weather reports, biking into a headwind, hiking in ancient ruins, taking pictures, shopping, shopping, shopping, bueno carne, appreciation circles, fixing flat tires, sleeping under the stars, dressing in layers, making new amigos, playing games, wearing funny hats, not wanting to leave, fitting it all in the packs (how did they do that!), experiencing culture shock...writing emails...so on and on and on...words fail me.

Phil

Cafayette

2007-08-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

Hola amigos...

We´re here.!!!..sorry for the late blog entry. We had some homesickness in the group so we decided to limit our time at the internet cafe so as not to make it worse. We are in Cafayette...a small mountain town in the foothills of the Andes....maybe the size of Telluride, Colorado. Cafayette is our halfway point so we have a day off today. Anyway, I thought I would recap the trip a bit...

After a solid two days in airports, taxis and busses we arrived in Salta late on the 26th. We set up camp in the city´s campground...which was filled with rickety playground equipment, picnic tables and one giant pool (drained for the winter...remember we are south of the equater, it is winter down here). We all slept well after all that travelling...some well into the next day. Our first full day in Salta was spent building our bikes up and walking about town. This is when the homesickness hit for some. The culture shock combined with the tiresome travelling schedule left some a little shakey. But this was quickly turned around the following day when we finally got on the bikes and headed for Coronel Moldes...our next stop. The day was long as we had many mechanical problems. We arrrived at a new camp down by a giant lake after dark and after a few wrong turns. The crew was beat so Rick (Two Wheel View´s director) opted to get a small hotel room. The room lifted everyone´s spirits and we had a lively dinner. Bryan (the student I recruited from Albuquerque) and I decided we wanted to sleep outside on the grass because the night was beautiful. The next day we hit the roads early and the group was riding much better. We all had our biking legs by this point. On day one we were biking through flatlands mostly...no real hills to speak of. Day 2 brought some significant hills toward the end of the ride. We camped near a small abandoned train station turned artisan center. This was our first night of backcountry camping. We made a fire, made dinner and spend the night trying to figure out riddles...something I always like to do around a fire. The night was cold so we had to get out all the warm clothes this time. I slept well however...as did everyone else. The next day brought us into the desert portion of the trip. Amazing views everywhere. I heard one student (Simon from Calgary) say that he took nearly 100 pictures. This was definitly one of my favorite days from last year´s trip. We backcountry camped near a river (about 18 miles outside Cafayette. The night was cold and a bit windy. Getting up the next morning proved to be difficult...but the idea that warm showers and good foot was a mere 18 miles away got people moving. Biking into town was great and filled with more great views. It was a relief to get to Cafayette knowing that a day off was in store. My legs are sore and I´m an avid biker. I am seriously impressed with these kids. Such a good group!! Last night was spent hand washing clohthes, taking showers (mine was cold because I went last...oh well) and grilling chicken and cooking rice for dinner. Bed times are not really an issue here as the kids are very tired and want to go to bed at the end of each day...they were all snoring by 10pm.

Which brings us to today...I´ve spent far too much time on the internet so I hope you understand that I must cut it short and say until next time...and hasta leugo.

Ciao from Cafayette

Phil

Fin Del Mundo

2007-07-21T12:13:00.001-07:00

The time has come to hit the roads of northern Argentina once again...what a rough life I lead. This time I will be co-leading a youth trip consisting of eight 14 & 15 year olds from around North America. Bryan (the student I recruited from Albuquerque) and I will be headed to Minneapolis on Monday morning for a two day orientation. We will leave as a group on Wednesday, July 25th and will return on August 8th. All in all Bryan and I will fly on 6 flights with 5 layovers just to get to our starting point. That probably means somewhere around 1 1/2 days of travelling. Once in the town of Salta we will take a day to prep our bikes, prep ourselves and see the sites of this beautiful town. Then we ride for ten days through some of the most diverse landscapes I have ever seen; deserts, grasslands, jungles, ancient ruins, vineyards and high mountain passes. We will pass through the towns of Cafayatte, Quilmes and Tafí del Valle before ending our journey in Yerba Buena (just outside San Miguel de Tucuman). I can't wait to re-live one of the best times of my life and be able to share it with others.

I will be updating this blog from the road from time to time. Once I am back I will be posting some of the best photos from the trip.

Bien Viaje!

Phil

Biking Season is Almost Here!

2007-01-30T08:24:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone...

Happy 2007! It has been awhile since my last blog. There has not been too much to report so I've been fairly quiet. The Benefit Trip to Argentina has yet to be filled so if you happen to have two weeks of in late March and would like to spend them on a bike surrounded by good people and and amazing scenery then sign up at Two Wheel View's website (link at the left) The trip is March 26th - April 8th.

And if you're a student ages 14-18 and would like to participate then you are in luck because you have options. We have two students trips this summer...one to Norway and the other to Argentina. Neither trip is filled and we are looking for NEW MEXICANS!! If you happen to be reading this and live in another state, you are certainly encouraged to apply as well. You can find more information on the trips below or at the Two Wheel View website.

And on the Trips for Kids front, we are nearly an official non-profit as we are awaiting word of our status. We are fundraising, designing websites and starting to piece together a summer of good riding with kids around Albuquerque. If you would like to make a donation to Trips for Kids: Rio Grande, our new and very poor (at the moment) non-profit that takes at-risk Albuquerque youth on local mountain bike adventures, then go to our website (link at the left). Also, if you have a bike you would like to donate (in fairly good condition!!) please let me know! All donations are tax deductable and we can provide a receipt.

Other than that life is good. I have not been riding lately as the snow is a bit daunting, but that is a poor excuse and I think the Puxatawny Phil will not see his shadow this year. Biking season is almost among us (hopefully it never left some of you) so get ready for what I anticipate to be the best year of biking yet. How's that for optimism!!

Phil (no relation to Puxatawny)
yofrenfil@gmail.com
505-459-3018

2007 Trips Announced!

2006-11-06T13:32:00.000-07:00

2nd Annual
Adult Benefit Trip
Argentina
March 24th - April 8th, 2007

Norway
June 16th - July 1st, 2007

Argentina
July 28th - August 12th, 2007

Two Wheel View is going big for 2007 with three trips planned for the year...the first (our 2nd annual adult benefit trip) a mere 5 months away. If you know someone (or are someone) between the ages of 14 - 18, who is adventurous, responsible and in good academic standing, then an international 2-week bike touring trip might just be what you are looking for. We are already accepting applications for all 2007 trips and spaces don't last long. Act soon if you would like to take advantage of an opportunity of a lifetime!

Detailed information pertained to each trip can be found at Two Wheel View's website. There you can find applications, itineraries, travel logs, costs, helpful fundraising tips and other logistical information. If you would like to speak to someone in more detail, feel free to contact me at:

yofrenfil@gmail.com 505-459-3018

You can also reach Rick McFerrin (TWV's founder) at:
rick.mcferrin@twowheelview.org (866) 858-2453

Again, spaces are limited. Act soon!

Thanks,
Phil Lucero

Trips for Kids: Rio Grande Yard Sale!

2006-10-13T07:59:00.000-07:00

When??
October 29th, 2006
7:00am - 3:00pm

Where??
812 Florida SE, ABQ, NM
Phil's House
www.mapquest.com

Why??

To assist with initial start-up costs to make Trips for Kids: Rio Grande an official non-profit. Trips for Kids National is based in Marin, California and sponsors over 40 chapters around the country help disadvantaged kids discover the joy of mountain biking.

We need your donations to make this happen! So clean out the garage and give us the old fashioned lawn mower...1980's pantsuit or the" still working after all these years" lava lamp. We ask you to turn your garage fillers and attic stuffers into TFKRG's start-up costs. Please give what you can. We also accept cash donations. At this point were are unable to grant tax breaks so all donations will have to be made out of the kindness of your own heart :)

To donate:

Please contact me at 505-459-3018 or yofrenfil@gmail.comif you have items you would like to donate. I would like to have all donations in by October 24th if possible. I can pick up items at your place if necessary. If you would like to donate cash please make a check out to Trips for Kids: Rio Grande. Put "start-up donation" in the memo line. You can send checks to me at:

812 Florida SE
Albuquerque, NM
87108

And of course, we plan on having a music filled, hot apple cider drinking ball in my front yard that morning so if you feel like hanging out for the event come on by. Thanks for your help!!!!

Sincerely,
Phil Lucero
President, TFKRG

Trips for Kids: Rio Grande

2006-08-30T08:12:00.000-07:00

The time has come to shift the premise of this blog a little. For the past eight months I've written primarily about my fundraising efforts and adventures with Two Wheel View. In recent weeks I have become much more involved in an upstart non-profit organization called Trips for Kids. By that I mean I've taken over as head of the board of directors. Trips for Kids is a nation wide organization with chapters all over North America. In fact, there are three other chapters in New Mexico alone (Ramah, Shiprock and another in Albuquerque - which I used to run). Our new branch will be called TFK: Rio Grande. Here is a little history on the organization taken from (www.tripsforkids.org/national).

----------------

"Trips For Kids National provides the materials, moral support and inspiration that an individual or group needs to help disadvantaged kids discover the joy of mountain biking. Operating in the United States and Canada, we open the world of cycling to at risk youth through mountain bike rides and Earn-A-Bike programs. The more than forty Trips For Kids chapters.

that we support combine lessons in personal responsibility, achievement and environmental awareness through the development of practical skills and the simple act of having fun.

Trips For Kids National grew out of the success of the first Trips For Kids "chapter", which avid mountain biker and environmentalist Marilyn Price started in Marin County, California in 1988. Marilyn knew that many kids who lived in the inner-city of San Francisco had never experienced the beauty of open space just a few miles away in Marin County. By the late 1990's, Trips for Kids: Marin had evolved from a one-woman show into a 15-person organization, and Marilyn realized that she had an obligation to share the wisdom she had gained with the rest of the country. She formed Trips For Kids National in 1999.

Today, with support from our many generous sponsors, Trips For Kids National provides a new challenge for youth from many different backgrounds and who face many different challenges in life. Some come from the inner city where there is temptation to join a gang. Some live on reservations where after-school activities are limited. Some come from homes where there's just not enough money to buy a bicycle. Despite their difference, all the kids have one thing in common. They are kids and kids love bikes.

Trips For Kids National has helped over forty groups and individuals from around North America launch chapters in their areas.

----------------

As I said before, we are in the beginning stages of our chapter. We hope to be up and running by the spring of 2007. That is no easy task however. We need your support. There are start-up costs that we need to fundraise before then. As of now we don't yet have official non-profit status nationally. This means we are not allowed to grant a tax break for any donations. This will happen some time in the near future. But if you would like to donate to Trips for Kids: Rio Grande and do not need the 501 (c)3 receipt we would gladly take your support. You can send checks made out to Trips for Kids: Rio Grande to my home address. In the memo line write start-up donation.

Phil Lucero
812 Florida SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108

Thank you for you continued support!! This program would not exist on any level without sponsors such as yourself. Trips for Kids has taken tens of thousands of kids on biking trips all around the country. Let's do our part to include New Mexico in the mix. For a list of current chapters, go to www.tripsforkids.org/national/chapters.htm.

Feel free to contact me at any time if you would like to learn more about Trips for Kids, Two Wheel View or anything concerning the cycling community in New Mexico.

sincerely,

Phil Lucero
President
Trips for Kids: Rio Grande
505-459-3018

Dominican Republic Benefit Bike Trip

2006-08-18T10:27:00.000-07:00

Trip Description

Country: Dominican Republic

Tour: 9 days including travel time

Dates: November 18-26, 2006

Type of tour: Road (mountain bike touring, guided by Rick McFerrin, founder Two Wheel View)

Estimate Cost: $750 Registration and in-country expense fee, $1500 Charity fundraising sponsorship minimum, airfare to/from your home to the Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

This is a fundraising benefit trip for Two Wheel View. Participants on this fundraising benefit trip pledge to raise a minimum amount or make a personal donation to support Two Wheel View as well as pay for their travel to and from the Dominican Republic.

The bike trip to the Dominican Republic will be an exploratory trip for future Two Wheel View programs. Because this will be the first trip for Two Wheel View to the Dominican Republic there are many unknown variables and there will be additional challenges that make independent bicycle travel adventurous. Two Wheel View trips focus on learning about new cultures, connecting with locals, and being environmentally and socially responsible travelers.

The trip length and accommodations will vary from 25 to 50 miles a day, with camping and hotel stays along the way. Two Wheel View will provide logistical support, leadership and coordination for the entire trip.

How to Cover the Cost of the Trip

There are two options to participate: Self Funder or Fundraiser.

Self Funder: You make a tax deductible contribution and pay a logistics/in-country program fee.

Fundraiser: With this option you pledge to raise a minimum amount of sponsorship for Two Wheel View by asking for donations from friends, family, community sponsors or whatever means you have to raise money for Two Wheel View. Any amount that you raise over the minimum fundraising amount can be applied towards your logistics/in-country program fee.

The majority of participants fundraise some, if not all, of their program fees and trip expenses through various sources. Fundraising for a Two Wheel View trip program is a great way to increase awareness about our program as well as to make the dream of your own bicycle travel experience a reality.

Explanation of Costs

$1,500 Sponsorship - When you apply for a Two Wheel View program you are actually supporting the overall mission and vision of the organization. The money raised will help support future programs for young people.

$650 Logistics/in-country program fee - Program fees fund all trip-related expenses including: equipment, food, lodging, trip leader, program development and coordination, and on-site consultants and support.

$100 Application Fee - A $100 nonrefundable deposit is due with your application. This is not refundable if you cancel your trip for any reason.

Travel - This is what it costs for you to get to and from the destination, including but not limited to: airline tickets, airport taxes, baggage fees, departure taxes, ground transportation, transfers, tips, and in-flight snacks and beverages. Please contact the Two Wheel View travel coordinator, Camille Barrat - Travel Consultant, 2 Nickerson ST #102, Seattle, WA 98109, 800-788-0829 x228 for travel arrangements.

Equipment

The Logistics/in-country program fee includes the use of Two Wheel View bikes and bicycle touring equipment if needed (additional charges may apply to ship equipment to you prior to departure if necessary). If you decide to bring your own bike, we recommend that you pack it in a soft-sided bike case specific for traveling. Two Wheel View does not assume responsibility for the safety of or damage to your bike. You are responsible for providing the maintenance to your bike and any spare parts that may be used during the trip. You are also responsible for assembling your bike upon arrival and disassembling it upon departure. Please feel free to contact Two Wheel View if you have any questions about bringing your own bike. Please contact Two Wheel View to discuss your equipment needs.

Group Makeup

Group Size: Maximum of 11 including ride leader.
Age of participants: Mixed adults
Gender: Mixed
Language: English / Spanish

Trip Difficulty

Average daily miles: 50 km (30 miles)
Overall difficulty rating: beginner to intermediate

What's Included

Use of mountain bike touring equipment, camping gear, panniers
All group meals: three meals a day
Camping and lodging in campgrounds and hotels
Tour mechanic and guide

For more information on how to sign-up go to www.twowheelview.org.

Back Home

2006-08-15T20:23:00.000-07:00

Miranda and Josh have returned! This post is a bit late in coming but I wanted to wait until I had some good photos to post along with the entry. All reports are good as it seems the trip went smoothly. More information can be found on Two Wheel View's "Road Rag: Spain" blog.

Here is an excerpt of what Rick McFerrin (founder of Two Wheel View) had to say about the trip: "There was lots of laughing, new friendships, new perspectives, and a glimpse at life in the region of Catalonia. We biked and camped almost everyday. The total distance traveled was 467 KM (290 miles). Each day we biked about 3 to 4 hours. Our longest day was over 80 KM (50 miles). The group stayed together and it was awesome to see the faces of locals as we biked into small medieval villages looking for places to shop and take in the local scenery.

The biking was challenging at times. Heat, hills, and a few long days. Our route took us through rural France along the Canal du Midi, out to the Mediterranean coast of southern France and into northern Spain. From there we biked inland to Figueres and into the Pyrenees to Ripoll, the birthplace of Catalonia. From there we traveled by train over the mountains back to Toulouse, France."

Extra special thanks to all our donors for making this all happen! It was undoubtedly a trip of a lifetime for the two of them. I do believe that a special night is being planned to formally thank all of our donors. I will keep you posted. Until then...

Photos by Rebecca (co-leader Spain 2006)

Departure Day!

2006-07-16T14:20:00.000-07:00

BE SAFE!!
RIDE SMART!!
HAVE FUN!!!

CATALONIA

2006-07-12T07:15:00.000-07:00

5 days and counting until take-off. Miranda and Josh have received their panniers and are realizing just how much space they don't have. From personal experience I can say, leave the electronics behind. Pack some playing cards instead of an ipod, a good book instead of a gameboy...you will be glad you did. Also, leave some room in those packs for souvenirs!! If it were me, I would want to bring home some authentic Spanish maracas! To each there own however...I have been accused of having bad taste. Take off is July 16th! The group will be 9 people total including three trip leaders (Rick, Lanier & Rebecca). The students are Miranda, Josh, Ciara, Joy, Eddie & Marisa. Looks like the ladies have you outnumbered guys. Anyone say breakfast in bag?? Get to it guys!

Miranda and Josh, I will see you at the airport on the 16th. As always feel free to contact me before then if you have any questions or concerns. Until then...

I leave you with one last reminder of all the people who donated on my behalf. A BIG THANK YOU goes to each and every one of you for making this happen for our two deserving students! Also, thanks to all the people who donated on Miranda and Josh's behalf.

Manuel & Debbi Lucero
Jerry & Joyce Levine
Ernie Romero
Ann & Rudy Sacks
Cayley Bell
Chrys Shatz
Bob Bell & Sterling Puck
John & Carla Barrett
Teri Hutchison
Dylan Fuge
Jennifer Barrett & Ian O'Laughlin
Jean & Joel Salisbury
Phil & Rose Struck
Kurt & Amy Pillote
Jim Thorpe & Carol Church
Foster McKay
Julie Evans & Dan Peckman
Liz Barrett
Kristin Lucero
Ira & Suzy Thorpe
Brent Broome
JoAnn Lucero
Charity Bowles
Rita & Billy Sanchez
Alan Shapiro
Helen Lucero
Joel Wilson
Carla Garrett & Suzie Ruthorford
Mark Bremer & Liz Gabriel
Jacob Shapiro
Sara Trice
Martha Lucero
Jeff Zettler
Jeff Hardesty & Allison Ramsey
Adrian Lucero

Go see "An Inconvenient Truth"

2006-06-26T12:30:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

While a little off topic, I felt it necessary to share a thought or two about Al Gore's new documentary pertaining to global warming; "An Inconvenient Truth." It is the most alarming film I have seen in awhile. Al Gore slowly steps through the science of global warming in a "user friendly" manner so that everyone watching gets the picture loud and clear. The earth is in serious trouble and we are to blame. The debate of whether greenhouse gasses are caused by humans or by natural means is no longer. We are polluting our earth and depleting our earth's natural resources at an alarming rate without realizing the consequences looming in the near future. Please go see this film as it is as educational as it is interesting. For more information go to their website:

www.climatecrisis.net

Check showtimes in your area at:

www.fandango.com

If you live in New Mexico as I do, PNM offers "green energy" in the form of wind energy. For information on how to subscribe go to:

http://www.pnm.com/customers/sky_blue.htm

And with this being a blog dedicated to bicycling, what better way to reduce your own personal use than by commuting to work (or anywhere for that matter!). Here is a guide to effectively, and safely commute in a city:

http://www.bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/index.htm

Also, you can find a map of the city of Albuquerque's bike paths, routes and lanes at:

www.cabq.gov/bike/

If you do indeed see this film, I would love to hear your reactions. Email me at yofrenfil@gmail.com.

"The era of procrastination, of half measures of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In it's place we are entering a period of consequences." - Winston Churchill

Thanks,
Phil Lucero

One Month To Go!

2006-06-09T06:56:00.000-07:00

The roster is filled! With just over a month until depature, we have a full roster for Two Wheel View's first ever bike touring trip to Catalonia, Spain this summer. Santa Feans Miranda Scott-Womack and Josh Keeler have stepped up to bat and are pounding away at thier fundriasing goals of $1,500 each. If you would like to donate to help them meet (and exceed) thier fundriasing goal, please see how to donate below.

Miranda and Josh are both heading into the 10th grade at a new charter high school in Santa Fe called Charter 37 (www.cs37.org). This unique school is a bilingual, expeditionarly learning school. Students will be taught in both English and Spanish and will take part in Outward Bound style wildneress trips throughout the year. With thier upcoming trip to Spain, they have a chance to hone thier Spanish while taking part in an international wilderness trip. Two Wheel View should deliever them to thier first day ahead of the game!

With alot on thier plate, Miranda and Josh still find time to take part in what they love. Miranda, a dancer for many years, has experimented in many styles (ballet, jazz and bellydancing to name a few). She is also a singer and has dreams of attending college at Julliard in New York City. Josh, an avid long distance runner, specializes in the two mile event. In addition to running, Josh has started to take up biking and has even been seen biking into town from his home 10+ miles out. I certainly have no doubt that with thier active lifestyles, Miranda and Josh should do extreamly well biking up and down backroads of northeastern Spain.

If you would like to help Miranda or Josh reach thier goal of $1,500, the clock is ticking. We need your support!! Donations can be sent directly to Two Wheel View at the following address:

Two Wheel View
P.O. Box 40084
St. Paul, MN 55104

You can also donate online at www.twowheelview.org. All contributions are 100% tax deductable and Two Wheel View will send you a receipt for donation.

Thank you!

Phil Lucero

To the Jungle and Back

2006-05-08T21:43:00.000-07:00

So it turns out the school I teach P.E. at (Horizon Academy South Elementary) had been meticulously trackking my every move in Argentina. Sara Trice (a 5th grade teacher and my first donor way back in December), printed my journal entries and posted them in the hallways alongside a map of the region. She later told me it is such a good thing for students to realize that we teachers have lives too! I couldn't have agreed more. So when I returned to work the next Tuesday morning I was treated as the local celebrity...such is life in an elementary school. Teachers and students alike had question after question. In fact, I got so caught up in answering questions that I completely forgot that I had a class waiting for me outside. Long story short, I figured I should give a slide show to talk about the trip, take questions and promote the sport of bicycling. Two weeks after my return I put together a powerpoint presentation with over 90 slides of the trip. I also taliked a little about the region's politics, geography and history. The students were fascinated and I would like to think that I may have lit a fire in a few of them to at least get out more. After working with students in the south valley of Albuquerque for some time now, I have come to realize that many of these kids never get out...literally. I've taken kids to the mountains outside Albuquerque for their first time ever...and it was in middle school! One student called it "the jungle." So the slideshow was a success. I had some of the older students write down their contact information in case they wanted to take on a challenge like this in the future. Who knows...maybe some day we will take a group from the South valley to Argentina. Until then, trips to our local jungle will do nicely.

Josh Keeler - Santa Fe, NM

2006-04-26T17:58:00.002-07:00

Two Wheel View is happy to announce Josh Keeler as the New Mexico representative for the inaugural international bike trip to Spain this July. Josh currently resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is in the 9th grade and will be attending a new bilingual, expeditionary learning charter school CS37 (www.cs37.org) in the fall. The trip is now nearing its capacity. There may be one spot left so if you know someone who might be interested in traveling Spain by bike, shoot me an email ASAP!! There are already prospective students knocking at the door so act quick.

Congratulations Josh!!

Phil Lucero

ESPANA 2006

2006-04-10T20:39:00.000-07:00

With utmost respect for all our donors Abram Diaz-Strandberg has decided to not go on the trip to Spain this July. He made sure to tell me with enough time to go back on the hunt for a new candidate. With that in mind, there are still a couple openings on the Two Wheel View trip to Spain. If you between the ages of 15-19, currently a resident of New Mexico and a determined, adventurous and open minded individual (or if you know one), contact me ASAP. The clock is ticking and we need to get someone on board soon! You can reach me at:

Phil Lucero
505-459-3018
yofrenfil@hotmail.com

If you would like to know more about the trip, go to the trip's description page atTwo Wheel View's website.

http://www.twowheelview.org/events/international/2006/catalonia/

I hope to get someone on board by the end of the month. There is alot of work to be done!

------------------------

On another note:

I just read through Gary Fifield's (a member of the Argentina trip) blogsite and it is wonderful. It is a detailed and comprehensive account that match my feelings about the trip exactly. I have niether the time or literary skill to tell the same story so read it for yourself.

http://www.garysbiketrip.blogspot.com/

I hope all is well out there! And remember, if you have the hankering to donate to a WONDERFUL non-profit that is undoubtedly changing kids lives, look no futher than Two Wheel View.

Donations can be sent directly to Two Wheel View at the following address:

Two Wheel View
P.O. Box 40084
St. Paul, MN 55104

You can also donate online at www.twowheelview.org. All contributions are 100% tax deductable and Two Wheel View will send you a receipt for donation.

Thanks!

Phil Lucero

Photos from the Trip

2006-04-05T07:04:00.000-07:00

Often my biggest regret when traveling is not taking time out to journal more often. When you write things down, you are able to remember not only the people and places that you encounter, but the subtle nuances of specific moods or feelings. Pictures are worth a thousand words, but are limited to just that. Some of my experiences while traveling go beyond words. I knew this when looking through the limited lens of my camera. The following photographs are some of my favorite shots of the trip. But just so you know, they by no means capture the essence of what it was to actually be there. Standing in front of these landscapes required all my senses. The smell of the jungle, the feeling of the dry desert wind and the taste of a cold fanta naranja after biking all day. Even then I feel that I didn't quite take it all in. There will always be something left behind...tempting me to go back and experience it all over again. When that day comes I will come fully prepared with a camera and a journal, knowing that even then I will not come close to covering it all. That is the beauty of traveling for me.

Fin de la viaje

2006-04-03T09:10:00.000-07:00

(From left to right - Maria, Christian, Rick, Lee, Kim, Nick, Gary, Curtis, Koa, Phil. This photo was taken while on a 2-hour archeologial hike (lead by our awsome guide Christian) at the observatory in near Amanche.

I made it! After 26 hours of flying in cramped airplanes, sitting in international airport bars, shopping at duty free stores, standing in customs lines, navigating airports with large, awkward bike bags and the occational jaunt into the city during layover, I've made it all the way home to New Mexico. The travel part of traveling can be hard...but well worth it when looking back on the amazing experience.

The last two weeks have been unbelievable. We crossed over deserts, grasslands, mountains, jungles and forests and were able to see every little pebble along the way. I feel that traveling by bike gives you a better sense of a place. I have never felt so connected to a foreign land in my life. The people of Argentina welcomed us warmly everywhere we went and were sure to send us off with good feeling toward this land and culture.

In the next couple days I will post more pics from the trip. Now I must unpack and take my siesta.

Phil Lucero

p.s. Good bye to everyone...I was taken away by the airport madness in Miami and was never able to say goodbye. My triste! I'll be sure to head up to Minneapolis at my next opporitunity. I have good friends there now.

S.M. de TUCUMAN

2006-03-31T13:37:00.000-07:00

We now have just one day before we head back for the United States, via Tucuman, Cordoba y Buenos Aires. The trip has been great and I have to say that I am a little sad that things are coming to and end. After cafayette we spent the night in a five star hotel constucted inside the Ruinas de Quilmes (ruins of native people who lived in the area 500 years ago). The place was beautiful and the hotel was a welcomed rest stop after days of camping. Good wine, good food and a swimming pool. We hiked up in the ruins and took many pictures...many of which you will see here upon my return. After Quilmes we started the climb that we had been talking about for some time. We climed roughly 5,000 feet in two days...stopping over at an observatory for the night. There we met a local scientist named Christian who lead us on a archeological tour of the mountain side. It was all in Spanish as he did not speak English. I did my best to understand and I think I am finally getting the hang of this language. We hiked until dusk...and hiked back in the dark. Chrisitian woke us all up in the middle of the night to come look at the stars at the observatory. We were able to see Saturn (ring and all!). We could also see Saturns biggest moon Titan. The next morning we got up, packed our stuff, fixed about eight flat tires as we were camped on a bed of thorns, and kept riding up the mountain road. After three hours of climbing we hit the top, and could see all the way down to the town of Taffi de Valle. After a quick stop at the top, haning with llamas and playing hackysack with local artisans, we bombed down the mountain. 25KM of downhill took no longer than 30 minutes. We stopped in town for a break and headed to the other side of lake to set up camp. It was cold in Taffi and fog was rolling in over the lake. Things had definitly changed now that we had crossed over the top of the mountain. The next morning we got up early and continuted down the mountain through what I feel was the best part of the entire trip. A smoking downhill that took us all the way down to 1,000 feet or less. It was now dense rainforest. A complete shift in climate from the day before. The air was moist and the rivers were full! This place is the most beautiful place I have ever been. Even though this was our longest day riding, this day ended too soon. I did not want to leave this beautiful place. Maybe I will see it again sometime. We rode into town and Rick (our leader) set us up at a local hostel that he knew about. We moved our stuff in and hit the town. Yerba Buena is like the Beverly Hills of Tucuman. There is alot of money here...relative to the rest of the country. We went to an art show opening, drank free wine and stopped over for pizza. I called it a night at 12:30am...much earlier than most. Well, this is the last update of the trip...but I will be sure to update when I get home. I will post some of my favorite pics. Until then...hasta luego.

Phil

CAFAYATE

2006-03-26T12:36:00.000-07:00

Ciao,

Nosotros travejamos a Cafayate en bicicletas. Cafayate es un ciudad muy bueno. Okay, Spanish is taking too long. I thought I would try. We are at our halfway point in the trip. I´m sorry I haven´t updated the blog recently but as you may know, I´m out in the boonies, where internet is scarce, not to mention clean water. We have already biked 200 KM and we have half that to go...although the next half is over a mountain pass! We have seen desert, mountains, plains, cities and are about to see rainforests, the Andes and the southern hemishere´s night sky at an observatory. The trip has been great and the people on the trip couldn´t be better. We really lucked out with a solid group both on and off the bikes.

Cafayate is a small mountain town the size of Telluride, CO. The food is great here if you like meat...otherwise its okay. We ate a chicken for lunch! We are camped just outside a vineyard and have yet to do any wine tasting, but I´m sure it will happen. This little town has been an oasis in the desert. We needed a break from the bikes as we are all saddle sore.

Unfortunatly I have been under the weather on an off. Today is off. I will probably head back to camp and take it easy for the rest of the night. Riding has been the thing that makes me feel better however, so I look foward to getting back on the bike. Fortunatly, my cold is not so bad as to make me uncomfortable. It is a functionable cold.

There are other blogs for the trip that you can go check out at your leisure. One is from our resident doctor and all around good guy Gary. The address is www.garysbiketrip.blogspot.com. The other blog is the official blog run by two wheel view. Go to www.twowheelview.org and hit the road rag link on the home page. I might update there as well. So, I better be off so I can get rest for tomorrow. I will try to update when I get to San Miguel de Tucuman.

Adios!

Phil Lucero

SALTA

2006-03-21T20:20:00.000-07:00

We made it! It was a 40 hour commute with all the planes, tranes and automobiles but I am finally in Salta, Argentina. The city is about the size of Albuquerque although it looks smaller. It is surrounded by mountains (foothills leading up to the Andes). The group I´m traveling with is a good group and I think we are going to have a great time out here. The bike made it in one peice, althought dinged up in places. We are headed into the mountains tomorrow so wish me luck. This must be a short update as the cafe I´m in closed is a couple minutes. I will update in Cafayette (4 or 5 days away). Hasta luego!

Felipe

Ready to GO!!

2006-03-18T22:23:00.000-07:00

It is 10:23pm and I just finished packing. After a full day of packing, unpacking, multiple bike shop negotiations and a little more money down the pike, I'm ready to go...I think. Who knows really? Procrastination is a very nasty thing and I realize this now. I didn't even test out the bike racks I bought until this morning. One was defective and the other was the wrong kind!! I spend a good 8 hours of the day fiddling with different racks around town and taking up bike mechanic's valuable time. Given my timeframe, and ultimate destination, they were all excited to help. So I leave in 10 1/2 hours for Houston, then Miami, then Buenos Aires, then finally Salta. With delays the total travel time has now come close to two full days (We are staying a night in Buenos Aires now!) That is very exciting. Maybe I'll salsa the night away in my bike shoes. Well I better have dinner and hit the sack. I have to give a huge thank you to Rick McFerrin (our ride leader) for all the good advice. I also have to thank Liz for the late night Walgreen's run, and for making me dinner as we speak! And of course my parents, who came down today to help me pack. I can always count on them! I will try to post while I'm away, but I don't know the internet situation where we are headed. If your lucky you'll get a postcard...but probably not cause I'm bad about those things. I always send my love though...at least there's that. Now time for food. Hasta luego.

48 Hours until take-off

2006-03-17T08:13:00.000-07:00

The time has almost come to pack all my things into four small bags (see below) and head out for a land unknown. I'm not so much nervous as I am anxious that I have everything I need. Now that I've begun packing I realize how much space I don't have. I'm gonna have to bring the bare essentials, which obviously inclues my giant Nikon 35mm camera. I can't come away from this without quality pics. I leave in exactly 48 hours and 24 minutes from this post. Circumstances have it that I will be the only person of the group of eight that is headed out alone. I will meet up with everyone in Miami before we leave for Argentina. I have yet to meet anyone on the trip in person so this should be interesting.

In the past week I haven't been able to ride at all due to a fiesty cold that won't leave me alone. I've been knocking back the vitamin C like crazy and I almost have it beat. The last thing I want is to have a cold for a 30 hour commute. Things are looking up however. My bike is a cyclecross bike which is like a hybrid of sorts....a road bike that sits a little higher, weighs a little more and had rugged tires for the off-road. Everyone else is bringing mountain bikes which is cause for a little concern, but I'm sticking to my guns as the cyclecross has done me well in the past. After this trip I'll have to give it a name as it will have earned it. Until then it is just the cyclecross.

I told Wally (my dog) that I was leaving for the trip. I didn't like breaking the news to him as I knew he would be pretty sad. He didn't shed a tear but I could tell he was hurting on the inside. Poor fella. I'll go ahead an leave him a couple of my dirty socks to chew on while I'm away. That should make the time pass a little quicker.

I will probably post one more time before I leave on Sunday morning. After that who knows. I would like to be able to post while I am out there, although I doubt I'll have much (if any) access to the internet. I will definitly not be able to upload any photos while I'm out, but I plan on posting a nice, fat photo update when I return. Until next time...

-Phil Lucero

Looks like New Mexico!

2006-03-13T17:40:00.000-07:00

Just a few pics of where I will be headed come Sunday! Not a bad place to spend spring break! I will be updating the blog as much as possible in the next few weeks to keep everyone up to date on the trip. I've been riding quite a bit here in town to train for the trip. I would say that I'm in decent shape but things can always be better. I did happen to catch a cold over the weekend so I'm doing my best to kill it off quickly. Any recomendations?? The pictures below were taken from Two Wheel View's website (www.twowheelview.org). They are from a previous year's trip. The first and last shot look alot like New Mexico! Maybe I won't be too homesick. Thanks again to all those who donated to Two Wheel View. More information on Abram's fundraising efforts will follow shortly. He has already started off well!

ARGENTINA

2006-03-08T07:17:00.000-07:00

11 days and counting until my departure for the Latino land down under. As I stated in my first blog entry, I am taking part in a benefit trip to Argentina with 8 other men and women around the country and in Canada. We have each committed to raising half of the money needed to send a deserving student from our community on a bike trip to Spain this summer. Through the help of family members, friends and colleagues I was able to do this quite easily. So now I will turn your attention to my own trip as I prepare for Argentina. The following text is taken from www.twowheelview.org.

Argentina Benefit Trip Itinerary
March 19th - April 2nd

Saturday, March 18: Orientation and packing

This is a fully self-contained bike trip. We take all the bikes, camping gear and equipment with us. This may seem like a big task, but believe me, it is possible. We pack in panniers. Everyone will have front and rear panniers to pack their personal gear as well as some of the group equipment. For air travel we consolidate much of the gear into fewer packs. The bikes are packed into soft-sided travel bags that also work as ground tarps. Once we arrive Salta we will distribute the packs evenly so that no one has to carry too much weight. I have taken kids that have had no biking experience on this trip and they have managed.

Sunday, March 19: International departure

Depart for Salta, Argentina (travel time estimated 30 hours). It's a long flight day. Depending on your departure city, it may be a couple of connections to reach our final destination. Ideally we will all be on the same flight into Salta.

Monday, March 20: Arrive Salta, Argentina

Logistics: unpack bikes and gear at the airport, ride into the city and camp at perhaps the largest outdoor swimming pool in the world. After a long day of travel you can enjoy a shower, food, and refreshments. My favorite thing to do after we arrive is to take a taxi into town, buy several dozen empanadas and some cold refreshments to bring back to our camp.

Tuesday, March 21: Rest, regroup, eat empanadas, site seeing in Salta

Salta is the capital city of the province. It is situated in one of the most fertile and scenic areas of this region. It is located at 1,187 meters above sea level, at the bottom of Mounts 20 de Febrero and San Bernardo. Summer is mild and winter is warm and dry, with records of an annual average temperature of 22^oC, which makes the city an ideal place to live or visit. The Colonial architecture of the city is some of the best in the country. The colonial spirit from the times of the foundation remains in its houses, streets, hundred-year-old monuments and narrow sidewalks surrounded by the mountains nearby.

Wednesday, March 22: Salta to Cnl. Moldes 69km (42 miles)

he route out of Salta is on highway 68 through beautiful countryside and small traditional villages with colonial main squares. We will camp at a campground near large reservoir called Cobra Coral just outside of the town of Cnl. Moldes.

Thursday, March 23: Cnl. Moldes to Alemania 52km (32 miles)

The biking route on this day will be gradually climbing with rolling hills. Toward the end of the day the road will follow a beautiful river called the Rio del las Conchas. The scenery includes lots of red rocks, tall mountains and blue sky. Alemania is an artisan village in an abandoned railroad town along the river. We will backcountry camp near the river.

Friday, March 24: Alemania to Sta. Barbara 48km (30 miles)

Wake up and watch the sun light up the mountain sides before reaching the river valley. Visit local artisans in Alemania and start the gradual climb through the Quebrada (Valley) de Cafayate. Tonight we will backcountry camp along the river.

Saturday, March 25: Sta. Barbara to Cafayate 40 km (25 miles)

Today we will bike out of the Quebrada de Cafayate to the town of Cafayate known to be a paradise of sunshine and good, rich wines. This little town, a magic place for tourists in the Southwestern part of the province of Tucuman is situated at 1.683 meters above sea level. The town, located in the center of the CalchaquÃ Valleys, is surrounded by rivers, sand dunes and vineyards. It has an ideal climate with low humidity, which is ideal for the production of excellent wine. This is where the famous torrontÃ©s grape is grown, a variant recognized around the world for its exquisite flavor, body and color.

The city is surrounded by a belt of vineyards. Tours are offered through the wine cellars, where the unmistakable torrontÃ©s wine is always present. You can also taste wines of dozens of smaller producers that still squash the grapes with their feet to make wine.

There are several famous vineyards in Cafayate, such as Bodega La Rosa, Etchart y Domingo Hermanos, La Banda, Nanni etc.. In these beautiful places you can -- part from learning the process of wine making, which is actually a craft in Argentina -- spend a whole day wine tasting right under the wine barrels.

We will camp at a campground just a few minutes walk from the town center and shopping attractions. Optional meals out and hotel or cabin accommodations can be organized at your own expense. We spend two nights in Cafayate to enjoy the local attractions.

Sunday, March 26: Cafayate

Check out Cafayate and local attractions: vineyards, shopping, artisans, hiking.

Monday, March 27: Cafayate to Quilmes

It's an easy ride from Cafayate to Quilmes with the exception of the 4.65 km up to the ruins. The paved road is very, very quiet and there are virtually no real hills worth mentioning. We will go through two small towns, the second of which has both a couple of small stores and a little restaurant. The five km up to the ruins site is a washboard, sandy uphill ride and will take a good 1/2 hour to complete.

One of the most important sites for Indian heritage is to be found in the settlement of the Quilmes Indians. The settlement is located at 1,978 meters above sea level, and it was the largest human settlement before the Spaniards arrived in Argentina. The Quilmes Indians were the last native Indian group to be conquered by the Spaniards. The Spaniards required 130 years to dominate them.

At the ruins, we will stay at a unique hotel built entirely with stones. Its design and orientation were intended to assimilate with the landscape, without breaking the balance with the nature. Inside the hotel there are amazing stone sculptures that astonish visitors. The rooms possess great comfort, with views to the valley, and the pool is a great temptation when there is a need to refresh from a day of biking and sight seeing.

Tuesday, March 28: Quilmes to Ampimpa Observatory: 35 km (21 miles)

The down hill ride from the ruins seems like a breeze. We will continue down to the river that cuts through the valley and continue back up to Amaicha. From Amaicha we will begin one long, long climb. We will stop before the summit today.

Once we leave Amaicha we will climb a long, straight steady climb for several km then zigzag through another small town going up quite steeply at this point. We will stay at a small observatory this night and hopefully have a chance for some stargazing.

Wednesday, March 29: Observatory to TafÃ de Valle: 40km (25 miles)

We will start the day climbing but there is one point where the road drops steeply, passes a creek, makes a sharp turn, and then climbs steeply again. You'll see a small white building, a little chapel, on the mountainside located just after the road makes two long switchbacks. Despite appearances, this still is not the top. We will have many more km to go. The chapel has a covered patio, which is a great place to rest and eat lunch.

The pass is at 3040 m making for a total of 1260 m climbing, that's about 4400 ft for those of us who think that way. Because the pass is surrounded by mountains having over 4000 m height the pass looks deceivingly low. It's not all up as there are a few spots where the road descends and then climbs again.

Once we reach the pass, marked by a stone monument, there are a few more small rolling hills left and then a continual, steep downhill for about 19 km until you reach TafÃ del Valle.

We will stay at a local hostel in TafÃ del Valle in the center of town and enjoy the evening and night life of this small tourist town. Tafi del Valle is the most important touristic center of TucumÃ n Province. It is a village surrounded by mountains. The name of the village comes from the diaguita word "Taktillakta", that means "Town with a splendid entrance" and the village is an excellent combination of mountains, rivers and climate inviting the tourist in any season of the year. It is situated in a deep depression and borders on CalchaquÃ mountains to the east (Mala Mala and TafÃ Mountains at 3,500 m above the sea level) , on MuÃ±oz Hill (4,440 m) to the west and to the south on NuÃ±orco Grande at 3,500 m above sea level.

TafÃ provides an excellent alternative to enjoy interesting sightseeing and excursions to the high mountains, fresh valleys and springs among fields of fruit-trees.

Thursday, March 30: TafÃ del Valle to Tte. Berdina 68 km (42 miles)

This is one of the most incredible downhill rides. We will descend from TafÃ del Valle into the lush, low-lying areas near the City of San Miguel de Tucuman. The landscape will change from high alpine desert to lush green, forested areas. Of the 15,000 miles or more of biking I have done around the world this is one of the most spectacular descents.

We will stop and camp in a small village called Tte. Berdina. This small community hosted us last year on our trip and gave us the key to the town (basically a key to the restroom facility in the town center and access to the shower in the police station jail if we wanted to use it). In Argentine tradition, the town did not come alive until well after dark with loud music from the local club and curious locals wondering what a group of cyclists is doing camping in the center of their small town.

Friday, March 31: Tte. Berdina to Yerba Buena: 50km (30 Miles)

This will be our last day of biking. We will pass by some sugar cane processing plants, lemon orchards and other industrial farms. We will travel on a quite road that skirts the base of the mountain range we descended the day before.

Tonight we will camp in Yerba Buena as guests of a local church congregation. There are showers and washrooms for our convenience and a huge outdoor BBQ and kitchen to use.

It will be our last night in Argentina so we will probably want to go out to eat and enjoy the Argentine cuisine.

Saturday, April 1: Depart Tucuman

Wake up and pack our bags and bikes for air travel. We will take a shuttle to the airport.

Sunday, April 2: Arrive home

END

As you might imagine I am super excited and cannot wait to get out there! Thanks again to all those who have donated to Two Wheel View to help me reach my goal, and more importantly to help a deserving student take a similar challenge in July. I will be updating this blog more frequently in the days to come. I will try to upload some pictures of the region we will be travelling in before I leave. I will also take a few pictures of my forced minimalism when packing. Again if you would like more information on Two Wheel View, go to their new and improved website at www.twowheelview.org. You can also reach me at yofrenfil@hotmail.com. I hope to hear from you soon!

Remember, Abram has just begun his fundraiser and needs your help!!! If you would like to donate please follow these instructions:

All donations are 100% tax deductable and can be sent to either to Two Wheel View or to Abram directly. Checks should be made payable to Two Wheel View, and mention that the donation is on behalf of Abram Diaz-Strandberg. To make a donation by credit card please contact Two Wheel View toll free at 1-866-858-2453 or by email at info@twowheelview.org. You can also donate online at www.twowheelview.org.

Addresses to send donations:

Two Wheel View
P.O. Box 40084
St. Paul, MN 55104

Or:

Abram Diaz-Strandberg
4418 Avenida Estrellita NE
Albuquerque, NM 87110

If you have any further questions, comments or concerns please feel free to contact Abram at (505) 804-2155 or by email at abram@unm.edu.

You can also reach me at (505) 459-3018 or by email at yofrenfil@hotmail.com

Thanks Again!!

-Phil Lucero

Thank You Sponsors!!

2006-02-26T14:39:00.000-07:00

A big THANK YOU goes out to all our donors listed in my previous update. We could not have done this without your help. My fundraising deadline is officially over and has been for three weeks now. We ended up with a whopping $1,650!!! It is now Abram's turn to raise the final $1,500 to go on the trip.

If you would like to make a donation on Abram's behalf, you can send donations directly to Two Wheel View or to me. Please make checks payable to Two Wheel View and mention that the donation is on behalf of Abram Diaz-Strandberg. All contributions are 100% tax deductible and Two Wheel View will send you a receipt for your donation. To make a donation by credit card, please contact Two Wheel View toll free at 1(866) 858-2453 or by email at info@twowheelview.org.

Abram will contact each and every one of you in the near future to keep you updated on his intent to keep his donors involved in his journey. Until then keep checking this blogsite for updates.

Without Further Adieu...

2006-01-28T12:12:00.000-07:00

Abram Diaz-Strandberg

Freshman, UNM

Age: 19

The search for our international bike trip candidate has ended with Abram Diaz-Strandberg of Albuquerque, New Mexico. I asked Abram to introduce himself briefly. Here is what he had to say:

"Hello everyone,

I am a born and raised Albuquerque native, and the second of four brothers. My older brother however, was born with several mental handicaps. I have always taken the responsibilities of the oldest child. I am currently a freshman at the University of New Mexico where I study Spanish, Calculus I, Jazz History and Comparative Politics. I met Phil Lucero last year through the Cornstalk Institute where I served as a mentor to "at-risk" mid-school students. My intrests are art, music, math and water polo.

Thank you to all the people who have donated to help make my trip to Spain possible!!"

-Abram

Thanks again to the following donors for their support.

Manuel & Debbi Lucero
Jerry & Joyce Levine
Ernie Romero
Ann & Rudy Sacks
Cayley Bell
Chrys Shatz
Bob Bell & Sterling Puck
John & Carla Barrett
Teri Hutchison
Dylan Fuge
Jennifer Barrett & Ian O'Laughlin
Jean & Joel Salisbury
Phil & Rose Struck
Kurt & Amy Pillote
Jim Thorpe & Carol Church
Foster McKay
Julie Evans & Dan Peckman
Liz Barrett
Kristin Lucero
Ira & Suzy Thorpe
Brent Broome
JoAnn Lucero
Charity Bowles
Rita & Billy Sanchez
Alan Shapiro
Helen Lucero
Joel Wilson
Carla Garrett & Suzie Ruthorford
Mark Bremer & Liz Gabriel
Jacob Shapiro
Sara Trice
Martha Lucero
Jeff Zettler
Jeff Hardesty & Allison Ramsey
Adrian Lucero

In my work with Abram, I have come to know him as a responsible, mature and unique young man with an appetite for adventure. I can honestly say that having him as a student at the Cornstalk Institute has been a high point in my career. That being said, we have raised $1,325 to date and we are on our way to $1,500. Abram has committed to raising another $1,500 by an unspecified deadline not too far away. In total, the $3,000 raised will cover all his expenses for the two-week trip.

Please take time to donate what you can.

Donations can be sent directly to Two Wheel View or to me. Please make checks payable to Two Wheel View and mention that the donation is on behalf of Phil Lucero or Abram Diaz-Strandberg. All contributions are 100% tax deductible and Two Wheel View will send you a receipt for your donation. To make a donation by credit card, please contact Two Wheel View toll free at 1(866) 858-2453 or by email at info@twowheelview.org.

Addresses to send donations:

Two Wheel View
P.O. Box 40084
St. Paul, MN 55104

or:

Phil Lucero
812 Florida SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108

If you have any questions feel free to contact me at (505) 459-3018 or by email at yofrenfil@hotmail.com.

Thank you so much!

PHIL LUCERO

Two Week Extension!

2006-01-20T07:35:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!

The fundraiser deadline has arrived (Jan. 20th). Our donations total to $1,200! In order to help us reach our goal Two Wheel View has given us a two week extension by which to raise the last $300. That means our new (and final) deadline is Friday, February 3rd. Remember, your donation is 100% tax deductable and you will recieve a receipt in the mail. As of January 20th, Two Wheel View sponsors include:

Manuel & Debbi Lucero
Ann & Rudy Sacks
Cayley Bell, Bob Bell & Sterling Puck
John & Carla Barrett
Teri Hutchison
Dylan Fuge
Jennifer Barrett & Ian O'Laughlin
Jean & Joel Salisbury
Phil & Rose Struck
Kurt & Amy Pillote
Foster McKay
Julie Evans & Dan Peckman
Liz Barrett
Kristin Lucero
Ira & Suzy Thorpe
Brent Broome
JoAnn Lucero
Alan Shapiro
Helen Lucero
Joel Wilson
Carla Garrett & Suzie Ruthorford
Mark Bremer & Liz Gabriel
Jacob Shapiro
Sara Trice
Martha Lucero
Jeff Zettler
Jeff Hardesty & Allison Ramsey
Adrian Lucero

If you have yet to donate, YOU STILL HAVE TIME!!! And we still need help!! Please make checks payable to Two Wheel View and mention that the donation is on behalf of me, [Phil Lucero]. All contributions are 100% tax deductible and Two Wheel View will send you a receipt for your donation. To make a donation by credit card, please contact Two Wheel View toll free at 1-(866) 858-2453 or by email at info@twowheelview.org.

Addresses to send donations:

Two Wheel View
P.O. Box 40084
St. Paul, MN 55104

or:

Phil Lucero
812 Florida SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108

Down to the Wire!

2006-01-08T09:17:00.000-07:00

We are down to the wire!! We have 12 days left to raise another $700. If you haven't already, dig deep because we need your help to send a deserving New Mexican student on the adventure of a lifetime. SPAIN - SUMMER 2006!! I am currently interviewing candidates and will choose someone by March 1st. Instructions on how to donate are detailed below. I hope you can help! Thank you!

The Halfway Mark (Almost)

2005-12-27T10:12:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!

I hope you all had a great holiday. Our fundraiser goal of $1,500 is slowly approaching as the donations keep rolling in. Thank you to those that have donated so far!!! Our deadline is now less than a month away (Jan. 20th, 2006). We are near the halfway mark as our donations have topped $700. Two Wheel View sponsors include:

Ann & Rudy Sacks
John & Carla Barrett
Teri Hutchison
Jennifer Barrett & Ian O'Laughlin
Jean & Joel Salisbury
Phil & Rose Struck
Kurt & Amy Pillote
Liz Barrett
Kristin Lucero
JoAnn Lucero
Alan Shapiro
Helen Lucero
Carla Garrett & Suzie Ruthorford
Jacob Shapiro
Sara Trice
Jeff Zettler
Adrian Lucero

This does not include sponsors who chose to send thier donation directly to Two Wheel View. Those names will be added once I recieve word from the main office in St. Paul, MN.

If you have yet to donate, YOU STILL HAVE TIME!!! And we still need help!! Please make checks payable to Two Wheel View and mention that the donation is on behalf of me, [Phil Lucero]. All contributions are 100% tax deductible and Two Wheel View will send you a receipt for your donation. To make a donation by credit card, please contact Two Wheel View toll free at 1-(866) 858-2453 or by email at info@twowheelview.org.

Addresses to send donations:

Two Wheel View
P.O. Box 40084
St. Paul, MN 55104

or:

Phil Lucero
812 Florida SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108

Thank you and Happy New Year!!!

PHIL LUCERO
yofrenfil@hotmail.com
505-459-3018

The Search Begins...

2005-12-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!!

I have begun the search for this summer's international bike trip candidate. As I have stated before, I would like to have someone in place by March 1st. Due to the nature and scope of this unique opportunity, finding the right person is critical. I am looking for someone with an open mind, a good sense of responsibility and a genuine hunger for adventure. He/she must be someone who exhibits emotional maturity and the ability to function independantly. Most of all, I'm looking for someone who would not otherwise have such an opportunity. Candidates must currently attend school in New Mexico and be between the ages of 16-19. Exceptions can be made in special circumstances. If you know someone (or are someone) who fits this description and would like to know more, please contact me (Phil Lucero) by email at yofrenfil@hotmail.com.

But first thing first, we still need to raise $1,500 by January 20th, 2006. That is just a little over a month away! I owe a huge thank you to those that have donated so far. We are slowly climbing the mountain ahead of us...but we need more help!! If you have yet to donate, or need more information about the cause, please let me know. I am more than willing to speak with you in person about the program, the trip and my involvement.

Donations can be sent directly to Two Wheel View or to me. Please make checks payable to Two Wheel View and mention that the donation is on behalf of me, [Phil Lucero]. All contributions are 100% tax deductible and Two Wheel View will send you a receipt for your donation. To make a donation by credit card, please contact Two Wheel View toll free at 1-(866) 858-2453 or by email at info@twowheelview.org.

Addresses to send donations:

Two Wheel View
P.O. Box 40084
St. Paul, MN 55104

or:

Phil Lucero
812 Florida SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108

Thank you and Happy Holidays!

PHIL LUCERO

yofrenfil@hotmail.com
505-459-3018

1st Official Sponsor

2005-12-11T11:51:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all that have donated so far to send a deserving young New Mexican on our international bike trip to Spain in July 2006. Our first official sponsor is Sara Trice, 5th grade teacher at Horizon Academy of Albuquerque, with her donation of $15. If you have yet to donate, or want to hear more about the cause, feel free to contact me at 505-459-3018 or by email at yofrenfil@hotmail.com. Instructions on how to donate are below.

Happy Holidays!!
Phil Lucero

Hello Everyone!!

2005-12-06T21:43:00.000-07:00

Some of you may know that I have been involved with a program called Trips for Kids. It’s a program to get predominately underprivileged youth involved in mountain biking and environmental education. Because of my connection to Trips for Kids I learned of an opportunity to do something I have always wanted to do, and at the same time, help sponsor a young person to take on a similar challenge – an international bike adventure!

Two Wheel View (a.k.a. Trips for Kids – Twin Cities) has organized international bike adventures for young people for the past four years and is hosting its first annual fundraising benefit trip to Argentina next spring. Two Wheel View is a nonprofit organization that connects young people to the social, cultural, and environmental landscapes of our world through bicycle adventures. More information about Two Wheel View is online at www.twowheelview.org

I am writing to you because I want to ask for your support to get more kids involved with the Two Wheel View biking program. I have signed up with seven others for the fundraising benefit trip to Argentina. To participate on the trip I have pledged to raise at least $1,500 through donations or whatever means. The money that I raise will go directly to sponsor a young person for a bike trip to Spain next summer. Without donations and community support, programs such as Trips for Kids and Two Wheel View would not be in existence.

Please help me by making a donation to Two Wheel View - to create a once-in-a-lifetime experience for a young person and to help me reach my fundraising goal of $1,500. My personal deadline to raise the money is [a not so far distant date, e.g. January 20, 2006]. When you donate, you will be sponsoring a young person that would otherwise never have such an incredible opportunity.

Donations can be sent directly to Two Wheel View or to me. Please make checks payable to Two Wheel View andmention that the donation is on behalf of me, [Phil Lucero]. All contributions are 100% tax deductible and Two Wheel View will send you a receipt for your donation. To make a donation by credit card, please contact Two Wheel View toll free at 1-(866) 858-2453 or by email at info@twowheelview.org.

Addresses to send donations:

Two Wheel View
PO Box 40084
St. Paul, MN 55104

or:

Phil Lucero
812 Florida SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108

If you have questions feel free to contact me at 505-459-3018 or by email at yofrenfil@hotmail.com.

Thank you so much and happy holidays!!

PHIL LUCERO