Until Next Year...

This illustration was designed by Michael, one of the cyclist, and it clearly depicts the 2009 RAA Team beautifully! Below are quotes from each RAA team member wrapping up our experience and putting our final thoughts down until next year! Speaking from the entire team, we are all looking forward to this journey next year!


"I knew what my expectations were in regards to planning and coordinating this 10-day, 1,000 mile bike tour, but I did not expect to develop a passion for the Rally Foundation," said RAA Team Leader Magan. "This experience has taught me that there is so much I can do in this world to help people who are in need! I cannot wait for RAA 2010, so we can gain more awareness and raise even more money for childhood cancer research!"


"Rally Across America gives you the opportunity to raise money for childhood cancer research, meet the kids and families affected by childhood cancer, and meet the doctors and researchers responsible for their treatment and future," said Claire Rally Kid Coordinator and support car driver. "It's more than a fundraiser or a cycling trip - it becomes a way of life, making you want to do everything you can to find a cure for childhood cancer."


"It was truly an honor...or the least I could do for such a great cause," said RAA cyclist Michael. " My favorite part of the entire experience was seeing the faces of the kids light up. I truly look up to the Rally Foundation for the great things they do, and the smiles they put on the faces of our future. I'm so grateful for being able to get involved with this amazing foundation!"


"This biking trip was a life changing experience, I was able to touch lives and meet beautiful people," said RAA cyclist Jai. "I thank God and pray that I will always be able to give myself to such worthy causes and assist where my help is needed. The support of the Rally Foundation, our team leaders and the families & friends we met was an essential component of this journey.I'm very thankful to have been a part of this worthy cause."

Rally On!

Magan, Claire, Michael & Jai

Outtakes for RAA 2009 Tour

Below are numerous images that are both random and somewhat amusing! The Team hopes you enjoy!

(We LOVE Chick-fil-A!)

(Good Luck was displayed to us in all shapes and forms.)

(Don't mess with us!)

(Wow, how many "Do Not Enter" signs does one intersection possibly need?)

(The infamous goody bag assembly line!)

(Our NY stop would not have been complete without this picture!)

(Old School GPS at its FINEST!)

(Helloooo Girls!)

(Wow!!)

(Priceless...)

(The closest we will get to seeing Michael and Jai in a dress!)

(Sounds like FUN, we are sad that we are going to miss it!)

(We were determined to bike 1,000 miles for childhood cancer research!)

Videos

Here are a few videos from our trip to check out!

Edra was excited about the RAA team coming to visit her!

Off the Road Again

In its first 3 years, the Rally Foundation has awarded $1 million in 39 research grants for childhood cancer research at 22 institutions across the country! We have partnered with several other childhood cancer non-profits in order to co-fund promising research, and one of these partners is the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. Rally and Alex's recently awarded a research grant to Dr. Miles at Children's National Medical Center in Washington DC, and the Rally Across America team had the opportunity to participate in a check presentation on Friday morning.


Here is the Rally Across America team presenting the check to Dr. Miles with Jay Scott, Alex's dad, from the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. Luckily, Jay brought the check with him because as you can see, we did not have any room in our car! (This was taken after we had gotten rid of a few things!)


We had a wonderful time talking to Dr. Miles and her colleagues, Dr. Newman and Dr. Sandler, over breakfast and were excited to learn more about their exciting research! Dr. Newman, a fellow cyclist, loaned us his DC area cycling route guide (circa 1980s), and he promised that he and Dr. Sandler would cycle with the RAA team next year! Dr. Sandler is not yet a cyclist, but that has never stopped anyone from joining Rally Across America!

We left goody bags for the kids being treated for cancer at DC Children's, and then we went to Georgetown University Hospital for our last hospital visit. The kids there loved the goody bags just as much as the kids at the other 5 hospitals that the team visited this year, and we look forward to visiting kids again next year!

Friday afternoon we loaded everyone and everything back into the car to drive to the last destination of our trip. The 5 hour drive from DC to Greensboro, NC actually took 7 1/2 hours due to rain and traffic, but the important thing is that we finally made it!


This morning we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast thanks to Claire's aunt and uncle, and then got back into the car one last time. We arrived back in Atlanta this afternoon very thankful for how well the trip went, how many new friends we made, and how much money we raised for childhood cancer research! Amazingly, we had no flat tires, no car trouble, no injuries, and we made it to all of our hospital visits and events on time! Actually, Jai had car trouble when we got back to Atlanta and found out his car battery was dead, but it was an easy fix and we weren't supposed to be back in Atlanta until tomorrow anyway.

Thank you for all of your support this year! Don't forget to check back for the "out takes" blog post...coming soon...and don't forget to order t-shirts from Claire@rallyfoundation.org!

Rally On!
Claire, Magan, Michael, and Jai

All Good Things Have to Come to an End

A change in plans found us finished with our DC events a day early, so we packed up the car and headed out of DC this afternoon. After driving in the rainy Friday afternoon DC traffic, we made it to Claire's aunt's house in Greensboro, NC to spend the night. We're looking forward to starting tomorrow morning with a hearty breakfast before drivng the rest of the way back to Atlanta.

We'll do a longer update tomorrow with pictures from today, and we also have an "out takes" blog planned with lots of pictures you haven't seen yet. So stay tuned for more final posts from the 2009 Rally Across America team, and be sure to email Claire@rallyfoundation.org to order some t-shirts!

Rally On!
Claire, Magan, Jai, and Michael