Words can’t describe our gratitude to The Idaho Panhandle Kiwanis Club!

We were recently informed of their decision to support The Big Bike Adventure and more importantly The Boys and Girls Club of Kootenai County with a pledge in the amount of $2,000!!! Your gift will go a long ways towards helping the youth of Kootenai County. The Kiwanis Club of the Idaho Panhandle is a group of business men and women and active community supporters who work to improve the Community of Coeur d’Alene.  Their primary focus over the years  has been making Coeur d’Alene a better place for children.

For those of you who would like to learn more about The Idaho Panhandle Kiwanis Club and the great things their organization does for our local community please visit their website at www.panhandlekiwanis.org or if you would like to thank them personally for their support you can send an email to panhandlekiwanis@gmail.com

Thank you Idaho Pandale Kiwanis Club!!!

Ian, Greg, George and Kris!

Fourth down and $598 to go and Hagadone Marine throws the winning touchdown!

A special thanks to Craig Brosenne and Hagadone Marine for their pledge to help push us across the finish line.

Eight months ago if you had told us we would be able to raise $50,000 dollars for the Boys and Girls Club of Kootenai County by riding our bikes 500 miles, we all would have hesitantly said how excellent that would be. Little did we know that such a lofty goal would become a reality! We would like to thank everyone who supported our cause and has followed our journey. It has been a fantastic ride and a pleasure to be associated with such great people and great companies.

Thank You to our Sponsors:

• Armstrong
• Bowe Company
• Copper Basin Construction
• Great Floors
• Hammer Nutrition
• InterfaceFlor
• Johnsonite
• Laticrete International
• Mannington
• Mapei
• The Mohawk Group
• Quicksilver Commercial
• Shaw Industries

A special Thank You to ALL of our supporters. Without your collective support we would have never been able to achieve our goal!

Diana Alexander – Howard & Joan Alexander – Tom Baker – Matt Barr – Charla Boadle – Eric Boender  John Bonney – Pam Bowe - Ned Brandenberger – Pete Brill – Tamara Brining – Todd Brinkmeyer – Craig Brosenne – Matt Bunn – Carroll Carey – Ken & Nancy Chadderdon – Saundra Clark – Ken Clifford – John Condon -   Ron Cook – Mark Cooper – Jeff Cuddeback – Reed Culbert – Mark Curtis – Paul Daugharty - Ryan & Jame Davis – Drew & Andrea Dittman – Duke & Marcia Dixon – Barbara Duffy – Lee Eliseian – Jae Enos – Andrew Evenson – Scott Ferguson – Holly Filkins – Ann Flatt – Steve & Dee Fraser – Cheryl Freeman – Richard Friedman – John Frink – Dana Garrison – Jackie & Scott Gervais – Jerry Gervais  – Greg & Terri Gervais – Dan Glover – Walter R. Green – Jack Gustavel – Jack Heath – Kyle Hendricks – Brad & Sandi Hill – Les Hintz – Mark Iberri – The Jacklin Family – Bruce E. Johnson – Larry Johnson – Al Kabus – Ben Kaplan – Brad Kent – Greg Keyes – Jon & Nikole King – Randy Krichevsky – Stan & Karen Kroder – Mark Lapsley – Jeff Larson – Chuck & Cindy Lempesis – Laura Little – Shawn Loomis – John Magnuson – Scott & Michele Magnuson – Lee Malmquist – Skip Mancini -Brian Martin – Ian & Sheri Martin – Ken Martin – John & Mary Martin – Mike & Ingrid McConnell – Chad & Debbie McCormick – Dan McCready – Shawn McMahon – Noelle Meinshausen – Eric Moe – Brad & Jenny Moeller – Ray & Kay Mosher – Jim Motter – Trent & Kristina Munyer – Ron Nilson – David Ohman – Chris Olsen – Samuel Otis – John Pariseau – Carmen Pastore – Doug & Pam Potter – Scott Power – Joshua Prewitt – Nancy Radcliffe – Ray Rasmussen – Walter Rasmussen – Jim Ratliff – Duaine & Judy Rieker – Joel Riner - Tony Rizzuto – Jean Rohlinger – Linda,Kyle & George Rohlinger – Leo Rohlinger & Family – Mark Royerre – Randy Rubenstein – Robert A. Sabosik – Bob & Eileen Sallis – The Sallis Family – Brian Sanders – Kim Schrader – Clint Schramm - Hilde Shetler – Tracy Sisley – Matthew P. Smith – Nate Snyder – Kris & Alli Stanton – Sue & Ken Stanton – Art Stephenson – Justin Sternberg – Glenn Stewart – Andrea Streeter – Daniel Stubbs – Dave Thomas – Tom Thomas – Kerri Thoreson - Jim Tipton – Bob Tomlinson – Julie Tonning – Kurt Topp – Dave Trimmer – Pat & Sandy Volkar – Brian Walker – Heidi Wallace – Scott Walters – Kirsten & Vaughn Ward – Tim Warner – Kenneth Way -Dustin Weed – Randy Weis – Dave & Tina Wheat – Steve Wheeler – Steve White – Greg Whitman – Cort & Valerie Wilcox – Fred C. Williamson Jr. – Scott Wolf – John Worrell – James Yost – Ed Zschau

Thank You – Ian & Sheri Martin – Greg & Terri Gervais – George Rohlinger & Kris Stanton

Even though the ride is done, the mountains have been climbed, the miles have been laid to rest and the legs have had a chance to recover THE SUPPORT CONTINUES TO ROLL IN FOR THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF KOOTENAI COUNTY!

To date supporters have pledged $49,402!!!! We wanted to thank our latest supporters for helping us to get within $598 of reaching our $50,000 fundraising goal; John Condon with North Idaho Maritime  • Jae Enos • Tracy Sisley • Mike and Ingrid McConnell • Chris Olsen • Floor Connection Inc • Sue & Ken Stanton • Les Hintz with The Hayden Lake Country Club • Matt Bunn with The Hayden Lake Country Club • Vaughn Ward • Ron Nilson • Ken Clifford with Diversified Flooring Inc • Ed Zschau with Inductus Associates LLC • Tamara Brining • Chad and Debbie McCormick Scott Power • Kirsten and Vaughn Ward with Fannie Mae • & Justin Sternberg with Steel Structures America INC.

Thank you ALL!!

But we cant get there without YOUR HELP!

If you or anyone you know is still interested, or may be willing to help us hit our $50,000 goal we need your help now more then ever! With only $2,450 dollars left to raise any amount pledged really does make a difference. Help us spread the word….and help us get to the finish line!

When we started The Big Bike Adventure we never envisioned we would come so close to hitting our fundraising goal. Now with less than $5,000 dollars to raise it’s clear our goal will hopefully soon become a reality!

We would like to thank our latest supporters from all around the country who have recently pledged their support for The Big Bike Adventure!

A Special THANK YOU to: Todd Brinkmeyer • Barbara Duffy with Duffy & Lee Company • Brad & Sandy Hill • Carroll Carey with Lake City Publishing • Gary Payne with DFS Installations • Mark Curtis • John Pariseau • Scott Walters with Walters & Associates/Palomar Ventures • James Yost • Reed Culbert with Shaw Industries • Pat & Sandy Volkar • Linda, Kyle & George Rohlinger • Ned Brandenberger with Sandpoint Property Management • Jack Gustavel with Idaho Independent Bank • Greg Keys & Richard Friedman with DFS Flooring • Noelle Meinshausen • Laura Little •

On a beautiful Spring day as I was relaxing at home, Greg Gervais called and asked, “Do you want to ride bikes to Jasper, Alberta to raise $50,000 for The Boys and Girls Club of Kootenai County on August 15th?”  I responded, “Sure, sounds great!”

As August 15th approached, I got online and looked at the  proposed course (www.ourgreatbigadventure.org).  I remember wondering what I had gotten myself into as I found four days of riding with 168, 86, 88, and 152 mile days for the four days.  Little did I know these four days would be EPIC.  Day one included one bike “death”, multiple flat tires, and thousands of calories being consumed.  Day two brought earlymorning stiff legs, thousands of calories consumed, a warm soak in Radium Hot Springs, and close encounters with Mountain Goats.  The third day was a  climber’s paradise with two massive passes all the while being rewarded with magnificent views.  By day four I was tired but excited that we “were going to make it!”  This day brought our first bear sighting, multiple peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches, amazing glacier topped mountain views, and the pleasure of arriving in Jasper, Alberta after riding our bikes 500 miles in 4 days.

The trip was an “adventure of a lifetime” with some great friends and an amazing cause; raising money for The Boys and Girls Club of Kootenai County.

Kris Stanton

The 2011 Big Bike Adventure was incredible on a variety of levels – first and foremost, though, the money raised for the Boys and Girls Club was simply awesome. The community support, which extended beyond Kootenai County and across the country, demonstrated a sound commitment to our youth and provided tremendous inspiration during the difficult miles.  To have such strong sponsorship in such an arduous economic environment is remarkable; a HUGE THANK YOU to all of our supporters. Your investment will yield priceless returns.

Ryan Davis and the kids of the Boys and Girls Club, you are incredible and tremendously motivational. The thank yous, good wishes and enthusiasm you extended on the eve of our ride was amazing and powered every turn of the pedals. Thank you all! During the sendoff presentation, I took notice of the banners hanging in the gym. On day 4, about 425 miles into the ride I was suffering up the hardest climb we faced; the perseverance banner echoed in my thoughts and lifted me up and over that mountain. I encourage you to take note of those banners and see where they may fit in your lives.

The team and crew were exceptional; I am so honored and proud to share this adventure with each of you. Terri and Sheri, we simply couldn’t have completed this journey without you. You were always there when needed for the bike exchange, wheel swaps, cold/hot weather clothes changes, tube replacements and, most importantly, the feed stations. You kept us well fueled and hydrated; I very well may have gained weight on this trip from the gourmet road buffet you set-up every 30 miles or so, which had others most envious. Ian, Greg and Kris you are terrific teammates on many fronts. Your cycling prowess is quite admirable and your patience with the caboose, yours truly, is greatly appreciated. I am looking forward to enjoying more saddle time with each of you.

The route covered what must be some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet. Every turn of the road brought staggering mountain vistas, glacial lakes/rivers with incredible bluish-green hues and potential wildlife sightings. If you are looking for a good road trip (or bike ride) I highly recommend the Coeur d’Alene to Jasper trek.

Lastly, a special thank you to Ian Martin, the visionary and work horse for The Big Bike Adventure, and his family (Sheri, Paige, Cole, John and Mary) who provided support and great Jasper lodging. Ian’s passion, organization and attention to detail were simply remarkable and really made this a must do endeavor. Ian, thank you!

Thanks again to all,

George

Dear Friends and Family,

What an experience we had completing the 2011 Big Bike Adventure fund raiser for the Kootenai County Boys and Girls Club. Honestly it was the most tiring thing I have ever done. We rode our bicycles 501 miles infour days from Coeur d’Alene Idaho to Jasper National Park in Alberta Canada. The scenery was beautiful and the riding was long and hard. We climbed over 22,000’ in elevation during the four day trip. We were on our bicycles between 8 and 12 hours per day, but we all knew we were out there for a greater cause. No matters how tired, hot, dehydrated, fatigued we were, we knew 180 kids were back in Kootenai County were following us every day. We all made a commitment to them to finish what we started no matter how hard it would be. We wanted to set an example for the Kids to finish what you start no matter how difficult it may be.

Thank you to all who have supported us so far we have raised $44,500 with a goal of $50,000. 100% of the donations go to the Boys and Girls Club of Kootenai County. All the expenses for the trip and ride were covered by the riders. Please consider giving a donation to help us reach our goal. You can donate at the link below or contact me and I will take care of it for you and send you an online payment statement.

Thank you for your consideration,

Greg Gervais

Donation Page Link: http://ourgreatbigadventure.org/donate.php

I guess I can sum up the Big Bike Adventure 2011 with a couple key thoughts…..OK more than a couple!

I now believe, or at least I am living proof that no matter what your age, deep down inside everyone is still a kid at heart. For this reason I couldn’t think of a better journey to have taken than A BIG-CRAZY-BIG KID-BIKE RIDE for the Kids of Kootenai County! As we grow older I think we all have moments when we have a really good but maybe a little CRAZY idea and think “how cool would it be to do that”? But then reality often steps in or what I would call one’s own mental regulator and we start telling ourselves “I can’t do that I have responsibilities and commitments”. The one thing this ride has taught me is that if you want to do something and you put your mind to it you can find the time to do just about anything no matter what your age or profession, it just has to be important to YOU.

It truly was an honor to be involved in an event like this for such a great cause and a special Thank You to Greg Gervais for recommending the Boys & Girls Club of Kootenai County as our beneficiary. To date we have raised close to $44,000 dollars and are getting ever so close to our $50,000 dollar goal. I’ll never forget the little boy (I believe his name is Leland) coming up to me right before we left with his new sunglasses on saying “Good Luck Mister and Thank You” what a great feeling! Seeing the outpouring of support from our local community as well as the international support we received was astounding. The special attention our local media showed (Spokesman Review, Coeur d’Alene Press, KVNI 1080 Radio and KXLY New 4) was incredible.

Being associated with such great companies that sponsored our adventure with their time, financial resources and products is a true testament of how many Great Companies there are that are still willing to help, even in these most difficult of economic times and it is an honor to be associated with them.

Most importantly I would like to thank my wife Sheri and Greg’s wife Terri for their help and support during the ride. Without their support this ride would have been impossible to complete in the 4 day time frame we had set aside. They, along with the 180+ kids cheering us on at home were the backbone of the Big Bike Adventure and kept us pedaling towards our goal every hour of every day, for each and every last mile! And last but not least Thank You to everyone’s family members who allowed each one of us the free time, which is time away from them, to pull this ride together.

Finally, I would like to thank Greg, George and Kris for signing on to the Big Bike Adventure. It was an honor to ride with such a great group of guys (and great cyclists). I learned a lot about biking on this trip (especially how to draft!) The best part was no egos and no agendas just four guys that came together for the good of the cause. The camaraderie and friendships gained along the 500 miles was priceless and I look forward to hopefully doing it again someday!

In closing, personally as a child I had ridden this road several times and George said it best when we were coming over the continental divide and noticed me looking at all the mountains “Isn’t it amazing how we almost never stop to take a look at our surroundings”?, how true is that! What a way to be able to take a look around, on two wheels powered by your own two legs and having the time to actually take a look around and take it all in. When we arrived in Jasper I walked into a coffee shop the next day and on the wall was a quote, “The Journey is the Reward” I don’t know who said it but boy did they hit the nail on the head!

“The Journey was the Reward”

Ian Martin

Stupendous!  Staggering!!  Stunning!!!

Words can’t describe our gratitude for the support you have all shown for The Big Bike Adventure 2011 and The Boys and Girls Club of Kootenai County but the three listed above come pretty close.

For those of you who have contributed THANK YOU! Your contributions will go a long way in helping kids in our local area with after school programs, mentorship and other needed activities.

We are also writing today to ask for your help in spreading the word to help us reach our fundraising goal. We are so so close to our goal of $50,000 and we know with your help we can get there. So, if you know anyone who may want to join and support our cause and the kids of Kootenai County it’s not too late to help by making a pledge.

Sincerely,

Ian, Greg, George, Kris & Duke.