Minneapolis to Chicago

...Bigger and Better than Ever

Mon., July 9 to Sat., July 14

Day 0, Sunday, July 8th
9 am Blessing and Team Check In

We have no "official report" from our crew for the Day 0 activities, but Rick Spaulding of our team sent the following pictures from the 9 am Mass blessing and the AIDSRide Check In at Concordia College in St. Paul.

The Sunday 9 am Mass included the traditional team blessing by our parish to send Team Oz on their way. Most of the 106 Team Oz members were decked out in their tshirts and bandanas on a hot Sunday morning. The emotion in the room was palpable as many in the audience had a friend, a family member or an aquaintance on Team Oz. Father Cassidy and Kay Sailor, Team Oz captains, said a few words and Fr. Jim read a prayer/poem for the riders and crew. The ceremony culminated with Jim and Kay donning ceremonial garb(pictured below) and sprinkling the team with water(biker style). The band added to the atmosphere by letting us sing an old favorite, "Somewhere over the Rainbow". Immediately after the ceremony, the parking areas were filled with bicycle-burdened cars heading to Concordia College for check in.

Jim and Kay in ceremonial headgear	"Thumbs Up" was the blessing symbol
Not quite Holy Water	"Thumbs Up" to all 106 of you!

Check-In at Concordia College in St. Paul involve a fair amount of detail. You must arrange for your personal belongings to be in the right vehicle, get tent assignments, arrange for getting your bicycle back to the Twin Cities, etc, etc, etc. It also gives the riders and crew to get the first look at the other riders and crew members that will be joining Team Oz in this marvelous journey.

Check in the bike.	"Did I pack my toothbrush?"
Concordia College Gym- Checkin	"Where is the yellow brick road?"
We Dedicate our Ride to:	The reasons we are all here!

Rick Spaulding is a photographer specializing in digital photography for the theater and works for National Camera Exchange. He is also an antique dealer and eBay afficianado who enjoys collecting marbles but his true joys in life are his two boys and his beautiful wife, Tinia.