Time for Reflection: Importance of the Cause

Halfway through attending 30 games and a third of the way in distance and time, seems like a good time for reflection on how everything has been going. We have raised somewhere close to $65,000--nowhere near our $1 million goal. I’m still hopeful we get some national exposure by the time we make to LA and San Diego. When/if we go national, I know we’ll see the money come in. I have to remember, I could quit tomorrow and Jacob’s Ride would still be a success. The ride's budget is about $25 thousand, and we have barely spent a third of that--meaning we already have money to help others hear.

I try to listen to the Orioles on the radio as much as I can (which isn't often), and it's nice to see the ballparks, but the actual games aren't as important to me as they once were. The ride and the cause are so much more important than the games. The games are just a part of a larger whole. I have not made any great leap towards being a “pure” baseball fan. I'm still an Orioles fan, and I pay close attention to the out-of-town scoreboard during games. I talk to my brother Noah almost daily about the Orioles and how they are doing.

When the ride first began, the ballparks were so much more “shiny” in my eyes. That has been completely replaced by the cause. What really motivates me to ride my bike 80-100 miles a day right now is the fact it could help so many others hear. If the ride ends tomorrow, I believe it could amount to the loss of hundreds of thousands in donations. 

Basically I'm no longer looking forward to seeing all of the ballparks as I once did. Now I'm looking forward to getting on the bike and doing whatever takes to raise $1 million. TV and radio interviews are the most important things I can do right now. And I have to continue to remain healthy. I'm looking forward to the next test--the Rockies.