Leaning into Life: Lessons from the Road

Please join me as I launch Live Full Throttle: Life Lessons From Friends Who Faced Cancer.

• When: Wednesday, December 7, 2011 from 5-7pm
• Where: 300 East Tremont Ave Charlotte, NC 28203 Dilworth Billiards

After riding my motorcycle through 25+ states with a pink bra strapped across the windshield for breast cancer causes, I’ve collected a lot of wit and wisdom about life from friends who faced cancer.

Drop by Dilworth Billiards any time from 5-7 to hear some of my friends’ stories. I’ll run slides from this year’s roadtrip on the wall and bring plenty of copies of the book.

Napoliltano’s will be there with Italian fare like paninis, pasta fagioli, minestrone and tuscan white bean soups, and chocolate ravioli for dessert.

If the weather permits, hang out around the koi pond in the courtyard or stay indoors and pick up a cue stick. Dilworth Billiards has been a great supporter, having hosted Think-Drink-Eat-Pink before I left for this year’s roadtrip.

I’d love to see you, whether you buy a book or just come to wish me well. Nothing formal; leave your tiara at home but bring a friend or co-worker.

I’ll arrive at Carolina Breast Friends’ Pink House on July 28 sometime in the 5:00 hour.
1607 E. Morehead Street
Charlotte NC 28207 US

They have quite a party planned, including free BBQ, FUZE drinks, PINKBERRY desserts, and drumStrong percussionists.

Charlotte Radiology’s mobile mammography unit will be there and if you are due for a mammogram that’s the most convenient way to get one; in my experience, you’ll be in and out in 15 minutes. Schedule your appointment today.

One thing I’ve learned in the last two years is the toll that breast cancer exacts from women and their families. Carolina Breast Friends offers a range of services including:

• Wellness Education
• Library and Computer Research Center
• Healing Garden
• Fitness Center
• Nutrition Center
• Self-Image Services
• Arts & Crafts Workshop
• Counseling Services

Drink-Eat-Think Pink at Dilworth Billiards was a success! We raised $240 for breast cancer causes and had a great time decorating bras. Some of the will be auctioned off at Kickstands UP and worn while riding Tail of the Dragon. Imagine the photo opps!

I choose this bra to sport across my windshield this year. It sums up the “peace and happiness” attitude that so many cancer survivors I’ve met possess. So many lessons we can learn about life from women who’ve faced cancer.

I may slip this one on the windshield as I pass through Memphis. Look closely and you’ll see little guitars. For more photos, check out photographer extraordinaire Andy Ciordia’s Flickr page.

A million thanks to these businesses for their generosity: Dilworth Billiards, Green Market Girl, Beadlush and Napolitano’s Mobile Catering.

Charlotte friends, please join me at Dilworth Billiards on Thursday, May 26 from 6:30-9pm as we raise money for The Cause  – breast cancer research and breast health care.

Drink Pink

Dilworth Billiards will offer four pink drinks and donate $1 for each sold:

• Pink Lemonade $2.75 (virgin, as requested by yours truly!)
• Spiked Pink Lemonade $5
• Cape Cod (vodka/cranberry) $5
• Cosmopolitan $5.

Eat Pink

We’ll be served a selection of Italian sandwiches by Napolitano’s food truck.  Menu includes: Sausage peppers & onions * Chicken Parmesan *Italian beef *Zeppoli with a 20% donation to the cause — doesn’t get any better than that!

Think Pink

Green Market Girl will offer pre-ordered Special Edition BC Eco Cuffs, donating $9 for each one to Breast Cancer Research Foundation

At 7:30 or 8, Dilworth Billiards’ trivia hostess focuses on our pink ribbon topic, NASCAR (Memorial Day means racin’ here in Charlotte) and other news items.

I’m inviting everyone to pitch in to decorate a bike bra for The Cause. I’ll provide the bras and my friends at Beadlush will provide decorating materials, you provide the $10 entry fee and imagination.  Another option is to bring your own pre-decorated bra.

I’ll choose a bra for my bike to wear across the country and bring the others to Kickstands UP, where they’ll be auctioned for The Cause.  I believe we can gin up some local media coverage  so let’s decorate some made-for-prime-time bras.

Here are some pictures of other blinged out bras that my fellow bikers have already created.

Special THANKS to CLTDINING, the premier, one-stop online resource all about dining in Charlotte, North Carolina.  You pulled together a great team with Dilworth Billiards and Napolitano’s!

According to Christina Shook, “San Francisco is the American epicenter of female motorcyclists.”  She should know — she lives there and based her book, Chicks on Bikes, on women cyclists in the area.

Let’s get together

I’ll be there Thursday, 6/30for a meetup with the San Francisco Motorcycle Club and look forward to meeting and riding with others (YOU?) on Monday morning 7/4 at the Marina’s Espresso Roma Cafe. Let’s plan to put the kickstands up at 9:00am and head north toward Prairie Creek on the best roads for bikers.

Please put me in touch

While I’m in the area, who can get me in touch with women motorcyclists?  Women motorcyclists who’ve battled cancer?  Cancer support groups?  I want to reach as many people as possible to research my book Live Full Throttle: What you can learn about life from women who’ve faced cancer. As a bonus, Christina will photograph the women I interview for the book.

THANKS friends.  Shiny side up!