It is now Friday. Yesterday was a sunny day for our arrival in Halifax. After visiting the childrens hospital we dipped our front wheel into the Atlantic Ocean . It was a very emotional day for everyone. Lots of celebrating, a nice dinner and speaches. We are all very tired and happy to have made it accross Canada. Many people along the way supported the ride by providing food, showers and friendly greatings. The group has become a family begining our journey together not ending it.
Another sunny day with a high of 25! Team 3 has only seen one rain day which is truly a gift. Today we ride to PEI. We will have to put our bikes into the van to shuttle across the Confederation Bridge. Everyone is tired. Sleeping in the “bunk truck” is not helping people recover from the cough. Despite this we are in high spirits and are happy that we have only one day left! It is bitter sweet that this adventure is almost over. Tonight we have a team party and tomorrow a dinner with the whole group (team 1, 2 and volunteers).
I have to brag about my Parlee bike. It fits me so well I am amazed at how I can ride. My team mates have had to tell me to slow down and not to take off a few times. Only a few. When I sit low I have the most power, but then I get complaints from behind as the rider behind gets less of a draft. If I sit low I get a huge pull from the team up front as I can completely avoid any wind. If feels really cool! The Bont shoes are really comfortable. They are heat molded to the riders feet. I have not had any sore feet. Jeff I hope you read this blog…..
Two beautiful days riding along the St. Lawrence River. We have had excellent weather and our team is very strong. We still have half of the team sick with a flue bug, sore throats and coughing up lungs but we are chugging away. The scenery along the St. Lawrence was really nice.
Today we road from Quebec to New Brunswick along the St. John River. Equally beautiful views as along the St. Lawrence River. Rolling hills throughout the day were easy for our team to roll up together. It is quit amazing how well you ride with a team after riding together for longer than a week. The guys have been great at letting the girls draft in positions 2, 3 or 4. If there is a cross wind they come up along side of us to protect us from the wind. No one likes to ride behind me as I am the smallest and do not create a draft for anyone.
Two days left to ride! Make sure to check out the main web page for the Sears National Kids Cancer Ride and look for team three pictures.
It seems that one of my posts did not post…It was about day 1, 2 and 3. We are now on day 11. We pass through many towns each day and by the end of the day we can hardly recall where we started from.
Trying to reflect back I can recall the ride through BC. We diipped our back wheels in the Pacific ocean and will dip the front wheels in the Atlantic. Golden BC was a beautiful villiage surrounded by the mountains. A river called the Kicking Horse River flows through the villiage. In Saskatchewan we stopped in a town of 30 people called Piapot. The pub owners provided us with lunch. The two days of prairie riding was great with the wind at our back. We averaged 35 km per hour in the prairies.
After seven days of sun we had are first and only rain day. An illness then ran through our team with half of the team needing a day off to recover. Personally, I become stronger as a rider every day. My team mates already call me “little Vicki” and have complemented me on my strength as a rider.
Team building has been a challenge for all the riders. By day 6 everyone had it out with anyone they had an issue with. This is a natural process of team building which strengthens the team. And it did strengthen my team # 3. We each have a buddy to go to if we are bothered by someone or something. The buddies also keep an eye on how each other feels riding each day. My buddy Jim Ritchie has the biggest challenge looking out for me. So far I was left behind at stops twice in one day…..had to hitch a ride with a supplie truck that happened to be at a quiet gas station north of Thunder Bay. They drivers gave a donation to the cause and dropped me off with the group safely. My team RV driver did go back for me to learn that I had found a ride. This particular day I had decided to ride when it warmed up instead of heading out with the team in the 1 degree temp.
Then I got locked in the transport truck bunk house one morning. Steve the driver called out “anyone in there” but did not hear me say “yes”….I heard the door close and latch! Luckily Steve heard me banging on the walls inside before driving off for the day. Now the team joked about “where is little Vicki, is she with us”.
Our team has lots of laughs. At night we have been travelling 4 hours in the RV’s. This is where we really get to know eachother. We manage to get some sleep, play cards, talk and laugh.
Yesterday was Saturday and we were road from Woodstock to Etobicoke. Many of us had our families meet us which was really nice for everyone. We drove to Ottawa last night and today we have a beautiful sunny day for riding.
Hi a quick update as internet access is still hard to get. We, team 3 have had perfect weather! Sunny days and good roads with a cross wind or wind at our backs. Yesterday we were in Thunderbay in the evening and stopped at the Terry Fox monument. I met some nice people in the small communities where one group gave a cash donation and one lady gave me a little gift from her store. The rest of that story I can tell you in person if you ask. Last night we spent the night in Marathon and had to keep the trailer closed up due to bears. Today we did see a few bear along the road which was really cool. Todays ride was started in Marathon and ended in Wawa. The roads was full of rollers. I had my strongest ride to date, as my team mates pointed out and I kept up to the wheel infront of me through all the rollers. We are now in the RV heading for Spanish Ontario. Tomorrow is calling for rain….but there is still time for that to change. Oh, today we stopped at the town where Winnie the Pooh was purchased by the captain. The town is White River.
It is the first day of fifteen. Everyone is already really tired. We have been up late organizing and up early in the morning. Up at 5 a.m. today. Jeff Rushton, one of the organizers will no doubt have us pump up to ride as he has energy to share. Have to run and will report on the day’s events tonight.
It was an amazing day! First off the weather was great, sunny and warm in Vancouver. We road 42 km from Surrey to B.C. Childrens Hospital where we participated in an “Inside Ride” outside. I bought a stuffed animal and gave it to a four yr old boy named Rene who is going through treatment. His mother said they are not sure if he will make it as the prognosis for him is not good. But Rene had a big smile on his face today. The 42 riders all road back to Surrey together in one long chain which looked amazing. The day finished with dinner and meetings then….moving our stuff into the transport trucks so that we can roll out of Surrey at 6:00 a.m. to drive to White Rock. In White Rock we will celebrate and start our ride after dipping our bikes into the ocean……
I do not want to bring people down but I have a different feeling and perspective leading up to the ride. I feel like I am the 8 yr old little girl playing in the school yard. One day playing and the next day diagnosed with a lump? Then with cancer? Then chemotherapy. I still had to go to school (grade two). I still had to plan my life. Today I am planning a new life. When I return from the ride I will start a new job in Toronto for three days per week. I live in Creemore. I have found a room to rent in Toronto for three nights and am staying there now so that I have an idea of what to expect when I return. I am not packed, I can not panic about the ride…as I have to continue planning life. After reading many of the blogs I could not help but reflect and realize that as a former child cancer patient, the anticipation of the ride runs parrallel to anticipating cancer treatment. This may not make sense to most and I appologize if I brought you down. However, the ride is going to be an experience of a life time for everyone! I am looking forward to replacing past memories of cancer with the memories of the ride. Next year I plan to volunteer and travel with the teams.
