WOW - what a journey! I am so proud to have been involved in the Cops for Cancer Tour de North 2011 - inaugural North to South route!
As Tour riders we raise a minimum amount of $2500 per rider and $5000 for our civilian rider. A good portion of Northern BC has not had the greatest economic times of late but as is usual with small Northern BC towns - they come together for a great cause and reveal the true human spirit that Northern BC is known for by rallying together behind those local riders and helping support their efforts - to all Northern BC'ers THANK YOU!
I have met some amazing people this week - all coming together to support a common goal - a desire to help kids, specifically kids battling cancer. Inspiring stories from cancer survivors and their families kept us fueled for the cause - some had attended Camp Goodtimes and simply stated "it is better than Disneyland!" Of those that spoke at our events - THANK YOU for sharing you stories - Trent and Nakisha-Fort St John, Lauren-Dawson Creek, Jameson and Hannah-Prince George, Emily and Dylan-Quesnel, Nick-Williams Lake - child cancer survivors of various ages who are all inspiring individuals!
Meeting these kids, these mini warriors, these strong souls - rocked me to the core and made me feel like I was really making a difference. A good friend of mine has had her family 'touched' by a child with cancer and I have felt so incredibly helpless watching them go through what they have had to endure the last couple of years. I sometimes have trouble expressing feelings that affect me so deeply and turn to alternative ways in which I feel like I can help - help in a way that is constructive and uplifting. Tour de North has done that for me this year and I write this last blog with tears rolling down my face, thinking of all the kids that I have met this week.....
This last week has not only been incredibly inspiring but also very fun - the riders on Tour this year were a dedicated bunch and it was so great to meet them and get to know them this week. Their personal dedication to fund raising for pediatric cancer causes was phenomenal but also just as important was their dedication to train the last 5 months in order to complete this ride safely and without injury and live up to their end of the bargain they made to their supporters by completing the challenging bike route.
They all poked fun at my aversion to 'hugging' but what they didn't know is that I do hug - when I get to know you and like you the hugs come freely and I am pretty sure I eventually ended up hugging everyone - if I missed anyone I apologize as I was 'hugging' in my heart! You are all worthy of hugging in my books - your all good peeps!
It was an incredible experience and would not have been as successful if it wasn't for great community support and the fantastic support crew we had all week! Thanks everyone and hoping to see Tour de North inspire many more people in the years to come!
Great people can accomplish great things! and ..... every day should start with "IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT DAY!"
please stay tuned early next week for some more photos to be posted.
over and out...
Friday, September 16, 2011
Day 7 - Quesnel to Williams Lake - 120 kms
WE MADE IT!!!!!!
Well - the weather won today and it rained hard ALL day - nothing to complain about though as we were pretty fortunate all week and the possibility of it actually snowing on us was very possible so a little rain didn't hurt. But just to let you all know - it never stopped all day and it was really cold!
We had an amazing breakfast put on by the Integris Credit Union and visited an elementary school before we headed out for our last leg of tour. The kids were once again FANTASTIC! and they asked lots of great questions and sat on our bikes. Hopefully the message of healthy living and getting plenty of exercise that we brought to all the schools we visited is an inspiration to all the kids we spoke to!
Even though the heavy rain is not the nicest to ride in and we were all feeling the sore and tired muscles this morning, we were in high spirits as we knew the finish line was near. We had one more minor single cyclist wipeout with no injuries which makes Tour total to 3 'small' wipeouts and no real 'crashes' which is excellent and worthy to note as good communication and dedication to training made that possible. We were so fortunate to have Quesnel traffic section help control traffic all the way to Williams Lake for us - in the inclement weather, it enabled us to ride in a group and leave lots of space between bikers for everyone's safety. And we weren't the only one that got completely soaked that day as one of the members was riding on the police motorcycle along side us all day!
We slogged along and tried to keep the smiles on our faces for the duration of the rainy day - lots of jokes, singing and poking going on but all in good fun! Another incredible roadside lunch at McLeese Lake that consisted of hot Timmy's coffee and soup which was as popular to hold in your hands as it was to eat! As we approached the crest of our last hill before descending into Williams Lake a couple of police vehicles showed up to escort us in - and than 2 more - and than 2 more - and than 1 or 2 more! What an impressive light show bringing us into town - oncoming motorists probably initial thought was a funeral procession for some very important person but once they saw us they were honking and cheering and waving out their windows! It sure gave us the 'get up and go' to do that last cold downhill stretch where the rain kinda felt like small hail on the face!
We pushed through our rest breaks and arrived in town ahead of schedule which allowed us to get out of the wet clothes and into something dry before attending the Welcome ceremony at Boitanio Park. We were 'piped in' by some local pipers and had a nice turnout from the public for the finale to our day and our week. The fun wasn't done as we had a dinner at TRU and another fabulous community turnout for dinner!
An amazing trip with a great group of people - nice to accomplish an 800+ km trip (I think it was 807.5!) and know that you 'gelled' really well as a group and even though most of us had never met before, we were there for a common goal and that brought us together to form a strong team - the goal to make life a little bit better for a child going through cancer.
Nice job guys and thanks for the incredible support from every community in the North that helped make this Tour a success!
Well - the weather won today and it rained hard ALL day - nothing to complain about though as we were pretty fortunate all week and the possibility of it actually snowing on us was very possible so a little rain didn't hurt. But just to let you all know - it never stopped all day and it was really cold!
We had an amazing breakfast put on by the Integris Credit Union and visited an elementary school before we headed out for our last leg of tour. The kids were once again FANTASTIC! and they asked lots of great questions and sat on our bikes. Hopefully the message of healthy living and getting plenty of exercise that we brought to all the schools we visited is an inspiration to all the kids we spoke to!
Even though the heavy rain is not the nicest to ride in and we were all feeling the sore and tired muscles this morning, we were in high spirits as we knew the finish line was near. We had one more minor single cyclist wipeout with no injuries which makes Tour total to 3 'small' wipeouts and no real 'crashes' which is excellent and worthy to note as good communication and dedication to training made that possible. We were so fortunate to have Quesnel traffic section help control traffic all the way to Williams Lake for us - in the inclement weather, it enabled us to ride in a group and leave lots of space between bikers for everyone's safety. And we weren't the only one that got completely soaked that day as one of the members was riding on the police motorcycle along side us all day!
We slogged along and tried to keep the smiles on our faces for the duration of the rainy day - lots of jokes, singing and poking going on but all in good fun! Another incredible roadside lunch at McLeese Lake that consisted of hot Timmy's coffee and soup which was as popular to hold in your hands as it was to eat! As we approached the crest of our last hill before descending into Williams Lake a couple of police vehicles showed up to escort us in - and than 2 more - and than 2 more - and than 1 or 2 more! What an impressive light show bringing us into town - oncoming motorists probably initial thought was a funeral procession for some very important person but once they saw us they were honking and cheering and waving out their windows! It sure gave us the 'get up and go' to do that last cold downhill stretch where the rain kinda felt like small hail on the face!
We pushed through our rest breaks and arrived in town ahead of schedule which allowed us to get out of the wet clothes and into something dry before attending the Welcome ceremony at Boitanio Park. We were 'piped in' by some local pipers and had a nice turnout from the public for the finale to our day and our week. The fun wasn't done as we had a dinner at TRU and another fabulous community turnout for dinner!
An amazing trip with a great group of people - nice to accomplish an 800+ km trip (I think it was 807.5!) and know that you 'gelled' really well as a group and even though most of us had never met before, we were there for a common goal and that brought us together to form a strong team - the goal to make life a little bit better for a child going through cancer.
Nice job guys and thanks for the incredible support from every community in the North that helped make this Tour a success!
Footnote from Day 6
I was so tired when I wrote Day 6 I forgot to report on the funniest thing that happened all day! First occurrence was a llama that rushed the fence at our arrival at the edge of her property (I have no idea if the llama was a female but we will go with that) Still not sure if she was excited or angry - hard to tell with a llama. She must have told her friends the horses 7 farms down because a herd of about 8 or 9 horses broke into a full gallop at the fence line when we passed! That was followed by one lone white horse a few kms down that had the most confused horse expression I have every seen on a horse as we rode by......
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Day 6 - Prince George to Quesnel 120+ km
Before heading out of PG this morning we attended a school where the kids met us with incredible noise and enthusiasm! The kids cheered loud and put a smile on our face for the rest of our day! One of the small students has just recently gone through numerous cancer treatments and her schoolmates have rallied together to support her and her family. The school collected all their change and allowances and donated it to the Cops for Cancer tour! We talked with some of the students about why we are doing the Tour and tried to encourage them to maintain a healthy life style.
We headed out in some dense fog this morning that didn't burn off till mid morning but than the sun came to shine all day again! We rolled in to Hixon for lunch and were once again met by the local elementary school kids who welcomed us to their community and than asked us all kinds questions about our bikes and Tour. They were a pretty fun group and I think the best question was "do you take naps?"
The after lunch route was pretty challenging and there was some big and long hill climbs which has us pretty exhausted tonight - especially that last one that should have had a summit sign on the top deeming it a mountain but the Canadian Tire flag was just as good! We still made good time and got to Quesnel on schedule and were welcomed at the Canadian Tire by community members. We had an extra treat of massage therapists that gave all the riders a quick massage on those sore leg and back muscles - that was muchly appreciated! Another fantabulous supper and all are heading to bed a little early tonight so we can be on our "A" game tomorrow!
We headed out in some dense fog this morning that didn't burn off till mid morning but than the sun came to shine all day again! We rolled in to Hixon for lunch and were once again met by the local elementary school kids who welcomed us to their community and than asked us all kinds questions about our bikes and Tour. They were a pretty fun group and I think the best question was "do you take naps?"
The after lunch route was pretty challenging and there was some big and long hill climbs which has us pretty exhausted tonight - especially that last one that should have had a summit sign on the top deeming it a mountain but the Canadian Tire flag was just as good! We still made good time and got to Quesnel on schedule and were welcomed at the Canadian Tire by community members. We had an extra treat of massage therapists that gave all the riders a quick massage on those sore leg and back muscles - that was muchly appreciated! Another fantabulous supper and all are heading to bed a little early tonight so we can be on our "A" game tomorrow!
Day 5 - Mackenzie to Prince George - a long way....
It was an early morning as we had a long haul in front of us for today - our longest cycling day on Tour - just shy of 200 km! Don't worry Josh M's mom in Ontario - we all made it safe and sound!
We were blessed with a bit of a tailwind which allowed us to maintain a speed of well over 30 km an hour most of the day. This team is so strong that we are even going up small hills at 28 km an hour in a group - when riding along most of us would have only been at 16 or 17 km an hour!
We had small 'controlled' breaks today and kept on a strict schedule in order to be on time for our arrival into Prince George. We stopped in Bear Lake for lunch which was provided by the local ambulance crew - delicious! We enjoy all the honking motorists and even had a farmer in his tractor honk at us today!
We had one small wipe out on the railway tracks but nothing serious. Arrived in PG with pliantly of time to spare and had a nice rest before heading down the Hart Hwy at a mock speed of 42 km an hour - apparently someone didn't want the locals to see us dawdling along??? It was the hardest part of the whole day!
We drove by the soccer fields and kids cheered us on before we arrived at CNC to a large group of cheering family, friends and community partners. Incredible welcome event which sure puts a smile on your face!
Cutting this short today as we have to hit the road to Quesnel this morning and I have to find me some pancakes!
We were blessed with a bit of a tailwind which allowed us to maintain a speed of well over 30 km an hour most of the day. This team is so strong that we are even going up small hills at 28 km an hour in a group - when riding along most of us would have only been at 16 or 17 km an hour!
We had small 'controlled' breaks today and kept on a strict schedule in order to be on time for our arrival into Prince George. We stopped in Bear Lake for lunch which was provided by the local ambulance crew - delicious! We enjoy all the honking motorists and even had a farmer in his tractor honk at us today!
We had one small wipe out on the railway tracks but nothing serious. Arrived in PG with pliantly of time to spare and had a nice rest before heading down the Hart Hwy at a mock speed of 42 km an hour - apparently someone didn't want the locals to see us dawdling along??? It was the hardest part of the whole day!
We drove by the soccer fields and kids cheered us on before we arrived at CNC to a large group of cheering family, friends and community partners. Incredible welcome event which sure puts a smile on your face!
Cutting this short today as we have to hit the road to Quesnel this morning and I have to find me some pancakes!
Monday, September 12, 2011
Day 4 - Powder King to Mackenzie - 75 km
OK - seriously - can you believe this weather???
Woke up to crystal clear blue sky and although the air was 'very' crisp - it promised to be a another great day! Thank goodness for the clear night skies as we wouldn't have been able to enjoy the 'full moon' to its full advantage! We felt the bite of the Northern air this morning and suited up appropriately with extra shirts, jackets, toques, gloves and leg warmers. Marissa didn't have any leg warmers but not to worry - she is so tiny that someone elses arm warmers fit her legs!!!
Wow - was it fun to head mostly downhill from the summit today! Made for some fast pace times and an on time schedule into Mackenzie. The winds were very cool today and a lot of us didn't shed those extra layers till we were at our destination. BBQ lunch and homemade goodies were served by detachment staff and family before we headed off to do two school visits. This was by far the funniest part of the day as we were interviewed by some grade school children about the bike ride. Some kids were pretty young so we kind of interviewed them instead and just got to know each other. The kids had 3 questions to ask:
1. How long have you been riding your bike?
2. What did you do to train for this ride?
3. What made you want to participate in the Cops for Cancer ride?
We compared notes later and the best reaction to question 1 was from Pat's student who's eyes popped out of his head when He found out Pat had been riding his bike for 50 years!! Other memorable comments "I though you would be sweatier" and "yeah - I trained for like a 1000m ride to my grandma's house and it took me like 7 hours"
We followed that up with a visit to the high school and a really fun all out water fight war with some of the high school students in the football field after class was dismissed! Now - ask yourself - when was the last time you did that? It was super fun - we were completely out gunned as we only had buckets and they had super soakers but skill and experience shone through and we all came out equally wet! Fun way to connect with the youth and see their community spirit. And even though Josh M kinda avoided the spray and sold out a couple of his teammates he got the last bucket full of the day right in the face - karma karma karma Josh!
We had a super lasagna supper at the Legion, followed by some fun camaraderie at the Elks hall which included some creative head shaving and fund raising! Our good buddy Doug (ambulance driver) is such a good sport and for the second year in a row he got his eyebrows shaved off and a funny tripe mohawk - last year he did it for free but he demanded money this year and wouldn't do it for less than $140 - there was over $200 in the hat in less than 30 seconds!
Amazing community - well done Rick!
Woke up to crystal clear blue sky and although the air was 'very' crisp - it promised to be a another great day! Thank goodness for the clear night skies as we wouldn't have been able to enjoy the 'full moon' to its full advantage! We felt the bite of the Northern air this morning and suited up appropriately with extra shirts, jackets, toques, gloves and leg warmers. Marissa didn't have any leg warmers but not to worry - she is so tiny that someone elses arm warmers fit her legs!!!
Wow - was it fun to head mostly downhill from the summit today! Made for some fast pace times and an on time schedule into Mackenzie. The winds were very cool today and a lot of us didn't shed those extra layers till we were at our destination. BBQ lunch and homemade goodies were served by detachment staff and family before we headed off to do two school visits. This was by far the funniest part of the day as we were interviewed by some grade school children about the bike ride. Some kids were pretty young so we kind of interviewed them instead and just got to know each other. The kids had 3 questions to ask:
1. How long have you been riding your bike?
2. What did you do to train for this ride?
3. What made you want to participate in the Cops for Cancer ride?
We compared notes later and the best reaction to question 1 was from Pat's student who's eyes popped out of his head when He found out Pat had been riding his bike for 50 years!! Other memorable comments "I though you would be sweatier" and "yeah - I trained for like a 1000m ride to my grandma's house and it took me like 7 hours"
We followed that up with a visit to the high school and a really fun all out water fight war with some of the high school students in the football field after class was dismissed! Now - ask yourself - when was the last time you did that? It was super fun - we were completely out gunned as we only had buckets and they had super soakers but skill and experience shone through and we all came out equally wet! Fun way to connect with the youth and see their community spirit. And even though Josh M kinda avoided the spray and sold out a couple of his teammates he got the last bucket full of the day right in the face - karma karma karma Josh!
We had a super lasagna supper at the Legion, followed by some fun camaraderie at the Elks hall which included some creative head shaving and fund raising! Our good buddy Doug (ambulance driver) is such a good sport and for the second year in a row he got his eyebrows shaved off and a funny tripe mohawk - last year he did it for free but he demanded money this year and wouldn't do it for less than $140 - there was over $200 in the hat in less than 30 seconds!
Amazing community - well done Rick!
Day 3 - Chetwynd to Powder King - 110 km
Another wonderful breakfast to fuel us for the day ahead.
We headed out of Chetwynd just as the skies were clearing and the sun started shining - we drove until we hit the first section of construction where there was some negotiation with work crews on which areas and how much we would be able to bike through. They agreed to pilot us through some of the passable construction areas and we were bussed through some other areas that were deemed too rough or too dangerous to pass with a bike.
We set a good solid pace at the beginning of the morning and maintained that throughout the day which allowed us to make good time to each rest stop. Incredible views and scenery kept us entertained all morning and into the mid afternoon. We had no lack of hills heading into the summit of the Pine Pass but all were very doable and we conquered them all as one big group.
After a scrumptious lunch at the Pine River rest stop and a nice long rest in the sunshine - we were bussed through the roughest part of the washout construction. We got out just in time to climb a bunch of hills leading to the 933m Pine Pass summit. After a great photo opportunity at the summit, being the dedicated group that we are, decided to make up the kilometres that we had to be bussed through - so went right past our destination spot and went over 8 km down the highway to Bijoux Falls.
We took off our shoes and climbed up into the rocks by the falls and took an incredible group photo shot (which would have been impossible the next morning due to the cold windy morning weather!) It was a big haul back up that hill to Powder King but once again - impressive team work and words of encouragement to each other to get the job done.
The evening was finished off with a fabulous steak dinner cooked by some volunteers of the Mackenzie Elks club - a lot of laughs over the days events and sweet dreams of the downhill ride ahead!
We headed out of Chetwynd just as the skies were clearing and the sun started shining - we drove until we hit the first section of construction where there was some negotiation with work crews on which areas and how much we would be able to bike through. They agreed to pilot us through some of the passable construction areas and we were bussed through some other areas that were deemed too rough or too dangerous to pass with a bike.
We set a good solid pace at the beginning of the morning and maintained that throughout the day which allowed us to make good time to each rest stop. Incredible views and scenery kept us entertained all morning and into the mid afternoon. We had no lack of hills heading into the summit of the Pine Pass but all were very doable and we conquered them all as one big group.
After a scrumptious lunch at the Pine River rest stop and a nice long rest in the sunshine - we were bussed through the roughest part of the washout construction. We got out just in time to climb a bunch of hills leading to the 933m Pine Pass summit. After a great photo opportunity at the summit, being the dedicated group that we are, decided to make up the kilometres that we had to be bussed through - so went right past our destination spot and went over 8 km down the highway to Bijoux Falls.
We took off our shoes and climbed up into the rocks by the falls and took an incredible group photo shot (which would have been impossible the next morning due to the cold windy morning weather!) It was a big haul back up that hill to Powder King but once again - impressive team work and words of encouragement to each other to get the job done.
The evening was finished off with a fabulous steak dinner cooked by some volunteers of the Mackenzie Elks club - a lot of laughs over the days events and sweet dreams of the downhill ride ahead!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Day 2 - Dawson Creek to Chetwynd - 100 kms
Day 2 was once again an amazing weather and riding day! The sky was blue, the sun shone all day and the pace of the group was just perfect! We made good time all day and were ahead of schedule so that meant longer breaks and resting in the sunshine a bit more than usual. Who knew we would all get our best suntans in the middle of September in Dawson Creek and Chetwynd???!!!
The mayor of Dawson Creek rode out with us in the first few kms and than we were on our way. It was nice to have a break from all the traffic we had yesterday and we moved along very smoothly as a group. The terrain had a few ups and down near the beginning of the day and than some nice flats before we headed down the East Pine Hill and across the East Pine river, only to climb once again to the top of the valley. This was a pretty challenging climb but we rocked it and made it up altogether in one group - which isn't as easy as it sounds!
We had some good gusty headwinds today but still managed to keep a pretty fast pace between 25 and 30 kms an hour. Will take those headwinds any day instead of those cross winds that take you by surprise. What was clearly evident today was the constant encouraging of team members to each other and after only being together as a group for less than 2 days - this teamwork was impressive to watch. Lots of words of encouragement and a helping hand when needed. And of course, some good natured teasing and poking!
Coming into Chetwynd was great fun as the street by the Rec Center was lined with kids and teenagers cheering us on - that is exactly what we needed after biking just over 100 km and brought a smile to all our faces. We enjoyed an incredible supper and felt the hospitality of Chetwynd from many different local people that have helped raise funds for our cause! Thanks Chetwynd!
The mayor of Dawson Creek rode out with us in the first few kms and than we were on our way. It was nice to have a break from all the traffic we had yesterday and we moved along very smoothly as a group. The terrain had a few ups and down near the beginning of the day and than some nice flats before we headed down the East Pine Hill and across the East Pine river, only to climb once again to the top of the valley. This was a pretty challenging climb but we rocked it and made it up altogether in one group - which isn't as easy as it sounds!
We had some good gusty headwinds today but still managed to keep a pretty fast pace between 25 and 30 kms an hour. Will take those headwinds any day instead of those cross winds that take you by surprise. What was clearly evident today was the constant encouraging of team members to each other and after only being together as a group for less than 2 days - this teamwork was impressive to watch. Lots of words of encouragement and a helping hand when needed. And of course, some good natured teasing and poking!
Coming into Chetwynd was great fun as the street by the Rec Center was lined with kids and teenagers cheering us on - that is exactly what we needed after biking just over 100 km and brought a smile to all our faces. We enjoyed an incredible supper and felt the hospitality of Chetwynd from many different local people that have helped raise funds for our cause! Thanks Chetwynd!
day 1 - Fort St John to Dawson Creek - 76 kms - Liesl's version!
What a beautiful day we had - plus 20 weather and sunshine - couldn't have asked for anything better (excerpt maybe a little less wind!) We headed out of Fort St John just after 11 am after listening to some presentations and speeches by local sponsors and a child survivor - a brave young teenager who just had a partial leg amputation earlier this year. What an inspiration she is and with such a positive outlook on life.
The wind was at our back as we headed for Taylor and the group surprisingly came together pretty quickly in two straight lines - weren't getting too close to each other's tires yet but we looked pretty good in our jerseys! We had to cross the Taylor bridge on the cement sidewalk as the bridge has a metal clad surface - just for the record - I don't know about anyone else but I was not a happy camper doing this - my knees were knocking together like crazy by the time we reached the other side and I was slightly nauseous! Thank goodness that was done - the South Taylor Hill seemed like a breeze after that!
South Taylor Hill is one of the biggest hills on Tour this year and is almost 6 km long with a steady climb and a 500m stretch of 10% grade. We all made it up and as Jenn put it - I think we did pretty good - we weren't even gasping for air and didn't sound like Darth Vader when we got to the top! Mission accomplished!
The sun was still shining as we stopped at the Farmington Fairways golf course and sat on the grass and ate a delicious lunch! The afternoon brought strong cross winds across the fields which sometimes blew some of the smaller framed bikers a foot or two off course! We had some challenges keeping the group together but am sure that will work out over the next few days. We had one minor crash today - just a scrap on the knee so nothing major! Lots of traffic but lots of friendly honking as we rolled along which always brings a smile to our faces.
We rolled into Dawson Creek about 4:30 pm and were welcomed at the Lake View Credit Union by some of our local sponsors and people from the community. We once again heard some moving speeches from cancer survivors and what Camp Goodtimes has meant to another teenager who was diagnosed with cancer 5 year ago.
For those that didn't head to bed before 10 - incredibly show of green dancing northern lights - what a treat to be able to see those again!
The wind was at our back as we headed for Taylor and the group surprisingly came together pretty quickly in two straight lines - weren't getting too close to each other's tires yet but we looked pretty good in our jerseys! We had to cross the Taylor bridge on the cement sidewalk as the bridge has a metal clad surface - just for the record - I don't know about anyone else but I was not a happy camper doing this - my knees were knocking together like crazy by the time we reached the other side and I was slightly nauseous! Thank goodness that was done - the South Taylor Hill seemed like a breeze after that!
South Taylor Hill is one of the biggest hills on Tour this year and is almost 6 km long with a steady climb and a 500m stretch of 10% grade. We all made it up and as Jenn put it - I think we did pretty good - we weren't even gasping for air and didn't sound like Darth Vader when we got to the top! Mission accomplished!
The sun was still shining as we stopped at the Farmington Fairways golf course and sat on the grass and ate a delicious lunch! The afternoon brought strong cross winds across the fields which sometimes blew some of the smaller framed bikers a foot or two off course! We had some challenges keeping the group together but am sure that will work out over the next few days. We had one minor crash today - just a scrap on the knee so nothing major! Lots of traffic but lots of friendly honking as we rolled along which always brings a smile to our faces.
We rolled into Dawson Creek about 4:30 pm and were welcomed at the Lake View Credit Union by some of our local sponsors and people from the community. We once again heard some moving speeches from cancer survivors and what Camp Goodtimes has meant to another teenager who was diagnosed with cancer 5 year ago.
For those that didn't head to bed before 10 - incredibly show of green dancing northern lights - what a treat to be able to see those again!
Friday, September 9, 2011
day 1 a report from Terry
We arrived safely in Dawson Creek on schedule at 4:30 pm. We actually pedaled for 3 hours and 11 minutes and covered 74.1 km. The team successfully ascended Taylor Hill and despite lots of pre-ride anxiety it was actually a lot easier than most of the riders expected.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Anticipation is building
All riders and support crew arrived in Fort St John throughout the day in preparation for Tour de North starting tomorrow morning. Some of us rode up in the support vehicles and looked at the highway in a whole new light as we realize we will be travelling that very route in the days to come. That South Taylor Hill tomorrow is going to be the first challenge and after driving down it today it may give some of us nightmares!
We had a get together with almost all the riders (our Prince Rupert rider has yet to arrive via plane) and support crew which allowed some of us to meet for the first time and finally put a face to the name or the voice. It was nice to see a few friendly faces from those that had been on Tour last year and will help support the tour in so many ways with their biking expertise and Tour experience. And.....Rick is still smiling!
We received some instruction on safety and protocol and listened to a child cancer survivor who not only went to Camp Goodtimes for years as a kid but continues to go every year in different capacities as support staff. It was nice to hear those stories as all of the fund raising and time spent on training gets put into perspective and you know you are making magic happen for kids with cancer.
Seems like we have a really strong group this year - both in physical ability and spirit and are looking forward to getting on the road tomorrow morning! I know I will personally dream about the pancakes that we will be getting for breakfast!
We had a get together with almost all the riders (our Prince Rupert rider has yet to arrive via plane) and support crew which allowed some of us to meet for the first time and finally put a face to the name or the voice. It was nice to see a few friendly faces from those that had been on Tour last year and will help support the tour in so many ways with their biking expertise and Tour experience. And.....Rick is still smiling!
We received some instruction on safety and protocol and listened to a child cancer survivor who not only went to Camp Goodtimes for years as a kid but continues to go every year in different capacities as support staff. It was nice to hear those stories as all of the fund raising and time spent on training gets put into perspective and you know you are making magic happen for kids with cancer.
Seems like we have a really strong group this year - both in physical ability and spirit and are looking forward to getting on the road tomorrow morning! I know I will personally dream about the pancakes that we will be getting for breakfast!
Monday, September 5, 2011
Less than a week to go!
Well - it is less than a week to go before Tour de North begins on September 9th in Fort St John. Excitement is building in all the communities that Tour will travel through this year and support from communities across Northern BC has been amazing!
Riders are wrapping up fund raising events in their communities and trying to fit in those last minute training rides. The new north to south route will prove to be challenging and it will be fun to break ground for Tours to come.
As always, in my mind, I wonder.....have I trained enough? Has everyone else trained enough? How will we mesh as a group of 20+ riders when most of us have never met before? It has been a most challenging summer of training as the weather has been most uncooperative - with some of the wettest and coldest weather in 30 years in the North. That hasn't stopped us from getting out there to pound the pedals and hopefully it has prepared us for anything Mother Nature will through at us that week.
It takes a lot of time and dedication by the ones who commit to ride in Tour and we also couldn't do it without the support of our family, friends, co-workers, sponsors and support crew. Please come out and cheer us on as we pass through your community!
Riders are wrapping up fund raising events in their communities and trying to fit in those last minute training rides. The new north to south route will prove to be challenging and it will be fun to break ground for Tours to come.
As always, in my mind, I wonder.....have I trained enough? Has everyone else trained enough? How will we mesh as a group of 20+ riders when most of us have never met before? It has been a most challenging summer of training as the weather has been most uncooperative - with some of the wettest and coldest weather in 30 years in the North. That hasn't stopped us from getting out there to pound the pedals and hopefully it has prepared us for anything Mother Nature will through at us that week.
It takes a lot of time and dedication by the ones who commit to ride in Tour and we also couldn't do it without the support of our family, friends, co-workers, sponsors and support crew. Please come out and cheer us on as we pass through your community!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Send someone to jail for a good cause
If you’re boss has been giving you a hard time lately, perhaps it’s time you have him or her sent to jail.
Safer communities co-ordinator Dave Dickson, who is riding from Fort St. John to Williams Lake on his bicycle for the Cops for Cancer Tour de North, is encouraging people to give him a call and arrange for their bosses (or co-workers) to be “arrested” on Wednesday, Sept. 7 and thrown into jail.
The jail, of course, will be a mock jail, located at the courthouse square and it’s all to raise money for cancer.
The Jail n’ Bail event takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and will include burgers sold by Mr. Mikes between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Dickson says more people are also needed to work up the nerve and get their heads shaved at the event.
Those interested in getting their heads shaved or have their or co-workers arrested can contact Dickson at 250-392-8701 or e-mail him at david.dickson@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
The Cops for Cancer Tour de North will begin in Fort St. John Friday, Sept. 9 and conclude in Williams Lake on Thursday, Sept. 15.
Dickson will be joined Williams Lake’s Cpl. Brian Evans, Cpl. Mike Hacker and Const. Ken Davies, and other RCMP members and BCAS paramedics in the northern region.
Also on Sept. 15, a gala dinner will be held at Thompson Rivers University at 7 p.m. to welcome the 23 RCMP and 2 paramedic riders who will have participated in the cause.
Tickets for the gala cost a $10 minimum donation — all proceeds go toward pediatric cancer research and programs — and should be purchased in advance at the Williams Lake RCMP detachment, Williams Lake and District Credit Union, Canadian Tire, Williams Lake Canadian Cancer Society office, and Zone 4.
Safer communities co-ordinator Dave Dickson, who is riding from Fort St. John to Williams Lake on his bicycle for the Cops for Cancer Tour de North, is encouraging people to give him a call and arrange for their bosses (or co-workers) to be “arrested” on Wednesday, Sept. 7 and thrown into jail.
The jail, of course, will be a mock jail, located at the courthouse square and it’s all to raise money for cancer.
The Jail n’ Bail event takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and will include burgers sold by Mr. Mikes between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Dickson says more people are also needed to work up the nerve and get their heads shaved at the event.
Those interested in getting their heads shaved or have their or co-workers arrested can contact Dickson at 250-392-8701 or e-mail him at david.dickson@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
The Cops for Cancer Tour de North will begin in Fort St. John Friday, Sept. 9 and conclude in Williams Lake on Thursday, Sept. 15.
Dickson will be joined Williams Lake’s Cpl. Brian Evans, Cpl. Mike Hacker and Const. Ken Davies, and other RCMP members and BCAS paramedics in the northern region.
Also on Sept. 15, a gala dinner will be held at Thompson Rivers University at 7 p.m. to welcome the 23 RCMP and 2 paramedic riders who will have participated in the cause.
Tickets for the gala cost a $10 minimum donation — all proceeds go toward pediatric cancer research and programs — and should be purchased in advance at the Williams Lake RCMP detachment, Williams Lake and District Credit Union, Canadian Tire, Williams Lake Canadian Cancer Society office, and Zone 4.
Monday, August 22, 2011
What Tour is all about!
Hello
My name is Liesl Wittkopf and I am a Civilian Member of the RCMP and a second time rider in Tour de North. With just over two weeks to go before we start this year's Tour, I take time to reflect on what participating in Tour means to me and what Cops for Cancer is trying to accomplish across the province of British Columbia.
Riders apply to be on Tour for various reasons, but most often than not it is a personal story that brings us to this quest. It is a way we feel we can contribute and help as we watch a hopeless situation unfold around us - a dear friend or family member who is fighting for their life, fighting to beat cancer.
It is especially hard when that person fighting for survival is a child - a child who doesn't understand everything that is happening to them but only knows it isn't much fun and everyone around them is eternally sad. Cops for Cancer focuses on these children and their families and the money raised through Tour sponsored events goes not only to pediatric cancer research but to support these families by focusing on wellness and providing positive experiences like Camp Goodtimes.
Camp Goodtimes has been described as "one of the best places on earth" by a child going through cancer treatment. This camp provides a safe and fun place for kids and families that have been touched by cancer - a place where they aren't different from everyone else and where they can just be kids.
It is an honour to participate in Tour for the second year and I am very excited that Tour de North will be doing a North to South route for the first time. This will definitely bring awareness to other parts of the province which have enthusiastically supported riders, yet haven't had the opportunity for Cops for Cancer to ride through their communities.
Myself and a few others, will endeavour to bring you updates from every day of Tour and hope you will track our progress via this blog. Spread the link www.copsforcancertourdenorth2011.blogspot.com
My name is Liesl Wittkopf and I am a Civilian Member of the RCMP and a second time rider in Tour de North. With just over two weeks to go before we start this year's Tour, I take time to reflect on what participating in Tour means to me and what Cops for Cancer is trying to accomplish across the province of British Columbia.
Riders apply to be on Tour for various reasons, but most often than not it is a personal story that brings us to this quest. It is a way we feel we can contribute and help as we watch a hopeless situation unfold around us - a dear friend or family member who is fighting for their life, fighting to beat cancer.
It is especially hard when that person fighting for survival is a child - a child who doesn't understand everything that is happening to them but only knows it isn't much fun and everyone around them is eternally sad. Cops for Cancer focuses on these children and their families and the money raised through Tour sponsored events goes not only to pediatric cancer research but to support these families by focusing on wellness and providing positive experiences like Camp Goodtimes.
Camp Goodtimes has been described as "one of the best places on earth" by a child going through cancer treatment. This camp provides a safe and fun place for kids and families that have been touched by cancer - a place where they aren't different from everyone else and where they can just be kids.
It is an honour to participate in Tour for the second year and I am very excited that Tour de North will be doing a North to South route for the first time. This will definitely bring awareness to other parts of the province which have enthusiastically supported riders, yet haven't had the opportunity for Cops for Cancer to ride through their communities.
Myself and a few others, will endeavour to bring you updates from every day of Tour and hope you will track our progress via this blog. Spread the link www.copsforcancertourdenorth2011.blogspot.com
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