It has been some time since my last blog so here goes- I’ll save the weather comments for a moment . Reached the $40k fund raising mark which is totally awesome and again I want to thank all my sponsors for their generous support and words of encouragement. The Insurance industry , my chosen vocation, has been just tremondous in coming to the table and supporting the Sears National Kids Cancer Ride. I have to say the insurance industry doesn’t always receive favourable press ( after all who wants to pay premiums for something most people will never use) but it is a great career and they sure know how to raise money for great causes like SNKCR.
The heat is on literally- temperatures in Ontario have hit 38 degrees with a humidex in the mid to high forties for the past week. Last Sunday I did a training ride and lost 9 pounds in four hours - a few protien shakes and maybe a “cold one” ( or 2) helped replenish the fluid loss. With only 60 days left before the big event you have to persevere despite the heat, rain or whatever else mother nature has to throw at you- in other words you have to “ suck it up! ” Of course the Tour De France is extemely motivational - after watching the lads race across the Netherlands, Belgium and France in the first week it sure stimulates the old competitive juices ! The first week was sure a crash fest - didn’t look like anyone would survive the first couple of stages- Go Lance !
Quote for the day ( somewhat appropriate for this time of year) :
” If you think you are too small to be effective,you have never been in bed with a mosquito.” Betty Reese
Cheers
Little did we know when we started out from Ottawa what the weather gods had in store for us- our mistake was listening to Enviroment Canada’s weekend forecast. We anticipated getting wet at some point but not the monsoon weather that greeted us on the Sunday morning ! The Rideau lakes Event (RLTC) is an annual ritual for about 2000 riders , not only for those from the Ottawa region but many from all over Ontario and Quebec. This year Helene Fournier, another 2010 national rider, joined our team and was a welcome addition indeed . Saturday was a fast ride down (178k) and the anticipated rain never materialized- in fact it became sunny and quite hot. Of course no one brought sun screen ( again Enviroment Canada’s fault) so there were a few burnt bodies, not to mention a few dehydrated ones. In any event we woke up Sunday morning to howling Northeast winds (of course we were headed NW), heavy rain and way below normal temperatures and only 178k to get home. Some riders called it quits before the day began. Everyone started at different times just to get it over with- Lindsey and I started off on our own and I have to say it was probably the most challenging day mentally and physically on a bike I have had in a very long time. The wind and cold sapped the will to live ! Along the way many gave up the journey- at the rest stop in Westport ( about 60k into the ride) cell phones were active calling friends and families to come pick them up. Have to say the thought crossed my mind but we pushed on ( truth is he had know one to call). On a day like this you had to break it up into little goals ( get to the next rest stop) or you’d probably cry ( well not really - maybe!) . In any event we meet up with our group in Perth, the rains had subsided , we had a great echelon to share the load into the wind and the sun even came out for a brief 5 minutes or so ( then the rain started up again but we were almost home). Life was good again.
EPIC ride ! Good work Helene!
A friend of mine is a distributer for Stevens Bikes in Canada. Stevens is a Hamburg, Germany based bike company who are really just starting to make to make a splash in Canada. In any event I will be riding a Stevens SLR across Canada in September which is very cool- just starting riding it this past weekend and it handles like a dream!
Ride On!
It’s been some time since my last blog- not much really to report so might as well talk about the weather- it’s messed up! A couple of weeks ago on the Monday night I’m riding in shirt sleeves in 22 degree weather and the the next day wake up to a mini snow storm - what’s with that ! Last weekend ( Ontario at least) the weather was crazy- high winds, rain and in Ottawa snow. We were riding in the Gatineau hills on the Sunday morning in pretty cool temperatures and as we climbed the landscape started to change- what I initially thought was a bed of trilliums in all their glory was actually a blanket of snow . Only in Canada! They say that wind makes you strong ( it can also make you want to cry) and if that is the case I must be like superman by now ! Enough complaining about the weather- it is what it is !
Quote for the day: ” Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope… and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance” - Robert Kennedy
Yesterday at the Heart & Crown in Ottawa a couple of friends of mine, Marilyn and Charlotte, hosted a “fun raising” event on my behalf for the SNCKR . To say it was a blast is an understatement- Charlotte and Marilyn lined up 5 local bands including Love Circus, Good2Go, Riot Police , Hollow Logs and Syd Baxter and Rafferty and they provided a wide range of musical styles from heart bounding rock, alternative to folk and everything in between! They were totally awesome! Below are a few pictures from the day! My thanks to all that donated gifts for the raffle which included a signed Sens jersey, a signed Sunnyvale Bubbles hockey jersey ( Bubbles and Ricky from Trailer park Boys- this was a much sought after prize) and lots of other cool stuff including the now world famous ” we vibe” - we had something for everyone !!
We cleared $3k in pure profit for the ride- allowed me to wear my Jimi Hendrix jacket( love it but not always the ocasion to wear it).
Charlotte’s whole family worked at the event and my thanks to Bill, Carly and Nicco and the friends they brought along tohelp sell the raffle tickets.
Thanks again to all that came out and a very special thanks to my good friends Charlotte Duchense and Marilyn Reddigan- they are simply the best.
