getting into.
After months of preparation and not as much training as I thought I
would need, I, along with 31 others, completed the Tour de North on
September 17 in Prince Rupert, with the wind blowing strong and the rain
pouring down.
However, like most of us if I had to do it again I would gladly accept
the challenge.
During the ride we were met by communities across the northwest with
overwhelming hospitality. Small towns like Fraser Lake, with a
population of 1,354, raised more than $7,500, not to mention the amazing
pot-luck meal arranged for us.
These are the things that made this experience a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity.
However the ride itself is only half the story.
During the entire trip we heard numerous times about Camp Goodtimes. The
medically supported children's summer camp funded solely by the four
bike tours across B.C. We heard about these campers and how they are
reclaiming what cancer has taken from them and the joyous memories they
take away every year.
This past August Camp Goodtimes was home to 410 campers, where they were
able to do things they wouldn't normally get to do, as well as
interacting with others who have been through the same battle with cancer.
While on the ride we collected a lot of funds from each community as we
rolled in on our bikes, decked out in our flashy green vests. However
the one thing people didn't get to see is the ultimate outcome from
their donations. They didn't get to see the fact that without tours like
this, Camp Goodtimes would not be able to function. And that's really
what it was all about, giving these kids the means to be kids and forget
about what ails them and to live their lives the way they should be lived.
Being one of these riders really gave me a new perspective on what it
means to support cancer research. I've heard of people in the past doing
some sort of epic event to help cancer, but I never saw myself being
part of such a journey.
However after traveling the 864 kilometres from Prince George to Prince
Rupert, and after gelling with a group of people that really were some
of the finest human beings I have ever had the pleasure to meet, I
realized that what we were doing was much larger than just a bike ride.
It was a journey of life, a way to help find a cure for a disease that
has taken many far too early.
Taking part in this ride was one of the best experiences of my life and
there is no way to explain the sense of pride I felt for all of us after
that last hill into Rupert, the sense of joy and accomplishment after
hearing from Jasper, a young cancer survivor that shared his thoughts
with us while standing in the cold Prince Rupert rain the last day of
the ride. Listening to his words, about how he battled and won the fight
with cancer, and how rides like these really do make a difference, and
the difference was standing right in front of us. Showing us the living
proof of our efforts and the efforts of all those who feel the need to
stand up and fight for cancer for the life within.
I would once again like to thank all those who helped the cause, and
those who supported me and the Cops for Cancer right from the get go,
their generosity is second to none and it is something I will never forget.
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