Hi all,
I started this endeavour at Easter when my sister Patti reminded me of my musings at Christmas. It took until mid May & a few outings on the training bike before I suggested to the Ride Captain that I’d like to join the Team. Now fully committed. Having gone along a number of times over the past 10 years in an observer and support capacity I had some idea of what I was getting myself into. Oh well, no one’s ever suggested I was the brightest bulb. After 4 months of riding (about 1,000km on training stand and another 500 km on the road bike) the time arrived. Could’ve used another month or many.
I had my personal objectives established.
1) Make it up bridge hill to West Kelowna (at least make it out of sight day 1)
2) Conquer the Blueberry Paulson summit.
3) Keep up with the team
4) Raise $5,000 for Cops for Kids.
Pleased to say all achieved and thanks to many I contributed over $14,000 to the ride total.
The Ride
Reality started to set in on Thurs. evening Sept. 9th when the team assembled to meet each other at a pre-ride dinner. 26 riders & 5 support crew, aged 26 to you know who. Yes I’m the oldest rider, however the old farts club (over 55) was comprised of 4 guys 1 girl. All had been on the ride from 3 to 8 times before. The rest were good A Type personality cops. What little confidence I had was gone!
Day 1
Friday morning 7 am breakfast & we’re off. Anne keeps saying just have fun and don’t overdo it. I’m sure sure you noticed the nervous smile in Anne's photo. Across the bridge & up the hill, in the middle of the pack. Objective 1 accomplished. Stop in Westbank to meet with 2 families C4k is providing support to. Reaffirms to all why we’re doing this. On to Peachland for lunch, over to Summerland and then to Penticton at 4:00 pm to meet another family. Survived day 1 and first 72 km. Loaded the bikes into the cube van & into the bus to Osooyos where we overnight at Spirit Ridge Resort. The bus loaned to us by Big White is definitely used in winter, constant heat, no A/C. would come to appreciate that. Looking
out window at Anarchist Mountain – will I attempt it?
Day 2
The team splits in 2. Those that want to attempt the Anarchist, and the balance that go back to Penticton and fill in the ride section to Osoyoos and then meet up with the rest of the team around Greenwood. Sanity prevails, I’m back to Penticton. 9 riders take on the Anarchist. Another sunny warm day, beautiful ride along Skaha Lake. Team practices drafting. Lunch in Oliver, hosted by the Lion’s Club. I’m selected to do a media interview with Shaw cable. An hours ride to Osooyos then back on the Big White Sauna (aka bus). Meet the Anarchist group in Greenwood. Ride through town with a grade 1 class & meet with another family. Bike to Grand Forks to overnight. Not doing the Anarchist was the right call. Saving myself for Blueberry plus find that it takes about 20 km before my legs start to loosen up in the morning. Ramada Motel provides the accommodation, annual Borst Dinner by Doukaboer Woman’s league & Rotary Club. (The only place I ever eat Borst.) Joined at dinner by a young girl with CF that we have assisted & her Mother. Another 128 km on the bike is out of the way.
Apprehension building – tomorrow the Blueberry.
Day 3
Have I mentioned I’ve never ridden in rain?
Early start need to ride 5 km to get to breakfast at 6:30. Up showered & into jersey & shorts. Open the door to pouring rain. Back in and add long sleeve wool jersey under C4K jersey (thank you Simon, but what about the legs?) Team wears RCMP Gore Tex yellow traffic jackets. On to Christina Lake in the rain. Arrive for ½ hour rest period at the new museum. Wring out my socks. Steve lends me a pair of long riding pants. Not water proof, but hopefully will help with warmth. At Texas Point, the base of the Blueberry climb we stop to get organized. Everyone will go at there own speed. Casual riders, that would be my group, will head out first. Those racing for the annual King or Queen of the Mountain titles will head out 15 minutes later. Still raining & cold, What will it be like at the summit. About 5 km into the climb the racers go by. Rain stops after about 10 km a little bit of sunshine. Pull over at support vehicle and get ride of the Gore Tex jacket. My bike odometer cuts out – too much rain. Probably a blessing as I won’t know how slow I’m going and how much further it is to the top. Steady uphill for about 35km – no flats for about first 28 km. All you do is look up and realize there is no top to the hill. Finally hot & sweaty, hit the ½ way point & stop for brief rest & strip down to short sleave jersey & shorts. Across the Blue Bridge and continue the climb. Legs are on auto, its willpower from here on. Rain & cold back, but not looking for clothing. About 25 km into it & ready to quit. I don’t need this, exhausted & cold, just pull over and support vehicle will pick me up. Just then Mel rides up beside me. “Don’t get off that Bike Grant” is all she says. Can’t quit now. Keep on going, I recognize this area, enter short flats, summit must be just around the corner, ok the next corner, or the next. Riders who raced to the summit come riding back down to provide encouragement and ride up with us. There it is the summit. Off the bike shivering from cold, but elated 2 ½ hours to ride up & half dozen riders still to come. Hot soup and sandwiches for lunch, photos and appreciation for the heat in the Big White bus. Weather conditions are ugly, almost snow. We’re expected in Trail by 4:00. Ride to Rossland and then Trail has some very steep sections. In the past, riders would get upwards of 100 km an hour on the downhills. It’s decided it is too dangerous to ride down in these conditions. Bus to just below Rossland and then Bike up again to ride through Trail to Walmart for presentations. Bus into Castelgar, quick shower and then to Boston Pizza for dinner & meet with a couple more C4K kids. My room at the Super 8, shared with 4 other old farts is the Spiderman theme room. Good news – hot tub & pool are just outside our door. Good soak – couple of beers (evening tradition) bed by 10 once again. Another 100 km, shortened to 60 out of the way.
Day 4
Sleep in day – breakfast at the legion at 9:00 – Sun shining and good ride to Nelson, for lunch hosted by RCMP detachment. Afternoon ride to Balfour Ferry terminal. Load up & head back to Nelson & Prestige Lakeside Hotel. Steak BBQ dinner by RCMP Vets & Rotary. Make up another 100 km day.
Day 5
Breakfast at 8:00 – off to catch the ferry across Kootenay Lake – Sun shining scenery magnificent. Ride off ferry & 5km climb to the school in Crawford Bay. “Why does every morning start with a hill climb?” Arrive at school, visit with kids and depart with a ride through the school.Short ride to Kookanee Springs Golf Course for lunch. Afternoon ride is along Kootenay Lake. Too bad I’m so focused on the bike and road in front of me that I can’t savour the sights. Final sprint along the flats into Creston. Meet with a young teenager with Downs Syndrome plus who we’ve provided a custom made tricycle. Dinner by Order of the Eastern Star, with Mayor & council & family with a 3 year old fighting cancer. We’ve supported the family in funding for travel exp. etc related to travel to Children’s Hospital in Calgary. Dad advises prognosis looks good.
Another 90 km done.
Day 6
Breakfast at 7:00 on the road to Cranbrook by 8:00. Have I hit the wall? Legs don’t want to loosen up – can’t find my rythem or catch my breath. 35 km in and we stop for a mechanical breakdown. Ride management notes my wheezing and radio’s the back up police van to pick me up. Off the bike for now. 10 km later get back on the bike feel good, no more problems. Road Side lunch – on to Cranbrook and police escort into town. Dinner at Boston Pizza (major sponsor) & then to the mall for the annual Male fashion show. Fun evening with riders (not me) as models along with local RCMP & Kootenay Ice hockey team. Back to hotel for mandatory beer, stay up late 10:30 or 11:00. 110 km. for the day.
Day 7
Busing day to get from SE corner of the region back up to NE section. Breakfast at 8:00 – out to Ft. Steele for annual team photo & brief tour. – Off to Invermere – On the bikes to ride through town – Lunch by the lake supplied by Rotary. Load up & head off to Revelstoke where we again get on bikes to ride into town. Meet with a 5year old boy & his Family. Today’s his birthday & the first one out of hospital. We ride in with party hats on our helmuts. Have cake & cookies with him. Load up & on to 3 Valley Gap to overnight. Dinner & tour of the ghost town, car museum, & round house. Only about 20 km on the bike today – body needed the rest.
Day 8
Day 8 & what a glorious day it turned out to be. After a fabulous night hosted by 3 Valley Gap, we head west watching the mist and fog burn off as the sun rises.
Had the pleasure of having breakfast with Nathan, Emily & Danielle at the Prestige Inn in salmon Arm, hosted by the Rotary Club. Meeting with nathan and hearing the impact Cops for Kids has had on his life is certainly gratifying and if needed provides the motivation to mount up for the 110 km ride into Kamloops.
The weather today was ideal. Travelling by bike afforded the opportunity to watch Salmon entering the Shuswap system. While resting for a few minutes at the entrance to Shuswap Lake Estates watched golfers partaking late Summer sun. Where would I rather be? On the bike on a day lie today.
Arrived in Chase for lunch and rode through town accompanied by Cody on his Cops for Kids provided tricycle. What happiness he exuded in having the mobility to ride with us. YES the muscle cramps are worth it. Lunch with a bunch of kids on the playgound of the elementatry school was great fun. Thank you to Chase Rotarians & Subway.
From Chase its the afternoon charge of 60 km into Kamloops. No tail wind, but with the bulls up front, we fly along getting to the detachment office near our 3:30 appointed time. Released the acting Mayor from jail (for a price) and then put the bikes to bed for the night. Shame we couldnt keep riding. NO!! The body says its time to rest.
Great accommodation being provided by the new Holiday Inn North Shore, Kamloops. Dinner provided, with thanks, by the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
Now time for a quick swim and hot tub and then rest this 60 year old body for day 9. Lets ignore the weather report & go on the theory that more of today lies ahead.
To all sponsors and individual donors, let me say that the children & familes met not only today, but everywhere we have been, clearly demonstrate how your support for Cops for Kids has such a positive impact on children in the Southern Interior
Thank you for allowing me to be your ambassador.
Day 9
8:00 am breakfast, on the bikes by 9. Cloudy, but so far no rain. Off to Vernon – OOPS on a service road that doesn’t rejoin the highway. Carry bikes through the ditch while our motorcycle and van have to double back. Make it up the 5 km climb to the break check just before highway 97 hits the Transcanada. There’s the rain. Driving rain & wind for the remaining 80 km into Vernon. Worse than the rain on the Blueberry. We’re traveling at about 30 km /hr – rain biting into the face and getting behind my glasses into my eyes. This is miserable, but carry on. Lunch in the rain. Let’s get this over with. Arrive in Vernon at Boston Pizza about 3:30. BP provides unplanned coffe and appies & a chance to try and dry out a bit. Another 120 km out of the way, only 50 or 60 to go. Bikes are loaded up – no one is interested in the option to cycle up to Silver Star where we’re staying overnight at the hostel. Anne arrives and she & I head up to Silver Star. Saturday night & its our wind up party, as out of town riders want to head home after the reception in Kelowna. View photo show of the first 8 days & then awards are handed out. Lots of fun. Yours truly awarded “Rookie of the Year” The prize- along handle shoe horn.
Day 10
Wake to pouring rain – 8:00 am breakfast at Denny’s in Vernon. Send Anne back to Kelowna to await our arrival & then on to the Bikes – What it’s stopped raining.. 9:00 am and final push to arrive for 12:30 reception Everyone has additional energy today. We make good time arriving near the reception at Orchard Park Mall at 11:30. Meeting, Mercedes, another special child who will ride the last block with us on her special tricycle. Ride into reception area hearing Katie’s voice as Sista B & the Boys are entertaining the crowd. Congrates, thanks & good bye to each of the riders & support crew.
Well that’s a brief recap of my little adventure. Had a great time with an amazing group of people.
Proud & pleased that I decided to do the ride & achieved my objectives.
Best of all the Ride has generated over $160,000 year to date for C4K.
NOW WHAT’s NEXT??????
(Mason jar lanterns)
(notice the variety of empty wine bottles...the sign of a good night!)
