After 200km on the bike

218km
2 days
Toronto --> Niagara Falls
The Ride to Conquer Cancer 2010 benefiting the Princess Margaret Hospital


Joel and I first signed up for the Ride to Conquer Cancer 2010 event back in November 2009 -- when we were still in Jasper, AB, en route to Vancouver, BC. There wasn't too much thought to it back then. I only thought it was for a great cause and a great feat to accomplish with Joel.

I guess sometimes it's when you stumble into things unknowingly, you tend to encounter great things. As we were fundraising ($5 000 combined), Joel and I encountered great generosity and warm encouragements. As we entered the CNE grounds in Toronto on Day 1, we encountered a sea of cyclists and cancer survivors all with one goal and hope to conquer cancer. Even the week approaching the event, 3 more stories -- the death of a fellow brother from church after 7 courageous battling cancer & his funeral (we rode in memory of him); the death of my great-uncle in Vancouver (without him, I wouldn't be here); and then the story of a woman -- victor over breast cancer.

I assure you there were hills. There's no way around that since we had to climb the Niagara escarpment to get to Niagara Falls. Then again, you somehow forget about the climbing, the digging hard into the pedals, that burning sensation building up all along your legs, that aching butt of yours, the tempting thought of getting off the bike and walk. You see this community of cyclists, the yellow flags behind each cancer survivors' bike, the leg amputee lady, that 80 year old man ... still riding, still fighting and then you remember why we ride. We ride in memory of our lost loved ones.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVDXt6kST7I&feature=youtu.be&a