Why?

My beautiful daughter died from CF in March 2010 and I am riding in GearUp4CF this year in her memory.

Eva was a fighter and inspiration to all that knew her. In 2008 I rode in GearUp4CF to celebrate her successful recovery from a double lung transplant that allowed Eva to once again live her life to the fullest. Only months after the surgery, she joined the team in Invermere, painting our faces and cheering us on with her pom-poms in her self-appointed role as chief cheerleader.

This year I will be 65 years old on the ride. That is why I am calling this ride 65 for65Roses; partly because of my age, partly because 65 Roses is a malapropism of Cystic Fibrosis, partly because my daughter’s blog was called 65 RedRoses, and also because I hope to reach the very lofty goal of raising $65,000.

Training to ride for 1200 km over multiple mountain passes to Banff will be very difficult; raising these funds will be just as much of a challenge. Here is where I need your help. Please donate to my ride and help contribute to Eva’s legacy to raise critical funds for CF research and awareness.

Friday 25 April 2014

Riding Season

This is the time of the year when riding starts to become fun. It's time to put away the booties, leave the winter gear in the closet, and stuff the rain jacket in the back pocket. The cherry blossoms are in bloom in the Lower Mainland and it's glorious to be riding on the open road. It's still not warm out but 13 degrees is a lot better than 5 degrees. On Good Friday Paul Underhill hosted a Ride for Life to support transplant and close to 60 riders cycled 102 kilometres through the gorgeous Saanich countryside. It's always great to ride with locals and I was lucky to be guided around by Peter Dickinson, a long time local rider with a strong cadence and a great Trek bike. I'm still a worker bee so it's only now that you can go out after work and get in a decent ride and be home before dark. I love spring.

Monday 14 April 2014

T.I.T.S.

In the early spring of 2008 I was training on my own when I was lucky to meet up with other Gear Up trainees Sandy, Mieko and Brian. What were solitary slogs up SFU mountain became shared hardship and long rides all over the Fraser Valley. One rainy day while riding toward Cypress Mountain Sandy told me she had met and ridden with Dr. David Speert, our original GearUp4CF rider,  who quizzed her about her training. A conversation ensued and his parting words were "Well Sandy all you need now are some tits" . Well Sandy is a nurse and used to hearing just about everything but she was a bit non-plussed about this rather pointed remark  looked down and said to Dave that she really had no problem with her body image. At which point he said "No, not tits,..... TITS, that is Time In The Saddle"".

And that is where we are in our training now. the weather has improved dramatically and now the GearUp trainees need some long rides and Time In The Saddle.

Saturday 5 April 2014

The Rewards of Riding

Wednesday evening about 7:30 pm as the sun was setting over the cranberry fields on Number 7 Road and River Road in Richmond



Tuesday 1 April 2014

Here it is! Check out my clip on Breakfast Television, they selected me as their Athlete of the Week!



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