Training Ride This Weekend-Waterloo To Peterborough

I'm Riding to Peterborough this weekend via the 2010 day 1 route-One of my favorite routes in the history of the Tour exluding rush hour traffic down Brock rd over the 401 and the pounding rain-Ahh memories! 

Day 1-Leaving my place @ 7am, lunch north of Richmond Hill-to Port Perry-Stay overnight Bon Voyage Motel in Port Perry
Day 2-Leaving 8am-Port Perry to ROYL lunch spot on top of hill by tennis courts to Bewdley, riding on the north side of Rice Lake-over to my Dad's place just east of Peterborough, near Hastings.

Support vehicle will be at the malls along the way shopping for back to school!

Wish me luck...I'll try posting during my trip-but I'm just getting used to this Blog/tweeeting thing and a new IPAD-good grief-Charlie BROWN!

To my friends who participated in the Ride for Lance and others that supported-CONGRATS!

Payner

thanks from the Millie famiily

Thanks to Tim and all the Officers for taking their time to do this ride for the Cancer Centre.
Uncle Ray had his radiation treatments there. Although he had to travel from Guelph everyday for 6 weeks, it was sure better than traveling to London daily.
Living in Waterloo Region, I am so thankful to have this wonderful facility.  It was only 20years ago when I worked in cancer unit that we had 6 hospital beds and 1 small room for out patient cancer treatments and all radiation treatments were in London, Hamilton or Toronto.
I am so thankful for fundraising efforts like these, that we now have such a great centre.
Tim, please pass on our thanks to all your fellow officers.
Sandra

Welcome back (and thank you)!

Mark from the Foundation here...wanted to send out a big THANK YOU (and welcome back) to returning sponsors; Grand River Foods, Pillers, D.A. Kurt Insurance, and Aviva Insurance.  This ride certainly couldn't accomplish everything it does without the support of great corporate citizens like yourselves!  Countdown is on...one month to go.

Training Day BBQ

 Officers on a recent training day were offered a BBQ lunch to be prepared instead of bringing their own lunches.  The BBQ was in support of the ROYL team member Cst. Tanya Natyshak-Cole in her goal to raise a minimum of $1000 in support of the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre.  Officers were asked to donate and in return they received a delicious meal.

 Cst. Saliba was on hand to showcase his culinary skills.

 The "green goo" may look icky but the Pesto Pasta Salad was a great hit.  There was none left at the end of the lunch hour.

 Enjoying some down time on training day .....

 ...good conversation....

....and great company!

With 15 officers and other supportive staff members a total of $179 was raised.  Thank you to all who donated.  Your contributions will help the community members you serve.

Team 3C - What have you been up to??

Hey Doc....ready for this one???

Team 3C at Grand River Regional Cancer Centre Open House in May 2011.  Team members Scott, Matt, Chris and Tanya were there for almost 3 hours spinning.  Not only was the weather kind that day but other team members Pete and Tyler stopped by later in the day to show their continued support.

WRPS - Super Heros??

MacEwan in support of Team 3C.  In May of 2011 Team 3C were present at the Waterloo Regional Police Service Open House for Police Week.  Team members were on their bikes pedaling to raise awareness of the excellent work being done by the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre and of the Canadian Police and Peace Officers Memorial in Ottawa this September 25th weekend.  At the start of the day the cyclist tattoo drew our community members and their families to inquire about the event.  Many were kind enough to donate to the cause and shared stories, memories and words of encouragement to our riders.

Hailey is support of team 3C.  Hailey wore her mom's jersey and helped raise awareness about why the officers rode and will ride their bikes from Kitchener to Ottawa.  As you can see on Hailey's cheek her tattoo is similar but different than MacEwans.  A young boy who was 5 years of age was asking many questions about what the officers were doing.  Hailey had explained to this young boy that they were raising money and awareness for the Cancer Centre and helping to save lives.  Without hesitation this young boy said "They are like superheros!".  So from then on in the face painting of the riders morphed into superheros and the cape was added.

TEAM 3C.  Team members Matt, "Doc", Chris, Pete and Jen were on hand to spin!  Some were there for more than 3 hours!  Sounds like a long time until you compare it to the 8 hours per day they rode in September of 2010 for 4 days in a row.  Way to go team!  Thanks for your dedication!

Hailey spent hours creating this banner to display her pride in the team.

From a childs perspective...

I am very proud to have been a part of the 2010 Ride of Your Life Tour.  I was part of an amazing team of individuals who dedicated a lot of their time to ride from the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre located in Kitchener to the National Police and Peace Officer's Memorial located in Ottawa.  The ride was approximately 640 km and was accomplished in 4 days.  Initially, I was unsure if I was capable of such a task but from the beginning of the ride I knew immediately I had the support of the team.  I had a great experience and learned a lot about myself physically and with riding for 8 hours at a time there was a lot to think about and reflect on. 
My personal experience, however, did not end in Ottawa. I never realized the impact this ride would have on my family.  My daughter was given an assignment in her grade 5 class to write an essay.  The essay was to discuss a topic that she felt was important.  With no direction from myself she wrote about the importance of Cancer awareness.  When I read it, I can admit with pride that it brought tears to my eyes.  Attached you will find the essay that I am proud to share with all of you.
To all my fellow teammates, I share this story with you because you have ALL been a part of making an impact on our youth and engaging them to want to make a difference.
I look forward to this year's ride and for those who I have not met please consider making a donation, any amount of donation, to the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre and specifically in the name of our riders.  Not only are they making impacts on the lives of our community in uniform but they continue to impact the lives of many on their own merits.

Above states (verbatim):

    "Their are many way to show cancer awareness and raise money.  One way to rasie money and awareness is to get pledges like when the waterloo Regionel police did a bike Ride to ottawa.  They rasied money and awareness.  The money whent to the grand river hospital foundation.  Not a lot fo people relize that cancer has taken a lot of peoples lives.  There are many different types of foundations.  One that is very well know is the Lance Armstrong foundation.  He is a very famous celebrity because he has won the tour de france 7 times and he is a cancer survivor.  A lot of people suport him and his foundation.  Diffrent people have thouat of diffrent ideas to show cancer awareness.  Lance armstrong has the yellow wristbans.  their is the Pink ribbons and their is movember when Men grow mustach for a month.  Cancer has taken to many lie it needs to stop." 

Respectfully,
Tanya ...Proud mom!!

So how far is it??

Mark here from the Foundation...decided to put into a bit of perspective just how far this team will ride (and have ridden) for the Ride of Your Life.  This year's trip is approximately 640 km.  So for the three years they've been doing this (including this year), the team has ridden the equivalent of:
Vancouver to Calgary (670 km)
Niagara Falls to New York City (660 km)
Los Angeles to San Francisco (610 km)...combined,
or
London, England to Rome, Italy (1885 km)

Makes you tired just reading it doesn't it??