#septembering

 Events: 160 km ride from Pickering to Belleville

Thoughts and Highlights of the Day:  A tribute to Alex.  A ride with Ed Helmus.  A visit from Stephanie and Roger.  Butterflies.

The day broke chilly but clear over the parking lot of the Pickering Town Centre. As we gathered together it became clear that we had a special guest.  Ed Helmus is a national ride alumnus who has been waging a battle with cancer for some time. We did not expect to see him in Pickering, if at all, two months ago.  He was in a very tough spot in his battle just a couple of months ago.  Now he is putting on weight again and looking good. And he jumped on a tandem with Frank Zechner for about 55 km today, his first ride of the year.  I was honoured and humbled to be able to ride with Ed today.

Then we heard from a family whose daughter is suffering from ALL. She seems to be on the road to recovery which is what we always hope to hear.  

I was given the honour of paying tribute to Alex in the dedication today.  This was a tribute to Alex but also to my family and to the team that has surrounded us and supported us since the day of his diagnosis.  I asked people to look for butterflies today.  We had seen many at Sherway yesterday, and they are to us a symbol of life, renewal and hope.  I’ll post the entire dedication, much of it written by Frances, in a separate post.  

We set out towards Belleville with Ed on the tandem and Damon Allen accompanying us from Team 2, as he headed home for a short visit with his family before rejoining Team 2 in Ottawa.  Damon is an incredible rider but, more importantly, a man who wants to change the outcomes for kids with cancer and who wants to teach his children the importance of helping others.   It was fun to ride with Damon today.

It took some time to get the train rolling as we battled stop lights through Pickering and Oshawa.  As we came to our first stop in Newcastle, my hopes were fulfilled when I saw Roger and Stephanie Gallant waiting for us.  Roger and Stephanie are a SNKCR couple.  When they did SNKCR together, they found a common bond and have not looked back.  Stephanie had a bad cycling accident two months ago and has some ways to go on her recovery, but she has a tremendous will and fortitude which has shown through a previous battle, and she has a hugely supportive husband who will do what is necessary to help her.  And she has good karma being sent her way by many, many people who love her.  I was so happy to have seen them.

On we went and eventually arrived in Belleville after pretty ride with the sun shining on us. At the end of the day, someone had counted 28 butterflies, flying along with us, showing us the way.  

Reflections: As a parent of a child who has died, it never gets easier, you just get better at hiding it. But it is good to tell the story, to keep your child alive and thriving in this world even though they are not physically with you.  And the legacy goes beyond Alex; it includes the unbelievable resilience and empathy that Maddie and Ben have displayed as survivors of childhood cancer, the heart and soul that Frances provides to all of us, the support and effort and love that Team Alex – our family and friends – give to us without reservation.  AMPed for Life.

Team 1: Pickering to Belleville - Distance 160 km, Total 1,942 km, Climb 750 m, Total 8,784 m http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1651832

more of september : -

5. bright

6. every day

7. natural

september pictures :-

1. me, now

2. father

3. far away (spring ain't)

no omg i like to cook and i love all kinds of foods omg