Introducing our founding journal contributors

Hello, my name is Stan Shaw. You may have already read my journal last year , which chronicled an epic cycling journey that took us from Vancouver and ended nine days, and 1200 kilometers later in Banff, with the goal of raising research funds for Cystic Fibrosis. The tour was a remarkable success - we made over $72,000!

Left to right: Jacqueline, Sherri, Susan and Stan during last year's GearUp4CF ride-->

One thousand two hundred kilometers in nine days. A serious, daunting undertaking. To be honest, I cannot believe I'm crazy enough to do this again. This time, however, it's personal. For while I was on the ride last year, I met Roman, aged ten, and his twin sisters, Madison and Hailey, aged eight, together with their mother Jacqueline Hubick, who has been given the incredible task of raising three young children with Cystic Fibrosis. At the time, Sherri, one of Jacqueline's best friends, had come all the way from Prince George to ride on behalf of the children. About three weeks ago, I visited Roman while he was in hospital fighting a Pseudomonas infection in his lungs, something that is all too common for CF kids. He's doing better, thank God, and is home now. While I was there in hospital with him, however, Jacqueline told me Sherri could not come on the tour this year. Would I ride for the children in her place?

And so, with the blessing of my family, here I am, about to repeat one of the most challenging cycling journeys in BC. But this time, I am not alone. I will be chronicling this epic with three wonderful friends.




<--Stan climbing a hot, steep grade above Osoyoos during last year's GearUp4CF ride










Two are fellow riders on our upcoming ride in June - Susan Edmison and Tom Evans. Susan was a rider last year.

Susan in Vancouver

on her new Trek bike last summer-->

Tom, one of the most patient people on the planet, rode a support vehicle for us last year for 1200 kilometers at between 12 and 30 kilometers per hour, giving us water bottles, first aid and encouragement whenever we needed it. For nine days. You can imagine what that was like. This year, he is joining us on a bike!


<--Tom, on a training ride in Richmond

Like me, Susan and Tom are riding for children with CF. Susan is riding for Ali, who have been living with Cystic Fibrosis every day since she was born over sixteen years ago. Tom is riding for Rina, a lovely young girl with CF who goes to the same elementary school as my daughter. However, Tom also has a very personal connection with Cystic Fibrosis. You will learn about it here.

Our fourth contributor to this journal is Jacqueline, who won't be riding with us, but, as co-editor and mother of three children with CF, has her own special story to tell. And so, Susan, Tom, Jacqueline and I are all contributing to this journal. Over time, even more riders/contributors will be joining us on these pages.  I'm sure this will make for very entertaining and at times thought provoking reading, as we prepare for this epic ride to the Canadian Rockies.

For as we've mentioned in our welcoming pages, this journey is about raising awareness and funds for Cystic Fibrosis research and support through http://www.gearup4cf.org.


You can make a huge difference! The children we are riding for, who you will meet on these pages, are counting on us, and on you to help find a cure for CF, and do it soon. They cannot afford to wait. Want to learn how? Just go to the GearUp4CF web site at http://www.gearup4cf.org. and make a secure, on-line donation right now, while you are thinking about it. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy our Journal!


- Stan