Our GearUp4CF 2010 Rider's Journal

Welcome to our GearUp4CF Rider's Journal

3000-01-01T12:00:00.000-08:00

We've arrived in Banff on Sunday afternoon, June 27th!
Read on - here's the story of our incredible tour.

This Journal charts the preparations and the actual day-by-day account of our ride. When we completed our journey nine days later on Sunday June 27th, we had cycled over 1200 kilometers, from Vancouver to Banff, including some of the steepest highway mountain passes in British Columbia.

Our ride is more than a cycling tour, though.

Our route.

Click on map to enlarge. For more details, click here

To do this ride, we must complete two major tasks. The first task, only we can do. The cyclists who are volunteering for this tour must train, for months, to be physically and mentally ready to complete a marathon ride of this magnitude. But to accomplish the second task, which is a huge undertaking in its own right, we need your help.

This journey, and this journal, is about raising awareness and vitally needed funds for research through the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

What a difference you can make! For our goal is not just to reach Banff. It is, with your financial support, to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis, and do it soon. Our children and young adults who we are riding for cannot afford to wait.

To our sponsors, thank you!

Our goal this tour was to raise $90,000.
To date, we've raised $120,000!
Your support is so appreciated.
If you can help us, let's do even better.
Every dollar raised gives hope.

Meet our GearUp4CF 2010 Team

(Click on their name for their personal story)
Brian Benson
Margaret Benson
Brenda Cairns
Justin Chan --> Justin's Journal
Kitty Chavarie
Susan Edmison
Tom Evans
Rebecca Malott
Martina Meckova
Bob Payne
Jill Payne
Bernard Pinsky
Leona Pinsky
Simon Ree
Stan Shaw
David Strange
Heather Strange
Andrea Taylor
James Zlosnik --> James' Journal

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? IT'S NOT TOO LATE! Click on their name above, or anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site. Then simply click on the button "Sponsor this Rider".

An Epic, 1,200 km bike ride of hope and determination from Vancouver to Banff

2010-09-20T22:30:00.000-07:00

By Martina Meckova, Director, Vancouver/Lower Mainland Chapter

On June 19, a team of 20 dedicated riders set off from Delta, British Columbia for the 5th annual GearUp4CF, a long and challenging bike ride from Vancouver to Banff with the goal to raise awareness and money for CF research.

This year, I decided to join the team and dedicate my ride to Sharon and Daryl Boniface who lost their fight with cystic fibrosis before either of them could reach the age of twenty. GearUp4CF was my own personal and tangible fight against this terrible disease. People with CF struggle for breath each and every day. I felt that this difficult nine-day ride across BC and the Rockies was the least I can do.

And what an incredible journey it was! Without a question, the ride was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. But it was also an incredible adventure. At the beginning, I was simply focused on getting to Banff (in one piece). However, with each day in the saddle, I realized that I was actually enjoying the “journey”! For nine days, we as a group shared our daily struggles, the highs and lows as we rode across some of the steepest highway mountain passes in British Columbia.

When we arrived in Banff on June 27, I recall embracing Tom Evans in a very long hug. We were both in tears, overjoyed with an incredible feeling of accomplishment. No words needed to be spoken. Tom lost his daughter Melanie to CF eleven years go.

GearUP4CF was a very empowering and inspirational experience. It was a reminder that we all are capable of impossible things if we only set our minds to it. Over the nine days, we traveled a total of 1,205 km, climbed approximately 8,100 meters of cumulative elevation and spent a total of over 52 hours on the saddle. But most importantly, we collectively raised over $120,000 for CF research!

Sharing this experience with the parents of CF children who were on the ride: Tom Evans, Leona Pinsky, Simon Ree, and David and Heather Strange, added a very personal insight and connection to cystic fibrosis. Having Margaret Benson, an adult with CF, on the ride was also very inspiring. Margaret is a double-lung transplant recipient and an incredible athlete. She and her husband Brian rode with us for the first two days from Vancouver to Manning Park on a tandem bike. I rode with them into Harrison on the first day and struggled to keep up the pace! When they finish the gigantic climb over Allison Pass into Manning Park on the second day, we were all amazed by their sheer strength and will power. Their bike weighed more than 50 pounds!

The dedicated researchers who were also riding with us expressed how important it was for them to be part of this ride and see how in a very tangible way they are helping those affected by cystic fibrosis. The work that they do in research labs across

Canada

, funded by the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, is the key to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis. I was also moved by those riders without a direct connection to the cause who have simply donated their time and shared in the passion to find a cure for CF.

There are many people to thank when doing this ride. My greatest thanks goes out to all the riders who participated this year’s GearUp4CF: Brian Benson, Margaret Benson, Christoph Blohmke, Brenda Cairns, Justin Chan, Kitty Chavarie, Susan Edmison, Tom Evans, Rebecca Malott, Bob Payne, Jill Payne, Bernard Pinsky, Leona Pinsky, Simon Ree, Stan Shaw, Heather Strange, David Strange, Andrea Taylor and James Zlosnik. I felt privileged to be able to share this journey with such an amazing group of people and I am grateful for their incredible commitment and courage to participate in this year’s GearUp4CF.

A special thank you also goes to our support team of volunteers: Malcolm Kennedy, Wayne Kennedy, Tracey Lee and Simona Rolincova for their time and effort in making the ride such an amazing experience for all of us.

We are very grateful to our sponsors and donors for making this year one of the most successful rides in the five year history of GearUp4CF. The hospitality of the Kinsmen and Kinettes that hosted us in many of the towns we passed through was simply incredible. Their ongoing commitment to the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is truly exceptional.

At the finish line, although a little sore and tired from the journey, we all agreed that this was one of the most remarkable things each of us has ever done! We were all in it for many different personal reasons that went well beyond riding a bike, but we shared one common motivation: to give hope and a future to children and adults with cystic fibrosis.

(This article was originally published in the Fall 2o1o Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation newsletter, "Commentary")

Day 9 - Inveremere to Banff - we've arrived!! 151.7 km

2010-06-27T23:30:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Stan Shaw

What an incredible day. We left Invermere this morning knowing, with some sadness, that in only a few hours our long journey across British Columbia into the Canadian Rockies would be over

<--Our route for today. 151.7 km. For more details, click here.

Our elevation profile, as plotted by my bike's Garmin GPS. Total energy consumed over Sinclair and Vermillion passes: 5341 calories.

Click on the image to enlarge.

<--David filling his water bottle with a magic elixir - Simon's favorite energy drink: Coca-Cola!

Simon on the last day-->

Despite the sadness I felt knowing this was the last day of this magnificent tour, I cannot help but say it was also with a sense of relief, too. I don't know how much more my poor body could take such abuse.

But what a way to end the ride. As we moved down the highway towards Radium Hot Springs, the mountains towered beside us, giving a hint of what we would be seeing today.

The real climb into Banff began, however, at the turnoff up into Kootenay National Park at Radium Hot Spring, past rushing mountain rivers, into a narrow canyon in the midst of lush, green forest.

"Interesting" house by the side of highway 93 on the way to Sinclair Pass-->

At one point, we cycled through a tunnel, filled with echoed shouts as we passed through.

Signs warned us of a bear on the road as we neared the summit, by Olive Lake. I didn't see one, however, Malcolm and Wayne told us later they could see from their vantage point in the support vehicle, the bear was down in a side gully below the highway.

However, just rounding the bend, we found two magnificent big horned sheep grazing quietly beside the road. I was a bit worried one of them might take offense to our presence and ram our bikes. Thankfully, they tolerated a few clicks of our camera as we passed by.

<--Jill, feeling a bit vulnerable. To our relief, the sheep didn't seem terribly interested in her.

A couple we passed, riding a heavy tandem bike PLUS a trailer, on their way to Calgary from the BC Interior. Apparently, they had climbed Kootenay Pass on this bike. It was hard enough to do it using our light bikes!!-->

And then, we were at the top of Sinclair Pass. Within a few minutes, we wheeled into the famous Kootenay Valley viewpoint, displaying a wonderful vista of the Canadian Rockies we were about to descend into.

Bob at the Kooteney Pass Viewpoint-->

It was a great opportunity for photos, hugs, and thanks to our wonderful support team for helping us to get there.

<--Support drivers Malcolm (left) and Wayne (right), with Martina

Support drivers Tracy (left) and Simona (right) with Kitty (middle)-->

We then descended into the forested valley that provided something new to see everywhere we looked. And the wildlife!

Yes, we finally saw a moose. A beautiful animal, it was standing beside the road until the first cyclist passed near by, By the time I arrived, it has moved closer to the woods, but we were still able to take some photos.

A few minutes later, we came across a white tailed deer, and, later, another one. Nervous, ever watchful, they didn't stay long.

The second deer ran past us, then back and forth along the side of the highway, perhaps a bit unsure of these crazy cyclists in red jerseys passing by.

A small black bear, seen just a few kilometers past the deer-->

We carried on until lunch at the Kootenay Park Lodge.

They say accidents happen most frequently when you are close to your destination. It certainly was my case. I managed to collide (thankfully at low speed) with another rider just going into the gravel parking lot, sending me to the pavement. Opps. A bruised elbow, and, WORSE, a bruised ego, as the entire CF cycling team watched it happen! Thankfully, nothing serious, although I was cycling a bit slower for a while while I was straighting various parts of my poor bike that got a bit bent out of shape.

BUT, we were nearly there! Kitty, Jill and Bob, who were riding with me, kindly waited until I managed to literally 'get back in gear' on the road.

We headed on together for the second and last climb of the tour, reaching the apex at the Continental Divide, just inside the Alberta border.

<--Stan at the Continental Divide, a little battered, but happy.

The weather was threatening to change to rain, but we stayed long enough for photos before a final descent from Vermilion Pass into Banff.

Storm approaching-->

<--The highway grade from Vermilion Pass down to Banff. Click on the image to enlarge.

<--David beginning his final descent

Before we knew it, we were at Johnston Canyon Resort, our planned meeting place before our victory ride into Banff. It took a while for some of us to get there (partly my fault - I was much slower getting there after my little bump at the Kootenay Park Resort, and, like several other riders, managed to take the wrong turnoff. But we all got there eventually. Along the way, we passed by two Parks Canada animal control vehicles, with flashing lights and officers that looked like they meant business. Apparently, a grizzly had been spotted beside the road just a few yards from Johnston Canyon, and they were not taking any chances. I'm glad they were there - I didn't want a grizzly thinking I was just his version of Dim Sum Chinese Lunch on moving carts!

And then, the final ride downhill to Banff, past two rather terrifying (to a biker, at least) cattle guards. These are essentially parallel metal bars spaced several inches apart along a strip about five feet wide that is daunting to wildlife and cattle. Very effective. But it could also spell a quick end to a victorious ride into Banff if you hit the rails the wrong way on our bikes. The last cattle guard was only a few yards from the welcome sign to Banff. Several of us got off our bikes and gingerly walked across.

But we made it!!!

Five minutes later, we were in the heart of Banff. It's such a lovely town, and a happy sight for our weary team. The Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation had booked us into Brewsters Mountain Lodge, a comfortable hotel in the heart of Banff. Heather Strange was there to greet us with David and Heather's son Carter. A number of other family and friends of riders were there too, clapping as we arrived and unclipped our shoes from pedals for the last time. Whew!

I have much to reflect on this journey, and much to be thankful for.

First, THANK YOU to our sponsors, our volunteers, and donors for making this one of the most successful rides in the five year history of GearUp4CF. At last count, we have raised over $120,000 for Cystic Fibrosis research. The support we received was incredible. I will never forget the hospitality of the Kinsmen and Kinettes that hosted us in many of the towns we passed through. Thank you so much!

And for our support team - Malcolm, Wayne, Tracy and Simona - I cannot imagine how hard it must have been to keep all of us happy, fed with delicious lunches and snacks, cared for when we were hurting, encouraged when we were feeling tired, all the while keeping track of a diverse group of riders travelling for over 1200 kilometers at barely 25 kph. What you did for us is deeply appreciated. We could not have done it without you.

Throughout the ride, I felt the support of my family, friends, and the children I was riding for. In fact, the entire elementary school Madison, Hailey and Roman attend was following our journey (click here to read about the school presentation Roman, his mother Jacqueline and I did a few weeks ago). That support was crucial in motiving me on during the ride. Speaking with the parents of CF children who were on the ride - David and Heather Strange, Leona Pinsky, Tom Evans and Simon Ree - added a very personal element. It reminded me that I was not riding for a cause, or for a charity, but for CF children and young adults who need our help. The dedicated researchers who were also riding with us further gave us greater insight. They included James Zlosnik, Rebecca Mallott, Christoff Blohmke (who rode with us last year, and for two days this year), Justin Chan and Tracey Lee (who was one of our support drivers). These researchers demonstrated how in very real, practical terms, they are helping to improve the outcomes of CF children and adults. The work they are doing, and the work that is taking place in research labs across Canada through the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is making a difference. Your financial support is making a difference.

And so, we were all here for reasons that went well beyond riding a bike. And with this in mind, together with the wonderful memories of this journey, we are going home, exhausted, but happy.

- Stan

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? IT'S NOT TOO LATE! Click on their name above, or anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site. Then simply click on the button "Sponsor this Rider".

Day 9 - Inveremere to Banff - Kitty's account

2010-06-27T22:30:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Kitty Chavarie

Its done, over and through. We did it all. 1200 kilometers. Personally, it was a huge challenge. I can't believe I have done such a thing in my life. I have sore muscles everywhere and really looking forward to my own bed, home and food and family as my whole life has been bike bike bike for so many days, BUT I am also very very glad to have done this.

Kitty at the Kootenay Pass Viewpoint-->

<--Jill and Bob Payne with Kitty (middle)

Today for our last ride we had lots of wildlife show up to keep us entertained. We saw a bull moose, white tailed deer, two bighorn sheep, a black bear, a grizzly bear and lots of little gophers - hilarious looking critters. The scenery was amazing, from riding through a tunnel, viewing glaciers close up,

and riding past glacial rivers with water as turquoise as you can imagine.

It's so different from seeing the province from a car. The scent in the air a lot of day was like lilacs (?) - I couldn't see a lilac anywhere but sure did like the smell. Oh and the wild rose smell too - just wonderful.

Kitty riding past mountain flowers beside the road-->

When we got to the Continental Divide we had a photo session - of course! The signage there is still the original from when I was first across Canada as a kid.

Jill and Bob Payne at the Continental Divide. They seem to be leaning on the Atlantic side of the Divide -- makes sense, as they have come all the way from Newfoundland to do this tour. And yes, Kitty is leaning toward the Pacific (picture above)!-->

Arriving in Banff was such a relief. I think we were all done by then, so the hotel looked great to all of us. I must admit I won't be on a bike for awhile. But I will be on it again for sure. The skills I learned and distances I can now do are just amazing. We all have goofy cyclers tans but its all good.

Thanks for following our journal. Stan and I, and the other riders who contributed to it have enjoyed sharing it with you.

As a group we raised over $120,000! This is amazing when you see that we are so few in number. We all did this to help our researchers improve outcomes, and to ultimately find a cure for CF. It may have started out some of us didn't have a personal connection to CF. But after travelling with parents with these affected kids, parents who have lost their kids and other families and friends who have lost friends, we just want to help out. I feel we have done our part this year. It will be a great day when the CF stands for Cure Found. Sooner would be better.

Tomorrow I meet my email friend Sandra Smith who I dedicated this ride to, she helped me up the hard bits and inspired me throughout this whole event. Funny how we feel so close without even having met in person. I can't wait!

- Kitty

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? IT'S NOT TOO LATE! Click on their name above, or anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site. Then simply click on the button "Sponsor this Rider".

Day 8 - from Cranbrook to Creston 131 km

2010-06-26T22:30:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Kitty Chavarie

The ride to Invermere was long and hot...flat flat flat but with good company the kilometers just rolled away.

Today's route, plotted by Stan's bike-mounted GPS. Total distance: 131.1 km. For details, click here-->

<--Our elevation profile. At first glance, it looks like a really hard ride!! But look at the scale. Changes are only a few hundred feet, spread out over many kilometers. Elevation-wise, it was not so bad, after all.

Stan and I solved all the worlds problems today and felt good about our ability to do that! HAHA.

Stan-->

I was hoping for more wildlife but we just saw a few wild drivers instead. It's funny how you can ride the shoulder and leave a large flat highway for all the other vehicles and still make folks angry? I thought we were supposed to go "green". We can't get much greener than a bike right?

I rode a few kms with a triathlete cyclist today, who tagged along briefly with us near Canal Flats. I admired his chilly icy slurpy on his handlebars. If he wasn't so fast I would've grabbed it and zoomed off!

The scenery here can't be beat, no wonder its called Beautiful BC, man o man.

Canal Flats-->

The Hoodoo's are something to behold, also love the glacial streams and rivers, such a contrast to the silty rivers we have seen the last few days.

<--The Hoodoos, on the way to Invermere

Food on the road is amazing, I can't believe how good it all tastes when you roll in for lunches and snacks, thanks to Simona, Tracy, Wayne and Malcolm for setting out great spreads.

Thanks a zillion and a half to Andrea for keeping our bikes in such good shape. Some of us riders are newbies and need her expertise, a real bonus to have her along. My seat felt a lot better today after the adjustment it recieved this am. (my bike seat that is!) I had aching knees yesterday and she resolved that with
her knowledge.

I have loved having Brenda as my roommate, so much more mature and patient than me so a great mentor. She has done seventeen Ironmans in her athletic career, and has tons of knowledge to share so I have lucked out having her to spend so much time together.

ONE MORE RIDE, I have almost seen the whole province from the seat of a bike, what a visual feast. Try it you may like it!

Love from Kitty

(P.S. - More photos are coming - if not tonight, certainly over the next few days!

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name above, or anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site. Then simply click on the button "Sponsor this Rider".

Day 7 - Creston to Cranbrook

2010-06-25T23:30:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Stan Shaw

It's hard to imagine that in only three days we will be arriving in Banff. The week has gone by so quickly. Already, we've traveled over 844 kilometers in six days. I'm feeling great, despite that massive climb yesterday.

Our route today, 110.1 km, as plotted on my bike-mounted Garmin GPS. Click on the map to enlarge. For more details, click here-->

<--Our elevation profile, a gradual rise with gentle, rolling hills, then a final descent into Cranbrook.

Our day began at the Chatka Family Restaurant, which specializes in hearty home-style food with a Russian flair. I left quickly to pack our belongings to be forwarded onto our next destination, Cranbrook, approx. 108 km away. We headed out, basically together, however, it wasn't long before some riders, including myself today, broke away to ride at a faster pace.

Breakfast at Chatka restaurant-->

I love both styles of riding . Group riding is my preferred method of cycling long distances as it allows for great conversation, and helps to save energy. But solitary riding is nice too, because you can ride at your own pace, and simply tune in to the beauty around. I chose the latter today, because it was a relatively easy, short ride that allowed me to settle into my aerobars and enjoy the kilometers float silently by.

I met up with the lead group of riders at a morning rest stop at Yahk Provincial Park.

<--Justin Chan, pointing the way

Within minutes, however, everyone on the cycling team showed up, exuberant over the ease of the ride. All riders are cycling stronger now, thanks to six days of major climbing.

While we were at Yahk, we, of course, "yahked" about the great ride we had enjoyed this morning. Nice rolling hills, perfect cycling weather, and NEW pavement for several kilometers leading to the rest stop. After traveling over 900 km so far, we're gourmet road connoisseurs now and appreciate such fine things in life.

Left to right: Rebecca Malott, Jill Payne and Martina Meckova-->

As for the goofy sounding name "Yahk"? Apparently, in the language of the Ktunaxa First Nation, who live in the region, Yahk means "cariboo" or "arrowhead". Originally settled in 1928 by families of railway workers, it's now a small retirement community, sprinkled with farms.

<--Train outside Yahk

Along the way, I stopped to take photos and learn a bit about the places I was travelling through.

Martina, Justin and Rebecca (barely visible)-->

The Creston-Cranbrook region has a rich and colorful history. The ghost town of Moyie, on the banks of Moyie lake, for example, was once a bustling city fuelled by the Eugene silver mine. Ruins of the mine can be seen along the highway, along with the ruins of an old church and, beside it, a cemetery nestled in the woods.

<--what remains of an old church, near the St. Eugene silver mine alongside the highway. Click on photo to enlarge.

Pioneer cemetery in the woods-->

Moyie's remarkable footnote in BC history originated with the Kooteney gold rush in the 1850 and 1860's. At the time, thousands of American prospectors rushed to seek fame and fortune. In fact, all trails led north-south into Washington and Idaho, with the vast bulk of trade took place along these routes. It's hard to imagine what might have happened if an all-British route had not been created along the Dewdney trail.

<--Wild flowers by the highway

The Dewney trail started Victoria-Vancouver and extended south to Rock Creek, linking small towns and mining communities along the way. We actually rode through Rock Creek three days ago . With concerns over American economic intrusion into the Kootenays, James Dewney was commissioned to extend his famous trail into this region. The Dewney trail is now gone. But approximately 80% of it is part of the Crowsnest Highway that we are cycling on.

A rather colorful road sign (click on photo to enlarge). After traveling over 844 km so far, some of us were wondering whether this was the road we were actually travelling on!-->

Moyie Lake began to be settled after a Ktunaxa first nations member, Pierre, found a rich ore deposit containing lead and silver in the nearby hills. Father Coccola, of the St. Eugene Mission, who apparently was also something of a real estate broker, negotiated the sale of the claims. Proceeds from the sale were used to build a new home for Pierre, and a new mission church. The discovery and development of the mine led to the expansion of Cominco and the construction of the Crowsnest Pass Railway.

<--Water tower of the Moyie firehall (now restored), built in 1907.

At last, after a gentle descent into Cranbrook, I found myself rolling through town, past a large railway museum beside the tracks on the highway. Next tine I'n in the area, I simply must stop in to see it.

<--small lake and park on the outskirts of town

Water tower used to fill steam locomotives at the turn of the century-->

<--Old engines parked on sidelines near the Railway museum.

We soon found ourselves at the Sandman Inn. It was a good thing we arrived early, as the time changes between Creston and Cranbrook. Since this meant I lost an hour due to Mountain Time, I had just enough time to get a hot shower before a shuttle took us to a Kinsman and Kinette's dinner at Mission Hills golf course.

The dinner was wonderful, and the conversation with our hosts, several of whom I had met during last year's tour was very enjoyable. At the end of dinner, we were presented with a donation on behalf of the Cranbrook Kinsmen and Kinettes - a welcome gift.

Afterwards, we tried out the local driving range, with hilarious results. Justin found he could throw the ball farther than he could hit it with a golf club.

<--Jill trying her hand at the driving range

She kept us in stitches with her valiant attempts to master the fine art of hitting a golf ball-->

....unlike Bob and Simon, who hit those balls with a mechanical precision that was quite awesome. After thoroughly embarrassing myself in the last two golf tournaments I've ever attempted (outside of pitch and put), I could appreciate it.

Left to right: Andrea, Rebecca, Susan and Tom-->

<--Simon, James and our volunteer driver, Wayne, enjoying the show!

What a great day. It was made even greater with news this afternoon that we have raised $119,000 for Cystic Fibrosis research so far. The support we have received on this ride has been tremendous.

I didn't mention that, after dinner Tom, who lost his daughter to Cystic Fibrosis, gave an impassioned speech to all of us about the need to raise funds for the children and young adults who are living in hope for a cure.

Can we do better? We have just two more days before our ride is complete. If you have not donated yet, here's your chance. Every dollar means hope for the children and young adults we are riding for.

Tomorrow is a long but easy ride into Invermere. I remember thoroughly enjoying it last year. Look for more photos and stories when we arrive!

- Stan

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site. Then simply click on the button "Sponsor this Rider".

Day 7 - from Creston to Cranbrook - Today was easy?

2010-06-25T22:30:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Kitty Chavarie

Hey again out there in blogland. The day was lovely..great weather for smooth cycling. The big trucks full of stinky cows made for some gripping experiences a few times for Brenda and I as we were on the inside of the rumble stuff and it was squeezy at best, then there was the embuttment to make it even more narrow....this made for a bit of stress but here we are in Cranbrook regardless.

On mountain time now, got in early and ended up at nearly the same time anyway, hardly fair. We all loved that we have time to socialize before dinner and hit a nearby sports store for some needed cycling supplies AND clean groovy clothes to boot!

Only two days to go, hard to believe. This is my first experience with having to ice my knees..I guess that one mile climb yesterday did that to them (not a guess, I am sure that was the cause) We rode through "Bountiful" today, no sign saying "welcome" so we didn't drop in. Oh, and a town called Yahk, somehow that made me giggle. I think all this pedalling makes one delirious to some extent.

Oh I forgot to mention our delicious breakfast at a Russian restaurant this morning in Creston. Martina and I enjoyed a double hit, eggs (real delicious eggs from a real live chicken who runs around outdoors< I am sure of that!) Home made bread and veg.

THEN the piece de resistance crepes with sweetened sour cream...delicious. Dinner tonight is at a golf course with the Kinsmen and Kinettes picking us up, oh going back to real life and cooking and being responsible may be an adjustment for all of us...

- Kitty

P.S. Some GREAT pictures will be posted here soon, likely tomorrow (Saturday) night.

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site. Then simply click on the button "Sponsor this Rider".

Day 6 - More about our ride from Trail to Creston - 122 km

2010-06-24T23:30:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Stan Shaw

I'm now at the Skimmerhorn Inn in Creston, watching riders roll in one by one. No heroics today - we were all climbing the mountain in survival mode today - except for, perhaps, Simon Ree, who blasted up the mountain pass at a breathtaking on hour and twenty minutes, hitting the last 8% rise at 46 kph.

We left Trail just before nine, as the sun was rising and the chill, cloudy weather the night before was disappearing. I found myself stripping off rain gear, then cold-weather clothes one by one simply waiting outside for the others to get ready, as the temperature rose minute by minute. By the time we left, around 8:45 AM, it was already pretty warm. What would it be like when we started the actual climb?

Justin, and two of our wonderful volunteer support drivers, Wayne and Malcolm, packing our trailer before starting off-->

Susan Edmison and I headed, and found ourselves riding all the way up the mountain together. A quiet, steady rider and delightful cycling companion, we found ourselves saying very little, but helping each other by drafting against a slow but steady headwind that blew down the valley. Conserving energy, knowing we had a huge climb before us, is so important.

<--Susan

We met up with a small group of riders for lunch, at the base of the mountain. By now, the sun was beating mercilessly down, forcing us to drink enormous amounts of electrolytes to keep from becoming dehydrated. And then, after a brief, ride along a mountain stream, the real climbing began.

Brutal.

I don't have much of a description beyond this. The grade was not much different from what I had prepared for on Cypress Mountain - about 8%, but the combination of heat and a light headwind seemed to make every pedal stroke that much harder. Susan and I switched places in the lead frequently. It was so helpful riding with an another cyclist up the mountain.

This ride was difficult, one of the hardest climbs I've done in a long time. I must say, I nearly lost it in the last half kilometer before the summit. It was all I could do to lay down one pedal stroke after another. My altimeter steadily clicked away... 2700 feet... 3000 feet.... 4000 feet... 5000 feet... 5500 feet.... my God, where's the summit?

And then came Andrea, who had reached the summit ahead of us, and was now whizzing back down the mountain towards us, here cheery smile encouraging us that we were nearly there. Before we knew it we rounded the corner to find the summit, and our incredibly helpful GearUp4CF support team waiting for us.

<--Stan

Susan-->

<--Andrea

David,

arriving at the summit-->

<--view from Bonanza Summit

And now... the reward. A thrilling 25 kilometer descent from summit, down to Creston's lush green valley below.

I left ahead of the others and found myself drifting off asleep in the warm sunshine at the base of the mountain as they arrived.

Together, Tom, Susan and I rode into town, and a very welcome hot shower at the Skimmerhorn Inn.

The folks at the Skimmerhorn were wonderful hosts. I am now relaxing in my room, waiting to go out for dinner with my son, Robert and his wife Courteney, who only a few blocks away. It will be terrific seeing them again!

I so enjoyed Kitty's description of the ride today. This tour has brought us together, not only in helping each other through an extremely difficult journey, but in sharing a common purpose - to help the children and adults we are riding for, who are living each day in a life journey that is every bit as difficult. I am inspired by what I have learned through parents of CF kids on this ride who, despite the continuous challenges they face each day, are with us on this epic ride. Every dollar raised for CF research improves the chances of a better life for their children, and, we hope soon, a cure. If you have not contributed to our ride yet, please help us now as we approach our final goal of this tour.

Sunset in Creston-->

Tomorrow we ride to Cranbrook, thankfully it will be an easier ride, 108 km, with no major mountain passes. I am looking forward to taking time to chat with my fellow team riders along the way. Will add photos of today's ride in this entry at that time.

- Stan

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site. Then simply click on the button "Sponsor this Rider".

Day 6 - Trail to Creston: Tears, Cheers and Thanks

2010-06-24T22:30:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Kitty Chavarie

The day began with a family visit from my aunt and uncle, then, we did an interview with Trail Times. Finally, off we went to seek out the base of our climb.

<--Our route today, plotted on Stan's Garmin GPS. Total distance 122 km. For details, click here.

Our elevation profile, plotted by GPS. At 1,545 meters (5,036 feet), Bonanza Pass is one of the highest mountain highway passes open year-round in Canada-->

<--Bob Payne, arriving at the summit

Wow, I had no idea how long 1 mile up could be. Salmo-Creston pass is a place to ride forever to find yourself. There's lots of personal time working our way up there. It took me a total of 2.5 hours in order to get wonderful hugs from everyone waiting at the summit.

We made it!! Jill Payne and Kitty-->

<-- Jill and Bob experience a moment that won't be forgotten for a long tine.

ZOOMING down was a rush and I managed it without the fear I felt on our ride down Sunday Summit a few days ago. The dry helped me get over the fear as the visablity is a bonus.

Watermelon, sweat, and cold clean air then hot hot air will be my memories of this day, combined with lots of love and acceptance.

Support drivers Wayne and Malcom with Kitty--
>

Thanks....

I just want to add a bit to this journal about thanks.

Thanks for all my  friends and supporters who helped get me to where I am today. I had no idea
so many people cared so much about each other and were willing to help out so much. Life is sometimes about luck, some of us are lucky and get healthy bodies at birth and carry on to reproduce another generation of healthy kids, and some of us arn't so lucky. This ride is about the other folks.

We all take lots for granted in life, doing this ride with parents of CF kids, researchers, friends and family with CF connections has taught me more than I could ever have imagined. With all of your support raising over $7000. became a reality, and now with all of your cheers, good wishes and "go do it's" daily here on the Internet I find the willpower and strength to finish the challenge of getting to our next stop everyday.

To all you boilermakers in Kamloops a special thanks for really kicking it up a notch, I feel the love believe me., you women and men are special to me in ways you can't imagine...I think of you as I am pedalling for hours on end up and down endless roads here thru our beautiful province. It is a different sort of way to see this place, we see, smell and hear things you can't experience in a car, so worth it.

I am tired, no doubt about that..my parts are aching but so are everyone else's and we are a tight team now so none of us will quit until we finish this thing.

Thanks again, enjoy every breath..love, kitty

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site. Then simply click on the button "Sponsor this Rider".

Memories of Day 1 and Day 2 from Margaret Benson - Thank you all

2010-06-24T21:30:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Margaret Benson

Just thought I would touch base and let you know Brian and I survived the big bike ride and amazingly are still talking to each other.

Margaret with Hannah, one of the CF children she rode for this year-->

What an incredible journey, two days of joy, uphill grinds, laughter, swearing, sweating, sunshine, misty rain and of course tears. It was one of the most memorable weekends of our lives and to raise awareness and funds for Cystic Fibrosis a cause so close to us, was the best.

We traveled over 253 kms in the two days and were in the saddle approximately 12 hours. The first day we were given a police escort out of the city of Ladner. There were many families there to join in the send off.

Hanna, one of the CF children we were riding for, was there with her family. It was sunny and the journey rather flat and in farm country with our final destination Harrison Hot Springs.

<--Brian, Margaret and Hannah

We enjoyed lunch in Sumas at one of the Kin director's home. Fantastic food and the deputy mayor of Abbotsford joined us.

<--I was able to take pictures from the back of the tandem which was loads of fun.

The horse picture was actually taken upside down, but that is the beauty of digital cameras and the rotate button-->

The second day was the day of Hills, Hills and more Hills. From Hope to Manning Park is one gigantic hill. It is relentless. Let's just say we both had to dig deep, swear a lot, cry and totally think of the people we were riding for, to give us strength. They were our light of hope at the top of every hill.

When we finally arrived at the summit we stopped for a very grateful and emotional picture. (Thanks to my donor family and donor)

All I kept thinking was 11 years ago I was dying of CF and now Brian and I are pedaling our tandem bike to the top of the Hope Princeton Highway, seemed like the "Top of the World." What a celebration there was when we came down the final hill into the Manning Park Lodge. Our cycling friends were there to meet us. The looks on their faces and tears in their eyes said it all, "WOW, what an accomplishment!!!!"

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of our journey. There are no words to properly thank each and everyone of you, but just know that we appreciate all of you for your love and support.

Nathan Stedman (the brother of Alex Stedman... Alex is the young man James is riding for), together with Brian, Margaret and Hannah-->

Special thanks to Brian for, just being "Him."

<--James, Margaret and GearUp4CF rider last year, Chris Blohmke, who rode with us for the first two days.

On a final note, George Keulen, one of the CF adults we were riding for, received his double lung transplant late Friday night or early Saturday morning. What a blessing. We were thinking of him while we were riding. Here's hoping in a few years he'll be part of the CF ride too.

- Margaret

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site. Then simply click on the button "Sponsor this Rider".

Day 5 - Grand Forks to Trail 130.9 km

2010-06-23T23:30:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Stan Shaw

Hi everyone, this is a very quick note to say, we've made it in Grand Forks. Everyone is safe, and we've had a wonderful time so far. I loved Kitty's brief account. I'll write more soon, as I have a ton of photos to share, and some very interesting information I learned about Cystic Fibrosis, which will be part of my account. However, right now, I need to get some rest.

Stan at the top of Paulson Summit, after his first ascent up the mountain. My eyes are a bit swollen from road debris as the latter third of this massive climb was under road construction. Feeling GREAT, though!

Like many riders, I"m feeling stronger each day. It's remarkable what the human body can achieve, even at my age, soon to be 54 (in August!). But I cannot help but be grateful for health and strength to do this incredible ride, and for the privilege of riding for Roman, Madison and Hailey (click on the link to learn about them), who I think of often. Someday, I hope, with the possibilities of research that can not only save their lives, but improve their quality of life as well, perhaps they can do a ride like this some day. I can dream of this, knowing what Margaret Benson, who also has Cystic Fbrosis, did only last Sunday with her husband Brian, in conquering Allison Pass on Manning Park. If you have not read about it, here's the link to our Journal account. With your help to support Cystic Fibrosis research, we can give these kids the best chance they have of achieving their own dreams, and experiencing adventures that will, no doubt be every bit as wonderful as this ride is for us.

<--Our route today, plotted by my bike's Garmin GPS. The team's distance was about105km, but I did a bit more, making my total distance 130.9 km today. Calories consumed on the ride 4,657. You can imagine how hungry I was tonight! For details, click here.

My personal elevation profile. The steep rise, starting at 26 km outside of Christina Lake is the ascent up Paulson Pass, a massive climb.

But, wait... there's TWO identical peaks in that profile! - ?? . The reason is, I went partway back down the mountain (at around 58 km) after achieving the climb as one of the lead riders, then rode up again with several others in the group. My Garmin GPS faithfully plotted the result.

Here's a more representative elevation profile of the route our team did, from my journal last year.

Jill and Bob Payne, on reaching Nancy Green Summit, the second major peak of the ride (at just under 80 km). It's been so great to have them riding with us this year-->

On arriving in Trail, we were taken out for a lovely dinner by the local Kinsmen association. The support we received from these wonderful people is so appreciated.

<--Sunset in Trail. Those clouds look ominous. I hope that doesn't mean rain tomorrow.

There's more to come tomorrow night, after we reach Creston!!! For now, however, I simply must get some rest. We have a hard climb tomorrow on our way to Creston, one of the most difficult of the entire tour. Please think of us.

- Stan

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

Day 5 Grand Forks to Trail - Kitty's account

2010-06-23T22:30:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Kitty Chavarie

Left Grand Forks feeling groovy after my wonderful massage last night...the ride by Christina Lake was beautiful, sunny and summery. Then we climbed and climbed thru a yucky construction zone, don't know when I have ever had a semi closer to me other than maybe leaning on one in a parking lot! SHEESH it was scary...made it to the end of the climb ok regardless.

<--A quick roadside bike repair

Lots of folks had bits and parts fail them today..you can tell we have done lots of kms by the wear and tear on our bikes. Mine keeps making this velcro rippy sound just out of the blue then it goes away. SO far I am not looking for the problem cause
ignoring it seems to be working...not so smart but I think my brain may be getting a bit soft and tired after all this pedalling...

Lunch break was accompanied by some cute little critters, we think it was a chipmunk and a squirrel (different than island critters) turns out they like peanut butter and bread quite a bit.

LONG long descent into Rossland with head wind that made my freckles exhausted but here we are in Trail now. Had a lovely dinner out with the Kinsmen here...this being treated so well is very very doable for all of us.

Loving all the friendships with this ride, nice folk to talk to all day and share stories. Anyone who wants to feel community and purpose with fitness in mind might want to look into this. I only started riding a road bike in April and here I am managing to get all this way and still in one piece! WOW

- Kitty

More stories and photos will be posted for Day 6 on Thursday night, after we arrive in Creston.

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

Day 4 - Osoyoos to Grand Forks 131.1 km

2010-06-22T23:00:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Stan Shaw

We've arrived at Grand Forks! It's hard to imagine that we've already traveled over 590 kilometers in four days, and are travelling deep in the heart of the interior of British Columbia.

Our route today, mapped by my Garmin GPS. Click on the image to enlarge. For more details, click here-->

<--Our elevation profile. Breakfast had hardly settled before we were faced with the massive Anarchist Pass rises out of Osoyoos.

Today was of interesting things to see. But the first challenge to overcome was what was perhaps the most intimidating hill climb of the tour - Anarchist Pass, overlooking Osoyoos.

The view partway up Anarchist Pass, overlooking Osoyoos-->

What is perhaps the most difficult part of this particular pass is the heat. Osoyoos is, for all intents and purposes, a dry, hot desert. Fortunately, there were clouds overhead this morning, which kept the temperature down a bit. Still, it was a tough hill. The grade, mostly around 6%, was a bit easier than Cypress Mountain back home, but we were climbing for 35 kilometers, before a thrilling descent into the valley below.

Jill and Bob Payne, two of my splendid riding partners today-->

Once over Anarchist pass, we passed rich farmland and beautiful rivers.

<--Brenda, enjoying the ride

Traffic was better, too, as, thankfully, the southern route along Highway 3 is not quite so heavily traveled. Still, it takes nerves of steel to keep from being blown off course as a big semi-trailer roars passes by. They travel pretty fast along those narrow highways! For the most part, however, drivers are very considerate, giving wide berth as they see us riding up the highway.

We passed by lush green farmland and old homesteads. This part of BC is full of history. Passing through Hedley, we came across massive slag heaps, the product of copper smelting at the turn of the century.

<--Turn of the century stores at Greenwood looking much the same now as it probably did then.

Old railway tunnel just outside of Greenville. The date reads 1913-->

One major goal of the ride, to share with Madison, Hailey and Roman's elementary school, is to find wildlife!

Kitty found it, but I think she didn't really want to get as close as she did. As she was cycling along the highway, a mother bear, with three cubs nearby, tried to break through a wire fence that separated her from Kitty, who was riding on the highway. Kitty didn't dare take photos! That mama bear was not looking very friendly.

Deer, hidden in wild flowers-->

<--Sheep and horses grazing in a farm nestled in a valley below the highway

.... and all sorts of unusual animals....

<-- a lama, inside a farmer's pasture pacing back and forth along the highway fence.

And, guess what I found, at the top of Anarchist pass? (I think that's an empty Kokanee beer case in his hand) -->

<---OK, this is not exactly the wildlife I was looking for, but at least this fellow didn't run away. I quickly decided riding a bicycle is safer, and I'll get there a lot faster!

Along the way, we cycled over the Rock Creek Bridge, which spans a terrifying (looking down) 300 feet above the creek below.

Those pointed bushes below are the tops of trees!-->

Eventually, we rolled into Grand Forks, a town that is steeped in BC history. Incorporated in 1897, a group of pacifist refugee emigrants from Russia moved there in 1909, and became home to many Russian descendants who live there. Even today, Russian is still taught in schools.

There, we stayed the night at Johnny's motel, situated beside the convergence of the Kettle and Granby rivers. Every year the GearUp4CF team have stayed here, they have found the staff to be wonderfully helpful. This year was no exception - when they heard we were riding to Banff again on behalf of the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, they offered to do our laundry, for free!

Tomorrow, we're travelling between Grand Forks and Trail. It's going to be a hard climb. I must leave early, but will write again when I arrive.

- Stan

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

osoyoos WHOOPEE

2010-06-22T22:30:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Kitty Chavarie

That was a climb and a half! WOWIE!!. My thighs feel like Arnold Schwarzenegger moved in. I did it though, all twenty three kilometers. So I am super happy about that. And then I rode all day to land in Grand Forks in time to hit the pool and cool off the nether regions (we talk a lot about this heating problem in the shorts but not about to share any here!)

<-- Kitty

Getting ready for the big ascent. Left to right: Volunteer drivers Wayne and Malcolm, riders James and Rebecca-->

<--Justin Chan, at viewpoint, in the first stage in Anarchist Pass

I had my first "real" wildlife event today, I was cruising along alone for a bit and heard this pinging sound of metal on metal, only to see the barbwire fencing part and a black bear push thru and move towards me, my speed really really picked up at this point!! I found resources I didn't know I possessed....happy happy day, I made it thru in time to eat at a great barbecue. So life is better than good.

My speedometer heading down the pass, reading 44 kph.. pretty fast!-->

I have to say that Brenda and my end of day massage from my good friend here in Grand Forks was a major highlight. She got my head to turn like a regular person and ironed out heaps of knots I have accumulated. It was really nice to be in a home again. Life is great out here in Pedalville.

- Kitty

Day 3 - Manning Park to Osoyoos 193.2 km

2010-06-21T23:59:00.000-07:00

What a huge ride. I must confess, the pain of the this stage of the tour had become a dim memory after a year's time.

Out route today, plotted by my Garmin GPS. Click on the image to enlarge. Total distance 193 km. Calories consumed (based on heart rate), 6,025 . I could not eat enough all day. Still hungry.

Our elevation profile. Looks like it's mostly downhill, doesn't it? Well, it was a pretty fun ride down from Manning Park. But then, we 'hit the wall', about 25 km down the road. Sunday Pass. Beyond this, between 120 - 160 km, are undulating hills. They look small, but they are 7-8% grade, in sweltering heat, slowing even the strongest riders.

<--The rustic lodge in Manning Park where we stayed the night

We woke this morning to solid rain outside. Have I ever seen Manning Park in the sunshine? I'm sure it happens. Sometimes. But every memory I have of this mountain is that it's a sodden hill, lashed by every rain cloud that hits landfall on the Pacific coast. At least this year, we were warm and our clothes were dry starting out.

Bob and Jill Payne starting out from the lodge. Bob is optimistically wearing sun glasses-->

Heading down the mountain, though, those nice dry clothes lasted about five minutes. By then, we were gripping handlebars with rain-sodden gloves and spitting water out of our nostrils. I stayed for a few minutes with the large group, but then found I was getting cold and tore off down the mountain in search of warmer weather. Amazingly, I caught up with Simon and James, then passed them when I realized they didn't have decent mudgards on their bikes. Drafting behind a biker without mudguards, spitting mud that flies up into your face, is not exactly what you'd call a pleasant experience. I carried on, ripping down the hill. Until I hit the wall. No warning, just an immediate and pretty tough climb to the top of Sunday Pass. What a great relief to find the support car at the top, waiting for us!

I turned back down the hill to pick up some of the others still coming up. Before we knew it, however, we were back at the summit, joyously taking photos at the top. And thank goodness, the rain started to abate.

Susan Edmison and Tom Evans-->

Descending down that mountain pass was a great reward. Especially after working so hard to climb it. As we descended, the rain disappeared, replaced by a warm breeze that came in from the Interior. Riding through Merrit, in fact, the "breeze' became a heavy headwind, forcing us into a tight single to conserve energy.

This time, I found myself riding with Martina, Rebecca, Justin and Kitty . We worked together, shielding each other from the wind by rotating every two minutes or so so that the lead rider didn't have to face the headwind for very long. The miles rolled by.

By the way, HELLO TO THE KIDS AT ROMAN, MADISON AND HAILEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!!! It was such fun visiting your school a couple of weeks ago (If you have read about it, click here),

You will be happy to know I'm still looking for wild animals. I found one, lurking in the grass, by the river. No, wait. That's me.

We have some pretty wild bike riders, though.

<--Here's Kitty. She thought that the road sign says to go "Up". So she did. As you can see, we're having a LOT of fun on this ride!!

Along the way, the lush green grass of the 'wet coast" was replaced by dry scrub brush. Little chance of rain here. We progressively peeled our clothes off. First, the rain jacket, then the balaclavas, leggings, and full length 'rain gloves'. Water bottles emptied quickly. You must keep up not only fluids but electrolytes on a ride like this, or the engine pushing power through your legs will simply quit from exhaustion.

<--A farm in the valley below us

At last, we made it to a delicious lunch, prepared by our fabulous support team.

Car outside of Keremenos-->

I could not help but marvel at the climate changes we experienced today. We had started out rain lashing into our eyes, gripping handlebars with sodden gloves, and now were stripping off clothes and rubbing down with suntan lotion. By the time we made it to Keremeos, it was sweltering. Actually, the heat was deceptive, for by that time the wind had changed direction and we were being pushed gently along from behind. 35 kph was practically effortless.

However, the drawback is that you felt as if you were in a vacuum pocket of dead air. So there was no relief. Just for fun, I rode up ahead on occasion, turned around and rode back to the group. What a difference. With the wind in my face, and my hot, sweaty jersey, it felt as if I was facing an air conditioner! I just made sure I wasn't upwind of the other riders.

<--A 'fixer upper'. Just a little TLC, and you've got a mansion!

Finally, at long last, we reached the final hill, major climb in desert-like heat that sapped whatever energy that remained in us. Whoever put that last hill there, at the 170 km mark of our ride, was just plain mean.

And then, at long last, we reached the summit, and a magnificent view of Osoyoos nestled in the valley below. After a thrilling descent, we found ourselves at the Popular Motel, a resort we stayed at last year. Situated on the east side of town beside the still lake, it was a lovely end to this big ride.

And there, to greet us, were the Kinettes and Kinsmen from the Princeton-Osoyoos-Oliver region, with a great BBQ dinner. It was so good to meet John again, who had been there the year before, together with fellow kinsman, Matt, Diane, Diana and Laura and several others that I wish I could remember.

Matt and John, our BBQ hosts-->

The support we have received from the Kinettes and Kinsmen has been wonderful.

<--Our GearUp4CF team, with some of the Kinettes who helped host our dinner tonight. Thank you!

Sunset in Osoyoos-->

And so... to bed. But not before I get this journal done. Tomorrow is another big climb, Anarchist Pass just out of Osoyoos, on the way to Grand Forks, about 125 kilometers away. The weather forecast is predicting 28 degrees tomorrow. We simply must tackle this in the early morning, before the sun starts beating down.

- Stan

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

Kitty's ride Day 2 (Harrision to Manning Park) and Day 3 (Manning Park to Osoyoos)

2010-06-21T21:30:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Kitty Chavarie

Well everyone who is following along, I must say the last two days were tough for me. No mincing words, very very tough. Weather, winds and wicked fast downhills are a real life challenge. The real life support from all of our riders and from our Kinsmen drivers, Malcolm and Wayne, and our young lady drivers Simona and Tracy have made me able to continue on in the face of a scary day today.

Kitty starting out from Manning Park to Osoyoos on Monday, the start of day three. It was pouring rain in the morning!

The scenery has changed tons in the last few days, from cold enough to see your breath, to hot enough to strip to summer gear. When yesterday we slept at Manning Park and could see our breath when we headed off this morning. But tonight, I actually dipped in the lake here in Osoyoos!

I personally haven't seen any wildlife (other than a few of the crazy brave riders!) but enjoy the marmot moments, HUGE ravens and birdsong that is very different from the coast. The scents in the desert are lovely too. I am just plain to tired now to go on. Tomorrow is a new day with new sore bits to show for it. Thanks for cheering me on out there., means tons to me.

Cheers from Kitty

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

Day 2 - Harrison to Manning Park 116.7 km

2010-06-20T23:59:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Stan Shaw

This was the day I dreaded. Last year, the ride up Manning was rainy, and bitterly cold, hovering around four degrees Celsius as we climbed towards Allision Pass. The weather forecast today was not much better. Grimly, I put on my cold weather gear and prepared for the worst.

Stan -->

Our route today, as plotted by my Garmin GPS. It's not quite right, though. I forgot to turn it on!! So, the first 19 kilometers is missing. I have witnesses, though... yes, I did every kilometer! Total distance: 116.7 km. For more details, click here

Our elevation profile today, just out of Harrison and up Allision Pass-->

<--Starting out from Harrision: Left to right: CF researcher James Zlosnik, Martina Meckova (who is riding with us, and is also the director of the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Vancouver Office), and Chris Blohmke, a CF researcher and graduate student who rode with us last year and is riding with us to Manning Park today.

We started out with low cloud hovering over us, but, thankfully no rain (yet). As we did yesterday, we began riding in a tightly riding Peloton formation. This worked very nicely as we had a bit of a headwind going out of Harrison, so it was possible to draft behind each other and save energy for the big climb.

By Hope, the rain had still not started. What a relief. Last hear we were already being treated to a torrential downpour. We counted our blessings and pushed on through town and headed up the highway toward Princeton and Manning Park.

The air was fresh, a welcome respite from the smog-laden highway leading up the Fraser Valley yesterday.

The road beside was lush green, and filled with wild flowers. Numerous mountain streams babbled quietly beside us, a sound that no automobile or motorcyclist can possibly enjoy.

As we left town, the traffic melted to a manageable level, making it possible to chat comfortably as we rode together. David Strange and his wife Heather joined us today from Victoria, having managed to overcome car trouble that had prevented them starting out on Day 1. They are riding for their five year old son, Carter, who was diagnosed with CF two years ago. David is a middle school principal in Victoria. Heather is also an educator, however, after Carter was born, raising him has become a full time occupation. They were joined in this ride by David's sister Jill Payne and her husband Bob who I had met yesterday, and had come all the way from Newfoundland to do the ride. Jill and Bob have a young family as well, however, the kids are being looked after by their parents while they do the entire ride. For them, GearUp4CF is truly a family affair.

<--Heather and her sister-in-law, Jill

As we rode along, Heather told me how they had become heavily involved with the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation chapter in Victoria, and had participated in a major presentation to their local MLAs, pressing for newborn screening for Cystic Fibrosis. Like Roman (the eleven year old boy who I am riding for, together with his twin sisters), Carter had been diagnosed late, at three years old. Carter is now five, and struggles with CF every day. Of all people, they understood how much Carter might have benefitted from an early diagnosis, the earlier the better. This does not necessarily help all children, but for those who do not display immediate clinical symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis, it can be of life saving importance. I was able to tell them of my wife Hilary's work in establishing the CF newborn screening program in BC through Children's Hospital. It was a remarkable conversation, one that I will long remember.

As I was riding, I kept a sharp eye for wildlife. Not sharp enough though! Someone just ahead said they saw a moose going into the woods! Drat, I missed it.

Lunch beside the road was terrific. The help we have received so far from our team of volunteer drivers and support staff has been tremendous. I am looking forward to introducing them to you to them later in the week. In the meantime, after lunch, we settled into smaller groups heading up the mountain. Lead riders tore off up the mountain. I held back, enjoying my ride, realizing that at 54 years old I'm not out to prove anything. It's a long way to Banff, and I'd like to make sure I'm able to ride very kilometer. During the ride, I shifted to different groups as I encountered them on the mountain. Eventually, I completed the ride to the summit with Bernard Pinsky (Leona's brother-in-law), and Kitty Chavarie. Riding together as a threesome, we rotated positions, helping each other as the kilometers up the mountain rolled slowly by.

Along the way, we crept past Craig and Joel, two cyclists with legs like iron, and laden down with camping gear. I road ahead and chatted with then briefly. It turns out they had just started from Vancouver about the same time we did. But they are on their way to Newfoundland! They expect to get there within nine weeks. Looking at them, I'm sure they'll get there. And my wife thought I was crazy doing this ride!

Craig and Joel, hell-bent for Newfoundland-->

Further on, we were treated to an unusual sight - flowers blooming within the heart of the forest. There is a rather unique grove in Manning Park where rhododendrons grow. We stopped at the small park area where the nature trail begins and chatted with a family who were holidaying in the area. They asked about our ride, and why we were doing it, and then offered to do a donation as soon as they get home!

<--Rhododendrons in the forest

I reached the top of Allison Pass, then doubled back to find the others coming up the hill. I'm so glad I did, for I was privileged to be there for one of the most momentous events of the entire ride. Margaret and Brian Benson had slowly but relentlessly cycled up the entire mountain on their Tandem bike. Margaret had been diagnosed with a stress fracture in her tibia while running a few weeks ago, but refused to let this stop her. Together, the manhandled that heavy Tandem bike up a nearly continuous 8% grade for thirty kilometers.

Margaret and Brian-->

We rode together to a victorious conclusion at the top of Allison Pass. An amazing feat. And even more so, as eleven years ago, Margaret was barely hanging on, her lungs nearly gone as a result of her lifelong battle with Cystic Fibrosis. Thanks to her double lung transplant eleven years ago, she was here, with us, on the top of one of the biggest climbs of the tour. Brian and Margaret will be writing more of this, but for now, I can only say what a remarkable couple they are, and how inspiring their example has been for all of us.

Joyously, we freewheeled down Allison Pass to the Manning Park Resort at breakneck speed. At the bottom, several riders and support team drivers were there at the entrance, whooping and clapping as each rider rolled in. What a team!

Leona Pinsky's victorious ride into Manning Park-->

<--Margaret

And the rain? It started literally ten minutes after we arrived. Someone "up there" was looking after us today. After a hot shower and a huge plate of spaghetti and meatballs, (cooked by Malcom one of our volunteer support drivers, and his grown son who came out specially to make dinner for us), and I felt like a new man. My goodness, did that hot tub feel good that night.

Tomorrow is a new day, and a new challenge. I remember it well from last year. 186 kilometers to Osoyoos, with a major climb to the top of Sunday Pass in-between. I just hope the rain doesn't continue through the morning.

- Stan

P.S. This entry was actually posted in the early hours of June 22nd as we didn't have Internet access in Manning Park. As far as I know, we have Internet in most other locations on the tour, so we'll try to keep you informed of our progress every night going forward.

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

Day 1 - Vancouver to Harrison 150.4 km

2010-06-19T23:58:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Stan Shaw

I cannot adequately say what I was feeling when we arrived at 8:30 AM to embark on our ride. At one level, arrivin at the Ladner Kin House, where we had departed last year, gave an instant feeling of "I've been here before, done that". However, this year is so different. Last year, I barely knew anyone associated with the ride, or CF, for that matter. This year, I am accompanied by friends, who I have met through riding last June. And I am riding for three children, Roman, Madison and Hailey, who I've come to know well over the past year since first meeting them in Harrison on arriving following our first day of the tour.

I'm ready to go! Stan in his new GearUp4CF 2010 cycling jersey-->

On arriving, I quickly unpacked my bike and stowed my gear in the support vehicle and rushed over to the area where short speeches were held and our official GearUp4CF 2010 group photos were taken. And then, after hurried hugs, we were off on the road, accompanied by a full police escort to the edge of town.

<--We have a great team this year!

We had a few mishaps. A little typo in the route sheet sent a small team of fast riding, including Simon Ree, up the highway, past a critical turnoff. By the time we discovered our mistake, we had lost our lead to the slower riding folks on the tour. Eventually, thougth we made it down to US boarder at the Douglas truck route crossing at "Mile 0", However, just shy of making it to the US boarder, we veered off onto a beautiful country road, appropriately named "0 avenue", that runs parallel along the boarder, travelling east. This gave us an opportunity to really spend time riding together. We have some terrific riders this year. Simon is as strong as ever. Tom Evans lost a huge amount of weight and has worked hard to be ready for the ride. It shows. He's out among the leaders, as is Susan Edmison .

And Andrea Taylor is a smiling, friendly little powerhouse that rips up hills and will disappear over the top before you can blink an eye. An avid cyclist on the racing circuit, she works at West Point Cycles, one of our corporate sponsors on the ride this year.

Andrea -->

One couple I met was Bob and Jill Payne, who came all the way from St. John's, Newfoundland to join our ride on behalf of their nephew Carter, the son of David and Heather Strange. A delightful couple, I was astonished to learn that this was their first major ride, ever. However, they rode well and obviously had been been training hard to prepare for it. This all the more remarkable given how poor the weather has been in Newfoundland this winter!

<--Bob

Jill-->

Bob and Jill have a young family, however their parents offered to look after the children so that they could complete this nine day, epic ride across British Columbia.

Along the way, we rolled into a lovely private home, set on a hill, where a beautiful lunch had been prepared for us by the Kins Women.

<--Kelly

It was so good to see Kelly Parker, who I had met last year. Kelly and her team of volunteers has bee providing lunch in Abbottsford, and dinner in Harrison every year since GearUp4CF began five years ago. This year, we were also honored by the arrival of Patricia Ross, the deputy Mayor for Abbottsford, who came to send send best wishes from city council.

Patricia Ross, deputy Mayor of Abbottsford-->

We're all getting to know each other, learning how to truly ride together as a team. The long flat ride today gave a perfect opportunity to try out paceline riding, especially when headwinds started to pick up in the afternoon. Riding through Aggassiz as a 15-member, tightly riding single paceline was a sight to behold. Margaret and Brian Benson rode with us, creating quite a sight on their Tandem bicycle. Folks on the street waved, and traffic, which was heavy in the afternoon, seemed to part like the Red Sea. Most of all, we had fun, because, riding together, we were able to chat along the way. When you are riding for six hours, enjoying each other's company makes a huge difference!

Remarkably, our somewhat slower paceline arrived in Harrison before our much speedier "A Team" who rode far ahead of us. The problem? Riding well ahead of even the lead support vehicles, they took a wrong turn (the route was pretty complicate this year) and ended up riding back to Harrison via another route. Simon had a flat, which slowed him a down a little as no one in their riding group had a spare inner tube!. But despite this, nearly everyone converged at Harrison within minutes.

A big surprise was waiting for me that afternoon. Jacqueline, the mother of the three children I am riding for, Madison Hailey and Roman, who, I thought, were not going to make it that night due to a family commitments, phoned just as I was upstairs in my room, changing into dinner clothes. They were in the lobby! They had changed plans and come out to thank us for riding for them this year. I had met the children last year for the first time in Harrison last year, which made their arrival all the more special. I could not help but feel how much we, as riders on the tour, were doing, not only in raising funds for Cystic Fibrosis research, but also to bring hope to these incredible children, and young adults, and their families.

<--Our route. 150km. Calories consumed, 4,800. If you are interested in a pretty effective weight loss program, this is it. You can eat anything after a ride like this! For details, click here

Our elevation chart today. Pretty flat. It will be different tomorow. Guaranteed.-->

The weather, which was brilliantly sunny today, is clearly changing. An ominous sign. It looks like it will be rain, lots of it tomorrow as we go up that monstrous mountain pass on our way to Manning Park. Please think of us.

BTW, there is no Internet access in Manning Park. So, as long as we can get on-line, we'll be sending our update when we arrive in Osoyoos on Monday.

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

Kitty's ride on Day 1: Vancouver to Harrison

2010-06-19T18:08:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Kitty Chavarie

Hello to all my good friends, family and supporters. WE did it..rode all the way to Harrison Hot springs and it was a great day for all of us (I hope) good company so very nice to ride with a team for a change. Our new GEAR UP GEAR is spiff, we looked like business out there on the roads.

Had a delicious lunch break provided by the Kinswomen and menfolk...bathroom break was lovely too!! Didn't rain on us once which is a complete bonus considering the conditions we have been training in!

SO much fun, a relaxing holiday, even with the sweat equity it is just so nice to ride beside like minded folk..can't really explain it. IF anyone ever has an inkling in their mind to "give back" this is a cause with a ride that is so well worth it....Life is worth living... keep smilin' and remember to give back..

cheers from Kitty and the gang
Stay tuned - more photos and stories of Day 1 to come later tonight!

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

This is it!

2010-06-19T07:01:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Stan Shaw

It's finally arrived. The day that we've all been working so hard to prepare for. In a few hours time, we will be assembling at the Ladner Kin House and then head out on the first leg of our journey, towards Harrison Hot Springs, approx. 140 km away. What will the next nine days bring? We can only imagine. The excitement between our team riders, and the children and young adults we are riding for, is electric!

I don't have very much time to say anything not, but here's a big THANK YOU for everyone who has made this day possible. To our Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation organizers, volunteers, Kins folk, our families and friends, and most of all, to YOU, our sponsors, I cannot say enough to express my appreciation for all of the help you have done to make this day possible.

<--The state of my room at 1:00 AM this morning

Assuming we have Internet access in Harrison Hot Springs, look for an update on this Journal late tonight, filled with photos and stories of our first day on the road. As for me, I've got to finish packing!!!!

- Stan

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

Training in Victoria - my rides so far

2010-06-13T12:20:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Kitty Chavarie

Well the countdown is really getting close. I have not climbed as many mountains to train as I could have. But, considering this is my first experience with a road bike ( bought my Trek just 2 months ago), and between learning clip shoes, positioning and handling the speeds these fast bikes go.. I am happy to say that while I know I won’t be the fastest on our team, I have tenacity and stubbornness that should help me on my way.

My last big ride was last weekend, rode to Qualicum Bay and back from Chemainus (about 210 km). I did it in two days so I could fit in some visiting in between, almost made it home dry but the rain caught me just outside of Ladysmith so once again my bike was washed organically!

Probably my only complaint about training is lack of company on the road. I feel lucky if I can find a friend who will ride over ½ hour at a go so most of my riding is alone (other than Ruth, speed demon-my riding buddy on Mondays!) I'm SO look forward to the ‘group event’ this coming Saturday.

Thanks to everyone from Chemainus and Ladysmith communities for your local support and heaps of thanks to the guys at the shutdown in Kamloops for their generousity. My bosses Dr.Danny Dares and Teya for putting out the initial sponsorship to get me going on this big ride.

I am away from my home computer so can’t add any photos, can’t wait to get my team riding gear and see my teammates soon

….sincerely Kitty on the coast

PS Hi Sandra, see you very soon!

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

Brian and Margaret's Burger and Beer Night - a Huge Success!!!

2010-06-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Brian Benson

I simply don't know where to begin. Our fundraising Burger and Beer night on June 4th far exceeded our expectations. We want to say a big thank you to our many friends, family and supporters who came and joined us. We'd also like to thank those who bought tickets and made donations towards our night even though they could not attend.

Brian and Margaret Benson with their tandem bike-->

I must also say I had very little to do with the organization of the event. One day a number of weeks ago Margaret said "Let's do a Burger and Beer Night Fundraiser".

<--Margaret

Before I had time to say anything, I think it was a done deal. She took the bull by the horns, secured the location, got multiple door and raffle prizes, silent and live auction items and the list goes on. I put up a poster at my office and sent out a few emails.....that's about it for my efforts.

Courtney and Margaret. Courtney is the mother of Hanna, a little girl with CF. Margaret is riding for her. Margaret, who has CF herself, is also riding in memory of Isabelle Tonolli, mentioned in Margaret's bio. Click on Margaret's name for details, and for her own remarkable story.-->

The one thing I did was blow up balloons for the balloon pop. At $10 a balloon I was hoping we'd sell at least half of the 30 I blew up. Within 10 minutes of people arriving they all sold. We should have done 50 in honour of the 50th Anniversary of the CF Foundation but had no idea of what to expect. The silent auction went well with other patrons of the bar and staff also taking part. My niece won the toonie toss for the bottle of Vodka which was half the size of her, then my brother won the Crown Royal in the toonie toss. Go figure. I'm a little worried about the reputation my family will get given the fact you can't "rig" a toonie toss and there were lots of other people participating. Obviously I know where my Brother and his Daughter's strength's are. Toonie tosses for liquor!!!!

Then came the live auction. My neighbour in the Cariboo was interested in the Corona Cooler. He told me to bid up to $75 on it. Little did I know my Brother also wanted it. The bidding war began. Not that I'm competitive or anything but when my Brother said $40, I said $50. Back and forth it went. I thought I knew how to stop the bidding process........$110!!! But no. He goes higher. I go higher. I am simply not going to lose against my Brother on this one. He beat me up enough when we were young that losing this battle was not an option. The noise from the crowd kept getting louder and louder. Next thing you know......we are over $200!!!! By the time it hit $276 my Brother held my arms down so I could no longer bid him up higher.

Needless to say there was some serious laughter coming from the crowd by this time. "The Battle of the Benson Boys" was over. He won. All in good fun as you know with the funds going to such an amazing cause.

<--The Benson Boys - Craig and Brian

Now here's the clincher. He "forgot" his cheque book. And asked me if I could spot him the money. And now he has the cooler. I paid his debt. I always tell people he is smarter than I am......this reinforced my belief. Whether or not he ever pays me back is not my concern. Over the years he has been tremendously generous in his donations and support of CF. He jump started our fund raising efforts for GearUp4CF with a substantial donation. If I never see his money for the cooler it's OK. With the funds going to CF I'll consider it one small way of thanking him for supporting Margaret, myself and CF. Thanks Craig.

I think everyone enjoyed our humble fund raiser and when we totaled the money we simply could not believe it. We are delighted to say over $4000 was raised, bringing our Grand Total to over $8700!!! Thank you everyone.

- Brian

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

Our final team training ride - we're ready!!

2010-06-12T21:14:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Stan Shaw

There nothing like a massive goal, like this one, to work towards. Today's ride to Cypress was a tremendous opportunity for all of us to see how far we've come.

I managed to get away early on Saturday morning, so I headed over to West Vancouver and did my first climb up Cypress from 21st Avenue on Marine Drive before the others arrived. What a beautiful morning. The sunrise as I was riding along Kits beach on the way to the Lions Gate bridge was spectacular.

Team riders Leona Pinsky, Martina Meckova, James Zlosnik, Rebecca Malott and Brenda Cairns met me back at Cindy's Cafe on Marine Drive in West Vancouver. Brenda had come all the way from Victoria the night before just to be part of the ride today.

<--Brenda Cairns

It was terrific meeting her. I was astonished to learn that she has done seventeen Iron Man competitions over the years. A pretty remarkable athlete!

Together, we headed back up 21st avenue to reach the Upper Levels highway. That hill coming up from Marine Drive is brutal. It's not quite as bad as 22nd avenue, the next street over, but the grades are a pretty constant 11%, at times touching 13% on the way up. Once we got to Cypress, the grades become a bit easier, 7 to 8%, and more in line with what we will be experiencing on our big mountain passes going to Banff.

We made it to the Cypress viewpoint almost exactly half way up the mountain, a great opportunity for photos.

Left to right: Avi Ostrey (alumni rider), Brenda Cairns, Martina Meckova, Leona Pinsky, James Zlosnik, Rebecca Malott, Stan Shaw --->

Our new GearUp4CF 2010 custom jerseys arrived this week - they look and feel terrific! Kudos go to Martina for the great design she did.

While we were there, fellow team rider Justin Chan rolled in on his bike. You will probably read about his adventures in Justin's personal riding journal, (click here). Justin had just come from Seymour mountain and was climbing Cypress mountain as well. We have some pretty strong riders on our team this year.

After our short stop at the viewpoint, I then headed back down the mountain to Marine, while the others continued up to the summit Feeling pretty good myself, I tackled 21st avenue from Marine Drive for a third time and managed to reach the viewpoint half way up the mountain just in time for the others to come off the summit to meet me there.

<--Our route plotted on my bike's Garmin GPS. Click on the photo for a larger image. For more details, click here

Saturday's grade profile, ascending from Marine Drive once to the top of Cypress, then twice to the Cypress viewpoint half way up. The three very sharp grades are the ascents up 21st avenue from Marine Drive-->

A quick return over the Lions Gate bridge towards home got Brenda back in time to make the ferry back to Victoria. On the way, we stopped in to Siegel's Bagels on Cornwall, and basked in the sunshine with a well-deserved bagel and coffee to finish the ride. Then everyone disappeared to rejoin our families for the afternoon. No doubt they were wondering why we were so late getting home!

What was especially great about the ride, aside from the HUGE accomplishment for everyone on making it up Cypress, is that we had a chance to meet each other and chat along the way. I had never met Brenda, so it was great she could join us, before our big ride. And it was so good seeing Christoph again. A Ph.D. candidate who is planning to complete his thesis this year, he is specializing in Cystic Fibrosis research. We rode together during last year's ride, and, I was delighted to learn, will be riding with us for the first two days this year.

James Zlosnik-->

James, who was riding with us today, is a post doctoral research fellow at the Centre for Understanding and Preventing Infections in Children, here in Vancouver. A veteran GearUp4CF cyclist, he is planning to present some of the work his lab has been doing in CF research during our ride. The lab where he works is headed by Dr. David Speert, an avid cyclist himself, who founded GearUp4CF five years ago. His research team will soon be joined by Rebecca Malott, who has been working in research back East but is coming this summer to start a new CF project in the Speert lab. Riding with researchers like James and Rebecca (and Justin Chan, who is also a researcher, doing related work at Children's Hospital), makes the effort we are doing in raising funds for Cystic Fibrosis research so relevant for us. We see exactly where these donation dollars are going.

If anything this final training ride proved today, it's this: We're ready!! And, thanks to your incredible support, we're ready from a fundraising perspective, too. I heard on Friday that we've surpassed our goal of raising $90,000. What you, our sponsors, have done is to provide hope. And hope is so important to the children I am riding for, and many other CF children and young adults who are struggling to breath each day. So let's not stop there. Let's do even better than that. If you have not donated yet, can you help us?

Only five more days to go!

- Stan

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

My visit to Roman, Madison and Hailey's elementary school

2010-06-09T06:18:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Stan Shaw

This morning I'll be arriving with my Trek carbon-fiber bike, my riding jersey and helmet to walk into a full school assembly at Roman, Madison and Hailey's elementary school to talk about our upcoming ride and Cystic Fibrosis. Jacqueline, the children's mother, will be coming to help out. This will launch a school-wide fundraising effort for our Ride! Roman has been in hospital this week for a lung function 'tune up', but there's a chance he may be able to be temporarily released on a morning pass so that he can join us, after which he will be returning to continue treatment. Madison and Hailey will be there too, of course.

To be honest, I'm rather nervous having to stand in front of 200 kids. I've done lots of presentations before to adults, but this is a REALLY tough audience to please! I am so looking forward to it, though. Roman, Madison and Hailey are looking forward to it, too. The school assembly begins 10:45 AM, but here's an on-line version of what we are presenting. Wish me luck!

- Stan

Update - after the presentation
- Submitted by Stan Shaw

This is an event I will remember as one of the highlights of the entire ride - and the tour has yet to begin! I arrived on time, bringing my bike, its lights flashing, and wearing my full riding gear, complete with helmet. I didn't actually ride my bike to the school. I just brought it along for "special effect". Close to two hundred kids came filing in with their teachers and quickly seated themselves on the floor, in front of the projector we had set up to display my slide show.

It was great seeing Roman there with his mother. For a while, we weren't sure whether he would make it. However, he managed to be temporarily released from Children's Hospital on a morning pass so that he could attend the event. Madison and Hailey sat among the kids, while Roman assisted Jacqueline and I during the presentation.

I quickly found out that the vast majority were enthusiastic bike riders. So, we had a lot in common! We talked about some of the big bike rides they had done around home and on holidays. The kids had many questions around our ride to Banff, but even more about Cystic Fibrosis.

Roman and Jacqueline, his mother, gave a demonstration, holding up a maple leaf with fine branches to give an idea of what lungs look like. Next, Jacqueline had the kids stand up and run in place for a few minutes. The floor reverberated with stamping feet. She then asked them to breath out of a straw that Roman had given out while they were coming in the door. Roman explained that this is what it is like to breath for him when his lungs are filled with mucus. We then talked about their treatment. Jacqueline showed a table laden down with bottles of different medications (empty, of course, for demonstration purposes), they take every day .

Together, they showed an IV set that Roman had just finished using before he left the hospital that morning.

Roman then showed one of the breathing procedures he does every day to improve lung function, in combination with inhaled medications.

We went on to talk about the ride, and what students at the school could do to help. When the principal started telling how the kids were going to raise funds over the next ten days, you could feel the energy in the room. The enthusiasm was tremendous.

And what great questions!!

Question: "Does Cystic Fibrosis affect only the lungs, or does it affect other organs"? Roman's answer - "It affects my lungs, digestion and kidneys." He also went on to say that, for him, it affected the liver as well."

Question: "How do you get Cystic Fibrosis"? Roman's answer - "You get it when your mother and father are carriers, and if they are you have a one in four chance of getting it; and when you do, you are born with it."

Question: "How many pills do you take every day"? Roman's answer - "About forty. My sisters each take about twenty."

We didn't have time to answer all the questions. The school principal, however, invited the kids to write down their questions, so that Roman and his sisters, with Jacqueline could help answer them.

Fundraising for GearUp4CF aside, the goal Jacqueline and I had today was simply to raise awareness with Roman, Madison and Hailey's schoolmates. The ride was a wonderful opportunity for this. And, judging by the enthusiastic response we received, it was very successful. The kids will continue to follow the tour, as the school is setting up an Internet display so that this Rider's Journal is shown during recess every day during our ride.

Roman is back in Children's hospital now, where he will be until sometime next week for his 'tune-up', a special two week series of treatments designed to help improve lung function. If all goes well, he will be out of hospital sometime next week. If so, we'll all be meeting together with Madison, Hailey and their parents, at the end of the first day of our ride in Harrison Hot Springs, on Saturday, June 19th. It won't be long now. Only nine days to go!

- Stan

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

Cover Story on the Jewish Independent this week

2010-06-06T06:40:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Stan

The Jewish Independent is an award winning, 80 year old newspaper that serves the Jewish community in British Columbia. This week's issue focused on Health and Fitness. Here is their front page cover story, published after an interview with fellow rider Leona Pinsky and myself last week.

Gearing up to find the cure

By BASYA LAYE

Thousands of Canadians were inspired by the poignant story of 25-year-old Eva Markvoort, a woman from New Westminster with cystic fibrosis, who was the subject of 65 Red Roses, a documentary on CBC’s Passionate Eye earlier this year. The film focused attention on CF and mobilized people from all over the country to take part in fund- and awareness-raising projects organized by the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and its Vancouver chapter. Those pushing for a cure will soon be embarking on the fifth annual GearUp4CF bike ride. It leaves Vancouver on June 19, winds its way through the Rockies and reaches Banff on June 27. Fifteen riders, several of whom are Jewish, are making the trip this year.

<--Leona and Max Pinsky, from an earlier ride (Leona is riding again this year)

CF is the most common fatal genetic disease affecting Canadian children and young adults for which there is no cure. It is a multi-organ disease, primarily affecting the lungs and digestive system, and is most found in people of European ancestry. For Jews, it has a similar incidence rate as Tay-Sachs, another inherited disorder that predominately affects Ashkenazi Jews.

Among the riders this year are Jewish community members Leona Pinsky and Stan Shaw. Five years ago, Pinsky, whose daughter, Rina, has CF, was approached by Dr. David Speert, a leading CF researcher at B.C. Children’s Hospital and University of British Columbia, who came up with the idea for the ride. “Speert came to me and said that, the year before, he’d done some crazy ride from Minnesota to Maine and he wanted to do the first half, so that he could say he’d ridden across the continent.... It was like a vision quest thing,” Pinsky said. He told her, “‘I want to raise money for CF, so why don’t we see if we can get together a group to ride to Calgary?’ I said, ‘David, don’t be crazy. No one is going to ride to Calgary.’ By the time she and Speert had finished listing family members who might like to participate, Pinsky said, she had agreed to help organize the ride and, soon, they had 11 cyclists for that first year.

Seeing the first year’s riders off, Pinsky said, “I thought, I just have to do this.... The next year, we organized it again and we had even more riders and, by the following year, between Dave’s relatives and my friends and relatives, I’m sure it was like 30 percent Jewish,” a percentage, she said, that has not wavered. Shaw came to CF through his relationship with the Pinsky family and through his wife, Dr. Hilary Vallance, a medical biochemist at Children’s Hospital, who is responsible for the province’s Newborn Screening Program. Shaw said, “Last fall, her lab began testing newborn children across British Columbia for cystic fibrosis. This has helped to pave the way for earlier detection, which has enormous benefits in improving outcomes for children with this inherited genetic condition.”

Stan Shaw -->

In an e-mail, Shaw wrote, “I first met the Pinskys through Vancouver Talmud Torah, where Rina and my youngest daughter, Naomi, have become friends. Two years ago, Leona and [her husband] Max rode the same massive ride on behalf of their daughter to help raise research funds for CF.... Knowing I was an avid cyclist, they asked if I would ride in their place last year. The ride was unforgettable. I documented it in an online journal, filled with spectacular photos and wonderful stories.”

Limited to 20 riders, Pinsky and Shaw said the ride is singular in the disease-fundraising roster. “We’re not trying to compete with the Ride to Conquer Cancer. This is a whole different thing,” Pinsky said. “GearUp is for people who want something a lot more, I think, personally meaningful, where you’re really connected to the cause, one where everyone on that ride is deeply connected and you really get to know people intimately and you really challenge yourself. It’s physically challenging, but it’s emotionally challenging too. A lot of getting up those hills is here,” she said, pointing to her head, “I just think about people with CF who operate on 50 percent lung function all the time. I can get up that hill – I have 100 percent lung function. You just think about people we’ve lost, people who are ill, the hope you have for young people now ... and you just keep pedaling.”

Most people don’t know much about CF and that contributes to some of the urgency in raising awareness. Because babies born in previous generations with CF didn’t survive very long, there hasn’t been a good way to chart long-term mortality statistics, meaning that, “you’ve got that whole cohort that’s not here,” said Pinsky. “There are only about 3,500 people in Canada with cystic fibrosis. Even though it’s one in 3,000 births, traditionally, they didn’t live very long. That’s changing, thank God, and we’re now in a place where, last year, we passed a very important milestone. We actually have more adults than children in Canada with CF.”

Shaw is riding for Roman, 11, and his identical twin sisters, Madison and Hailey, 8; three siblings whose story underscores the importance of early detection. “Roman was four years old before he was diagnosed,” said Shaw. “Everyone thought he had asthma. He used to have trouble breathing [and] it wasn’t until his twin sisters were born and, a year later, they were not thriving, that they got a work-up and found out that they have CF. They thought, oh my God, we’ve got to check Roman and, sure enough....”

The treatment regiment is expensive, intense, time consuming and energy sapping. It includes pancreatic enzymes to aid in nutrient absorbption and physiotherapy, which generally includes inhaled Ventolin and other medications, along with manual back-patting to aid with mucous clearing. Though difficult in its own right, Pinsky is grateful for their effectiveness: “We’ve made tremendous progress and these kids and young adults are living good, high-quality lives. It’s not just longer lives. One of the slogans [for CF] is ‘Adding years to life and life to years.’”

Since their daughter was born, Pinsky said, median life expectancy has gone up. “It’s tending towards the early 40s,” she said, “but, you know, numbers are numbers. Median means half the people make it. We buried our close friend’s daughter two months ago, at age 25.” She added, “There’s tremendous progress, but it’s really all about the money.... We have unbelievable science in Canada and, yet, you have to fund it.”

Shaw agreed: “I think we’re looking at the advances in molecular genetics but also in the way kids are being treated and improving outcomes. That’s really the goal right now. Get on top of these infections and find ways that they can be healthier and be able to absorb nutrients.” Pinsky said organ transplant “can add some time at the end but, the thing about a lung transplant, it’s not a cure. You still have CF in the rest of your body and [now] you have transplant issues, which are difficult as many people have seen with the death of Eva Markvoort; her body rejected her lungs after two years.... Having said that, of course, thank God she had those extra two years.” Markvoort died at the end March.

Pinsky said, “Nobody wants to be an organ donor, nobody wants anyone in their family to be an organ donor, but if tragedy has to happen, then I think there would be tremendous comfort in knowing you helped someone else. Our main thrust is that we want a cure for cystic fibrosis. Having said that, a portion of our funds does go to support transplant research and transplant clinics. For a lot of people, it can add years.” Pinsky said those in the Jewish community can visit the Halachic Organ Donor Society website (hods.org) to learn more about Judaism and transplants.

Pinsky believes strongly in the local high-level research effort. “Every year, they know more and more. There’s tremendous hope for kids like Rina; in the short term, that they have better treatments and can help her have a better quality of life but, hopefully, in the long term, too, they can do something more permanent.... The [research] cascades like dominos. You do one and you can’t always predict where your discovery will lead. But it’s really important to do the basic science so that you can start that process.” She added, “Stan and I can’t do the science, but we can ride the bikes and raise the money.”

Shaw feels very connected to the ride. “There is something about riding. After nine days, you really get to know people well. I’ve done other group rides and this one is really pretty special. They’re riding not just to ride and there’s motivation there.... You realize what you’re doing is really important.” About an experience he shared with one of his fellow riders, Shaw said, “One of the neat things about having [some researchers] on the ride was that it made it really relevant for them. [They] spend hours and hours at a lab bench, doing the testing, exploring avenues in mechanistic research [to] find out what’s really going on; it’s a huge commitment, a life commitment. So, they come out on these rides and it really brings it home for them.” Pinsky echoed the sentiment. “I’ve seen grown researchers tear up when they meet someone with CF. They talk to them and they’re like, Oh my God. This is not, just, bacteria in a Petri dish. It’s in this little girl’s lungs and I made a difference. It’s really powerful for them to meet the families or hear the stories, even to go to the funerals. It makes a difference for them.”

Shaw concluded, “And, for us, when we’re going up those mountains and we’re breathing fresh mountain air, we think about that. How fortunate we are.” With the ride quickly approaching, Shaw said, “we’re still working hard to raise funds. There’s lot of opportunity to help support this.”

Shaw will be blogging about the trip and readers can follow along at gearup4cf2010.blogspot.com. Each rider’s personal story, ride information and sponsorhip opportunities are at gearup4cf.org. For information on CF, visit cysticfibrosis.ca.

THANK YOU - Two weeks to go, and we've already raised $70,000!

2010-06-04T23:30:00.000-07:00

We're nearly there. Our team goal is to raise $90,000 on this marathon ride. Can we make it?

With your help, we hope to do even better than that. The children and young adults we are riding for are depending on us. Our goal is to help raise research funds that will be used to help improve their health outcomes, and ultimately find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. We have only weeks left before the ride begins. If you have not already done so, please donate now.

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

bike tune up course

2010-06-03T21:32:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Kitty Chavarie

I had no idea how much I didn't know till I took a two hour course tonight thru my local cycle shop .... wow chain break? taping handlebars yourself? even just knowing how to change a tire the easy way...hands on class, there is nothing like it.

I am no bike mechanic by any means now but I know now what to look for, how to do a check up after each day and what to look for. I feel much more confident to do my long rides alone as when stuff has gone wrong I honestly didn't know what to look for.

Riding today for 70 km without rain gear was such a treat. MR.Sun is a real lovely June concept. Working on getting all my gear list filled out, getting excited and nervous from moment to moment. Small town business's still helping me out by giving me discounts on necessary items (delicious natural electrolyte drink mixes, electrolyte lollies and bars) I can't wait to get out there and get to know all of the other riders for Cystic Fibrosis.

Thanks, Mark, at Arrowsmith Cycle, for teaching us so much tonight. My friend Val and her husband attended too. There were just a few folks, so we got great attention and hands on. Val is doing the "ride to conquer cancer" this month. I met her after she saw a story about our ride and my photo in our local paper. We ride together once in awhile.

For all the support from everyone - even by email - I want to thank you all.

Life is good. Breathe deep, appreciate the moment!

- Kitty

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

GearUp4CF Burger and Beer Fundraiser in North Vancouver this Friday night

2010-06-02T09:53:00.000-07:00

Team riders Margaret and Brian Benson are having a great fundraiser in support of the ride, a "Burger and Beer" Pub night

This Friday, June 4th
6:30 - 8:30 PM

at the Mosquito Creek Bar and Grill
2061 Westview Drive
North Vancouver
For a map, click here

Fellow team riders, supporters and just folks who want to learn more about our ride to Banff are invited. It will be great fun!

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

We made it!! - the view from the back of the Tandem

2010-05-30T09:46:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Margaret Benson

I¹ve been meaning to write a little blurb letting everyone know what it is like to ride on the back of the tandem, but I haven't had the time (planning our pub night fun(d) raiser) and I also wanted it to be memorable.

Oh, was Saturday ever memorable. Stan was correct, Brian and I headed out, in the rain, to ride the big mountain, Cypress.

I have to admit it seemed a bit daunting at first, but I had my trusty steed, guide, mountain man and crazy husband up front to lead the way. I had no choice and what could go wrong????

Before I go on, I need to answer a question everyone has been asking, "Why ride on the back of a tandem, don¹t you want to ride on your own?" First, I'm not a confident rider and don¹t own a road bike, plus Brian and I have been through a lot, and I mean A LOT, why not do one more crazy adventure together?

The next question people have asked, "Do you trust Brian on the front of the bike? I don't think I could trust anyone in that situation." Simply put, I trust him with all my heart and I couldn¹t imagine doing this journey with anyone else, but him.

Living with Cystic Fibrosis and going through a double lung transplant, "TRUST" is not just a word, it is a life style. Every day of my life I have had to trust: doctors, nurses, physiotherapist, IV specialists, surgeons,
researchers, pretty much everyone I'm surrounded by I have had to trust. Life is about trusting others with your heart, pain, secrets, tears, joys, laughs, adventures, dreams and trusting they will be true to you. In the twenty three years that Brian and I have been together "Trust" has been a huge part of our relationship, so who better to do this journey with then him!

Back to today's adventure. We headed up the mountain dressed for wet weather, but knowing we would be working hard to climb the mountain, we did not overdress. The best part about being on the back of the tandem, I have a little more freedom to enjoy the view and not just of Brian's backpack and helmet, but the beauty of the surroundings. Today, despite the rain, fog and cold weather, was magical. I noticed birds flying through the trees, heard grouse beating their wings, saw numerous waterfalls large and small, was amazed by the flora on the forest floor, but for me the most beautiful thing of all; my breath. Something as simple as that makes a day like today, magical. I remember 11 years ago I couldn't breathe with ease, I needed the help of an oxygen tank, I struggled for every breath. Don't get me wrong; I was struggling for breath, but for a different reason.

I also was thinking of the reasons behind the GearUp ride. I'm pedaling for all those living with CF struggling for every breath, those waiting for transplant, those who lost their battle with CF and for my donor and donor
family and giving thanks. Thinking of the purpose made climbing Cypress Mountain was a breeze.

At one point, I started to breathe and whistle at the same time, something I do to help me breathe easier, to which my trusty steed said, "If you can whistle, you¹re not working hard enough, pedal harder." He's such a
spoilsport. His first rule of the road for riding on the back of the tandem is: "Yakity Yak Don't Talk Back" I wasn't talking, I was whistling. Rule number two: "If you can whistle, you¹re not pedaling hard enough". Pedal/don't whistle. FINE!!!!!

Brian was anticipating it would take us two to three hours to ride up to the top. He was very pleasantly surprised we got to the top in one hour and thirty nine minutes. Not bad for a tandem. We had a steady pace going up, faster then we expected. At the top we took a few pictures, had a bite to eat, got into some warmer clothes for the trip down. I thought I had brought way too many clothes for the trip down; seriously I could have worn a fur-lined parka and still not had enough clothes. It was freezing for me on the back with Brian
as my wind block, all I could think about was how cold he must have been. I didn't dare complain. Ducking my head down, shivering, teeth chattering I hoped for a speedy decent. Half way down I asked, "Are you OK?" To which I got, "OK, but fricken freezing." I kept my mouth shut.

Twenty minutes later we were at the truck, knees knocking, lips and fingers blue, soaking wet, but happily grinning ear to ear. We did it! We climbed Cypress Mountain on our tandem bike. Eleven years ago when I was dying of CF did I ever in my wildest imagination think I would ride a bike up Cypress Mountain. NEVER!

...but now I can say, "I did it" with my trusty steed Brian.

One more thing to take off my "To Do" list.

- Margaret

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

A rainy ride part-way up Cypress

2010-05-29T13:25:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Stan

Well, there's training rides and then there's training rides. This one was a sodden journey into North Vancouver that took me out to Horseshoe Bay, up that brutal climb to the upper levels highway via Westport Road I did two weeks ago, and part-way up Cypress before heading down the mountain for some much needed hot coffee.

A dreary view of the ocean on Marine Drive just outside of UBC--->

What a difference from last weekend. Today was cold, and wet. Very, very wet. The clouds wrapped the mountain with a clammy fog that started at the viewpoint, not unlike my ride to Seymour a few weeks ago. Not exactly a good day to go climbing up the big hills on the North Shore. I knew this, but we have only 21 days left. The more hill climbing we do now, the better.

<--Stan, feel'in the cold.

Thankfully, my regular riding group, Le Peloton, were there to keep me company. We rode up together in a close pack, looking back over our shoulders to make absolutely sure that no one was dropped. That can be pretty discouraging on a day like this, and really, there's no reason. We're all going up the mountain at basically the same pace, so why not stay together? Besides, it's more fun that way - if you can call this fun!

My soaking wet gear at the end of the ride. Thank goodness this day is done. -->

Most of the GearUp4CF Vancouver team wisely rode south today, away from the mountains. Now that I'm back and have had a hot shower, I'm convinced they made the right choice. However, I heard last night that Brian and Margaret Benson were going to try to make up Cypress mountain today... on their Tandem bike! That's pretty brave, on a day like this. I sincerely hope they make it.

<--My route today, 97.4km. Calories burned, 3603.

My elevation profile. For more details, click here. The arrow shows the short, sharp grade up Westport Road, as high as 21%. -->

Why are we doing this? I just have to think of Roman, Madison and Hailey, the kids I'm riding for in June.

<--with their mom, Jacqueline

Roman, in hospital recently-->

I must be prepared for this epic ride. I simply cannot let them down. Please, if you have not done so already, help us to make this ride a success by sponsoring a rider. Because, far more important than climbing mountains, are your contributions to fund lifesaving research into better treatments and ultimately a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. The children and young adults we are riding for are depending on it.

- Stan

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

Our GearUp4CF Vancouver Team climbs Cypress!

2010-05-25T12:51:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Stan

Well, we did it. On Victoria Day, a dedicated team of GearUP4CF riders met at Cindy's Cafe on Marine Drive in West Vancouver to embark on our first big group ride up one of the local mountains. This was terrific training, as the grade up Cypress approximates what we'll be facing on most of the mountain passes on our way to the Rockies.

Tom and Susan rode over from Vancouver (as did I, via a separate route). Rebecca and Andrea joined us a little later; just in time for me to breathlessly have some coffee and orange juice before heading up the hill.

<--Left to right: Andrea, Rebecca, Tom, Susan and Stan. Click on photo to enlarge.

We started up 21st avenue, with a short. 1.7 km but very sharp grade approaching 13%, until we reached the Upper Levels highway, eventually reaching the turnoff to Cypress Mountain.

Overlooking the viewpoint,

halfway up Cypress Mountain-->

<-- the view from my bike, about six kilometers up the mountain.

From the base, it's a grueling 12 kilometers at a nearly continuous 7-8% grade until the top, the Cypress Mountain ski area.

The mountain flowers are beautiful this time of the year

Sad to say, my Garmin GPS ran out of working memory and only stored summary data. So that nice plot of our route and hill profile is not available today. Some details are available, though. Click here if you are really interested.

You can basically see what we did, however, in the elevation profile below taken of my ride up Cypress last week.

My elevation profile from last week's ride. nearly identical to the ride we did this week. --->

<--We're at the top! Left to right, Rebecca, Andrea, Tom and Susan . I'm taking the picture.

This was the first time Tom and Rebecca had climbed Cypress to the top of the ski area. Tom recalled that he had attempted it last year, but back then he could only just barely make it halfway, up to the Cypress Mountain viewpoint. Tom has since lost over 30 pounds and is looking very fit. What a difference a year makes. Both he and Rebecca easily made it up the mountain. And Andrea! Andrea playfully rode circles around all of us heading up the hill. Both amazing athletes in their own right, I suspect Andrea and Susan, who was right at the front of the pack, will be leading all of us up the big mountain passes in June. From what I can see, our GearUp4CF Vancouver team is looking pretty good.

To our riders: With the warmer weather now upon us, this is a great time to do some big hills (or lots of repeated smaller ones), if you are not already. Don't overdo it, but aim to carefully build strength and endurance over the next few weeks. And don't forget core strength. Make sure to work on your trunk and torso at the gym during your leg 'recovery days'. It will help stabilize the spine from the pelvis to the neck and shoulder, and, with more inner strength, let you lighten up on the handlebars when riding. That, in turn, can help lower stress on your hands and shoulders that sometimes happens when cycling for hours. Core strength training has made a huge difference for me in feeling more relaxed on those long rides.

- Stan

Only 24 days until we're on our way!

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

Training in Richmond and Steveston

2010-05-22T14:49:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Stan

After climbing three local mountains in three weeks, it was time to do some hard, fast riding on the flats again. The weather was chilly at first but warmed up, but with strong headwinds heading out to Iona (the road next to Vancouver Airport), then along River Road.

But I was riding with my regular cycling group, Le Peloton this week, who lived up to their "peloton" style of group riding - very consistent, predictable, cooperative riding, allowing for closely spaced lines of riders to help make the wind to aerodynamically flow around them.

<--Our route today, plotted on my bike's Garmin GPS, basically all over Richmond, Steveston and UBC. Total distance, 123 km. For more details, click here.

Our route profile ... pretty flat!-->

I've mentioned before how riding in a "peloton", i.e., forming a paceline or echelon to ride as an integrated unit, can result in enormous energy savings. I found out that out pretty quickly today when we were riding along River Road in Richmond and somehow 'missed the train' when moving to the back of the line during a normal rotation. Before I knew it, I was about 10 meters behind everyone else. Not by much, deadly in a strong headwind. It was such hard work! Worse, I really had to struggle to catch up. Once back in the slipstream, though, it seemed as if the wind had suddenly dropped. I felt I could ride like this for hours.

Tip to riders: The main secret to cycling in a peloton (click here for details) is to ride very, very predictably. That means, at all costs, don't hit the brakes. That will, at the very least, unnerve riders behind you, forcing them to give up more distance between the wheels, and lose a huge energy advantage in breaking wind resistance. New and unexperienced group riders may not realize how uneven their riding really is. This takes a lot of practice. It certainly took me awhile, and a few grumbles from my incredibly patient cycling group before I finally caught on.

What I really like about the "peloton" style of riding, beyond obvious energy savings, is that it gives an opportunity to socialize. It's easy to chat together when we're riding together as a group. So, it's a lot of fun. If you are not used to riding in this style, let's give it a try the next time we're riding together.

On Monday (Victoria Day): our GearUp4CF Team in Vancouver is planning to climb Cypress mountain. Looking forward to it!

- Stan

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

A team ride to Horseshoe Bay

2010-05-16T16:32:00.000-07:00

- Submitted by Stan

What a great day for a training ride yesterday. I joined up with several of my fellow GearUp4CF team riders at 10th and Cypress at 7:30 AM, after doing a short loop out to UBC (see route map, below).

Tom Evans and Susan Edmison had organized this trek out to Horseshoe Bay. Since they organized it, of course, there just had to be a mandatory stop at Central Bistro off Denman street for massive 'energy enhancing' breakfast. I don't usually do this before a big ride, I was happy as it gave me a chance to get to know my fellow riders a bit better.

<--In front of the Bistro. Left to right: Linda (a friend of Susan and Tom), Rebecca, Justin, Susan, Tom, Stan

Susan and Tom had a big surprise for us. When we stopped at the Bistro, they took off their bike helmets to reveal..... their amazing hair!!

Susan and Tom, sporting their new "Eva" hair color-->

Susan and Tom had, in memory of Eva Markvoort, taken on her her trademark flaming red hair. They looked pretty good! Susan and Tom showed off their new hair last night when they appeared at the grand opening of the 65 Red Roses art exhibit on Granville Island. If you are in Vancouver, you simply must see this exhibit, on display until June 16th.

During breakfast, Rebecca, a young post doctoral researcher, told how she has moved west to work in David Speert's lab at Children's Hospital , that specializes in Cystic Fibrosis research. Her special research interest will be to learn why the inflammatory response to infections is so different in CF. By understanding this better, improved treatment may be possible, with, ultimately improved outcomes for the children we are riding for. This is the sort of work that is actively being done in Vancouver, considered a leading center of CF research in Canada. And this is why your research support through GearUp4CF is so important.

Justin works in a research laboratory at Children's Hospital near the lab where Rebecca will soon be. He has worked in CF research as well. While we were having breakfast, Justin explained that many of the specialized techniques he uses can be applied to doing cutting edge research in CF. Both Rebecca and Justin have a keen understanding of the important work that is currently underway, and both will be riding with us to Banff. I am looking forward to learning more about their research along the way, along with James Zlosnik, also a leading researcher in Vancouver who is studying the bacterial pathogens that cause so many problems for people with CF. When you think about it, we have quite an amazing team of riders this year.

We rode through Stanley Park, then over the Lions Gate Bridge, where, on arriving in West Vancouver, we met up with Margaret and Brian Benson, riding on their trademark tandem bike. Seeing them ride together, perfectly synchronized, is a pleasure to watch.

<--Margaret and Brian at Horseshoe Bay

It is all the more remarkable because Margaret, quite an athlete in her own right, has Cystic Fibrosis herself. She has reached an amazing level of fitness thanks to her successful double lung transplant. Later, Brian gave me a chance to try handling the bike with him riding on the back. I could not believe how difficult it is to do! Every minor shift in weight had to be carefully anticipated, or you could easily find yourself on the pavement. It gave me a whole new appreciation for what a challenge they are undertaking, cycling up the Hope Princeton highway with us to Manning Park this year.

Margaret rides behind Brian on a Tandem bike. As you can see, she has "special" instructions from Tom: "Yakity Yak, Don't talk back!".

We made it to Horseshoe Bay in excellent time, taking a few minutes to get a photo of everyone near the park in front of Sewell's Marina.

<--Left to right: Justin, Stan, Linda (Susan's friend), Rebecca, Susan, Tom, Brian and Margaret (click on photo to enlarge)

From there, we parted company, almost everyone returning home to Vancouver via Marine Drive. I headed off up towards Cypress Mountain to repeat the route I did last week. Along the way, I managed to fix a 'little' problem, a loose screw that had been making my right cleat fall out of the pedal. It was a good thing, as the grade going up Westport Road from Marine Drive to the Upper Levels highway is between 18 and 21% in places. I needed all the help I could get! Thankfully, we won't be seeing grades like that during our tour in June. Cypress mountain, about 12 km to the top, has a constant grade of about 8-9% which is more typical of most of the mountain passes we will be doing this summer. The real worry is that a number of them are 25 to 30 kilometers in length, which means endurance training now is pretty important.

My route yesterday. Total distance: 115 km, Energy used during the ride (based on heart rate calculations from my Garmin GPS): 4547 calories. After a ride like that, you can eat anything! For more details, click here -->

<--My elevation profile for the ride, plotted on my GPS. The arrow shows the rather steep hill from sea level on Marine Drive to the Upper Levels Highway via Westport Road, on the way to Cypress mountain. The grade reached 18-21% in places (click on the photo to enlarge).

With my pedal clip now working fine, cycling up Cypress was pretty easy. I'm feeling stronger, and my weight, although not too bad, is reaching the level I need to be by June 19th... a good sign. On Tuesday, however, I'm getting a cardiac stress test in order to check that my heart is really OK to do this ride. No worries, I just want to make sure. (Updated May 18th: I passed my stress test with flying colors.)

On reaching the top of Cypress, I tucked my head and elbows tightly into the bike to lower wind resistance and rocketed straight back down the mountain at a thrilling 70 kph. I continued on from there, enjoying the brilliant sunshine, and perfect riding conditions.

It was great getting to know some of my fellow GearUp4CF cyclists a bit better yesterday. I am looking forward to our next team ride!

- Stan

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

WHY?

2010-05-14T08:37:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Kitty Chavarie

Hello my friends,

Although I have no one in my family that has CF I am still doing this crazy fundraising ride of 1200 km to Banff next month, I am no jock...to be honest I may be a bit crazy as I dont' have the real sleek riders body or "cycle knowledge" that some of our participants have and folks keep asking me if I can "DO THIS" and why would I anyways...been thinking about that and have finally come up with a real explanation.

When I was younger and heard stories of Philanthropy and what it meant to have so much money you could just gift it away to folks, ideas or beliefs without any reason just because you "want to"...thought it was so cool and if I turned out to be rich I wanted to be a philanthropist (sounds amost as good as Dr. to me, without having to go to
school forever!) WELL as some of you know I am not rich, have no rich relatives that are going to leave me money and don't buy lottery tickets OR gamble SOOOO there is little or no chance of me having buckets of moola to throw around in this lifetime.

BUT I am happy, healthy and love a good reason to get up everyday. This CF ride has given me my philanthropy fix...I feel rich that I can give back something without any catch...just want to do good for the world and well this I can do. Please don't thank me, I am excited to be doing this, it is an honor to have someone I have never met feel good someone is trying to help with no strings attached...

To me this is what belonging to the human race means, giving back. Please share this with any families or friends who don't "get" the why for me so they can see that sometimes life is just about doing and being, not getting

...sincerely from Kitty

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUP4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

Teammate Margaret and Brian Benson's Sun Run yesterday

2010-05-10T17:49:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Stan

While I was having my little adventure up Cypress Mountain yesterday, fellow teammates Brian and Margaret Benson were running in a rather special category of the Vancouver Sun Run yesterday - the Medical and Health division. Their team? The Gift of Life Organ Donation Works team.

The Gift of Life Organ Donation Works Team--->

Margaret, who has lived with Cystic Fibrosis all her life, is living proof that organ donations really do work. Her story can be found here. But what is truly remarkable is Brian and Margaret's team came in 29th out of 60 Medical and Health team competitors! Margaret's smiling comment: "Just for the record I beat Brian's time by quite a margin... not that I'm competitive or anything."

I am excited to know Margaret and Brian will be riding with us the first two days of our journey to the Canadian Rockies. Check out some of their other entries elsewhere in this journal as they train on their tandem bike. (for starters, click here ) In the meantime, they're having a great fundraiser in support of the ride, a "Burger and Beer" Pub night on June 4th, between 6:30 and 8:30 PM at the Mosquito Creek Bar and Grill, 2061 Western Drive, North Vancouver. Details are in the poster - click to enlarge. It should be great fun!

- Stan

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

First Cypress, then Grouse Mountain...

2010-05-10T06:10:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Stan

What a difference a week makes. Spring has arrived, at last!

Sadly, because I love riding in groups, I could not ride on Saturday with my usual riding club, "Le Peloton", due to family commitments. So I had to sneak away on my own early on Sunday. Thankfully, I was able to cycle through downtown just before the Vancouver Sun Run, which took place that morning, closed Burrard and the Lions Gate Bridge. This time, my destination was Cypress Mountain on the North Shore, so I headed over the Lions Gate Bridge and out to West Vancouver. Then, I turned up the big hill on 14th avenue to Mathers. Those 8-10% grades were a prelude to what was to come. Basically it was up hill from there, from sea level, to the upper levels highway, and eventually to the top of Cypress. What a beautiful ride, though, one of the best I've done since last summer. I stopped to take pictures on the viewpoint, six kilometers up Cypress, then a few at the top, just at the base where the Olympic snowboard competitions were held only a few of months ago. Now it's a deserted lot, with only the occasional hiker and cyclist to be seen.

At the viewpoint, halfway up Cypress-->

<--Mountain stream on the way up the mountain

Snowmaking equipment used on Cypress Mountain during the Olympics. Thanks to these, and helicopters that brought snow to the mountain, the Olympic snowboard event was saved!-->

<--at the top of Cypress, near the old ski lodge. The Olympic snowboard site is behind me.

Coming down the mountain was a huge change from that freezing cold, fog-bound ride on Seymour last week. The road was dry, visibility was unlimited, and before I knew it I had reached a top speed of 76 kph heading down the mountain. It's quite a thrill, flying down the mountain on a lightweight carbon fiber bike, in perfect control, feeling the wind flowing over your body, and shouting "good morning!" to fellow cyclists as you pass them by while they labor up the hill for their chance.

My next and final goal of the day was the gondola at the base of Grouse Mountain. Looking at the route profile below, you will notice my destination was much lower in elevation than Cypress. However, what might not be apparent, unless you look closely, are the steep inclines encountered going up Capilano Road. "Short and sharp", as my brother-in-law Jerome, an avid cyclist, likes to say. The last kilometer or so is brutal - a 12-15% grade - that makes you desperately want to see the Grouse Mountain sign to tell you that the ordeal is nearly at an end.

Cycling tip: When going up steep inclines, it's important to make sure you are using the upward thrust of your opposing leg, in addition to the all-important downward thrust. This takes a significant burden off your downstroke leg. It not only helps to make that stroke easier, but also takes some of the strain off your joints. This is absolutely critical when embarking on a long distance tour like what we are doing in June, because if you damage your knees, you are done for. Using your 'upstroke' is counter-intuitive, however. Your leg is aching for a rest, so it takes a conscious effort to do so. The good news is the upstroke uses different muscles, so, at the end of the day, your body will thank you for it.

Thanks to the warm, but not too hot weather, and the fact I've been working pretty hard training at the gym since that brutal ride up Seymour last week, I had enough steam to pick up the pace the last few meters and made it triumphantly to the top.

Please get that cougar off my back! This is what happens when you get a tourist to take your picture. At the base of Grouse Mountain, near the entrance to the gondola-->

<--My route today, tracked on my bike's Garmin GPS, from home to Cypress, to Grouse, and finally back along British Properties to Taylor way for the return home via Lions Gate Bridge. In all, 85 kilometers.

The elevation profile tells it all-->

So, I'm starting to feel a bit better about training. However, there's much, much more to do before I'll be ready for our big ride in June.

And, there's much more that simply MUST be done to raise funds for the children I'm riding for. I will be sending out a personal appeal this week to my many friends and family, as, without your help, this ride cannot be the success we're all working so hard to achieve. Can you help? Roman, Madison and Hailey, and the other CF children and young adults who we are riding for are depending on you to support Cystic Fibrosis research. It is their only hope for improved outcomes and ultimately a cure for CF. That is why we are doing this ride. Click on the link of any rider's name you see on in this journal and you'll find their 'bio' on the official GearUP4CF web site, sponsored by the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. There's a link there that you can make a tax-deductible donation on-line. If you have not done so already, please do it now. We're looking forward to having you join our team.

- Stan

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

A Vancouver Island News broadcast of teammate Heather and Dave Strange's preparations for the ride

2010-05-03T21:04:00.000-07:00

Heather and David Strange did the interview on May 3rd.

Heather's message: "A big 'thinking of you' to the Markvoot's and now you can see my crazy Eva red hair. Eva pulled it off better than me but I did it to honor her."

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!

Back in the Saddle again.

2010-05-03T07:19:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Brian Benson

It's been a while since we last posted. Training was going well until two weeks ago. We even found a flat road to train on. Flat, that is, for North Vancouver. Even the flat roads over here have some hills. On a Friday night we did a short twenty km ride then I went out solo for a five and a half hour mountain bike ride Saturday. The ride was a long one with friends through the many trails of Mount Seymour. It as a great ride but I felt very fatigued for some reason. By Sunday I had a terrible cold that lasted about ten days, which meant no riding.

During that time we had a family function in Peachland so we decided to drive the Hope Princeton Highway to get a better feel for day two of our ride. I've driven the road many times but never from the standpoint of wondering what it would be like to ride a tandem bike up those hills. Let's just say the hills on day two are running through my mind every night. It will be a tough ride. Tandems are fast on the flats and down
hills but very slow on uphill. It¹s like a semi truck. They seem to cruise effortlessly on the flats, then fly downhill. However I¹m sure each and every one of you have experienced what happens to the semi on hills. They come what seems to be a grinding halt at the first sign of a hill. That¹s what it's like riding a tandem bike. The long hills to Manning Park are going to take a lot of determination to get up.

Margaret is constantly working out, on the treadmill and keeps herself very fit. She was away this week in Ottawa at the Cystic Fibrosis AGM and on Sunday ran a ten kilometer race. Since I knew she would be keeping active I thought I needed to get back in the saddle. Wednesday was a hill climb up Mountain
Highway to Fromme Mountain (some people call this Grouse but technically it¹s Fromme) to the fifth switchback then an amazing technical downhill through the trails. Great ride until I landed face down in a pile of rocks.

My friend turned around just in time to see me six feet off the ground, then face down. Thankfully I wear full armour and a full-face helmet. If not for the armour let¹s just say I think my left arm would be in a cast right about now. I keep forgetting I'm not twenty six years old anymore.

This past Sunday I decided to do more hill climbing. Up Fromme again to the seventh switchback. About a two hour uphill climb from my house through the pouring rain. It felt great. Then came the downhill. As I was alone I decided for safety I¹d just cruise down the road. Needless to say with the rain and six degree weather it was incredibly cold on the descent. I¹m glad I got in some hill climbing this week. I just read Stan Shaw¹s blog about his hill climb up Seymour and can relate to his descent. This week, if the weather clears, we¹ll get back out on the tandem. Otherwise, I'll continue doing as much hill climbing as I can. Stan's blog reminding me how important it is to be ready for the hills. Thanks for the reminder and incentive Stan. Thanks also for reminding me the ride is only six weeks away!!?? Are you sure about that Stan?? That¹s only about forty two more sleeps!! Yikes.

- Brian

Clarification by Stan: Actually, I think it's closer to seven weeks. So, good news! - you have about forty nine more sleeps! :-)

Would you like to sponsor a favorite rider? Click on their name anywhere on this journal to open their "bio" on the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation GearUp4CF web site, click on the button "Sponsor this Rider", and you will join our team!