Tuesday, June 15, 2010
2010 RTCC Ride Report
It’s two days now since the end of the 2010 Ride To Conquer Cancer. What a weekend it was!
Flew up to Toronto on Friday morning. Bit of a panic at the airport when the security screeners would not let me on with my bicycle tool used to attach pedals, adjust seat, etc. Totally ridiculous. To date I have never heard of a terrorism threat associated with a person attempting to disassemble an airplane in flight from the inside out, using nothing but allen wrenches. Since I had no checked baggage, I was forced to leave the tool with a gate agent who kindly held it until my return on Monday.
Once in Toronto I headed straight for my friend Myra’s house and got her tandem, a lovely Cannondale, adjusted to fit me as best as we could. Shortly thereafter the bike was picked up by our support team from the Blind Guys Tri Team and transported down to the start location.
Saturday morning I was up at 5 a.m., caught a cab at 5:30 and was at Myra’s before 6 a.m. to rendez-vous with our wonderful friend Jan who was driving us (and our overnight baggage) to the start. We ended up in a massive traffic jam as we approached the Canadian National Exhibition grounds where the event was to start from. Eventually though we got through the gates and met up with the other team members, our bike, etc.
The ride got under way just after 8 am amongst much fanfare. There were some speeches, music, a big jumbotron, the announcement that more than $16 million had been raised and lots of cheering well-wishers. It was quite spectacular to look ahead and see over 4000 riders stretched out in front of us as far as the eye could see. Even the Tour de France couldn’t rival the sight!
It took well over an hour before the group dispersed to any great degree so the riding was very slow and frustrating for the first while. We saw a very serious accident in the first hour – rumour was that the cyclist had been hit by a car. Paramedics were on the scene, the rider was on the pavement covered in blood, lots of police around, etc. We also saw a lot of mechanical issues in those first few miles but there was no shortage of help around so most of the flatted tires and fouled derailleurs were being fixed quickly and the riders able to get right back into the event. I spoke to a woman who had her rim bent and a spectator took her and the bike to his nearby bike shop, sold her a new rim, changed out the tire/tube and got her back in a matter of minutes.
As the day progressed we cycled through the west end of Toronto. Traffic control was provided by a combination of the Toronto Police and a huge number of motorcyclists from local clubs. They did a fantastic job.
Every 25 kilometers there was a pit stop established with porta-potties, food, water, Gatorade, medical attention, bike mechanics, music, etc. Because it wasn’t a race, it was really nice to be able to get off the bike, stretch the legs, take in some nutrition, adjust clothing layers, etc. It was also a chance to chat with other riders, etc.
On Day One we rode about 75km before the lunch break. I found this a little long because we had started so early in the morning but the upside was that it meant there was only about 35km to go after lunch to the finish.
Day One ended with a massive downhill – the steepest and longest hill I have ever descended – and a massive uphill – the steepest and longest hill I have ever climbed. A lot of people were dismounting and walking but Myra and I put it into the lowest gear and pushed it all the way to the top. One thing to know about tandems is that they are very heavy so they fly downhill but are a monster to push uphill. Also, with a blind back seat partner you can’t stand on the pedals like you might when on a single bike. So you just have to push your butt down into the seat and grind it up the slope.
When we got to the top of the hill (the Niagara Escarpment for those familiar with Canadian geography) we had another 10k or so of flat pedaling to get to the finish. During that last stretch the thunderstorms that had been forecast all day but that had held off decided to wait no more. The heavens opened up and we were instantly drowning. No stopping though. We continued to push and finally crossed the line around 3:00 p.m.
The finish was set up at Mohawk College in Hamilton. There was a big fenced in area with security to rack our bike overnight. There was also a big festival tent with music, some refreshments, etc. Some were opting to camp on site (all set up and provided by the ride organizers including meals, showers, etc.) but our group had reserved a local hotel. We loaded into a truck and off we went. Boy did the shower ever feel great. Our group went to dinner at a local Italian restaurant and by 10:00 I was sound asleep.
I was up early on Sunday morning and waiting in the hotel lobby when Myra arrived at 6:30. We had a quick breakfast then caught a cab for the short trip back to Mohawk College. We got the bike out of security and we were on the road before 7:30. The first 5 to 10 kms were spent getting the muscles limbered up but we quickly settled into a nice rhythm. On the flats we were able to average around 20 kph. For day two the lunch stop was at the 50 km mark so we were there around 10:30. The weather hadn’t been great to that point so we were wearing jackets but it started to improve so we were able to pack the coats away.
On Day One pretty well everyone chose to ride in the Ride To Conquer Cancer jersey that we had been given as part of our registration. It was a lovely yellow/black/grey shirt with the skyline of Toronto in a swath across the front and various sponsor logos. Since almost everyone was also wearing black cycling shorts, we looked like a massive swarm of bumblebees. For Day Two, many changed into “team” jerseys. Our jerseys were “Team Joe” in honor of our group’s founder, Joe Findley. He was diagnosed with cancer about 4 years ago and ever since has been fighting the disease and to raise money. In three years team Joe has raised more than $3 million. Joe has done the ride in previous years but is currently receiving treatment so was unable. Nevertheless he still made it out for the weekend and came to dinner with us on Saturday night. His son Mike rode in the event as well.
After over 200km of riding we finally pulled into Niagara Falls. As we came down the final chute there was a huge crowd of supporters cheering and holding signs. There was a big jumbotron over the finish line and an announcer calling out the names of finishers. I did manage to hear Myra’s name being announced. Once we crossed the line we made our way to the Joe’s Team support truck and got our bike loaded for the return trip to Toronto. Then we joined the big party and enjoyed some food, a couple of Steam Whistle Brewery beers, admired the view of the Niagara River rapids and of course the Falls.
The final part of the event was the bus shuttle back to Toronto which was super comfortable. It took Myra about 30 seconds to fall asleep in the row in front of me. I had a wonderful young (female) seatmate who had done the ride with her parents and we chatted the whole way back to the CNE grounds. From the CNE Myra and I hopped onto a streetcar and about three stops later we parted company – she to head home and me to head off to the downtown hostel where I was spending the night.
Over the course of the two days we interacted with a lot of other riders. There were very few tandems in the event so many who passed us wanted to ask what it was like or they made a joke about the back seat person not pedaling or something like that. Many wanted to know how we decided who would be in front and Myra would coyly answer she liked the back because she tended to close her eyes when we went downhill.
On the ride we met a lot of folks who were overcoming huge challenges of their own. There was an elderly gentleman riding a three-wheeler that had a little electric motor to assist with the big hills. We passed a young women whose left leg had been amputated at the groin level. She was riding a 3-wheel road bike with a very sophisticated looking tripod extending off the back of an otherwise normal frame. I lost count of the number of people who were riding with photos of loved ones attached to their bike or to their jerseys. We also met one of Myra’s friends, Bill, who is 83 and blind. He was on a tandem with his cardiologist as his partner. You can imagine the jokes we shared about that!
All-in-all this was an amazing experience for so many reasons. First and foremost because of my friend and co-participant Myra – 67 years old, blind, and a cancer survivor. She holds a PhD in developmental psychology, is a fund-raising superstar and so fun to be around. It was also amazing to be around so many people who are so dedicated to the fight against cancer and who demonstrated their commitment by raising over $16 million dollars and then going out and pedaling 220 kilometers! And of course, to have a chance to do an endurance event like this, so well supported was truly a blessing.
Flew up to Toronto on Friday morning. Bit of a panic at the airport when the security screeners would not let me on with my bicycle tool used to attach pedals, adjust seat, etc. Totally ridiculous. To date I have never heard of a terrorism threat associated with a person attempting to disassemble an airplane in flight from the inside out, using nothing but allen wrenches. Since I had no checked baggage, I was forced to leave the tool with a gate agent who kindly held it until my return on Monday.
Once in Toronto I headed straight for my friend Myra’s house and got her tandem, a lovely Cannondale, adjusted to fit me as best as we could. Shortly thereafter the bike was picked up by our support team from the Blind Guys Tri Team and transported down to the start location.
Saturday morning I was up at 5 a.m., caught a cab at 5:30 and was at Myra’s before 6 a.m. to rendez-vous with our wonderful friend Jan who was driving us (and our overnight baggage) to the start. We ended up in a massive traffic jam as we approached the Canadian National Exhibition grounds where the event was to start from. Eventually though we got through the gates and met up with the other team members, our bike, etc.
The ride got under way just after 8 am amongst much fanfare. There were some speeches, music, a big jumbotron, the announcement that more than $16 million had been raised and lots of cheering well-wishers. It was quite spectacular to look ahead and see over 4000 riders stretched out in front of us as far as the eye could see. Even the Tour de France couldn’t rival the sight!
It took well over an hour before the group dispersed to any great degree so the riding was very slow and frustrating for the first while. We saw a very serious accident in the first hour – rumour was that the cyclist had been hit by a car. Paramedics were on the scene, the rider was on the pavement covered in blood, lots of police around, etc. We also saw a lot of mechanical issues in those first few miles but there was no shortage of help around so most of the flatted tires and fouled derailleurs were being fixed quickly and the riders able to get right back into the event. I spoke to a woman who had her rim bent and a spectator took her and the bike to his nearby bike shop, sold her a new rim, changed out the tire/tube and got her back in a matter of minutes.
As the day progressed we cycled through the west end of Toronto. Traffic control was provided by a combination of the Toronto Police and a huge number of motorcyclists from local clubs. They did a fantastic job.
Every 25 kilometers there was a pit stop established with porta-potties, food, water, Gatorade, medical attention, bike mechanics, music, etc. Because it wasn’t a race, it was really nice to be able to get off the bike, stretch the legs, take in some nutrition, adjust clothing layers, etc. It was also a chance to chat with other riders, etc.
On Day One we rode about 75km before the lunch break. I found this a little long because we had started so early in the morning but the upside was that it meant there was only about 35km to go after lunch to the finish.
Day One ended with a massive downhill – the steepest and longest hill I have ever descended – and a massive uphill – the steepest and longest hill I have ever climbed. A lot of people were dismounting and walking but Myra and I put it into the lowest gear and pushed it all the way to the top. One thing to know about tandems is that they are very heavy so they fly downhill but are a monster to push uphill. Also, with a blind back seat partner you can’t stand on the pedals like you might when on a single bike. So you just have to push your butt down into the seat and grind it up the slope.
When we got to the top of the hill (the Niagara Escarpment for those familiar with Canadian geography) we had another 10k or so of flat pedaling to get to the finish. During that last stretch the thunderstorms that had been forecast all day but that had held off decided to wait no more. The heavens opened up and we were instantly drowning. No stopping though. We continued to push and finally crossed the line around 3:00 p.m.
The finish was set up at Mohawk College in Hamilton. There was a big fenced in area with security to rack our bike overnight. There was also a big festival tent with music, some refreshments, etc. Some were opting to camp on site (all set up and provided by the ride organizers including meals, showers, etc.) but our group had reserved a local hotel. We loaded into a truck and off we went. Boy did the shower ever feel great. Our group went to dinner at a local Italian restaurant and by 10:00 I was sound asleep.
I was up early on Sunday morning and waiting in the hotel lobby when Myra arrived at 6:30. We had a quick breakfast then caught a cab for the short trip back to Mohawk College. We got the bike out of security and we were on the road before 7:30. The first 5 to 10 kms were spent getting the muscles limbered up but we quickly settled into a nice rhythm. On the flats we were able to average around 20 kph. For day two the lunch stop was at the 50 km mark so we were there around 10:30. The weather hadn’t been great to that point so we were wearing jackets but it started to improve so we were able to pack the coats away.
On Day One pretty well everyone chose to ride in the Ride To Conquer Cancer jersey that we had been given as part of our registration. It was a lovely yellow/black/grey shirt with the skyline of Toronto in a swath across the front and various sponsor logos. Since almost everyone was also wearing black cycling shorts, we looked like a massive swarm of bumblebees. For Day Two, many changed into “team” jerseys. Our jerseys were “Team Joe” in honor of our group’s founder, Joe Findley. He was diagnosed with cancer about 4 years ago and ever since has been fighting the disease and to raise money. In three years team Joe has raised more than $3 million. Joe has done the ride in previous years but is currently receiving treatment so was unable. Nevertheless he still made it out for the weekend and came to dinner with us on Saturday night. His son Mike rode in the event as well.
After over 200km of riding we finally pulled into Niagara Falls. As we came down the final chute there was a huge crowd of supporters cheering and holding signs. There was a big jumbotron over the finish line and an announcer calling out the names of finishers. I did manage to hear Myra’s name being announced. Once we crossed the line we made our way to the Joe’s Team support truck and got our bike loaded for the return trip to Toronto. Then we joined the big party and enjoyed some food, a couple of Steam Whistle Brewery beers, admired the view of the Niagara River rapids and of course the Falls.
The final part of the event was the bus shuttle back to Toronto which was super comfortable. It took Myra about 30 seconds to fall asleep in the row in front of me. I had a wonderful young (female) seatmate who had done the ride with her parents and we chatted the whole way back to the CNE grounds. From the CNE Myra and I hopped onto a streetcar and about three stops later we parted company – she to head home and me to head off to the downtown hostel where I was spending the night.
Over the course of the two days we interacted with a lot of other riders. There were very few tandems in the event so many who passed us wanted to ask what it was like or they made a joke about the back seat person not pedaling or something like that. Many wanted to know how we decided who would be in front and Myra would coyly answer she liked the back because she tended to close her eyes when we went downhill.
On the ride we met a lot of folks who were overcoming huge challenges of their own. There was an elderly gentleman riding a three-wheeler that had a little electric motor to assist with the big hills. We passed a young women whose left leg had been amputated at the groin level. She was riding a 3-wheel road bike with a very sophisticated looking tripod extending off the back of an otherwise normal frame. I lost count of the number of people who were riding with photos of loved ones attached to their bike or to their jerseys. We also met one of Myra’s friends, Bill, who is 83 and blind. He was on a tandem with his cardiologist as his partner. You can imagine the jokes we shared about that!
All-in-all this was an amazing experience for so many reasons. First and foremost because of my friend and co-participant Myra – 67 years old, blind, and a cancer survivor. She holds a PhD in developmental psychology, is a fund-raising superstar and so fun to be around. It was also amazing to be around so many people who are so dedicated to the fight against cancer and who demonstrated their commitment by raising over $16 million dollars and then going out and pedaling 220 kilometers! And of course, to have a chance to do an endurance event like this, so well supported was truly a blessing.
# posted by FreddyBeachPete @ 9:32 AM 
