Team Captain’s Recap: Ride to Conquer Cancer 2009
Some of the Team at the Start
When we put together the Wedgewood Cycling Team for the inaugural Ride To Conquer Cancer our fundraising expectations were relatively low given the state of the economy in recent months. As the team started to take shape from a mix of Hotel employees, friends, friends of friends and guests we set our target at a modest $25,000. As new members joined and new goals were reached, the target changed several times. When all was said and done, we had surpassed our final goal of $150,000 by over $5,000! Wow!
Joining a team for an charity ride is a commitment of time and energy, especially this event which would take participants on a two-day, 270 km, bike ride from Vancouver to Seattle. New members, some who had not been on a bike for over 20 years, started purchasing bikes and heading out on the open roads for more than just a Sunday amble around the seawall. This was starting to get serious!
We started organising training rides as a group and some smaller individual rides, all with the same common goal, to get fitter and gain confidence on a bicycle before June 20th 2009. After a few rides I could see there was a determination that was I not prepared for amongst our riders, new and old, as they took to the road and trained with dedication and determination. I was starting to get impressed.
We gathered at the Wedgewood Hotel a couple of times before the event for team meetings, really just an opportunity for this unlikely team to get to know each other and start bonding, share a glass of wine and ask as many questions as they needed to to be able to put away any fears or doubts….it seemed to work.
One person who worked tirelessly with me was Vince Lee, who quietly organised our team kit, patiently guided some of our newer riders on the rides and did basically what was needed to pull us all together and make us the best looking group on the road… thank you Vince!
As we pushed on it was clear that riding this much to prepare for the event was becoming painful, but as a good friend always reminds me “riding through pain is nothing compared to the pain and suffering that cancer patients endure.”
The kick-off at Guildford Centre
June 20 and Day One arrived early; a rendez vous in Surrey at 6:00 am so that we could be on the road by 7:15am. MAS and I drove out to Guildford Mall together and arrived to a place already buzzing with energy and activity. We positioned our Team sign next to stage left as I would be saying a few words from the podium and to ensure that our team would be at the front of the 1,700 strong peloton. David Cohen and I led out through the first few twists and turns out of Surrey with only a few incidents. On the first hill a rider, a little over eager to be first up the slight rise, dropped his chain and toppled into the pack bringing down several innocent victims. Another overly eager sole jumped a red light, but a few words brought things back under control.
The ride into White Rock was otherwise uneventful and very picturesque along the seafront and out onto Hwy 99 towards the border. Despite the pleas of the BC Cancer crew for us to pull in to their area at Peace Arch Park we decided to push on as the crossing was still the big unknown. Pulling up to the border guard as first rider, with the pack inches behind, the guard quickly pushed everyone behind the line and announced we were to proceed one at a time. Oh my! As he fumbled with my passport I looked back and saw a huge pack of riders massing. I quickly started to calculate, one guard, one rider at a time, 1,700 riders……oh my again! The first dozen riders through waited on the other side hoping that the floodgates would surely open soon and the process would be expedited. Eventually we decided to ride as a small group to the first pit stop at Birch Bay State Park and bananas, drinks, mechanics and washrooms. We waited for a while as others trickled in from the crossing. Somehow the border issue was expedited and riders were processed quicker. I am not sure how or what happened but I will hear the stories soon I am sure.
Once we got rolling we made good progress to Bellingham, despite some gusty headwinds. We planned to ride to the lunch stop at Lake Padden about halfway up the long drag out of town. The climb out of Bellingham was long but not too steep, just right for DR to maintain a steady pace, steady enough to shed a few riders. We grabbed a quick lunch at a picnic bench on the shores of Lake Padden. Turkey sandwiches were downed and we were off on the road as riders now poured into the lunch stop. As we made our way south it became clear that not all riders had stopped for lunch. DR continued his steady pace up the climb and we lost a few riders before cresting the top. JL took over from there and powered us down the other side to Lake Samish where we caught up to Axel and Jodi Merckx and their group. From there we stayed as the lead group and together with a few PHN riders rode into Edgewater Park in Mount Vernon and our camp for the night. 130 km done.
As one of the first pack in I headed straight for the massage tent. Axel on the other hand headed for the beer tent! The kindly spoken masseuse could feel me flinching under his firm pressure. “It won’t do you any good if it doesn’t hurt a little,” he mentioned. He was certainly right on that point!
Tent City at the end of Day One
Bikes stored, backpacks collected and tents located, it was now time to clean up in the excellent showers and relax in the afternoon sun. All the bravado talk of Afterburn Rides or riding back along the route to meet team mates were blown away by the gusty head winds that stayed with us like an annoying fly buzzing around your head that you just can’t swat! The only afterburn happening on that day was our afternoon walk into town to the beer selling, convenience store to stock up with ice, beef jerky, M&M’s, Rolling Rock and other yeasty, fermented delights. Purchases made, we garnered a few bemused looks from riders entering camp as we set up our beer palour and prepared the Wedgewood table for dinner. Joined by our friends from Team Merckx we recounted some great stories from the day’s adventures.
Dinner was served early, beginning at 4:00 pm, and was efficient and surprisingly tasty. Another beer and a few speakers including Patrick Sullivan who told a most moving account of his young son’s recent battle with cancer and how he lost the fight. That was why we were all here; to stop tragic stories like Finn’s… For those still not quite sure exactly why they were riding to Seattle it was all starting to make sense now.
Camp closed at 9:00 pm and by 9.30 pm there was an eery silence falling over Edgewater Park as tired bodies and minds retired for the night. We were pleased to welcome GG & JG, our support crew for Day Two and Three, to camp for some morale support and reassurances that they would be there for us the following day. Out like a light until the pitter patter of the first rain drops of the day at 4:00 am. Breakfast at 5:00am consisted of pancakes, scrambled eggs, croissants, probably my 18th banana in the space of 24 hours, and a cup of green tea.
Ready to roll at the start of Day Two
Unlike Day One, Day Two started with no big fanfare; marshalled in the field of the Park, we were sent on our way at 7:15 am. Vince and Don lead the pack out onto the wet streets of Mount Vernon and south alongside I-5. After several kms we mustered the Wedgewood Team to the front to lend a hand. Single file up the inside, we amassed at the front and formed an efficient two-up working pack of a dozen riders leading the pack and maintaining a consistent and smooth pace for many of the early hours.
As we rode south we could see in the distance, John Ryan our hand cyclist team mate accompanied by good friend David Cohen. John was our highest individual fundraiser and certainly an inspiration to many on our team and indeed the whole ride. It was a moment I won’t soon forget as we approached the duo through the gloom and misty rain of Skagit County and a spontaneous rapture of cheering and whistling started and like a Mexican wave the whole peloton saluted David & John. Bravo!
County roads, farmers fields and, according to Axel, smells of Belgium led us into Arlington. The rain had now become a nuisance and very persistent. Angled train tracks in the town nearly brought us all to a slippery demise but fortunately we stayed upright. A small group immediately behind weren’t so lucky and fell like dominos.
A few miles down the road we missed the turn onto the Centennial Trail and doubled back when we realised it wasn’t just another pit stop. The trails we picked up were well paved but with gates and posts scattered throughout to prevent motor traffic it quickly became evident that they were not designed for a large pack of cyclists.
We had made the decision to not hit any pitstops except for lunch. Near Lake Stevens we made a quick stop to grab a sandwich and to our delight GG & JG were therewaiting with an ample supply of hot lattes and espressos. This so impressed Mr. Merckx, he immediately signed the support services of the GG & JG for the 2010 event in support of Team Merckx…GG we will talk.
A mixture of trails and roads saw us reach the Burke-Gilman trail in Woodinville. This would see us around Lake Washington to the finish on the campus of University of Washington. The closer we rode towards Seattle the busier the trails became so caution was needed.
The finish at the University of Washington
We made our way onto the campus to a loud and warm welcome as we all crossed the line as the first group in, a mixture of Team Wedgewood, Team Merckx, PHN and others. Beer tent, more bananas, bags retrieved and onto the motorhome for the trip over to Willows Lodge for some well deserved luxury for a night before the Journey Home.
Willows Lodge was the perfect setting to start the Journey Home; we arrived and were very efficiently taken care of by the staff, a bike washing station established behind the kitchen, bottles cleaned, chains lubed and laundry completed. Massages were booked throughout the afternoon and the lovely out door hot tub soothed tired limbs.
About 30 riders, family and friends gathered for very nice meal and some great tales of the weekends, accomplishments. A perfect end to a very emotional and fulfilling couple of days and the right preparation for the Journey Home but that is another story!
I think I speak for everyone on the team when I say that we did each other and the whole Wedgewood Cycling Team proud with our actions on and off the road during the Ride To Conquer Cancer. Congratulations everyone and lets all look forward to 2010 and another great ride in the Wedgewood colours.
-PM
More photos from the weekend here.
