Ride to Conquer Cancer

It has been more than a month since I last posted anything on my blog or Tweeted anything on Twitter.  The break has been necessary.  Among the events consuming my energy in March included the unsettling labour dispute within education in British Columbia, beginning the timetabling process for next September, and the staffing and potential downsizing facing our school for next year.  I enjoyed a very welcomed break from March 10-25th when Spring Break came.  We enjoyed our first-ever cruise as the family (a group of 9 including my wife, our 2 children, my sister and her family and my mother and father) sailed aboard the Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas (a ship that only 5 years ago was the largest in the world).  It was a luxurious way to travel the western Caribbean, with stops in Labadee, Haiti; Falmouth, Jamaica; Grand Cayman Island and Cozumel, Mexico.  As expected, I enjoyed all that I was supposed to, and the relaxing and eating caused to me feel well-rested and only seven pounds heavier than when I left!!

Having made the decision to lose the seven pounds I gained (plus a few more), I am now turning my attention to getting back on my road bike and training for the Ride to Conquer Cancer.  This epic adventure is a two-day ride from Cloverdale, BC to Redmond, Washington scheduled for mid-June.  I rode last summer (check here for the blog about it), and found the experience so rewarding, I signed up to do it again. 

I was inspired to ride last year because my good friend and mentor in my professional life, Lorne Bodin, had recently passed away after a bout with stomach cancer.  He was an avid cyclist who had captained a team in the ride only a year before.  An exemplary human being, I learned a great deal from Lorne, and still think of him everyday.  I also ride for the countless other people whom I know have had their lives negatively impacted by cancer.  Gil Puder and Mike Tinker were two other exceptional people whose lives ended prematurely after battling the disease.  Their families still deal with the loss and the effects cancer has had on them.  We all have stories like these, and in many cases, cancer has hit lives much more directly than it has mine.  Please consider making a donation to the ride or to any cancer fighting cause.  Any amount is hugely appreciated.

I am now actively beginning my fundraising efforts, and need to raise $2500.00 in order to participate.  If you are so inclined, donations can be made on my fundraising page here.

Thank you in advance for your generosity.