And So the Adventure Begins…

As we tuck ourselves in tonight, there’s a flood of emotions…excitement, nerves, and everything in between. Months of hard work, training, and preparation have brought us to this point. Riders, both rookies and seasoned veterans, are sharing a meal, talking, laughing, sharing stories and getting excited for what’s ahead.  Tonight the team met for the first time at the Sheraton Four Points where we were treated to a fabulous dinner. We can not thank them enough for hosting our team. At our team dinner for some it was like reconnecting with old friends, while some of us met a whole group of people all at once. I’m sure after only a few kilometres we’ll all be old friends with our own tales to tell.

One of the special moments tonight was when the inaugural Gail Harrison Award of Excellence was handed out. After hearing the criteria for this award, it was an honour to have Gail present when Liz Vant Erve received the award. Gail has clearly dedicated decades to this amazing charity and it was special to recognize Liz for her contributions to earn the award.

Of course, the questions are already running through my mind: Did I train enough? Did I bring enough socks? Can I keep up?

Tomorrow morning, our team of 14 riders, along with our fantastic support team, will embark on a journey of a lifetime. Over the next 10 days, we’ll ride approximately 1,000 km together, supporting each other through the challenges and celebrating the successes. We’ll kick off from the Sandman Hotel and head south as far as Osoyoos tomorrow – a full 138km to start us off.

Once we’re on the road, I’m sure those little worries and questions will fade, and we’ll settle into the real reason we’re doing this ride, the why. We ride for the children and families who are facing challenges that no child should have to face. We ride to help ease some of that burden and to show them that their community is behind them.

For now, it’s time to get a good night’s sleep and get ready to take on the next 10 days.

Thanks for following along on our adventure. We’re excited to share the journey with you!

 Stay tuned for daily updates!