Tail Wind Glory

By Cpl. Gerard Poitras, RCMP – Central Interior Traffic Services, Kamloops.

Today was a bit of a different day for me as I had to leave the team and travel ahead to Kamloops for an oncology appointment.  I was diagnosed with Cancer about a month before the ride and was unsure of my physical ability to participate in the ride prior to our start on September 9^th.  I took it day by day (actually Kilometer by Kilometer) but was truly inspired by the kids and their parents that I met along the way.  Although I had to see my Oncologist prior to my next chemotherapy treatment, I was able to join the group near Kamloops in the afternoon.  The following is a synopsis of the team’s 118Km ride from Salmon Arm to Kamloops.

We had a new addition to the team today.  Sam Perren, a retired Kamloops RCMP officer joined the team for the day.  Also a shout out to Joshua Jerrid Photography – Josh also joined the team taking photographs of the riders throughout this leg of the trip.

Another beautiful morning greeted the riders as they began their eighth day on the ride. The riders were bused from Three Valley Gap to Salmon Arm before they could even have their morning coffee but upon their arrival in Salmon Arm were treated to a delicious breakfast by the Salmon Arm Rotary club at the Aquatico Bay Restaurant. This stop allowed Cops for Kids to present a new adapted bike to Cole one of our Salmon Arm Little Ambassadors.

After a number of chilly mornings in the east and west Kootenays, the northern Okanagan provided a similar trend of brisk but clear weather. However, the team rode hard and made amazing time (and quickly warmed up) as they rode from Salmon Arm, passed the beautiful Shuswap Lakes and into Chase for lunch. In Chase, the team was greeted a bunch of Pirates. The kids at Haldane Elementary School were dressed as pirates for their Pirate Day. Lunch was provided by the Chase Rotary Club and the team welcomed the Subway sandwiches and the homemade soup.

After lunch the winds became favourable on the leg from Chase to Kamloops. The team raced in towards Kamloops and I was able to meet up with them at the Flying J gas station.  We rode into Kamloops barely pedaling as the winds pushed the team, which was welcomed by everyone at this point on the trip. The winds, however, made the team early and we had to take a break prior to arriving on time at the Kamloops RCMP – Northshore Community Policing Office. Superintendent Brad Mueller provided a nice greeting and was very supportive of the ride and the Cops for Kids Charity. We met two little ambassadors: Ben and Kira. Cops for Kids financially supported Ben’s family travel and accommodation expenses while he received cancer treatments at Children’s Hospital. Cops for Kids also purchase a supportive seat for Kira’s wheelchair.

Dinner was provided by the Valleyview Save-On-Foods and hosted by Christine Banford, Cops for Kids rider and Canada Boarder Services Agency – Kamloops.