Check out slideshow at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j21Mp4yB6es

also check out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny4cJZ9esFU

Thanks to Gord for these pictures!

www.with1goodi.com

Thanks again to the Thirst Busters!!

http://www.mynextrace.com/Article662.htm

Thanks to Victory Memorial “Thirst Busters” and kids who are following the blog. The donation you made will go directly to children with cancer in Ontario to help improve how they live and help them get through the cancer. Your support and encouragement mean a lot to me and the other National Riders!! I hope you all realize that you can do anything you want to in the world if you put your heart, soul and mind to it. You can help make a difference with anything at all. When I am next in Ingersoll, I can come visit the school and answer some questions if you would like….

I hope you enjoy reading the blog and follow up with all the stories on the National website which is at

www.nationalkidscancerride.com

To Kirsten, Owen, Janaya, Cassie, Taylor and others who have sent along “comments” and messages - thanks!!!  I will try to load up some more pictures when I get back home so you can keep following.

Went to bed “early” and woke up early….just seems like the thing to do these days. If I get more than 3 hours consecutive sleep my body just doesn’t know what is going on. It is a SPECTACULAR day here today in Halifax.

So, Ross and Amanda, Jamie and Kathy, Lynne and Tim, Roger and I, Billy and his wife and the kids table returned to Smitty’s for a real breakfast! Some split up and decided to head to Peggy’s Cove and other points of interest. I must admit, today is the first day to really sit back and relax and do sweet nothing. Lobster supper was phenomenal. Soaked up some sunshine…..

To everyone who has been part of this journey with me, words cannot express my gratitude. THANK YOU

Thanks for opening up your mind, body and soul to this journey. I am honored and humbled to have been part of this experience and will keep it in my heart for a lifetime. I am proud to have been part of a team that has helped make a difference in the lives of children living with and beyond cancer. This experience has changed me in ways unimaginable. I can only hope that by reading my blog, reading other riders blogs or following the ride via the national website, you have had equal opportunity to help make a difference.

Live for today and in the moment for we do not know what tomorrow brings.

Eat right, drink right, ride

Love your partner

Love your children

my card signing mantra….LIVE and NEVER GIVE UP….

By 3 pm, the National Team had made it to nearby Dalhousie University residence building, Gerard Hall. It’s close to my old favorite - Second Cup - Spring Garden Rd location (bonus!!). By the time we got the RVs and trailers unloaded from 19 consecutive days of travel, some of it in the pouring rain and weather elements as you know by now (leaving some items rather “ripe” and smelling just lovely). A huge thanks to Uncle Bob “Dad” Radar, RV driver for 1A along with Jenn, team One Hope massage therapist. Super Dave and his daughter Erica, along with Duc (drivers for RV 1B), Kelly - team One Hope nurse and Mom along the trip who cared for us constantly. Babyface Jamie - our superb mechanic, then Keith Radar who took on the role from Toronto. Steve and Rania - your trailer was our home, your kindness and generosity made our crew complete. Thanks so much for being part of this journey with team One Hope. Thanks for the hugs and memories, you are a teddy bear and your encouragement along the way helped more than you will ever know. To Dan Gallant and Michael Sharpe, Michael Smith and Jim- a million thanks for your support, lightheartedness and energy throughout the trip and transitions.

The party began at Pier 21 at 5:30 p.m with some cocktails and spectacular views of the Halifax/Dartmouth Harbour and McNab island. By then I was feeling somewhat better and coming around from the virus. We had an incredible evening lined up with several musicians providing NS hospitality. Roger and his family exchanged some great stories over a lovely dinner. Jeff Rushton and Louisa Cantelon had the chance to express the “Coast to Coast Against Cancer Foundation” cross Canada story, thanks to the families for their support, the crew and riders for making this happen. Overall, an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and pride…and not a dry eye in the room as some of the photography and videography that Chris and team had compiled over the 19 days. Unbelievable.

Turns out that each of us will receive a Memory Pack containing the CD of all media/photos as well as DVD, and other items. It would be my pleasure to share this with anyone interested in hearing more about the ride! Talk and laughter continued well into the early hours of the morning and it was nice to not have “40 minutes to ride time” being called out at 3 a.m!! Although the meal looked delicious, I held back to be sure the virus had cleared so as not to pay the price the next day! Water, water, water to rehydrate and recover.

Saturday morning, Roger and I went to Smitty’s with Lynne, Tim, Angela and friend Taylor for a real breakfast!! YUMMY waffle!!!  I then took Roger to the QEII Hospital, via the Public Gardens, my old lunchtime sanctuary from days working nearby, to get his cast removed because it was getting absolutely rank and unbearable. He will keep it as a souvenir (fiberglass) as many of the children and national riders signed it along the way.
Jamie Foster, Jenn Davies, Lynne Jenkins, Roger Gallant and myself then took a special trip over to Dartmouth to commenorate the journey and bond that will last a lifetime. I later returned with Jeff Rushton, Sharon Andres and Peter Cook. Today, Ross Radar, Meredith and Scott Stockie Weldon went as well! Just awesome.

I took the gang back to Halifax via the Hfx harbour ferry and then walked along the Hfx waterfront back toward Spring Garden Rd and residence. By then it was time for some light lunch, what better place then Pizza Corner?!!?  We stopped along the way and made reservations for supper at a Halifax “must dine” location - McElvie’s. By 6:30 p.m, we had some 30 people out for a wonderful supper followed by wine and cheese back at the residence hall. Throughout the day, riders and crew had been leaving to return home, so it has not been a mass “exodus” and one last, long goodbye. The laughs continue…..

http://www.visionrockland.ca/nouvelles.asp?nID=11571

Truro to Halifax, the last ride, on Friday morning proved to be the most difficult one for me, and I was rather disappointed and down after not being able to eat for two days due to a GI virus. Amazing how one can rock across the country and feel stronger everyday, then blow up on the last ride and get dropped even by the RV pack. True.  HOWEVER, in the grand scheme of things, this pales in comparison to why some of us ride. Today, we ride for Louisa and her family. I cannot begin to tell you about the 4 year journey her daughter and family had with this devastating disease that eventually took her life. I am in awe of the strength and character of Louisa and feel privileged and humbled to have been welcomed by her to this family way back in Montreal in February. I struggled through most of the ride and was helped by some caring teammates to the end. I must say, it was bittersweet to ride in along Waverly road and turn at Rocky Lake Drive, my old familiar training loop along the Bedford basin back into Halifax was by police escort this time around. Sweet.

The Sears Halifax had a huge welcome for us and a rather emotional end to the ride. We did have some hugs and family greetings which was awesome to see and be part of. From there, on to the IWK where we had the chance to visit with some pretty amazing kids in the playground/garden. If you ever wonder if the money “actually goes to the improvements” a hospital says they will make, this is proof. The garden was not there when I was here and as I spoke with a young girl and her parents from NB, this is a welcome oasis from the daily routine of tests, surgery, etc.

Point Pleasant park…where do I begin. Not a dry eye as we excitedly pedaled the familiar streets of the South end to a place I know so well. I couldn’t help think of Bailey, and Jasper, my beloved Bernese Mountain dog, as they loved this park. Jeff, Scott and Freddie cracked the champagne and we did the wheel dip as a team of people who have accomplished an amazing goal to help children and families living with and beyond cancer. People keep saying how amazing we all are, but that’s not true. I feel humbled to have been part of this and share this journey with some truly incredible people. It gives me a great sense of pride to know that we have managed to raise a stir, make some noise and bring lots of money to the quality of life and care.

More later about the party!!!