There were a lot of smiles on the faces of the Cops For Cancer-Tour de North riders, considering they were clicking off the last few metres of a 200-kilometre day.
The Mackenzie to Prince George leg was the longest in the 10-year history of the charity bike ride, which took a new route this year. The flow of cash for cancer causes seemed to be the same, though, to the delight of the people gathered to meet the riders as they wheeled in to the CNC agora on Tuesday evening.
One of last year's riders, Lisa Jones, said "Your legs must hurt," at the welcoming ceremonies. Jones is the mom of a child who has successfully battled cancer twice, "but today Jamieson is doing well. He hasn't had a haircut in a year."
It proudly peeked out from under his ball cap. Watching the eight-year-old run around the lawn today you would never know the treatment ordeals he has been through. It's something he is not afraid to talk about, just so everyone knows how hard it really is to be that kind of patient.
"It's not fun having cancer," he said. "It's not comfortable being away from your family and all the needles you have to get. It's just not comfortable."
The money from Cops For Cancer-Tour de North is focused on the youngest cancer patients, especially to fund Camp Good Times, a medically supportive summer retreat where kids with a history of cancer can go to live past the pain and confusion if just for a little while.
One of the riders, Terry Mitchell (a BC Ambulance Service paramedic who lost his mom to cancer in 2005), said he got a chance to tour the camp and see the good work being done there, and he has never questioned a single push of the peddle since. This is his fifth Tour de North.
"It is because of Lisa and her family - seeing her passion for the cause - that I do this," he said. "After the longest day in tour history, this team is amazing."
Someone did have to quit the team prematurely, however. Selen Alpay, owner of the Prince George Canadian Tire, was not only a sponsor of the event he also volunteered to drive a support vehicle starting Friday in Fort St. John when the tour set off. By Sunday, he had to rush to Ontario due to a death in the family. His father-in-law had passed away from, of all things, cancer. He left a message to let the tour members and the public know he was, in spirit, still on the highway with the 24 riders and support team.
"We are gelling like a team of professionals," said Liesl Wittkopf, one of the riders. "We are making good time and keeping good pace. It is great to ride into a town and hear all the cheering and honking. We still have two long days to go."
According to Canadian Cancer Society official Erin Reynolds, the tour has already raised $200,000 towards a goal of $235,000 which seemed well within reach with stops in Quesnel and Williams Lake still ahead. During the Prince George stopover, All West Glass unveiled a $2,000 donation and Northland vehicle group (suppliers of tour vehicles and many other needs) pledged at least $2,500.
