Celebrate Canada150 Bike Ride!

[rhughes]

Hello Everyone

Two months to go to our epic bike ride, lasting over 45 days from Victoria to Ottawa. Think of it as riding about 40 gran fondos for a total of 5000 kms!

Caroline and I are doing this ride for the love of cycling, in celebration of Canada’s 150 birthday (and my 60th) and to meet lots of great people while cycling in six provinces. We will also be raising awareness and funds for two organizations combatting the debilitating effects of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) in some of our true Canadian heroes.

The first is Honour House Society, which provides free shelter and programs for first responders (police, fire, paramedics, border personnel, veterans) suffering from PTSD. They currently have one house in New Westminster and another opening soon in Kamloops followed by others across Canada. Our “shop now” (funny name) button on our Facebook page below will take you to their on-line or mail in donation site. The second is Soldier On, which helps Veterans suffering from visible or invisible injuries (like PTSD) gain confidence through sport. More than one athlete from this program has said directly to me that “this program has saved my life”—and believe me they meant so literally. This is also a program that Peter Lawless is helping spearhead in training and sending athletes on to the Invictus Games. Of note is that there is no administration costs (absorbed by military) for Soldier On so 100% of funds go to directly support the athletes (like buying new bikes!).

We have started a Facebook page (like our page to follow us!) on which the “shop now” (funny name) button will take you directly to the on-line funding site for Honour House. All of the funds donated will go to Honour House—no funds come back to us as we are self supported.

Speaking of supported, we will have a 31’ C Class RV that we are renting for the trip being driven by my sister and her hubby. No panniers—yes!!

We might ask Tripleshot members if they could lend us a hand somehow—like perhaps riding out to the ferry (or part way) with us on the morning of May 18. We will also be looking for some generous riders to guide us through some cities like, Calgary, Winnipeg and similar, so maybe you have some friends in some cities along the Trans Canada. Mostly it is Coquihalla and Hwy 1. I will post the cities and dates on our site. The first leg of four is to Calgary.

We will be adding a Go Fund Me page or similar for the funding for Soldier On. All the money donated (100%) will be presented to Soldier On in Ottawa on July, 1st.

We even have some cool looking kit coming! Here is how you can follow us:
 
https://www.facebook.com/CelebrateCanada150BikeRide
also on Instagram
 
https://www.instagram.com/canada150bikeride/

Thanks
Ritchie
See you out there on the road!

[joannafox]

Ritchie/Caroline: this is a super cool project and what a way to celebrate 150 (and 60)! We have a cycling pal in Calgary if you haven't got a contact yet? Happy to get in touch with him....here's to fair skies and safe travels!

[rhughes]

Thanks for setting this up Joanna!!

[rhughes]

I know some of you have been asking "how can we help?" and I don't have a Facebook account.

Here's one way--our Go Fund Me Soldier On account is now live!

https://www.gofundme.com/canada150-bike ... soldier-on

This fund is being administered by Peter Lawless.

Cheers

Ritchie & Caroline

[rhughes]

Hey Folks

Caroline and I will be on CHEK TV (see below) sporting our Tripleshot kit and chatting up TS as well. Here are the details. Thank you Mary for setting this up. And thank you everyone for your support. We are gaining momentum and so far over $1000 has been raised for Soldier On and Honour House--thank you!!

From CHEK...

"Your story will be leading our new edition of Game On! which airs on Sunday at 6PM & 10:30PM on CHEK!

The story will also run on CHEK News at 5 on Tuesday! Should air around 5:40!"

Cheers
Ritchie

[rhughes]

CHEK us out (pun intended) on CHEK News tonight (Wednesday) at 5pm. Our story will air about 5:40.

Or here is the url if you want to watch anytime:

http://www.cheknews.ca/husband-wife-wil ... 50-307532/.

[BPhelps]

What time are you departing from Mile 0 again?

[rhughes]

Thursday, May 18th at 8:00am.

We will hopefully have a police escort for at least a few blocks. The plan is to ride through downtown on Blanshard and straight down the highway until Waddling Dog then to Lochside of the ferry.

We will be there by 7:30 and all are welcome--even if you only ride with us for a few blocks (or just to say hello).

Ritchie

[rhughes]

Hi Everyone

Caroline and I would like to thank you for your support in making this trip a reality.

We hope to raise $5000 for each of our two organizations--Honour House and Soldier On. We have already been touched by stories of families who have been impacted by PTSD and how programs like those offered by these two organizations have helped them. I am sure that everyday on the bike will not be fun, however this "suffering" is by choice and temporary. Some of the everyday heroes who make our lives better--especially in times of great need--don't have this luxury. We hope this little adventure will in some small way help them in theirs.

Thank you for your support! Here are all the ways that you can follow our journey--please do so. We will need your encouragement.

Canada150 Links

Strava: Ritchie Hughes, Caroline Hugs

Facebook short link: https://goo.gl/U55lmZ

Honour House to donate:

https://honourhouse.ca/canada150bikerid ... et=1&id=13

Go Fund Me:
https://www.gofundme.com/canada150-bike ... soldier-on

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/canada150bikeride/


Twitter:

https://mobile.twitter.com/canada150bike

And good old fashion--pm.

Come out and take a short ride with us--Thursday 8:00am Mile 0. We will be there by 7:30

Thanks
See you out there on the road!
Ritchie & Caroline

[alan boden]

Ritchie has said... "We hope to raise $5000 for each of our two organizations--Honour House and Soldier On."
Hey TripleShotters!
I am challenging all Tripleshot Members to match or beat my $100.00 donation to Honour House or Soldier On. I've seen enough PTSD in my practice and know how debilitating it can be - it's important to get the word out and support for our veterans and first responders... How to donate:

https://honourhouse.ca/canada150bikerid ... et=1&id=13

https://www.gofundme.com/canada150-bike ... soldier-on

[rhughes]

Thank you Alan!! Richard T has donated $150 to each Honour House and Soldier On. Thank you Alan, Richard and everyone who has donated and will donate.

[rhughes]

Hello Tripleshotters!

Week One Update: Today is a rest day in Canyon Hot Springs

In six days I have ridden 712 kms and climbed 6400m. Caroline has ridden four days 346kms and 1860m. She developed a knee issue and could not ride yesterday. It is better with rest and icing and she will ride tomorrow.

Today the weather is not great—rainy and cool, however the weather has been exceptional. The hot weather in the high 20s, means lots of sun screen and trying to be done cycling by 1:30 or so. Tomorrow will be cooler, but still favourable in the high teens. It will mean an early climb to Rogers Pass and then on to Golden—115km. If all goes well, the next will be Golden to Lake Louise—that will be a long climb, however I see Lake Louise as the peak and everything from there is downhill. I lived and worked there for a couple of years, way back and have never cycled to the lake itself, this will be a first.

Riding on the roads and shoulders have been mixed. We all look for two things as cyclists: wide and clean shoulders. Some places very good others—near nightmarish. The Coquihalla was very good until the summit where they hadn’t swept the shoulders yet (up to 5cm deep gravel), coupled with a rumble strip and rough patching inside of that. Sometimes this forced us into the lane. Yesterday out of Sicamous there was no rideable shoulder which meant you rode between the white line and the edge of the road—6 to 8 inches away. No daydreaming!

The best road?—Highway 5A from Merritt to Kamloops. Worth the trip to drive there and make it a two day route out and back ride. Quiet road, gentle slopes, beautiful scenery and wide and clean shoulders.

The best drivers are transport drivers who often give you a full lane even when there are wide shoulders. The folks who give you the least room?—logging trucks and motor homes/trailers.

Yesterday on a descent out of Revelstoke, I was relishing the respite from the heat and not thinking of much, when a black bear bounded across the highway within 75m of me (and I’m closing quick), I sat up and said “Holy F…irecracker” out loud! He was close enough that I could see the shape of his paws, that he was all black, nice and fat and that he was a pro at jumping barriers which he did with ease. He probably thinking—“holy f…ireracker, here comes a damn human on a bike!”.

Lights—buy these lights—Specialized, Flux rear and Stix front! We have them on continuously on flashing both front and rear. Our RV crew tell us that these make us visible at up to 1 mile! Our kit is also highly visible as well although drivers see the lights first. They have definitely helped so drivers (don’t) turn left in front of us.

Lessons learned with seats. For the first 5 days I rode with an extra tube (besides the one I have in my pocket and patch kit I have with me) stuck directly under the seat—Don’t do this or you will pay with skin! The seats are designed with space underneath for a reason, and it’s not for your lunch or extra tubes (so I found out).

Yesterday, Day 6 is the first day that I struggled, whether it was fatigue, the bacon and eggs I had for breakfast (always as been a protein/fruit/yogourt shake), the first strong headwinds of the trip (Dallas Road-ish) or the sixth straight day of riding, I’m not sure. I was thinking of skipping the first rest day—however we decided to stick with the rest days as planned—ride 6, rest 1.

Donations—Our goal is to raise $5000 for both Honour House and Soldier On. We are at approximately, $1200 for Honour House and $1900 for Soldier On so we still have a ways to go. Please help spread the word here!

Having an RV along for the trip is a pure luxury. This takes away all of the “where am I going to stay tonight” (or passes it on to the drivers/support team), or where am I going to stop to eat? It is always just down the road ahead of you.

Cheers
Ritchie

[wonger]

Awesome Ritchie! Keep it up!