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November 29 will always be a special day for me. The day I set a world record cycling up Balwin street in New Zealand. The steepest street in the world at 35%. The record still stands today despite several attempts to break it.
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In Alaska, wood frogs freeze for seven months a year. Their hearts stop beating, their blood no longer flows and their glucose levels sky rocket. When finally the weather gets warmer, they thaw and hop away. Thats all I have to say about that!  The best thing about cycling up an 18% home, is the view at night.  Queen Elizabeth park less than 2 km from my home.   We stood at attention all in unison an amazing powerful feeling being among almost 1000 firefighters on our main downtown Vancouver street . Standing at attention in the sudden hailstorm, the hail pellets bouncing off our dress caps and tiny white hail balls sticking to our dress blues.It felt so sad but comforting to be here ...It felt so good to be with my brothers and sisters again... I felt proud in full dress uniform again. A giant rainbow appeared through the sky just as the fire trucks and funeral procession slowly crawled and by and we each saluted.I knew what the rainbow meant, It was a magical moment. We all marched along behind in solidarity like soldiers all together in perfect time, a long tightly knit line, our shoes hitting the pavement together at once, the sidewalks filled with stunned onlookers... it was an amazing funeral for an amazing firefighter.It was bittersweet returning in the afternoon rushing back to the living nightmare of the gloomy sad sub basement treatment room at the cancer centre going through my third battle . Attending a funeral for a firefighter that died of work related cancer and then rushing for treatment of my own work related cancer. I was so rushed I wore my dress uniform. Everyone looked at me surprised, the doctors and nurses, the people on cots in gowns the very sick, I could here whispers. I felt so bad and embarassed. I felt bad because we usually arrived fully dressed and ready to help them.... and all these poor cancer patients really needed help. There was absolutely nothing I could do for them but sadly sit amongst them waiting for my turn . I wondered what my funeral might be like. I felt some solace knowing I was determined get out of here.... I will get back on my bike again and finish my journey....The two most important days of you life are the day you were born and the day you find out why! That day I found out why.
 I have rescued a lot of animals on my cycle journey, that people just drove by . I tended a lot of injured people in my job as well but animals are almost more difficult. This time, I got to show my nephew what looks like a giant stingray stuck by low tide. It's actually called a giant skate and they grow up to 125 lbs and 8ft. long. People would just walk by watching him slowly die.
We kept him wet pulled him into that tide pool... and he lived to skate another day. A good lesson on a sunny Vancouver beach. This is Andrew. He works on the front lines at my Tim Hortons, behind a plexi glass screen, to protect him from a deadly virus. He is only 14 years old and removed his mask just for this picture. He works long hours and really hard for very little money. I gave him a $5 tip and a firefighters tshirt for my coffee, and he smiled so wide his braces almost locked up. In my eyes, an unsung hero! Thank you for your service Andrew!  Firefighters arrive from Mexico and Australia to help BC fight the worst fire season ever. Stay safe and thank you Bomberos. |
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FIRE FIGHTER CYCLE
FIRE FIGHTER CYCLE
A Cycle Around the World For Cancer Charity
