If you like the seasons the Icefields are a great place to stay, you get all four in one day. Actually wasn’t as cold this morning as it was suppose to be but we did have a strong cold wind coming off the glacier, what a spectacular place to start your day at.
This morning after breakfast we all met and paused for a moment of silence in honor of the children the group rode for last year that did not beat their battle with cancer. One in three hundred children in Canada are diagnosed each year with cancer and of that 75% recover and go on to live healthy productive lives. Unfortunately 25% don’t make it and five of the Kids With Cancer Group from last year did not survive. It is sad to think of the treatments and hardship these kids have to go through to beat their cancer and sadder to think of the ones who don’t. The most amazing thing is they do it with a big smile on their face most of the time.
You realize riding through these beautiful mountains how lucky we are to have the mountains in our province and how fortunate one is to be healthy and have healthy family and friends especially one’s grand children. I am so lucky to have three of them here travelling with me and cheering me on at each stop when I ride in.
We also took a group picture today with the Columbia Icefield as the back drop, I will try and e-mail a picture of the group.
Today was a very comfortable ride, mostly down hill with stunning mountain views where ever you looked. Laurie rode the first 48 km with me to Sunwapta Falls and rode great. She did it on her mountain bike which makes for harder going compared to the rode bike I am riding. Her goal is to be able to do next years ride and I don’t see any reason why she can’t. She is already riding strong and just needs more saddle time.
Did the last 57 km into Jasper in two hours, so I covered the 103km ride today in just under 4hours riding time.
The grand kids have gone to Bob and Maryanne’s cabin on Lake Edith to play on the beach. We are spending the night in Jasper and are parking our unit at the Morris’s driveway at Lake Edith, two cabins down from Bob and Maryanne’s. So in the morning my support team will be able to enjoy the lake and head for Edson when they are ready. The grand kids need a day where they can play outside and burn off some energy
We have a big group supper at the Astoria tonight at George Andrew’s restaurant which should be fun. Tomorrow is another big day as we are riding the 160 plus km to Edson.
Go to the blog below to see our group photo. I told you I wasn’t the only one wearing pink!
http://communities.canada.com/edmontonjournal/blogs/letourofhope/default.aspx
