Paul's Live Life Celebration Ride

It's "Official"...after 16 1/2 very long months of recovery I am now 'back in the saddle' thanks to Jess, my amazing Physiotherapist  @Physio Moves, and my friend Paul Underhill C.E.O. of RUMBLE encouragement. Thank  you both for making my return to cycling possible.

I recently participated in the inaugural 'Live Life Celebration Ride' in Victoria Friday April 18th, 2014 . An eager group of 50+ riders' gathered along with Velofix (who were kind enough o show up last minute for any last minute tweaks to our bikes...thank you) at Clover Point to Celebrate Paul's 3rd Anniversary as a Lung transplant recipient. So in honor of his new 'Life' and to support Organ transplants (all ride's had to preregister as donor's to participate in the ride...a great way to support and give back) we set out on a 100k ride out to Deep Cove and return (well most of us did..more on than soon).

The group looked pretty tight and impressive as we left Clover Point and rolled along the waterfront past the Parliament Buildings at towards the Johnson Blue Bridge. We were waved and cheered for by many admiring on lookers and were able to pass on our message of supporting Organ Transplants to all who asked. It was a great way to start the long trek.

Still riding as a nucleus we hit the Galloping Goose Trail and headed over the Trellis Bridge and onward to Burnside Road were we departed from the Trail and ventured on to surface streets. Over hill and dale we soon turned on to Saanich Road and continued. Up until this point I had been doing pretty well and was pleased with my performance since I had been rather unsure committing to the ride and nervous about my performance.

But soon we started hill climbing and the peleton of the group naturally started to get further and further ahead of me. I was starting to struggle, but I was comforted by the fact that I wasn't the only rider trailing and there was still a good handful of rider's riding with me. But as we continued down Saanich road those riders numbers dwindled and they soon passed me and I watched as they faded in to the distance.

I only managed to ride with the group for about an hour until I found myself alone, and very lost on Saanich road. I sent out an S.O.S. text to Paul to let him know I was lost and solo. I had stopped at McTavish road not certain as to whether I should turn down it or not. ( I should have apparently...oh well) Not receiving a reply till after I made a decision to continue down Saanich Rd. I was told I had completely over shot the turn off....Oops!...I wasn't turning back so I trekked onward asking for directions from a few passer bys. I rode past Pat Bay, which was beautiful, I saw a deer, some sheep and then eventually ended up at Landsend.

Luckily there was a cyclist there that gave me directions on how to get to the Lochside Trail. Not being from the Island I was completely disorientated and a bit uncertain as to how to find the trail but I forged on and eventually after many wrong turns and back tracking and with Paul's text directions I managed to make it to Swartz Bay (again 'Overshot') and then to the beginning of the Lochside trail.

Everybody else had stopped in Sydney for a well earned rest stop including my friend Karen whom unfortunately I had lost at the beginning of the ride. She to was riding solo by this point but she knew her way about had stopped for a cuppa in Sydney and was heading back to Victoria...I forged on anxious to return to Victoria...so other than a few pee stops a quick visit with a couple pigs, dodging a hawk dropping eggs and getting completely drenched along the trail after 5 1/2 hrs I finally made it back to Clover Point and  I was so pleased to see two familiar faces when I finally arrived. 

Paul and his lovely wife Sandy had kindly waited an extra hour and a half for me to arrive and I was so happy they did. Seeing them there waiting made all the difference to me after riding solo for over 4 hours it was a wonderful greeting and made the ride so worth it.
All in all the ride was amazing....and I am so glad to be back at it.
I thanked Paul and Sandy and bid them adieu and headed off to Red Fish Blue Fish for a well deserved recovery meal.

We hope that the Live Life Ride will become an annual affair and there is already talk and things in the works for next year so with any luck we will see you all there next year. 
In the meantime please register with the Organ Donor Transplant Registry. Your decision could save a life. 

To Register to be an Organ Donor: http://www.transplant.bc.ca./index.asp


Cheers.

A very special thank  you to Karen Palmer for lending me her bike without which this ride wouldn't have been possible. Thank you again lovely Lady. :)

Huge Thank you to ALL of these great Supporters that we had:

http://www.drinkrumble.com/


http://www.edgefoodenergy.com/

http://www.planetfoods.ca/

http://www.honeymaxx.com/

http://www.honeystinger.com/

http://trekbikesvictoria.com/

And a very Special thank you to:  http://www.velofix.com/

Please Follow Rumble on Facebook and Twitter @DrinkRumble  https://twitter.com/DrinkRumble

Velofix on Twitter @VelofixVictoria  https://twitter.com/VelofixVictoria

and Trek Procity Cycling @ProCityRacing   https://twitter.com/ProCityRacing

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