The Cross Canada Cycle Tour Society September 2018, Volume 35, Issue #9
President’s Report John Pringle
The summer of my discontent
It was Monday, June 11th. Allan Buium and I arrived at Jenni Lynnea’s home where I was to chair the June CCCTS Board Meeting. I had difficulty straightening my leg upon getting out of the car. Allan asked if I was ok. “Of course I’m ok,” I curtly replied and shuffled into Jennie’s fine home high on a hill overlooking New Westminster. But I was concerned. It wasn’t just a slight hitch in my foot/leg, it was something quite different. Cognitive skills were thinning too: A discussion on GPS concepts with Tom, Jenni’s partner, before the meeting was difficult.
The meeting was begun, and throughout, I had the feeling that protocol was more disorganized than usual for the two hour conference call; this was confirmed later by a brutally honest member, and friend, who’d been on the call. Nevertheless, we got through it; we wished each other a fine summer of riding and Allan and I drove back to East Vancouver. I then drove to my son’s house in Dunbar where I was minding grandsons Mack and Zach, 11 and 14 respectively. I made them supper and, nearing bedtime, I was texting but, finger dexterity was awkward. Odd I thought … and my suspicions were confirmed when I stumbled getting out of bed about 2 a.m. Having responsibility for my grandchildren I waited ‘til ~7:00 a.m. to call 911. By 8:15 a.m. a member of the VGH stroke team gave me the news – you’re having a stroke. It turned out to be an ischemic stroke where, deep in the left side of my brain, a very minor artery was plugged, the neurologist suspects, by a wee piece of plaque. The site was divulged by an MRI scan. I was admitted to hospital. On day three I received a pass from hospital to allow Paddy and I to watch Mack’s Little League Baseball game. Friday, I was discharged; and what a relief it was to be out of that noisy neurological ward: But what lay ahead? Preliminary counselling informed me that physiotherapy, good food, and rest would be so important over the next months. Sons offered sanctuary as did Paddy; a place where I could concentrate on rehabilitation while under the care of a team of physios, OTs and a speech therapist at Victoria General Hospital’s rehab team. Ten weeks passed quickly under Paddy’s generous and attentive care.
Saturday morning, August 25th, I ran three km to coffee with my running buddies of 20 years. And, this afternoon I’m typing, with some difficulty, this message to you. Yesterday I put a draft agenda together for our September 10th Board meeting. And with Secretary Paul Hough and VP Ed Fudge’s assistance we hopefully can have a more coordinated Board meeting than the one in June.
The mid-summer months have passed quickly. Concentrating on the future with daily improvement as the offering has been the answer. I was wonderfully fortunate to have Paddy as loving partner, caregiver, coach, driver and “warden”. The ability to concentrate soley on rehab, rest (so important in stroke recovery), and good food has been Paddy’s gift to me.
2018 Tours
The thought of each of you pedalling along; climbing that hill, and enjoying happy hour brings me joy. Next year we’ll be along.
The sunny side of Washington proved to be anything but sunny. But experienced tour leaders Loretta Goetsch and Beverley Wagner managed very well in spite of soggy campsites and leaden skies. Interesting how conditions can change so dramatically in a couple of months; the area is now a bon fire.
The Olympic Peninsula Tour under new leader Doris Maron “was a wonderful success” as reported by Tours Director Bruce Daykin. He noted three “campfire sessions” with the final one actually having a fire! “Campfire sessions” means music when Bruce and Phil Lampert are along.
The NW Oregon Coast Tour, under new leader Jim Cilek with assistance from Bruce Daykin, is scheduled to begin September 8th. I believe there is yet room for a couple of riders. Do yourself a favour and sign up. Jim knows the area well; it’s his back yard. With Bruce along there’ll be “music by the fire”.
Spain and Andalucia begins October 1st with experienced leaders Robin Howe and Dan Carey and our favourite European guide Alen Augusten. It’ll be a terrific tour but, if you haven’t signed up you’ve missed the opportunity; I believe it is full.
Hawaii’s Big Island Tour will be guided by Maureen Weston Dolores Franz Los. The erupting volcano should not hinder this tour, nor will hurricane. Again, the tour was full the last time I looked.
Reflections
- It is noted that over the last few years US members, per capita, have accounted for organizing and leading more tours than our Canadian members. Why might this be? And,
- We have yet to have a team of two to three members step forward to lead the organization of a Victoria Chapter. This is a huge disappointment.
Upcoming Tours
Upcoming Hub and Spoke
2018 Manitoulin Island Hub & Spoke
New Tour Trip Report
Welcome New Members
| Scott | Henwick | Surrey | BC |
| Kathleen | Fischer | Ottawa | ON |
| Connie | Colpitts | Ottawa | ON |
| John | Catching | Chelsea | QC |
| Kathy | Slater | Courtenay | BC |
| Karen | Ehrenholz | Pender Island | BC |
2018 Century Ride, Aug 19.
At 7:10 am, 18 sleepy riders headed off into smoky skies from Blair Rec Centre in Langley on this year’s Century Ride. This, in my reckoning, is our 9th annual ride. We have a lot of new, strong riders in Fraser Valley, and they and many regular stalwarts showed up for the event. The tranquility of that early morning ride was perfect. A few riders dropped off after the first 53 km Loop, then others joined for a Loop 2 group of 20, with Andrew McIndoe in the lead. Altogether 14 riders, about twice last year’s tally, completed all three loops, the full Century. By my Garmin, we did 168 kms. It was a great bonding experience, with very few complaints except for the smoke. Co-leader Monica Zack generously provided liquid awards to all the finishers – much appreciated! We were done (and done in!) by 4:30 pm. Check those happy faces in the finishing photo.
Chris Hodgson
Back row: Glen Evans, Ed Dillon, Neil McNeill, Gord Robertson (with shades). Centre Row: Debbie Scott, Sharon Lazare, Rick Ketcheson, Andrew McIndoe, Sue Bunton, Madhuri Pendharkar. Kneeling: Carol Evans, Chris Hodgson, Jennie McIndoe, Lynn Robertson. Dashing David Liggats took off before photo.
NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL CAPITAL CHAPTER … PANNIER TRIP
A recent unofficial CCCTS member 4-day pannier trip attracted 14 riders from Ottawa and Toronto. Expertly organized and led by Geoff Kennedy, we left from Orleans in the east end of Ottawa spending 3 nights in small Outaouais communities in Ontario and Quebec.
Passing through several small communities on either side of the Ottawa River with names such as Thurso, Grenville, Plaissance, Papineauville, Lefaivre, Wendover, Clarence, and Rockland, we had 2 short river crossings between the two provinces on the little privately run ferries.
We cycled on quiet roads beside family run farms, wheat and corn fields, and pasture lands, through a Quebec “National” Park after our first ferry crossing, and portions of La route verte, all providing excellent and easy riding.
Our first night was spent in the beautiful village of Montebello, Quebec, famous for Le Chateau Montebello Resort, the largest wood structure ever built. An expensive place to stay, but, sadly, not for us as we were comfortably accommodated at a local motel.
En route to Rigaud, Quebec, for our second night, we stopped at the Carillon Canal, a National Historic Site. The canal gate which controls the level of the water enables boats to transit locks with a 20 metre height difference. Adjoining is the Carillon Generating Station, a hydroelectric power station on the Ottawa River, owned by Hydro-Quebec and built between 1959 and 1964.
We also discovered a rather interesting series of concrete structures of varying sizes and shapes each with a plaque commemorating those young lads, members of the French colonial militia, who died at the Battle of the Long Sault in 1660, a 5-day battle against the Iroquois.
The little village of Rigaud, Quebec, lies nestled at the junction of the Rigaud and Ottawa Rivers. One of its claims to fame is the shrine, Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes Sanctuary, a pilgrimage site located on the side of Rigaud Mountain and worth a visit, if only for the view. Because of the village’s isolation and peacefulness, it was also the hiding place of Charlie Wilson, one of the members of the 1963 Great Train Robbery in England.
Our third and final night was in the small community of Plantagenet. No real claim to fame except that the township administrative offices are located here. After a long day of riding, with a stop at Vankleek Hill’s Beau’s All Natural Brewery, and L’Orignal’s Oldest Jail in Ontario between 1825-1998, the one and only motel and restaurant offered us welcoming accommodation and was within easy cycling distance to home.
Our final day took us via the little community of Cumberland where we had lunch and divided into 2 groups. The majority of riders decided to take a more direct route to their homes in west Ottawa, while the rest of us cycled the last 13km back to Orleans. 
We had hot and humid weather for the whole trip, a tailwind for the first two days, and only one downpour of rain on our final day. All our bikes held together with only one puncture to remind us it pays to be prepared.
This was the first pannier trip organized for our Chapter but, rest assured, it won’t be the last. A fun time for all of us.
Barbara Wilson, CCCTS National Capital Region Chapter.
Published at least ten times a year by The Cross Canada Cycle Tour Society, a non – profit organization for retired people and others who enjoy recreational cycling.
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