Cycling pants

Seriously. One day last week, I dreamed about pulling my bicycle out of its winter hibernation spot and taking it for a spin around the County. As I write this (it’s Sunday), it looks like the snowblower will be the only device hitting the pavement this morning. It is spring, however, and the weather can be fickle. March is still roaring like a lion; perhaps it’ll be a lamb tomorrow, the last day of March. I’m good with it all, as long as it doesn’t snow in June. I think the weather has to become more spring-like by the first day of summer.

For me, and LOML, regardless the weather, it’s time for us to limber up, find the orange safety vests, find our stylish cycling pants in the warm weather sports gear bin and find our tube of lube; chain lube. Ya, I’m still talking about bicycles and cycling. This year LOML and I have pinky-sworn to ride more and drive less. But by the look of the front yard this quiet Sunday morning, I should probably speak to Ed about snow tires for our bikes. Which brings me to my point. And I do have a point. The 2014 Ride for Heart and Stroke.

As in previous years, LOML and I will be riding as VIP cyclists. The 2014 Ride for Heart will start in Toronto on Sunday, June 1 at 7:30 a.m. If you know me, and many of you think you do, you would know how enamoured I am with an early start—NOT. But we have registered to complete the 50- kilometre route, and an early start means we can be finished in time to enjoy brunch with “the brothers”. In spite of the date, we’ve completed The Ride in bitterly cold weather, cycled through torrential rains, and once we even experienced a seasonal high. Our mission is to finish together, laughing and without injury. Our goal is to raise a total of $2,000 for heart and stroke research. We rely on your generous donations to bring some of that money to the Ride each year. However, when we fall short of our goal, we personally top up the donations to achieve the pledge.

The Ride for Heart and Stroke is undertaken by about 15,000 people. It’s a glorious sight seeing all of those people on the Gardiner Expressway and the Don Valley Parkway, pedalling their little hearts out. Many of the participants wear shirts imprinted with the names of survivors. Many wear shirts honouring those whose lives were cut short by heart disease or stroke. In 2013, the riders raised well over five million dollars for research, equipment, medical training, patient education and prevention programs. The organizers ask how we would like your/our donations directed and last year we said, “education and prevention programs”. LOML underwent major heart surgery in 2006, and the education and prevention programs helped us to focus on lifestyle changes and adaptive measures to keep him—and me—out of the cardiac intensive care unit in the future. As we close in on eight years, post-operative, we know we’d like to continue to direct all funds raised to education and prevention programs.

So, (that’s for J.R.) if you see us out and about in our flashy orange and yellow reflective vests and our stylish cycling pants (how I hate those cycling pants) we are getting ready for the ride of our lives. We ride for education and prevention. We ride for our families and our friends. We ride for you.

theresa@wellingtontimes.ca