Nanaimo RCMP corporal Mike Ramsey has waited his entire career to ride the Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock.
Ramsey has served with the RCMP for 20 years, 12 of those in Nanaimo, but his first eight years with the force were in Port Alberni, where he got his first exposure to the Tour de Rock.
The Tour de Rock is an annual cycling tour of Vancouver Island. Each yearB次元官网网址檚 team is made up of first responders B次元官网网址� from civilian and military police forces, firefighters, ambulance paramedics and other first responders plus guest riders from news media B次元官网网址� who train for months to prepare for the 1,200-kilometre tour, all the while raising money for Canadian Cancer Society research and programs for for families dealing with childhood cancer.
This yearB次元官网网址檚 ride, which happens in September, will be the 26th Tour de Rock.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e always been interested in the Tour de Rock,B次元官网网址� Ramsey said. B次元官网网址淚n Port Alberni, one of the first things I was allowed to do on my own B次元官网网址� because normally you go with a trainer B次元官网网址� was the Tour de Rock that came in in 2003 into town and I was allowed to escort them around because I knew where the schools were and I had some friends on the team that year. I was always interested from that point on, but I was junior at that time and there were a lot more people in the service that were interested.B次元官网网址�
Work and family obligation intervened, but this year Ramsey is finally able to train with a team and represent Nanaimo on the tour.
B次元官网网址淭his year when I saw the notice B次元官网网址� for the information session, I said this is my year,B次元官网网址� he said.
Ramsey, now 48, was a cyclist when he was a teenager, but riding fell off in adulthood. To prepare for his first team ride, he started training twice a week on his own because he B次元官网网址渄idnB次元官网网址檛 want to be the slow guy.B次元官网网址� Team members now have their training uniforms and tour bikes, from sponsors Trek Bicycle Store Victoria and Applewood Auto Group and train three times a week to learn how to ride as a team and to build up endurance for the tour.
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The training canB次元官网网址檛 prepare riders for the emotional challenges of the tour that involve interacting with child cancer patients and their families. Each rider is assigned a junior rider B次元官网网址� a child who is either undergoing treatment for cancer or a survivor B次元官网网址� who they represent on the tour.
B次元官网网址淭he riding part, I think, is going to be the easiest part of all of this,B次元官网网址� Ramsey said. B次元官网网址淥f course, thereB次元官网网址檚 the fundraising thatB次元官网网址檚 going to be difficult, but I think the emotions of the tour itself B次元官网网址� I havenB次元官网网址檛 met my honorary rider yet; they havenB次元官网网址檛 been assigned B次元官网网址� but those kind of things, I think thatB次元官网网址檚 going to be the hardest part of all of this. They say everyone cries on tour.B次元官网网址�
Ramsey has two children, a daughter, 16, and son, 12, both healthy. A number of his family members and a friend have been afflicted with cancer, though. One of the experiences he looks forward to is going to Camp Goodtimes, a summer camp in Maple Ridge for children with cancer, which Tour de Rock teams visit each year.
Being able to help those children, Ramsey said, is the motivator to get out and train, even when the conditions are wet, cold and miserable, and team members have to motivate each other to get out and train.
B次元官网网址淭hese kids donB次元官网网址檛 have a choice whether they have cancer or not, so weB次元官网网址檇 better go ride,B次元官网网址� Ramsey said. B次元官网网址� I want to do the best I can for them, so yeah, it is a motivator.B次元官网网址�
His personal fundraising goal from the tour is $15,000, but he hopes to surpass that.
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 the anxiety part of this for me,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲hat kind of events can I plan and organize and get people involved in? B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檓 only going to get to do the ride once. I can still help raise money, but because this is my year I want to make it worth it, raise as much as possible.B次元官网网址�
People can make donations to RamseyB次元官网网址檚 fundraising effort with this yearB次元官网网址檚 Tour de Rock and follow his progress at Tour de Rock Ramsey on Facebook and on Instagram at @tourderock_ramsey.
To learn more about Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock, visit .
chris.bush@nanaimobulletin.com
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