NKCR Sept 8 2017 – Lake Louise to Calgary – tears and learning about Joel

It has been a struggle to write a blog today. It was a day that was both fulfilling, and emotionally very hard for me personally. I cannot give you a specific reason, it’s more likely that just everything that we have learned and the hardships that we see inflicted on the families of children with cancer so far hit me all at once. It’s kind of like a death by a thousand cuts. This stuff really sucks – to see both the hope and the pain on the families that have been left behind honestly has to stop. This is why we are here, and #whyweride. To spread the word and help to ensure that childhood cancer becomes a thing of the past.
Fortunately there is a great support network here, and after more than a few hugs and some tears, I feel a little more up to writing this.
The morning started early with breakfast in a makeshift square between the vehicles, in the lower parking lot at Lake Louise. Definitely enough noise to keep the bears away 🙂  After breakfast we shuttled up to the lake to take some pictures, and then after a dedication to Tristan who is still with us, but now in palliative care with leukemia and another cancer, we were on our way.
The ride down from Lake Louise was great, really fast descent to start, but fairly cool temperature wise. A couple of careful crossings on livestock grates, then on through Banff (rest stop) and Canmore (lunch). Finally a planned shuttle into Calgary to avoid some trouble spots along the highway.
The Calgary police did a great job of giving us a shuttle for the 10km or so to the Calgary Children’s Hospital. There we met more families who are battling cancer, or who have lost loved ones, and there the last few days events started to take their emotional toll. It’s definitely heartwrenching to hear these stories, even those filled with hope, and especially those filled with loss (and the celebration of lives cut short). It has been a hard evening leading into the shuttle to our next stop, but with the support and the ability to write this, things get a little better.
One of the high points of the day was riding with National Rider Jill. Jill is 68 years old (soon to be 69) and is riding the National Ride for the first time. Jill is also an adult cancer survior, and her story is inspiring. Jill has her struggles, but is indicative of why we are out here, and suffers as we all do to to make things better for these kids. It is an honor to ride with her, and to occasionally provide a helping hand to get her over the hills.
Tomorrow will be another day, with laughs, hugs, and emotions. Onward to Lethbridge. See you tomorrow.

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