Hey, I’m Nicholas Arnold your midday guy here on 89.7 Sun FM and I’m chronicling my experience of being on the 2024 Tour de Rock team. The 14 day and over one thousand kilometre bike ride has been done every year since 1997 and raises funds for the fight against childhood cancer.
A bit of a delay on this one as I wanted to process a bit before posting. Plus I was pretty exhausted from everything that happened, so I rested before getting to this.
This is going to be a long one, so get ready. What a beautiful day it was to end the Tour de Rock on our second day in Victoria. It was a crazy day with over 20 stops, so I will not be able to share all of what happened today. I’ll try my best to share some highlights – though it was a blur.
The weather was pretty well a microcosm of the two weeks as a whole. Rainy to start, but cleared up for about an hour after noon. Then dumped again for another half hour, before clearing up for the rest of the day.
There were some serious “last day of school” vibes on this ride. Everyone was a little different. Some people clearly melancholy that this life changing experience was about to end. Others very ready for it to come to an end, and any irritations that they might have had over the last 14 days were starting to make their way to the surface.
I had another incident (crash) today as I was in the first row of the package rolling into a Berwick retirement residence. We were turning right in the rain, I took the corner narrow as we’re supposed to because of all the motorcycle escorts around us. As I started to get some acceleration at the apex of the corner my front tire slipped out from under me and my right side slammed into the pavement. Fortunately, unlike yesterday, I didn’t take anyone else out with me and everyone else made it.
We made stops at a ton of schools. At one teachers were being “slimed” a la the Nickelodeon awards. At another there were some pretty emotional headshaves, one a tribute to the late Victoria radio personality Dylan Willows who passed away due to cancer earlier this year. There were cheque presentations, songs, cheers, and chants. It was a real spectacle.
We also made our way to each of the three other media members’ workplaces. CHEK News headquarters for Mary Griffin, the Times Colonist newspaper for Roxanne Egan-Elliott, and 107.3 Virgin Radio for Bailey Parker. It was nice to experience that along with them, reminding me of my experience bringing the Tour to my Sun FM coworkers in Duncan on Tuesday.
When it comes to workplace stops, you never really know what they’re going to have in store for you, if anything at all. While biking to the Times Colonist, Roxanne compared the nerves she was feeling to, “Wondering if anyone is going to wish you a happy birthday on your birthday.” You’ve got a special moment and you’re just hoping that your friends and co-workers will acknowledge it.
As we approached her office, there were people out on a balcony screaming at her with signs, and a substantial turnout out front of the building where we parked. She was celebrated as “one of our best” and given a really kind and supportive reception.
As we left Roxanne followed up with me on the analogy, saying, “They wished me a happy birthday.” It was a treat to be a part of that moment with her, getting to see the complete evolution of emotions within mere minutes. It’s a roller coaster that every one of us riders experienced at some point throughout the two weeks.
Before we headed to the legislature, the team made a final stop at a beach on Dallas Road. We said our private goodbyes, took time as a team to try and process what we’d been through. We took pictures, signed jerseys, and distributed a lot of hugs. It was such a heartfelt moment and was the moment it began to hit me that this emotional ride was almost at its end. Then we hopped on our bikes and headed towards the finish line.
As we pulled into the legislature, each rider was preoccupied. Scanning the crowd to see where their loved ones were and who else turned out to watch the festivities. Among those in attendance were family, friends, pets, and Tour alumni. We were introduced and marched in behind a pipe band and dancers. We made it to center stage and turned to face the crowd. It was really giving “high school graduation” as we stood there, receiving a commencement address. To further the analogy, we heard a moving address from our chosen valedictorians Sgt. Jereme Leslie and Cst. Keeley Deley.
“We’ve become a family,” said Keeley in the address. “A weird family, but still a family. And we’re proud to stand together as emergency services, as community members, as essential media, and now as alumni riders.”
After the ceremony, we had about twenty minutes to meet and greet with anyone in the audience before we had to deal with our luggage. For that we had to hop into our van for our final ride as a team.
I don’t think I’ve mentioned the van yet, but it was a crucial part of my tour experience. It fit ten (sometimes eleven) riders, and it was always the same group of us. It started as the van we rode to Port Alice in at the start of Tour and grew into a whole weird culture. We had assigned our own seats, come up with van jokes, and other strange customs. We took the van several times a day. To breakfast in the morning, to and from the evening events, and it was fitting to be our final ride as active members of the Tour.
You’d think that we would’ve been having some reflective chatter and the mood would be sombre, but it was quite the opposite. It was the same silly banter, the same watching Cst. Ian George’s latest episode of his “Podcast That Goes Nowhere,” and the same games. It was as if we were going to get back into that van another million times and nothing was going to change. It was the perfect end to the saga.
Then we got to Saanich PD where we had parked our cars for the last two weeks. We unloaded our gear from the U-Haul, loaded it into our own vehicles, and everyone went their separate ways. Some making Irish exits, others lingering a little longer, not wanting to say goodbye.
Less than 48 hours removed, I’m already starting to feel like Frodo at the end of The Lord of the Rings when he returns to The Shire. Now I sit here at home, writing. Reflecting way too soon about an experience that may take me months or even years to truly process that I was a part of. We really raised over $803,000 for such an incredible cause. We really biked over 1,000 km and we really climbed more than Mount Everest’s elevation. I really drank 61 sodas. And I really did it with the most incredible group of people.
And now for something completely different…
As we wrap the Tour de Rock, the stories of the children affected by cancer and the Tour in general will live on. What will be overwritten is the stories of the riders on the 2024 team. The folks who go from rockstars today and back to their ordinary lives tomorrow.
Soon enough you’ll be hearing stories of the 2025 team, so I’d like to give one final ode to each of the riders from this team and their stories. I’ll sort by rider number.
#1 Roxanne Egan-Elliott – Times Colonist
Roxanne is an outdoor enthusiast. She’s told us tales of the crazy adventures she’s been on that have blown me away. From triathalons, to months long hikes, and “cowboy camping,” she has never ceased to amaze me. She’s also a super talented writer and everything I’ve read of hers has kept me clinging to each and every word with anticipation. Her attention to factual accuracy is what makes her a great reporter and was a constant source of humour throughout the ride.
During the ride, Roxanne was never a source of drama always hoping to help defuse any situations. She wears her heart on her sleeve and clearly loved being a member of the team.
#2 Bailey Parker – 107.3 Virgin Radio, Victoria
A fellow radio-ite, Bailey Parker and I are in completely different worlds of radio. She in a medium market, with the pressure of ratings and a much more corporate environment. I learned a lot from her about the field and what it takes to really make it in the industry. She’s someone I certainly look up to in that regard.
As a teammate, Bailey’s blunt honesty was incredible. She beats to her own drum and pushes through adversity when it comes her way. She was always supportive and went out of her way to lend an ear when someone might be struggling. I’m really happy to have met her.
#3 Keeley Deley – Comox Valley RCMP
Keeley is one of the strongest people I have encountered in my entire life, both mentally and physically. Her tough, at times, exterior houses a heart of gold. My favourite moments with Keeley were at the front of the pack, peddling down a big hill. She can take off like a rocket when she needs to and was a lot of fun in the peloton. She was always good for a lifechat while in the pack, either about our pasts or mentoring me on what I’m really looking for in a life partner or how I can grow as a person. She was also an open book, direct, and honest, all of which were incredibly refreshing.
#4 Mary-Ellen Somerville – Sooke RCMP
Much of my joy from this Tour experience was tied to Mary-Ellen. Throughout training we were co-conspirators in several different adventures. She is so bold and always willing to put herself out there to have a new experience, seeing the world with a childlike wonder. Because of those traits, I was able to steer two different BC Ferries vessels, climb a ladder on a fire truck, and witness the the most impressive display of silent auctioneering that’s ever been performed.
She was always so thoughtful and caring for her teammates, yelling out that she’d found fries for me when we passed an A&W, or some coffee for Keeley. She brought such an aura of fun to the group. I’ll never forget our ice cream competition on the ferry or pie throwing battle at Shawnigan Lake School. She was always willing to put her ego on hold to put herself out there to raise funds for the cause. A kindred spirit in many ways and I hope some of her confidence and outgoing nature rubbed off on my personality.
#5 Mary Griffin – CHEK News
Mary was such a mentor to me and the rest of the team in so many ways during this process. The only rider in the south training pod with significant road cycling experience, she was such a valuable resource to us learning the new skills. She gave me too many tricks and tips to count, and many Griffin-isms will stick with me. Among those are:
- Hills pay the bills
- Get lit or get hit
- Slow is smooth and smooth is fast
- STOP THE BUS
She gives Mary Tyler Moore vibes, turning the world on with her smile and maybe has the most contagious laugh I’ve ever encountered. She is also a verified celebrity, which is why everywhere (literally everywhere) we went over the course of training and Tour, someone recognized her. There was seldom a ride we didn’t hear someone scream in excited tone, “MARY!” And she would match their tone, yelling back with a smile before turning to us telling us who that person was and a factoid about them.
#6 Daniela Frohloff – Retired Saanich PD
My “Tour Mom” is one of the most resilient people I’ve ever met. She never gave up, not even a little, despite facing serious adversity. When she was riding with us, she was always a source of joy and positivity. In the pack, I always looked forward to finding myself beside her so we could try to remember what we’d named the statue on the Blenkinsop Lake Bridge or she could share way too much information about something and have me crying with laughter. She has a great sense of humour with one of the best deadpan deliveries of one liners, and put up with my making a lot of German jokes about her. A great sport.
She’s a heck of a baker, which we found out after she was injured and not able to ride with us anymore. She was always showing up to practice with some sort of treat and always sneaking some sort of healthy stuff in there – which I never noticed until someone told me about it. But she also makes some sort of dish that I’m pretty sure has brown sugar and almonds… A little bit of butter too. On Tour she did a great job keeping us organized, handled the honourary riders spectacularly, and brought such an excitement to the team when she was able to hop on her bike and join us in the pack. She’s the ultimate teammate.
#7 Liam Kenney – CFB Esquimalt Military Police
The only man in human history, besides Tom Selleck, who emerged from the womb with a mustache adorning his upper lip. Liam is a man who knows how to get stuff done. He was born to serve. He is always one to be prepared and is at least six to ten hours early to anything. Not really, but when we were sleeping on cots in gyms on Tour, he would be up dressed in his cycling kit and have his entire cot packed and ready to roll before my eyes had even opened.
A super strong cyclist, Liam was always the one pushing the team to their limits when he was at the front. So much so that we ended up yelling “PACE” (which basically means SLOW DOWN) at him in lunch lines, or when just standing still because we were always yelling it at him when we were riding. He’s a guy that would do anything for his teammates and is the guy I’d want beside me in a foxhole.
#8 Jereme Leslie – Saanich PD
The man with the huge necklace. I would try my best to mention all of the running jokes I’ve got with Jereme, but I can’t make this post 5,000 words long. I’ll just say there were many and they were all hilarious.
Despite times of hardship, sickness, the loss of his wife from our training, and more, Jereme was always a beacon of positivity. He added a few new words to my vocabulary, informed by a friend who had been working as a boatswain. He led by example as a social butterfly, who all were drawn to, as a great listener and source of advice. Just a really confident and comfortable guy to be around and a real treat to get to know.
#9 Steve Foster – RCMP Victoria, Serious Crimes
Of all the riders on this year’s Tour de Rock… Steve Foster was one of them. He personified perseverance after joining the team as part of the first father-son duo, with his son Adam. While he generally keeps his emotions close to the vest, his excitement to do this with Adam was clearly evident. Fate had other plans and both were collected in a crash suffering serious injuries. Adam is still recovering from his injury, which ultimately forced his withdrawal from the ride. Steve took over a month off recovering from a broken tailbone, and didn’t complain when he returned. Despite losing the main reason he had chosen this year to ride, he still came back to finish what he’d started.
The consummate family man, it seemed like Steve had members of the Foster clan appearing at every city on the tour with signs to show their support. He also helped foster our team’s family dynamic, being the first voice of reason to speak up during our team’s most tumultuous time. He is also the source of many great stories as a member of a rock band in his 20s, through time on the old timers hockey tour playing against legends like Guy Lafleur, and through his policing days.
#10 Haydn Barrow – Westshore RCMP
Haydu, I mean Haydn, is one of the most respected members of our Tour team. Soft-spoken, but when he does speak up he commands the attention of anyone around. I always knew I had done something right when I’d drop a punchline to a joke about Haydn and he wouldn’t respond. He’d avoid eye contact and just wear a slight grin. There are few things that made me prouder than earning a laugh from that man.
A strong rider. I’m not sure how, but he may be the one person in human history that has negative body fat content – he’s all muscle. He was always around with an ear to listen and willing to get involved in anything that was asked of him. A very calming and kind soul, beloved by his teammates.
#11 Steve Ward – BCEHS Victoria, Paramedic
The proudest “short guy” I’ve ever met. Steve was our Tour expert, having been a member of the support team in 2023. At the very first information session for Tour in January, I sat beside him and I remember his passion for the event. He spoke so fondly of what he’d witnessed and it reaffirmed my interest to apply to be a rider.
He’s an incredibly generous man, with his time and resources… And turned out to be quite the secret keeper for surprises. He kept many of the “on Tour” surprises that riders experience to himself including an unexpected one that my parents were coming from Ontario to surprise me at a stop. He was always checking in with us and our support crew to make sure that we were doing alright and willing to lend a helping hand.
#12 Chris Baratto – BCEHS Port Alberni and Ucluelet, Paramedic
The Tour rider who had his own battle with cancer recently, Chris was a source of positivity. He’s the one guy that I could be full on weird with and he might actually have out weirded me at times (in the best possible way). There’s definitely something wrong with him though, as he’s the only rider who likes uphills. Actually, that’s not a strong enough word. He loves uphills, so much so that he longs for them. It’s quite sadistic.
Off the road, Chris was particularly great with younger kids we encountered at elementary schools and was incredibly kind with any honourary riders that joined us. He was always willing to chat.
#13 Chris Seeley – Community of Campbell River, Owner of Boston Pizza
Maybe the calmest guy I’ve ever met, I was lucky enough to ride the two hardest hills on the route next to Chris Seeley. We chatted everything from Toronto sports, to our careers, and his love of The Tragically Hip. It was like we in a coffee shop hanging out and we weren’t in the middle of the toughest parts of the ride. Honestly, during the 1084 km we biked, I’m not sure his heart rate ever went above 60 beats per minute.
His passion for helping the community is what got him a ticket on the Tour this year, after over a decade of feeding riders at his restaurant. That community building continued within our team as he was always there to reach out and make sure everyone was included. Such a pleasure to ride alongside him.
#14 Ian George – Nanaimo RCMP
There was one man who had the entire team in stitches throughout the entire tour. Ian is the media rider that should have been. He spent the tour interviewing people for his legendary “Podcast That Goes Nowhere” and spearheading the direction of our revolutionary Syndicate.
Underneath the comedic genius is a heart so large he may need it to be examined by a physician. Always willing to help a rider with a tune up on their bike, or make sure that those who helped us along the way received a token of our appreciation. He took the weight of the team’s morale onto his back, making it his mission to ensure everyone was having fun. Mission accomplished.
#15 Nicholas Arnold – 89.7 Sun FM
That’s me! I still can’t believe I made it through – a part of me always thought something would go wrong and prevent me from doing it. Of the three crashes we had on Tour, I was two of them. So, clearly I’m a very competent cyclist.
#16 Warren Kongus – North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP
My Tour roommate and Cowichan Valley compatriot. I was so lucky to get to know Warren throughout this process. He was always very generous to help me when I might be falling behind in fundraising. He was always willing to say yes when anyone asked him for a favour or to call and sort out some situation. This guy is so dedicated, he drove from Duncan to Victoria three days a week for training rides and only missed a handful over six months.
He’s a thoughtful guy, always making sure I was going to make it to meetings on time. Or that the hotel room door was open and waiting for me when I was coming up with my big, heavy bags. Just an absolute beaut, who had me laughing at times harder than I’ve ever laughed before. I’m so glad we were paired together throughout much of this whirlwind experience.
Despite Tour being over, I can assure you that DJ Warren Cougar Kongus will make a return to the Sun FM airwaves at some point in the future.
To you, the reader, thank you so much for joining me on this incredible journey. Whether it was just reading a diary entry here or there, making a donation, honking when we rode by you, or showing up at a stop, it’s made all the difference in the world. Thank you.
