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.
Today was a good day. One of my favourite days on the Tour so far. We started in Port Alberni, leaving for an early breakfast, and then made our way to Ucluelet. This was the longest ride for the rest of Tour, and we knew that going in.
It was also one of the most challenging rides of the journey, with constant ungulating hills with a couple big ones including Hydro Hill. On the bright side, I hit a new personal record speed at 74.9 km/h. On another side, we hit a new elevation gain record which is a marker of how much climbing we do on a bike. It was a physically demanding, but incredibly fun day.
With nothing on the road between Port Alberni and Ucluelet, it was an emotional day for a different reason than usual. Today was the day that our support crew for the first week of our extravaganza left us. They’re team that makes sure we’re well fed, gives us pain pills, helps lug all of our equipment across the Island… Everything logistically important to the Tour de Rock on a day-to-day basis.
They stayed with us through the ride today and as soon as it was over, they handed us off to the week two support crew who I’m looking forward to getting to know. Every person from the crew has touched my Tour journey in some way.
From paramedic Chris who would clear up a knot in my shoulder when I was sore. To And one of my most favourite people Moho Jo, who always made sure to find me whenever we were at a snack stop and sneak me a can of Mug Root Beer with a smile – even though soda isn’t normally allowed as a snack. My soda count would not be quite as high without her, and for that I’ll be forever grateful.
Tonight’s event was at the Legion in Tofino. A steak dinner was a great time overall. North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP’s Warren Kongus did a great job as a live auctioneer selling a few thousand dollars of items. We also did another head shave, another few strips came out of my hairline as we raised just over $300.
A cool story there was we raised a bunch of money, we were trying to figure out who was going to shave my head and so we looked around the room. My eyes were searching for a kid. Just as we were searching, a guy named Johnny from town said, “I’ll shave your head, if you shave mine.” And so this guy that I’d never meet before came up and shaved a strip out of my head and I shaved his head right down to the wood. Where that, three other people also put their hands up shaving their heads. It was really cool experience to see. We also found a kid to shave another strip, so mumy hair is starting to look like a checkerboard.
I will be honest with you though, I am growing fatigued. Physical fatigue isn’t really the issue. I am actually quite introverted, being around people doesn’t energize me, it really drains me. Being “on” for every second of the last eight days has been weighing on me, but it’s nothing compared to what those children are going through as they continue to fight cancer. And anyone who comes out to a Tour de Rock event as we continue down the Island to show their support deserves the best that I can give them. I’ll continue to push on with a smile, reminding myself it’s for the kids.
One child with cancer is one child too many. If you’re interested in donating to the Tour de Rock, you can do so at TourDeRock.ca.
Daily and overall stats
Total kilometres ridden on Day 8: 103.63 km
Total kilometres ridden: 707.30 km
Total elevation on Day 8: 1,341 m
Total elevation climbed: 6,585 m
Total sodas consumed on Day 8: 4
Total sodas consumed on Tour: 38
