Day 5. Olalla to Kelowna...around 99.7km

Today we woke up to thunderstorm warnings, light rain, and headwind. We had breakfast and drove back to where I finished yesterday’s ride.

Today’s ride would go from a little town called Olalla to Kelowna, BC. The trip stats are included in this link. Top speed was over 60 clicks today (glad my bike didn’t fail me)!  My legs felt like complete garbage this morning for the first 20 mins or so, but I kept plugging away and eventually they got under me! I learned something today….don’t end my ride at a hill because climbing it first thing in the AM is not the way to get my legs warmed up. All in all it was a pretty decent day…We had a little rain, a little wind, and a few uphill/downhill gradients. I’m happy I make it to Kelowna, BC but I am bummed I have to stop riding for so many days. I will have to do some light cycling to keep the legs loose until July 3rd.

http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/67875819?country=ca&lang=en&measure=metric&fb_action_ids=10151093803070127&fb_action_types=endoapp%3Atrack&fb_source=timeline_og

I am going to spend the few rest days we have, before we head to Vernon, BC July 3rd, doing laundry and trying to tackle media. I am trying to think of ways to get people involved in this ride across Canada and keep the donations rolling in. www.pdcycle.com is where you can donate, but getting people there is a challenge. Right now I feel like I am cycling down a single road and unless we run into someone at a reststop, nobody else knows what we are even trying to do. The money we raise in each Parkinson Society district stays in that district, but I need to get the media on board to let people know that!

My dad called me today and mentioned the Pro Oil Change Sponsorship program is setup for Parkinson’s Cycle of Hope. This means people can raise money for Parkinson’s research simply by getting work that they already need done. This is how it works:

At the end of each month, Pro Oil Change tallies all the purchases for which customers have said they want a portion to go to Parkinson’s Cycle of Hope. Pro Oil donates 13% of those purchases directly to the recipient.

This is a nationwide program, so that means you can do this at any Pro Oil Location!!!

Here is another email that I want to include because it helps keep me positive!

Hi Cory, I just read your event about biking from Vancouver to Halifax to raise money for Parkinson’s disease.  My dad also has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and it is a daily struggle but I too am so proud in him at how positive he is and I truly feel that he is my hero.  First I would like to say thank you for doing such an amazing feat to raise money for such a great cause, also I would definitely offer my house to you along the way if need be.  I live in Barrie Ontario, I don’t know what route you will be taking but you are welcome to stay with my family and me.

Good luck!

We don’t have people to stay with for every spot we need to stay, so I greatly appreciate when people come out and offer their homes to us! Elyse and I are fine with sleeping at campsites but that does nothing for my cause. We want to be staying with people who have been affected by Parkinson’s in some way personally, a friend of a friend, or a family member because sharing stories is one way we can try to connect people together. I can sleep in a tent…I actually like sleeping in tents BUT right now I consider it a waste of an opportunity.

Here is a quote that I read today and really like:

There is always someone faster; there will always be someone slower. There is always someone with more natural gifts or more experience; there will always be someone with less. There is always someone with better equipment or newer clothing; there is always someone not as well equipped or dressed. And you know what? None of it matters. Just carry your own load as best you can. (I believe these words are from Peter Schuurman or Peter Slofstra)

Welp, Rest days in Kelowna until July 3^rd. I probably won’t blog until then!