Welcome to the TTP community

Be apart of something great, join today!

Dude & Mini Dude's 2018 Ride-2-Survive

Dude

Lifetime Better Bastard
Jul 23, 2001
16,735
4,590
Tokens
15,679
Dirty Money
1,957
Late to the fundraising party this year; Here is the 2018 Dude & Mini Dude’s R2S Thread.

2017 is here, previous years going way back in archives I’m sure: https://takethepiss.com/threads/dude-mini-dudes-2017-ride-2-survive.21585/page-3

This will be Michael’s 5th year riding, and my first year volunteering.

Say what?

Yep. Last year was a rough year physically, so I’ve decided I need less organisation, fewer races, more skiing, and eliminate the word “training” for a while. Besides, with the kid turning 18 now, he’s expected to raise $2,500.00 on his own. His peer group doesn’t exactly have a lot of cash floating around, and I hate fundraising, so something has to give. I decided to step back. Besides, if we happen to raise $5K, maybe I’ll jump back in.

Personally I have been riding a lot this winter and spring, and ironically feel 100% better than this time last year. In March I took off to South America for 3 weeks, which included 8 days of mountain biking in Bolivia. Long days, hard days, but 10/10 on a fun scale, and super invigorating. An amazing country, and spending two weeks at elevations above 10,000’ was challenging but also great for fitness…once I got over the Bolivian flu I brought home. I’ve spent the last three weeks dreaming about going back, but I’ll get over that as Spring rolls into Whistler, melts the snow, and opens up the trail network.

Michael had a very strong ride last year, establishing himself as one of the Alpha leaders on the ride, and doing a great job helping others get through a hard, hot day. They’ve asked him back as a ride captain, and for sure he’s earned his place amongst that leadership core. At 18, he’ll have already ridden 4 times before the event starts this year, and volunteered another two, so that’s a total of 6 years already he’s been a part of the R2S family.

Michael, if he’s honest, has had a bit of a tough year since graduating grade 12. Anyone who has met Michael comments rightly that he’s and engaging, confident personality, and smart. If they really know him, they’ll say he’s too smart for his own good. :D Turns out he has a lot in common with his old man in that he was more interested in girls and riding his bike through high school, and didn’t know what he wanted to do, post-secondary wise, so he took a gap year. Besides, he needed to improve on his physics and pre-calculus grades- as it turns out, not trying, not doing assignments, and not studying doesn’t get you high marks. Towards the second half of the year, he started pulling up his socks, but still, those grades need upgrading. He decided to work all summer: construction, which stretched into December. Good thing, because working construction in Whistler in the winter sucks on all levels. Especially missing powder days because you need to clear the worksite for the more skilled trades to get in. That level of suck helped him realize that either he needs to go to trade school, or university. He took off in early January for a couple of weeks of skiing in Colorado- solo- then came back refreshed and actually started the second semester at Whistler Senior Secondary taking Physics again, Chemistry 11, and re-wrote his English 12 exam. Things are going really well at school, I see a kid that is as focused on his studies as he was focused on girls and bikes last year. What the next 12 month entails, we aren’t sure yet, but it’s going in a progressive direction. The end goal is a career in Engineering / Industrial Fire & Explosion Protection. I’m hoping that in there he finds time to travel, and see a bit of the world. There is an opportunity for him to move to Hanover Germany for a semester of studying, and I hope he follows through with that.

Riding wise, he’s been into a solid training plan since the beginning of February, and on track to be really strong for R2S. He’s racing his bike this weekend , raced last weekend, and will race again next weekend.

For the last 9 (NINE!) years I’ve written about why I have kept coming back to this event, and really, for a solid 6 of those it’s been mostly about supporting my son, as he’s developed a very close tie to this event. It’s always ridden in honor of his grandfather, my father-in-law, who passed in 2012 from Multiple Myeloma. Mohammed had a good, long life, so I’m not going to rail on about how the disease took him too soon- and neither would he. But he would agree that the disease is cruel, and we’d agree that the younger it strikes, the crueler it is. No kid should have to deal with cancer, no parent should have to watch their child be taken over a long, hard-found, but ultimately cruel battle. Beyond supporting my son, it’s that thought that has motivated me- and I know Michael agrees.

Fathers and sons are always a complicated thing. We butt heads like any other father and son, but believe me when I write this: I’m incredibly proud of this kid, and for this side of him that wants to help make a difference in his community, and does something about it. He is growing up into a fine young man, but it’s that willingness to put himself out there, his heart, and leadership qualities that I’m most proud of.

Looking for TTPs support again. Regs, please don’t pull the plug on the site till AFTER June 23rd! :D I am not a good enough fundraiser to do this without TTP. Hopefully Michael is able to generate some good support through his social media and other efforts as well. As always, we’ll take what you can spare, but the overriding rule as always: don’t feel obligated. My charity is not yours, just pay it forward.

One day, 400 KM, Kelowna to Delta, three major mountain passes, heat, cold, wind, rain, sometimes snow…whatever. The day goes no matter what Mother Nature says. The team will start together and finish together. I’ll be supporting my kid as a volunteer for the first time. Kinda weird, but looking forward to the day!

Find us here to donate:

http://convio.cancer.ca/site/TR/Otherspecialevents/IFE_BC_even_?px=7798004&pg=personal&fr_id=23462

~Michael & Mike- Yours in the fight and a Life Behind Bars.

 

Dude

Lifetime Better Bastard
Jul 23, 2001
16,735
4,590
Tokens
15,679
Dirty Money
1,957
Regs, I dunno why it posted two photos of everything...but you know how long it takes me to figure this shite out, so I'm leaving it as is.
 

Rangerforever

Well-Known Member
Sep 5, 2001
7,080
1,951
Tokens
8,775
Dirty Money
1,445
Funny, I know someone who fcuked around in high school too, then worked in construction and just recently quit, and doesn't quite know what to do with his life either. :rolleyes:

Good to hear Michael's heading in a better direction now unlike some other people I know...

I'll blow the moths out of my wallet here in a bit my friend.

That Multiple Myloma is gradually taking its toll on one of Moe's aunts so your efforts are appreciated.
 

Dude

Lifetime Better Bastard
Jul 23, 2001
16,735
4,590
Tokens
15,679
Dirty Money
1,957
I'm glad cycling is a big part of Michael's life, and it occupies so much time, because otherwise the kid was lost the last year. Now he's kinda been shocked into action and it's really good. Sounds like he's really keen on the idea of Germany this fall, so we're researching that.

Funny how alike he and Cam are in a lot of ways.
 

Dude

Lifetime Better Bastard
Jul 23, 2001
16,735
4,590
Tokens
15,679
Dirty Money
1,957
Tried copying the Michael's FB Post to share it here, not nearly smart enough.

I'll do it the old fashion way, and share those here when he does his updates begging for cash:

"67 days till R2S ride day.

Shameless advertisement #1

As many of you know, I'm doing Ride 2 Survive again for the fifth time this year, and this time I'm doing it solo. You may also know that I have to fundraise a fair amount for R2S, $2500 to be exact. A couple of incentives to donate aside from the warm feeling of helping to beat cancer are:...
-I'll do something awful to myself on a bike (cough cough maybe laps of oxford street)
-if we somehow hit $5000, my dad will do the ride as well
-feel free to suggest other awful things for me to do to myself

Training has just (properly) begun for Ride 2 Survive this year with a rather rude awakening. I raced two thirds of the Devo stage race and was promptly dropped in both the crit and the road race, so obviously this means I need to get out on my bike more often. In my defence, I took roughly five months totally off of the bike between August and February to work construction and start up school again. I can now confidently say that construction sucks a lot more than cycling.

If you're so inclined, please take a minute to donate to our cause here:
http://convio.cancer.ca/…/…/Otherspecialevents/IFE_BC_even_… If you're short on cash but still want to help out, give this a share and tell your friends to donate."
 

Dude

Lifetime Better Bastard
Jul 23, 2001
16,735
4,590
Tokens
15,679
Dirty Money
1,957
Not an ITC post, so not nearly as exciting...

@kurgan, many thanks for the very generous donation.

Here is the ki's update from this past weekend...

"51 days till ride day.

Shameless advertisement #3

Donations have officially hit 20%, and so far the only thing I have to do to myself is race in drag (that is if
Enya actually donates). Recent training has consisted of loops around Alta lake road, SFU loops, or hill rides with Rich Gestle. To be fair the hardest part of Rich's ride was eating a giant cinnamon roll.

Remember, if we can hit $5000 raised,
Mike Meade will do the ride as well. He is less than enthusiastic about that so why not make him suffer too (cough cough Emilio)

Oh and
Chad; I'll get around to those Thermal repeats sooner or later.

I also had the opportunity last week to attend a Cancer awareness assembly at Aldergrove Secondary School. A fellow rider and teacher invited me to speak about what the ride is about. Unfortunately I didn't get to talk due to time restraints, but I did get shaved totally bald for their in school fundraiser. Free haircut too!"

At his current pace he won't raise enough to get me to ride, but he should be able to get to $2500.00
 

Dude

Lifetime Better Bastard
Jul 23, 2001
16,735
4,590
Tokens
15,679
Dirty Money
1,957
F9C3FF4C-2DE5-4E25-AA8A-F03B9C8ACE1F.jpeg E55E5F6F-ADFC-4C86-8872-BE0D62C7F3D3.jpeg 011D7383-81C2-4D0A-B3D2-B7B17C1C9569.jpeg 9C895BF7-1BCE-4BB7-BA17-37AEFC88B09E.jpeg Better to post positive stuff here instead of getting trolled.

Can’t ruin my day @Soccer Coach, I’ve got better things in my life at the moment than getting wound up by you.

Michael’s update this morning:

“Day 2 in the sky for R2S. As i type we have been sitting in this scissor lift for 17 hours and 45 minutes. We'll be here for another 34 hours, so come visit us, we're at Save On Foods in Clayton Heights, just off of the Fraser Highway.

http://convio.cancer.ca/site/TR/Otherspecialevents/IFE_BC_even_?px=7798004&pg=personal&fr_id=23462
Pretty proud of this kid. So dedicated to this cause in memory of his Grandfather, Mohammed Hussain. He would have been so proud.
 
Last edited:

Dude

Lifetime Better Bastard
Jul 23, 2001
16,735
4,590
Tokens
15,679
Dirty Money
1,957
The kid and the team did their last big training ride today- 200 KM out in the Valley. I sat out- managed to separate my shoulder and do something to a rib last week. Bummer but should be OK for ride day.

Michael put in a good shift this weekend out in Richmond at another pole sit, this time working the crowd on the ground with a microphone. It’s pretty cool when you see your kids doing something you can’t or won’t do. Me- I hate public speaking. Him? Should really consider a career as a DJ.

With today’s work and last weeks 50/50 shift on the scissor lift, there is no doubt he’ll pass the $5K funds raised bar, which means I’ll ride.

Pretty proud, because aside from what I’ve done here, this has been his baby this year.
 
Last edited:

Rangerforever

Well-Known Member
Sep 5, 2001
7,080
1,951
Tokens
8,775
Dirty Money
1,445
Go Michael Go.

And get off your ass Dude.
Pppfffttt - Shoulders and ribs?
Like Roy Keane would say - You can still play carrying wee knocks you know.
 

Dude

Lifetime Better Bastard
Jul 23, 2001
16,735
4,590
Tokens
15,679
Dirty Money
1,957
Went in to see Patty this morning. I think he takes sadistic joy in jabbing those fingers into my joints. Apparently the shoulder ball was pooped out of the socket, or something. He apparently put it back into place, and swears I'll feel better tomorrow. For now, dead arm. The rib thing just a strain. Should be OK. Otherwise, yeah, for one day I can load up on Vitamin I.
 

Members online

No members online now.

Your TTP Wallet

Tokens
0
Dirty Money
0
TTP Dollars
$0

Latest posts

Top