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Dude & Mini Dude's 2015 Ride-2-Survive

Dude & Mini Dude's 2015 Ride-2-Survive

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I’m now going into my 7th year as part of the R2S team.
2014: http://takethepiss.com/threads/dude-mini-dudes-2014-ride-2-survive.18025/
2013: http://www.takethepiss.com/threads/dudes-2013-ride-2-survive.17683/
2012, 2011, 2010, and 2009 are somehow lost in the TTP archives.

Crazy. I remember when I started in 2009, it seemed like an almost insurmountable task. Mini Dude was 8 years old then. I’ve been participating in this event for over half of my (oldest) daughter’s life. It’s mind blowing to me.

In my write-up this year, I write about the “Why”. Why do people do this. I can say, with 100% honesty now, that I am coming back for more than the R2S mandate (which is, to raise as much money for Cancer Research while remaining 100% efficient, without taking one penny off the top for external costs). The reality is, there are any number of causes that I would follow R2S in supporting. This is a great group of people, trying to do great things. People with oversized hearts, the types of people you want to be associated with.

Michael has a more distinct and pronounced “Why” about him. He’s very, very driven to do his part in contributing to Cancer Research. He identifies with this day, and it has become a big part of who he is, as a young adult trying to figure out his way in this world. Fifteen is a tough age. I remember it, and it sucked.

He is doing this for his loved ones…for me, his mom, his sisters, his cousins, and anyone else he can think of. I am doing this for him.

My son and I have a great relationship. In a lot of ways, he’s my best pal. We ski together (truth is, he is leaving me behind, or leading me into spots I have no business dropping into), we ride together, and we enjoy our sports together. We are together a lot. We also fight like fathers and sons tend to do. But this ride…I am very proud to say it really brings out the best in him, and last year, I saw sides of him that surprised me, time after time. Never mind the actual work he did on the day of the ride (rode more of it than I did my first year, and was stronger), but I’m proud to see how humble he was, and how he’d deal with the pressure in stride. And I know he felt it. There was one volunteer at the last meeting before the big day that come up to him and said, “My son sees what you are doing this year, and you should know that you’ve inspired him, he wants to do this ride, just like you.” I then watched Michael go over and sit down with the kid, and play video games with him as the rest of us discussed logistics, and other boring adult stuff. I’d never have done that when I was his age.

I’d get other ride captains, on the ride day, buzzing me in my ear telling me how proud I must be…and me only being able to choke out an affirming “Yep”. I saw him break down in tears at the end, overwhelmed with the day, both emotionally, and physically…and I was right there, bawling along with him, an incredibly proud parent.

Soooo…like I have for 6 years now, I’m leaning on the TTP community for support. Donate, if you can, if you like our story, and are somehow inspired. DON’T feel obliged to donate, because at the end of the day, everyone has their own “Why” that they give to, and I totally get that. If you are paying it forward in any way, that is all good by me.

For sale: your angel’s spot on our legs, in Sharpie. We will ride in honor of your loved ones that have been touched by this disease. Your money will not go to waste. 100% of every dime donated goes directly to Cancer Research. R2S is 100% volunteer based. The overhead is covered by riders and sponsor donation in kind. When it hit the CCS banks, the R2S has a special agreement in place whereby the funds bypass general revenue and go directly into the research fund.

Pedalling time: 15 hours
Distance: 400 KM
Days to complete: 1
2 major mountain passes, 12,000’ of climbing, battling heat, cold, often times rain, sometimes snow, always wind, and always personal doubt- in one day- is hard. Fighting cancer is harder.
www.ride2survive.ca
To contribute to our page, please visit: http://convio.cancer.ca/site/TR/Otherspecialevents/IFE_BC_odd_?px=5735705&pg=personal&fr_id=18742
Our sincerest gratitude,
~Mike & Michael Meade.
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About author
Dude
"The Last Drop is the rant, musing, opinion, or random disturbing thought of a father-of-two weekend warrior who doesn’t really care what you think. From sports, to politics, to coffee girls, this @Dude will spew forth whatever comes to his mind. It may be useful. It will likely be useless. Either way, the reader will no doubt be a more confused individual after experiencing The Last Drop."

-That was written in 2003. Not much has changed. The Author is still chasing adrenaline boosts whilst riding bikes, still justifying yet another year of "playing" the beautiful game, still ga-ga over coffee girls, still opinionated on everything- right or wrong, correct or incorrect- and still a moron in the eyes of Mrs. Dude. The one big change: he is now a father of three, with the addition of a baby girl to the family in 2014...which is, the single best change in the Author's life over the past 12 years.

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