This week saw Kate at two primary schools helping to spread the Tour de Cure message - firstly to Sydney Grammar and then joining me at Artarmon Public School. The enthusiasm of the kids, (not to mention the teachers) their interest in what we're doing and achieving is so motivating.
They were fascinated by our bike kits and our bikes and their questions did not stop. Kate covered her fiance's, Stu's, Year 4 class at Grammar, and together we covered the APS primary school assembly then a Year 2 class followed by all 3 kindergarten classes. Phew! But it really was a privilege and a lot of fun to speak to the kids and be a small part of their busy day's learning.
We have arranged for Camp Quality to present their fabulous puppet show to the kids of APS next month to help the students understand more about kids with cancer.
I wonder if one or two of the kids we met this week might join Tour de Cure 2030? If they work on their dreams to become reality, that may be a safe bet.
Learjet
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Our Beautiful Maddie
Hi
Just wanted to say what a wonderful group of people you are.
We are friends of Craig Cairnduff's and cancer took our baby daughter Maddie at the age of
15mths.
Over dinner, he told us of your cause and how much time & effort you are all unselfishly
putting in.
We watched our daughter for six long months, go through the most horrendous treatment,
all in vain and held her in our arms as she took her very last breath. It has changed our lives
forever and it comforting to see all of you trying to raise the much needed funds to find a cure
for all of these terrible cancers.
Craig told me that after his visit to the children's hospital, getting up at 4am to train is
not so hard. It is a very hard life indeed living in a hospital helplessly watching your child suffer.
People like you all are my inspiration to keep going, it is not until you go through something
like this that you meet the most wonderful people like yourselves and all of the doctor's and
nurses.
We will be watching your progress and will ask our angel in heaven to make your journey a
safe and profitable one.
Thanks to you all & Good luck to you all.
Danielle & David Vine
not so hard. It is a very hard life indeed living in a hospital helplessly watching your child suffer.
People like you all are my inspiration to keep going, it is not until you go through something
like this that you meet the most wonderful people like yourselves and all of the doctor's and
nurses.
We will be watching your progress and will ask our angel in heaven to make your journey a
safe and profitable one.
Thanks to you all & Good luck to you all.
Danielle & David Vine
Kaitlyn's 8th Birthday
Kaitlyn had a wonderful 8th Birthday. I have emailed you a beautiful couple of photos, she had a sleep over on friday night with some of her freinds, her camp quality companion came up for dinner on the saturday night, and she compiled a cd with all the songs that her and kaitlyn share and enjoy together, it is so cute.
Sunday we had all the family up for coffee and cake (and party food) in the morning. So she had a big weekend!!! 1st photo of the girls on the sleepover (they did a facial) second one, with her cake. Thanks Heaps Love you all Yvette
Monday, May 14, 2007
New Idea Rides for a Cure
Dani has been getting amazing press coverage for the team and here is a great article in New Idea's May 2007 edition on the Tour de Cure, outlining what it's all about, the road map and photos and some pretty handsome riders decked out in TDC kit.And whilst the photographers have been out and about in parks, on roads, at The Vault, at breakfast functions and in hospitals taking shots of the TDC team, the odd budding artist has been taking time out to put oil to canvas, or texta to paper, to create their own TDC images.
Below, 7 yo Olivia Heath, depicts some of the TDC team riding skills in her latest work. Would make a fun gift card!
Armstrong on the Road for Cancer!
The Tour de Cure has it's very own Armstrong taking up the fight against Cancer. Australian Swimming champion Duncan Armstrong will join the Tour de Cure riders on the first leg from Brisbane to the Gold Coast.
'I’m privileged to be involved with Tour de Cure . Anyone who has been very sick understands the pain and anxiety of feeling dreadful, now multiply that by 1000 and you might have an idea of one single day in the life of a person battling cancer. There are thousands of courageous men, women, and children taking the battle to cancer every day. So it’s up to the rest of us to roll up our sleeves and do the hard work of funding research for a cure. The Tour de Cure is an opportunity to put our healthy bodies to work for people in need of a cure from cancer. As one talented youngster who is in the fight of his life has stated, “I’ve got cancer, but it hasn’t got me!” Isn’t the health of this true Aussie champion worth riding a few hundred kilometers for?
Come and say G'day to Duncan and the TDC team on May 28th in the Queen Street Mall in Brisbane.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
TDC, Community Spirit and Zoe
The Tour de Cure stall was presented at last Saturday's Artarmon Fair on the lower north shore in Sydney with our promotion moving out into the community; face-to-face. The stand, designed by Mark Starr, attracted plenty of interest with mannequins displaying the spanking brand new TDC jerseys (and the jerseys look fantastic!), the charities' materials, our sponsors and plenty of other goodies. Two bikes, one adult road bike and one kid's mountain bike on wind trainers provided a fun focal point, plus a large plasma screen with the TDC powerpoint show and Drew McAlister's 'Along for the Ride' pumping out, with plenty of cycling training shots - all added to the festive atmosphere.
The day provided a wonderful opportunity to chat to families and people in the community about Tour de Cure in detail, about the charities and the sponsors' great support. Donations were flowing, with more pledges to follow.
The TDC team and their families made a big effort to ensure the stall was a success and thanks for all the support from Geoff Coombes, Kate Cosgrove, Denver Bevan, Eric Cairnduff and wife Joan, Alex Cairnduff and daughter Sophie, Josh McBride and g/f Meg, Natalia Heath with kids Nicola, Olivia and Lachlan, Natalia's uncle and my parents, and Lance Creed. Lance supplied the generator, managed to override some technical glitches and was invaluable support in bump in and bump out.
But the Gold Star for community spirit goes to 8 year old Artarmon girl, Zoe, who attended the TDC stall. Zoe came to the Fair with $5 to spend and after she heard what TDC was all about, she said she really didn't need those other things on sale and donated all her fair money to Tour de Cure.
Learjet
The day provided a wonderful opportunity to chat to families and people in the community about Tour de Cure in detail, about the charities and the sponsors' great support. Donations were flowing, with more pledges to follow.
The TDC team and their families made a big effort to ensure the stall was a success and thanks for all the support from Geoff Coombes, Kate Cosgrove, Denver Bevan, Eric Cairnduff and wife Joan, Alex Cairnduff and daughter Sophie, Josh McBride and g/f Meg, Natalia Heath with kids Nicola, Olivia and Lachlan, Natalia's uncle and my parents, and Lance Creed. Lance supplied the generator, managed to override some technical glitches and was invaluable support in bump in and bump out.
But the Gold Star for community spirit goes to 8 year old Artarmon girl, Zoe, who attended the TDC stall. Zoe came to the Fair with $5 to spend and after she heard what TDC was all about, she said she really didn't need those other things on sale and donated all her fair money to Tour de Cure.
Learjet
Monday, May 7, 2007
It takes a thief...
The appreciation
Guys thanks for the calls to rally round for a spare rear wheel. I think I ended up with four wheels on offer. That’s really appreciated.
I've got a spare wheel / cassette until I buy a new set of wheels – and I'm looking for some very special ones which come with a battery pack and 240v pumping through its rims and spokes.
The history
Over the past many months I’ve learnt quite a bit about wheels. First it was spokes. Five broken over two sets of wheels. Then came the reinforced wheels – wheel smith spokes, double butted. Beautiful, we love the double butts. But, but, whilst they could repel my weight, they couldn’t repel the handy work of a thief.
The problem
My shimano cranks come with a top cap and two pinch bolts. The pinch bolts were weirdly loose (only tightened last week) and the crank slipped off whilst attached to the pedal which was attached to my cleat…
Now walking in carbon fibre soled cleated shoes is a challenge at any given time but when there is a pedal and crank attached to the cleat, it makes dismounting a whole new experience.
The situation
Just over the pedestrian/cycle path near Fort St Primary School last night, 7.30pm to be precise and consistent with my police report, cycling on return from work, my shoe/cleat felt unusually free... until wiggling the shoe a little more the crank fell off. The top cap was missing from the crank so I went in search of it with bike torch in hand.
The lesson
My bike was left against a railing with crank and pedal missing, the chain totally off, so virtually impossible to ride. It should be safe for 5 mins. Not. A good lesson learnt there my mother might say.
The joker
I was very cranky (literally) when I returned to my bike, with crank in hand, to see the rear wheel gone. The anger stayed for some time until after texting all of my woes including the missing of Tuesday morning’s ride to all and sundry. Then came George’s text… “Soft” That cracked me up. Anger gone.
Back out tomorrow. See you at 5am at Maissey's
Learjet xx
- ps if you know of anyone trying to sell a Neuvation rear wheel, double butted wheel smith spokes with/ or without Ultegra cassette - it could be mine.
Guys thanks for the calls to rally round for a spare rear wheel. I think I ended up with four wheels on offer. That’s really appreciated.
I've got a spare wheel / cassette until I buy a new set of wheels – and I'm looking for some very special ones which come with a battery pack and 240v pumping through its rims and spokes.
The history
Over the past many months I’ve learnt quite a bit about wheels. First it was spokes. Five broken over two sets of wheels. Then came the reinforced wheels – wheel smith spokes, double butted. Beautiful, we love the double butts. But, but, whilst they could repel my weight, they couldn’t repel the handy work of a thief.
The problem
My shimano cranks come with a top cap and two pinch bolts. The pinch bolts were weirdly loose (only tightened last week) and the crank slipped off whilst attached to the pedal which was attached to my cleat…
Now walking in carbon fibre soled cleated shoes is a challenge at any given time but when there is a pedal and crank attached to the cleat, it makes dismounting a whole new experience.
The situation
Just over the pedestrian/cycle path near Fort St Primary School last night, 7.30pm to be precise and consistent with my police report, cycling on return from work, my shoe/cleat felt unusually free... until wiggling the shoe a little more the crank fell off. The top cap was missing from the crank so I went in search of it with bike torch in hand.
The lesson
My bike was left against a railing with crank and pedal missing, the chain totally off, so virtually impossible to ride. It should be safe for 5 mins. Not. A good lesson learnt there my mother might say.
The joker
I was very cranky (literally) when I returned to my bike, with crank in hand, to see the rear wheel gone. The anger stayed for some time until after texting all of my woes including the missing of Tuesday morning’s ride to all and sundry. Then came George’s text… “Soft” That cracked me up. Anger gone.
Back out tomorrow. See you at 5am at Maissey's
Learjet xx
- ps if you know of anyone trying to sell a Neuvation rear wheel, double butted wheel smith spokes with/ or without Ultegra cassette - it could be mine.
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