|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dave's
triumph |
|
Trip
Recap
October 10th, 2002
SUCCESS!!
Dave Mayle has successfully completed the 900pm ride around Prince
Edward Island in support of the Canadian
Cancer Society. Dave and his wife Cheryl have kept us enthralled
with humourous and inspirational commentary throughout the adventure.
Here, they treat us to a few final thoughts...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cheryl
the Beachcomber |
|
|
View
from the Rear View Mirror
-Cheryl Mayle
Well
on this trip I have had several jobs to do. I was the Navigator,
Tour Guide, Masseuse, Driver, Dog Trainer,
and Photographer etc. Some of it has had its rewards. Navigating
was easy, as I had a preliminary trip out here to set up the ride,
tour guide was also a breeze, and I just had to make sure Dave rode
to my favourite points on the island. Dog trainer, well it looks
like the dogs have been trained to travel, visit hotels, be fed
their biscuits on queue and sit on Mom’s lap while she is supposed
to be driving. Driving was also a piece of cake as the people on
the island are so accommodating.
|
|
|
|
|
|
I would
stop in the middle of the road to get a photo or wait for Dave to
come up over the last hill (there are no shoulders and it really
wasn’t very busy), and the motorists that came across me would
slow down to see what I was looking at, wave, nod and flash me a
big grin. I enjoyed being the photographer. You never know
when a photo opportunity was going to arise. I would jump from the
vehicle and start shooting. Some times weren’t as rewarding,
like the times I just get the dirty look from the cyclist (like
when it is time to serve him his “yummy” nutritious
breakfast, the one time I had to admit I had made a wrong turn,
(yeah, I know, hard to believe that I made a mistake). As far as
sitting in the car while I watched P. E. I. through the rear view
mirror, where are the washrooms? Everything at this time
of year is closed, so I discovered some trails just off the beaten
path and out of view of the public eye where I have learned to get
back to nature! I also would get quite cramped, sitting in the driver’s
seat hour after hour, but have to admit it was a lot better than
being out there with Dave, “in the wind” so to speak.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The
route was made up of the three scenic tours that can be taken
when you visit or drive the island. The Lady Slipper, (of which are
now out of season) the King’s Byway, (of course, we didn’t
see any Kings either) and the Blue Heron Route. Here is the funny
part, I saw many Blue Herons …but none on the Blue Heron
Trail! I saw about 15 on the King’s and another 5 or 6 on the
Lady Slipper, but wherever I spotted them, they spotted me first and
a picture was out of the question as they disappeared into the reeds. |
|
|
The
End of the Road |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Memorable
times during the trip… |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
North
Cape |
|
..the
night we had dinner at the North Cape. The winds were ferocious,
temperatures were plummeting, sky was dark and ominous and everything
looked desolate. We arrived at the restaurant a few minutes late for
our reservation and the place was empty (end of season), but this
was fine by us. Out of the window were seals! Playing and frolicking
in the ocean waves having a marvelous time, they were oblivious to
the inclement weather and were so much fun to watch! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beautiful
Scenery |
|
..the
great seafood we had here, as I am really not a great lover
of the stuff. Boy, is it good when it’s fresh and someone knows
how to cook it right.
..the horse that stood curiously watching me as I was taking
picture after picture of one particular scene. He seemed as relaxed
as the rest of life on the island. It seemed as if he and I were buddies,
quietly passing away a few stolen moments together. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
Puppies |
|
..last
but not least I remember the day we were at the beach and let the
puppies out of the car to run freely on the deserted sand. The
wind was howling and pinning back their ears, but the freedom and
the different smells that enticed them was calling. Peanut
was tearing up and down at a frantic pace and bringing back sticks
to be thrown…. Skipper was sniffing every shell and trace
of seaweed that had washed ashore…. Scooter was overwhelmed
by all the new sensations, and just chased around in delight, all
happy to revel in the day. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Anyway,
I am glad the adventure is over and went without mishap. I did feel
a tug of reluctance and a tearful moistness as we drove over the Confederation
Bridge and hit New Brunswick with the 110 Km speeds and the
brutal fact that I had to now face reality and get back into the swing
of the rest of the world. I bid Prince Edward Island a fond farewell!
Thanks for the memories……… |
|
|
|
Champagne
Celebration |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Dave’s
Thanx!
Thanks
to the lady at the Singing Sands Motel
that made me the hot chocolate. That was the day I nearly froze
and sweated to death at the same time. The hot chocolate came in
a little tin teapot that she carried on a tray down to our room
along with cream. It was a cup and a half’s worth! That was
the best hot chocolate I ever had in my life! And she was apologizing
because it was “instant ...”
Thanks to the old fisherman-turned-stone-mason
on the north shore who thawed me out with hot chocolate again.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks
to the fisherman’s wife
in Antigonish for letting me send an email from her kitchen.
Thanks to Ken and Brandi!
Thanks
to Richard Moor, “IT guy,”
who got the laptop ready to send the reports in, and kept all of
the wires singing.
Thanks
to Kris Light who has done an
amazing job at designing and implementing the LEESON/Dave’s
Ride websites; Kris had been religiously receiving the field communiqués
and making them so web-worthy!
Thanks
to Dan McKelvie plunging fully
into ride-support mode, creative direction, T-shirt design, etc.
etc!
Thanks to my wife Cheryl [“Tour
Director”] for blowing two weeks of vacation to come out here
and drive around the island in slow motion, forcing horrible food
into me, making me get up at the crack of dawn in the freezing cold,
leading me along the road like a sheep so I only had to think about
riding, doing all of the road map reading, [I’m useless] massaging
my weary muscles, and artfully staying ahead of me in the truck
near the end of the day so I would be forced to ride a few km. further
to catch up, … etc, etc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Of
course! The biggest thanks go out to every soul who pledged money
to support Dave’s Ride for CANCER RESEARCH.
After all, that is what the ride was really about.
Please,
if you haven’t already; please send in your cheque now, made
out to the Canadian Cancer Society. Include your full name and address
to ensure you get a tax receipt. To quote one of my least fave celebs,
“gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
P.S.
I really do think I’m getting too old for this. Over and out
…
Dave.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
