Between Calgary & Edmonton or A Rock & A Hard Place

Former Flames Captain Brad 'Marshy' Marsh

Phase one of our trip is over. We worked hard to get through the mountains, the snow and the rain. We had a great time at the Boys and Girls Club and we got ourselves off to a great start with our goal of raising money and awareness for the Boys and Girls Club. Now we start phase two and it’s just Dad and I and the prairies ahead of us. We upgraded our support van to an RV (believe it or not its cheaper than another rental car) and now we’re faced with the challenge of conquering the most monotonous part of our beautiful country.

           

Not your average size 'bike riders' Brad & Erik

After an amazing reception in Calgary and an enjoyable day off with Pat and his fiancé, Annie, we re-evaluated our plan of attack. Dad is holding up pretty good but his Achilles tendon is inflamed and his foot is swollen up like a football. We’ve been asked by Trek, our bike sponsor, and the Edmonton Boys and Girls Club to swing through Edmonton on our tour. Considering its out of the way and keeping in mind Dad’s injury, we opted to drive up to Edmonton and give the tendon an extra day to heal before we continue from there. We’re looking forward t making an appearance at United Cycle in Edmonton, which should be lots of fun. It’s a bit funny that we’ll be making an appearance on behalf of Trek, and any avid cycling fan would see why. The average pro cyclist, the kind of guy they’d normally have making these appearances, is about 5’8” and 140lbs. Dad and I are both over 6’3” and tip the scales at 230lbs and 220lbs respectively. In the context of a pro peloton we’d not only be slow but also gigantic. I often wonder what it’d be like to meet Lance Armstrong. He’s a man so huge in stature yet he’s only 5’9” and 153lbs.

We’re looking forward to starting Phase two of our trip but there are definitely some mixed feelings about our starting point of Edmonton. In short, we hate Edmonton but that’s another story for another time…

Erik

Calgary Welcome and Then Some!

Click here to see what a great WELCOME is!

Brad enters Calgary!

The ride into Calgary started out with a hard fight. A rare wind from the east negated the mostly downhill route and it was all Pat and I could do to turn the pedals. We traded off the lead to try and share the workload and despite the tough headwind we were actually making decent time. We had a deadline to meet some friends of ours at Calaway Park just outside the Calgary city limits so we had to keep up the pace. As if the day wasn’t hard enough, 30 km away from our meeting point, I broke a spoke on my wheel. We tried calling Erik in the support car but he had already parked it and got on his bike to meet us on the road. Pat assessed the situation and decided that if he swapped wheels with me he might be able to ride it into town and we’d both get there on time. Erik met up with us about 15 km from Calaway Park and with a set of fresh legs in the mix we powered on into the unrelenting wind.

Riding into Calaway Park was truly special. About 30 people, Flames Alumni and friends from Talisman Energy, cheered us on as we rolled into the parking lot. Our tough efforts riding into the wind were immediately rewarded with a tremendous display of support. Best yet, all of our friends at the park were there to join us for the last 25 km into town and to keep everyone safe, the Calgary Police Department established an escort for us. We had an entire lane of Highway 1 and every intersection along the way blocked off for us to ride through smoothly. It was unbelievable having such great company and having a chance to catch up with some of my buddies I played with in the NHL and having the police go through all that effort for us is something I’ll never forget.

Brad is presented with a $10,000 cheque from the Calgary Flames Alumni & Foundation

Just when I didn’t think the day could get much better, we turned a corner and the Boys and Girls Club was in sight. Dozens of screaming and cheering kids held up a banner for me to ride through on my arrival. People were there from the local media and after a few quick interviews, we went inside to the gym. The kids lined up along side the doorway and gave high fives and cheered as we all came inside. I can’t say enough about how overwhelming our entrance was. It was truly special to see all the support the people in Calgary have for this cause. As if all this wasn’t enough, the Calgary Flames Alumni and the Calgary Flames Foundation donated $5000 dollars each and Talisman energy donated $2500 and lots of sports equipment.

Calgary BGC, Talisman Employees
& Flames Alumni

It was truly a most memorable event and I’m so thankful to everyone who made such a special day possible. We raised $12 500, a whole lot of equipment for the club, and we sure turned a lots of heads rolling into town with our police escort. With every visit to a Boys and Girls Club I’m reminded of why we’re doing what we’re doing. After our visit today I really can’t say enough for how important the Boys and Girls Club is in every community they operate. I urge everyone to donate and get involved with the club in your area and help make an impact of a child’s life.

Brad

Bike Pick Up

Brad with Ridley's owner Ron

We just got to Calgary and after a long flight it’s nice to have things for the trip in motion. We’re headed to Ridley’s Cycle in Kensington to pick up our new Trek 5.2 Madone bikes. Ridley’s is one of the biggest Trek dealers in western Canada and we’re lucky enough that my son Patrick works there.

Ron, the owner, greets us at the shop and after some catching up, we get changed into our bib shorts and sit upon our new bikes for the first time. I went first and spun on the rollers similar to when we originally got sized up at Bushtukah, in Ottawa, except this time the adjustments are more minute. Cycling greats like Lance Armstrong and Eddy Merckx were known to be fanatical about their bikes, stressing perfection down to the millimeter, so I know the importance of a good fit.

Pat takes a look and has Ron take a look for a second opinion. They seem to be channeling the spirits of those legends’ mechanics as he moves the seat forward slightly and swaps out the stem for one that’s slightly longer to accommodate my long gorilla arms. Erik goes next. It’s interesting to watch the process from a different perspective; you really can see how the smallest adjustments to the bike or seat position affect the way the rider moves on the bike. The more efficient we can make our riding, the easier it will be on those long days in the saddle that lay ahead.

Brad and son Patrick

Once we’re all fitted up, Pat starts up “The List.” With our spring start date and the unpredictable nature of the Rocky Mountains, we have to be ready for anything from rain to snow to sub zero temperatures. We gather all sorts of gear so we’ll be ready for anything and grab some spare parts so we can make minor repairs as needed. It may be a flat tire, snow over the mountains, or maybe even something worse but the more prepared we are to cope with what’s thrown in our path, the better.

Wheeling my bike out of the store, I’m excited to get out and go for a ride with Erik and Patrick around Calgary and try out my new bike. I’m feeling fast and strong and I can’t wait to dip my tires in the Pacific and start the journey.