Got spoiled during breakfast at a B&B, great way to start my day off for my day off! The last ten days has been incredible, I presented at 10 schools, performed at 3 bike shops, taught a fun yoga class (plus some solo practices), and went on three mountain bike rides. I am feeling so deeply grateful to have met and learned so much from all the amazing grade school students, shop owners and employees, teachers and principles, police officers, bike enthusiasts, and everyone in between. Smiles all around!

Hello from the GTA, hanging out in Pickering right now, trying to get some serious ‘rest on’ so I’m ready for a show at one of the biggest shops in Ontario, Bay Cycle, tomorrow. (Noon sharp for anyone that is local)

Crashed during the last school show today, slipped out on the back wheel and landed on my now bruised sit bones. First proper bail of the tour, but I’m fine, finished the show, and might do some yoga to limber up…maybe I’ll play my didgeridoo partly to vibrate some healing blood flow to my low back and sit bones, but mainly to acknowledge my jealousy that Caryn is going to see Xavier Rudd play in Vancouver later on tonight!!!!

What a great week though! Yesterday, one of the police officers on the Pedal-For-Hope team came up with a skit for an elementary school. I pretended to be a photographer during their presentation, then he pretended to set up to jump over a couple staff members, making it sound legit, finally, the bike was taken away from him out of fear and they asked the audience if anyone else might be able to do it instead, I jumped in, pretended to be just a novice, and then leaped over them. We scared everyone because no one new I was going to be at that school! Good times!!

I watched at least 50 kids get their head shaved this week, many of them were girls! Lots of full locks to be made in to wigs.

I also put one of the cops on the spot and made him sing “listen to your heart” by Roxette in front of a thousand high schoolers because earlier he was joking around with me about one of my quotes in my presentation. He stepped up and busted out in song, it was great!

Nine schools in total this week, plus an awesome mountain bike ride with the Shimano crew in Peterborough. Gotta rest up!!

I feel so grateful to everyone I have met while on this tour, it has been epic in every way so far!

Ryan

Just a quick link to a blog post I wrote for PinkBike. Click Here. It’s the first of three posts I’ll share on that site during my tour…

Ryan

Hey Folks,

The David Suzuki Foundation (DSF) is putting the pressure on John Furlong, CEO of the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC), to make the 2010 Winter Games carbon neutral. I recently added my signature, along with 70 other athletes, to reinforce the incredible importance such an action holds. Now it’s your turn…

When I dream of the future, there is no issue of greater concern than that of climate change. VANOC has an opportunity to inspire the world by taking action, and frankly responsibility, for the immense carbon footprint such an event leaves in it’s wake.

I am certain that in hindsight, such a decision will seem obvious to them; lets make sure they don’t have any regrets. Taking responsibility for the environment is of utmost important, and we need to let them know we believe this, and feel strongly about it. So please follow this link, and lend your name to the cause, then pass it along to your friends. It’s simple, it’s fast, and if acted on, will have a long lasting and far reaching effect on the world.

Ryan