That's all Folks! Year 2 Complete!
1 Sep 2025
Well it's official. This morning I went for a 15.2km ride and completed my GCC 2025 challenge! Smashing my ride goal again this year with a total of 220.4km! I'm amazed that I peddled evey single on of those kilometers 😆. Also thanks to my friends, family, and colleagues for your support and encouragement throughout my challenge. It truly means a lot to me that you were just as excited for my challenge as I was. Together we raised $1,066 for Sickkids hospital in their efforts to end childhood cancer and help little kids across Canada kick cancer's butt! So, a big thank you to everyone who donated! You are all awesome! As my challenge comes to a close I think of all the kids out their battling cancer and how hard and scary it must be to go through that. So it fills me with joy to see them smiling and being brave in spite of it all. They are the true heroes of this challenge and we do it all for them. This will be my last post for 2025 which makes me a bit sad. Because so many of you have have told me that you really enjoy reading my posts. I'm glad you've all enjoyed my posts because I enjoy writing them! And there's nothing better than to hear people are reading and enjoying them along with me! Anyway thank you all again for coming along for the ride with me. For today's photo I went down to the Iroquois locks where the big oceanliners come through. I've loved going to this spot ever since I was a kid. So, if you haven't been I highly recommend you go see the beautiful St. Lawrence River and watch the big boats come through. It's an experience you'll never forget! Until next year's challenge see you around!
Posted 32 days ago
Squirrels Here, There, and Everywhere
31 Aug 2025
On today's ride I kept encountering squirrels. Squirrels of every kind! Red, black and grey. They were all bounding across the road around town with nuts or acorns in their cheeks. I guess they're stocking up for the winter ahead. Anyway it was very cute and I loved watching them hop-run across the road. People tend to have a love hate relationship with squirrels. On the one hand they are very cute, curious, and fun to watch. On the other hand you don't want them moving into your attic! That being said I'm very much on the "love" squirrel team! I've always really enjoyed them. They are very clever and resourceful creatures which I respect! Anyway end of squirrel rant. Yesterday I gave a TED talk on spiders and today I babble about squirrels. What will tomorrow's post be about? It's anyone's guess really but, *spoiler* it will be my last post of the challenge. Now enjoy this picture I took of this bee on a sedum plant!
Posted 33 days ago
I Had a Hitchhiker!
29 Aug 2025
You know what I was not expecting to climb over my pedal and onto my shoe during my ride today? A spider. That's right! There I was stopped at an intersection waiting to cross and as I looked down a medium sized house spider was sitting casually on my shoe. I use to be very afraid of spiders for the better part of my life. I use to get my mom whenever there was one in my room well into my adulthood. When I lived in Ireland for a year there was a spider the size of a plate living in my room. It had big legs! Like some kind of buff spider that goes to the gym and never misses leg day. Needless to say I slept with lights on for a year. Anyway after that traumatizing experience I mostly got over my fear. Anytime I saw one at home or at work I just remembered what my mom always told me. She said "Don't worry about the spider they're eating all the scarier bugs you don't want to see". So, now when I see a spider inside I either leave it be or help it get outside. For my hitchhiking spider friend I stopped further down the road and enticed it to hop onto a stick instead of my shoe. Then placed the stick in a dry spot so the spider wouldn't get wet. We have to learn to live alongside nature not against it. With that thank you for coming to my TED talk about spiders and enjoy today's picture. It's the button my mom made me last year during the Paris Olympics! I conside him my riding buddy 😊.
Posted 34 days ago
The Little Pear Tree That Could!
27 Aug 2025
During my rides I've noticed a lot of apples falling off trees and littering the road. It can be interesting trying to dodge them all. But it also smells wonderful! The weather is getting cooler and fall is upon us. Which also means pear season! Nearly my entire life we have had a pear tree. Every year without fail it would produce so many pears we didn't know what to do with them all! I remember my parents trying to MacGyver a pear catching basket out of a pole and an old coffee tin to reach the pears at the very top. The tree is about 26 years old and still isn't a very big tree. But a few years ago during a bad storm it was hit by lightning and one of the main limbs fell off. After that our little tree didn't look very good and we were worried we might have to take the rest of it down. But nature is an amazing healer so, we left our little tree alone and waited. It tried to grow pears but they never got bigger than your thumb and theyd fall off really early in the season. However, not this year! This year our little pear tree is back in action! Loaded to the brim with healthy giant pears! We've been collecting them and happily smiling at our beautiful tree. I'm glad it made it through. It's a part of our family in more ways than one.
Posted 36 days ago
75% Done!
25 Aug 2025
As of today I only have 47.2km left to go! I'm so excited to reach my ride goal! I'm really proud of my improvements this year with my rides. Last year my average daily ride was 7km or 8km but, this year I've been averaging 10km - 12km a day! I'm already thinking about my ride goal for next year if you can believe it. 250km anyone? Everyone in my house is very excited about my challenge this year including our cats! So, join Puff in celebrating 75% completion of my ride goal and wave your hands (or paws) in the air like you just don't care 😆🥳
Posted 38 days ago
