Читать книгу Cycle For Life: The Story of the 1991 Trans-Canada Record Attempt - Bill Psy.D. Narasnek - Страница 6

When I first started cycling seriously I read avidly. One of the many interesting subjects, at the time, were the exploits of Lon Haldeman, and others, who were doing trans-continental record attempts across the United States. This reading planted the seed of my own interest as I consumed the intimate details of ultra-marathon cycling. I later watched accounts of similar attempts on television and marvelled at the magnitude of such endeavour.

It was years later that our cycling club was approached about a joint fund raising venture with a local organization. I had never thought of it before but, out of nowhere, came the idea of matching a sanctioned record attempt with a fundraising drive. Although the plan did not get off the ground on this occasion, I did, in the process, layout the details of how such a venture could be organized and executed. It was this very package which I brought to the Pelmorex broadcasting network in late summer, 1990, as a promotional proposal.

The people at Pelmorex, Vicki and Mike in particular, were quick to take to the idea. Since the Kidney Foundation was a cause already close to the people at Pelmorex, it did not take long to make the choice of a benefactor for our plan and "Cycle for Life" was born.

The Walden Kinsmen were approached, and joined our group, so that we might draw upon their expertise and manpower. It lent itself to a "hometown" flavour since Gwen Doyle, executive director of the local Kidney Foundation, and myself were both from Walden.

A committee was formed and the process put in place early in the fall of 1990. From my perspective the whole project would have a threefold purpose. 1. To set a new trans-Canada cycling record. 2. To promote cycling and our club, the Sudbury Cycling Club. 3. To raise awareness and funds for the Northeastern Ontario chapter of the Kidney Foundation.

For my present purpose of recounting the record attempt I will not analyze the many aspects and administrative details related to the committee work and fundraising efforts. It should go without saying that this, in itself, was a huge and time consuming effort requiring countless hours of work by dedicated volunteers, some of whom did double duty on the actual record attempt. The main thrust of the fundraising was done through a series of promotions leading up to the actual ride in July. There would be little time for myself or the crew to raise funds during the actual record attempt.