Newfoundland is the first province the East Relay team crosses in this year’s Spinning Wheels Relay.
In Newfoundland, at end of land,
places have no address
doors have no lock
towns have no restaurants
hundreds of kilometres with no moose.
There is no cell signal on the road
No shades under the sun
No public transportation in town
And no iceberg beer for Steve Iseman.
713 km on two wheels, we were overwhelmed by the magnificent landscape every single day. Twelve days on the road, countless islanders opened their arms and their hearts. If there is a place called Paradise, that place is in Newfoundland. It is a place you call home, a place you miss, a place of abundance, and sharing. It is a remote place forever living at the centre of our hearts, a reminder of practicing loving kindness to others and to ourselves.
For two weeks, this small but mighty six person crew made an appearance in newfoundland. Walking on the streets, riding on the highway, going to ice cream stores, eating in restaurants, recognized by locals; we felt like local superstars. This team of superstars includes:
Lloyd, team captain and best spoken person. A shaky guy in neon colours, with all the jokes in the world, bright orange and neon pink are his favourite. He has an amazing and supportive neighbourhood where it seems all his neighbours are coming to join our ride, first Ed and Roy, then Steve and Lisa.
Ed, a 71-year-old kid who curses. Pure love for cycling, cooking, organizing, and the people around him. With him in the team, we know we are on time, on route, and well-fed.
Roy, cover face boy and muscle on the road. A big smile on the fat bike, his passion for gravel road is incredible and infectious. Like Ed, on this trip, learning the challenges we face with Parkinson’s every day, he goes above and beyond in helping others.
Mike, everyone’s big brother. He shows us courage, perseverance, and resilience with his actions. He might be slow sometimes on the climbs but he flies like a bird on those downhills.
Callum, team support. He might be young but he is more than capable. He knows which way to go when there is no GPS. He gets us accommodation where everything is fully booked. He gives us comfort riding on the road because we know he is there and always ready for a rescue.
This week, some of my team members are packing up their bikes and heading home. They will be missed dearly. Next week, new riders will join me on the road in Nova Scotia. So the stories will continue.
