The Wheel Deal
Yesterday was a wonderful day! We had our official tire dipping ceremony in White Rock and had the wonderful support of Kaitlin’s family and friends from Willoughby CRC! The ride was a sunny 78 km with amazing views of Mt. Baker and we all arrived safely in abbotsford!
A tent city quickly appeared in the field and Gateway church provided a lovely dinner.
More stories to come!
Preparation for the Sea to Sea is in full swing! I visited Smithers last week and had a wonderful time with the other 4 riders that are participating from our small Northern BC town. It was inspiring to train and fundraise and tell others in the community about our upcoming endeavour and the work of World Renew and Partners Worldwide.
Last week my dad and I tackled a century ride (100km) across the flat prairies of Alberta and we realized how nice it is to have the wind at your back, compared to head-on. Upon returning to Smithers, Kaitlin and I went for a lovely afternoon ride, and my dad and I proceeded to journey towards the mountains on backroads in an effort to take a loop in order to get home. It turned into a brutal gravel road and I started to hit my ‘reserve’ tank but the up hill ended and we got to come down the other side! Pavement was a relief and after a 70km journey, my butt was very glad to be done for the day!
After living in Alberta for the last month, I commented many times while driving through BC about how many hills there are… It was a good reminder to go find big hills around Edmonton to train on so I can be better prepared for the Rockies! 🙂
Thursday and Friday, we held fundraising BBQ’s and had opportunities to share with many community members about our upcoming ride and the mission of breaking the cycle of poverty one community at a time. Â A BIG thank you to everyone who came out and enjoyed delicious food, and donated to the Sea to Sea! It was a very successful fundraiser and is helping us reach our goal!
We are thankful for the safety we have had on the roads and for health to be able to continue training. Also, for the communities that have come along side of us by supporting Sea to Sea’s mission financially. Together we can continue making a difference!
T-25 days until the beginning of this exciting adventure! Stay tuned for more stories!
Hello! We, Christiana Reitsma and Kaitlin Weme along with our dads, Fred and Brent, will be participating in the Sea to Sea 2017 ~ cycling to end poverty ride. The Sea to Sea is a cross-country bike ride that covers 6,759 km / 4,200 mi throughout Canada and the US, beginning on the west coast in Vancouver, British Columbia and cycling to Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Beginning June 26, we will be biking up to 150 km per day, 6 days a week for just under 10 weeks. It’s a pile of biking, but it isn’t simply a bike tour or a holiday. Rather, it’s a bike trip that uses fundraising to work towards the ultimate goal of ending poverty for one person at a time. The ride is focused on community, service, and global impact, and funds received are donated to two major organizations.
Currently, Kaitlin and I are both university students and have dreamed about this opportunity for many years. Four years ago when we were in grade 11, a former teacher at our school shared about her Sea to Sea experience across the USA. It sounded like a great opportunity for adventure while doing something really worthwhile. Although the next bike ride in 2017 seemed like ages away, we hoped for the opportunity to be a part of it. As it turns out, four years later, this dream is becoming a reality. Kaitlin will be riding from Vancouver to Halifax, and I (Christiana) will join me from Vancouver to Calgary. My dad will be biking for the majority of the trip, and Kaitlin’s dad is going to join her from Ottawa to Halifax.
We’ve formed a team called “The Wheel Deal,” and are working together to raise $36,000 in support of World Renew and Partners Worldwide. World Renew is a relief and development organization of the Christian Reformed Church, which responds to the needs of people around the world who are suffering from hunger, disaster, and injustice. Partners Worldwide seeks to end poverty by using business as a way to create flourishing economic environments in all parts of the world.
Training has begun for all four of us and we are very excited. The count-down is at 74 days until we get to start riding. Throughout the next 5 months we plan to use this blog to keep you updated with stories about training, events on the ride as well as why we are passionate about the cause of ending poverty.
As we prepare for this event, we greatly appreciate your support through prayer and encouragement. If you are interested in supporting our team financially, please make a donation at www.seatosea.org to “The Wheel Deal” team.
Thank you for your support! Stay tuned for more updates in the future!
~Christiana
Sea to Sea 2017 