Follow Ramesh's Journey

I’m so happy that my body is standing up to the challenges of the Cycle to Walk tour. I finally took the support wrap off of my ankle today, and it feels great! It seems as though the longer I’m on the road, the healthier and stronger I feel. Today I hand cycled half the way to Dryden from Vermilion Bay without taking a break (23 km). Perhaps not seeing a Lynx, or any other wild animal for that matter, gave me the extra boost I needed!

It’s so exciting to be this close to the 3000 km mark of the campaign. Over the past three years, I swam and hand cycled about 3000 km as part of my training. To be 3000 km into the journey in less than three months is such a great feeling for me. Headwinds have ceased to be a factor since we arrived in Northern Ontario; however, we’re now facing narrow two-lane roads that are packed with trucks and summer travelers. The bugs are starting to come out, and, as always, we’re dodging pieces of exploded truck tires on the shoulders of the road.

The Dryden Police and Dryden Fire Services escorted us to the home of Joanne Kusnick, a Rotarian who invited us to stay at her place while we’re in town (Thanks Joanne!). The team had a short chance to rest before we were escorted again by Constable Janet Hartley and Deputy Fire Chief Ken Kurz to Dryden Public Library where Cycle to Walk participated in a community information session about polio eradication and the need to continue with immunizations.

I was so impressed to see the amount of work done to inform the people of Dryden about the Cycle to Walk campaign prior to our arrival. There was an entire wall at the front entrance dedicated to spreading the message of Cycle to Walk, and there were even more signs as we walked further in. Thanks to Karen, Tina, and all the library staff for giving us such a warm welcome. The cookies, strawberries, and other goodies were delicious, too!

After the presentation at the Library, Rotary President Shane MacKinnon made arrangements for the team to enjoy three free pizzas at a local restaurant. The pizzas were delicious, and there were enough leftovers to cover our breakfast tomorrow morning, too! As we left the restaurant, I met Kyson, who was out celebrating his Grade 8 graduation.  Congratulations on your success, Kyson. Thanks for taking interest in the campaign, and don’t forget to follow your dreams! I truly believe that if everyone in Canada dreams of a polio free world, we can achieve it. It’s so important that together we spread the important message of Cycle to Walk.

Thank you to everyone in Dryden (and beyond – thanks Rosemary!) for making us feel so welcome in your community, and for coming out to support Cycle to Walk. Karen, Tina, and all the staff at the library were just fantastic; we had great support from the police and fire departments - as well as Student Patrol riders Brittany Bembeneck and Adam Bryk. City Manager Arie Hoogenboom was a great support, and Councilor Mel Fisher formally greeted the team on behalf of the municipal government. The community of Dryden definitely heard the message of Cycle to Walk and believes in a polio free world, Thank you!