Heart Valve Voice Cycle Team Day 2
Tuesday 22nd May 2018
Day two is all wrapped up now and everyone is tucked away and resting in preparation for the final day of the Heart Valve Voice Cycle Ride from London to Paris.
While everything thing has run smoothly so far, for the most part, there were a few hiccups along the way today. However, the team pulled together and everyone rallied around to make sure that we all made it to Beauvais in one piece.
We started the day with a long ferry ride from New Haven to Dieppe. The team used the time to catch up on some much needed sleep and rest! Our videographer Steve Pycroft and I were busy making the final edits to our cycle ride videos, which are a great way to get an idea of what an event like this entails. Be sure to have at day two below.
As we reached Dieppe, the team was buzzing to get on their bikes and start exploring the French countryside. We met our team member Micheal George who flew in from Switzerland and got the bikes ready to begin our 82 mile ride to Beauvais. The weather was on our side and the team was eager to get back on the road.
As we headed out, Patient Ambassador Marina McGrath and I stuck together and had a really lovely ride along the popular Avenue Vert cycle path. We took in the amazing views and lush greenery and Marina was as impressed with herself as I was at how far she had cycled today. In fact she managed over thirty kilometres and was surprised with how well she was able to cycle and keep up. A few years ago, cycling five kilometres seemed like a daunting feat, let alone 35!
While the first day was smooth sailing, today proved to be a bit turbulent with punctured tires, touchy Garmins and a broken bike. Thankfully we had Bicycle Buddy around to make sure that everyone was taken care of and that all of the bikes got back in one piece. The team really had each other’s backs to make sure that we all arrived at our hotel in Beauvais safe and sound and in good humour!
I couldn't be more proud of the Heart Valve Voice cycle team and I'm looking forward to our journey into Paris and to EuroPCR tomorrow - after a good nights sleep that is!