Thursday marked the penultimate day of this year's Cops for Cancer Tour de Valley ride and after eight days and more than 700 kilometres, the day's challenges were far from merely physical.
We covered around 90 kilometres, mostly throughout Delta, and had several special guests in tow. We were joined by another one of the junior team members.
Before we set out for the day, she spoke to the team and support crew about her cancer journey - she's been cancer free for eight years now - and explained the myriad of bravery beads on her long necklace.
The long section of white beads signified her chemotherapy treatments and the several yellow ones marked the really bad days in hospital.
Her talk was inspirational, to say the least. After eight days, many hours on the bike and too few hours of sleep, one could find much to complain about, but all that evaporated after seeing a tangible record of her cancer battle. She was one of the lucky ones. She won the battle.
At Seaquam Secondary in North Delta, we were joined Suzanne McNeil. Her daughter, Megan McNeil, who graduated from the school, waged a public battle against a rare form of the disease while trying to raise awareness about childhood cancer.
She lost her fight earlier this year at the age of 20 but her message lives on in her song The Will to Survive, a tribute to all the other children fighting cancer.
Today was the day that everything seemed to really come together and hit home.
We always knew why we were doing this but today it became a bit more personal: the reason we're doing this, how important it is, how far things have come and how far is yet to go.
And just how unfair this terrible disease is. It robs youngsters of the carefree innocence of their childhood and robs parents and siblings of a loved one.
It just isn't fair. And while that realization hit hard, we could only by buoyed by the thought we are doing something to try and make a difference.
By riding through the Fraser Valley in our Cops for Cancer jerseys, visiting schools and businesses to spread the word and raise funds, we are taking action and doing something that has the possibility of making a difference.
Friday marks the final day of the tour. I am looking forward to getting back to "real life" but part of me will miss this. It has been quite the journey with an amazing group of people.
Delta Optimist reporter Jessica Kerr is the media rider with the 2011 Canadian Cancer Society Cops for Cancer Tour de Valley team. You can also follow the journey on her blog at www.mybigride.wordpress.com.
