Tour de Rock riders were met with both laughter and tears as they rolled into Port Alberni last week.
The team arrived in the Alberni Valley on Friday, Sept. 27 under sunny skies. Port Alberni rider Chris Baratto said the warm weather was unusual.
"We've put on a lot of kilometres over the past few days," said Baratto. "The North Island stretch is known for having the big rides, and we've had the good fortune of bringing the rain with us everywhere we go. Today was the first day we haven't had rain."
Riders stopped at Haahuupayak Elementary School and EJ Dunn Elementary School to meet with students there and stopped at the Alberni District Co-op on 10th Avenue to accept a cheque. Betty Harrigan, manger of the 10th Avenue Co-op, raised $2,500 for the riders and had her head shaved. She explained that she had been growing her hair out for four years, specifically so she could donate to Tour de Rock.
"It's something that affects all of us," she said. "We've all lost people we love to cancer. And what Tour de Rock does is amazing, raising money for the littlest cancer patients."
Although she was worried she would get emotional seeing her hair cut, she laughed as Baratto and former junior rider Kayla Aolick cut off the first braids on Friday.
"It grows back," she said.
The team also stopped for lunch at Alberni Toyota and made stops at the local RCMP detachment and ambulance station. In the evening, they headed to the Royal Canadian Legion Br. 293 for a fundraising dinner and auction.
Baratto, who had nearly lost his voice by Friday, said there has been "lots of screaming" throughout the ride.
"Every time we've gone into the schools, they've been singing and dancing for us," he said. "Everybody is honking and screaming. It's really humbling and it reminds us every time why we do this."
During the Tour de Rock, police agencies and emergency service personnel cycle for 14 days, raising funds for childhood cancer research and support services at the Canadian Cancer Society.
Baratto, who works as a paramedic and a volunteer firefighter with the Sproat Lake Volunteer Fire Department, said that riding down The Hump into Port Alberni was "pretty special" for him.
"A lot of my friends are out today to see me," he said. "It really is the town with a heart."
On Saturday morning, riders departed Port Alberni for the West Coast. The tour wraps up in Victoria on Oct. 4. By the time the team reaches Victoria, they will have cycled for two weeks and covered 1,200 kilometres.
