I would like to thank the two carloads of great people for helping me out this past weekend.
I was riding in the Kluane Chilkat International Bike Relay on a four-person team, when in the blustery rain I got a flat tire. I knew my support vehicle had gone just ahead of me, but I was not sure as to how far. And there was a police car ensuring that all traffic flowed only in one direction, so it was going to be hard to reconnect.
After riding for too long on the flat (thump, thump, thump, wobble, wobble), I tried to do a slow jog to keep moving and keep warm. The first car to pull over, Laura, Naomi and Lia, offered to go find my team. Off they zipped!
The second car to pull over was a family from Haines Junction. Michael, Mark and Christopher were upbeat, encouraging and had my tire off, inner tube changed and pumped within a few short moments. Their fast work and the resurrected bike made my day.
Our crew spent the rest of the day trying to “pay it forward,” stopping to offer a pump to fellow flat-tired folk, and checking in on those who were looking weary, just as we all know so many other teams were doing.
Thank you to everyone who helped organize and volunteered during this amazing event. And a big warm thanks to all the bikers and supporters who participated in the relay with such great attitudes, who cheered on participants, and who were able to offer a hand to those who needed that ray of human sunshine to keep on keepin’ on!
Paula Mowat
Whitehorse