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© IB OPINION iele | Thursday, June 22, 2023 | ‘CYCLING HAS § TRANSFORMED MY 8 LIFE FOR THE 1 BETTER IN SO MANY WAYS, WRITES DREW EDWARDS After riding my bike al- most 200 Kllometres: in two days, my butt is My legs reid tired rem the constant back and shoulders aching from a million micro bumps and a few big ones. lion after being subjected toaconstant torrent of bad road food and too many adult beverages. And I've never felt bet- er. I've done a few long-dis- tance cycling trips over the last several years, mostly by myself or with a few friends. They always have this wonderful restorative effe 1y emotional well-| -being, a clearing of mind through hard the work by the body. ‘his endeavour was BUTT HURT: GODERICH TRAIL HURTS SO GOOD GUELPH T0 DREW EDWARDS: Column something altogether dif- ferent: 10 guys riding 100 km on a grav avel trail to a brewery, staying the night rental, then aang back the next day. It wasn't exactly Hannibal but involved and the weather is always a wildcard. The group dynamic, es- pecially under the physical and mental pressure that comes with long days in the s saddle, wasa 5 question make Guelph to Goderich trail, or the G2G as its col- loquially known, runs 130 km from the edge of Guelph to the port of Go- derich, mostly along de- commissioned rail bed. It has enjoyed something of a renaissance i years as volunteers have invested time and money to make it | a cohesive cy- cling experic It's long, flat a and mostly straight, travelling through Mennonite coun- id an endless sea of farmer's fields. It isn't jaw- droppingly beautiful at any point, but it'sa lovely, safe and quiet ric rural Ontario. Thirty ae metres from the end point is the Cowbell brewery in Blyth, one of the best mi- crobreweries I've ever vis- ited. That was our destina- tion on this trip. A few years ago, I was connected by mutual friends with a pair of guys who were just getting into cycling. We started riding together, became friends and then COVID hit: with nothing ¢ else to do and no- where to go, we rode to- wotheca lot and drank beer in open garages after. A christened GearsB4Beers and it was my lifeline to sanity during the pandemit Slowly, we've expanded it, bringing on other cy- clists with a similar ethos: ride hard, stay together, have a beer and a few laughs. While I worried jhat rea lose the collectiv- d so much, in- stead its become so much richer. _ After two full days with nine guys under occa- sionally challenging phys- ical conditions, there wasn't a cross wor changed between Sryone inst amillion pushs ycling fom my rey: for thebet bet- ter in somany ways and yet TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT WATERLOOCHRONICLE.CA Drew Edwards photo Riding the Guelph to Goderich rail trail with the squad. I keep having new experi- ences that make me love it . It used to be about m me reand the bike, and some days it still is. But now it's about a communi- ty and a shared expe! ence. Even my butt thinks it's worth it. Drew Edwards qj of Guelph can be reached at drew@drewedwards.ca. A TIP OF THE HAT TO GRADUATES MILESTONE MARKS THE COMPLETION OF A JOURNEY, WRITES GRAHAM HOOKEY There are proud mile- stones as parents, but likely none as universally proud as a school gradua- tion. Whether it is gradua- tion from kindergarten, 3 from elementary school, 6 from high school or from § university, the event marks the letion of a ry GRAHAM HOOKEY Column And there can be little doubt the journey has had its ups and downs, its good days and bad days. It is for that reason, perseverance through thick and thin, journey. i 1s mer- ited at graduation time. A student may have learned a few new facts or skills, and had a few new experiences with teachers and peers, but most of all the student has learned to “hang in there" when powerful tool learned in school and taken into life. I should allow, as well, for the fact that not every graduate will have had a good experience ‘n any year. There is a myriad of reasons why an academic year can go bad, from physical illness to an emo- tional disconnect or a so- cial disaster. The greatest reason for celebration for some grad- uates is not how w they did numerically thei grades, but how 7 they cur. vived the obstacles they faced and kept on going. Tama fan of family cel- ebrations for graduation every year, a dinner out or a special dinner in at which the graduate is the guest of honour. It does not have to be a big deal, although those landmark graduations might merita little more fanfare. Allit really needs to be is a moment of recogni- tion for the challenges met, accepted and over- come. I'll offer a simple toast: "Here's a toast to the end of the year and the chal- lenges you've faced _ obstacles you've over. come. We're proud of you working y through all of them and coming outa smarter and stronger person.” A hearty congratula- tions to all graduates, at alllevels, and to the moms and dads who supported them through the process. Graham Hookey is the quthor. of "Parenting IsA T sport" and can be reached ai at ghookey@ya- This newspaper, published every Thursday, is a division ofthe Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 70 community publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants a wri Council Suite 20), to Nanae St, ronto, Phone: A16- 3A! 981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca nne | Aocna “Saat | Canada editorial@waterloochronicle.ca facebook.com/waterloochronicle @uichronicle WHO WE ARE r Vice President, Editorial Lee Ann Waterman Metroland Editor-in-Chief Paul Berton Regional General Manager Nelson Parreira Advertising Representatives Jan Bodanka, Matt Miller, Lisa ae imphreys, Cassandra Del Managin g Editor Robyn Wilkinson Online Editor Loraine Centeno Ned Bekavac Reporter Bill Jackson Director Creative Services Paul Gostlin Waterloo Chronicle 219 Labrador Dr. Suite 203, Waterloo, On., N2K 4M8- Phone: 519-886-2830 Web: www.waterloochronicle.ca rs to the editor All letters must be fewer than 320 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. 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