Prince George, B.C.- The Cops for Cancer, “Tour de North” is officially underway as bike riders make the first leg of their Prince George to Rupert ride.

 

The team of riders , representing RCMP from detachments along the route, a couple of community reps and a medic rider, headed out from the Canadian Tire on highway 16 west just before   noon today.

 

Among the riders, is Pat Egan.   An RCMP member from Ft. St. John, Egan is one of the more senior riders on this tour as this is his   5^th, “Tour de North”.   He has done the east west route three times, and the north south route once “This route ( P.g. to Prince Rupert) is a little tougher, it’s a little hillier and although the other route has a 200 km section from Mackenzie to Prince George, all in all, this is a tougher route.”

 

His advice to his Tour de North Team mates is simple, “drink lots of fluids, eat lots, and have a good time.”

 

While the   Cops for Cancer Tour de North is a fund raiser for paediatric cancer research and Camp Goodtimes,   the 55 year old  Egan has  his own personal reason for taking part in the ride “I lost my brother in law to cancer, and that’s who I’m riding for.”

 

Justice Minister and Attorney General Shirley Bond was on hand this morning to wish the team well “I think it is a fantastic display of the passion people have for helping children with cancer. I’ve always said there are two words that shouldn’t actually go together and that’s ‘children’ and ‘ cancer’ so it is inspiring to see this team head out on the road. We’re going to be cheering them on and certainly hoping for a very safe journey.” Minister Bond says she  is also wanted to express her gratitude to each of the riders  for their commitment  to helping support research and reducing the impact on those families who have a child diagnosed with cancer.

 

The Tour de North will stop in Vanderhoof later today.

 

The team is expected to arrive in Prince Rupert on  Thursday September 20th.