North District Staff Sergeant Major Scott Howard, Tour de North riders, cancer survivor Audrey Saulters and Trevor Linden of the Vancouver Canucks – photos 250 News

Prince George, B.C. – The Cops for Cancer Tour de North pedaled into Prince George late this afternoon.

To mark the occasion, a welcome party numbering in the dozens greeted the 15 riders in the CN Centre parking lot.

It also included an unexpected appearance by Trevor Linden, not only president of hockey operations with the Vancouver Canucks, but an avid cyclist himself.

“I live for cycling, I’ve had the opportunity to ride my bike all around the world, that’s what I did for six years when I wasn’t playing hockey,” he said. “I spent many a day in the rain and the sleet going downhill and in the cold and the best part about that is right now, you get to tell the stories about it.”

And even more important he noted, was the cause they were cycling for. “They’re doing something really special, and that’s raising funds for a horrible disease that’s touched all of us in some way.”

(Linden also announced a donation, on behalf of the Canucks of $3,000.)

Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond also spoke and perhaps summed things up best when she added, “there are two words that just shouldn’t go together, and those words are kids and cancer.”

Also present was young cancer survivor Audrey Saulters, whose mother Pamela said she’s feeling well after being diagnosed two years ago.

“This morning she had a dance competition and she took home a couple of bronze medals and she’s doing really well.”

The 850 km trek, which started in Dawson Creek earler this week, resumes tomorrow for Quesnel before wrapping up in Williams Lake on Monday.

Cst. Nick Layton, 9-1-1 operator Dave Tucker, Corrections Officer Joe Crump and community riders Martin Hooke & Dennis Schwab, are all representing Prince George.

80 percent of the proceeds from the ride go to pediatric cancer research while 20 percent go to Camp Goodtimes.

If you’d like to donate click here.