Final Day: It’s about the journey, not the destination

That morning I dressed for my final ride with the Tour du Canada. Last night a group of us decided to cycle to Signal Hill to bring the tour to a close. Before we reached Signal Hill we visited the Terry Fox Mile 0 monument. The monument represented the starting point of Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope. I followed Terry Fox from coast to coast. In Victoria I began the tour at Mile 0 where a statue of Terry Fox was located, representing the place where his Marathon of Hope was to end; in Thunder Bay I visited the Terry Fox Memorial which was located not far from the place where Terry ended his run due to cancer; and now I made it to the place where the journey had begun. 

After visiting Mile 0 we made our trek to Signal Hill. It was quite the hike up the hill, but I made it! Unfortunately it was a foggy, rainy day and so I could not see the view from Signal Hill; however, it is an incentive to go back :)

Once we took photos at Signal Hill we cycled down to the water to put our bicycles in the ocean. I dipped my wheels into the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, coast to coast. I officially completed Tour du Canada 2013! 

I was quite surprised by my reaction. I did not feel overly exuberant. The Tour just ended and that was it; the end was very anti-climatic. I realized then what it meant when people say, “It’s about the journey, not the destination.” The tour was never about reaching Signal Hill. Yes it was a component of the tour, but the true meaning was the journey. To me Tour du Canada was about challenging myself physically, mentally, and emotionally and after all those challenges coming out with a smile. It was about perseverance. The Tour was also about family, friendship and experiencing great acts of kindness and generosity across this grand country I call my home. And finally, the tour was about taking it day by day, marvelling in the wonders of the day and all you experienced and witnessed, be it big or small.

After dipping our wheels into the ocean we went back to the Hotel and changed to go to brunch where we celebrated our achievement. The brunch was lovely, a final meal with my Tour du Canada family. I could not have asked for a better group of people to have shared this cross Canada adventure with, I felt very lucky.

Once brunch was complete we all said our goodbyes. At the hotel I frantically packed my belongings, said my final goodbyes and off I went to the airport. The journey was over but it will be an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life.