You’ve probably heard the phrase pay it forward. With Gaylin and Mike Reese, one of Team QC16’s three senior cycling couples, it’s more accurately: pay it forward because you will never be able to adequately pay it back.
In 2002, after more than 20 years of a deteriorating heart condition, Gaylin was one of the lucky ones to receive a second chance when she received a new, healthy heart at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
With the responsibility of taking care of this wonderful gift, Gaylin and Mike have tried to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. They have been cycling together on a tandem for the last twelve years…starting slowly with a cruiser-type tandem and eventually graduating to a travel tandem with couplers that allow it to be disassembled and shipped in a suitcase.
Gaylin and Mike have enjoyed bike touring in Prince Edward Island, Ireland, Holland, Bavaria to Budapest along the Danube, and most recently, a cycling cruise last October with daily rides on five Greek Islands and two days riding the coast of Turkey, where they met their QC16 teammates.
In two weeks our QC16 Bike Fund Tour begins in Mont-Laurier, Quebec. We’ll ride 500 miles in 11 days. The most amazing thing is the generosity of all of our donors who have supported us as we Pedal with a Purpose in support of World Bicycle Relief. Thanks to all of you. We invite you to come along for the ride by following our daily progress.