Kids Should Be Living Life, Not Fight For It ~ Cycling With Loved Ones

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2024: Week  32 (FREE SPACE)

When writing my weekly blog I remember who my primary audience is:
1st is me as a record of what I spend my time and our money on,
2nd is our children who right now aren't too interested so I am leaving them stories for when I am no longer here to share them,
3rd is a future 'me' looking for where they fit in their own genealogical story and find my stories.

With that in mind I decided FREE SPACE was a great fit for writing about Chris and I in the here & now.

Getting outside in August can be a bit challenging:
- It's hot
- It's humid
- Smoke is in the air due to wildfires

Sitting inside in the air conditioning after work and on my day off seems like a fabulous idea. 

AND yet this my 4th (Chris's 5th) August where we drag ourselves outside in the hot, humid, smoky weather to ride after work and on our days off. 

Every spring we register for the Great Cycle Challenge. 

It seems like a great idea in the spring, but then August arrives and we question what we were thinking. 

Then we remind ourselves  we can cycle through a bit of discomfort to raise funds for these kids who experience discomfort & pain as they fight for their lives.

I can't even imagine what their parents are going through .... 

Chris and I can handle a bit of discomfort to raise funds for research to fight juvenile cancer.

Kids should be living life, not fighting for it.

The funds go to SickKids in Toronto for juvenile cancer research.

We live in BC - why are we fundraising for the paediatric hospital in Ontario when we have one right here in BC?

Good question -

We do it because:

"The SickKids Research Institute (RI) is Canada’s largest, hospital-based child health research institute conducting and translating groundbreaking research, training the next generation of researchers, and supporting global scientific communities with knowledge and state-of-the-art facilities.  

We’re taking more discoveries from the lab bench to the bedside, making a bigger impact on children’s lives around the world, sooner."   1

"In January 2008, SickKids launched the Comprehensive Cancer Centre. The Centre was designed to enhance and integrate all aspects of clinical, research and educational activities in the discipline of oncology at SickKids.

Two years later, in 2010, the Garron Family donated an unprecedented $30 million to SickKids to revolutionize the care and treatment of children’s cancer in Canada and around the world.

The donation transformed the Comprehensive Cancer Centre into the Garron Family Cancer Centre (GFCC), the largest paediatric oncology centre in Canada, and created five Endowed Chairs in Childhood Cancer Research. A generous new gift of $15 million over 15 years from the Garron family, beginning in 2021, will support the Garron Family Chairs in Childhoood Cancer Research and other high priority needs of the centre. " 2

"Between 2015 and 2020, the GFCC received over $2 million dollars from the SickKids Foundation to support the adjudication of 39 discovery grants, 3 functional genomics team grants, 13 clinical grants and 26 basic/translational grants. Currently, we have 73 cancer clinical trials running."  3

The research discoveries happening in Toronto are helping children all over the world beat cancer. 

You can support this worthy cause by clicking my link below:

https://greatcyclechallenge.ca/riders/DeborahBuchner

BUT because we are the same team .. if you want to donate to Chris instead of me click his link below:

https://greatcyclechallenge.ca/riders/ChrisBuchner

If you donate your receipt will be sent directly to you from SickKids.

The fundraising part is the most important part of this challenge, but that part doesn't come from us. 

We ride during the month of August, and promote the challenge to raise funds.

Shamelessly promoting our Great Cycle Challenge 2024 in this blog to solicit more donations?  Precisely!

Chris loves to cycle. 

Me - not so much.

In 2015 Chris was diagnosed with 2 types of autoimmune arthritis (Ankylosing Spondylitis & Psoriatic Arthritis) when he had the first major flare of his life. In looking back he had been having symptoms, but it wasn't obvious what was happening because the symptoms changed & none stuck around for long. That all changed in the spring of 2015.

Initially his rheumatologist didn't immediately move to aggressive treatment saying that his body had kept it in check for his whole life so maybe it would go back to sleep. The tests had confirmed he had the  DNA (HLA B-27) commonly found with the two types of arthritis he had been diagnosed with.  After a couple of months it became apparent that his body was no longer willing/able to put it back in check, and he began immune suppressors. 

As he graduated from walker to cane he learned to manage chronic pain. 

Living with chronic pain resulted in some activities no longer being possible or enjoyable. 

One of the things he missed most was cycling. Each time he started cycling again it would trigger off an inflammatory flare. 

Prior to getting sick he cycled an hour or two daily, and even completed 100km rides.

In 2020 he signed up for his first Great Cycle Challenge in the hopes of being motivated to cycle for the whole month.

I observed that when he completed long quick rides his body would react with inflammation that took a long time to reduce. 

His 2020 Great Cycle Challenge left him disappointed.

In 2021 I signed up for the challenge with him.

My primary purpose was to spend time with him, AND reduce his speed and distance to one his body didn't react to. 

I don't love cycling, but I am a fan of Chris AND love spending time with him.

August 2021, our 1st year joining together

Chris and our children bought me a bike for Mother's Day 2021 because the old bike I had wasn't up to the longer distance rides I was attempting to do that first year with Great Cycle Challenge.

That Mother's Day I remember thinking 'what...there are no pots or vacuum cleaners available' when I was informed I was getting a bike for Mother's Day.

I had a hard time believing a new bike would make cycling more enjoyable.

Our youngest - my personal bike mechanic and coach shown below set up my new bike. He made sure each of the measurements were perfect, and my seat fit my sit bones exactly.

I climbed on that new bike for my first ride & fell off.

My personal mechanic/coach thought I could ride and watch him at the same time.  

My son knows how uncoordinated I am, but for a moment I also believed the cycling coach part of him that thought I could pedal like the wind.

Notice the grass stain on the left knee in the photo above.

Immediately after that ride I announced that I needed a basket on my bike. I felt this would set the tone for those around me to understand my cycling skill level. It's also a good visual reminder for myself when I briefly forget! 

In case I might forget I purchased this jersey for myself.

Did I ever think I would be able to complete a long ride?

Nope .. I did not think that would ever happen.

I was wrong:

Am I a fan of cycling?

Still NO!

BUT I am a fan of Chris so spending time together doing something he loves feels good 💗

July 2024 - Highway 1 frontage Road at Number 3 Road

July 2024 - Fraser River Dyke near  Barrowtown Pump Station

July 2024 -Fraser River Dyke near Island 22

After work rides include a picnic
My basket has found a use

We spent a day at the Vancouver Zoo during our July training time.

Strava tracked our ride.

When I first met Chris he made me laugh at a time when I was taking myself far too seriously. Making me laugh was very welcome, and I told him I would keep him around as long as he kept me laughing

32 years later, and we are still laughing

Our children moved across Canada so we don't get to see them very often. Oddly enough we take it as a parenting win that they like each other enough to want to live close together AND they frequently spend time together. They sent us this photo a couple of weeks ago.

It seems their father's cycling skills were passed down.

July 2024, rebuilding his bike

His mechanical skills were also passed down. 

Getting outside to spend time time with the ones you love!!! 

AND if you have any spare funds please click one of the links above OR below to donate to the fight against juvenile cancer 💗

HUGE thank you to those who have already donated.

2024 Great Cycle Challenge has begun

https://greatcyclechallenge.ca/Riders/DeborahBuchner

https://greatcyclechallenge.ca/riders/ChrisBuchner

This is why I search - 

Cause ... 

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***

Links:

Donation Link. Deb Buchner. Great Cycle Challenge. 
https://greatcyclechallenge.ca/Riders/DeborahBuchner

Donation Link. Chris Buchner. Great Cycle Challenge
https://greatcyclechallenge.ca/riders/ChrisBuchner

Footnotes:

1  SickKids Research Institute. Retrieved August 2nd 2024 from
 https://www.sickkids.ca/en/research/about-research-institute/

2  The Garron Family Cancer Centre. The Garron Family Cancer Centre. Retrieved August 2nd 2024 from 
https://www.sickkids.ca/en/care-services/centres/garron-family-cancer-centre/

3  The Garron Family Cancer Centre. Research. The Garron Family Cancer CentreRetrieved August 2nd 2024 from . 
https://www.sickkids.ca/en/care-services/centres/garron-family-cancer-centre/research/

Sources:

The Garron Family Cancer Centre. The Garron Family Cancer Centre. Retrieved August 2nd 2024 from 
https://www.sickkids.ca/en/care-services/centres/garron-family-cancer-centre/

The Garron Family Cancer Centre. Research. The Garron Family Cancer CentreRetrieved August 2nd 2024 from . 
https://www.sickkids.ca/en/care-services/centres/garron-family-cancer-centre/research/

Great Cycle Challenge. Retrieved August 2nd 2024 from
https://www.greatcyclechallenge.ca/

SickKids Research Institute. Retrieved August 2nd 2024 from
https://www.sickkids.ca/en/research/about-research-institute/

Photos & Video:

Great Cycle Challenge promotional material

Personal

Screenshot clips retrieved from Stava

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

______________________________________________________________

End Of The Line ~ Looking For Roy

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2024: Week 31 (END OF THE LINE)

As soon as I read this week's prompt I immediately thought of the song End Of The Line by the Traveling Wilburys released in 1988. 

I still don't know what about this song I liked, but as soon as it started playing I realized ... I still love it. 

"“End of the Line” the final track off of The Traveling Wilburys' Grammy Award-winning first album, The Traveling Wilburys Volume 1, released in 1989.

The song’s riding-on-the-rails rhythm suggests its theme and the on-the-move nature of the group. It features all the Wilburys, except Bob Dylan (though he provides backing vocals), as lead singers; George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, and Roy Orbison sing the chorus in turn, while Tom Petty sings the verses. The song then expands into a “freight train” rhythm, effectively ending Vol 1 with a picture of the middle-aged rockstars at peace with their ride into the sunset.

It was released as the second single from the album, eventually peaking at number 63 in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The music video for “End of the Line” was filmed after Roy Orbison’s death in December 1988. To compensate for the loss, a shot of a guitar sitting in a rocking chair next to a photo of Orbison was used when Orbison’s vocals are heard. "  1

When looking at the members of this group I can understand why it was such a great song:  George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, and Roy Orbison.

What an incredible group of singers brought together in one place. 

It's a heartfelt moment in the video where the guitar sits in a rocking chair with a photo of Roy while his vocals are heard.  

Check it out: 

What exactly does this song have to do with anything genealogy related?

When I first started writing I had no idea how I would connect the two.

I just knew I had to write about this song.

I headed off to the website FamousKin.com to see if any of them were related to Princess Diana via our shared line. 

That would have made connecting the song and our Bramble Bush simple. 

Not one of them were on FamousKin.

I then began searching each along with the term genealogy hoping to find a tree with shared family names.

Only one had a name I recognized as shared -

Roy Orbison's tree included his great grandmother:

Sarah Jane Strong
Born 19 Nov 1833 in Fulton, Kentucky, United States
Died 28 Oct 1927 at age 93 in Jackson, Oklahoma, United States
married to great grandpa:
Samuel Houston Moore Orbison
Born about 1815 in Rockbridge, Virginia, United States
Died Feb 1896 at about age 81 in Jackson, Oklahoma, United States

Roy Orbison performing in New York in 1987
photo sourced below

What I thought would be a simple connect from my Strong line to Roy's Strong line was anything but simple.

Soon I had 2 browser windows open:
      - one with 45 tabs open, and the other with a manageable 6. 

After about 4 hours of tugging I had added a new line to my Strong line, but I could no longer remember how I had thought they were connected. 

I decided a break was in order. 

The next morning I took a 2nd look at all 51 tabs, and made a bizarre discovery. 

Roy's great grandpa, Samuel Houston Moore Orbison, is Chris' 5th cousin X8 removed through their paternal lines.

Chris' 12th great grandparents & Roy's 7th great grandparents are:
William Lloyd

Birth: Abt. 1602, Bristol, England

Death: Abt. 1674/1675, Bristol, England
(will was created November 11th 1672, Proved February 26th 1675)

and
Alice Noke

Birth: Abt. 1607, England

Death: Abt. 1675, Bristol, England

Via another twist & turn Roy's 1st & 2nd wife, Claudette is my 11th cousin X1 removed via both our maternal lines. 

Our in common relatives are my 11th great grandparents, and Claudette's 10th great grandparents.

Philobert Cogan

Birth: Abt. 1563, Taunton, Somerset, England

Death: February 10th 1641, Chard, South Somerset, Somerset, England
and
Anne Marshall

Birth: November 1st 1579, Abbotts Ann, Hampshire, England

Death: Abt. 1650, Chard, Somerset, England

Claudette & Roy were married in 1957, divorced in 1964, remarried in 1965, and she died in 1966. 

Claudette was the inspiration for the song he wrote and the Everly Brothers recorded:

AND later Roy also recorded it:

These are the family lines that connect back to colonial arrival resulting in crossover connections throughout this Bramble Bush.

I haven't yet connected our shared Strong line, but haven't given up. 

Still researching for the Strong connections!!! 

This is why I search - 

Cause ... 

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***

Footnotes:

1  About. End of the Line.  Traveling Wilburys. Genius.  Collection of song lyrics and musical knowledge.  Retrieved July 26th 2024 from
https://genius.com/Traveling-wilburys-end-of-the-line-lyrics

Sources:

Claudette (Video). Everly Brothers recorded. Retrieved July 27th 2024 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQfkJ9YB8Mw

Claudette (Video). Roy Orbison recorded. Retrieved July 27th 2024 from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaijlRxS_jI

Individual Tree Details. Family Search. Retrieved July 27th 2024 from
https://www.familysearch.org/en/home/portal/

Family tree of Roy ORBISON. Geneastar - Famous Genealogies. Retrieved July 26th 2024 from 
https://en.geneastar.org/genealogy/orbisonroy/roy-orbison

FamousKin.com. Retrieved July 26th 2024 from
https://famouskin.com

Roy Orbison facts: Singer's wife, children, songs and why he always wore glasses explained. By Tom Owen. Smooth Radio. Originally published February 11th 2021. Updated January 26th 2024. Retrieved July 27th 2024 from https://www.smoothradio.com/news/music/roy-orbison-facts-glasses-wife-children-songs-death/

Samuel Houston Moore Orbison. Wikitree. Retrieved July 26th 2024 from https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Orbison-67

Sarah Jane (Strong) Orbison. Wikitree. Retrieved July 26th 2024 from
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Strong-6967

The tragic true story behind Roy Orbison. By Tom Taylor. FarOut Magazine. Originally published December 6th 2021. Retrieved July 27th 2024 from
https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-tragic-true-story-behind-roy-orbison/

The Traveling Wilburys. Retrieved July 26th 2024 from
https://www.travelingwilburys.com/

The Traveling Wilburys - End Of The Line (Official Video). Retrieved July 26th 2024 from  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMVjToYOjbM

Photos:

Roy Orbison performing in New York in 1987. Ronzoni, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved July 27th 2024 from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Orbison1987.jpg

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

______________________________________________________________

Freedom ~ On the Open Water

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2024: Week 30 (BOATS)

Looking through old photos for last week's prompt I found this gem.

I was in grade 7, and spent the May long weekend with a friend on their boat. 

This was my first time driving a boat.

No license was required in those days so my friend and I were permitted to drive the boat all weekend. 

I have no idea if I was any good at it, but I wasn't fearful. 

Fear of being responsible for vehicles in motion arrived sometime in my 20s.

We have a boat, but I never drive it because I don't have the required Canadian Boat License.

I suspect that is my excuse because I am afraid of being responsible for a moving object on the open water. 

Writing my blog this week reminded me that I had started to do the course to earn my boat license a few years ago.

I wondered if I would be allowed to finish it, or if my registration had expired. 

First I had to find the website I had enrolled via. 

Then I had to use the forgot username and password functions. 

Then I discovered I began this course 2 years ago. 

I had completed 60% before abandoning it. 

Did I let fear distract me?  

Looking at the picture I remember the freedom I felt driving that boat. 

If you look closely you can see I was chewing bubble gum & had just popped a bubble. 

I made a commitment to myself to finish the licensing course I started 2 years ago. 

I would like to re-discover the joy that I felt in that photo. 

I'm not sure if I will be allowed to just pick up where I had stopped, but my account has permitted me to just click next.

We shall see if I can just proceed to the end.

It might be I will need to pay again when I attempt the exam. 

We shall see if I am successful in earning my Canadian Boat License.

When your past motivates you for the present!!! 

This is why I search - 

Cause ... 

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***

Photos:

Personal

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

______________________________________________________________

Freedom ~ My 1st Car

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2024: Week 29 (AUTOMOBILES)

When I first got my license I was allowed to drive my parents car, but only on the days my brothers needed to go into town. 

We lived out of town so my parents were delighted to have another driver in the family. 

I drove whichever brother needed a ride to wherever they were going, and could do what I wanted until I had to return to pick them up. 

Doing whatever I wanted involved cruising up and down Baker Street in Nelson, British Columbia. 

That was where I waved to my peers who were cruising the same streets. 

Sometimes we would stop for coffee, but mostly we just drove to the end of the several block street & then turned around to go the other way. 

Thinking back to those trips with my 2 younger brothers I wonder what my parents were thinking. 

Nelson's roads are straight up and straight down.

I turned 16 in October in the days before graduated licensing. 

I was just given the keys and off I went as a brand new driver with my 2 siblings in the car up and down steep icy streets.

What were they thinking?

When Chris and I raised our kids they didn't understand why we were so freaked out by the idea of them going in vehicles with new drivers. 

Chris turned 16 in July of the same year I did in the Rocky Mountain area of Alberta - his experiences were exactly like mine, BUT he also saw the evidence of inexperience as a Paramedic. 

Our poor children were allowed none of the freedoms their parents had.

Now back to the story about MY car!

In the summer  of 1985 my parents gifted me the white Pinto pictured below. 

They paid $100.

When I look at this picture I see the rust along the driver's door 

           - I don't remember rust being there. 

In my mind my 1st car was perfect. 

I loved this car.

When friends told me the Pinto was prone to exploding if they were rear-ended I made sure to always watch my rearview mirror when stopped or any other time I might be rear-ended.

I'm not sure why the car shook and rocked when stopped at a stoplight, but the motion soothed me so I didn't worry about it. 

My car gave me my first taste of freedom.

I still lived at home so escaping without my brothers in tow was a delight. 

I had to pay for my own insurance and gas, but I had a job so this wasn't a problem.

The driver's door couldn't be closed from the inside. 

I would open the door, unroll the window, close the door, climb in the window, and close the window. 

It opened from the inside so a repeat performance wasn't needed. 

Wondering what the equivalency would be in 2024 I used an inflation calculator, and realized an equal spend today wouldn't get a running car. 

Then again if my parents hadn't bought the car from a friend of the family I don't think $100 bought any sort of car in 1985 either. 

When you remember your 1st taste of freedom!!! 

This is why I search - 

Cause ... 

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***

Photos:

$100 in 1985 equivalency in 2024. Inflation Calculator Clipped, $100
https://inflationcalculator.ca/

Personal

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

______________________________________________________________