Fighting CF on two wheels
Brother-sister team stop over in Centreville on the New Brunswick leg of their trek across Canada
"They attacked everywhere there was no bug spray, even on the eyelids," said Alley Watson.
That was the mosquito situation for her and her brother David one night as they came through the Northern Ontario leg of their Bike Canada for CF (Cystic Fibrosis) tour. The Petitcodiac natives are raising money and awareness to help fight the inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system.
The barren stretch of 200 km between Longlac and Hearst is all swamp, a heaven for mosquitos. But it was hell for Alley and David.
It was so bad that when they stopped to eat, "we ate around the mosquitos (on the plate)," Alley said.
"I'm surprised we don't have West Nile," joked David.
The hardship of Northern Ontario is now a distant memory. Alley and David Watson were in Centreville on Saturday for a rest with their grandparents, David and Hazel Watson, on the New Brunswick part of their journey.
They were also on hand at the Florenceville Kin Club to receive a $400 donation toward their cause.
Alley, 21, and a fourth-year student at Dalhousie University, was diagnosed with CF at birth, as well as her older sister Amy, 26.
Alley and David, who escaped the disease, said they wanted to do something for CF because it not only affects the individual, but the entire family.
"It affects the life of the whole family so much ... the hospital runs, the time involved," Alley said.
It was David's idea to bike across Canada for CF. He and Alley saw it as a fun thing to do. But mostly, David said, "I didn't want to work this summer," breaking into a big grin.
The going was tough at first. The trip was physically demanding, but they were in shape after a few days.
As they made their way across the country, they got used to cars and trucks whizzing by them on the Trans Canada Highway. But the RVers always seemed too close for comfort.
"They don't realize how close their wide load is to us," said David.
Animals also came close. David was chased by a deer at one point. It followed him down the highway. When a truck went by, it turned around, running towards Alley. It scared her so she began yelling at it. It stopped and stood there looking at her.
"I took a picture of it," said Alley.
The deer then sauntered away.
Moving from B.C. to Alberta, Alley saw her favorite place on the journey – Mt. Robinson Park just before Jasper on the B.C. side.
"It was a clear day and I could see all the mountains," she said.
For David, coming through Saskatchewan was his favorite stretch so far.
"The people are friendly with lots of nice, small towns."
The two have managed to stay motivated despite the long trip.
"We just get up every day, no choice," said David. "Some days are rough, rainy and windy."
"But we set our own pace ... if we are having a miserable day, we just stop," said Alley.
The toughest run mentally for the pair was Northern Ontario.
"It never ends," they said in sync.
Physically, the prairie winds took a toll on the bikers.
Alley's health has been good on the journey. There was one hiccup in Northern Ontario. She got sick with a cold.
For CF sufferers a cold has serious consequences. It made Alley vomit up food and increased the mucous in her lungs.
Losing nutrients from being sick is hard enough under regular circumstances for a CF patient. But for it to happen under arduous conditions like a bike tour across the country could have been disastrous.
Alley kept up her regular routine of consuming eight enzyme pills before every meal in order to break down food for nutrients to keep her alive. She also took her usual six other vitamins and enzymes throughout the mornings.
After doing this, she inhaled an antibiotic with an inhalant machine and did chest compressions to loosen up the mucous in her lungs.
While she would do all of this, David packed things up so they could get back on the road.
The cold eventually went away.
Alley did her homework on what she would need to eat on the journey.
"I talked to a dietitian before the trip to learn what would be good for me to eat," she said.
She mostly eats carbs and protein.
"Carbs, lots of carbs," she said.
Both have lost about 15 pounds on the trip, but are holding up well.
"We drink a lot of Gatorade to help with energy on the trip," said Alley.
The pair has raised $5,000 so far. The $400 dollars they received from the Florenceville Kin Club on Saturday will be put in the pot as well.
Alley said she doesn't expect a cure.
"Treatment has gotten better in the last 20 years, especially when the CF gene was isolated in the early ‘90s ... you never know, they might find a cure ... I'm hoping it will be a disease that can be managed, like diabetes," she said.
David and Alley welcome any donations to their trip or to CF.
They also thank everyone who have helped them along the way – from the guys fishing in Manitoba who fed them and gave them money, to the man who gave them a free bike tune up in Saskatchewan.
"People have been so great along the way," said David.
You can follow the journey of David and Alley Watson at http://bikecanadaforcf.weebly.com/index.html or on the CF Web site at http://www.cysticfibrosis.ca.
You can also make a donation in honour of the Alley and Davey Bike Trip at the CF site or mail it to Alley and Davey Bike Trip, 75 Main St., Petitcodiac, N.B., E4Z 4L9.
The tour is expected to wrap up in St. John's, Nfld., on Aug. 8.
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