morleymooseisontheloose: Day 218 100 Mile House to Cache Creek, B.C.

Day 218, after a nice one night stay at the Hills Health Ranch in 108 Mile House, Kyle and I were back on the road to another medal bearer meeting point , this time at the 100 Mile House elementary school, where the 25th anniversary Rick Hansen relay will start the day with a school presentation.

On the wall in the school hallway, whatever happened to no use crying over it?

Most of the schools, if not all, that we have visited across Canada support the Terry Fox Run

Kyle is having a round table discussion about Rick Hansen and the 25th anniversary relay.

In our group today was Anslie Manson who, after being approached by Rick, wrote a children's book called.....

Boy in Motion. We have used this book a lot at schools, and other facilities to teach kids about Rick's story.

Our endurance athlete Tyrone, showing off his ability to make a silly face! (I warned him this would end up on my blog!)

Jordan talks to the students

The V.I.P. bench

As we were dropping off medal bearers at their assigned insertion points we passed this pre-school. The kids didn't really know what was going on, but they were excited just the same.

another school stop, this time outside at Peter Skene Ogden Senior Secondary School

There goes our pilot vehicle, we will catch up to them again at our next medal bearer meeting point in Cache Creek

Heading south on highway 97 towards Clinton

Kyle and I had a bit of time, so we decided to stop at Mandy's for lunch, it does advertise the best food in the Cariboo,

We were a little skeptical, but over all, the food was pretty good, don't go there if you are looking for fancy shmancy.

As we head south, you can catch a glimpse of the Coast Mountain Range

highball Clinton (population less than 600)

Clinton had that old west feel to it.

Cruisin toward Cache Creek

Cache Creek, (population about 1,100) a town I am familiar with, I used to drive for Greyhound, and this was one of the layover towns.

Outside of our meeting point was this burned out trailer.

We are starting to see a lot of these plaques in B.C. commemorating community involvement with the 2010 Winter Olympics

The community hall in Cache Creek had a retro 50's diner look to it.

Our meeting point was in the hall where the end of day celebration will be held.

The insertion point for our medal bearer group started just north of town on a very busy highway 97

I was a little concerned as we let the medal bearers off on the side of the highway.

We were only about a kilometre away from the end of day site, so Kyle got off the bus as well and stayed with the group. (they all decided to walk together) In my mirror I can see them looking north up the highway trying to spot the relay convoy.

and here comes the final medal bearer for day 218, Akio. Here is his story:

I am a Japanese immigrant who came to the Ashcroft/Cache Creek region after WWII ... I came with no English skills and was fortunate to get

a job at the mine. But I wanted to teach my family tradition of Karate. Last year (2010) I celebrated 40 years of teaching Karate in

Ashcroft/Cache Creek. Along those 40 years I conquered discrimination and racism especially in the early years ... but as people go to know me

as a Karate instructor - I was able to mentor many students. My surprise 40th anniversary celebration showed this to me ... students from 40

years ago came! Over 250 past and present students came ... this was the only time I felt and knew in my heart what a positive impact I had

on youth over the past 40 years. They have supported me through my fight with cancer and recently with my stroke. They say I have

empowered them not only physically but also mentally ... but they do not know that they have also done that to me. With the support of my

family, students and community I hope to teach for as many more years that my body will allow me.

followed by our endurance athlete Tyrone!

after the end of day celebration, a couple of us drove 5 miles from Cache Creek to Ashcroft (population 1600)
The view from atop the hills was amazing.

Except for this little scar on the landscape, right off of the Trans-Canada highway is the landfill for the Greater Vancouver Regional District, they truck a lot of their garbage to this site.