A few hard miles
By Michael Halliwell M. Eng., EP, P.Eng., Senior Environmental Engineer, Thurber Engineering Ltd.
Back in 2008, I lost a co-worker to cancer. The next year, the local cancer foundation launched an annual two-day cycling fundraiser (currently called the “Enbridge Tour Alberta for Cancer”) in the foothills of Alberta, Canada. As an avid weekend warrior (though somewhat chunky cyclist), I signed up in honor of my co-worker. It was a wonderful event and especially touching personally, as the initial route followed part of one of the last trips that my co-worker took to see family before he passed.
Many years have gone by and I continue to do the event each year…even as a virtual event during the COVID pandemic. I also tend to add unique challenges to my event each year to see if I can raise a few extra dollars for the cause. In the past, these challenges have included using a 38-pound full-suspension mountain bike for the usual ~230-kilometer/140-mile event; doing the event on a handcycle to support a friend who broke his back; and putting my legs/face/head under threat of a razor (and shaved legs feel weird, guys. I can now tell you that from experience!).
In recent years, forest fire smoke has been a concern, so that got me thinking. My work also puts me in contact with several things that can be carcinogenic, especially radon, silica dust, asbestos and light hydrocarbons/solvents like benzene and toluene, so I decided to do my 2021 event while raising awareness about lung cancer concerns. That led to an interesting challenge. I started exploring the idea of doing the ride while kitted up with respiratory protective equipment (RPE). Fortunately, I had some enthusiastic support from a PPE manufacturer and “Team Hazmat” was formed. With their help, I was set up to ride in an unusual way: in full day glow green cycling kit and wearing a powered air purifying respirator (PAPR).
Thanks to COVID, last year’s event was planned to be run as individual or cohort rides that were coordinated on a single day in August 2021. I got to work planning my route and getting my butt on the bike for training. Thankfully, the RPE support came in early, so I was able to get in a lot of training (both indoor and outdoor) in the gear before the main event. I certainly turned a lot of heads (even in a pandemic, where masks had become the norm) and I can personally vouch for the effectiveness of a PAPR, even when riding through the summertime haze of forest fire smoke.
The event in August went off amazingly well. I took the “tour” part of the event title seriously and rode 104 kilometers (65 miles) from my home to a major tourist attraction in a (somewhat) nearby town. Believe me when I say that modern PAPRs can certainly keep up with a high level of exertion. I completed the total distance in under 3 hours and 15 minutes, which is a fairly brisk pace for a chunky solo rider. I had no issues with the PAPR keeping up with the higher demands of riding and my larger size. It ended up being a great event and raised funds for a good cause.
At this point, you may be wondering why I wrote this entry for The Glow Worm. There are a few reasons. First, to remind you to protect yourself. Occupational disease (especially related to asbestos) is still one of our biggest killers in construction. There are a lot of nasties out there—even if they don’t knock you down or kill you in the short term—that can cause long-term issues, such as lung cancer. The old adage “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” isn’t always true. Sometimes it just waits to kill you later. Second, I want to raise awareness that our modern RPE is good…dang good, in fact. It is more comfortable in the long haul, can keep up with higher demands and can keep you better protected than a lot of the RPE that came before. If your hazard assessment says you need it, wear it! There’s no excuse these days. Finally, I want to encourage you to support your local charities that deal with things like cancer. Be safe out there, folks.