Sleeping under the open sky

Hello,

day 2 of the We Ride Against Cancer tour. It was a nice and easy ride, to Carcassonne. I started early because I had to do extra kilometres. First to Girona before going to Figueras. I didn't go to Rosas because otherwise I had to turn back and the only reason I wanted to go was because I was there on holiday with my parents years ago. But I don't live in the history so I decided to go directly to Perpignan, Narbonne and Carcassonne.

I was a few times scared because I tought I was driving on the highway, and that's the only thing I cannot do. Cars were flying by, I only praid. But after a while I saw the option to go on on the same road who became little smaller because the most of the people chose to take the highway. So I did the right thing.

The weather was nice and the sun burned hard. Even I am a very social person I can enjoy a time on my own. And may be it sounds stupid to drive on a scooter and not on a bike, but on my scooter I feel I am really living. I like speed, so going hard with the scooter, the wind blowing next to you ears and having wonderfull views, it's amasing. But just at the Spanish border, no speed, nothing. I stopped some minutes to take some pictures and I want to start again, nothing happened. I felt it like a sign that I had to stay in Spain. I was cursing, because I know nothing from scooters. But after a while, I could go on. Carcassonne here I come.

I was a little nervous to find a sleeping place tonight. But I said for myself that this trip has to be special in every way. So I only ask five times If I can sleep in the house of the people. If they do a phonecall, no probleme. But if they say no, I only ask four times more. And this is the result of today.

I had to be at 18.00h at placa des Canots. And I tought I was a lucky guy if I saw that the French Liga Against Cancer also was doing something to raise money. They sell vegetables. So I saw my chance coming and I explained my project, I asked if they could help me with a place to sleep. The wife said, yeah, there are a lot of hotels here. I tought, another answer like this and it starts to rain. Anyway I hope it don't rain because in the last place I asked to sleep the answer was even worse. It was in a monastery and it was an old man who opened the door. Don't ask me what he is doing between a lot of old non's. Anyway I could stay there for 25 euro's. I said, I only need a couch to sleep, and I leave early in the morning. No, no, no, it was not possible, he had to keep him to the orders. I said it´s not going about orders, it´s solidarity where it is all about. So I decided to sleep before the gate under the open sky. Those who know´s me really good, they know I will do for sure. A like Nike shoes, and an expensive watch, but to prove that we all have to be a little more solidaire, I have enough with an open sky, and ... a good weather. I hope.

To see what hapened last night in the hotel you can follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q-9rNfQlT8

In a while there will be come songs for the Go Gear Against Cancer. To find out why that song you have to look to the reactions of the Go Gear Against Cancer message.

If you want you can do a bet where I will sleep next night. There are a lot of options I want to try. Anyway, we keep in touch.

Greetings out of Carcassonne,

Joachim

Nightrider!

Hello,

the spanish lifestyle is one I love. But sometimes it makes you scared. I travel to the border of Spain on the N-II. It's a beautifull route next to the sea, but with a lot of hills. The Spanish lifestyle made me leave at 20.30h in stead of 16.00h. The nice band started playing around seven, to late for me, before saying goodbye to everybody it was after eight. I couldn't do anything about it, but I wanted to leave, not stay another night in Barcelona. You have to know I am serious of making it to Belgium. But people can say, Joachim, you are loco but I was thinking it myself. Everything dark, cars passing by, me and my scooter at the right side the sea, at the left side the hill. I was thinking, yeah yeah, you can be a fool, but it's not possible to risk your life on the first day.
Another probleme was that I am not in a big city know. Girona was to far, Rosas impossible and if I wanted to sleep somewhere I had to make a choice. But this week-end it`s the motor GP of Catalunya, all the hotels are full. So I took the first the best I tought. And I have luck. I can stay here but in the weekend of the motoGP unpossible to sleep for free. So I paid the bill of this little but nice hotel where two girls are dancing Flamenco. I know already that I will miss Spain. My plans for tomorrow is leave on time, going to Girona, Rosas, Cadacques before travelling to Carcassonne. I have to be there for an interview at 18.00h.
You can watch a video of me on Youtube by following this link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alQEbJzdKrU

Buenos noches,

the pilote

Some minutes to go!

Hello everybody,

i tested the scooter in the centre, everything is ready. But now I have a connection with internet and i want to show you some of the pictures.

When I have more time, i will make photo-album and put the link here.

In some minutes I try to leave the city centre. I pray for a good trip and very nice weather.

Hasta luego,

Joachim, Barcelona centre, 30 degrees.

Finaly it's there! Kick off, the big day! Kite - U2

I am really serious, for the first time in my life I feel what stress and adrenaline can do with a person. 16 hours left before I feel the wind blowing, me further and further away of Barcelona, the city of my dreams. I have to say, I will miss this town, the people and the weather. But it's a one in a lifetime chance who comes reality. I dreamed about it, and now it's real. Life is not only for people who are realistic, dreamers can makes thing happen.

I said goodby here to the people I had to see before I leave and now I have to arrange some things for tomorrow. But the webpage and the blog are fine. I am glad that I have something to look forward.

Tomorrow the big thing will be leave the city centre. Then I will take the N-II who brings me to Badalona, Mataró, Arenys de Mar. A beautiful road next to the see before taking the country side to Girona and Figueras to go back to the city of Rosas. I am sure I will sit at the beach tomorrow, listening to the Go Gear Against Cancer Music. Thinking back to the time when it al started for me here, on a holiday with my parents.

In the morning I will try my scooter, preparing myself for a last party here and at 16.00h I will leave. Every day I will do my messige on this blog about one of my favourite songs. Today it's Kite of U2. Because I don't know wich way the wind will takes me, but even if i say goodbye tomorrow and look back for one last time, I will say "see you back, but not yet, not yet".

Ciao Joachim

Go Gear Against Cancer

The pilot of this project want a little bit interaction with the people who visit the website and the blog. And because a well-known Belgian radio station says that 'Life is Music', We Ride Against Cancer changed it a little bit. For our team 'Music is Life'.

What's the Go Gear Against Cancer. Joachim will have on his trip his Go Gear mp3-player. He put twenty of his favourite songs on it. Every day he will try to talk to a person and ask for his/her favourite song. The song and the story behind comes on the webblog and the song comes on the mp3-player.

Also you can make your favourite song comes on the Go Gear, all you have to do is put a little story of the song as a reaction of this message.

The 27th of June is the music in Café Doka, the music of The Go Gear mp3-player.

Because Music is Life,

We Ride Against Cancer

The List

Umbrella - Rihanna
Walk On - U2
Kite - U2
Amsterdam - Coldplay
The Scientist - Coldplay
Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
It's Beginning To Get To Me - Snow Patrol
Run - Snow Patrol
Honor Him - Lisa Gerrard & Hans Zimmer
Tears and Rain - James Blunt
Wonderful World - James Morrison
Rood - Marco Borsato
Born Slippy - Underworld
Mijn Feyenoord - Feyenoord
Feeling So Real - Moby
Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley
Zij Gelooft In Mij - André Hazes
Say It Right - Nelly Furtado
Me Voy - Julieta Venegas
Brabant - Guus Meeuwis

Doka Against Cancer

We ride against cancer is nothing without the support of other people. A person who also thinks that our project is good to Support is Wim of Café Doka in Merkem.

The last evening of my trip, before travelling to Gent, I visit my hometown Merkem for a stop in the Doka Café, Westbroekstraat 18, Merkem. The 27th of june around 18.00h I will arive there, and it is a good moment to have some drinks, eat something of the BBQ, have a nice evening and supporting the Child Cancer Foundation.

So the day before leaving the centre of Barcelona I want to invite all of you for a special evening. There you will also see all the pictures of the We Ride Against Cancer trip, this on the sounds of the Go Gear Against Cancer music.

Be there!

Joachim & Wim

Welcome

I am very proud to welcome you on the We Ride Against Cancer blog.

We Ride Against Cancer is a young project who wants to support children and their family who have to face a difficult period in life. By traveling on a scooter in Europe Joachim Vercaigne, the pilot, Cooltra, Peugeot and the Balbalclub wants to collect funds and raise awareness for the Child Cancer Foundation.

Whe hope that our dream of 'Unite people for Hope and Solidarity' comes true. We realise that alone we cannot make the difference. But we are sure that together we can.

On this webblog you can follow the ambitious scooter road trip. You will find more information about other initiatives to raise money and support for the foundation.

We hope you enjoy your time on this blog,

Yours sincerely,

Joachim Vercaigne and the We Ride Against Cancer team