My best friend, and future brother in law, is a rabid mountain biker. He rode 2x the mileage I did last year (he works nights), picked up a new Epic and after a week went downhilling at Attitash with it. (He's nuts).

Brett and I are really great friends, it's something really awesome. We hit up Blackstone Heritage frequently, and he inevitably drops the hammer and puts me into painville. He is exceptional with the bike (ask BadDNA, he just hucks his Epic around like it isn't there). He's just a great rider and a great friend. He was discussing getting a road rig this winter so we could road ride together.

I was thinking about this, after he screwed up his knee plowing. They had found a growth behind his knee, and it was a 50/50 shot it was cancer. I went out for a 20 miler and stopped by his house - my sister was home, bawling. Brett was diagnosed with bone cancer last week. He's not a moron, doesn't behave like one (generally ;D), doesn't smoke, so on, so forth. He's 21. Chemo starts in a week, and it is going to be a long row to hoe for him. I'm the fatass, the one who smokes cigars, eats like dirt, drinks like a buffon, and generally does all the wrong things. WTF? It's pretty bad, but has not metastatized (sp?), and he has some of the best care in the world. If it wasn't for family connections, and friends, he would just be seeing an orthopedist now, rather than already with a team of oncologists who have been working his case for the past 2 weeks.

I bought some Livestrong bands for us and for him, to wear and to remember. I'm going to take lots of photos on every ride I do, just to share with him.

Some people go to their faith and draw strength from that. I cannot bear not to shake my fists and say "Why?" It's pointless, because it's reality. It's time to be strong, live strong (sorry of the cliche).

Here's Brett, after "climbing" up "300 meter hill" in Domaine Saint-Bernard, near St-Jovite, QC. One of the best rides of my life, we had a blast and yukked it up and had a great time.



Get well soon man.

Rant off.

Cheers,

-Andrew