Having worked where ships were sinking, there were kidnappings, and at times having to be dropped into work areas where the Colombian army was there in advance to protect you — what would you do with your free time when you retire?
If you’re Bruce McKenzie you decide to ride the length of Vancouver Island with the Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock.
Mckenzie, who has been a member of the North Oyster Fire/Rescue volunteers for 10 years, has been selected as one of the 18 riders in the 2025 edition of the Tour de Rock.
“Well, I am an avid bike rider. I love bike riding,” he said. “And I actually was interested to do it last year, but by the time I got organized enough to inquire about it, it was already too late.”
McKenzie got his application earlier this year.
“You know, for me, cancer is something that we all have personal stories about family or friends that are... going through that, and we have gone through that. It also strikes a note with me because one of the leading causes of fatalities amongst firefighters is cancer,” McKenzie said. “From the exposure to all the byproducts of combustion they are readily exposed. So those are sort of the two big drivers for me. But what I've really found interesting over the last month or so is that my reasons are evolving a little bit, and you start hearing stories about these kids that have cancer. You think, God, how do they handle that? And how tough and resilient they are, and their parents are, I'd like to do whatever I can to give them that.”
McKenzie said he’s been on a bicycle since he was 12.
"The team calls me the rider with the most experience, which I think it means I”m the oldest,” he joked.
McKenzie, who is 70, has had two knee replacements and can’t run because his knees can’t take the pounding.
“So I get my cardio exercises on a bike. So I'll ride my bike, typically three to four times a week, and I'll ride for three quarters of an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the date. In the winter, I have an indoor Peloton.”
The riders practice three times a week, Tuesdays, Thursday and Sundays.
“We were in Courtenay yesterday and did an 81 kilometres," McKenzie said.
The average distance in the training runs is around 80 kilometres plus the group gets some lessons on safety, riding in formation, and how to communicate on the road.
McKenzie isn't intimidated by the hills the team will encounter.
“I used to live in Calgary, and every year in the Rocky Mountains they have a thing called the Golden Triangle, and you ride from Banff to Invermere to Golden, and then Golden back to Banff. The one involves a 10 mile hill and there is the ride up the hill of the spiral tunnel.”
When it comes to weather, “you just put your head down and go. You just go as hard and as fast as you can to get it done.”
McKenzie's career in the gas industry means he encountered dangerous situations like oil spills, kidnapping in foreign countries and more, so becoming a member of the North Oyster fire department wasn't intimidating to him in retirement.
McKenzie also acknowledged past members of the Tour de Rock, and he mentioned that some of them are still involved.
“You know, there's a lot of focus on the riders, but the people that are in the background, making it happen, are just incredible. The ride needs that strong core. They, over the past 20 or 25 years, they've been doing it, they've figured out where the pitfalls are and how to avoid those and how to make it successful.”
Members of the Tour team are expected to do some of their own fundraising. McKenzie said he’s got some ideas but he’s hoping that his neighbours and the North Oyster community can get behind him because it’s all for the children. For information about this year’s Tour de Rock, and to donate to Bruce’s campaign, folks can email copsforcancer@cancer.ca.
