It may not have been the right tool for the job — but it was a tool — and it got the job done... or most of it, anyway.

Dogwood Valley resident Ken Hansen took part in last weekend’s inaugural Surrey-to-Seattle “Ride to Conquer Cancer” cycle ride — and he completed most of the ride on his knobby-tired downhill mountain bike.

“Yeah, I was the only one there with a full suspension mountain bike with knobby tires,” said Hansen on Monday. “I stuck out pretty good, and I was the only one wearing a full face helmet. Everyone was passing me with their road bikes or mountain bikes with slick tires.

Of the 1,701 riders, Hansen was the “1” who stood out the most.

“We started from Guildford Mall in Surrey on Saturday morning and after about 100-K, it was a real pain in the butt! The tires were buzzing and I could only do about 15-20 K an hour.”

Among the riders passing him, Hansen noticed Ron Kurki, the former C.E. Barry principal. Kurki is now living in Squamish.

“It’s pretty much twice the work as it is on a road bike,” figured Hansen. “It’s twice the weight and the back shock absorbs your energy every time you pedal. Next year, I’d get slick tires or get a road bike.”

Cyclists camped out on Saturday night at Edgewater Park in Mount Vernon, Washington, with tents and food provided by event organizers. Hansen checked in at about 6:00 or 7:00 in the evening, after almost 12 hours on the road.

“It was a very well organized ride,” said Hansen. “It was tough getting going on the second day, though. I woke up at about 4:30 and we were on the road by 7:15. It was raining and the road was wet and it was hard to move, until you got going and loosened up a bit.”

Hansen had been training through the winter and spring, using a stationary bike — or hitting the local logging roads for one or two-hour rides.

“I also rode from Dogwood to Hope and back, or down to Agassiz and back,” said Hansen, who had a hard time moving on Monday. “I used to ride into Hope a lot when I was a kid and it was my only transportation. But this ride was my first challenge as big as this.

“On the second day, my left knee gave out at about noon and I had to stop. I knew it was a bit wonky, and I’m waiting for surgery on it.

“A sweep vehicle came by and picked me up and took me and my bike to the finish line and I helped cheer on the riders.”

After the closing ceremonies were wrapped up at the University of Washington, B.C. riders were packed onto buses for the trip back to Guildford Mall. Semi-trucks brought the bikes back and Hansen was at his door by 11:00 p.m., Sunday night.

“The main objective of the ride was to raise awareness and funds to help cure cancer — and I think we did that,” he said. “Together, we raised 6.9 million dollars.

“Just to get into the ride, you had to raise at least $2,500,” said Hansen. “My fellow crew members on the Yale and District Fire Department helped me out quite a bit — and Rudy Kehler and his Simplify Company helped out a lot.

“There’s been a lot of cancer in my family,” added Hansen. “Both of my grandfathers died of it and there are lots of relatives who have passed away from it and some are battling it now.”

Hansen had a good long sleep overnight and wasn’t moving too well on Monday.

“My legs are still pretty tingly,” he said just before dinner time. “I can’t sit down and I’d say it’ll be a few more days before I feel right. I was thinking about cutting the grass — but it can wait until tomorrow.”

To learn more about this year’s ride — and plans for next year — see their website at .