Cyclists are like paddling ducks. The upper body stays almost motionless, while the legs move furiously.

Similarly, there is a lot of furious work that goes on more-or-less below the surface before the Cops for Cancer Tour de Valley hits the road.

If you could peek into the mass emails that fly back and forth between the riders, you'd see more than 20 people coordinating dozens of fundraising events. Everyone wants to get a few extra dollars to hand over to the Canadian Cancer Society, to benefit children with cancer. Every rider has pledged to raise a minimum of $5,000 before putting feet to pedals on Sept. 23.

That means asking for money from the public, and asking for it in creative ways.

If you were in downtown Langley City on the weekend, you may have had your picture taken with Const. Karen Cryer, who was helping out with a fundraiser organized by my co-workers at the Langley Advance.

Like that effort, a lot of fundraisers put the riders front and centre. And like that effort, they almost all require a group effort. We're a team not just on our bikes, but while getting those all-important donations.

This spring, Sheriffs Jason Charles and Eric Mead organized a Spinathon in Surrey, getting a whole host of riders to ride stationary bikes in the middle of the Guildford Mall for a weekend. Shoppers got to watch us going nowhere, fast, for three days.

Then there are the pole sits.

Tour de Valley team captain Ken Usipiuk is a big fan of pole sits. Which is good, as he's done them five years running in North Delta. Usipiuk spends about 40 hours on a rocking metal platform in front of a Save-On-Foods

"It's a small sacrifice," he said after his July event. "This is the easy part. Riding our bikes for nine days is the easy part."

With two other riders, he raised more than $8,000 in a weekend.

We're now in the final month before the ride actually begins, and like training to ride, the fundraising is moving into high gear. Pub nights and pole sits, jail and bails, and of course pleas to friends and family will all be involved in the next four weeks.

One thing I've found is that people are incredibly generous when you ask. A small part of it is the fact that we're going to undertake the ride. But the larger part is the cause. Everyone understands the importance of the Canadian Cancer Society's work. Almost everyone who donates takes me aside and says "I lost my father/mother/sister/brother/child/friend to cancer. I wish I could give more."

- The 2010 Cops for Cancer Tour de Valley takes place Sept. 23 to Oct. 1, as riders - including myself - travel from Delta to Boston Bar and back.

mclaxton@langleyadvance.com