In the summer of 2010 I fulfilled a lifelong dream of cycling across Canada. It was something that when I set out, I was not sure I would be able to complete. It felt great to accomplish this goal. But instead of satiating the travel bug the trip only led to further questions: if I could travel across a continent by bicycle, where else could I go on two wheels? I became fascinated – some would say obsessed – by the possibilities of self-propelled travel. And that is essentially the beginning of my story. It’s the start of my exploration into what is possible for me and on a greater scale what is possible for everyone in a world so dependent on cars and gasoline.
Guided by this desire, I am setting out in mid-November from the comfort of my home in temperate Vancouver, biking north to Tuktoyaktuk, where I will take a dip in the icy waters of the Arctic Ocean. From there I will turn around and ride back home to complete an 8,400km, self-propelled and self-supported journey.
What did you do to prepare for your bike trip across Canada and where did you start and how long did you go?
I did very little to prepare for the trip. When you have a long time you can get in shape as you go. I am in much better cycling shape heading into this next trip than I was at that time. I went from Vancouver to Halifax. It took 63 days in the saddle but much longer in total as I stopped a number of places along the way, to visit family and see parts of the country I had not seen before.
I am truly inspired and my own fascination and desire for self-propelling travels is definitely tickled! I remember broken spokes under a rainbow/storm/sunset in the Prairies… Thank you Brek for the inspiration!
Hey,
good to meet you and good luck with your trek
Mike
Fourword.ca
Good to meet you too.
It is ALWAYS an inspiration to see a person take on a self-fulfilling mission and share it with the world. I cannot say that I would be physically capable of enduring such an extreme physical expedition. Nor for that matter the cold you are facing. BRAVO to you and congratulations may you INSPIRE the souls of many!
Hey good luck! Just heard about your blog in the paper in Inuvik. I hope you realize that you’ll be riding on the ocean, not swimming in it in Tuk! Look forward to reading about your journey to NWT!
We can cut a hole in it and go for a dip, no? Is there a polar bear club in Tuk?