A Sarnia man, who left Victoria, B.C. on a cross-Canada cycling journey in August, has already fundraised over $60,000 for a local charity.
Mike Hurry is hoping to bring in $100,000 for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Sarnia-Lambton through the Rotary Ride For Kids.
He recently capped off the first phase of his tour in Marathon, Ontario.
He has travelled over 5,000 kilometres so far.
"It's a great way to see the country, to travel and only do 100 km or 150 km in a day and stop in small towns," said Hurry. "Most of the time you're just flying by in a car. So it was really great to meet lots of people in lots of small towns. I had some really great conversations. I was at a campsite in Medicine Hat and there was an older gentleman in his 90s that came around everyday in his little scooter and came to visit the people in the park to find out who they were and where they were from."
Mike Hurry on a Cross-Canada cycling journey (Photo from www.therotaryrideforkids.com)
Hurry said his cycling experience varied from province to province.
"Alberta has a lane about as wide as a car lane for the shoulder, so you're on this really nice paved shoulder. I was really surprised in northern Ontario, between Thunder Bay and where I finished, there are lots of stretches of gravel shoulder. You're on the Trans Canada Highway, the traffic is heavy and it's a lot of transport traffic. That's a little unnerving and I still have to go back and finish that section next year."
Hurry said the ride will continue east next year, either from Sarnia or Marathon.
He plans to cycle about 2,700 km to the most easterly point in Canada at Cape Spear where the ride will end with a ceremonial tire in the Atlantic Ocean.
To make a donation, go to www.therotaryrideforkids.com.