Dave, Maxine, 2 bikes, and all of Canada before them

Blame Canada!

Well, 2 of its citizens anyway. :-D

If more steps are taken down the road of finding cures for cancers then the money raised by 2 intrepid Canadians will have played a small part.

I was given a heads up about the Blog known as Dave and Maxine's Cross Canada Bicycle Trek, and decided to take a look.

They explain their mission this way:

The aim of our cycle ride is to raise funds for lung research, and we will be doing this through the BC Lung Association to which all donations go directly. All costs of the trip will be paid by ourselves. Our ride will finish in Vancouver in time to join the annual 200km BC Lung Trek for Life and Breath 2005.

Their Blog was begun in January, but they only began their ride this month with a projected September finish.

They will travel from Newfoundland to British Columbia before all is said and done.

Well over 9,000 miles.

I want to share with you some of my favorite entries in their blog so far as a way to encourage you to check it out:

1. April 21st.

Reality of the vastness and the whole concept of cycling across Canada is sinking in a little deeper. Probably not as deep as it will be sinking by day 6.

With the reality I was listening to a niggly little voice in my head asking will I really be able to do this? I guess that would be called doubt. I thought some more about this as I was surprised at myself and realized I was a bit anxious as I don't like to start something I can't finish.

For more: Reality sinks in.

2. This ride is a showcase for "Hybrids" such as my own trusty steed.

April 28th:

Both Dave and Maxine have a class of bicycle known as "Hybrid". That is, not true road bikes with ultralight frames and skinny wheels, but neither are they low geared heavy mountain bikes with fatty tires. They are truly a hybrid standing somewhere between the two, and designed for long distance asphalt road touring.

For more: For the Techies out there!

3. and 4. May 9th and 12th the ride begins!

We are off!  and Recipe for Frazzled Cyclists.

5. May 13th: Weather or not here we come!

One of the main reasons for choosing to ride east to west was to avoid facing the Rockies within a few weks of starting out. Well, did Newfoundland have a surprise for us...

A piece of advice to other cyclists heading this way - when a Newfoundlander tells you the weather "will be nice today", he means something quite different to the Vancouver Island version of "nice" weather!!!

Learn about Newfoundland Suprises. :-D

6. We won't just write about the trip, but show it to ya, too!

The 1st photos.

7.  May 22: Geocaching.

As readers of my other blog know I've joined the Bookcrossing Phenomenon, and have in 3 months released several books "into the wild".

Well, the Geocache  experience  was one of Bookcrossings inspirations, and Dave and Maxine get into the act.

Follow Dave and Maxine on their journey here.