Cycling is a great sport. This sport is gaining popularity around in Canada now more than ever.
It is common to see cycling lanes in big cities, winding courses through the mountains and people using any surface possible to get to where they need to go. The gear is designed for various weather conditions, the bikes specific to speed and terrain and the safety equipment and clothing is perfect for making other travellers aware of a cyclist鈥檚 presence.
As the technology continues to evolve and people are consciously focusing on overall wellness, cycling has become more than a hobby or sport and is a great form of transportation for all sorts of activities.
Arcola鈥檚 own Kari Blatchford recently participated in the Great Canadian Cycling Challenge.
Blatchford鈥檚 journey began when she had a biking holiday booked, so she picked up a used bike to prepare. After falling in love with cycling, she bought a road bike and started to go a little further each ride. Initially, the Great Cycle Challenge was just a good cause to use as motivation to continue to cycle, but with having cancer affect her loved ones, it is much more than that now.
This young cyclist from Arcola has many journeys under her belt. Arcola to Carlyle takes her about 45 minutes, 鈥�38 is my fastest time with a West wind behind me,鈥� she laughs. She has also done the trek from Carlyle to Kenosee and back which her Strava app calculated as a 48-kilometre ride. A 93-kilometre ride she has done takes her from Arcola to the 361 grid road then to Highway 9 and home.
Blatchford shared that she pays much more attention to the wind now and that she thought it would be scary when people passed her on the highway, but the thing that is a bit creepy is the critter sounds she hears in the ditches as she rides by the long grass.
Another high point in her short time riding her road bike was a Century Ride she did from Canmore to Johnston Canyon, Alta. Yep, you guessed it, 100 kilometres.
So, sign up for the Great Cycle Challenge. They pick a month and you choose your goals in both kilometers and fundraising dollars. You hit the roads for one month and work to achieve your goals. With long lasting health benefits to you and huge benefits to Sick Kids Foundation, everyone wins, even those who donate to your fundraising goal.
This year, the Great Cycle Challenge 2020 chose August as the month. Blatchford鈥檚 goals for the Challenge (500 kilometres and $500) would be added to the thousands of other Canadians taking part. She cycled 515 kilometres in one month and raised $1,920.聽
Blatchford adds her funds to the over $9 million raised this year from the Canadian chapter of the Great Cycle Challenge.
If you want more information on how you can get involved, go to:
www.greatcyclechallenge.ca or check them out on FB @Great Cycle Challenge Canada.
On a personal note, I could sense the happiness she experienced in being able to help others while doing something she loves. When I expressed my interest and the inspiration she has been to me, Blatchford said she would be happy to have a cycling partner to start back up in the spring.
