2022 Solo Canada cycling trip, from Vancouver (BC) to Halifax (NS) to fundraise research against pancreatic cancer.
🇫🇷🚲🇨🇦
100 days condensed into 18 minutes.
Canada from May to September, from West to East, from earth to sky. So many dimensions that give us to appreciate the greatness of the journey.
A journey punctuated by daily but extraordinary encounters, leaving the heart heavy when I had to hit the road again.
I keep many memories of these vast wilderness areas, these stories to tell and I feel an endless gratitude for the people who have contributed, here or over there, to give hope to the sick people and those who made this adventure a once in a lifetime experience.
To date, 24128 CAD / 16640€ have been donated for pancreatic cancer research (PRISM Program conducted by Gustave Roussy Cancer research center located in Paris area​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠) by nearly 300 generous people in France and Canada (including participants of the charity BBQ before departure)
Started on May 27th, arrived Sept. 2nd, 2022 - (100 days)
8744 kilometers traveled.
Midway of the course is located near Sault Sainte Marie (Ontario). A pretty direct route before this town and more sinuous after, gives this impression of an off-centre midpoint.
52126 meters of elevation gain
Note that there was almost as much elevation to climb after Toronto as before : Gaspésie is more challenging than Rockies, for sure!
9 provinces crossed, from west to east :
British Columbia
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Ontario
Quebec
New Brunswick
Prince Edward Island
Nova Scotia
33 nights hosted
67 nights of wild camping (A few in campgrounds)
No hotel / hostel / motel
85 days of cycling
15 days off :
Jasper(AB) Cochrane(AB) Russel(MB) Thunder-Bay(ON) Toronto(ON) Battersea(ON) Montreal(QC) Quebec(QC) Les escoumins(QC).
An average of 103kms traveled daily over 85 riding days. Biggest day : 170kms (Manitoba)
Health condition :
Cold (+wet) feeling in rockies. (Sleeping bag too light & rain everyday)
Crackings & chapping on fingers and lips during the first 2 months.
Right knee tendinitis at day 23 (Cochrane - AB)
Quantity of mosquitos & black flies bites from Ontario to Nova-Scotia
No/little fatigue felt. The body has adapted perfectly to the volume of daily cycling.
No weight loss due to the huge amount of colories ingested then burnt.
Mechanical glitches:
Rear wheel broken between Toronto and Montreal (likely helped by over-tightened spokes in Toronto)
Pedals bearings used - Pedals replaced in Trois-Rivières (QC)
Transmission used - Replaced In Saint-Anne-des-Monts (Gaspésie, QC)
2 Spokes broken between New-Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.
Lost objects :
Drone crashed in British Columbia. (2018 DJI Spark) - Replaced by a DJI Mini 2 in Calgary (AB)
1 Sleeping bag (fallen off the bike)
Many USB cables
1 headlamp
2 gloves (from 2 differents pairs)
1 bottle of mutlti-purposes soap.
…
Main equipement used :
Touring bicycle VSF Fahrrad-Manufaktur T500 (+front bags rack)
Only 1 set of tires Schwalbe Marathon Mondial 700Cx35C (28 inch) - 8744 kms without puncture !
Ergotech Butterfly handlebar
Dynamo USB charger : Sinewave Revolution
Ortlieb bags (Rear = 2x35 liters; Front = 2x12,5 liters; Central = 7 liters)
GPS Garmin Edge 830 with North America map
Apple Iphone 13 Pro + Stabilizer DJI Osmo 5 (Ground photos + videos)
Drone DJI Mini 2 (+3 batteries) (Sky photos + videos)
Tent, inflatable mattress & pillow, sleeping bag, lamp, etc : Forclaz by Décathlon
Bicycle weight : 15kg
Equipments weight : 35kg
Total : 50kg
(-7kg equipment weight loss in Toronto)
Events / Media coverage of the adventure:
Before departure :
A charity lobster BBQ organized as a departure celebration in May 22' has contributed to 1500€ (or 2048 CAD) for pancreatic cancer research - 120 participants
1 article published on the website of Poigny-La-Forêt (my hometown in France).
Presentation at the School of Poigny-La-Forêt.
1 radio broadcast. (Radio Sud-Yvelines)
On the course :
2 TV reports (Radio Canada Vancouver and Winnipeg) ​⁠​⁠​⁠@RadioCanada
1 radio broadcast (Radio Canada Montréal)
1 web broadcast (Radio Canada Halifax)
1 article on the website of the French consulate in Quebec
After the trip :
1 conference in the town of Poigny-La-Forêt.
1 article In the newspaper “l’actu”(78)
1 article in Renault Group internal communication (Déclic). ​⁠​⁠​⁠@renaultgroup
1 conference in Renault Technocentre.
1 interview filmed in Gustave Roussy Hospital to promote actions for cancer donations and e-collect.
+ Followed by the French consulates in Vancouver, Toronto and Quebec.
And this lucky star that has always followed me too 🙏🏻
For pictures, daily summaries, encounters stories, please check social medias :
Facebook : @vent dans le dos contre la maladie.
Instagram : @vent_dans_le_dos
Contact : thomas.gilbert9@gmail.com