Why Would We Want to Do This???

Hi. I’m Wendy.

When I was 22, living and working in Banff, Alberta, I decided I wanted to bike from Banff to Vancouver. I asked my brother, Kevin, if he wanted to go too. He was drinking at the time and said yes, but he really didn’t think I was serious until I presented him with his bill, some few days later, for his brand new sleeping bag, panniers and for other assorted camping/cycling needs I felt he’d / we’d need.

I’ll never forget looking back at him those first few days on the road; he, behind and struggling to keep up, cramming handfuls of processed deli meat down his throat. Here we were in Grizzley bear and black bear territory, and he had a whole front pack stuffed with meat!

Well, that was an incredible trip and I came away from it with even more love for my brother and a desire to “someday” bike across Canada.

“Someday” is now Monday, May 22, 2017!!!)

I’ve been on slow simmering panic mode (with occasional full roiling breakthroughs) for a few weeks now. All the doors have miracously opened for me and for Charlie, my husband too! We both have leave of absences from our jobs from May 19 until September. (Charlie teaches French, specifically the AIM French program to grade 6 students in Airdrie and I am a dental hygienist in Calgary. I’ve been working in that office for almost 19 years.) There were several other things we had to align,which are too detailed and boring to anyone other than ourselves, so suffice it to say, so far, we have green lights ahead.

Charlie set himself up with a training schedule Superman would have had trouble committing to. And, unlike 99.8% of people, he stuck to that schedule, riding hundreds of kilometres each week with weighted (>50 lbs!!!) panniers. Two of his new bike racks broke under all that weight and had to be repaired or replaced. I figure he’s done enough km that he’d probably be closing in on Manitoba by now.

Me …..Well, I’ve been doing spin classes and I’ve ridden maybe 600-700km outside . Yeah, I’ll be sore and I’ll be sorry but I’ll toughen up fairly quickly, umm…I hope. I’m pretty strong. If I was a horse, I’d be a Clydesdale; not necessarily the fastest horse out of the shutes, but steady and a hard worker. I know this endeaver is going to test me physically and mentally but I’m up for that. And, I also am up for having some fun with my honey, and for dancing in the summer rain.

So, a little bit more about us….

Charlie and I have been together 13 years, married for 10.

Collectively we have 3 kids, all married and doing well and we have 3 grandkids so far. Hoping for more because we have more love to give. We are involved with our church which we attended for years before noticing it is Mennonite. So I guess you could say I’m a nice little Mennonite girl, lol.

We have done a fair amount of travelling around the world, especially Charlie. He travelled extensively for several years. I love to travel but I love coming home too. I haven’t left yet but already I miss long warm showers, crisp clean sheets and flush toilets…..

We have had many couch surfers stay with us over the years from the ends of the earth and it’s been fascinating to meet and enjoy their company. We only recently became aware of “Warm Showers” and are grateful for a stay we had in Granby, Quebec last year. We love spending evenings making dinner for friends and we volunteer our time to various causes/organizations. Charlie heads a committee that is helping a refugee family adapt to Canada and I teach prenatal classes at a pregnancy care centre. I’m also a quilter. I’ve made quite a few Queen sized quilts but my main interest now is collage quilting. 

i’m riding a 2015 Surly Disc Trucker otherwise known as my “hoss.”

Charlie has a Kona Sutra.

This blog is from a “She said” perspective……!!!!