The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Kelly Carrington Staff Writer Riding a bicycle has always offered a sense of freedom to Heather and Mike Chrupalo. The local couple have been riding their bicycles for transportation for decades. 'I've owned a bike as long as I can remember,' said Mike, 'and I've always enjoyed it. 'I probably have enough miles to go across Canada.' When she was in her early 20s, Heather used to bike from Calgary to Standard, AB, every weekend _ 50 kilometres each way. Now the husband and wife pair are on their way to Vancouver to be able to check off a big item on Heather's 'bucket list.' On May 3 they will start peddling from Stanley Park in the BC city to begin a three-month bike ride to St. John's, NL. Couple's goal The couple's goal is to cycle roughly 100 kilometres a day. 'Some days there will be more, some days there will be less,' said Mike. 'It all depends on the winds and terrain we encounter.' By day, the couple will ride their bikes through BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI and on to Newfoundland and Labrador. In 2000 Heather saw a bike tour in Thunder Bay, ON. 'I chatted with them and they said they were on the tour for fun,' she said. It didn't take her long to decide that this was something she wanted to do. She signed her name up. 'I put it on my list of things to do. I proposed it to Mike and we thought it was something we should do,' said Heather. The more thinking that went into the group tour, the more the two decided that an organized ride wasn't for them. 'The tour ties us to the group. So we decided to do it on our own,' Heather said, noting the group tour would be camping. Mike and Heather have now been training since December for the upcoming trip. Using their own bikes rather than stationary ones, the two have bike mounts in their basement. When the couple first started training for their tour, they would bike three times a week between 60 and 90 minutes each time. As the tour got closer, Mike and Heather increased their frequency to include weekends. The two are able to track their distance with computers attached to their bikes _ letting them know how far they have gone and how long it has taken to get there. 'It measures the rotation of the wheel,' noted Mike. Having the bikes 'blocked up,' Heather says, is more like a resistance trainer that has tension control to stimulate hills. Studying up on their journey, Mike says they learned they should only be on their bikes for between five and six hours a day. 'That will give us lots of time to see where (we) are,' he said. Leaving Vancouver on May 3, the couple hopes to be in Ottawa on Canada Day to participate in activities at Parliament Hill. 'We'll be able to explore,' said Heather. Mike and Heather are looking forward not only to Ottawa, but also seeing more of Saskatchewan, Quebec City and St. John's. 'It's a great city,' Heather said of St. John's, 'and it will be the end of the road.' Along the way the couple will be stopping to spend time with family and friends and enjoy home-cooked meals. They will also stay at motels and hotels. 'I like cycling, but I can't envision myself sleeping on the side of the road beside my bike on the ground,' laughed Mike. From the beginning, the two knew camping was not an option for them. 'We're too old for tenting,' Heather joked. 'I can't imagine riding five hours a day and then sleeping in the rain. We like cycling, but we're fair-weather cyclists,' she said. Packing light Each bicycle has a back rack with two bags as well as a trunk bag on top. 'Whatever we can fit in those bags, (that's what we're bringing),' said Heather. 'We're the ones hauling the weight up the hills. 'We'll have cycling gear, rain gear and some clothes for when we're not cycling.' Also in their bags, the two will have spare tires, tubes, tools, money and maps. 'We're looking forward to this,' said Heather. Every few days, Mike and Heather will update their blog for friends, family and curious readers to see where they are at. If you are interested in the blog, check out www.crosscanadain90daysonabicycle.blogspot.ca
