Do I Have What it Takes?

August 30th, 2025 - The 'final approach' into Squamish from Vancouver.

Photo Courtesy of Jackie Hamill (cheerleader)

Thinking about riding across Canada and actually doing it are two different things.

The only time I ever did a long haul bike ride was back when I was in my twenties when I rode solo on my mountain bike one way from Hazelton to Terrace, B.C. (144 km). I did not have a car back then and I "needed" to go to an aesthetician appointment (youthful vanity). Looking at those kms now on that hilly terrain...holy cow, what an incredible feat!

Shortly after deciding to take this cross Canada challenge, I wanted to see if I had it in me to do the ride.

On August 30th, I tested my abilities. The night before, my dear husband dropped me off in downtown Vancouver with my mountain bike and I stayed the night at a family members home. At 5:00 am, I slipped out the door, crept my way through sleepy downtown, up the West Vancouver hillside to the Upper Levels highway and then made my way towards Squamish. After 4 hours of biking, I wanted to quit in Britannia. I was exhausted. Looking back now, I see that I had not fueled nor hydrated properly - I was 'bonking'.

According to Google AI 'bonking' means: "a sudden, severe, and total exhaustion state in endurance sports caused by glycogen depletion (running out of carbohydrate energy), commonly known as 'hitting the wall'". ('Bonking' by the way means something totally different to my UK friends - for them, trust me, I had no desire for bonking (UK).)

Fortunately (or unfortunately), I like to achieve my goals. I had a birthday party to go to that evening, and I just could not imagine showing up to say I only got to Britannia (with only 12 km to go).

Fuelled up with juice and coffee, I had the resolve to finish.

I made it home just after 10:00 - 66 km in just over 5 hours. I was utterly spent and overwhelmed with emotion as my husband and daughter celebrated with me as I rolled up onto the driveway.

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Later in the week, someone asked me..."Why the heck did you choose to ride the Sea to Sky highway on a long weekend?" This question caught me by surprise.

The Sea to Sky highway is very busy - with lots of twists and vehicles jockeying to pass one another. My family ridicules me now as a road biker because I used to have very little tolerance for those 'idiot bikers' on the Sea to Sky Highway.

Considering the question about riding the highway on a particularly busy weekend, I realized I had not even thought about it being a long weekend.

When riding across Canada, every day of the week is a riding day.

I realized that the day I picked to do the test run was irrelevent.

Even though the 'official' ride does not start until May 14th, by choosing to do - and finish - the test ride, I had sealed the deal - I was committed.

Since August 30th, I have woken up every day riding across Canada.