52 Pick-up web designer, Raymond Eng, has a deep admiration for this country. So much so that he decided to take three months to bike across Canada with only the most necessary gear. When we heard about this we needed to learn more so we sat down with Ray and asked him about the highlights (and occasional lowlights) of his adventure.

52: This sounds like an amazing experience and it probably wasn’t a hard choice to make but we have to ask, what prompted you to go on this trip?

Raymond: I was raised in Toronto and although I’ve been to different parts of the world, I never really explored my own backyard that is Canada.
Through a chance encounter, I had met a cyclist from British Columbia who was passing through Toronto and headed east to Newfoundland. I bought him a couple of rounds of beer at the local pub in exchange for stories of his cycling trip. He told me about the amazing things he experienced on his journey and it was something I thought I would like to try some day. The cyclist told me that if I ever decided to cycle across Canada and passed through his town – the next round of beers were on him. So the very next summer, I hopped on my bicycle and set out to ride across Canada. It was an experience that I’ll never forget. And as promised, I got a couple of rounds of beer out of it!

52: How did you plan your itinerary?

R: My plan was simple – start out west and see how far east I could peddle. I took detours, visited friends in different cities, stopped to see the sites and made time to soak in the experience of riding across this great nation. Over the course of 90 days I cycled 7,500km from Victoria, British Columbia and eventually made my way east to St.John’s, Newfoundland. On a trip like this, the best way to plan is to just go… and see where it takes you.

52: What was the most pleasantly unexpected spot you came across?
R: I was on the outskirts of Edmonton, Alberta and I was lost. I was frustrated and in the middle of nowhere. Google Maps on my iPhone was giving me bad directions and I wasn’t getting cell phone reception. I spotted a food truck parked up ahead and decided to pull up. I needed a break and it would be a good time to get something to eat and to ask for directions. The owner was really excited to see me and we started talking. As it turned out, he was an avid cyclist who took bicycle trips with his wife and kids. He told me about his family cycling down to Mexico, riding around New Zealand and travelling across Europe.
Later on, the owner would give me directions and sent me off with a ‘cyclist courtesy care package’: snacks,  candy, extra water, sandwiches – all of which he refused to let me pay for. I never would have expected a food truck in the middle of nowhere would be one of the highlights of my trip.

52: There must have been some really tough times throughout the tour, what was the toughest obstacle you faced?
R: I cycled up the steep mountains of the Rockies, rode straight into punishing headwinds during a rain storm, and was chased by dogs on numerous occasions…
But the toughest obstacle I faced was when I was in Quebec City and I was trying to eat every single poutine on the menu. I only got through 95%.

52: Anything you learned from the experience that you feel changed you or your outlook on things?
R: The one thing I took away from this experience is the people. Throughout my trip people offered me places to stay, food to eat and beer to drink. People took interest in me, offered me help and cheered me on. People were kind, generous and amazing. People are what made my cycling trip and Canada great!

Also, people really don’t seem to like the Toronto Maple Leafs outside of Toronto.

52: What’s one piece of advice you’d give individuals who wish to do something similar?
R: One pedal at a time.

 

To see more amazing photos from Raymond’s journey check out iambiking.com

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