Couple seeing Canada on two wheels on 8,000 km trip

Not many people can say they spent their anniversary cycling 100 kilometres into a headwind while cycling across Canada – but Vanessa Bourne and Andrew DuQuesnay can.

The couple spent their fifth year of dating battling direct wind from Moose Jaw to Regina.

“It was probably the hardest day of the trip,” said Bourne, 25.

The trip is about 8,000 km and three months long.

Bourne and DuQuesnay are cycling from Victoria, B.C. to St. John’s, N.L.

They’ll be in Peterborough on Saturday to rest and visit Bourne’s grandparents who live in the north end.

Then it’s back on road again to complete their journey so DuQuesany can make it to Kingston in time to attend Queen’s University in the fall.

The main reason for the trip: To see Canada on two wheels.

“We see a lot more from a bike than we do from a car,” Bourne said.

Once the couple decided to make the trek, they figured they’d garner some attention, so they opted to help a good cause along the way.

They’re raising funds for World Bicycle Relief (WBR), an organization that gives bikes to citizens in developing countries to help mobilize them.

Instead of walking up to four hours to work or school, people can get to their destination in a fraction of the time, saving time and energy.

The duo’s goal is to raise enough money to buy one bike for every province they visit

(they’re hitting all 10).

So far, about $1,200 has been raised toward their $1,500 goal.

DuQuesnay, 25, pointed out that their journey is ultimately illustrating just how powerful a bike can be.

“It’s showcasing what’s possible on a bicycle,” he said.

Bourne and DuQuesnay aren’t professional athletes by any means, either. They consider themselves to be recreational cyclists, who like to mountain bike and road bike.

“We’re into biking but nothing to this extent,” DuQuesnay said.

During their travels, Bourne said they’ve received a tremendous amount of kindness and generosity from strangers, which has made the adventure that much better.

A highlight was getting free tickets to see the Arkells in Thunder Bay – and they were from the Arkells, in response to an Instagram post by DuQuesnay.

They were also lent a pair of kayaks by locals in Tobermory so they could paddle Georgian Bay.

The trip has also renewed their appreciation of how amazingly scenic Ontario is – which is something DuQuesnay said is easy to take for granted.

NOTE: Donate to World Bicycle Relief through Vanessa Bourne and Andrew DuQuesnay at fundraisecanada.worldbicyclerelief.org/crosscanada2018