MANITOULIN—One of the biggest and most unusual trans-continental bike rides across North America is set to wheel between Sault Ste. Marie and Manitoulin Island August 4 to 7.
Amazingly the cyclists are by no means athletes but just ordinary churchgoers wearing jerseys marked with the words “SeatoSea fighting to end poverty.” The 130 participants, some only cyclist novices, are pedaling all or parts of a challenging 10-week ride of 6,757 km that left Canada in Vancouver, B.C. on June 26 and is set to reach Halifax, Nova Scotia on August 29. This is nearly twice the distance the world’s best cyclists go in the Tour de France!
SeatoSea is a venture of the Christian Reformed Church in North America to which nearly 300,000 people belong in over 1,000 US and Canadian congregations.
The 2017 SeatoSea ride aims to raise at least $1.5 million for relief agencies World Renew and Partners Worldwide and boost awareness of poverty issues. Already this target has been hit and looks to be exceeded.
Having left Canada southeast of Winnipeg for a 700 km pedal through the US the ride is set to reach Sault Ste. Marie on August 3. Early next day it is to reenter Canada. The scheduled August 4 ride is 151 km to Blind River for an overnight camp at Ecole Secondaire Catholic Jeuenesse-Nord. August 5 sees a 159 km pedal to Batman’s Cottages and Campground at Sheguiandah on Manitoulin Island for a two-night stay as every Sunday is a designated rest day. On Civic Holiday Monday (August 7), cyclists are to catch the South Baymouth ferry to Tobermory. The ride then winds its way through southern Ontario to reach Ottawa on August 12. From there cyclists go into Quebec and on to Nova Scotia.
To join the trip cyclists going the complete distance have had to raise or personally contribute $12,000 for the cause. Yet, one rider, Eric DenOuden, president of the Canadian Home Builders Association, has already got $70,000 in contributions. The ride has 80 men and 50 women with 50 participants going all the route and others six legs of 573 km to 1,753 km.
The age range of riders is 12 to 81 and 70 percent are Canadians, mainly from Ontario. The oldest cyclist is from the US, Jim Beezhold, 81, from Pauma Valley, California. The senior Canadian is George Vanderkuur, 75, from Pickering, near Toronto. Eve Luimes, 12, from Kemptville, Ontario, is riding from Vancouver to Ottawa with brother Seth, 14, while their mom, Karen goes on to Halifax.
Peter Slofstra, 65, a retired Ontario pastor, now living in Kitchener, is pedaling the complete route on a tandem with his wife, Marja. They did SeatoSea the same way in 2005.
In 2005 and similar rides since, in 2008 and 2013, the CRC raised $5.4 million to support over 100 organizations focused on the fight against poverty. One current church agency support program in Kenya and Tanzania trains 10,720 farmers to improve crops.
Ida Kaastra-Mutoigo, of Hamilton, co-director of World Renew, rode the 1,500 km between Calgary and Winnipeg to help relate better to what millions face in many countries when they have only bikes or their feet to haul water or to get to and from places like markets, health clinics and schools. She says the agency gets about $14 million a year from Canadian and US churches.
However, this can expand to $35 or $40 million when matched with government funding and donations from other international donors and partners.
The CRC is recognized for its volunteerism and in trying to alleviate human suffering world-wide. This ride is an exceptional pilgrimage of Christian faith plus a serious physical and emotional test.
