North Battleford was the latest stop Tuesday for an Alberta individual bicycling across Canada in support of the CNIB.
Ian Byng-Jewett of Hinton, Alta. has been doing Ian’s Big Ride, an effort that started in Hinton and which will continue all the way to his final destination of St. John’s Newfoundland in three and a half months.
“And I go the long way. I go up through Corner Brook and then come down to St. John’s,” he said of his destination.
Byng-Jewett is riding his bicycle across Canada to “raise awareness of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.” He is riding for his grandmother, who is legally blind.
He noted CNIB is 30 per cent government funded and raises the rest on their own, so this is his way to help raise awareness and donations.
Byng-Jewett is doing his bike ride on his own intiative without sponsorship from CNIB or anyone else. He’s been riding a SuperCycle 10-speed bike from Canadian Tire.
He arrived in North Battleford late in the evening July 7 from Lloydminster and was tracked down at Tim Hortons, where he reflected on his journey.
“I ride 140 to 160 kilometres per day,” he said. “I average about ten hours of road time a day.”
He truly is “roughing it,” travelling with all his supplies, which includes a tent and sleeping bag he uses for rest at night. Occasionally he’11 find people who will take him in and allow him to pitch his tent in their back yard.
He also has a stove, some food and extra clothing.
“Long days, long nights, time to rest, time to go to bed, pitch my tent, that is all I do,” said Byng-Jewett of his journey.
He says he’s doing this ride with “no training, no nothing, I just hopped on my bike and said ‘let’s do this.’”
Byng-Jewett rides mainly during the day, though he said he has done some night riding as well. On the road he wears reflectors so he is visible to passing vehicles.
“Safety is the most important thing,” Byng-Jewett said.
During his stops Byng-Jewett collects donations that he will donate to CNIB. He said he’s raised $79 so far during his first few days on the road. He started July 2.
Byng-Jewett adds that any donations he collects, or that are donated online, will stay with CNIB in that province as they have local branches in all provinces. His goal is to raise $5,000.
He intended to meet up with the CNIB in Saskatoon as he continued his journey. He then planned to travel Highway 11 to the Trans-Canada Highway.
So far the weather has co-operated and Byng-Jewett had yet to experience the smoke that has blanketed Saskatchewan.
“It has been very clear. I have not been breathing it in, nothing like that,” said Byng-Jewett.
“It’s been completely nice, hot days. In the mornings it does get pretty chilly, windy. Sometimes I’m facing wind. But you push through and keep going because it’s all for a great cause.”
His website is iansbigride.weebly.com, and donations can be made at any CNIB location in the name of Ian’s Big Ride.
