Summary Updates
Grandparents Cycling Across Canada on the Wideen Ride
It's History Now
They have wanted to ride across Canada for almost a decade. They first planned to do it when they were 60, but it wasn't meant to be. So, they waited until retirement. Neither of them are jocks, and while they had made small trips before, weren't obsessive cyclists. They just do stuff like this.
Earlier this year they decided to dedicate their ride to schizophrenia, both raising awareness and money for that cause. As a psych nurse, Loretta has been exposed to this disease before. But for my father, he was surprised by the number of people who had family or friends affected by schizophrenia, and equally surprised by how many people are embarrassed to talk about it. (In St. John's, I met a woman whose daughter suffered from schizophrenia; for 5 years she didn't even tell her mother.) Schizophrenia isn't about multiple personalities. It is a brain disease that strikes 1 in 100 people, with its sufferers occupying 1 in 12 hospital beds and too heavily represented amongst the homeless. It is known as "Youth's Greatest Disabler" because it often afflicts people in their late teens and early twenties, cutting short promising futures. Loretta and Marvin hoped their trip raised awareness, and more important some hope. A few random thoughts from their trip that they recalled on their first evening in St. John's:The ride is done. They rode home in a limo from the airport. Would have been a nice, relaxing ride had I not thrust 4 grandkids bubbling with stories of the first day at school into the limo with them. (I feel it is my responsibility to get the acclimatized to normal life, which is why I also had them baby-sit my kids shortly after the arrived home.)
Now their challenge is to reduce their eating. They are used to lots of food, the richer and fatter the better, while at the same time losing weight. Those stomachs have become spoiled -- reality should settle in soon!
For more detail on their ride, check their Web site (http://www3.bc.sympatico.ca/wideenride).
August 30, 1999
Grandparents Cycling Across Canada on the Wideen Ride
One Week To Go
Marvin and Loretta Wideen, aged 65, are cycling across Canada. They began in May, and after almost 4 months of cycling are approaching their destination: St. John's Newfoundland. Currently, they are cycling through Nova Scotia, and have traveled almost 6,500 kms.
As the ride continues, the overwhelming support from the Schizophrenia Society has been incredible. As has support from helpful people across the country.
Since leaving Ontario, they've enjoyed the roads in Québec, New Brunswick, PEI and Nova Scotia. All have provided wider shoulders and less traffic. And, they are again treated to incredible scenery. Through Québec it was a beautiful ride along the St. Lawrence culminating in a blast of cold air thanks to the Atlantic before heading south to New Brunswick. New Brunswick provided roads through forests unlike they'd seen before, and people proving how friendly Maritimers can be. Prince Edward Island was a short visit, but they enjoyed easy riding and two days free in Charlottetown. Now, a short trip through Nova Scotia and Newfoundland will end the tour.
Leaving Charlottetown, the easy ride to the ferry duped them into thinking the rest of the ride was going to be easy -- "it's downhill from here." Not so lucky. Their first day in Nova Scotia threw "constant" hills at them. While not as steep as those along Lake Superior, they never stopped. Marvin says, "Nova Scotia is one big hill." Did they expect Canada would provide them with an easy finish? Yes. Were they reasonable to expect an easy finish? Of course not!
Their schedule for the final days is now firm:
Are they looking forward to finishing? Marvin says he's been looking forward to the finish ever since he left Coquitlam. They will miss cycling every day, if for no other reason than the people they've met and the sites they've seen. They'll also miss the ability to eat anything they want at any time and still lose weight (their stomachs must be 4 times the manufacturer's recommended size). But when I suggested they do the return trip again next year, the answer was an emphatic "NO."
August 9, 1999
Grandparents Cycling Across Canada on the
Wideen Ride
Ontario was Big
Marvin and Loretta Wideen, aged 65, are cycling across Canada. They began in May, first dispatching BC and Alberta, then Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Then they hit Ontario. Having traveled close to 3,000 kms through 4 provinces, they knew Ontario was big, but weren't really prepared for the 2,000 kms over 5 weeks. Ontario has thus far represented about 40% of their entire trip!
Ontario gave them everything: narrow roads, steep hills, hot hot weather, freeways, thunderstorms, wind. It also gave them a great sense of accomplishment, a real sense of growing awareness for both their ride and schizophrenia, and encounters with fellow adventurers crossing the country by bicycle, foot and car.
Highlights of the past few weeks include:
Special encounters with fellow travelers. People like John Ryan, paraplegic cyclist heading across the country, Martin and Anne Mack as they cycle and camp the country, Coyote Kevin as he runs and camps the country, and the Whitfords as they recreate their cross-country ride of 46 years ago.
Overwhelming support and kindness. Being rescued by Holly Hughes when overcome by heat was most appreciated. The Schizophrenia Society members that have helped all across the province, culminating in a rally of about 30 supporters on Parliament Hill in Ontario. Feeling welcome and supported by the staff in Lou Sekora's and Svend Robinson's offices in Ottawa also made them feel good.
Staying in Winnie the Pooh's home town.
Getting to see their Web pages (http://www3.bc.sympatico.ca/wideenride/).
Beds and baths.
Milkshakes.
These veterans of the road are eating like horses, losing body fat faster than they like, and happier than pigs in … well, they're happy to be through Ontario.
Their ride now takes them along the north side of the St. Lawrence to Quebec City, then along the south side of the St. Lawrence before they head into New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and finally Newfoundland. Sometime in mid- to late-September, St. John's should be ready to receive Marvin and Loretta Wideen -- two thin, sinewy, weather-beaten people denying age-ism and looking forward two 3 whole nights in a row in the same bed.
July 12, 1999
Grandparents Cycling Across Canada on the
Wideen Ride
Four provinces down, six to go
Marvin and Loretta Wideen are cycling across Canada. They began in May, first dispatching BC and Alberta, then Saskatchewan and Manitoba. They have just passed through Thunder Bay, expecting the rest of Ontario to consume the month of July.
Their slowest going was in Saskatchewan, where they ran into winds that tried incessantly to knock them from the bikes. While the Rockies were a formidable challenge, those Saskatchewan winds provided their most difficult cycling.
Back in BC, they are cheered on by 4 kids, 6 grand-kids, colleagues, friends, colleagues who are also friends, and people they don't even know. They report in daily with information on distance traveled, where they are staying, the road conditions, the weather, and some highlights. They also frequently comment on people they meet, things they see that were denied them when driving by at 100 kph, and those pleasures the rest of us take for granted (such as warm bath and good food). Their adventure is tracked on the Web at http://www3.bc.sympatico.ca/wideenride/.
They travel with no entourage, no van to provide respite from weather or a quick nap in the afternoon, no logisticians arranging hotels and meals, no publicity agent to raise awareness of their ride. They are simply two grandparents realizing a dream, enjoying more of each other's company than they've ever had before.
Who are these people? Marvin is a professor at SFU who retires in August. Loretta was a psych nurse who ran Royal Columbian's Sherbrooke Day Program before her retirement last year. They began cycling in their 40s, periodically touring areas such as Harrison Hot Springs, PEI and the Loire Valley. Passionate cyclists? Not really. They just enjoy it. The idea of cycling across Canada has been percolating for years, retirement was the first time the could spare 4 months.
Schizophrenia is the cause they chose to dedicate their ride. They would like everyone to become more familiar with this tragic disease, possibly contributing to the Schizophrenia Society of Canada. Loretta has worked with many schizophrenics in her career as a psych nurse, and is moved by their pain, and the pain of their families. Especially as part of this ride, Marvin has also been exposed to people facing the tragedy, and is moved by their strength.
Check out the Web page. These two people are serious. Tenacity and sheer will should see them in Newfoundland late September or early October.
What a great way to kick off a retirement. Problem is, what do they do for an encore (other than baby-sit their grandkids)?