BY HEIDI
ULRICHSEN
Most third-year Cambrian College physical fitness and leisure
students spend their co-op placements at fitness centres among
sweating patrons, but that wasn't for Mike Nordby and Randy
Sauve.
The young men asked their professors if they could get credit
for riding their bicycles across Canada instead.
After months of planning and physical training, Nordby, 21, and
Sauve, 22, leave on their trek April 10.
They are having a send-off that day at Cambrian College from
10:30 to 11:30 am, and another send-off and barbecue at Tom
Davies Square from noon to 1 pm.
"Right after that, we're going to take off, and we're going to
go to Estaire," says Nordby.
"That's just to get out of town. It's about 30 miles. Because
we're leaving in the afternoon, we're not going to put a full
day on the road. After that, it's just biking for the rest of
the summer."
Nordby and Sauve want to use their trip to increase awareness
among children of the importance of physical fitness.
"Each community we pass through has been invited to host a
barbecue or some event where we can talk to kids," says
Nordby.
"What we want to do is share our passion and knowledge and show
them what we're doing with our dreams. It's to promote physical
fitness and health.
"There's an epidemic of child obesity and inactivity. It really
is unfortunate. They're all playing video games. We just want
to show them how simple it is. Kids have to get outside and
away from the TV."
They also hope to promote Big Brothers and Big Sisters of
Sudbury, an organization where Nordby volunteers his time.
Nordby and Sauve will first ride to St. John's, Nfld., and then
take a plane to Whitehorse, Yukon. From there, they'll head
down through the Rocky Mountains to Vancouver, B.C.
After that, they will turn around and ride their bicycles back
across Canada to Greater Sudbury. In total, they will travel
8,500 miles over five months.
The friends have found a number of sponsors for the trip,
including Shimano, Cambrian College's Wabnode Institute and New
Sudbury Nutrition Centre.
Sauve says he and Nordby have been athletic their entire lives,
but they've been doing hard-core training for the trip for
about eight months. They lift weights and spend about four
hours a day on stationary bikes.
Seeing the natural beauty of Canada is high on their priority
list.
"The Yukon is the place I most want to go to," says Sauve. "Who
ever says they've been on vacation and they've gone up to
Yukon?"
Nordby says he knows from experience it's going to be a long,
hard trip. He rode his bicycle across part of Ontario last
summer.
"I had some hard times here and there," he says.
Nordby expects a few flat tires, and at least one fight with
Sauve. "I hope it (the fight) is with a grizzly instead,"
laughs Nordby. "Randy could probably kick my butt."
They are going to carry about 50 pounds each of camping gear
and food in pannier carriers on their bicycles.
"It definitely adds weight to the bicycles," says Nordby. "But
as long as you keep your bags balanced, it's OK. If your bags
are unbalanced and you have a little bit of wind, you're going
to have one bad day."
For more information about the trip, go to
www.cycleacrosscanada.ca
. Nordby and Sauve will write a blog as they progress across
the country.
