Why?

 Why Canada?  Because:

• I was born there – Vancouver, 1956 – but didn’t stay long.  A brief stay in Sault St. Marie, Ontario in the early 60’s as a small boy.
• It is a wonderfully diverse country in terms of geography, climate and culture, at once familiar and foreign to Americans.
• Canadians are very friendly and welcoming
• It is very big, and very wide, and hosts the easternmost point in North America, just a bit east of St. John’s, Newfoundland, the destination where I hope to see the first ray of morning light.
• It is bilingual, though my German and Spanish will not get me too far.
• It is a stunningly beautiful country

 Why the trip?   

I have made 20 bicycle trips in northern US and Canada, all shorter, typically 3 or 4 weeks, stitching enough trips to cross the United States from west to east.  It was time to go coast to coast, Pacific to Atlantic, across nearly the widest, reasonably accessible, and traversable part of Canada.  And perhaps as trite as it sounds because it is there!

Why by bicycle?

It’s faster than walking, though at such a speed where the environment is still sensually accessible.  You can smell the creeks and forests, hear the birdsong, and appreciate the flora and (occasional) fauna at a slow, methodical pace.   I feel like I get to know every mile of the wayfinding very well.  And after the first week or two, one’s pace has moderated, the body has adjusted, and the mind – oh, the mind – is so completely empty and relaxed from the spirituality of the journey.  Many people ask me, don’t you get bored?  Mostly not, though occasionally long stretches of messy commercialism combined with a lot of traffic become wearisome. But then you are out of it, as the commercialism tapers, giving way to the vast countryside.

Bicycling is also the accomplishment of small goals – getting over that rise, or that mountain pass, awaiting the victory of the coast down again, albeit ever too short.  Seeing the water towers or grain terminals way in the distance.  Arriving at that next micro intersection with a convenience store, and taking in chocolate milk!  Small, yet progressive goals.

Why the Charity Ride?

That is my “tailwind!”  I have never done a charity ride, but this trek seemed adventuresome enough to attract donors’ attention.  My good friend and colleague Megan Seltz took my idea and ran with it, taking the role of my “manager.”   Bless her and all those that benefit from her work. 

But Why these particular charities?  Because we all need a “tailwind” at some point on life's journey.

I have been long attached to them in a personal way. My theme is raising money for education: of dogs, orphans and college students.

CanDo Canines was started as Hearing and Service Dogs in the late 1980s by Al Peters, intent on providing service dogs to the disabled at no cost to them.  He was seeking a training facility, beyond the house he was operating from.  I was referred to him by one of my clients, and then developed some plans for a facility that never got built.  But the mission of the organization hooked me, and I have been a passionate donor and volunteer ever since.  I designed their current training facility in New Hope, MN. And have been fascinated by the uniquely trained dogs that are capable of detecting disability events way beyond what folks think of a “normally” well-trained dog.  Check them out.

Nuestro Pequenos Hermanos (NPH) is an international organization that takes in orphans and disadvantaged children, including special needs children, and provides shelter and education in a variety of locations in Central America and the Caribbean.  I was asked to visit Honduras and help expand a small orthopedic surgical center run by Dr. Peter and Lulu Daly of St. Paul, as well as a visitor center for hosting volunteers that come down on medical missions.  What happened is I fell in love with the peace and purpose of the place.  I offered to sponsor a Pequeno, and was matched with a 14-year-old boy who happened to have the same name as me – Axel (also my first name); in Spanish, we are “tocayo”, people with the same name - when the organization did not realize that was also my name.  Axel liked to draw, and over the years we would get together and hike in the mountains around the 2,000-acre ranch and talk, share ideas, and laugh.  I am proud to say that I am supporting Axel at present while he attends University, studying Architecture!  Every orphan should have a meaningful chance for a solid education – it is the way forward for them individually and as a country.     

The Hilger Leadership Award is an endowed scholarship I set up at the University of Minnesota because I am passionate about teaching, and enabling the success academically and financially of my students.  Need I say more?  I have been fortunate to be able to provide this funding over the years and am proud to ask you to help me give a tailwind to these students.     

The more you donate, the stronger the tailwind!

Go to https://z.umn.edu/PeterbikesCanada

The trip started today, a mild ride from downtown Seattle's Good Weather Bicycle and Cafe (where we shipped our bikes for assembly), and ended a mere 13 miles away in Poulsbo, in time for the last day of the annual Viking Festival celebrating its Norwegian heritage.  A shakedown ride, and time to reorganize our packing.