Staff Photo by: Darcie Thom

Tony and Tristan Glen are traveling western Canada via bicycleBy: Darcie Thom

Tony and Tristan Glen of Chesterville, Ontario, began their cycling adventure on June 25th to pursue family quality time during the summer months.

The father/son duo is making their way back home after a few weeks of biking across western Canada. They are riding together to enjoy not only their summer vacation, but also to promote good health and cycling. On Thursday, July 17th, Tony and Tristan stopped at The Den, in Kipling, to enjoy a hearty breakfast and were surprised to receive so much more.

Kipling’s local coffee-goers and local community people welcomed the two visitors with either a conversation or a simple smile. The two cyclists have been making their way across Canada, only stopping to eat and to sleep at campsites along the way. “So far we have found that the best camping is in Saskatchewan, and we’ve met so many people, really friendly people,” said Tony. “We have seen an amazing sunset in Saskatchewan, and the weather has been good to us here.”

Three years ago, Tristan, a University student, cycled to Nova Scotia and recalled the great times he had. He and his father, Tony, didn’t train extensively for this trip, however, they maintained healthy living and did ride for a few hours every other day. “You can train all you want, but the training is nothing like the real thing,” said Tony. Their goal is to reach at least 100kms per day but have achieved over 157 kms in their longest day of cycling.

“Mountains were definitely challenging in B.C. and there were plenty of hard winds in Alberta,” recalls Tony, demonstrating how they had to manage the terrain. “We did a lot of walking on the hills and mountains,” chuckled Tristan.

The duo was more than pleased to share their story and what this trip meant to them, they also recalled a few incidents along the way. At one particular rest, a gruff ‘biker’, leather from head to toe, had approached the cyclists and questioned whether or not they had a knife, the two were slighty nervous until they discovered that he was going to cut a huge slab of pepperoni for them, knowing how hungry they might have been. This same fellow even treated the cyclists to milkshakes and shared in a conversation.

Another was at a separate rest stop, as they were preparing to retire for the night, a large deer jumped from out of the bushes, didn’t seem to be spooked by them at all and continued on its way. The two men mentioned that it was the closest they had ever been with nature.

The duo were excited to reach Brandon for a personal stop to visit with friends during their travels through Manitoba.

Tristan is hoping to venture back east to Newfoundland for his next cycling trip, although it will not happen this year but within the years to come. Tristan is hoping to return home by August 16th so that he can partake in a triathlon on August 17th and Tony is looking forward to the much needed rest.

Both Tony and Tristan commented about how they wanted to take an eventful route when they were traveling and wanted to pass through Kipling. In their journey, they have learned that this truly is a small world. Tony, an exhibition Planner at the Canadian War Museum, was surprised to meet a family member of a highly decorated pilot, right here in Kipling. But that’s another story!