An Abbotsford couple embark Saturday (June 17) on the first of five bike journeys they will undertake over the next five years to raise $2.5 million for five charities.
P. L. and Kristen Meindertsma will set off from Banff, Alta. to undertake the 4,300-kilometre bike-packing ride known as the Continental Divide. The trip covers the ridge of the Canadian Rocky Mountains and rolls through the states of Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado, concluding in Antelope, New Mexico.
The route has 45,000 metres in elevation gains – equal to summiting Mt. Everest from sea level five times – and is 90 per cent off pavement.
The ride only allows the couple access to the equipment, food and water that they carry on their bikes as they aim to cover 100 km per day.
The trip launches the couple’s Cycle 5 to Survive initiative, which aims to raise $500,000 for each of five charities – Opportunity International Canada, Himalayan Life, iDE, Hope for Korah and LCC International University.
More than $1 million has already been committed to the endeavour.
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P. L., who has a background in business, was born in the Netherlands and immigrated with his family to B.C. in 1982. He chose to abbreviate his name using just his initials.
Kristen, a physical education teacher, travelled across Canada to start anew, eventually settling in B.C. in 1994, following her mom’s death from breast cancer.
The pair had both competed in university sports and together trained in triathlon racing. On their honeymoon 10 days after their wedding, they competed together in the Penticton Ironman Triathlon.
P. L. was struggling with his purpose in life and came up with the idea to do the five epic bike trips.
The number “five” is representative of their ages – in 2022, P.L. turned 50 and Kristen turned 55.
The pair say that every cent raised through C5TS will go directly to the chosen charities. They are covering all expenses, including credit card and processing fees, and each charity is waiving all administrative fees.
Visit cycle5tosurvive.com for more information or to make a donation.
vikki.hopes@abbynews.com
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