“I was so happy and excited, I felt like a kid at Christmas waiting for Santa Claus,” recalls Marlene Gervin, her eyes shining. But it wasn’t Christmas; it was May 2nd, 2001. And she wasn’t waiting for Santa; it was her husband's arrival at their pre-arranged meeting place. “I couldn’t believe I was on my way at last; that 13 kilometres and one-and-a-half cycling hours from home, my dream was coming true.”

Five years earlier, Marlene, then 60, dreamt that at age 65 she would cycle across Canada - from coast to coast - dipping her front wheel in the ocean at Mile 0 in Victoria B.C. and then cycle to Mile 0 in Newfoundland, through all 10 provinces.

It wasn’t likely to happen. After all, she and her retired husband, Gordon, enjoyed only a little recreational cycling around the Lower Mainland, nothing too strenuous. But the dream persisted; it wouldn’t go away.

“At that time, I thought I might have to go solo,” she says, referring to her dream. “Gordon didn’t want to cycle across Canada. Nor did he want to camp out along the way.” But Canada is a huge country and there would be long stretches of highway with little habitation. With a whole day’s pedal-power only being equal to one-hour's driving distance (about 80-100 km), some overnight camping was inevitable.

Two years later, Marlene met Karen, a young woman in her 20s who had cycled across Canada. At Karen’s suggestion, Marlene visited her doctor and dentist for checkups. Not good. She required dental work, was not in great shape, had high cholesterol and a suspected heart-murmur. Later, the latter diagnosis proved wrong.

Simultaneously, conscientious staff at the shop where Marlene had taken her ordinary bike for an overhaul, refused to fix it when they heard of its intended purpose; it was entirely unsuitable. So, Marlene bought a new Canadian-made Devinci. She liked the bike, but found the pedal clips difficult to manage.

On an early run to Mile 0 in Victoria in 2000, accompanied by Karen, who was completing her nationwide ride by cycling to Mile 0 with her, Marlene fell off her bike twice, badly skinning her knees. Karen worried as she saw her friend picking stones out of her wounds. Marlene’s heart was set on making the trip across Canada, but hadn’t found a compatible group to travel with. Surely, she wasn’t thinking of going alone?

Then, just four months before Marlene’s departure date, Gordon returned, shocked and unbelieving, from their apartment storage area. Someone had stolen her bike. That’s it. Let’s face it, fini, Marlene thought. With too many obstacles in the way, she relinquished her dream.
But soon, the urge to cycle across Canada returned, stronger than ever. Replacing the Devinci was impossible because the shop was out of stock, but kinder winds of change were blowing. On Broadway, in Vancouver, Marlene discovered La Bicicletta, a shop that specialized in custom-built bikes. Marlene contracted for a made-to-measure bike, delighted to find the cost would be only slightly higher than a ready-made. Bicicletta’s Phillip, efficiently in charge of assembly and construction, produced amazing results. The bike was beautiful - perfect.

“I never thought I could be so happy about someone stealing my bike,” Marlene says with a smile.

“When you’re travelling alone, you need to know how to do everything,” became Marlene’s motto, so she set about learning. She attended workshops for bike care and maintenance; oiled chains, changed wheels and checked brakes; she volunteered at a community bike shop and repaired flat tires - dozens of them.

Finally, in January 2001 at age 65, with bike and health issues resolved, Gordon suggested buying a motorhome: while Marlene cycled, he could haul supplies and be her support team.

With 13 kilometres down and 7,055 to go, Gordon arrived 45 minutes late at their first meeting place; he’d underestimated Marlene’s cycling speed, and she fretted that he’d been in an accident. Cellphones were purchased to improve communications, and they were on their way.

Unable to travel at the same speed, Gordon would leave each stop a little later than Marlene, let her ride for three to four hours, catch up, see how she was making out, and meet her at the next checkpoint.

Marlene cycled for no cause or reason other than seeing Canada and having fun, but at beautiful Mount Terry Fox Provincial Park at the B.C.-Alberta border, while reading Terry’s inspirational story, she experienced a revelation, a sudden profound feeling of happiness and gratitude for the privilege of being there; for Gordon’s support and the giving of his time. “My focus changed,” she says. “I had been thinking only of myself; now, I wanted Gordon to have fun too.” Starting with a relaxed afternoon at Rocky Mountain Rodeo the next day, the trip became a shared holiday adventure.

A daily routine was established. Up at 4.30 a.m., breakfast and ready to roll at first light, Marlene, an easy rider, cycled a comfortable 60-95 km a day. Around noon, the pair stopped to do some sightseeing or attend community events. At night, before bedtime at 8 p.m., Marlene would check her bike so it would be ready for the next day.   

Physically, she felt great. While fitness had not been her objective, it was definitely one of the benefits. She lost weight, and medical tests after her trip showed she had acquired the fitness of a healthy 16, not 65, year old and reduced her cholesterol level by half. But the going was not always easy.

As terrain and the elements varied, each new day presented challenges. Toiling up mountains, Marlene remembered her yoga mantra: Think strength. Think power. Hurtling down the other side with her hands numb from clutching the brakes, she sought to overcome fear. She fought strong prairie winds, blinding rainstorms and, worst of all, sudden extreme changes of temperature. At Alberta’s icefields, nine kilometres of blowing ice rain caused her to suffer hypothermia. In the shelter of their motorhome, Gordon thawed her out with blankets and hot drinks.

But most days, happily at one with nature, Marlene rejoiced in the beauty and diversity of each province, the sound of birdsong and sweet smells of earth. She was awed by the kindness of the people she met: of the considerate drivers, especially professional truckers, who moved over to allow her space.

It was an unbelievable adventure - the experience of a lifetime. And, 164 cycling days and 7,220 km after leaving Vancouver, Marlene joyfully dipped her wheels at Mile 0 in Newfoundland.

JANUARY 2011 SENIOR LIVING MAGAZINE VANCOUVER & LOWER MAINLAND