As songwriter Willie Nelson sings, “…. on the road again ….” – for Shannon and Marco Baillon, it’s the mantra every morning since they began their trek across Canada.
This isn’t the first long-distance cycling trip for the now retired couple. When they were younger with two children, they set off to cycle around New Zealand.
Now retired however, retirement is not about rocking chairs on the porch for these two. Instead, they decided to buy two used bicycles, pack up some belongings and set out on an adventure to cycle across Canada, and document their travels.
The couple began in Victoria, and through the Rocky Mountains and Alberta and across the wide-open prairie of Saskatchewan, they have pedalled their way from campground to campground where they tented each night. With a small butane single burner stove, they would prepare a meagre dinner before retiring into a ‘pup’ tent on their blow-up mattresses.
“The topography of Canada is amazing,” says Marco. “The prairies are so flat that you can see a storm coming from miles away and, then when you cross into Manitoba, you don’t even realize you’re in another province.”
Shannon plots their route each day along trails that avoid main highways and to find small communities where they can purchase food for their next few days on the road.
“I have to say that we are so thankful for Canada’s library system,” says Shannon. “It is amazing. No matter the community, there is a library. Computer access is free, if there is inclement weather you can shelter inside, you can access a washroom … we are so fortunate in Canada to have the library system that we do.”
The couple arrived in Port Elgin on Monday, July 29th, where they rested for a few days with Shannon’s parents, Gloria and Harvey Bell, at their home in Gobles Grove.
Then, on Friday, August 2nd, it was time to head out again. The couple left at 8:00 a.m. and headed for Godrich, approximately 100 km before continuing on to Oakville.
“This next leg will be fortunate for us,” said Shannon, “as we have relatives in several places between here and Montreal and it will be a chance for us to visit.”
From Montreal to Halifax however, it will be back to campgrounds, with a stint to Prince Edward Island (PEI) where there is a family cousin to visit.
Marco has been using a go-pro camera to document the couple’s adventure that can be followed at ShannonandMarcotravel.
