Dave MacKenzie intends to dip the front wheel of his bicycle into Cowichan Bay Thursday morning as he begins his cross-country tour to raise money to fight cancer.
MacKenzie, a retired Mountie, plans to pedal east and go through every province right to Newfoundland, and then backtrack to Saint John, N.B., where he is originally from.
He intends to dip his wheel into the Bay of Fundy to officially end his trek.
MacKenzie hopes to raise up to $50,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society along the way.
After recently completing a 35-year career with the RCMP, MacKenzie said he now has the time to do something he has always been passionate about.
“I lost my mom to cancer in 1976, my wife Sherry lost her dad in 2005 and there’s a long list of friends and other relatives who have been impacted by cancer,” he said.
“Too many people are having to deal with cancer. It seems like every time I take a step, another person I know has the disease so I’m going to do what I can to help out.”
MacKenzie’s wife Sherry will travel as a support person for him during the trip, and she will drive a covered pick-up truck in which they will spend their nights.
MacKenzie said he first got into cycling last year as a means to recover after a hiking accident in which he broke nine ribs and punctured a lung.
He is encouraging everyone to do their part by donating to the Canadian Cancer Society.
Donations can be made at his website at DavePedalsForHope.com