Man's cross-country fundraising trek makes stop in Barrie

Bill Shoup and his sidekick, Yoshi, wheeled into Barrie today and will spend a few days at home before heading back on the road again.

Shoup and his rescue dog have been biking from British Columbia while Shoup’s wife, Marie, has been driving the motorhome where they all sleep along the journey.

“It’s great to be home, even if just for a little bit,” said Shoup. “We’ll head up to North Bay Tuesday to start again where we left off.”

Crohn’s and Colitis Canada, Easter Seals Canada and the Canadian Women’s Foundation will benefit from Shoup’s journey that will cover approximately 6,500 kilometres.

Shoup and Yoshi do an average of 100 km a day and he expects to reach his destination of Sydney, N.S., around the end of August.

“One of the highlights so far was being up and down one of North America’s largest passes, the Kootenay East Pass,” said Shoup. “I’m a bit of an adrenalin nut, so coming down one was fun and I hit a speed of 79.8 km/h.”

Shoup said he wasn’t worried about the speeds he reached as his bike is good at handling many conditions.

One condition it wasn’t good at handling was the impatience of drivers, particularly when he was struck along a highway in B.C.

“It was a close call and they only got my light and mirror — someone in a pickup truck between Yahk and Moyie that didn’t even stick around to see if I was OK,” said Shoup.

Other than that incident, he commends many truckers and others for giving him a lot of space and keeping him safe.

His one complaint about his home province?

“We need bigger shoulders for bikes. From B.C. to English River, Ont., there were huge, beautiful shoulders. After that, you don’t know where the shoulder is or if you have one,” said Shoup. “We really need to commit to this because it’s such a healthier way to travel and it really is a beautiful way to see the country.”

Shoup stopped at the Barrie Farmers’ Market and at Open Air Dunlop before heading to 178 Bayfield St., where his BNI (Business Network International) friends helped set him up with a gathering of support, food and drinks.

He encourages everyone to get out and see Canada on a bike, and said their dogs will love it, too.

“This country is absolutely beautiful. The geography is stunning, and coming up on Lake Superior was just breathtaking,” said Shoup. “Yoshi has been loving it and chasing prairie dogs like you wouldn’t believe, deer and even bears. He never hurts any of them; just a little chase and play. The people along the way have been great, too. Everyone has been friendly and helpful. Thank goodness I’m riding a bike because I have been kept well fed by some good people across this country.”

The goal is to raise $50,000 by the finish in Nova Scotia, and Shoup is challenging individuals, small businesses, corporations, city officials, and government agencies across Canada to donate and/or sponsor the ride.

Shoup’s YouTube channel, Bill and Yoshi’s Outdoor Adventures, and his Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok pages will keep people updated.