
Last Updated on July 11, 2023 by YGK News Staff
A third year student at Kingston’s Royal Military College (RMC) is planning to bike the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route in an effort to raise money for the Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) program Soldier On.
Brooke Baker will be taking on the 4200 kilometre trail that spans from Canada all the way into Mexico, with 200,000 total feet of vertical climbing along the route.
She aims to make the trip in 3 weeks, which will mean riding about 200 kilometres per day to meet that goal.
The journey is a goal that Baker says she’s had for some time and had sort of been looking for the inspiration to kick start it.
She said that hearing about the work of Soldier On and partnering with them seemed like a good reason to go.
“I thought it would just be the perfect combination to raise money for a good cause,” Baker said.
Soldier On is a CAF program that focuses on aiding the recovery of ill and injured veterans and CAF members through sport, recreational, and creative activities.
Baker says that it’s work she really supports that can be huge for physical and mental health.
“I strongly support their mission in supporting vets and serving members on their path to recovery through sport and recreation activity,” Baker said.
“It’s so important, it makes all the difference.”
Baker’s journey, accompanied by one friend, is slated to start on July 31st just south of Fernie, BC at the Montana border, and she will ride to Antelope Wells, New Mexico, camping out along the way with the expectation of at least a couple stops in cyclist only lodging along the trail.
While she won’t continue into Mexico she plans to go as far as the border, her longest ride ever by a long stretch.
Baker is collecting donations for Soldier On here, and says she plans to post updates on her Instagram everyday – connection permitting.