A young Ukrainian living in Quebec had difficulty crossing Canada by bike to raise money for the reconstruction of his homeland. After 54 days he is back home with a sense of achievement.
Dariy Khrystyuk, 23, arrived in Lévis last Saturday after cycling more than 5,500 km. He had anticipated bad weather, a possible bike breakage and fatigue, but not the effects of wildfires and an endless gastrointestinal tract along the way.
“I underestimated some aspects of the challenge, especially the physical aspect. I didn’t expect it to be so difficult, both mentally and physically,” says Dariy from the start.
The route between their starting point in Vancouver and Lévis was filled with breathtaking scenery, but some sections of the road were more difficult.
“The prairies were difficult. It’s like a big desert with little visual entertainment. I never had a tailwind on the prairies, it hurt. You are alone with yourself and everything that hurts,” the young man continues.
Dariy Hrystyuk during his visit to Brandon, Manitoba. Photo: Dariy Hrystyuk, submitted June 26, 2023, Catherine Bouchard
The mountains in northern Ontario also robbed him of a lot of the energy he had left over after several thousand kilometers of cycling. He considered abandoning the rest of the trip, but the difficulties that Ukrainians had been facing for almost a year and a half gave him the strength to continue.
Smoke and Gastro
Dariy had scheduled a rest week halfway through. However, smoke from the wildfires and weeks of gastrointestinal illness forced him to take a two-week break in Regina, Saskatchewan. The vibrations from the partially poor road surface also caused him carpal tunnel problems in his right hand.
Despite everything, he got back on his bike to cover the remaining kilometers.
“Physically it was more difficult because I kept catching up,” he explains.
Originally, Dariy had planned to sleep in a tent for the entire trip. However, the journey took a different turn when he arrived in Calgary, where about 100 people were waiting for him. He met a lot of people and this network allowed him to be comfortably accommodated for the remainder of the trip.
Catherine Bouchard
In addition to the physical challenge, the young man took on another challenge: he raised more than $25,000. The base goal was $5,300, or $1 per kilometer.
From a personal point of view, this trip was worth it.
“It’s very therapeutic or meditative. I was alone most of the time, so I had a lot of time to think and try to solve some of my problems,” explains Dariy. In the beginning I had a strong intolerance to wind. I was very emotional. During the journey I learned to accept it. [J’ai appris] accepting what is uncontrollable and adjusting according to those variables.”
Dariy Hrystyuk in Vancouver, the starting point of his journey to Quebec. Photo: Dariy Hrystyuk, submitted June 26, 2023, Catherine Bouchard
A challenge from‘span
- May 1: Departs Vancouver
- June 23: Arrival in Lévis
- Distance covered: 5547 kilometers
- Funds raised: just over $25,000. The money will be used to rebuild his country.
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