Sam Miron said there was a lot of “unexpected circumstances” along the way, but he completed his journey from Vancouver to Cobourg on his Harley Davidson.
The journey was one that Miron had dreamed of doing, but also one to support the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
With a number of close relatives dying from heart issues, it was a way to raise funds for a good cause.
At 70-years-old Miron had only taken up motorcycle riding three-years ago but it quickly has become a passion for him.
With every detail worked out for the journey, it didn’t take long before it may before things took a turn.
His motorcycle was shipped out on June 4 and Miron flew to Vancouver on June 8 to meet up with his motorcycle and begin his journey.
“The bike didn’t arrive when it was supposed too,” said Miron relaxing at home from the journey.
“It came about six days later – to Edmonton.”
The trailer somehow broke down in Northern Ontario and there was no time line when it would arrive in Vancouver.
With very few clothes as they were all packed with the motorcycle, Miron was looking for flights home when a Harley Davidson dealership called to let him know they had a brand new motorcycle for him to take from Vancouver to Edmonton where his motorcycle would be.
One of the most emotional parts of the journey was when Miron stopped at the former site of the Kamloops Residential School to pay his respects to the 215 unmarked graves of Indigenous children.
Miron said when he arrived at the former school site he got off his motorcycle and was met by Indigenous people.
“I said, I’m not trying to be disrespectful, if I’m not supposed to be here I’ll leave. I said I’m not from BC I’m from Ontario and just came to pay my respects and they actually welcomed me.”
The person in charge of the maintenance actually gave Miron a tour of the former school.
“He told me the story of one morning when they came to work and their were 215 solar lights on the hill with kids shoes beside each one and a stuffed toy and they have not idea who did it.”
A moose also ran out in front of Miron on his motorcycle in Northern Ontario near Dryden.
The trip was much more than he ever thought it would have been.
“The people were so friendly no matter where I went.”
If he gets permission from his wife, the next journey will be riding back from the east coast then he can officially say that he’s driven across Canada on one year.
Total riding hours for the over 4,900 kilometre journey were 55-hours over 10-days leaving Langley, British Columbia on June 10.
Epilogue.
“I want to thank all of the people that made this adventure a true adventure. First my wife for never once saying ” don’t go”, as a matter of fact she reminded me time and time again that I made a commitment and to stick with it. To my kids Brodie and Mollie who were so supportive and were behind me all the way, to my extended family Dr. Paul Davison and Julie Paterson who were there financially and with moral support, to Erin Killoran from Heart and Stroke who set up the donation site, to my co workers who where supportive with donations and moral support, to Pete Fisher for his articles in Today’s Northumberland, and Mark Richardson for his article in Canada moto guide and who contacted Harley Davidson when shipping issues threatened the ride, to Scott Winhold, the Managing Director of Harley Davidson Canada who heard my plight and asked Aleks Bulat his Professional Marketeer who turned over every stone, boulder, and rock to get me a loner bike and to get my bike shipped to Edmonton, I want her on my side every time. To Mike Brown from Barnes Harley Davidson in Langley BC who gave me the loaner, to Bill Benson from Barnes Harley Davidson in Edmonton who off loaded my bike on a Sunday when they were closed and gave up his free time to help me and to Ted Ciotucha owner of Thunder Bay Harley Davidson who along with two of his buddies drove 3-1/2 hours one way to extract my bike from the broken down trailer and to return it to Thunder Bay where it was picked up and re united with me in Edmonton and finally to all of you who followed my story and donated to a very worthy cause. We raised over $7,700 dollars for Heart and Stroke and that is the main thing. I wonder what tomorrow will bring.”
https://todaysnorthumberland.ca/2021/06/02/cobourg-mans-ride-with-heart-across-canada/
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
