Throughout her adult life Kristi MacDonald held onto her dream of one day cycling the route her brother, Brad Bobbie, travelled in 1989 when he cycled across the mountains from Calgary, Alberta, to Vancouver, British Columbia where Kristi lived at the time, for a surprise visit.
The visit and his epic trip remained in her memory long after his sad and untimely death from cancer in 1996. As his caregiver, friend, and sister, Brad’s legacy lingered in Kristi’s thoughts through the years as she raised her own family, built and sold businesses, was challenged by both success and failure, and travelled around the globe—she always kept his memory close to her heart.
“He loved biking and bikepacking. He was an athletic guy who just loved the outdoors,” says Kristi of her brother.
Entering into the mid-part of her life with her children self-reliant and her business obligations manageable, Kristi decided to plan and depart for the journey she had fostered in her imagination for twenty-six years. The pandemic and forest fires curtailed her plans in 2021, but this year she was ready. An experienced cyclist, trained and fit, Kristi began her journey on July 4, 2022. She flew her bike, specialty food, and gear to Calgary, assembled it, and hit the road to Cochrane Alberta, her first stop.
After her brother died, Kristi discovered at the back of his chemistry lab notebook, a journal he wrote about his own journey to Vancouver in 1989. She never opened it, kept it sealed, to read only when she began the trek herself. Not only was she reading his notebook for the first time and following his route, but she was also writing her first attempt at a blog and social media posts to encourage donations to Algonquin Grace Hospice Huntsville.
The trans-Canada highway is not the favored route for cyclists passing through the Rockies. Prepared to camp out when necessary, Kristi was helped enormously through the assistance of Warmshowers.Org, which supports cyclists with meals, shower facilities, and good cheer. On her first night out, Kristi was told she would be facing stiff headwinds taking the route she proposed, but she was determined to follow the route as her brother had.
For eight to twelve hours a day, Kristi biked the secondary highways leading to Vancouver. She listened to music, absorbed the scenery amused by podcasts recommended to her by her children, and pondered the precious moments in life. She read Brad’s journal, which accompanied her for the ride through his written words. Even though she didn’t follow Brad’s exact route as outlined in his journals, their paths gathered up again on the other side of the mountains.
She met fellow riders from around the world, which she really enjoyed and cherished. Kristi covered close to 1,400 kilometers in the sixteen days of her trip.
The loss of her brother Brad had an intense impact on Kristi’s life. Not only was his diagnosis and treatment debilitating, but it also destroyed his marriage and derailed many of his aspirations. In her blog, https://bradsride.ca/, Kristi describes an outing her brother took to a racecar course. “So when he was sick he signed up at a racing school in the Laurentians in Montreal. “Physically exhausted, mentally exhilarated,” was one of his entries into the journal he had for his Montreal trip.”He lived his life, even though sick, to the fullest.”
Nearly one in two Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime, states Canadian Cancer Statistics. Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in Canada.
Few cities or small towns have dedicated palliative care. Along with other inspired Huntsville people, Kristi MacDonald worked toward the early formation of Algonquin Grace Hospice in Huntsville. As a caregiver for a cancer patient in the late stages of the disease, who was able to keep her brother’s care primarily at home, Kristi fully acknowledges the purpose and value of dedicated services for end-of-life preparation, both for patients and their families.
An event of this stature and momentous dedication often reveals more than can be expected. “Really before I did the ride, I could only see the grief of the loss. And it’s, (her cycling journey that), really helped me to see the life I still get to share. He influences me still to this day. I would have never been a bike packer. It would have not been on my horizon and it’s something that I did because of him and will continue to do, I think, in my life.”
While her journey was a commemoration of her brother’s life and legacy, it touched her own as well as the life of those who shared the adventure through her blog and social media posts. In her own words, she describes the outcome of the choice she made to honour him. “I started to find life again one second at a time, one minute at a time, one hour at a time, one day at a time, one week at a time, one month at a time, one year at a time…”
Donations are still being accepted for Algonquin Grace Hospice Huntsville, in Brad Bobbie’s name. To date, “Bradsride, ” has raised $4,225.00. Donations are accepted here.
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