March 2 update for 2023 Mind Aid Bike Ride Across Canada

The link to donate to the Schizophrenia Society of Canada is now on the 2023 Mind Aid Bike Ride Across Canada webpage! Here is the webpage: www.mindaid.ca/2023-bike-ride

I also want to put the provincial Schizophrenia Societies donation page links on the bike ride's webpage too. That way people can keep the donations more local if they wish. I want to get that done soon.

For the ride, people are also encouraged to donate to the Mind Aid nonprofits in the "Donate" section of www.MindAid.ca to help people with mental illness in developing countries.

I will be biking through Drumheller, Alberta, on the ride! Hard to believe this is in snowy ol' Canada, eh?

I have gone on Google Maps Street View from Calgary to Ottawa on the roads I plan to take to see how much paved shoulder there is. I am happy with at least a foot of shoulder to make me feel safe. I can always go on the gravel shoulder as well to escape harm.

The good news: there are only a handful of spots a few miles or so long where there is no paved shoulder beyond the white line on the roads I checked from Calgary to Ottawa. I was quite pleased by that. Also, Street View is amazing for helping me visualize myself out there biking! It really makes me antsy to get out there!

Someone has also talked about biking the whole way across Canada with me! It isn't for sure yet, but if it happens, it would be great to have another person bike with me!

If anybody wants to drive the support vehicle, please reach out to me. Someone who said they might be able to drive through BC has said they can't commit to it with other commitments they also have. Also, northern Ontario and Quebec have no drivers for them yet. Back up drivers would be great too in case someone has to back out for some reason. Give me a shout if you want to drive!

A friend has offered to help me approach drug companies to ask for sponsorships! He said they often give out $5,000 for community activities, and I might be able to get $5,000/$10,000/$15,000 from them! I am very excited about that!

Thanks to everyone who has shown excitement for this trip and who has offered to help! I can't achieve this without the help from others.

I am really looking forward to this, but even more so, helping people with schizophrenia and those with mental illness in developing countries. So many people are struggling, and I want to help them get their health back. Recovery is possible!

~ Matthew Dickson

Founder of MindAid.ca