Biking from Texas to Yukon

By Joan Janzen

Andreas Schraft was having lunch and a much needed rest at Tim Hortons in Kindersley on May 17th. The retired 63-year-old has been biking (on a pedal bike) from Austin, Texas to his next destination in the Yukon. The purpose of his trip was to visit his sister in Thunder Bay and now his son in the Yukon.

Andreas lives in Sweden, but decided to begin his journey from Austin where he was visiting a friend. From Texas he made his way to Thunder Bay, Ontario where he visited his sister, who had moved to Canada thirty years ago. Andreas said he hadn’t seen his sister for about five years.

“There was snow in Ontario and it was very cold,” he said. “There were strong winds in the U.S. and in Manitoba. Sometimes the wind pushes you and sometimes it doesn’t.”

He estimates he covers 110 kms on an average day, 200 kms on a good day, and 60-70 kms on more challenging days. “It’s not like taking the train. You can’t have an exact prediction of your arrival,” he said. “Sometimes the wind is against me or I’ll have a flat tire.”

He spends eight or nine hours on his bike each day. “It’s just like spending a day at the office. It’s much like taking a brisk walk,” he said. “I didn’t prepare for it in advance, just basic fitness,” he explained.

Andreas tries to stay on the smaller highways as he now makes his way to his second destination, the Yukon where he will visit his son, who is employed as a biologist. His son moved to Canada about five years ago. It’s been about two years since the father-son duo had a visit, and this will be Andrea’s first visit to the Yukon.

Andreas began his adventure in mid-March and plans to be back in Texas in October. We wish him safe travels, good weather and may the wind be at his back.

Photo: Austin Schraft from Switzerland is biking from Austin, Texas to the Yukon where he will visit his son. He stopped at Tim Hortons in Kindersley for a quick lunch on May 17.