Winnipeggers rally to get cross-country cyclist back on road after theft

The kindness of Winnipeggers has turned a negative story into a positive one for a Kelowna, B.C.man who had his high-end mountain bike stolen as he travelled through Winnipeg on a cross-country trip last week.

Trevor Hodgson said he was left feeling "absolutely shocked and emotionally overwhelmed" after his Enduro M8 and attached trailer were stolen last Wednesday, despite being locked up in front of a Walmart in Winnipeg.

But Hodgson says his faith in humanity has been restored after Winnipeggers raised enough money for him to buy a replacement bike just 48 hours after his $2,200 bike was stolen.

"Once word got around about what had happened, the stories and the support that came through from the locals in Winnipeg exceeded my expectations and I have a good story to tell now," Hodgson told the CBC's Radio Noon Monday. "I owe Winnipeg a big thank-you because I could never have afforded to replace that bicycle myself."

After losing his bike, trailer, and all the gear he needed for his trip Hodgson regrouped at a relative's house here in Winnipeg and decided to set up a GoFundMe page to see if he could raise enough money for a new bike.

Hodgson says the GoFundMe account had received just over $3,000 by Thursday night, and Winnipeggers on social were also able to help Hodgson track down his lost trailer and gear.

"When I posted on Facebook [Wednesday] about my bike theft, the support was overwhelming," Hodgson told the CBC last week. "The thief dropped my trailer and stuff in an alley. Thanks to social media I managed to recover all of my stuff except my GPS and portable speaker connected to the bike and the bike itself."

Hodgson, an avid rider who had been planning the cross-Canada trip for three years, has made several trips through B.C. and up to Whitehorse, Yukon.

In May, Hodgson flew to St. John's, N.L., to start his trek at the beginning of the Trans-Canada Trail.

"I have bipolar disorder and this is my therapy," Hodgson said of what led to the trip. "Riding on the trail gives me good mental health and is helping me to get myself back together."

Hodgson bought his replacement bike a 20-speed, aluminum, full-suspensionGhost Kato model that allows him to ride trails and rough parts of the road while carrying all of his gear last Friday and has already put a couple hundred kilometres on the new ride over the weekend.

"The bike just performed absolutely flawlessly and it's a beautiful ride," said Hodgson. "Winnipeg has stepped forward and I've got a bike to replace the one that I lost and I can continue my tour across Canada."