Biking across Canada: Summerside kids take on the challenge

Helmets are on, the bike bell dings and the kids are off riding two-by-two down the boardwalk in Summerside.

It looks like a typical Island bike ride but this group of six-to 10-year-olds has big plans.

"We're trying to bike across Canada," said seven-year-old Finn Cameron McCann."It feels fun."

The kids attend Dreams Unlimited Child Care Centre in Summerside. Their journey started this summer now the kids are out almost daily trying to reach their goal.

"We bike a certain kilometres and then we add it up as a group," said eight-year-old Wyatt Lowther.

"If you went 30 kilometres we would add 30 kilometres plus everybody."

Summerside toWinnipeg

So far the crew has already travelled a combined 3,426 kilometres or from Summerside to somewhere near Winnipeg, according to a hand-drawn map.

The next stop is Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.

"That's where we started," saidLouisa Cameron, 9, pointing to Summerside.

"That's where we end," putting her finger on Vancouver.

The idea came from Ken Trenholm, the summer program co-ordinator at the centre. He said he wasn't sure how everything was going to go when he proposed the idea, but the kids are exceeding expectations.

"This group biked 30 kilometres in one day which is phenomenal," he said, referring to a trip they recently made from Summerside to Kensington and back.

"Okay maybe the incentive was some ice cream it works for me too."

'We never give up'

The kids didn't know what to expect when they started the project.

"I was nervous," said eight-year-old Lauren Forster,"cause I've never biked across Canada before."

But, still, everyone was willing to give it a try.

"We bike every day, we bike really hard and we never give up," said Nathan Hammil, 8.

Learning leadership

The kids are also doing more than just brushing up on their biking skills. They also take turns being the group leader who guides the team each day.

"It's just them having the opportunity to learn what it takes to keep a group safe," said Trenholm.

"I think every experience builds upon itself and one small step, in this case, one small pedalstroke can build to anything."

As the summer continues so too does the biking as for the kids they are confident they will reach their goal.

In fact, nine-year-old Madison Forster already knows what she plans to tell her classmates back at school:

"I biked across Canada."