This past weekend, three of us embarked on a little Manitoba adventure that broadened our horizons and expanded our community.

This past spring, I was invited to speak at a City Planner’s conference, where I talked about my book and my journey to bike advocacy. At this conference, I met Ryan Curwin, the Development Officer for the R. M. of La Broquerie, and he asked if I’d be willing to come out to check out the beautiful trails of La Broquerie sometime this summer. This seemed like a perfect excuse for a chill, beginner bike trip through South East Manitoba. Eighty-two kilometers door-to-door is chill, right?

So, with our bikes, panniers, water bottles, and a very strong wind at our backs, Ian, myself, and Linda V. set off on our way midday on Saturday. Our route, courtesy of Daniel Perry, Randonneur Extraordinaire, was a mix of highway shoulders, country gravel roads, and paved roads. I would say the only sketchy part was the last 20 kilometers on Highway 210 from St. Anne to La Broquerie, where all drivers, save for one, were courteous and gave us plenty of space. We’ll share some highlights of the actual ride there once we go through the footage. After 4+ hours with several snack stops, we arrived in La Broquerie and made our way to the quaint hotel in town, where the owner happily greeted us and allowed us to bring our bikes into our rooms. He also served us in the restaurant, possibly made our supper, poured our beverages, and brought us extra towels.

On August 22nd, 2024, the Bike Community in Winnipeg organized itself and demonstrated what it looked like to obey the Highway Traffic Act, which stated that cyclists must ride single file and stop at every stop sign.

I am The Elite

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