Students Living Sustainably - Ryan Hearn

Many students within the SEDV program have travelled across the world to complete their Master’s degree and further their education on sustainability within the energy industry. Most opt for conventional methods of travel (i.e. plane, car) but not Ryan Hearn! In 2011, Ryan, originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia embarked on a 60-day journey across the country on his bicycle named Carrie. His intention was to experience more of Canada from ground level, while being as sustainable as possible.

How does one prepare for such an adventure? Ryan started by doing a few overnight trips on the East coast to various campgrounds He also purchased ‘Canada by Bicycle’ by Steve Langston, a book which outlined the entire route, but backwards (from Vancouver to St. John’s). As it turns out, planning each day was entirely unnecessary due to the limited highway options for travel across our sprawling country. So the TransCanada it was! Ryan took the highway straight through, stopping every 100 to 250 kilometres depending on the day. Although he mostly camped along the way, he was pleasantly surprised by the hospitality and kindness of strangers willing to provide shelter, or at least a backyard to pitch his tent.

A journey like this doesn’t come without a few challenges along the way. Not surprisingly, Ryan cites Highway 17 in Northern Ontario as the most challenging, both mentally and physically. It’s a two-lane highway that is home to many tractor trailers in a hurry. As you can imagine, passing by these trailers is much less intimidating within the comfort and safety of another vehicle. Clipped into a bike, carrying 70 pounds of extra weight, you have to be aware of your every move. Overall it was a great trip. He was pretty lucky with the weather, and even met a few bicycle tourist friends along the way.

5238 kilometers and 227 hours later, Ryan made it to Calgary – what an amazing accomplishment! Without hesitation, Ryan claims he would make the trip all over again if he could (with some minor modifications). He’s also interested in exploring Europe by bicycle, and is considering another cross country trip along the West Coast down to Mexico. He continues to be an avid cyclist, biking around the city as much as he can. He’s happy to be living in bike-friendly Calgary – home to one of the best bike path networks in the country. He even did a short stint as a bike courier in the city!

Biking is a great option to reduce your personal carbon footprint and, as an added bonus, it’s great exercise! Thanks Ryan for sharing your spontaneous adventure and encouraging others to incorporate sustainable living into everyday life. Check out Ryan’s blog for more information on his incredible journey: ryanslongride.blogspot.ca/