Lady JB Owen and Peter Giesin cycle through Yukon to raise funds for classrooms across the globe<\/p>\n
JB Owen and Peter Giesin arrived in Whitehorse last week, nearing the final stretch of their 9,100-kilometre tandem cycling journey from Cabo San Lucas in Mexico to Homer, Alaska.<\/p>\n
The couple, who are raising funds to build classrooms in “underserved” communities, say their time in the Yukon has been among the most memorable of the trip.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had the most spectacular sunsets the last three nights,\u201d said Owen.<\/p>\n
Owen, founder of Ignite Publishing, said locals have gone out of their way to offer help, directions and even places to stay.<\/p>\n
\u201cHumanity is so giving and supportive, we’ve had so many people help us and offer us things and support us and be hospitable\u201d Owen said.<\/p>\n
Among those spots were Swan Haven and Atlin Lake, which Owen described as \u201cspellbounding.\u201d The duo also revisited Lumel Studios, where they had blown glass during a previous trip. Giesin said Lu (Luann Baker-Johnson)\u00a0from Lumel Studios later offered them the key to her cabin near McClintock Bay.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe just met us for the day\u00a0and she\u2019s like, \u2018You can stay in our cabin. I\u2019ve got canoes and kayaks.\u2019 So we had our daughters with us then\u00a0and we spent a beautiful day at her cabin,” Owen said.<\/p>\n
The pair are now headed toward Beaver Creek before crossing into Alaska. Their route has taken them through the Cassiar Highway, bypassing Watson Lake.<\/p>\n
While cycling near Kitwanga, B.C., Owen said she and Giesin were chased by a mother grizzly bear with two cubs after a sudden encounter on the road. Both managed to outpace the bear before she gave up the chase.<\/p>\n
“There was a grizzly in the ditch with her two cubs. We were super quiet\u00a0and she was super quiet, so we didn\u2019t see each other at first. Then, out of nowhere, she came running out of the ditch and started chasing.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pair had planned to enter Alaska via the Top of the World Highway, but a road washout has forced them to reroute along the Alaska Highway instead.<\/p>\n
They expect to reach Homer in about two weeks, where they\u2019ll celebrate with rest, reflection and a massage, Owen said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’re going to spend a week in Alaska, just enjoying it. Then we’re going to drive back to Red Deer and come through the Yukon. We already talked to Lu at Lumel Studios\u00a0and she said, \u2018hey, we’ll see you in two weeks.\u2019\u201d Owen said.<\/p>\n
The journey also marks an attempt to set a world record for elevation gain on a tandem bicycle, 93,000 metres over the course of the journey.<\/p>\n
Owen and Giesin began long-distance cycling in 2020, starting with a ride from Red Deer to Ottawa. Since then, they\u2019ve logged over 30,000 kilometres across North America, according to an information package shared with the News.<\/p>\n
Their mission is to fund solar-powered, modular learning spaces for children in regions of the world with limited access to education, according to the duo’s website.\u00a0So far, Owen\u00a0said the duo\u00a0have\u00a0helped open two schools in Lombok, Indonesia\u00a0and hope to fund two more in South Africa and Uganda.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want kids to learn to read, write, innovate and be creative. That\u2019s how we build a better humanity\u201d Owen said.<\/p>\n
Despite mechanical issues, flat tires and\u00a0grizzly bear encounter, the couple say the Yukon has offered a sense of peace and connection.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s one of those places that captures your heart every time you come,”\u00a0said Giesin.<\/p>\n