Quesnel local heads to Sarajevo for bike ride in aid of Wounded Warriors
Quesnel Cariboo ObserverApr 08, 2018
In June, she will fly to
"This ride commemorates the 25th anniversary of the Battle of the Medak Pocket in
"Canadian Troops went as a [
More than 40,000 Canadian soldiers were deployed into the former
The bike ride will visit places of significance for Canadian Armed Forces, and will end at the site of the battle of the Medak Pocket in
The 1993 battle saw soldiers of 2nd Battalion
"My friend
"That's what made me want to do this ride. It will be crazy to be there 25 years later; to see it and learn about it more, and in this way try to honour and recognize what the Canadians did over there."
Military background
Chung says she's been interested in helping veterans for a long time, after having grown up in the military town of Comox, on
"My dad was a nurse in the military and he trained some of the people going over to the Balkans, but I don't know if it was for that specific battle.
"But it's been a big thing around me and I've always been pretty aware of it," she says.
In 2015, Chung joined Quesnel's Paul and
"[Veterans' issues have] always been important to me, but I never had a way to help and to show my support before. Doing the Ride Across Canada just brought that back for me."
Shape up and ship out
Chung says she's been cycling indoors to prepare for the 600 km ride because of the winter weather, but hopes to get outside now that the sun has started shining more regularly.
"I hooked my bike up to a magnetic indoor trainer and I've been training three to five mornings a week. I'm just starting to get outside, but the snow has kept me off the roads."
Although she's committed to the cause and excited to travel, she's never been outside
"I have no idea what the terrain will be like," she laughs, but says she's training as hard as she can.
Most days will be around 70-80 km, and Chung says there is a longer day of about 140 km to prepare for, but the route is by no means a race.
"I think it will be, you bike a few hours and then there's a lunch break or stopping at a monument. We will learn about the events and the battles, so there will be a fair amount of stopping for that. The pace will be… not leisurely, but it's not a race," says Chung.
Funds for Wounded Warriors
In order to go on the ride, Chung and other participants had to commit to raising at least
Chung has so far raised a little over
"It was daunting when I signed up for this, with the
She shared her fundraising page on social media, and also decided to sell Arrowhead Coffee from a veteran-owned company in Ottawa as a fundraiser.
"It's nice to know people are behind you and want you to succeed; its like they are cheering you on each time they donate, so it's a big motivator at
She decided to support veteran-owned companies as much as she could in her fundraising.
"I'm trying to keep it all stuff that I care about. Yes, I want to raise money for my bike ride, but I want to support these veteran-owned businesses too, so that I'm not the only one benefitting from it," she comments.
To raise the final
The all-day family-friendly Cowboy Festival will feature two artists from Horsefly: singer-songwriter
"I'm so excited about that. I listen to
The Festival will include a pig roast, horseback rides, a shooting demonstration and a chili cook-off, as well as other crowd pleasing events that are still in the works.
Chung is seeking community sponsors for the Festival, to help pay for the entertainment and activities, so that it contributes to her fundraising effort rather than taking away from it. But Chung also wants to bring people together.
"I love all that old west cowboy stuff, and I'm sure I'm not the only one," she says.
"It's an excuse for people to celebrate that lifestyle, and hopefully learn a few things."
Beer from Three Ranges Brewing from Valemount, another veteran-owned outfit, will be available at the Festival.
"They have been super supportive and have donated to my bike ride, and they might be giving me a bike jersey to wear," says Chung.
Chung's deadline for the
"For me, it's all about the learning experience. I think it will be just amazing and life changing. It's crazy to think I'm doing something so big, so I feel pretty grateful that I have the opportunity to this.
"I think it will be a lot like the Ride Across Canada in 2015 – seeing the country in a new way and meeting so many people – and it will really change my life."
To donate to
Tickets for the Cowboy Festival are available at Lil' Red Pony Feed and Supplies, Circle 'S' Western Wear,