Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services

Johnsons Crossing, Yukon (July 13/01) - Citing health reasons, early Monday Arvid Loewen decided to cut short his Spoke 2001 bicycle fundraising trip.

Arvid Loewen

Loewen began his trek July 3 in Inuvik and planned to cycle all the way to Point Pelee in Ontario July 30 -- a journey of 7,200 kilometres. Loewen ended his journey near Johnsons Crossing, Yukon, after covering only 1,450 kilometres.

"I ended up with some pretty serious respiratory problems, and continuing on would not be a wise decision, considering long-term effects and things," Loewen said Monday.

Loewen, who's married with three children, said he'd made a commitment to his family that he would not endanger his health.

Loewen said that he ran into some "pretty serious wind conditions" while coming down the Klondike Highway, and that this made climbing difficult.

He also said the first part of his journey, the Dempster Highway, was difficult. (Loewen completed it in two days and seven hours.)

"It was in what I'm told is a reasonable condition for the Dempster Highway. It's very difficult conditions for endurance cycling, especially when you're trying to cover 300 or 400 kilometres a day."

Some sections were under construction and had large stones.

"But there were also some very good highlights on it. The scenery was absolutely incredible. I managed on one of the downhills -- even on the gravel road -- we hit 74 kilometres (an hour)."

The event was to raise funds for a relief and development agency, the Mennonite Central Committee, plus the Family Life Network.

Loewen said it's "disappointing" he could not finish, but that even so, "it was a tremendous experience for us as a group."