Yellowknife (June 04/03) - The seat on Const. Jason Doucet's bike doesn't look very comfortable.

He's thinking of buying a different one, which is probably a good idea considering he's going on a bike trip from Houston to Edmonton later this month.

Const. Jason Doucet will join a team of five others to bike from Houston to Edmonton - Jennifer McPhee/NNSL photo

The Houston police department started the trip to raise money for charities in the 1980s but Doucet and Const. Stephen Dibblee of the Fort McPherson detachment are the first two RCMP officers to take part.

Doucet has chosen to donate the money he raises to Larga Services, an organization that provides free lodging and transportation to Northerners (and their families) who are in Edmonton for medical treatment.

Doucet says on average about 40 to 60 people use the service each day.

"I might have to use it sometime myself," he says.

The ride starts on June 22 but he plans to head to Houston a couple days early to get acclimatized.

The six-member team bikes 24 hours, seven days a week with each member taking eight-hour shifts. All told, Doucet will bike about 500 miles.

They expect to arrive in Edmonton on July 2.

Doucet has never actually exercised for eight hours straight so he's been busy working out. "It's something I've never done, so nervousness is going to be part of it," he says.

"It's not a race," he points out. "I plan to do my best."

Last week, he did a trial run from Chan Lake to Rae-Edzo, which is about 150 kilometres.

Doucet is selling T-shirts and visiting businesses looking for pledges. "I'm hoping the community and businesses will help me raise funds," he says.