Cyclists make long trips across Canada all the time during the warmer months. Only a few bike Canada香蕉视频直播檚 roads in the winter, but Iliajah Pidskalny braved the cold for a cause, recently passing through Hope on the last leg of his journey.

Pidskalny is raising money for the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, aiming to raise awareness and advocate for a human rights approach to drug policies, shedding light on socioeconomic and psychological problems that may lead some people into a life or drugs or crime. He has been on the road since the beginning of January.

The recent college graduate fell in love with cycling while attending the University of Saskatchewan.

香蕉视频直播淚 got hooked on cycling [in college] and I first did a cycling trip from Saskatoon to Vancouver 香蕉视频直播� this exact [route], pretty much 香蕉视频直播� with a buddy of mine when I was 19,香蕉视频直播� Pidskalny said. 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 when I first fell in love with it and have done a trip since every single year.香蕉视频直播�

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On this latest journey, he香蕉视频直播檚 passed through Drumheller, Calgary, Revelstoke, Kamloops and Hope, to name a few.

On his travels, Pidskalny said he香蕉视频直播檚 spoken to a number of people living on the street who have struggled with drugs and some who ended up homeless without struggling with addiction but rather with untreated mental health issues.

香蕉视频直播淟iving on the road like this started to expose only some of the challenges involved with being homeless,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淥f course, what I香蕉视频直播檓 doing is totally luxury compared to that because it香蕉视频直播檚 optional and heavy gear. I started to realize if you stand in the wrong place too long, it香蕉视频直播檚 illegal. If you sleep anywhere outside, it香蕉视频直播檚 illegal. All these things started to pop up.香蕉视频直播�

This isn香蕉视频直播檛 just for the overdose crisis... it香蕉视频直播檚 for a poisoning crisis, a suicide crisis, a homeless crisis, a depression crisis. This is for a mental health crisis. A crisis of miseducation and misunderstanding, of greed and inequality. Stop the stigma. 馃洃

香蕉视频直播� Iliajah Pidskalny (@IliajahP)

In Pidskalny香蕉视频直播檚 view, the 香蕉视频直播渨ar on drugs香蕉视频直播� has overlooked underlying mental health issues for decades, and he said it香蕉视频直播檚 time for a more empathetic approach.

His reasons for biking in the winter are dual: because it draws more attention to his cause and because that香蕉视频直播檚 when he had the idea to do it.

香蕉视频直播淚 really take this issue seriously, and I really wanted to gain as much awareness about it as possible,香蕉视频直播� Pidskalny said. 香蕉视频直播淓ven though it香蕉视频直播檚 extremely challenging and I really hate the cold I was like, 香蕉视频直播極kay, I know I can do it.香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈��

He said he did a test run, biking east in October and November.

The wind has posed the biggest challenge for Pidskalny so far.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 always the same with any of these bicycling trips, the headwinds,香蕉视频直播� he added. 香蕉视频直播淭hey kind of had stopped after Canmore and I feel like I香蕉视频直播檝e been moving pretty quickly since then.香蕉视频直播�

Pidskalny has kept in good shape throughout the journey, suffering frostnip 香蕉视频直播� an injury just shy of full-on frostbite 香蕉视频直播� on his toes. He香蕉视频直播檚 survived on rice noodles, peanut butter and energy bars of his own creation made of dates, peanut butter, chocolate and nacho tortilla chips.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檇 first done it without the tortilla chips, and I was like 香蕉视频直播楳an, this needs some more [substance],香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚t clicked; it香蕉视频直播檚 so good. Slightly salty, slightly crunchy.香蕉视频直播�

Pidskalny is no stranger to living on the road, having lived in a tent for several summers. His original pre-pandemic plan for the past year was to bike from Saskatchewan to Mexico, but COVID-19 curbed that dream for now.

Aside from the ongoing fundraiser, Pidskalny said he has no immediate personal ties to the cause.

香蕉视频直播淢eeting people on the street, every conversation is personal, Every person is a person. I don香蕉视频直播檛 think everyone should wait until they lose a loved one to start to care about this,香蕉视频直播� he said.

There香蕉视频直播檚 a lot of people working really hard at this and have been looking at policies for decades,香蕉视频直播� Pidskalny added. 香蕉视频直播淚 couldn香蕉视频直播檛 describe the detailed policies. I know decriminalization at least with possession of certain amounts of illicit drugs seems to be a good starting point, that way people are not criminalized for this issue and they can start to reach out for help.香蕉视频直播�

Pidskalny surpassed his fundraising goal of $20,000. As of Wednesday morning, his GoFundMe page states he香蕉视频直播檚 raised $21,379 from 276 donors.

Up until he spoke with The Standard on Tuesday, Jan. 27, he香蕉视频直播檇 believed he was somewhere around the $15,000 mark.

香蕉视频直播淲hoa! Really?香蕉视频直播� he exclaimed when he learned of the total. 香蕉视频直播淚 swear it was $15,000 yesterday. Holy, that香蕉视频直播檚 a big jump! That香蕉视频直播檚 awesome.香蕉视频直播�

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Pidskalny said the journey so far has been filled with memories.

香蕉视频直播淚 feel like I could pull a day out of a hat and claim that as my most memorable, and that香蕉视频直播檚 what I want out of life,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚 just want each day to be this memorable day, even if the day was full of nothing, even if I just sat at the top of a mountain and slept all day, that could be memorable. I don香蕉视频直播檛 think I could choose something without changing my mind later.香蕉视频直播�

After Pidskalny wraps up his fundraising trip, he plans to head to Vancouver Island.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檇 be really cool to just volunteer and keep living like this as long as I can, but I香蕉视频直播檒l pretty quickly need to start taking care of myself,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚 make a lot of soaps, I thought about selling soap. I don香蕉视频直播檛 know, something weird and niche. I don香蕉视频直播檛 need much to survive, so I香蕉视频直播檇 be pretty content doing something like that.香蕉视频直播�

While Pidskalny will still support the message behind his cause, he has yet to decide what his next step is when it comes to activism and volunteering.

香蕉视频直播淭his [undertaking] was a lot,香蕉视频直播� Pidskalny said. 香蕉视频直播淚 think I香蕉视频直播檓 just going to pull back for a bit and try to figure myself out before I take the next step.香蕉视频直播�

Pidskalny expects to finish his ride on Friday, Jan. 29, at Jack Poole Plaza where the Olympic Cauldron burned during the 2010 games.

Pidskalny chronicles his travels at twitter.com/IliajahP.