ORO STATION, Ontario — Bill Shoup of Oro Station is training for a cross-Canada bike ride with his dog Yoshi. In May 2022 at the age of 60, Bill will set out from Surry, B.C. on his recumbent trike with electric-assist and a comfy trailer for when the energetic Husky needs a rest. The plan is to arrive on the east coast by September that year. Bill’s wife Marie will be his ground crew.

I asked Bill why he was doing this. He had two answers: because it was something he always wanted to do, and because he can! But when I pushed him, two other reasons came up. He is using the trip to raise awareness and support for issues that are important to him, and to inspire others to push the boundaries of what they think are possible. That’s Bill – he loves outdoor adventures that are physically challenging, and is always looking for ways to support and inspire others to live their best lives.

To prepare for the trip, Bill has been doing weekly rides of 50 to 100 km, with lots of other smaller runs. Last summer he did a trial run to Gatineau, Quebec which he said was easier than he thought it would be. The biggest challenge turned out to be charging the battery on his electric trike – both finding places to charge and waiting. He used his innovation to come up with a better solution – solar panels fitted to his rig will power the battery as long as the sun shines!

Bill has been on a bike all his life, and enjoys mountain biking on occasion, but says, “There is something about covering great distances on a bike. The first 30 to 60 minutes is a struggle, but then you get into it and the next thing you know I’m off into my own little world.”

Bill has always been physically active. Through school he competed in soccer and track and field. If he couldn’t make the team, he still found ways to be involved in a supportive role.

That attitude has served Bill well. At the age of 25, while competing in Judo, Bill started having stomach problems. After four long years, he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. He admits going through the “poor me” stage, but while participating on the Crohn’s and Colitis Committee he witnessed so many people give up on life and became determined to continue doing all the activities he enjoyed before his illness even though he couldn’t perform at the same high level. Sadly, that wasn’t the end of Bill’s health misfortunes. In an accident he perforated his colon, a life threatening condition. Even after a second surgery a year later, the doctors said it was hit or miss whether he would survive or not.

As devastating as these serious health challenges were, Bill said that they were “the most awesome things that happened to me.” The experiences, he said, made him a better person and “opened me up to a new world and how life should really be looked at.”

Bill became committed to not only living his best life, but also to making the world a better place through his work, his personal choices and his volunteer efforts.

I got to know Bill through personal training. His mission: I help you be the best that you can be. He says, “At All Round Health and Fitness, I get to help people. What better job can you ask for than getting to help people?” His advice for getting the results you are looking for is to push the body, saying that there is a difference between working out and just being active. He hopes that his journey will inspire others to pursue physical challenges that push the boundaries of what they think is possible.

His personal choices are informed by not only what is best for him, but also the world in general. Crohn’s disease was one of the motivations to switch to a plant-based diet (his minor dietary vices being beer and apple or blueberry crisps). It certainly made all the difference to managing his Crohn’s disease. But an equally strong influence was caring for the environment. Once he saw what the meat industry was doing to our planet, he could no longer be the “meatatarian” that he once was. Moreover, he doesn’t just have solar panels on his bike, but also on his house!

Throughout his cross-Canada bike ride, he will be raising awareness and support for causes close to his heart: Crohn’s and Colitis Canada, Easter Seals and Canadian Women’s Foundation.

Bill will be sharing updates of his adventure on social media, and in particular on his YouTube Channel – Bill and Yoshi’s Outdoor Adventures. He hopes that people from coast to coast will show up along the way to cheer them on.

“If I can help one person by sharing my story, then my job is done.”

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