At the age of 64, she was injured and went through a martyrdom of surgeries and illnesses that brought her to her knees. However, she wanted to get back on her feet and chose a long and lonely path. A journey through beautiful and wild Canada on a recumbent e-bike. The adventure not only restored her health but also gave her the desire to move on. That is why a 12,000 km long solar bicycle race from France to China is being prepared today.

When did you start to think about the tour across Canada?
In January 2016 for a departure in May 2016 The idea came to me as a necessity of personal survival following several health problems that started in August 2015. At that moment, I felt down in a staircase (I missed a step) and landed in an unprotected window that broke my left hand while I was trying to protect my face. As a result, all extensor tendons of my left hand were injured necessitating the first operation. In October 2015, I was sick for 3 weeks with a 40°C fever necessitating hospitalization. The diagnosis was a Cytomegalovirus infection that severely diminished my immune system. It took me one year to fully recover and gain my immunity back. In December 2015, I got a new infectious disease with a new hospitalization. Finally, in January 2016, a second operation was necessary on my left hand because the first operation had failed. It was too much! I was sinking both physically and morally and thought that I had to do something to get out of it. Being fond of sport, I thought of a long bike ride.

How long did it take to actually prepare the trip?
Two months.

Why Canada and what was your route?
Canada came to my mind for several reasons.
– I wanted a country where I could get treatment in case of relapse.
– As a not that young woman traveling alone, I wanted to feel safe.
– For moral recovery, I wanted to cross a magnificent country known for its landscapes, nature, and animals.

Talking about the route, I had to travel from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic because of the prevailing winds. Thus I landed in Vancouver, British Columbia, and finished my ride in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I found a man who previously made this trip on the ” travel forum “, I contacted him and we spent 4 hours discussing the journey together via Skype. He helped me enormously, and since mutual help is a fundamental value for me, I was very happy with this “part” of the journey.

How many kilometers did you make?
9084 km


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