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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday August 1, 2008 - 13 Senior cycles from Vancouver to Oakville By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF An Oakville senior enjoyed a well-deserved celebration with friends and family Wednesday night after recently completing a 4,382-kilometre bike ride from Vancouver to Oakville. Alex Gandeski, a 65-year-old self-proclaimed fitness freak, said he undertook the incredible journey simply to see if he could complete it at his age. As it turned out, he could. "It was absolutely awesome," said Gandeski, who arrived back in Oakville on Sunday. "I never will forget that trip." The semi-retired operator of a successful window and carpet cleaning business had been thinking about attempting a crosscountry bike ride for some time and decided to go through with it earlier this year. The decision was met with mixed reviews from Gandeski's family. " I said to my wife (Margo) that I would like to make a trip across Canada by bicycle and she said, `It's okay, but you're kind of stupid to go,'" laughed Gandeski. "Everybody had some doubts that I would make it all the way." Gandeski also dismissed a suggestion that he use the family's motorcycle to make the journey and, instead, set out to build up his strength so he could make the trip under his own steam. Gandeski was already in great shape, owing to the fact that he RON KUZYK / OAKVILLE BEAVER WELCOME HOME NEIGHBOUR: Alex Gandeski, who just completed a solo cycling journey from Vancouver to Oakville, was given a surprise welcome home party by his friends Wednesday night where neighbour Mark Kirton presented him with a mock Tour de France shirt. has been visiting a local gym at least three times a week for the last 35 years. Still, he felt more was needed to accomplish the cross- country trip, so he kicked his routine up a notch. "When I prepped for the trip, I went into the fitness club and I cycled for sometimes two hours on the stationary bike at the highest setting," he said. "I did that for "When I prepped for the trip, I went into the fitness club and I cycled for sometimes two hours on the stationary bike at the highest setting. I did that for about half a year" Alex Gandeski about half a year." With such intense training under his belt, Gandeski and a friend from Windsor flew to Vancouver and began their first attempt to cross the country. Gandeski was involved in a severe collision with another cyclist soon after the trip began. "I totaled my bike and I totaled myself quite a bit," he said. "I went to a bicycle shop and ordered a new bike because I thought I could continue, but in the night I was in tremendous pain. I went to the emergency room and the doctor advised me not to do anything for four weeks." A disappointed Gandeski flew home to Oakville to recover from his accident while his friend from Windsor would eventually go on to complete the great trek on his own. With so much time and energy having been spent for such and unfavourable outcome, many would think Gandeski would have rethought his decision to cycle from Vancouver to Oakville, or at least, put the idea on hold for a while, but this was not the case. After resting for four weeks, as the doctor insisted, Gandeski again bid farewell to his wife and flew back to Vancouver to try his luck on the road again, this time solo. The bicycle trip, which began on June 16, saw Gandeski traveling around 100-150 km each day. The senior would rise for his daily biking marathon at 4:30 a.m. and continue until 9 p.m. Gandeski said he was exhausted at the end of each day, but recovered quickly. At night, he often camped out in a tent he packed with him or stayed in hostels or with friends he knew along the way. Gandeski said it was necessary to be almost constantly eating and drinking to keep up the murder See Senior page 16 Chisholm Summer School Chisholm Summer School Individually Designed Elementary and Secondary Individually Designed · · Elementary and Secondary Please call for registration details now. · Tutoring, Remediation & Enrichment · Skill Builders · Foundation Skills for High School · Standardized Exam Preparation · High School Credit Courses Fina Summe l r Se Bookin ssion g Now Chisholm Educational Centre 1484 Cornwall Road, Oakville, ON L6J 7W5 | 905.844.3240 | www.chisholmcentre.com