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Rocky
Mountain Bike for Bibles attracts young – and old!
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| One of the 35 cyclists taking part in the Canadian Bible Society’s 10th Anniversary Rocky Mountain Bike for Bibles event in July 2002. Toronto, Canada. Photo: Canadian Bible Society (CAN03DJ-2) |
TORONTO, Canada — The cyclists who participated in the Canadian Bible Society’s (CBS)10th Anniversary Rocky Mountain Bike for Bibles event in July 2002 ranged in age from 13 to 85.
There were a number of different routes available to them, according
to their ability, and some spent 12 full days on the road, cycling a
total of 1,400kms (868 miles). However, those who cycled a shorter distance
were no less enthusiastic about raising money for the project selected
for the anniversary ride: sending New Reader Portions to street children
in Colombia.
Easy riders
Beginning in Revelstoke, British Columbia, around 35 cyclists tackled rugged terrain and steep hills, often in very hot weather, as they headed along a route which included stops in Cranbrook, Radium, Banff and Calgary. There was a strong team spirit, with the more experienced cyclists helping the “easy riders,” and this spirit continued into the evenings, when fellowship and entertainment were shared at host churches.
The oldest participant was Dr Hugh Maclure, a retired medical missionary whose work for the Bible cause stretches back 50 years, when he was involved in translating the New Testament into Themne, a language spoken by 1.2 million people as a first language and 240,000 as a second language in Sierra Leone.
Dr Maclure’s first Bike for Bibles event was in 1993, and since then he and his fellow cyclists have raised more than C$300,000 for projects in countries including Russia, Brazil, India and Egypt. In December 2001 the CBS made a special presentation to him in recognition of his contribution to the Bike for Bibles initiative.