Team H2V: 9 days, 5 riders, 2 coasts, 1 goal.
Nine days, five riders, two coasts, some 6000km, and one very ambitious goal of curing Juvenile Diabetes! If you haven’t heard already, or if you live under a rock, Willie Cromack of John Henry Bike Shop and 4 other super motivated individuals of Team H2V are tackling a non-stop coast to coast bike ride to raise funds and awareness for Juvenile Diabetes.
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Willie, ask him some questions, and get the low down on this epic undertaking. Enjoy, and good luck to ya boys!
What is Team H2V?
Team H2V is a team of 5 riders that are attempting a Guinness World Record for crossing Canada by bike. We are attempting to not only race across Canada in only 9 days but our main goal is to raise money and awareness for Juvenile Diabetes.
Why Juvenile Diabetes and how does a mountain biker from the Shore find himself on a road bike for 6000km?
Juvenile Diabetes affects over 200,000 children in Canada alone and on a personal note the gentlemen, and my friend, who created the new john Henry Bikes logo, has a daughter with JD. He is racing with us and we are helping him fulfil a promise to Taylor his daughter. 10 years ago he promised her he would do everything in his power to come up with a cure. We’re working on that with him. This is a great opportunity to ride across Canada, hang out with great friends, do something wonderful with a bunch of fabulous people and in the end…two wheels good; any two wheels as long as I’m riding and not working.
What is the format?
Five riders in relay format across the country starting in Halifax on September 14th and finishing at Stanley Park September 22nd/23rd area! We’ll have a media team and support vehicles in front and behind us as well as riders from across the country who are coming out to support our efforts by riding with and for us. Should be a lot of people and a lot of fun.
How much are you aiming to raise and how is the awareness campaign going?
So far we have raised over $700,000 towards our goals which now sit at hopefully over a million dollars. People are really getting behind us and our main sponsors are contributing a serious amount of energy and money. Serious money for a great cause. Time Magazine, CTV nationally and the local papers have taken on our cause with great effect and we are grateful for their media support which for a little bike shop guy has been extremely cool and totally cool.
What is going on with the ride and how do the readers get involved?
First there is the website, www.teamh2v.com, where you can follow along via our GPS footage, blogs and you can check out some pretty cool videos there as well. We have pull-outs all along the routes, where our local chapters of JDRF are creating small street parties across Canada and of course we’d love to have anyone out to join our peloton, helping to pull the boys home and make this a reality. Halifax has officially named September 14th Team H2V day which is extremely cool and we’ll be riding via police escort into Vancouver with Premier Gordon Campbell, again very cool and great for the awareness of the Juvenile Diabetes charity.
How can we donate?
Go to www.teamh2v.com and donate directly online. We really appreciate everyone’s support and please join us on the journey or at the end party at Stanley park on the 22nd/23rd weekend.
Here’s a pic of the man himself, Willie Cromack and a shot of Team H2V doing their thing.
