Cyclists make long trips across Canada all the time during the warmer months. Only a few bike Canada害羞草研究所檚 roads in the winter, but Iliajah Pidskalny braved the cold for a cause, recently passing through Hope on the last leg of his journey.

Pidskalny is raising money for the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, aiming to raise awareness and advocate for a human rights approach to drug policies, shedding light on socioeconomic and psychological problems that may lead some people into a life or drugs or crime. He has been on the road since the beginning of January.

The recent college graduate fell in love with cycling while attending the University of Saskatchewan.

害羞草研究所淚 got hooked on cycling [in college] and I first did a cycling trip from Saskatoon to Vancouver 害羞草研究所� this exact [route], pretty much 害羞草研究所� with a buddy of mine when I was 19,害羞草研究所� Pidskalny said. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 when I first fell in love with it and have done a trip since every single year.害羞草研究所�

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On this latest journey, he害羞草研究所檚 passed through Drumheller, Calgary, Revelstoke, Kamloops and Hope, to name a few.

On his travels, Pidskalny said he害羞草研究所檚 spoken to a number of people living on the street who have struggled with drugs and some who ended up homeless without struggling with addiction but rather with untreated mental health issues.

害羞草研究所淟iving on the road like this started to expose only some of the challenges involved with being homeless,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淥f course, what I害羞草研究所檓 doing is totally luxury compared to that because it害羞草研究所檚 optional and heavy gear. I started to realize if you stand in the wrong place too long, it害羞草研究所檚 illegal. If you sleep anywhere outside, it害羞草研究所檚 illegal. All these things started to pop up.害羞草研究所�

This isn害羞草研究所檛 just for the overdose crisis... it害羞草研究所檚 for a poisoning crisis, a suicide crisis, a homeless crisis, a depression crisis. This is for a mental health crisis. A crisis of miseducation and misunderstanding, of greed and inequality. Stop the stigma. 馃洃

害羞草研究所� Iliajah Pidskalny (@IliajahP)

In Pidskalny害羞草研究所檚 view, the 害羞草研究所渨ar on drugs害羞草研究所� has overlooked underlying mental health issues for decades, and he said it害羞草研究所檚 time for a more empathetic approach.

His reasons for biking in the winter are dual: because it draws more attention to his cause and because that害羞草研究所檚 when he had the idea to do it.

害羞草研究所淚 really take this issue seriously, and I really wanted to gain as much awareness about it as possible,害羞草研究所� Pidskalny said. 害羞草研究所淓ven though it害羞草研究所檚 extremely challenging and I really hate the cold I was like, 害羞草研究所極kay, I know I can do it.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

He said he did a test run, biking east in October and November.

The wind has posed the biggest challenge for Pidskalny so far.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 always the same with any of these bicycling trips, the headwinds,害羞草研究所� he added. 害羞草研究所淭hey kind of had stopped after Canmore and I feel like I害羞草研究所檝e been moving pretty quickly since then.害羞草研究所�

Pidskalny has kept in good shape throughout the journey, suffering frostnip 害羞草研究所� an injury just shy of full-on frostbite 害羞草研究所� on his toes. He害羞草研究所檚 survived on rice noodles, peanut butter and energy bars of his own creation made of dates, peanut butter, chocolate and nacho tortilla chips.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檇 first done it without the tortilla chips, and I was like 害羞草研究所楳an, this needs some more [substance],害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚t clicked; it害羞草研究所檚 so good. Slightly salty, slightly crunchy.害羞草研究所�

Pidskalny is no stranger to living on the road, having lived in a tent for several summers. His original pre-pandemic plan for the past year was to bike from Saskatchewan to Mexico, but COVID-19 curbed that dream for now.

Aside from the ongoing fundraiser, Pidskalny said he has no immediate personal ties to the cause.

害羞草研究所淢eeting people on the street, every conversation is personal, Every person is a person. I don害羞草研究所檛 think everyone should wait until they lose a loved one to start to care about this,害羞草研究所� he said.

There害羞草研究所檚 a lot of people working really hard at this and have been looking at policies for decades,害羞草研究所� Pidskalny added. 害羞草研究所淚 couldn害羞草研究所檛 describe the detailed policies. I know decriminalization at least with possession of certain amounts of illicit drugs seems to be a good starting point, that way people are not criminalized for this issue and they can start to reach out for help.害羞草研究所�

Pidskalny surpassed his fundraising goal of $20,000. As of Wednesday morning, his GoFundMe page states he害羞草研究所檚 raised $21,379 from 276 donors.

Up until he spoke with The Standard on Tuesday, Jan. 27, he害羞草研究所檇 believed he was somewhere around the $15,000 mark.

害羞草研究所淲hoa! Really?害羞草研究所� he exclaimed when he learned of the total. 害羞草研究所淚 swear it was $15,000 yesterday. Holy, that害羞草研究所檚 a big jump! That害羞草研究所檚 awesome.害羞草研究所�

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Pidskalny said the journey so far has been filled with memories.

害羞草研究所淚 feel like I could pull a day out of a hat and claim that as my most memorable, and that害羞草研究所檚 what I want out of life,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 just want each day to be this memorable day, even if the day was full of nothing, even if I just sat at the top of a mountain and slept all day, that could be memorable. I don害羞草研究所檛 think I could choose something without changing my mind later.害羞草研究所�

After Pidskalny wraps up his fundraising trip, he plans to head to Vancouver Island.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檇 be really cool to just volunteer and keep living like this as long as I can, but I害羞草研究所檒l pretty quickly need to start taking care of myself,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 make a lot of soaps, I thought about selling soap. I don害羞草研究所檛 know, something weird and niche. I don害羞草研究所檛 need much to survive, so I害羞草研究所檇 be pretty content doing something like that.害羞草研究所�

While Pidskalny will still support the message behind his cause, he has yet to decide what his next step is when it comes to activism and volunteering.

害羞草研究所淭his [undertaking] was a lot,害羞草研究所� Pidskalny said. 害羞草研究所淚 think I害羞草研究所檓 just going to pull back for a bit and try to figure myself out before I take the next step.害羞草研究所�

Pidskalny expects to finish his ride on Friday, Jan. 29, at Jack Poole Plaza where the Olympic Cauldron burned during the 2010 games.

Pidskalny chronicles his travels at twitter.com/IliajahP.