Lizanne Chicanot's Story

My first great experience on a bike was when I was in grade 6. My mom signed me up for a bike camp and I got hooked. Instead of singing camp tunes and staying in log cabins, we got to go on a week long bike trip through the Ottawa Valley. After that I just thought of myself as a biker.

When I was in high school in Ottawa I used to commute all year long across town to school. The snow just made it more exciting! My first teaching job was in the Northwest Territories where I would occasionally ride across a little arm of Great Slave Lake on my mountain bike. Now I live in Beautiful BC and as much as possible (OK I've turned into a bit of a fair weather cyclist!) I cycle to work along the Galloping Goose/Lochside trail (probably the best commute to work in the world!).

I'm excited to join up with Mary and crew for a portion of the Wheels for Change trip. I'll start in Hope which kind of has a poetic ring to it.... especially given the climate change situation.... and it's also pretty flat terrain after that which I won't complain about! I'm really looking forward to the bike ride and to meeting all the other cycling folks who are also dedicated to raising awareness of climate change!

Lizanne Chicanot
Vice Principal at Royal Oak Middle School
Victoria, BC