VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - A BC teacher has spent 469 days cycling across six continents, and now he's coming home.
Michael Schratter's global bike trip has taken him 40,000 kilometres through 33 countries, all in the name of mental health. "I left August 1, 2010, with the hope of raising awareness regarding the absurdity of the stigma that still surrounds mental illness," he explains.
He tells
News1130 the physical challenge of this trip was nothing compared to what he's been through emotionally over the past few years. "The toughest part was probably going public with my own mental health issues, prior to leaving; not the physical challenge itself. So that gives you an idea of just how ridiculous this affliction is being received by our society."
Now, he'll make the final leg of the journey from Tsawwassen to Rogers Arena on Saturday morning and he's inviting the community along with him to cross the finish line.
"I'd like to see people have enough courage to hop on a bike and join me," he says. "This is a nice, slow pace - a family-oriented ride. I'm expecting a total of about 200 cyclists, weather permitting."
The noon-hour celebration will feature an appearance from several Vancouver VIPs, including
Vancouver Canucks President and General Manager Mike Gillis.