Sea to Sea 2017

For over a decade, Sea to Sea Bicycle Tours has been pedaling to break the cycle of poverty through education, awareness, and fundraising. Its main event is a transcontinental bike tour open to cyclists of any experience and ability. Their uniting vision: to see the world poverty-free.

This year, the ride is scheduled to extend from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Much of the ride takes place in Canada, including beautiful British Columbia and the Canadian Rockies, Revelstoke, Lake Louise, and Banff, Alberta, as well as a stretch through Minnesota and Michigan on the American side. The entire tour is 4,350 miles (7,000 km) and will take nine and a half weeks to complete. At least 200 cyclists are expected to join the 2017 ride. 

“Although it seems intimidating,” says tour director Terry Barnes, “people of all backgrounds, ages, and physical conditions participate successfully in Sea to Sea each year.” The ride is designed to be accessible for those with any level of cycling experience.

People interested in riding can choose to tackle the entire route, cycling from June 26 to August 31, or they can opt for one of six shorter legs that last only a week or two.

There are more ways to support this ministry than riding. Sea to Sea is looking for people to pray, to donate, to volunteer, or to become a Tour Partner or Route Partner. The Tour Partner program serves as a means to support a local church or nonprofit that is fighting poverty by allowing these ministries to share in the funds raised by riders they recruit. Route Partners are churches along the route that are able to meet physical needs like food and lodging for riders. In return, the money saved will be passed on to the Route Partners’ own ministries fighting poverty.

Partnering with Sea to Sea means partnering with a tradition of fundraising and service. Its first ride took place in 2005, with the fundraised support benefiting Home Missions. A portion of these funds was allocated to fighting poverty, but in 2008 this became the sole focus of the tour. That year, cyclists rode from Seattle, Washington to Jersey City, New Jersey to support World Missions, World Renew, Partners Worldwide and various local ministries. 

The last cross-country ride took place in 2013, stretching from Los Angeles to New York City, and then in 2015 Sea to Sea conducted its first short tours. These included an event in Ontario and another reaching from Jasper, Alberta, to Glacier National Park, Montana. More recently, Sea to Sea participated in RAGBRAI, cycling across Iowa as a witnessing ministry.

Since its start in 2005, over $5 million has been donated through the Sea to Sea ministry.

Right now, Sea to Sea is actively recruiting riders and supporters. Join us!  

To learn more about this year’s ride and how you can get involved, visit www.seatosea.org.