Ministry: Ministry of Transportation

What’s your day job? Senior Systems Engineer, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Program Section supporting the province-wide COMPASS program.

What’s your past biking experience? I started riding 3 years ago to improve my fitness level and to supplement my winter activities.

What’s your inspiration for this ride? This is my first EPIC ride and I am very excited, proud and anxious to do so. It’s a great way to contribute to a worthy cause. We all know someone who needs our help.

It’s also an opportunity to experience the beautiful Southern Ontario scenery and meet new friends.

 How are you preparing for B4UW? Participating in group rides and putting in as much miles as possible in my legs and trying to eat well.

What do you think will be your greatest challenge on the ride? The hills and keeping up with the pace. But with the support from my family and friends l am confident!

What do you like to do other than riding your bike? I enjoy hanging out with family and friends, snowboarding, cross training, motorsports, and travelling.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself. Always willing to try something new.

Manitoulin rider

“I’ve been involved for many years and B4UW is a wonderful way to raise awareness and money for the great work of the United Way.”

Name: Robyn Hughes

Ministry: Ministry of Government and Consumer Services, ServiceOntario

What’s your day job?
I’m a Senior Business Consultant with ServiceOntario’s Strategy Branch. We provide advice and guidance on the long-term direction of the organization.

What’s your past biking experience?
I’ve been a city cyclist for years, but I recently bought a touring bike and am working my way up to doing some fully loaded (camping gear and all!) bicycle touring in North America. B4UW will be my first tour.

What’s your inspiration for this ride?
For me, there isn’t a better place to ride in Ontario than around Algonquin Park, where I’ve spent many summers at my family cottage. The added encouragement of raising funds to help provide shelter and support to those in my community will put extra fuel in those pedal strokes!

How are you preparing for B4UW?
Breaking in my new leather saddle –in other words, putting my butt on the bike for many, many hours.

What do you think will be your greatest challenge on the ride?
The knees. Oh, the knees.

What do you like to do other than riding your bike?
I’ve been playing dodgeball in an adult league for almost five years. Yes, it is just like the movie, and a ton of fun.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
When I was a student, I worked as a tour guide on coach buses and after years of pointing things out to people’s left and right, I still mess up left and right all the time. I’m good at directions; just don’t make me give them to you!

Name:  Stephen Brown           

Ministry: Natural Resources and Forests

What’s your day job?
Senior Business Planner and Advisor, Provincial Services Division

What’s your past biking experience?
Well, I got my motorcycle licence at 17 and I’ve been riding ever since.  Wait, what do you mean “bicycle”?  For 800 km?  Are you (expletive deleted) crazy?

What’s your inspiration for this ride?
I’m looking forward to travelling some of the beautiful country roads in southern Ontario, meeting OPS colleagues and new friends, all while doing something to give back to my community. 

How are you preparing for B4UW?
Apparently I have been preparing all wrong.  Does anyone have a bicycle I can borrow?

What do you think will be your greatest challenge on the ride?
My biggest challenge will be trying to prepare for the unknown.  Anything from bad weather to mechanical breakdowns can happen.  Since this is my first ride I will be relying on some of the veterans for adice. 

What do you like to do other than riding your bike?
Most of my spare time is spent doing reno’s on my house.  The guy at the hardware store probably thinks I build houses for a living!

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I’m likely the most accident prone person you will ever meet – and I have the scars to prove it.  For all the other B4UW riders – don’t worry, I usually just injure myself, not those around me!

Name: Alex Jannetta

Ministry: Ministry of Government and Consumer Services, ServiceOntario

What’s your day job?
Working in the Strategy Branch for ServiceOntario, my team is assigned in developing a long-term strategic plan for the organization.

What’s your past biking experience?
I’m a newbie. Just bought my first road bike this year and participated in my first big bike ride for Cycle For Sight in Ottawa back in June. My cycle team surpassed our fundraising goal and raised over $6,400. We cycled 110 km in the beautiful rich countryside surrounding Ottawa. I learned valuable bike lessons like bike safety and simple things like how to get a drink of water without stopping (took a few painful tries). I have been riding all summer and I am looking for new ways to challenge myself.

What’s your inspiration for this ride?
Algonquin Park has a very special place in my heart. To be able to ride my bike, camp and see the park all at the same time is heaven for me. 

How are you preparing for B4UW?
Spending every free time I have on my bike, going to spin classes and eating lots of carbs!

What do you think will be your greatest challenge on the ride?
I think that riding long distances consecutively for 5 days will be my biggest challenge.

What do you like to do other than riding your bike?
I love to travel and learn about history and science. And I love to eat.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
Last year I won second place at the Black Creek Pioneer Village Gingerbread House contest. I had to replicate a historic 1880 Ontario home using just flour and sugar.