About Myself

My name is Dirk van Wyngaarden of Brantford Ontario. I'm 52 years old and am riding in the Christian Reformed Church's Sea to Sea Tour in the summer of 2008. We are cycling from Seattle to Jersey City, a distance of about 6,000 kilometres or 3600 miles. I have been married to my lovely wife, Elaine for 29 years and will miss our 30th anniversary which will happen while I am on the tour. She has always been very encouraging of me doing what I feel is right for me, whether it is being an over the road trucker or participating in the Sea to Sea tour. I've come to the conclusion that I am married to a saint. I love you very much Elaine. For all the good reasons to participate in this endeavour, this is the culmination of a journey from a 340 lb. couch potato to good health and fitness for me. I sometimes have a difficult time believing that I used to look like this.

I will be posting all my training rides beginning in August 2007 and right through the ride itself, so friends and family can follow my progress as I prepare for, and actually do the ride itself. Photos will also be included in my postings when available. I also do a fair bit of running, so if you notice some gaps in my riding schedule, that doesn't mean I am getting soft and lazy, I'm probably just out running. I am a long haul trucker, traveling from my home in Ontario, Canada on a bi-weekly basis to Texas, New Mexico and Colorado, returning home through Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa. I take my bike with me, so I get to ride all over and most of the year. As such, I have the advantage of being able to train all year long. I have actually ridden many of the same roads we will ride on the tour. Our goal is to raise $10,000 dollars in donations per cyclist to the CRC's poverty reduction programs. To make a donation please visit my page on the Sea to Sea website. All donations, no matter how seemingly insignificant, will make a difference in some one's life. My email address while on tour this summer is dirksseatosea@live.ca