Liam Zahara and Mateo Everitt have committed to an incredible journey in support of Power To Be. Starting next week, they will be cycling and camping 1400 kilometres through parts of Alberta and across British Columbia. Friends since kindergarten, Liam and Mateo both grew up on Bowen Island and have always been avid outdoor enthusiasts. With both Liam and Mateo having been involved with Power To Be in the past, they are excited to start their adventure as they push their bodies to new limits to support our programs and allow others to access nature.

They will start at a farm belonging to Liam’s grandparents in northern Alberta, and finish at Horseshoe Bay. Check out the details of their adventure below:

Sept. 15 START: Culp/Falher, AB to Fox Creek (196 km)

Sept. 16: Fox Creek to Edson (195 km)

Sept. 17: Edson to Jasper (165 km)

Sept. 18: Jasper to Valemount, BC (123 km)

Sept. 19: Valemount to Clearwater (197 km)

Sept 20: Clearwater to 100 Mile House (137 km)

Sept 21: 100 Mile House to Lillooet (178 km)

Sept 22: Lillooet to Whistler (130 km)

Sept 23: FINISH: Whistler to Horseshoe Bay (102 km)

Donate to Riding our Roots!

Meet Liam and Mateo!

Liam Zahara:
I grew up locally on Bowen Island. As kids we constantly explored the outdoors, whether it was biking across the island, building forts, or swimming at the beach, the island was our natural playground and where we grew to understand what our limits were. As a kid, I thought this was a normal thing to be free and explore. Later in life, I realized a new love of mental and physical benefits of nature; realizing that pushing myself outside my comfort zone was a place where I thrived. In 2019 I challenged myself to run a 162 km ultramarathon, the more I trained, the more I understood how integral being in nature was to my well being and saw the synergies with Power To Be. We teamed up and I made a goal of doing a test of endurance every year to raise funds for Power To Be. This year, I am so grateful to have one of my oldest and best friends to be taking part in the next test of endurance where we will be riding our roots from my Grandparents farm in Northern Alberta, another place I grew up being free to explore, all the way to our little island. Defining your physical and mental limits is different for everyone, yet the positive impact of being in nature holds the same power for everyone.

Mateo Everitt:
My name is Mateo, got my start on a little island called Bowen. I recently moved to Victoria to open up a real estate office. Avid hiker, and now diving headfirst into cycling! When we were locked down in March & April with the pandemic, I was feeling trapped in my apartment, and realized this a full-time reality for some individuals, and how it’s so important to get into nature. My good friend Liam and I, (who I’ve known since kindergarten) thought a ride of this distance and difficulty would be a unique way to help raise funds and awareness for Power to Be, a charity that is on the frontlines of helping people living with a disability access nature. Our departure is September 15th, starting in northern Alberta, and ending in Horseshoe Bay, hopefully on the 25th! See you at the finish line!