O'Reilly Lake Campground welcomes Riders Without Borders

Sep 06, 2012

Photo: members of Riders Without Borders camped at O'Reilly Lake family Campground en route to Quebec City for a 1000km ride to promote charity and to perform acts of kindness along the way.

Close to 25 bike riders took refuge at the O'Reilly Lake Campground on the evening of August 27, the third night of a 10-day/ 100-town and 1000 km journey, which began in Toronto on August 25 and will end in Quebec City on September 6. The aim of the group, which calls itself Riders Without Borders, is to perform selfless acts of kindness all along the way by serving the communities that they pass through.

The riders, who stopped on their first night in Port Hope, and in Marmora on their second night, have visited hospitals where they have distributed gifts to sick children; in homes for the elderly where they have worked and visited with clients; and at food banks and homeless shelters where they will offer their services as well. The riders represent a number of different faiths but are roughly 80% Muslim. They were inspired by the group's leader, Hosam Helal of Toronto, also a Muslim, who formed the group and organized the event as a way to bring forth one of the five pillars of the Muslim faith - charity.

I met up with half the riders near dusk at the O'Reilly Lake Campground and spoke with their unofficially appointed leader Nathan Savelli of Hamilton, who explained the motivation behind the ride. “We're hoping to promote and spread kindness and charity as a way to give back to people in the various communities that we pass through”, he said. “Hasam's inspiration for this event I believe comes from his Muslim faith and the pillar of charity and this ride is a way for people of various faiths to put the idea of charity into action.”

Nancy Purtell of O'Reilly Lake Campground said her family was contacted by the group over one month ago and asked if they could stay on their way to Quebec City. Knowing that the group was a not for profit charity, the Purtells offered the group a place to stay free of charge.

Along with the 25 riders, the group includes five volunteers who assist the riders by preparing the meals, setting up the campsites and assisting in other ways. The volunteers include a nurse, and they ride in two vehicles, one that hauls the riders' gear and the second an emergency vehicle that helps to repair any bikes that break down along the way.

The riders are of all ages; the youngest is 14 and most are students from the Greater Toronto Area. For many this is longest and hardest ride they have ever attempted. One of the female riders, Dania, came on the ride with her younger brother and cousin and though she trained for about an hour a day prior to the ride, she said the 100 km days are much more grueling than she anticipated. “I really had no idea how physically demanding it would be."

The group originally planned to end the trip in New York but ran into border crossing complications that forced organizers re-route the trip. Nathan seemed undisturbed by the change and said, "The length of the trip is the same - the only difference is that we are now crossing provincial borders instead of an international one.”

One of the riders, Hesham Fahim, is originally from Egypt and works as an engineer at a firm called Inlocus Robotics in Toronto. He said that the ride “takes you out of your regular comfort zone and helps to improve not only yourself but the community around you." One young couple, Tamiesha Mos and Fayez Patel, are celebrating their honeymoon on the ride and missed the first day because they were busy getting married in London, Ont. Asked if the ride makes for an enjoyable honeymoon, Fayez responded, “It's been very good for our relationship. Riding 100km a day really helps to show you empathy and compassion for others.”

The riders are enjoying the journey so far and said it has taught them a number of important lessons, one being that every uphill has its corresponding down hill. Organizers are hoping to make the event an annual one, with a different destination and route planned every year and Nathan hopes to see the number of riders increase as the event gains notoriety. For more information about Riders Without Borders visit them on facebook.