On 21 May 2026, my 75th birthday, I’ll begin a journey that will test endurance, honour service and celebrate resilience.
I’ll set out on a 2,500-kilometre, fully unsupported bicycle ride from Vancouver to Winnipeg — a ride with purpose at every turn.
The Road To Valour is grounded by three commitments:
- Supporting the mental health of veterans, first responders, and their families through Wounded Warriors Canada.
- Sharing and preserving Canada’s military history, honouring the sacrifices and achievements that shaped our nation.
- Promoting healthy aging, proving that age is no barrier to challenge, growth, or adventure.
This is a ride for courage, for remembrance and for hope.
My name is Garry McCracken
I am a veteran.
My father was a veteran.
Both of my grandfathers were veterans.
We were all sappers.
days
hours minutes seconds
until
The Road To Valour
Battlefield Bike Rides
Battlefield Bike Rides (BBRs) are unique journeys, cycling through history to honour the fallen and help the living, while raising crucial funds for Wounded Warriors Canada (WWC). I am proud to say that I have completed three BBRs, and with the unwavering support of many sponsors and supporters, I have raised approximately $50,000. Below, you can learn more about each ride and what made them significant for me.
BBR19 – Operation Overlord
My first BBR Operation Overlord was in 2019. A friend, Bob Harding, and I joined the ride and then found two other residents of Lake Country, BC who had also signed up. We formed a fundraising team, the Okanagan Chain Gang. BBR19 began in…
BBR22 – 100 Days to Victory
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted BBRs for several years, even cancelling BBR20 The Liberation of the Netherlands. However, BBR was revived in 2022 as Canada’s Last 100 Days of World War 1. This was a ride from Amiens, France where the Last 100…
BBR23 – The Battle of Ortona
BBR23, my third ride with WWC, honoured the Canadian contribution to the liberation of Italy in World War II. Before Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings in Normandy, Canada was involved in the Italian Campaign. The Battle of Ortona was one of the hardest battles fought in WW2.
Vancouver to Winnipeg
2,700kms of travel | 14,000m of climbing
4 Provinces | 42 Days.
From the blog
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Fifty days from now, I will roll out from the start line of The Road To Valour ! As I sit and contemplate what lies ahead — the mountains that must be climbed, the vast open spaces of the prairies that seem to stretch on forever — I would be lying if I said I…
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Today marks 100 days until the wheels turn and The Road To Valour officially begins.In one sense, 100 days feels like plenty of time, but in another, it feels like tomorrow. This ride has been a long time in the making. In 2026, we will take on a 2,600+ kilometre unsupported bicycle ride from Vancouver to Winnipeg, tracing a route…
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This is a story I have been looking forward to telling. It is an unusual tale of valour, unique in Canadian history, and it centres on the only Victoria Cross ever awarded for actions taken on Canadian soil. This is the story of Timothy O’Hea, VC. The Butterfly Effect is often used to describe history…
Welcome to The Road To Valour
The Road To Valour 