On 21 May 2026, my 75th birthday, I will begin a journey that will test endurance, honour service and celebrate resilience.
I’ll set out on a 2,700-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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While visiting our friend, Sandra in Norwood, ON, we decided to take a trip to the Petroglyphs Provincial Park. a few kilometres away. At first, we weren’t too sure what to expect. After all, Karen and I have seen petroglyphs and petrographs in Canada, Mexico and the United States before. Was there really anything that…
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Throughout The Road To Valour, riders joined me for many different reasons. Some wanted to support me personally. Others wanted to support Wounded Warriors Canada and the message of mental health for veterans and first responders. Still others were curious about bicycle touring and wanted to experience life on the road. One rider, however, had a much deeper…
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As I rode into Okotoks, Alberta, on my way to the Lions Campground, I found myself thinking about the people I had been meeting along The Road To Valour. Every day seemed to bring another conversation, another story, another reminder that this ride was becoming about far more than cycling. Little did I know that before…
Welcome to The Road To Valour
The Road To Valour 