On August 28, 2022, JB Owen and Peter Giesin officially completed their 10,000km cross-Canada tandem cycling tour, which took them from Vancouver, BC, all the way to their finish line in Heart’s Content, Newfoundland. The couple was cycling coast-to-coast throughout the summer to inspire others, raise money for charity, prove what’s possible, and film for an upcoming documentary focused on empowering and uplifting people around the world, titled Ignite Humanity.
After multiple bike breakdowns, massive mountainous inclines, temperamental weather, and even catching a thief trying to steal their bike, it was a moment of triumph and bliss for JB and Peter as they reached the finish line and proved anything is possible when you set your mind to succeed.
Throughout their trip, they captured incredible landscapes, compassionate, caring Canadians, and special moments that truly shared all that is possible in our country. Donning their Alchemy of Ride cycling gear, which features colorful artwork of famous Albertan landscapes by local artist Lynn Harrison, they were dressed for the occasion as they rolled through all 10 Canadian provinces, meeting new people and inspiring others with their mission to Ignite Humanity and raise funds for charity.
JB Owen is the CEO and Founder of Alberta-based empowerment media company Ignite Publishing. As she and her husband Peter traveled, their follow vehicle was covered in a brightly colored wrap that acted as a moving billboard for their initiatives. The first of which was Ignite’s charity initiative they created in partnership with Classroom of Hope, called the Ignite Possibilities School of Hope. This initiative raises money to fund the building of a school in Indonesia so children can get access to education, literacy, and a safe learning environment. Many kind people JB and Peter met donated to the cause. There would be times when people would approach them as they parked at the grocery store or pulled over as they were resting at the side of the road, drawn in by the initiative and compelled to learn more. These people, right then and there, would generously give money to the cause, and those moments are remembered as true highlights of the trip. JB and Peter feel that nothing makes you want to keep cycling kilometer after grueling kilometer more than knowing you’re reaching people around the country and raising awareness for an important cause.
JB Owen, who was knighted last month for her entrepreneurial and philanthropic contributions to humanity, shares about the initiative, “We want to promote literacy, reading, and storytelling. We want to provide a place for kids to learn, grow, and step into their greatest potential. Every child deserves access to an education.”
Throughout the journey, they also filmed their travels for their upcoming documentary Ignite Humanity and a TV show called Wisdom From the Back of a Bike, which is a companion to JB’s forthcoming novel of the same name. Ignite Humanity aims to catalog every person’s diverse and impactful insights on humanity and the light we can bring into the world. It is meant to inspire and uplift others by showing all the incredible possibilities available to them and the power of community when people authentically and joyfully come together. The cycling trip is just one component of the documentary, which will also film in India, Indonesia, and the United States. The documentary will also be JB Owen’s directorial debut, as it is her vision to create a documentary that shows the best of what humanity has to offer around the world.
JB Owen shares, “We must restore love and faith for humanity by connecting with as many people as possible. I want to showcase people who are Igniting humanity and share their inspiring stories.”
The Wisdom From the Back of the Bike TV show brings all the wisdom, life lessons, and advice JB Owen has learned throughout her years as an entrepreneur, coach, and mentor and delivers it straight from the back of her and her husband’s tandem bike. With gorgeous Canadian landscapes passing them by as they cycle, JB Owen appears on camera while cycling to share inspiring words that will make viewers want to create incredible, positive, and lasting change in their lives.
The Wisdom From the Back of the Bike book, which JB Owen started writing in 2020, was completed on the road this summer and will be released later this year. Wisdom From the Back of a Bike contains inspiring insight from JB as she uses cycling as a metaphor for perseverance, dedication, and inner life lessons. A forward-thinking business owner and student of life, JB shares how cycling without any experience, setting off during the pandemic, and overcoming fears, worries, naysayers, and a global pandemic inspired her. Her book shares valuable life lessons, unique strategies, winning mindset beliefs, and fun anecdotes of how biking and life mirror one another.
This summer’s cycling trip is the third successful long-distance cycling trip JB Owen and Peter Giesin have completed. In 2020, they cycled 5,000km from their hometown of Red Deer, Alberta, to the parliament building in Ottawa. In 2021, they cycled over 6,500km throughout Canada’s western provinces and up the Top of the World highway to the Yukon, Alaska, and back. The couple decided they would take on even more with two trips completed, tackling 10,000km, a documentary, a TV show, press, and fundraising for the School of Hope.
Their trip was jam-packed with adventure, and the two couldn’t be happier with their achievements this summer. JB and Peter share, “This experience has been wonderful and impactful.”
Highlights From the Trip:
Canada is a special place with so much to explore and many incredible people to meet. To celebrate the completion of an exceptional trip, JB and Peter have gathered their favorite highlights from each province they traveled to. Many of these moments were also captured for the Ignite Humanity documentary.
British Columbia
JB and Peter cycled through many mountainous areas in British Columbia, but nothing was quite like the Bonanza Pass. Reaching speeds of 84km/hour coming downhill into Castlegar, the two started their cycling trip off by breaking their record for the highest speed on their tandem bike! They are excited to show this moment in the documentary so that everyone can be reminded of the amazing things that happen when you boldly chase your dreams.
Alberta
In Alberta, the duo stopped in Calgary with major damage to their bike. They weren’t sure if their bike could be salvaged, and despite the best efforts of the amazing people at Bow Cycle, the cracked bike frame meant their bike was out of commission. But from that setback came an amazing, brand-new bike with even more features to make their ride smoother. The compassion, dedication, and skill of the people at Bow Cycle made what could have been a disaster a true highlight. It reminded them of the power of humanity coming together.
Saskatchewan
In Saskatchewan, JB and Peter’s day in Moose Jaw stood out. They weren’t sure how to make the most of their day there until someone they unexpectedly met recommended the infamous tunnels as a fun attraction. It was a great outing, plus it reminded them of the kindness of strangers, which reaffirmed their mission to Ignite Humanity.
Manitoba
In Manitoba, JB and Peter were interviewed for the local paper in Winnipeg. Seeing the excitement others had for their mission to cycle 10,000km, raise money for charity, and Ignite Humanity gave them the energy they needed to cycle through the long stretches of beautiful prairies.
Ontario
In Ontario, JB and Peter were able to meet the mayor of Niagara Falls, Jim Diodati, and share with him their mission to Ignite Humanity. It was wonderful to get his well wishes for their trip and see that someone committed to serving the people of his community has recognized the powerful purpose of Igniting Humanity.
Quebec
Quebec was a quieter stretch of the trip. It allowed JB and Peter to reflect on why Igniting Humanity is so important to them. JB shared, “Igniting Humanity starts with sharing our stories and truly listening to the stories of others. Through this, we understand ourselves and others better. We connect on a deeper heart level. I know that connection is possible for humanity, and I want to see that happen.”
New Brunswick
In New Brunswick, a true highlight were the Hopewell rocks. These rocks are partially submerged during high tide, but the water recedes so much at low tide that the ocean floor is revealed, and the rocks are completely exposed. It was thrilling to visit at low tide, knowing that the biggest tidal changes in the world were along this bay and that everything would be submerged once more in a few short hours. There were many other people there, and sharing the experience of walking along the ocean floor filled every person with a sense of wonder. That wonder we as humans experience was a huge inspiration for the Ignite Humanity documentary.
Nova Scotia
The Cabot Trail was a gorgeous stop in Nova Scotia that allowed JB and Peter to walk and cycle through some truly stunning scenery. Located in the Cape Breton highlands, JB and Peter used this opportunity to disconnect entirely from their devices and truly let themselves be absorbed in nature. One thing the two will highlight in the documentary is the beauty of the natural world, so it only made sense they turned off the cameras for a few days of total nature appreciation.
PEI
In PEI, after visiting the Anne of Green Gables museum and a few famous lighthouses along the coast, JB and Peter stumbled onto a Ceilidh, which they had never heard about before. To their delight, they ate, drank, and danced with many amazing locals at this community event and were moved to see that many in attendance had given them donations for the School of Hope. It was a wonderful moment of community and care.
Newfoundland
In Newfoundland, after an 8-hour ferry ride with their bike, JB and Peter spent their time cycling through the natural beauty of Newfoundland. Their highlight, of course, was cycling to the finish line in Heart’s Content, a perfectly fitting location for this milestone!
With 10,000km cycled in just a few months, JB and Peter look forward to returning home and unveiling the next phase of Ignite’s growth. Ignite is the go-to place for all things empowerment and the home for humanity. It is where people can share their stories and ignite their lives. This has always been Ignite’s vision, and now JB and Peter are working on new ways to expand this for their clients and customers.
To learn more about Ignite, go to https://igniteyou.life, and for more information about JB Owen, visit https://jbowen.website.
