Quebec cyclist finds tailwinds and small-town kindness in Southwest

Posted on June 16, 2026 by Ryan Dahlman

Jory Desjardins, a cyclist from Quebec, is currently pedalling his way across Canada on an epic journey from Vancouver to Quebec City.

Desjardins has been on the road for nearly a month since starting out from Vancouver on May 22.

Traveling with 70 to 80 pounds of gear, he has faced everything Mother Nature can throw at him. That weather challenge took a particularly harsh turn last week as he rode into Shaunavon, enduring a severe thunderstorm that left him completely drenched.

Fortunately, local residents came to the rescue. The Freeman family spotted the soaked cyclist and invited him into their home for the night, providing a warm, dry bed and a much-needed opportunity to do laundry.

“I can’t say enough about how kind they were,” Desjardins said. “I was drenched, and their help came at exactly the right time.”

While Desjardins has bikepacked before, his previous trips were limited to weekend outings. He originally planned to pedal from east to west, but reversed his route after learning about the brutal headwinds facing cyclists traveling toward British Columbia.

He reaped the benefits of that decision last week when powerful tailwinds pushed him far beyond his expected daily mileage. On his best day, he covered an incredible 266 kilometres from Banff to Drumheller, Alberta.

“When I left, I told my family that it was going to take me three months,” Desjardins smiled. “But it might only take me two and a half because I’m moving pretty fast right now.”

While his official goal is Quebec City, he plans to continue to the eastern edge of the province if he stays ahead of schedule.

Desjardins stuck to Highway 1 while navigating the Rocky Mountains but switched to less-traveled routes since then. He noted that he prefers the warm interactions of small-town Canada compared to the relative anonymity of major highways.

“I took some smaller highways to Drumheller and then decided to travel along the Red Coat Trail (Highway 13) because people are much friendlier,” he explained. “Everybody is saying ‘hi’ to me all the time. And of course I had a family take me in last night. I just like the smaller towns compared to the Number 1 where you are just another tourist.”

“And I would never get interviewed on the Number 1,” he added with laugh.

His detour through the southwest also brought another personal discovery. Desjardins’ great-great-grandfather had actually lived in Eastend and while passing through the community he was able to visit his ancestor’s gravesite. He also learned he has relatives in the area – the Dordu family – that added another special meaning to the experience.

The most direct route from Vancouver to Quebec City would cover about 4,800 km, but by using less travelled roads, Jory’s trip will easily exceed 5,000 km.

He left from Shaunavon on his way to Val Marie and Grasslands Park, with another strong tailwind but more rain in the forecast.

The 22-year-old is wrapping up his psychoeducation degree at Laval University – a mix of Psychology and Social Work – and will pursue his master’s degree once that is completed.